//It's R-time ♡

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"Hmm..." The silky feel of the sheets against my back and inner thighs, as I stirred, was so comforting I couldn't help but let out a sigh. When I opened my eyes, I saw the high canopy ceiling with sheer drapes hanging from it and a faint light shimmering vibrantly.

Beside me, sitting on the bed where I had woken up, was Zinon, his bright blue eyes gleaming as they looked down at me. It was a somewhat familiar situation. I remember when I came back from the cloud, Zinon was there beside me.

The lamplight made Zinon's golden hair sparkle. His handsome profile had matured since then, and he looked incredibly beautiful.

"Zinon... where is this?"

"This is my bedroom. I've told the Duke that I'm letting you rest here tonight."

Wait, so this is Zinon's bed? Is this the palace? It was my first time in Zinon's room, and I suddenly felt shy. As I tried to get up, I noticed that my body felt unusually light. That's when I realised...

"Ah, Zinon... um... I... with Axel... that is... I..."

I started to say, "I took an aphrodisiac..." but then looked up at the ceiling and tilted my head in confusion. Huh? What was it?

Seeing my confused state, Zinon sighed lightly, giving me a sidelong glance.

"I gave you an antidote earlier. The aphrodisiac should be completely gone by now. I had a healer restore your health, so your body should feel at ease."

...That's true. I swung my arms around vigorously. I even felt more energetic than usual.

"Zinon, could you hear my voice?"

"Yes. I told you we're connected by magic."

With that, Zinon combed through my platinum-blonde hair with his fingers. His touch made me feel incredibly at ease, and I narrowed my eyes in comfort.

"I've been infusing you with my magic for two years now. I won't let anyone else touch you."

Through the gaps in Zinon's sparkling golden hair, I saw his intense blue gaze and opened my eyes wide in realisation.

"Ah, what about Axel? Is Axel okay, too?"

I remembered Axel sweaty, his silver eyes moist, trembling. I leaned forward and asked, and Zinon turned away, biting his lip.

"It doesn't matter... he's probably having fun on his own."

"Huh?"

"Don't worry. I brought him back to the palace, too. He's probably dealing with the aphrodisiac on his own, having fun."

"I see... that's good."

I didn't quite understand what he meant by "having fun," but I guess it made sense. He is a prince, after all. He has servants and magicians, so he's probably recovering, just like me.

"Thank you, Zinon."

I was so happy that I gently pinched the hem of Zinon's clothes and smiled. I can't express how relieved I am that Zinon is here for me.

Zinon poured water from a jug on the side table into a glass and handed it to me. I drank the water in gulps and let out a sigh. Zinon had been watching me, and seeming relieved, he pulled back the covers and climbed in next to me, making my heart jump.

I just realised that Zinon was already in his nightclothes. A glimpse of his tense collarbone and the line of his muscular shoulders and arms were visible from the slightly open part, leaving me at a loss for where to look because it was too s3xy.

When I looked down at my own chest, I noticed that I had been

dressed in a negligee at some point. The fluttering light peach fabric wasn't see-through, but my chest was clearly visible. Thinking he might have seen me this way made me feel incredibly embarrassed.

"I had your magic potion examined."

Zinon began, leaning back on the blue silk cushions and pillows

beside me, resting his cheek on his hand.

"That's it. I wanted to check that. Did I accidentally put

something wrong? I intended to make a potion."

Zinon glanced at me while still resting his cheek on his hand.

"Did you collect the magic plants yourself? Did you check

properly?"

With that, Zinon took a golden magic stone from the drawer of

the side table and clenched it in his palm. Suddenly, an image appeared in

front of our bed.

An image of a magic plant with small white grains was displayed.

The tips of the white grains glowed faintly blue. I remember seeing this... I checked it in the Magic Medicine Encyclopedia.

"Did you confuse it with this?"

Next to the magic plant with white grains, an image of a magic

plant with blue grains that glowed white at the tips was displayed.

"Eh... what??"

"They look similar, but they're entirely different magic

plants. This one is Zenith, which has a healing effect. This one is Supreme,

which has a strong aphrodisiac effect."

I couldn't tell the difference at all. But when they were side

by side, they were definitely different.

"Did you collect this?" 

Zinon's compelling eyes held my gaze steady as I stared at the image in front of me, my eyes wide with shock. 

"Um... I think... I did... Or maybe it was Luna...? But anyone could make that mistake, right? Even I couldn't tell... and Luna wouldn't do it on purpose. It's hard to distinguish, and she had a fever then. It wouldn't be strange if she made a mistake." 

My heart was racing. Should I tell Zinon that either Luna or I might have made the mistake? But without any certainty, if I say such a thing now, Zinon might turn cold towards Luna because of me. 

The image of Luna Maria's sad expression came to mind, and I shook my head as if to shake it off. 

"Yes... I think I collected it without thinking... I didn't check properly... I'm sorry." 

Zinon's gaze was heavy on me as I hung my head. I heard a sigh from somewhere. 

"Alright, let's sleep." 

Zinon grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down onto the bed. As he did so, he lay down beside me, propping his head on his elbow and gently stroking my hair. It felt like my parents used to do that for me when I was still young. 

"We're... sleeping together?" 

I couldn't meet Zinon's blue eyes, so I looked down. My cheeks must have been bright red. 

Zinon gently stroked the lower rim of my eye with the back of his finger. 

"The pink in your eyes is fading. You need a magic recharge." 

Wait, what did he just say? 

As Zinon brushed my hair back and my body reacted with a shudder, I couldn't believe it. We're not just sleeping together, are we? No, just sleeping together is already heart-racing, but it can't be... 

"Just a kiss." 

Zinon looked at me through the gaps in his sparkling golden hair and smiled, and his sensually flickering blue eyes closed on me, gripping my heart. 

"When your magical power is low, your protection weakens." 

"Ah...! Ah...!" 

Zinon pulled me close and sealed my lips with his. The elasticity of his hot lips made my heart flutter. 

As our lips touched, his warm tongue met mine, and our leaking breaths warmed each other. 

I love him. I love Zinon. 

When our lips touch, I can't think of anything else. 

My heart is hot and throbbing, and my love for Zinon is about to overflow. 

Zinon's fingertips slid through my hair, gently stroking and pulling me closer. 

Why does my heart race so much? How did I end up falling so in love with him? 

He's aloof, yet kind. Being with him makes my heart race, but I feel more at ease with him than anyone else. 

"Ah... ha... ah..." 

His lips kissed my ear, trapping it, and his hot, wet tongue traced it. He licked and sucked, making my heart beat faster and faster. 

"Ah...!" 

His lips continued to descend slowly from my ear to my neck, sucking and licking, and I couldn't help but let out a moan. It felt so good that tears welled up in my eyes. 

From my neck to my collarbone, then to my chest, Zinon's lips and tongue slowly descended. When they reached my br3@st, my body remembered the sensation from before, and I naturally tensed my thighs. 

"Ah... ah... ahh..."

Zinon's large hands gently enveloped my two br3@sts, lifting and kneading them until his fingertips dug in. His wet lips made a smacking sound as they eagerly met my curves while his tongue twirled around inside his mouth. 

"No... stop... you said just a kiss..." 

My lower body was throbbing with heat and wouldn't stop, and I found myself rubbing my thighs together. 

"Just a kiss." 

Zinon whispered in a low voice as he licked my br3@sts and took off the ribbon on my chest with a quick tug, his heavy breathing tickling my skin. 

He licked my bare br3@sts that had spilled out and sucked on my n!**les. 

"Ah! Ah! Ah, ah...!" 

A tingling sensation ran through the space between my thighs. When Zinon's lips enclosed my n!**le and his wet, hot tongue swirled around it, the pleasure connected all the way down to my lower body, making it unbearable.