Amidst the somber atmosphere filling the room at the Empyrean Citadel, the subject of their worry was drifting on the edge of a very distant consciousness.
In his comatose state, Charlie did not encounter a hollow darkness. Instead, he found himself dragged into a memory fragment that felt startlingly vivid. This wasn't merely sleep; it was a flashback belonging to the original owner of the body he now inhabited: Rio Karasuki.
It felt exactly like playing a VR game with perfect immersion. Charlie could feel the brush of the wind, the scent in the air, even the frantic thumping of the heart in his chest. However, he had no control. He was a passenger in Rio's vessel, forced to witness and feel every surging emotion of this parallel timeline.
Initially, Charlie felt a wave of stress. He had tasted the bitterness of Rio's life before—the crushing frustration of failing to protect those who mattered most, and a grief so profound it could shatter the soul. He braced himself for another round of mental torture, a psychological backlash that might leave him in ruins upon waking.
But slowly, he realized that the flow of this memory had a different "color."
This time, there was no nauseating betrayal. No soul-crushing tragedy like the nightmares that used to haunt him. Charlie felt a drastic shift in the atmosphere. Instead of the loser who lost everything, in this fragment, Rio was the victor.
The world around him seemed brighter, almost like a recompense for all the suffering he had endured in the past. Charlie could feel a warmth spreading through his body—a strange, intoxicating satisfaction.
In this timeline, fate seemed to be on his side. Every sacrifice Rio made yielded sweet fruit. Charlie, locked within Rio's perspective, began to realize he was no longer a witness to a tragedy, but the beneficiary of an extraordinary stroke of luck.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
The Dreamscape.
After Rio brought the two princesses of the Beltrum Kingdom to the stone house, Christina fell into a long silence. The living space she entered was so comfortable she found herself speechless once again. The stone house wasn't adorned with the gaudy ornaments favored by the nobility, yet it was built far better than any typical aristocratic mansion.
Rio entered the house behind Christina and closed the door.
"I want to put Princess Flora to bed, but you'll want to change clothes first, right? There are spare clothes belonging to the other girls in the closet room in the back. Shall we check if anything fits?"
Under their current circumstances, they couldn't exactly head to a market to buy new clothes, so he decided to lend them what was available and apologize to the other girls later.
"Lady Christina?"
Still unable to shake her shock, Christina looked around the room with wide-eyed curiosity. She only snapped out of it when Rio called her name.
"Oh, r-right." Christina nodded, feeling a flush of embarrassment for being so caught up in observing the mysterious house.
"Alright. For now, I'll lay Princess Flora on the sofa and show you the way. Please follow me."
Rio gently placed Flora on the sofa and escorted Christina to the walk-in closet. They arrived at their destination a few moments later.
"Thank you for doing all of this for us, Lord Amakawa." Christina bowed her head toward him.
"It's no trouble at all. As a reward, I'll be receiving the beautiful princess I've always liked. Ah! From now on, just call me Haruto, okay?" Rio offered a gentle smile.
"Yes, r-right... I will certainly repay your kindness with everything I can do for you... Lord Haruto." Christina lowered her head, her cheeks deepening into a rosy hue.
Inside the closet room, the air felt cozy, filled with the faint scent of lavender and the soft rustle of silk. The room was meticulously organized, with clothes of various sizes and styles neatly folded or hanging on wooden hangers. Rio's gaze swept across the garments, searching for something suitable for the two young princesses.
He pulled out a soft blue gown that shimmered slightly under the candlelight.
"This gown should suit Flora. It's one of the dresses belonging to Latifa, my cute little sister. It might be a bit small, but I think it will fit her."
He handed it to Christina, whose hands trembled as she took it. Then, he searched through a drawer below, finding a set of clean undergarments. "This will do for now."
Christina looked at the clothes, feeling a mixture of gratitude and shame. She had never been in such a vulnerable position before, depending entirely on a man who continued to place her in his debt. And yet, there was something undeniably calming about being near this youth.
"Thank you." Christina took a deep breath and nodded, taking the clothes from him. "I will look after Flora." She turned to leave the room, clutching the clothes tightly to her chest.
Rio watched her go, his eyes lingering on her retreating figure before he turned back to the wardrobe. He knew he had to find something perfect for Christina as well—something that would enhance her charms and suit his own tastes.
(Interesting. Rio in this timeline isn't exactly a herbivore,) Charlie commented as a third party, though experiencing it all as a first-person participant.
After a few minutes, Rio found a dress that perfectly complemented Christina's skin tone: a deep crimson that would make her purple hair pop. He held up the dress and smirked.
"This high-slit dress will definitely bring out Christina's charm."
When Rio returned to the living room where he had left Flora, he found Christina carefully removing the clothes from the still-unconscious Flora. Her gentle touch and worried expression made Rio's heart race. The sight of Flora's smooth skin and her ample chest draped in a thin camisole sent a surge of desire through him.
"Lady Christina." Rio called out, his voice slightly husky with anticipation.
"Fukyaaa!?"
Christina jolted at the sound of his voice, her eyes wide with shock. She quickly covered Flora's semi-clothed body with a nearby blanket and turned to face him, her face beet red.
"I-I didn't hear you come in." she stammered.
"Sorry for interrupting." Rio struggled to keep his eyes off Flora. "I've found something for you to wear as well." He held up the red dress with a glint in his eye.
Christina took a step back, her heart hammering. She hadn't expected him to return so quickly and wasn't prepared for his presence.
"Lord Haruto, could you, er, wait outside while I help Flora?" she asked, her voice trembling.
With a heavy heart, Rio nodded and stepped out. He leaned against the corridor wall, eyes fixed on the closed door, listening to the rustle of fabric and the soft murmurs of Christina's voice. His wild imagination took over, envisioning Christina's soft hands moving over Flora's body, and he had to clench his fists to keep from pushing the door open.
Once Christina finished changing Flora's clothes, she called him in. Rio stepped back into the room, his gaze sweeping over both princesses. Flora looked peaceful in the small blue dress, her curves subtly highlighted even in her quiet sleep. As for Christina, she had discarded her soiled princess gown and wrapped herself tightly in a blanket.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Lord Haruto." Christina said softly. "Now, if you don't mind, I would like to change as well." She reached out her hand to take the dress he had chosen for her.
"Of course." Rio replied hoarsely. He stepped closer. "But before that, I think you should take a bath and clean yourself up first." He took Christina's hand and led her deeper into the stone house.
The bathroom was a vast, luxurious open space with stone floors and a large pool of steaming hot water. Stars shone brightly overhead, casting a silvery glow over everything. The scent of colorful roses from a small indoor garden filled the air.
"T-this is a bath!? It's larger than the baths in my own palace!"
Christina's eyes went wide at the sight. She never imagined this stone house would contain a bathhouse, let alone one that exceeded royal standards.
"That's because I really enjoy bathing. And how could I bathe with so many girls if it wasn't this large?" Rio's voice was low, his gaze sharp as he held Christina's hand. "The hot spring water is generated by magic; it stays clean so we can enjoy a soak whenever we wish."
"I-is that so?"
Christina could feel the underlying meaning in his words, and she was the one who had chosen to be his woman, but it still made her feel shy. She tried to change the subject, focusing on the atmosphere of the room. "It really is... a magnificent bath."
Christina felt the warmth of the steam and caught the scent of roses and spices. She realized just how dirty and exhausted she felt after their long journey through the woods today. She hadn't been able to clean herself for over a day, and the thought of sinking into that water was incredibly tempting.
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