Chapter 91 – The Cross of Memories #10

After hearing Kate’s proposal, I fell into deep trouble.
Would you pay for the sin of mocking my body with your own body?
It was an absurdly surprising idea.
But she has no reason to reject her offer.
That is if Kate really wants it.
I opened my mouth while looking around the dark stone chamber.

“I also have something I’d like to suggest.”
“What, what is it?”
“It’s a little embarrassing to do something embarrassing in a dark place like this. So let’s go out. After passing through the underground waterway and after the party, I think I can enjoy it comfortably.”
“That’s right.”

Kate looked satisfied with my proposal. Certainly, hugging each other in this dark stone chamber is bound to be hesitant. The smell of cinnamon wafting through her nose made it impossible to enjoy the kiss.
It was right to go out and finish the deed, even for each other’s sake.
Of course, I didn’t forget to put her terms on Kate.

“If you have the heart to do so.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t have the hobby of forcibly dealing with a girl I hate. If you really want to apologize to me, come to the after party.
“…”

At my words, Kate pondered for a moment, then she lowered her head slightly. It meant accepting the conditions I proposed. With this, I made a hole for Kate to escape. If, after hearing this, she still shows up at the after-party, it must mean that Kate is ready to sincerely apologize to me.

“Instead, we’re going to move the after party to lunch. I want to eat and do it quickly.”
“Me, with me…?”
“Yes.”
“All right.”

I made a promise like that.
After taking a short break, we packed our things and left the stone chamber. I realized that eight hours had passed by the number of times I turned the hourglass. After passing through the passage, in the plaza of the underground waterway, only the corpses of the Ratmen were rolling around.

“…”
“…”

It might be worth expressing your feelings while looking at the rat man corpse.
There was no conversation between me and Kate. The moment I passed the plaza and started walking down the underpass, there was only awkward silence. Of course, I made such a strange promise, but it was rather awkward to have a normal conversation.

‘What are you thinking? Are you thinking of running away?’

I could only wonder what Kate, following behind her, was thinking. Couldn’t Kate at this moment be thinking of breaking her promise? Because I made a hole for Kate to slip through. Kate couldn’t be held accountable for not showing up at the after-party.

‘I can’t help it if I want to run away.’

Thinking so, I silently moved forward. After fierce territorial battles, the number of ratmen had decreased significantly, and there were hardly any ratmen standing in our way.

“Keeeee.”

About one appeared, but it was a rat man with injuries all over his body. I lightly exterminated him by hitting him with a water whip. Since then, there has been no encounter with Rat Man. We escaped through the aqueduct much faster than we entered.

Entrance to the groundwater.
Climbing up the ladder, we finally landed on the ground. Looking at the position where the sun rose, it was now morning. It seemed like I needed to wash up quickly to have an after party at lunchtime.

“The Moon’s Blessing Tavern. Do you know where it is?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s meet there. I’ll be waiting for you.”

After a brief exchange of words, Kate and I parted ways. I was very reluctant to go back to the inn where I was staying, so I decided to borrow a bath at a nearby inn and wash myself. In order to wash away the stench of the underground water, I had to wash my body for quite a long time. The moment the scent of cinnamon that flowed from under my nose disappeared, I finally felt like I could breathe.

After changing into a new one, I immediately left for the tavern. I settled down at the Moon’s Blessing Tavern and waited for Kate.

‘Are you really going to come? Quite a bit of time has passed.’

It was almost past lunchtime, but Kate didn’t show up. I was the only one sitting alone at the table and killing time.

You won’t be disappointed because you didn’t expect much anyway. I was thinking of waiting another 30 minutes before going back to the inn. Rebecca will be waiting for me.

Tick! Tick!

The clock on the wall of the shop ticked loudly. The slow-moving hour hand pointed to 2 p.M. It’s over now. Kate thought she would never come. Maybe she felt guilty about this and avoided me like she did when we first met.

‘It was an orphanage classmate I barely met…’

Could it be that such an unfortunate accident will end their relationship? I wasn’t very lucky in my opinion. I sighed and got up from the table. Just at that moment, the voice that had been waiting for me came from behind.

“Monma-sama.”

When I looked back, I couldn’t believe it at all. The one who appeared in front of me was undoubtedly Kate. A blonde-haired nun in a nun’s uniform was mumbling behind my back.

Kate’s hair was damp, as if she had washed it in a hurry. A nice scent emanated from her Kate’s body. I was happy to be at her after party, but I couldn’t understand why Kate was so late.

“…I reported to the church that I had completed the quest. The elders were so inquisitive that it had to take some time. I didn’t come late on purpose…”

Kate stretched her words out as if making excuses.

“Okay. Why don’t you sit down?”
“…Yes.”

It’s a little too much to keep standing, so I seated Kate at her table. Kate, who was sitting in her seat, couldn’t make eye contact with me, as if she had committed a great sin. She’s nobody else, she’s a nun. It is nonsense, she said, that a nun molested a man. If word spread, she said Kate might be kicked out of the church.

Well, although I didn’t want Kate to go through such a rough ride.

“Raise your head! You said you’d pay it back? Be as shameless as usual…! That would be better.”
“…Yes.”
“Huh.”

I think it would be better to order rice first.
Wouldn’t it make you feel better if you feed something to your stomach? It was me who was being harassed, so I don’t know why I should be worried about Kate, but I was worried anyway. The downcast look of that blond nun really didn’t suit her.

“Here’s your order!”

After ordering, the food was brought to the table one after another. Grilled steaks, salads and soups, and other lavishly decorated appetizers. In total, it was a luxurious meal that cost 2 silver. It was because he was buying food in exchange for the expensive orb.

“Eat a lot. Eating is what’s left over.”

The moment she started eating, Kate’s expression brightened a little. I finally had a proper conversation with Kate. Of course, this is not a story about embarrassing behavior that will begin after the after party. Because there were too many eyes to tell such a story.

“Tell me more about your classmates at the orphanage.”
“Oh, you mean that?”
“I hear you have a friend who became a tailor in the palace?”
“The story of that friend will be a bit long…”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s long. Let me hear it.”

Hearing her motivational story barely got Kate to speak. I eagerly agreed with Kate as she told me her story. There is never a fake response. The stories Kate tells about her old classmates are really interesting.

“A banquet was held at the Kratel Palace five years ago, and a tailor’s friend’s work accidentally became a hot topic at the banquet.”

As I listened to the long story, I couldn’t help but think of this.
The thought that I would like to continue to have such an intimate conversation with Kate in the future.
It was because he was an old comrade whom he had finally met after a long time passed. Even if I did something after the party, I wanted to see Kate and her smiling face again. Maybe it’s a really big greed, but at least I thought so.

‘What should I do?’

As I talked with Kate, I was lost in thought.
Any way to finish this job well.

*

After the meal.

I paid the bill to the shopkeeper and went out of the tavern. Kate followed carefully behind me. Now it was time for her to begin the work she had promised, but Kate refused to run. She was just standing on the road and looking at me with a slightly nervous expression.

“What should I do?”
“…”
“Please do as Mongma-nim wants.”

I took Kate’s hand because she asked me to do it.
As I lightly pulled her hand against hers, Kate started to follow me.

“Are you going to the inn?”
“No.”
“Well, then where?”

I didn’t answer her Kate’s question. She just walked in front of her in silence, holding her hand. Perhaps because of the midsummer heat, our hands were damp with sweat.

“Here.”

The moment I finally stopped walking.
Kate made a surprised expression. The place I stopped was a dark alley. Since the entrance of the alley is connected to the main street, citizens walking around could see it clearly. Kate stared back and forth between me and the alley entrance, she was at a loss.

“Oh, no. People see it here.”
“I heard that I can do whatever I want. You’re not thinking of taking it out now, are you?”
“No, but please!”

Kate looked at me pleadingly. The moist blue eyes were looking at me. It must be embarrassing to play exposed in a public place.

“I can’t help it even if you ask me.”
“Huh.”

As I approached, Kate took a step back. However, as she drifted away little by little, Kate was eventually forced to stop her feet. She was blocked by the wall of the alley and couldn’t move any further.
I raised her hand towards her stopped Kate. At that moment, Kate closed her eyes tightly. Her cheeks were stained red. I took her lifted hand and hugged her around Kate’s waist.

“Ugh.”

The moment Kate winced at her.
I kissed Kate and kissed her.
She kissed her as she crossed her lips with hers.

I couldn’t do it well from the start.
Because Kate keeps her mouth shut.
After holding her for quite some time, I parted her lips and spoke to her again.

“You said you wanted to kiss.”
“…Yes.”
“Then open your mouth.”

Kate did not refuse my order. Because it was she who promised me that it would be okay to touch her anywhere. Kate, who had her eyes closed, opened her mouth hesitantly.
I kissed her again on her full lips.

A soft and warm feeling felt from the lips touching each other.
I gently licked Kate’s parted lips with her tongue. He tickled her lips with the tip of his tongue, then weakly sucked her lower lip. I sucked every nook and cranny of her lips. Kate’s legs staggered as if she had inadvertently relaxed at her gentle sensation. I pulled her back even deeper to keep her from falling.

In a state of close contact with the body.
I teased Kate’s lips persistently. She didn’t stop her tongue until her lips were moist with her own saliva. The moment I teased her lips to my satisfaction, I thrust my tongue through the gaping gap. I rubbed Kate’s warm tongue with mine.

“… Stick her tongue out a little more.”

No answer came.
But as she let out her languid breath, Kate obediently stuck her tongue out at me. I entwined Kate’s shy tongue with mine. The moment her tongue intertwined, an electric current flowed through my body. I skillfully pushed Kate to feel this pleasure more deeply. The tricks she learned while kissing Rebecca were poured out exclusively for Kate.

“Mo, Mr. Mongma.”

It was Kate embarrassingly pushing her breasts with her palms, but I wouldn’t let her go. He wrapped himself around her waist tighter and caressed Kate’s tongue. Every time the sensitive area on her tongue brushed, Kate let out a hot breath. I persistently dug into what Kate felt best about. I didn’t stop caressing her until the strength in Kate’s palms pushed me away.

“Haha…”

When Kate’s body finally gave out, I licked her tongue. Carefully opening her mouth, she pulled her arms around her waist. Kate leaned her body against me and looked at me affectionately.

“Are you going to do more…?”
“Want to do more?”

Kate shut her mouth while keeping her head down.
I decided to share my thoughts with Kate. It was hard to say, but at this point it had to be said. Otherwise, I would really cross the line between Kate and her.

“I’ll end it here.”
“Shut up, are you done?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”

The moment you said it was over.
Kate looked at me with her eyes mixed with her weeping. Her hand was holding the hem of my dress. Just like a child. My heart was shaking at Kate’s tears that trickled down before I knew it.

“Why, why are you stopping? Do I look ugly? Do you not like Dream Maiden? Or do you not want to see a selfish girl like me…”
“Because if you do more, you’ll cross the line. You won’t be able to live as comfortably as you do now.”

If you cross the line between Kate and her, you will definitely feel good today. But there was a lot of work to be done. It was too hard for a dreamer like me to endure alone. Especially when I think of Rebecca, who is still waiting for me in the inn room.

I looked at Kate and opened her mouth.
She prayed that my heart would reach her.

“Because I can’t lose my old friend. I want to keep seeing you in the future. It’s one of the few ties that I’ve had with my dream horse. I don’t want to cross the line recklessly.”

Did you understand what I was saying?
Kate buried her face in my arms and spoke in a sobbing voice.

“Neither do I.”

“I don’t want to lose Mongma either.”

“It’s been a long time since I first met Mongma at the orphanage.”

In a split second, Kate raised her head and looked at me.
Her wet eyes looked at me.

“…Now I know my heart.”

That heartfelt word resonated clearly in my ears.