Editor: Areth Kyntaul
I felt cold when I woke up the next day.
I don't know what the owner was thinking, not lighting a fire in the morning, causing the entire room to feel cold. Not to mention the cold wind blowing in from the gaps in the damaged window. The entire room was particularly cold.
I rubbed my eyes and looked down at Leah on my chest. Leah was curled up like a ball with a smile on her face. I had pulled Leah into my embrace without being aware, and Leah pulled the blanket over herself, also unaware, thereby exposing my back.
It's no wonder why it felt so cold.
I saw Leah's small face on my chest as she snored quietly. While she still had some baby fat, her potential to be a beauty and her perfect features had taken shape.
Her small clavicle made her neck appear perfectly long and slender. Her pure white, gentle and warm shoulders were akin to precious elephant trunks. Her small shoulders were shaking slowly, along with her body.
She's just a kid, but her breasts were already taking shape, like poached eggs. Her thick yet smooth legs were curled up to her chest. Her plump hands gripped my chest gently. She rested her head on my chest, as though she was relishing the warmth of my body.
I stroked her head softly as I looked at my young daughter, whom I haven't known for long but love deeply. I've never had a child, but I felt valued and found warm love through her laughter. It was the first time I had such a strong and clear desire to protect and love, as though she was my biological daughter.
'But can I provide her with what's necessary for her to grow up happily?' I don't know how to be a father because I've never been one before. However, the sense of bliss and tension in my heart tormented me as I watched Leah sleep in my arms right now.
Leah is so cute and pretty, but she's just a child right now. Moreover, she's not a human, but a demon. Demons are humanity's nemesis. Her situation was more perilous since she happened to be the Demon King's daughter, as well.
'Can she live here with humanity? No. A better question would be, how am I going to allow Leah to live happily in human society? Not only does Leah need food, she needs to receive a proper education, and adopt the correct world outlook, and views on life and values.'
'Most importantly, when will humanity stop hunting down demons?'
'But what can I provide Leah? I can't provide her with anything. Everything Leah needs is at Veirya's side. Only Veirya has the connections and resources to provide Leah with everything she needs. An education, resources, status and respects are things I can't provide Leah with.'
'But despite Veirya being able to provide her with those things, Veirya, being oblivious to the world, doesn't know how to make use of her connections and resources. Veirya would only be able to watch Leah grow up in the desolate north. So in the end, Leah would be relegated to growing up here in the north and never getting to see those flowers.'
'Veirya is a soldier. She knows how to achieve victory, but not how to use that victory.'
'I can't watch all of that happen.'
These big concerns and anxious matters made me feel really irritated because I felt really ashamed.
I had never felt like this before. This was the first time I had felt so tired.
I protected Leah, yet I can't provide her with what she needs. The clearer this became, the more her smile made my heart ache.
'I must find a way to provide Leah with everything she needs.'
I sat up.
Despite understanding that I couldn't realise this dream even if I didn't sleep today, I was still motivated to get out of bed by the tension and urgency I felt.
After sitting up quietly, I gently covered Leah, who was curled up, and then quickly got out of the blanket.
The cold made me shiver.
I quickly picked up my clothes and shivered as I wore them, but I couldn't get rid of the cold on my body. My entire body was freezing.
I looked at the kettle to the side. I didn't even want to touch the cold water now.
'Let's head downstairs to see if we can find some hot water…'
I opened the door gently and went out, shivering as I went down the stairs. I felt like it was colder with the main door open.
The only warmth was the fire torches by the door, which were slowly going out.
I leaned over and shivered next to a fire torch.
There was nobody around, including the boss and waiter.
While there were tables at the diner, like other hotels, nobody dared to offer breakfast when the area was threatened by a famine.
I wrapped my arms around myself and looked outside. I quickly spotted Veirya standing next to the well.
Veirya wasn't wearing the clothing she wore out. She was in just her thin undershirt and briefs, exposing her limbs to the freezing air.
Veirya's skin looked somewhat unnaturally white. Her round peach created the perfect curvaceous body. Even though it was completely covered by her briefs, she still looked inexplicably sexy. Underneath the gully created by the material of her briefs were her thighs. Further down were her knees sockets. Her joints and muscles created a charming gully. Her calves looked firm, despite her not wearing high heels.
Perhaps Veirya's ankles weren't slender, because she was a soldier. That said, they were still charming.
Veirya whipped her long silver hair. She then picked up a wooden bucket filled with water from the well and poured it down on herself from overhead.
I looked at Veirya, who had poured a bucket of cold water onto herself, feeling absolutely stunned. I felt like she was pouring ice, and not water, down on herself.
If I was in her position, I bet I'd have shrieked non-stop and then fell to the ground. Veirya, however, didn't look like she could feel the temperature, allowing the ice cold water to slowly run down her body.
She then whipped her long silver hair and she reached toward her undershirt, seemingly to remove it.
"Aaahh!!!"
'Stop! Stop! Stop!! Veirya can't strip here!' I rushed over before I could remove my cloak. I whipped my cloak to the front, rushed over to Veirya and then pulled her into my arms to wrap her up with my cloak.
Veirya slammed into my chest. I was a little too slow. Veirya had undressed so her cold breasts were pressed against my chest firmly. Veirya's body was freezing.
My body started to shiver again due to Veirya's cold body.
Veirya's breasts felt particularly real. Her sexy body was up close, right in front of me. It was the first time her blue eyes had been so close to mine.
I looked at Veirya.
Our heights are about the same. Her blue eyes blinked before my eyes. Her beautiful face radiated the cold before my eyes.
I looked at her pretty face and forgot what I wanted to say.
A moment after, she asked, "What's the matter?"
Veirya didn't mind being so close to me. Her voice still sounded like it came from afar, despite us being so close.
She had her hands pressed on my chest gently, though not tenderly, like Leah. She just had them there, because there was nowhere else to place them.
I looked at her and trembled as I exclaimed, "D-Don't undress in front of people!!"
"Hmm? Why? Don't I normally undress in front of you? You're just seeing my body. I don't care."
Veirya looked at me with puzzlement. Shame doesn't seem to exist in Veirya's dictionary. Veirya has never avoided me, so it makes sense for her not to mind others, and therefore undress in front of others without hesitation.
Although Veirya and I aren't related, or rather, we have no romantic feelings for each other, I couldn't help but feel angry at the thought of others looking at Veirya's body.
'Just when did I start considering Veirya's body as my possession?'
"That's… different…"
'I admit. I don't have any excuses. Veirya is right this time. If Veirya can accept it, I'm in no place to speak.'
Veirya looked at me and straight up asked, "You can't accept it?"
"Ah… I… I…"
The sudden question made me feel slightly ashamed.
I know that I don't have any right to say anything. Veirya and I don't have any sort of relationship. I'm just her spoil of war. My jealousy and anger are just my own selfish thoughts. I have them just because I don't want to let anyone see the precious Veirya by my side, even though she doesn't belong to me.
Veirya didn't take her eyes off of me. She asked again, "You can't accept it?"
"I-It is your body after all… I can't tell you what to do…"
"Why did you rush over, then?"
"I… umm… well, a normal girl wouldn't just reveal her body in front of others carelessly!"
I simply gave up. Veirya had me up against the wall. I can't ever hide anything in front of Veirya. I metaphorically broke the glass, closed my eyes and added, "And there's also the fact that I personally can't accept it!"
Veirya didn't respond.
The awkward silence made me feel so ashamed of myself. I honestly wished she'd say something. I'd be fine if she slapped me, too, as long as we could break the silence. This is torture, though.
"All right." A moment after, Veirya nodded gently and then wrapped her arms around my neck. The scent of Veirya enveloped me, causing me to freeze up from shock.
Veirya, however, wasn't hugging me, but undoing my cloak. She removed my cloak to wrap herself with it, then looked at me seriously with her blue eyes.
"Since it is abnormal to do so, I won't do it again." She said.
Veirya then went into the hotel, leaving me standing there watching her back blankly as I savoured the feeling of our bodies making contact before, as well as the cold temperature…
The reason Veirya didn't undress wasn't for my sake, but I was still oddly slightly happy…