Satoru sighed loudly in front of Rico, who was sitting on her knees in awe.
He understand that what she had declared and was about to do was necessary for Rico. He knew that Rico, who had made the mistake of offending her Lord, wanted to be punished by her Lord so that she could learn from her mistake and be deeply reminded of it. He would like to respect her will.
But He can't seem to get into it.
There are two reasons. The first is clear.
Satoru is not an anal lover, nor is he an anal analyst who considers anal to be something supreme. However, he does believe that anal sex should be a part of the play, but he feels repelled by the idea that anal sex is a form of punishment.
The other was the fear that he might break her, which he had mentioned many times.
He stood with his arms folded in front of Rico and carefully collected his thoughts. Rico's expression was firmer than usual. She must have been comparing fear and curiosity, and fear was winning. She waited in silence for the order.
After a moment, Satoru turned to look behind him, not at Rico.
「Leia, Minerva, Solor. I'm sorry, but can you give us a moment?」
「Hmm.」
Surprisingly, Leia nodded easily at the order, which was given so that Rico could hear. She understand that Satoru seemed to have some ideas. Solor was not repulsive to begin with.
Satoru, who had come up with the possibility, had give warning to Leia beforehand.
「No peeking, no listening.」
Leia shrugged her shoulders at Satoru's warning.
「Oh, and could you give me an "Command"? I'm afraid my curiosity gets the better of me.」
Satoru couldn't help but smiled at Leia's honest confession. But considering what he was about to do, it was necessary to make it clear that he had not been seen or heard.
「That's honest of you. Now, here's a "Command". No peeking or listening until I call you.」
Leia shuddered, and then bowed condescendingly. Come to think of it, she hadn't left Satoru's side since she had gone to help Rico when they had left Galhassan. And she hadn't been give "Command" to do so since she had been forced to pull up her own skirt.
「I understand. I'll just stay on the cliff. Minerva.」
When Leia turned and looked up at her, Minerva shook her head up and down in frustration.
『Can't I see it?』
「You can't」
Minerva bowed her head in sadness at Satoru's immediate response. Minerva is interested in butt intercourse because Leia has only done it once, but she know that disobedience to her Lord's orders is not good.
『Uuhh ...... 'kaay.』
Minerva flapped her wings, carrying a reluctant Solor and Leia. The cliffs of this canyon, near the entrance to the 『Labyrinth of No Return』, are 50 meters high. It's hard to hear them talking.
After confirming that Minerva had flown off the cliff, Satoru put his hands on his hips and turned to face the only remaining magical slave in the place. Rico reacted with a twitch.
「Rico. Get the cooking oil ready.」
「Uh, yeah. ......」
After a moment of wondering what it was for, she quickly realized that it was for giving lub her anus, and with a blush on her face, she pulled out a vial of oil from her backpack. The oil is vegetable oil and has no adverse effect on the human body. She handed it to Satoru.
「Sit down.」
Satoru scratched his head as Rico, who honestly sat down on the leather.
「It's probably the first time we've been properly alone together, if you think about it.」
「...... Yes, you're right」
Satoru has always had Leia or Minerva by his side. Now that he mention it , that's true. There have been times when Leia has not been seen, but that was only because she was hiding in Satoru's shadow. This was the first time she had been completely alone with Satoru.
Satoru crouched down to make eye contact with Rico and stroked her head.
Rico looked back at Satoru curiously. Rico was confused because Satoru's response was so gentle, even though what he was about to do was a punishment.
「First of all, let me tell you something. We're going to have anal sex now, but honestly, I don't want this to be a punishment.」
「Eh?」
「Well, there's no doubt in my mind that you wouldn't like it. I want you to take it as a pattern in a insider, really.」
Riko turned her head and slowly chewed on the truth of Satoru's words.
「......Satoru, do you want to do butt-sex?」
「I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested.」
Riko laughed a little at Satoru's openness.
If anal sex became a punishment, then when Satoru wanted to have anal sex, no one would be able to do it unless someone is guilty. That would be bad.
「I, see. ...... Yeah, I'll try not to think of it as a punishment, then.」
Satoru's large hand, which was stroking her head, shifted to her cheek. Without thinking, Rico rubbed her cheek against his hand. She knew very well that this big hand had been protecting her.
「It's relief that you understand. And on top of that, Rico. It's just the two of us. Let's get out everything you want to say.」
「.........」
After being told, Rico finally understood why Satoru had kept Leia and the others away. She had thought it was just to avoid showing others what she was being punished for and to avoid embarrassing herself, but there was more to it than that.
Rico thought about it - but was it right to ask?
「You can't just keep quiet.」
Satoru's voice and expression were gentle. He is basically a strong man, but Rico knows that he has a kindness that does not match his appearance.
Rico hesitated for a few moments, but then opened her mouth.
「The reason why Satoru keeps me by your side is because you feels ...... responsible?」
「That's part of it, but it's not the only part.」
At first, that was certainly the main ingredient. It was a sense of responsibility for the manliness shown by Rico's brother Kai and Jim, the current master of Galhassan's Thieves' Guild, as well as sympathy for Rico, who had been unhappy.
However, it was also clear that he had grown fond of Rico, who was doing her best in every way. Perhaps it's because she's been treated harshly at every turn, but Rico is gradually losing her naivete and growing as a person. In fact, she's a homely woman, and as you can see from her treatment of Minerva, she takes good care of her. She was very helpful in the labyrinth search, and it is natural to love her.
「But it was the same in the labyrinth. Sometimes you say things that push me away. I've been told that I'm very useful, and I don't doubt that anymore, but ......I don't know what to say.」
Even before they left the city of Ares. From time to time, Satoru would implicitly tell Rico to get out of his life.
Satoru's words were out of concern for Rico's safety. Rico knew that, but the weight of her concern was different from that of Satoru's.
Rico had finally found a place where she could feel at ease. For Rico, the value of that place was heavier than anything else. Maybe even more than her own life. But every time she was told to let go by the person who gave it to her, she felt that she was being told that she shouldn't be here, and it hurt her.
Satoru sighs. Maybe he didn't say it well enough. He realized――that he had only been imposing his own opinions and values, and had not been conscientious of Rico's feelings.
「In the labyrinth, you said you wanted my child.」
「...... yes.」
The words she muttered without thinking were a kind of jealousy towards Minerva. She was jealous of Minerva's pure desire to have a child with Satoru, and Satoru's willingness to respond.
「If you get pregnant according to your ideal. If I return to my world, you'll be alone. I'm sure Leia and Minerva will take care of you somehow, but will you be able to bear and raise a child by yourself?」
「That's.......I don't know」
It's an untrue feeling.
Rico have imagined herself carrying a baby in her imagination at times. But in that fantasy, Satoru was beside her. She never imagined it without Satoru beside her.
Riko knows that if she were to become pregnant, Satoru would not allow her follow Satoru on the journey, much less give her permission to accompany him on the labyrinth search. That's why he's using contraceptive methods to avoid pregnancy.
That's what Rico had been trying not to think about.
「I'm glad that you like me before you become a magical slave. That is true. But my first priority is to return to my sister's side in my original world. This is because I believe that it is my responsibility to Alice, my only relative.」
Of course, he was talking to Rico, but he was also talking to himself.
He was not called into this world with any particular purpose in mind.
The current journey is to find the whereabouts of Yarth, who is the most likely person to know about it, in order to find the art of returning home. At the root of it all is 『Returned to the original world.』
When Satoru return to his original world, he will probably be separated from Rico and the others.
「It's not a good idea for Rico to stay by my side all the time in order for you to survive on your own. The reason why I don't try to impregnate Rico is because I would be responsible for that. Because I'd think it was an act of betrayal against Alice.」
After saying this, Satoru couldn't help but sigh, "This is also self-indulgent". It was just another way of imposing his own convenience. However, Rico and Satoru were in different positions. Satoru is the master, and Rico is his slave. Living for their Lord is the original position of a magical slave. This principle is unshakeable.
Riko knew that Satoru was thinking this way. Satoru is also trying to keep his technology from being accidentally leaked to the world. A child would be one of them. Minerva's desire for a child is different because the situation is a little different. That's why Satoru doesn't try to stand out and has very little to do with other people. He just doesn't allow anyone to get in his way.
After all, Satoru naturally cares about his sister the most. That's the key.
Riko doesn't really want to be number one for Satoru. She does not want to be the best for Satoru, but she does have a part of him in her. She just wants to occupy a part of Satoru's heart, even if it is only a small part. Of course, the higher the percentage, the better, but she doesn't think she can be the best.
This is where Rico's contradiction lies. Jealousy and resignation coexist in a strange way.
「I understand that you want me to stand on my own. However, I still want to stay by Satoru's side. Until the last moment, I want to stay by Satoru's side. That's why it's so painful every time I'm told to stand on my own. It's like I'm being told that you don't need me, and it's really, really ......」
"I don't need you"―Rico is more afraid of being told that than anything else. That's why she's been trying so hard to be useful in so many ways. At that though, Satoru realized his mistake.
Rico thinks she was abandoned by her parents. She feels abandoned by both Kai and Jim. She has a very strong sense of rejection about being abandoned. That's why she always wants to cling to someone. It would be too much to ask such a person to stand alone.
It was Satoru's mistake to have said such a thing until now. The roots of Rico's heartbreak are deep. It's not something that can be healed lightly.
「...... I see. I'm not going to tell you to go out on your own again. But I will tell you this. Don't turn your back on what will happen after I'm gone. And if you do decide to leave, then say so.」
「...... I got it.」
Satoru is amazing after all, Rico sighed. She had turned a blind eye to what would happen after Satoru's disappearance - a fact she had been confronted with head-on. Satoru was well aware of this aspect of herself (Rico). It was proof that Satoru had been watching her carefully. Honestly, I was happy.
Satoru's face came close to her, and their lips met. No tongue came in. It was a long, gentle kiss, just lip to lip. Satoru's big hand stroked the back of Rico's head with her eyes closed.
――It's not good, after all. I can't help it, but love him.
She grabbed the hem of her dress and squeezed it tightly.
She felt a feeling that soaks in slowly.
Eventually, their lips parted. She opened her eyes and saw Satoru's strong, but sincere face.
「For the time being, Rico.」
「Hmm?」
「Until the moment I leave, stay by my side. I'll forgive you, even if no one else will.」
Satoru's kindness moistened Riko's heart, like water sinking into the dry earth.
The words she had always wanted.
These words, spoken unexpectedly, penetrated deep into her heart.
――It's okay, it's okay to be here, to be by Satoru's side! Satoru will forgives me, you know? Satoru, who's as no match for anyone else!
Tears slowly started to fall. She hurriedly wiped the tears from her eyes.
「......yeah」
She turned her face away, but Satoru pulled her closer to his chest. Rico's face is buried in Satoru's chest, without effort.
「I'm not going to let you leave. Be confident and stay by my side. Okay.」
「Ugh, ......, o-okay, ......, ughhh, uueeeeee!」
It not good. It won't stop. I put up with it and put up with it and put up with it, but I still couldn't take it anymore, and it broke down.
Rico cried. She cried out loud. Satoru immediately hugged her.
「Oh, man. You're such a crybaby, unexpectedly.」
「Because, becauseeeee...」
Satoru continues to stroke the back of her head as if he were nursing a child. Rico clutched at Satoru's chest as she cried out.
Satoru finally understood the hurt that was deep inside Rico. Riko wanted someone to recognize her, anyway. Previously, it would have been her father's replacement, Galhassan's predecessor as master of the Thieves' Guild, Treenodhi. In that sense, Rico is a father-con. In the sense that Rico wanted warmth, so did Leia, but Leia has yet to reveal her past to Satoru. The years she has lived are also different. Leia's deepest wounds are probably even deeper and more horrific.
After three minutes of crying, Rico's sobs finally subsided. The hand that had been patting the back of her head was now gently patting her back. Rico would occasionally hick and hick, but it would stop after a while.
「...... Do you feel a little better now?」
「Yup. ...... I'm sorry.」
「It's okay. As I said before, there is nothing to be ashamed of when you want to cry.」
Finally, Rico removed her face from Satoru's chest. Satoru's clothes were probably soaked with Rico's tears and snot, but he didn't care. He should be able to accept the tears of a crying woman.
「I'll add one more thing. Don't be too jealous of Leia, Minerva, Solor, or of course, my sister.」
「Ughh...... because ......」
Rico sounded confused.
Riko has always had low self-confidence. This is the result of having her pride shattered ever since she met Satoru, but it's also her own fault, Satoru sighed.
As a result of trying to correct Rico's twisted naivety, she must have lost her self-confidence to the point of being despicable.
Satoru kissed Rico on the forehead.
「Don't be jealous too much, okay. But I really like you. If I had to choose between liking you and hating you, I'd say I definitely like you. I like you because you're dedicated, hardworking, and caring. You should be confident about that.」
For a moment, Rico's expression brightened, but it soon became half-confident again.
「Really?」
「What's the point of lying?」
Rico laughed a small chuckle. The big man in front of her, who came from another world, was honest anyway. He doesn't lie and he doesn't use sycophants. I guess he's clumsy by nature.
「Satoru, you're clumsy in that way.」
「I wish you'd call me sincere.」
Rico laughed more and more at his attitude, as if to say, "That's out of the question".
「I don't think a truly sincere person would embrace women from one place to another.」
Satoru groaned.
「You're hitting a sore spot.」
Riko's giggling was adorable. From Satoru's point of view, the year in this world is about 25 days shorter than the year on Earth, his original world. So even though Rico is seventeen years old, she is not at that age according to Satoru's common sense, although that may not be strictly true since this world's common sense is different. When she smiles like this, she is still a girl appropriate for her age. Once again, I feel guilty for letting such a pretty girl do what she wants. In addition, this girl likes me, which is unbelievable.
Rico looks up at Satoru with wet eyes.
「...... With my but, you want to do it, right?」
There is still a hint of anxiety in her voice.
「I don't mind if we're not doing it, though.」
Satoru doesn't have much of a sense of punishment for Rico. As he said before, this was not a punishment, but a trigger. However, Rico shook her head left and right.
「No. Do it. I want to give it all to you, Satoru.」