If I had to explain how we ended up in this situation, it all started with the snacks and the liquor served after dinner.
"This is our inn's specialty—house-brewed Bokbunja-ju," the attendant said.
"Oh? But we didn't order any drinks with the spread."
"It's on the house. A small token of gratitude for the heroes who saved the world."
The attendant offered a polite smile, and I accepted the bottle with a word of thanks.
But why did I feel this way?
A faint sense of unease pricked at the back of my mind, but I decided not to overthink a gesture made with such good intentions.
The dinner table was cleared, replaced by a beautiful arrangement of bananas, tangerines, cherries, pomegranates, and strawberries. The vibrant colors were practically an invitation to start snacking.
As for the Bokbunja-ju, the aroma rising from the bottle was incredibly potent, suggesting it was made with only the finest black raspberries. The rich scent filled my nostrils almost instantly.
I wasn't the only one affected. The two women sitting beside me stared at the bottle with wide, surprised eyes.
"This... this is some serious stuff. I feel like I'm getting tipsy just from the smell."
"Such an intense fragrance despite the distance... The ingredients must be exceptional, but the craftsmanship behind this is even more impressive."
I nodded in agreement with their assessments. This wasn't just a casual hobbyist's brew. It felt as though a master distiller had meticulously selected every single berry. The scent alone was enough to seduce the senses.
If someone really made this just as a hobby, then this inn was the only place in the world where you could taste it. It was the kind of drink that made you want to come back just for another glass.
"Captain, hurry, hurry!" Kiana nudged me.
"Alright, alright. Give me a second."
With a wry smile at her persistence, I lined up three glasses and filled each halfway. I handed them to my wife and Kiana. Both of them kept their eyes fixed on the brilliant, crimson liquid, waiting for me to raise my glass.
"Well then... Cheers!"
""Cheers!""
With a clear *clink*, we brought our glasses together and drank. The distinct raspberry aroma exploded in my mouth and nose, while a perfect balance of sweet and sour danced across my tongue. I marveled at how smooth it was—the alcohol was barely noticeable as it slid down my throat.
"Phew~"
"Haaah..."
All three of us were clearly satisfied. Kiana leaned her head against her hand with a look of pure bliss, while Bronya gazed into her glass with a gentle smile and a shimmering look in her eyes, savoring the aftertaste.
But wait... this is actually dangerous.
It went down so easily that it felt more like a juice than a wine. If you didn't watch yourself, you'd empty a bottle in a heartbeat. Then it would lead to a second bottle, a third, and then—well, God knows when it would stop.
It wasn't just a complimentary item; it was listed on the menu. If we weren't careful, we could rack up a staggering bill.
I mean, none of the people here had to worry about money, but my pride as the one managing the budget wouldn't allow it. I decided we should stop with the raspberry wine and switch to something else if they still wanted to drink.
"Ma'am! More raspberry wine over here!"
"...Sigh."
Just as the thought crossed my mind, I saw Kiana already ordering more. They had finished two of the three complimentary bottles. Bronya's face was already flushing a light pink from the alcohol, and she let out a deep, satisfied breath after another sip.
Wait, I only had one glass?
No, no, that's not the point!
"Hey, hold on a second!"
"Hold on for what? Here, just drink!"
"Mmph?!"
I tried to stop Kiana, but she was faster. Sensing my intention, she grabbed the final bottle and practically plugged my mouth with it. I felt the wine surge from the bottle, through my mouth, down my esophagus, and straight into my stomach. I tried to pull away, but Kiana held me firm, her grip unyielding until every last drop was drained into my system.
"Ahaha! This is the stuff! We're Herrschers, so we shouldn't even get drunk that easily, but I feel totally wasted already!"
Kiana, your slurring suggests you've passed the 'drunk' phase long ago. And my wife... she was grinning sheepishly with a bright red face. It was clear she was completely gone too.
As for me? I knew I was drunk. In fact, I had crossed the line so quickly that I felt a wave of dizziness and nausea, almost like an instant hangover.
What is in this stuff? It's way stronger than I thought!
I was barely clinging to consciousness. If I let go for even a second, I'd either lose my lunch or pass out immediately. My mind felt like it was flickering in and out of reality.
"One shot! Two shots! Drink, drink, drink! How long am I gonna have to wait for you to do the shoulder dance?! Look at my shoulder! It's practically out of its socket!"
"Honey~ P-Please pat Bronya's head... why won't you pat me?"
Every time I opened my eyes, the scene shifted. Kiana was complaining about the heat, loosening her yukata and exposing her skin while singing at the top of her lungs. Meanwhile, my wife had crawled into my lap, acting coy and bombarding me with affection. My 'Sanity Meter' was hitting a critical low in real-time.
...Crap, I'm losing it.
"Alright, everyone's too drunk. Let's head to bed."
"Who'sh shleeping?! The night is still young!"
"Mmm... The Bronya wants to drink more... hup."
They both shook their heads in protest. Fighting through the pounding headache, I forced a stern expression and a sharp tone.
"Fine. Then you're both banned from drinking with me ever again."
"Moderation is a virtue! Time for bed!"
"Idiot Kiana, where did you put my pillow?"
The slurred speech vanished instantly. Kiana bolted into the sleeping quarters and dove under the covers. My wife, finding her own pillow missing, promptly snatched Kiana's, sparking a mini pillow fight. I could only let out a heavy sigh.
"Sigh..."
This was supposed to be a date, but it felt exactly like our school days at St. Freya. My sigh seemed to reach them, however; they both stopped abruptly, abandoned the pillow struggle, and retreated into their futons, pulling the blankets up over their heads. They peeked out from under the covers to check my reaction, and their sheepishness was so cute I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Don't worry, I'm not mad."
A collective sigh of relief echoed through the room. They closed their eyes, and soon, the sound of steady breathing filled the air. They must have been more exhausted than they realized—mentally, if not physically. Kiana had come straight from work, and Bronya had spent the day enduring the long journey by car and plane. The sudden peace probably allowed the fatigue to catch up with them.
"Guess I should sleep too."
I swallowed the last of the snacks, closed the curtains, and laid out my futon next to my wife. One might think we should share a bed since we're married, but I felt a certain... heat in my lower half that warned me I might not be able to control myself if I stayed too close. Especially considering Bronya's habit of hugging whatever is next to her in her sleep.
If we were alone, it wouldn't be an issue, but Kiana was in the room. I wasn't nearly depraved enough to subject someone else to the sounds of our marital intimacy. I took several deep breaths to cool my racing thoughts, settled into my covers, and finally closed my eyes.
"Mmm..."
How much time had passed?
The dizziness and hangover symptoms eventually pulled me back toward consciousness. I felt a jarring sense of cognitive dissonance. I tried to look around, but the room was pitch black thanks to the curtains. However, one thing was unmistakably clear.
Something was stimulating my lower body.
My first thought was that my wife had slipped into my bed, but that didn't make sense. The sleeping arrangement from the window to the wall was: Window - Kiana - Bronya - Me - Wall. If Bronya wanted to sneak in, she just had to move to her right. But this sensation... it wasn't coming from my left side.
It was coming from the right.
*Lick, lick.*
Then came a sensation on my right chest—my nipple, to be precise. It was warm, slightly rough, yet soft and moist. It was the undeniable texture of a tongue, a sensation I had practically memorized from recent experiences. But this wasn't Kiana's touch, and it certainly wasn't my wife's.
I could say that with absolute certainty based on my experiences with Bronya, as well as the 'incident' with the finger-sucking and back-licking at the hot springs. It might sound perverse to know someone's tongue that well, but given how intense those situations were, they were hard to forget.
Every person's touch is different. So... who the hell was this?
"Haa, hah... *slurp*... mmm..."
The person was panting heavily now, seemingly unable to contain themselves. They teased my nipple like a baby nursing from its mother, while a hand moved much more overtly toward my groin. The shiver running down my spine was too much to bear. I threw back the covers and reached out.
I grabbed the left wrist that was trying to slip inside my underwear and pinned it above their head. In the same motion, I rolled over and straddled them, using my other hand to pin their remaining wrist.
"Kyah~ ♡"
The person let out a small, high-pitched squeal that sounded more playful than frightened. I frowned, looking down. As the moonlight filtered through the gap in the curtains, I could finally see the silhouette beneath me.
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. It was the last person I expected.
"Senior... Mei?"
"Ah, you caught me~"
Seeing Senior Mei playfully stick her tongue out, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me. I let go of her wrists and started to sit up. There was no need to restrain her if she was an ally, or so I thought.
That was my mistake.
It was a moment of pure carelessness.
The instant I let my guard down, Senior Mei's eyes flickered with a predatory light. She surged upward, her chest pressing firmly against mine as she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into a deep, crushing kiss.