Chapter 4 - Fast Learners (1/2)

Knock, knock. The knocking on the door made Ariel quickly slide the book she was currently reading under the pillow.

“Ariel, I’m coming in.”

After hearing her mother’s voice, the door soon opened. Ariel rubbed her eyes, yawning as if she had just woken up when she heard the sound. It’s already been a long time since the sun rose, so she might say something about it, but her mother looked relieved at Ariel’s appearance.

“How was your sleep? It’s been a long time since you slept so well.”

“Oh, yes….”

It wasn’t like that at all, but she couldn’t say it now.

“Actually, I wanted to tell you that I will be away for a few days.”

“What? Why?”

“I got a call from your sister, and she’s begging for my help. Looks like there’s been a lot of work in the store for a while. I was thinking about going there only during the day, but since your sister is there, she told me that I can stay comfortably at her place for a few days. Actually, I was going to say no because I am a little worried about you.….”

“No, it’s all right, you can hurry up and go!”

“Okay, I understand. Now, don’t neglect cleaning while mom is away. And your father will also be away for quite some time, too. I heard there’s something urgent to inspect on the local estate. You can’t lounge around and be lazy just because you don’t have your mom and dad here. In the meantime, I’ll write down everything you have to do, don’t skip it.”

Ariel’s mother started writing a long list, then finally getting up a long time later.

“Okay then. I’ll be back later.”

“Have a safe trip! Stay for a long time!”

Ariel’s mother was so worried about Ariel. She wondered if Ariel was devastated after hearing the news about Arsion. She felt it was fortunate to see Ariel regain her energy, as if she had finally cleared up all her thoughts about the engagement.

Ariel’s mother was slightly suspicious as Ariel seemed to be trying to send her out. But soon, Ariel’s mother shook her head.

‘I don’t know how long my husband and I will be away.’

She wanted to watch from the side and soothe her, but unfortunately, something called both her husband and her away.

‘I’m sure everything will be fine.’

Since it was a private house on the duke’s estate, there was nothing to worry about, and Ariel’s not a child, so even if there’s a problem, she will solve it well. Still, Ariel’s mother was unable to erase her worries. As she rode away, she looked out of the carriage window and gazed at the house again and again.

‘I hope my daughter will be fine until I come back.’

***

Unaware of her mother’s concern, Ariel quickly returned to bed when she saw her mother’s carriage moving away and pulled out the book under her pillow.

“Phew…… Now I can be at ease.”

Ariel’s trembling hand soon flipped to a page of the book.

[How did you feel about the first kiss? You must have been ecstatic. If you had done as this book told you, you have probably seen a new world.]

Ariel, who was reading the section, recalled last night’s events. Their lips touched…… tongues entangled……. Ariel’s eyes became hazy, and soon, her face turned red.

“It really went according to the book…….”

(TL/N: So cute!!)

Last night, for a while, she really knew what it felt like to go to heaven. When she first read the book, she didn’t know what it meant to mix one’s tongue and she thought it would be dirty. Yet when she experienced it, she clung to Arsion without even thinking about it.

Ariel then turned the page and read ahead.

“Let’s see…… Kissing does not end with a touch of the lips, but with a test of affection by using the tongue for confirmation…….”

Ariel tilted her head while looking at the page explaining what a deep kiss was with a picture.

‘I’ve practiced on the back of my hand over and over again…….’

She remembered the sensation of their tongues being so entangled that it hurt. She was just practicing by looking at the picture in the book, but she was sure that yesterday’s kiss was amazing even if she had no experience in doing it.

The problem was that she couldn’t remember how she did it. ‘How did I put my tongue in? I don’t remember the moment I touched his lips.’

Ariel, who was admiring whether her unconscious self had led to yesterday’s magical kiss, unknowingly covered her mouth.

‘Did I… was I born this way?’

(TL/N: Pffff…so dang cute!)

Otherwise, she couldn’t have done this well without properly remembering the words in the book and not knowing how. Ariel recalled the words written somewhere in the book. Did it say that there’s no problem if either side did well?

‘Cause Arsion can’t do well.’

It’s Arsion who knew nothing. She was sure he followed her lead. Ariel turned to the book again.

[If you safely finished kissing, you’ll have to go on to the next step. Now that we’ve confirmed that you’re attracted to each other, let’s work on more integrated stimulation. That’s…….]

Ariel’s eyes began to shine as she continued reading the book.

***

As it got dark, Ariel’s eyes became glued to the window of her room, looking at the annex where Arsion was staying. As the lamps that had been switched on here and there turned off one by one and the stars began to shine, the lights of the lamps flickered once again in Arsion’s room.

At the signal, Ariel rushed out of her room with a coat.

‘I’m glad both my parents are not here.’

Thanks to that, Ariel was able to leave the house without any worries. Thinking that everything was going well, Ariel hurried along.

Even if it’s a place that she’d been to every day, it’s a little scary when it’s dark.

‘Come to think of it…….’

She thought about how she came back home late yesterday, with Arsion holding her hand and walking her to the front of the house. After arriving at the back door to the kitchen, he let go of her hand, saying, “Good night,” kissed her forehead, and stood there until Ariel went inside.

Arsion continued to stand there even after she returned to her room and looked down from the window. She didn’t know until when Arsion stood there. Tired of waving, she went to bed first and fell asleep.

Thanks to Arsion walking her back, she didn’t feel afraid anymore.

Ariel shivered in the cool night air and closed her collar. Suddenly, a shadow appeared in front of her.

“……!”

Ariel gasped in surprise but soon smiled.

“Sion?”

“Sorry, were you surprised?”

“It’s because you suddenly showed up.”

It was Arsion who appeared before her. Ariel looked at the annex in the distance. It hadn’t been long since the lamp blinked, so how did he get here so quickly? She couldn’t even guess how fast he ran, and when she looked at Arsion with eyes of admiration, he smiled and stretched out his hand.

“Let’s go.”

“……Yeah.”

When Ariel placed her hand into Arison’s, his warm body temperature was delivered through their joined hands. Quickly, the cool air and fear from a while ago faded.

***

Arriving at the annex, Ariel unknowingly gulped.

“Hey, Sion. Other people…….”

“No one’s here. I told them to go back because I wanted to rest today.”

Only then did Ariel relax a little. Then, there was something that came to mind.

“More than that, Sion, what happened yesterday…… Perhaps, you told someone or something……?”

It’s Arsion who knew nothing. If he had told someone in the mansion that she had been kissing him, and talked about what they were doing at night……!

Ariel’s face turned white when she thought of that. She forgot to tell him to keep it a secret because she was so busy yesterday!

Arsion, who saw Ariel turning pale, blinked and answered.

“No, I didn’t tell anyone. Was I supposed to?”

“No! Never, never tell others!”

Her spine chilled at the thought of what would happen if Arsion told others about what they did. Arison nodded, seemingly unaware of Ariel’s inner turmoil.

“Okay, but why shouldn’t I say it?”

“Th-that’s….”

Ariel, who was trying to figure out a reply, soon came up with a plausible answer.

“How was it ye-yesterday? Was it good? It was, right?”

Arison nodded as if it was, and Ariel straightened her shoulders and said,

“S-So, I’m not teaching this just to anyone… on-only to you, I taught you because it’s you. If you let others know, I would have to teach others…….”

At that moment, Arsion’s eyes narrowed darkly.

“…Teach other people?”

Arsion’s voice dropped suddenly. Somehow, like the low growl of a threatening mountain beast, his voice caused Ariel to unknowingly step back, but Arsion’s hand, which held onto hers tightly, wouldn’t let her go.

“Have you taught anyone else besides me?”

Ariel shook her head quickly, feeling an unknown fear at Arsion’s voice as he looked straight at her and inquired.

“O-Oh, no. You’re, you’re the only one I’ve taught!”

“Really?”

“Are you serious? Oh, my god–”

‘Who else would I do so many embarrassing things with?!’ Ariel, who was about to shout, quickly closed her mouth.

“Ne-Nevermind, let’s go inside. I’m going to teach you something else today.”

With that said, Ariel opened Arsion’s door and walked ahead first. Arsion, who had an expression of wanting to ask more, followed Ariel when he was told she would teach him something else tonight.

Ariel grabbed Arsion’s hand and guided him to sit at the end of the bed. Arsion, obediently following her directions, looked at her with eyes filled with anticipation just as he did yesterday.

“Riel, what you did yesterday.”

“Huh? Oh! Yeah! Why?”

“Can we review it just once?”

“……Review?”

Surprised, Ariel couldn’t figure out how to respond. ‘What does he mean by review? Did he really think this is some kind of study?’ Ariel, who was thinking of saying no, changed her mind.

‘There’s no reason not to.’

No, rather, she thought she would have to beg him to do more, but Arison wanted to do this first. ‘Every time he feels pleasure in having physical contact with me, he takes another step forward on the path of corruption.’

“Uh, yeah… review…. That would be nice.”

She couldn’t find a reason to disagree, so she answered like that. At that moment, Ariel’s vision was blocked.

“……?”

Arsion’s face was in front of her before she could realize what had just happened. Ariel jerked, startled by his face that suddenly came so close, but Arsion spoke in a low voice, just like he did a moment ago.

“Riel, open your mouth.”

It was clear that he was making a request, but Ariel couldn’t resist at the sound of his voice that was somewhat powerful, like a seductive command. As soon as Ariel, who was hesitating, parted her lips slightly, Arison moved quickly like a hawk craving food.

“A…… mmph! Eup!”

Ariel’s voice, which was about to call Arsion in surprise, was swallowed up. A wet tongue licked Ariel’s lips. Then, it went inside without hesitation. His tongue slid in like a snake, rummaging through her mouth like yesterday, as if to trace his tracks. His tongue wrapped around hers as if it found what it came for.

“Ng, ngh!”

Ariel was stunned again by the sudden deep kiss. The squelching sound rang in her eardrums and the body temperature of another filled her mouth. Arsion’s tongue covered hers with a refreshing taste of mint.

At first, she wanted to push him away, but then, her hand lost strength and fell down. It felt like the power in her whole body was draining away. Still, her lower stomach was pulling, and her body twisted spontaneously because of the tingling sensation between her legs.

How long has it been since then?

“Ha…”

Arsion, who exhaled with satisfaction, moved his face slightly away from Ariel’s. Already, the area around the mouths of the two was covered with saliva that had flowed out. Arsion asked, wiping her mouth clean with his sleeve.

“I remembered it right?”

“Uh…… yeah….”

Feeling faint, Ariel could barely nod her head as she looked at Arsion blankly.

“Sion, can you lie on the bed for a second?”

Obeying Ariel’s request without question, Arsion walked over and laid on the bed.

‘You’ve grown so much.’

Ariel remembered three years ago when she and Arsion rolled around and ate snacks on this bed. It was a big bed, so it felt spacious even when the two laid down together with their arms and legs spread out, but now, it looked like Arsion occupied most of the bed space even when he laid in it all by himself.

Ariel, who was observing the scene at the bed, raised herself. Now wasn’t the time to be like this. She had to do today’s work quickly.

“Riel?”

Arsion called her in a slightly bewildered voice as Ariel climbed up onto his body, straddling him. Ariel leaned in and put her finger on Arison’s lips, as she had read in the book.

“Shh. Stay still.”

Arsion shut his mouth at her command. Ariel took a deep breath. The Arsion underneath her wore only thin pajamas. Perhaps that’s the reason. She could feel his chest muscles, which she had never seen up-close before, were slightly outlined under the fabric.

They were muscles that were chiseled and carved beautifully, as if someone had crafted delicately on a huge, hard mass. Ariel swallowed her saliva unconsciously in the flexion of his chest revealed between the buttons that were released by her hand.

“Fr-from now on…… no matter what I do, you have to stay put. D-Do you understand?”

It was such a strange thing to say, but Arsion nodded silently to show he’ll comply. Ariel murmured to herself, recalling what she was going to do tonight.

‘You can do it well. I can do well…… I have to do well!’

Ariel, extremely determined, reached out and caressed Arsion’s face. His face, which had been intently staring at Ariel’s actions to see if she was trying to do something, soon hardened. It was because Ariel’s hand swept down Arsion’s cheeks and slowly went down his neck and began to feel around his collarbone.

Then, Ariel’s fingers went between the buttons that were loosened.

“……!”

And Arsion’s eyes grew bigger. Noticing that he was about to get up, Ariel spoke, albeit in a trembling voice.

“I-I told you to stay still!”

Ariel, as she said so, quickly unbuttoned the remaining buttons and stripped Arsion of his top pajamas.

“Whoa……”

At that moment, an exclamation burst out of her mouth. The muscles seen over the clothes were no joke, and Arsion’s muscles revealed under the light of the lamp were as firm and strong as the statues of the heroes in legends.

Ariel extended her palm and put her hand on Arsion’s chest muscles.

Flinch. When her hands touched his muscles, they contracted as if they were strained. Ariel felt a twitching muscle under her hand and squeezed his chest a little more as he let out a low groan.

‘It’s not bigger than my chest……?’

How the heck did he train? If it had been just flesh and not muscle, it must have been bigger than hers. Ariel, as if possessed, continued squeezing his chest in her hand.

“Hah…… ah….”

Then, Arsion groaned beneath her. When she looked up and saw his face, Arsion looked like he was distressed, even though it shouldn’t hurt. Ariel, who was afraid to take her hand off him, shook her head.

‘This is the beginning of caressing.’