Wasn’t This a Night Game

Me Too, a Kiss

Cried for nothing.

Got all worked up for nothing, crying in front of Iomene.

Maybe it was that shocking, me crying, because ever since then, Iomene’s been stuck to my side like glue.

It’s a burden.

No.

Following me even to the toilet? That’s a bit much, isn’t it??

But what can I do.

I can’t exactly just push away the future Saint of the White Order, the current Emperor’s daughter, just because I don’t like it.

There was no choice.

I had to teach Iomene this and that, dragging her around with me.

“Emotional stabilization” sounded fancy, but it wasn’t really different from what I’d been doing with her in the detached palace.

Playing with her, reading her books, being there when she sleeps, eating together.

“Together! Together!!”

Rejecting her request to wash together.

“Together! Together!!”

Refusing even to sleep together in the bed.

“Marriage! Marriage!”

Refusing her frantic pleas for marriage when I said I couldn’t. Living like that was enough.

Though she’d glare at me, filled with dissatisfaction when I refused, her face would brighten in an instant, grinning like a fool when I stroked her hair.

Teaching her how to hold a fork and knife. How to treat people. How to speak. Such everyday things. Things like bathing and keeping herself clean, things a man couldn’t easily teach, she learned from the white order’s female priestesses.

Spending time with Iomene like that, meanwhile.

I hurried my preparations to escape the order.

Having received 10 kilograms of gold bars from His Imperial Majesty, the slush fund problem was now solved.

As for time stop, once the unicorn necklace was finished, I could replenish my mental strength with that.

Now all that remained was figuring out how to evade the miracle of tracking.

“You speak of a way to avoid the miracle of tracking?”

Iomene was always surrounded by the white order’s battle priests and holy knights, guarding her.

And Iomene was always glued to my side, so it was as if a priest from the white order was always attached to me.

Since it was an order that dealt with professional evil god worshippers and demon worshippers, I figured they’d know this field well, so I casually asked one day.

“Since the miracle of tracking is cast upon the soul itself, it can never be avoided unless you use a powerful curse or black magic.”

“Is…that so?”

I’m screwed.

Unavoidable?

“Yes. However, as powerful as the effect is, it has many drawbacks. It consumes a great deal of divine power and is greatly affected by distance. Usually, entities more than 1 kilometer away cannot be detected. Moreover, in order to pinpoint the soul, the caster of the miracle must have personally witnessed the entity they are trying to find.”

Lucky stars!

Not a complete bust!

“Never knew it had limitations like that.”

“If it were omnipotent, every single worshipper of evil gods and demon cultist in the world would have been rounded up ages ago. Direct witness. And distance restriction. Those two things are why combat priests and holy knights periodically patrol rural areas where public authority or temple influence is weak, or high-crime areas where resentments are easily harvested, checking for evil god worshippers or demon cultists they’ve witnessed in the past.”

“Always putting in the hard work.”

“A small thing, compared to what the Saint has done.”

A 1km distance limit.

And rural or high-crime areas where clergy from the White Order or other temples would routinely patrol.

Running, considering those two factors, that’s the gist, isn’t it?

So, what does this mean, exactly…….

Means I need to bolt to a metropolis.

Not some backwater, someplace with solid law and order, not a den of iniquity.

And one so impossibly huge that even if multiple clerics cast miracles at the same time, they’d have a hard time pinpointing me.

And traditionally hostile to religion, a place where holy knights and priests wouldn’t easily venture. Some kind of mega-city.

Gotta find some place like that, get myself a decent place, change my face, and live quiet as a church mouse until I kick the bucket.

Let’s see.

A few mega-cities spring to mind that fit the bill, but which one to choose?

While I was racking my brain with that dilemma.

“Saint. Erpha has come seeking you.”

Erpha came looking for me.

Originally, she’d visited me every single day.

It was stranger when she *didn’t* show up for days, not since that shard-of-an-evil-god mess.

“I’d like a word alone with him, if you’d be so kind. Could you clear the room?”

At my words, the White Order and Royal Guard knights who’d been guarding Iomeene cautiously filed out.

Then, without really thinking about it, I told her to come in, and Erpa entered my room, but didn’t smile at me, like she always did…

….isn’t she?

“Good! Good!!”

Iomeene was clinging to my side, same as always.

Erpa didn’t greet me warmly or blush, the way she usually did.

She just stared silently at Iomeene, her face blank.

“Welcome, Erpa.”

I greeted her, but still, no answer.

Her gaze was locked tight on Iomeene.

“Your Highness, the Princess.”

Erpa addressed Iomeene formally.

But with an air that felt cold, like drawing a line, before finally turning her eyes to me.

“…You’re treating the Princess, it seems?”

Her voice was quiet, subdued.

I nodded.

“Providing emotional therapy. They say once she’s stable, they’ll proceed with the procedure to restore her mind.”

“I see.”

Iomene, as if sensing my gaze, turned her eyes towards Erpa.

Their eyes met in the empty space.

Felt like sparks were flying.

This…

Looks like jealousy.

“Kyaaa…”

Did she read something in Erpa’s expressionless gaze?

Iomene bared her teeth, hissing.

I hurriedly stroked Iomene’s head, calming her, then approached Erpa.

When I boldly abandoned her and stood up, Iomene looked more than a little disconcerted, but what could I do?

Erpa’s the woman I’ve known longer than you.

“They say the treatment finishes tomorrow. After that, you’ll be going to the Imperial Palace. It’s only for treatment that you’re by my side, just until then.”

At my words, Erpa’s expressionless face softened slightly.

And she cautiously approached my side.

“…Me too.”

“Pardon?”

“I want to be by your side too.”

Iomene hissed even louder at those words.

I quickly stroked her head.

And at the same time, I took Erpa’s hand and we went to sit on the bed.

Erpa leaned her head on my shoulder, radiating jealousy for all to see.

With four hands at her disposal, she could hold mine, encircle my waist, and clutch my arm all at once.

Iomene’s hissing reached a fever pitch.

Iomene bared her claws to attack Erpa’s hand, but I carefully blocked her assault.

Soon, I’ll vanish.

I’ll leave the Order, abandon this charade of being a saint, and live like a drowned mouse.

So, before then, I needed to make the best memories possible for Erpa.

But Iomene, who couldn’t possibly know my inner turmoil, widened her eyes and glared at me with resentment.

Just bear with me. Your Highness.

Erpa will have to live without me for the rest of her life once I disappear.

I need to make her as happy as possible before I go.

“You told me to love myself more than you, Saint, didn’t you? Not long ago?”

“Yes. I did say that.”

“When you were fighting the fragment of the Evil God. That’s what made me not go to save you. I trusted you. Trusted you would return to my side unharmed.”

Erpa wiggles her fingers.

She presses even closer to my arm.

A lovely scent wafted over me.

“I’m glad I listened to you, Saint. You returned to my side just as I believed.”

I’m sorry.

It should’ve ended there, not coming back.

Still, thinking about it, it’s strange.

A shard of an evil god.

Not just any ordinary shard, but one of an evil god.

And why did it scream when it entered my body…

Nothing like that was ever mentioned when studying the shards at the White Order.

I’d read stories of celebrated heroes, saints, and holy figures suffering and dying after being struck by a shard, or ultimately going mad and falling into corruption, but never a story of one entering a body and suddenly dying.

What’s the real reason for this?

I wanted to ask the Order people, but I couldn’t.

They’d probably deify me as a saint, no doubt.

For now, keeping the attention away from me was the best course.

Just thinking about it pissed me off, so I stopped thinking.

“I won’t doubt it anymore. Even if the Saint-nim leaves me for a while. I know now that you’ll return to my side.”

Erpa answers, smiling happily.

Hearing those words made me even more depressed.

Even though I have four arms, a woman who likes and loves me like this is right next to me, and I have to disappear soon.

A sense of injustice surges from deep within my heart.

I don’t want to stop at holding hands.

I don’t want to end it with just a kiss.

More than that.

I want to share so much more good with her.

But I can’t.

If I went that far, I wouldn’t be able to hold back my own feelings anymore either.

Yeah, fuck.

To be honest, I think I like Erpa.

No, isn’t it only natural to feel this way when a woman visits a goddamn virgin loser every day with those lovesick eyes, her face flushed?!

In my imagination, I’m already living married life with Erpa, even seeing our grandchildren.

But I have to leave for her sake.

Lilia, Goddess…

I really, truly hate her.

Why are you doing this to me, really?

Why.

“I am, after all, just a cane. A cane used briefly and discarded for your stability.”

I stroked Erpa’s hair as I did for Iomene.

“Don’t fixate on me. When we’re together, rejoice together, and even if I disappear, take care of yourselves, live healthily and wonderfully. Understand?”

Erpa nods.

She cups my face, then pulls me towards her.

A kiss.

A soft, shy kiss continues.

Happiness arrives, and with it, unhappiness too.

How sad.

Truly sad.

Why is it, when I like her and she likes me, we can’t choose to be together?

Only a kiss will do.

If we go any further, it’ll really…

Really break me when I leave.

Erpha’s kiss was long, so very long.

I could feel Iomene, stunned, frozen solid, watching the scene unfold.

Thirty seconds or so into the kiss.

Erpha pulled away, her expression all melted and soft.

“Saint…sir.”

“…Erpha.”

“Perhaps…perhaps that…”

She fumbled with her pocket with one hand, hesitant.

What is it?

Does she have a condom in there or something?

Does such a thing even exist in this age?

If she wasn’t a goddess, I might have been the one to suggest it, but as things stand, I had to keep from crossing that final line with her.

I clenched my fist tight.

We mustn’t go any further.

I’m no Shim Young, all limbs intact, even *that* thing got an upgrade rivaling the hotties in Toptoon…(Early content change: A scene was added where he experiments on himself with the skill right after acquiring it.)

To be stuck doing this frustrating, eunuch’s dance.

“I apologize, but please return for today. Lady Erpa.”

“Huh? B-but…”

“Lady Iomene’s treatment is not yet complete.”

Erpa wears a disappointed expression at my words.

My heart feels like it’s tearing apart.

I’m not a eunuch, dammit.

I want to do it too.

But I can’t.

Because your life will surely become miserable due to my choices.

I don’t want that.

Erpa deserved to be much happier, considering all the hardships she’d endured.

Pushing her away was the right thing, for now.

Erpa, with an expression overflowing with shame and embarrassment, bowed her head, then finally straightened her body.

Erpa left the room quietly, without a farewell.

After she left, I hung my head in regret and melancholy.

But even without time to wallow in such emotions, Iomene grabs my head.

Turning my face towards her, Iomene’s face is filled with fury.

“Kiss.”

She said it, firm.

Demanding, like an order.

“Me too. Kiss.”

She tries to pull my head towards her.

I stopped her, quick.

“Iomene. Don’t do this.”

“Kiss!! Me too!!”

Rare, for her to raise her voice.

Almost like she’s trying to pounce, I had to push her back, fast.

“You, you’re still sick! Your mind is sick! Can’t do it when you’re sick!!”

At my hurried words, she stops trying to grab my head.

“If not sick?”

Her eyes are very serious.

“If not sick!! Kiss?”

At that, I gave an awkward smile.

Yeah.

A kiss on the forehead, maybe. Iomene.

“Yeah. I will.”

“Promise.”

Iomene is breathing hard.

“Promise.”

She’ll be living as the princess, as the holy maiden of the White Order, the moment her sanity returns anyway.

And I’ll vanish completely, so there probably won’t ever be a reason for us to meet.

So, before leaving, I should at least be allowed a kiss on the forehead, as a kind of farewell.

You too, Iomene.

You need to live diligently, even without me.