Lirael sat down stiffly on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping slightly beneath her weight. Ethan leaned back against the headboard, his arms folded behind his head, eyes narrowing with a seriousness that stripped away his usual playful grin.

"Tomorrow," he began, his voice low and steady, "we have our class promotion."

Lirael turned her head toward him, her azure hair still damp, clinging to her cheek. "…And?" she asked, her tone carefully guarded.

Ethan tilted his head, studying her. "We also caused quite a stir at the guild hall today."

Her brows furrowed. "So?"

"Words travel fast among adventurers," he said, his voice trailing off, a sharpness in his eyes as if he were watching invisible strings being pulled.

"What are y—" she began, then stopped mid-sentence. The realization hit her like a cold gust. Her breath caught, and her expression darkened, turning solemn. "They came, didn't they?" she asked, her voice dropping almost to a whisper.

"Yes." Ethan's tone left no room for doubt. "When we were at the guild, I could feel it. Eyes on me. Watching. Measuring. Whoever it was, they weren't openly hostile—but they were interested. Very interested."

The faint crackle of the lantern filled the silence between them. Lirael's hands curled into the fabric of her skirt, knuckles pale.

"So you're saying…" she swallowed, lifting her gaze to meet his. "Someone will come tomorrow—when we attempt our promotion?"

Ethan nodded slowly. "That's exactly what I'm saying. And when they do, we won't be able to hide anymore." His eyes locked onto hers, unflinching. "So… are you sure about this? About announcing to the world that you're not just my maid… but my slave?"

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, but she didn't waver. Instead, she clenched her fists tighter and answered with quiet resolve, "Yes. I'm sure. A hundred percent. I don't care what anyone says, Ethan. I don't want to go back to that place. I… I want to be with you...only you.."

For a heartbeat, his expression was unreadable. Then a slow, wolfish grin spread across his lips. In one swift motion, he reached out and caught her by the waist, pulling her flush against him.

"Kya—!" Lirael yelped, her face flaring crimson as she was pressed against his chest, her hands instinctively pushing at him but with no real strength behind it.

Ethan leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "Then don't you dare regret it," he whispered, his voice laced with both promise and warning.

Her heart hammered in her chest, her body trembling between embarrassment, fear, and a strange, undeniable relief.

"…Shameless," she muttered weakly, hiding her face against him.

He only laughed, his hand resting firmly at her waist. "That's me."

---

Without another word, Ethan closed the distance, pressing his lips firmly against hers. It wasn't rough or hurried—it was deliberate, savoring her as if he'd been waiting for this moment far too long. He teased her first, brushing against her upper lip, then her lower, his breath warm and steady as he captured her mouth in his.

"Mhmm—!"

Lirael stiffened, her eyes widening at the sudden intimacy. Her heart pounded so loudly she thought he could hear it. But as the kiss lingered, something inside her softened. Her lashes fluttered, and before she realized it, she leaned into him, returning the kiss hesitantly at first, then with growing boldness.

"Mm..."

The world seemed to narrow until there was nothing but his lips, his warmth, and the intoxicating closeness between them. Ethan's hand slid gently behind her head, supporting her as he deepened the kiss, while his other arm encircled her waist and pulled her against him.

"Kya~!" she gasped softly when his lips brushed against her cheek, then her nose, his playful trail of kisses drawing heat to her face. She could barely breathe, but she didn't want him to stop.

"Mmm~"

Ethan's arm tightened around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he tilted his head, kissing her more insistently. When his tongue brushed against her lips, coaxing, she shivered but parted them, letting him in.

"Mhmm~!"

The jolt of heat that ran through her body left her clinging tighter to him, her other arm curling around his neck.

Their tongues tangled, clashing and yielding in turn, until Ethan's dominance overwhelmed her, leaving her gasping into his mouth. Her muffled sounds only fueled his hunger, and soon she found herself lost in the dizzying whirl of his pace.

Without breaking the kiss, Ethan leaned back, guiding her with him until his shoulders met the mattress. Lirael was straddling him now, her hair falling forward, tickling his cheeks, her flushed face hovering above his. His hand caressed the curve of her back, holding her in place as he kissed her again—deep, demanding, unrelenting.

"Mhm—!" she whimpered against his mouth, her voice muffled, but her arms clung tighter, betraying her true feelings.

Ethan chuckled low in his throat, then in one fluid motion rolled them sideways, the mattress creaking beneath their shifting weight. Now he was above her, his blue-haired maid pinned beneath him, her chest rising and falling rapidly. He stole another kiss, then another, trailing down to the corner of her lips, leaving her panting and trembling. He then bit her ears softly and kissed them while rolling..and then coming sideways with Lirael over his shoulders.

"Ahn~"

The moment he loosened his grip, Lirael not filled, seized a flicker of boldness. With a surprising twist, she pushed him back, and suddenly she was on top, breathless but victorious, her lips pressing hungrily against his. Ethan laughed into the kiss, amused by her fire, before flipping them again with practiced ease, the two of them rolling over left and right on bed in a heated rhythm of give-and-take.

Sometimes she was above him, pressing down with shy but desperate kisses. Other times he claimed the upper hand, hovering over her with a wolfish grin as she gasped and turned red beneath his gaze. Liraels hand tightly clasped around his neck and his hand tightly holding her head over her disheveled hairs and her hip. The lanternlight swayed with their movements, casting flickering shadows across the walls, while the room filled with the sound of soft, hurried breaths and the faint creak of the mattress.

For Lirael, the sensation was overwhelming. Her heart pounded so hard it hurt, her body heated in ways she could barely understand. Every time his lips claimed hers, she felt herself unraveling, only to knit back together in an even more fragile, trembling form. After a long time they finally broke their rhythm.

"E-Ethan…" she breathed, her voice weak but filled with something she couldn't name.

His forehead rested against hers, his smirk softened by the warmth in his eyes. "You're mine, Lirael. Don't forget it."

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