Chapter 305 - Embrace

Stardust.

After hearing Lee Seol-ah's advice, she decided not to hold back anymore.

'...That's right.'

To get closer, she needed to be more aggressive.

That's why she entered this prison where Egostic was, and decided to stay by his side.

It was only because she wanted to become friends with him. Because she wanted to get closer to him. She had no other intentions.

However.

"...Ulterior motives? What ulterior motives? That's absurd. To me, Ms. Stardust is just my arch-enemy hero. Nothing more, nothing less."

"..."

Why.

Those words he said. Those words claiming he had no ulterior motives.

Words that clearly had nothing to do with her.

...Why did they make her want to flip everything upside down?

"From the beginning, I've never once seen Ms. Stardust as a woman—"

That's why.

At that moment, she acted impulsively without even realizing it.

Whoosh.

She grabbed Egostic, who was sitting in the chair, and pulled him over, toppling him onto the bed where she had been lying.

Suddenly straddling him as he lay on the bed with his back against the headboard.

Stretching her arms beside his head, with their faces close enough to feel each other's breath.

She smiled and asked Egostic.

"...Then even now, you don't see me as a woman?"

...And immediately regretted it.

Wait, Ha-ru. You're being too forward...! What will Egostic think of me...!!

However, despite feeling a bit embarrassed inside.

"....."

In front of her.

Seeing Egostic looking more flustered than she'd ever seen him before, with his face slightly reddened, those thoughts vanished completely.

...It was the first time she'd seen him flustered like this, when he usually smiled smugly and smoothly escaped from any situation.

Forgetting that her own face was just as red, she unconsciously smiled triumphantly at that moment.

Whoosh.

"...Huh?"

Suddenly, she felt her hand being grabbed and her arm pulled.

By the time she realized what was happening.

She was lying on the bed with her right hand held.

And above her, Egostic with his reddened face was straddling her, looking down.

"...So, if you keep provoking me, something like this might happen."

"..."

With the soft bed sheets supporting her back.

She looked up at Egostic right above her.

With just their positions reversed, still close enough to feel each other's breath.

'...It's hot.'

Stardust felt her heart beating rapidly.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

'...Huh.'

She, a hero, pinned down by a villain on a bed.

In this situation where any ordinary hero would feel shame.

...Why was her heart racing?

And.

Given the significant difference in strength between them.

It would be easy to break free from his hold if she just applied some force.

...Why didn't she want to?

And also.

Why.

"..."

Why did she think this wasn't so bad?

With her face much redder than before, almost about to burst.

Looking up at Egostic, whose cheeks were equally red.

She swallowed her embarrassment, smiled provocatively, and said to Egostic.

"I wonder...? I don't mind at all. Go ahead and do whatever you want."

She was determined to go all the way.

Even if she didn't know where that would lead.

***

How on earth did it come to this?

Whoosh.

Thud.

On the bed inside the prison.

...For some reason, on a bed that was too large and white to be in a prison, I was looking down at Stardust lying beneath me.

"...So, if you keep provoking me, something like this might happen."

Looking down at her with her completely reddened face looking up at me from below.

I said that, at least.

Trying to hide my flustered state.

'.....'

No, it was just an impulsive action after seeing her confidently smiling down at me from above.

...Somehow, the situation seemed to have become even more awkward.

"....."

Perhaps because we moved so hastily, our bodies were entangled and touching.

Trying hard to ignore her body almost overlapping under my chest, and the soft touch of her hand in my right hand which was intertwined with hers.

I was looking down at Stardust lying there, with a reddened face, seemingly on the verge of tears from embarrassment, her right hand held by mine.

'...This is driving me crazy.'

God, why are you testing me like this?

I sent a resentful prayer to the deity who had sent me here, doing my best not to look at Stardust beneath me.

...I'm a man too.

So, when the situation gets this far, there's a limit to my patience. With her wearing such thin clothes, I could feel the curves of her body. So, when the person I love more than anyone is like this.

The only fortunate thing was that considering the difference in strength between Stardust and me, this situation would soon end. She would either kick me away or push me off. It might hurt for a moment... but still. It would end this strange situation.

...Just as I was thinking that.

I heard unbelievable words in my ears.

"I wonder...? I don't mind at all. Go ahead and do whatever you want."

Far from running away, she said that brazenly.

...Of course, regardless of her words, she was still looking up at me with a face that was about to explode from redness.

"..."

Looking at her saying such things from beneath me.

I glanced briefly at my wrist, then sighed dejectedly and muttered.

"...Are you sure you won't regret this?"

And to my words.

She closed her mouth for a moment.

As if her previous confident demeanor had disappeared.

With a reddened face, avoiding my eyes, she whispered to me in a small voice.

"...Like I said before."

"Egostic. If it's you... I'm okay with it."

And the moment I heard those words.

In my heart, all sorts of thoughts and emotions rose to the surface and then sank, creating a whirlpool.

And so I.

So, with her.

Both with completely reddened faces, at a distance close enough for our faces to touch. As I looked down at her moist blue eyes at that moment.

In that subtle atmosphere.

Suddenly, a cold mechanical voice was heard.

[It's mealtime.]

"...?"

With those words, a clicking sound came from the other side of the room.

"...Haha. Looks like it's already time to eat. Let's eat—"

Just as I was about to get up and escape, thanks to the timely savior.

Grab.

Suddenly, two arms grabbed me from behind as if embracing me.

And so, just as I was getting up, I was hugged by Stardust and fell back on top of her.

With my head buried in the pillow next to her head, as I was flustered.

From beneath me, now completely embracing me with our bodies fully overlapping.

Still holding me, she whispered in my ear.

"...Why? You said you don't think of me that way, right?"

"So."

"Let's stay like this, just a little longer."

"...."

And so.

I remained in her embrace for a while.

...I still couldn't understand what Stardust was thinking.

Why she was doing this.

"..."

But still, because Stardust's embrace was soft and warm.

We stayed like that for a while. Embracing each other.

...I don't know.

Whatever happens, happens.

***

A while later.

"Thank you for the meal."

Having received our meals through what looked like a small elevator, we were sitting at the table facing each other, eating.

...The meal was perfectly plated pasta.

'.....'

No matter how you look at it, isn't this too fancy for prison food...?

I had that doubt for a moment, but since the people at Carceris would have known that Stardust was here, I decided to let it go.

And, Stardust in front of me.

"...Mmm. It's delicious."

She was eating the pasta deliciously, as if nothing had happened.

As if nothing had happened until just now, she looked calm.

"...What are you looking at?"

Seeing me staring blankly at her, she answered coldly.

...She turned her head away with a huff... but her still-reddened ears were evidence that what had happened earlier was real.

After thinking quietly for a moment.

I finally sighed, picked up my fork, and muttered.

"...I don't understand what Ms. Stardust is thinking."

To my words.

Twirling pasta on her fork, she smiled brightly and said.

"Just. You said you don't think of me that way. So I was testing you."

"No, even so... Ah. Never mind."

I answered like that, and also put some pasta in my mouth. It tasted good.

'...'

I was about to ask if she acted like this with other villains too, but remembering she had said it was okay if it was me, I felt even more confused. What is this all about?

...Come to think of it, there's also the issue of capturing the wish-granter, and having to worry about her too makes my head hurt.

'...Right. Still, I have about a week to spare.'

Since it was said it would take about a week to catch him, I had that much time.

But the problem is.

Conversely, it means I have to be with her for a week.

"...Hmm? What?"

Looking at her as she chewed on her pasta, with her shining blonde hair flowing and blue eyes looking up at me.

I unconsciously sighed again.

...During the week with her, I wasn't sure if I could hold out.

I couldn't be certain.