One person had been defeated.
I had gone back to my room and slept for the night. I couldn't sleep all that well after being knocked out all afternoon, though, so I went out of the mansion and to the stables. A sleeping Keith and Lily's rooms passed me by, while Dawn had been given a room near mine.
The sun was almost about to rise. A soft grunt sounded as the two horses noticed me.
I walked over and gently stroked their heads.
"Neeigh! Fakyu" "Neighh godie!"
"Wow, both of you have also gotten verbose!"
It was always nice to see one's horses growing. Both Blanc and Black had some satisfying growth, especially with their tongues. I felt my forehead twitching at their continuous neighs.
"Do you want to go horse riding or something?"
Black shook his head furiously and backed away, while Blanc turned his head in confusion. Good job bastard, you should have learned from my horse when you had the chance.
I pulled the door open with a grin and grabbed Blanc by the legs. The horse tried to struggle but I managed to pick him up and settle him on my back. He tried to reach down and bite my head, but I used a shield at the right time.
"Let's go! HAHAH!"
With that, I rushed ahead. My feet kicked off the ground and I ran around the mansion a couple hundred times. The sun started to rise by the time Blanc was almost out of it. Right then, the front gate of the mansion opened up and a maid with brown hair stepped out.
"You're up, young master. Horse riding again?"
"I am," I shrugged. My mind was currently racing to find a way to get back at Lily too, but I couldn't think of much.
"Is everyone else up too?"
"Are they ever? I am the only one who'll get up for you."
I let Blanc go and stretched my hands above my head. I had gotten a good enough workout in, so I could get to other things.
"Let's go cook," I said and moved into the mansion with Lily.
I was still too sweaty, though, so I decided to wash up before joining Lily in the kitchen. It had been a long time since we made anything together.
She started out by chopping things up while I handled other preparations. In the midst of it, Lily pulled out some cookies she had stowed away.
"Want one?" she asked.
CHANCE!
I grabbed the cookie and bit on it, sticking it between my tongue. At the same time, I pushed the rest of the box away from her reach.
Lily looked at the box and then at me, more than half of the cookie sticking out of my mouth. She shrugged and leaned ahead, biting on it.
She sure had grown.
Her eyes stared into mine as she brought her lips closer and closer, taking in the cookie inch after inch. I remembered how she would be flustered right away those years ago, and now this girl two years older than me seemed to have the likeness of a person that could do this all day.
Soon, there was no more cookie left between us.
She pushed ahead again, and our lips brushed over one another. She then sucked in with her teeth and the cookie broke, a slightly larger bit toward her. Immediately, I stretched my tongue out and tried to wrap it along.
Lily's gaze hardened. She, too, pushed her tongue out and tussled with mine for the small bit of baked cookie. Her hands grasped my shoulder for support, and I wrapped another hand behind her back to keep her standing.
Our lips pushed against each other to keep the cookie in a small space while we battled for it with our tongue. Her saliva started sticking to the edge of my mouth but she didn't stop. Soon, I rolled my tongue in, grating it over hers, and the bit of cookie went down my throat.
Lily stretched her tongue out deep in my mouth, as if still looking for it. When she couldn't find it, she gently started pressing against the insides of my mouth. She searched slowly and meticulously all over the walls of my mouth.
Then, she slowly moved away. A thread of saliva connected stretched from our lips as her heated breaths separated from my face. Lily licked her lips and turned away.
"Good, isn't it?" she asked.
"Quite appetizing," I answered.
And then, the two of us returned to cooking as if nothing had happened. Though neither of us could ignore the heat in the atmosphere.
Titania woke up soon, and so did Keith and Maria. Dawn was a late riser when she wasn't on a mission, and I had kept her up almost every night during our trip, so I didn't bother her.
At the table, the old group of four sat together after a long time.
I wasn't the only one thinking that as Maria sniffled and wiped her eyes while the other two glared at me as if I was a criminal, emotion interpretation courtesy of Titania.
We shared some small talks about the antics Keith had to handle during the two years. From Maria's constant mood fluxes to Lily being banned from the school building after cracking a dirty joke to the parents and the teachers.
When we neared the end of the breakfast, I clenched my fists and took in a deep breath.
Yes. Lily's methods had definitely made me heal much more and much faster than I already was. It was time to move.
"Everyone," I said. "We'll be going to Dienin tomorrow."
"Oh? Already on the move, young master?" Keith asked.
I nodded. I also wanted to ask Maria about the World's End since she was close to my mother, but I doubted she would know anything since she was always kept away whenever that woman fought.
"Are you missing the Marquis or something."
I frowned deeply. It was a frown stemming from my heart.
"Shut up. That bastard has something I want. I am just going to take it. Depending on things, we may be able to come back soon, or it could take a couple months."
I was not planning to return empty-handed. If he had that tome the Duke mentioned, I would get it. If he didn't, I would go anywhere in the world to get it.
Kaiser.
Death Queen.
Balam.
Titania.
Charlotte...
All these people stronger than me.
They were all going to come down.
"Well first, Keith, go check the forest and fill in the Dark Moon Bandits. Maria, please prepare for the trip, and Lily, we'll go and settle all the administrative matters and hand things over to the mayor."
Management was strength too.
Read 𝓁at𝙚st chapters at (f)re𝒆we(b)novel.com Only