Liam exhaled, his gaze flickering with something unreadable.
Yet, on the surface, his usual smile remained, barely shifting.
His fingers instinctively curled tighter around Mize's, the warmth of his grip lingering, inches away from an unknown destiny that he wasn't aware of.
And then, he sighed, the grip loosening yet again, seemingly to be at a loss.
His other hand rose, moving slowly, almost absentmindedly, to the back of Mize's head.
His fingers slipped through the soft strands of hair, trailing upward before twisting a lock against his fingertips, brushing against Mize's cheek.
"It's white now?" Liam gave short comments, dragging the hair close to his face as he took a deep breath over it, the smell was intoxicating.
'Flowers... Stars... The fresh air of the morning... The soft touch of the shampoo she used... ' Liam contemplated, almost appreciative to the point that he began sniffing the hair from the tip to the base.
And his eyes squinted, a glint of something unknown was slowly brewing inside.
"You've become…" Liam murmured, voice low, contemplative. "Quite the otherworldly beauty now."
Mize beamed at that, his expression brightening instantly. A soft hum escaped his lips, head bobbing in a self-satisfied nod.
"Of course! Your wife is angelic!"
"A human that looks better than an angel!"
But of course, Mize had never seen one to confirm this claim so boldly.
With a casual flick of his fingers, a piece of bread floated toward him.
"And I'll keep getting prettier and prettier." He snatched the bread from the air, flashing a toothy grin. "For you."
Then, without hesitation, he took a massive bite, gnawing on it mercilessly.
The contrast was… stark.
The other three at the table visibly twitched, their mouths twitching as they watched him chomp through the food like a tiny, elegant beast.
Yet, the moment Liam's gaze swept toward them, they immediately buried their heads in their plates.
Not a single one dared to comment.
Liam let out a slow exhale, fingers still idly threading through Mize's hair.
His touch never stopped, soft, lingering, as if savoring something intangible.
"…You're getting harder and harder to keep hidden," he muttered, his tone carrying a deeper meaning, "I am afraid that some beasts will have some ill intentions towards you even if you don't want it to happen"
"Then you protect me from those beasts", Mize said casually, gnawing away like a panda on the bread, and his head tilted from one side to the other joyfully.
The ripple sent tremors onto their connected parts.
Liam groaned first, his fist clenched on each of the armrests as he felt the subtle twist and turns of Mize's bottom against his crotch.
A searing heat, a mild comfort and warmth.
Shifted under one tilt of the head, and with the other leisurely tilt of Mize's head to the side, the body shifted, and so did his bottom.
"Y-you... "Liam's voice came out, a bit strained but he kept it hidden the best as he could, "Eat properly and don't move too much"
"Eh?" Mize turned, gaze flickering with utmost innocence, oblivious to the way he intended to portray this picture like always.
And thus he blinked, a finger dangled before his mouth with a white cream of the bread that somehow had gotten there to his intentional clumsiness. "What are you talking about?"
He licked it and smiled the same as always before turning his head back to the front.
!!!
'this girl' Liam cursed under his breath as he witnessed it, his breath heaved slower and slower as he tried to calm himself down in this state, his eyes then locked directly to the back of Mize's head, 'She is as clueless as always... ' he mused, 'But... Her cluelessness is too fatal!'
He reached out his hand, one hand swooping in between the waterfall of white and the back of the angel, and the other hand gently caressed from the side, pulling it down and repeating.
His fingers brushed over Mize's cheek, then down to poke at the slightly puffed-up cheek full of bread.
'This feeling…' he mused, watching the way Mize's mouth barely paused its relentless chewing. 'It's just… satisfying'
Not in a literal way. But something about it was oddly addictive.
His fingers pressed lightly into the bloated cheek, earning a muffled, "Mmmph."
"I feel like you'll bring me nothing but trouble just by existing"
"Clueless, naive, and a bit idiotic"
Mize abruptly paused mid-bite, his gaze lifting to meet Liam's directly.
His cheeks were still comically full, but his expression turned unexpectedly serious.
Then, after a swallow.
"Hey!" Mize asserted, "I am not 'a bit idiotic', just so you know I have the IQ level of a million"Mize puffed his cheeks when he said this, assuming that Liam wouldn't doubt it and believe it to be so.
Liam blinked.
"Really?"
Mize nodded, dead serious.
And then, ignoring Liam's bemused stare, he immediately resumed stuffing his mouth, words slipping out crunchier than before.
"Just because I am a bit slow, that doesn't mean I am dumb" Mize asserted again.
"Like a villain once said, there's grace in idiocy"
[That villain totally didn't say that]
'shut up'
For a moment, Liam just watched.
Then, a quiet chuckle slipped out.
"…Pfft."
And before he could stop himself, the laughter built.
"Hahaha"
The once heavy, tense atmosphere in the room was wiped clean.
The three others at the table felt it instantly.
The suffocating gloom from earlier? Completely blown away.
Their eyes flickered toward each other. And, without a word, a subtle smile crept onto their lips.
The dining session carried on, just like yesterday.
Once the meal concluded, it was time for the daily report.
Not that Mize cared.
Comfortably nestled in Liam's lap, he lounged like an obedient cat, chin resting onto Liam's shoulder.
Occasionally, his fingers would move, just subtly enough, teasing at Liam's patience. A brush of his nails against Liam's wrist. The faintest shift of his body against his.
Occasionally, Liam's hand would be trailed down onto the side of Mize's robe, and under some unknown spell, Liam's hand slipped through!!
The once unbreakable myth of non-direct skin contact was finally unveiled!
Mize's flinched the moment he felt the searing warmth against his right waist, just inches away from trailing down to the no-go zone.
His hand that was hugging around Liam's neck tightened subconsciously, body jerked, but only for a moment as he resumed on as usual.
A clear signal for Liam, 'Go on'
To this, Liam's hand that was about to ravage the soft heavenly waist faltered for a moment, a bit surprised by how easygoing Mize was today.
Though he took a deep breath next, his eyes glinted in amusement, 'Don't blame me if I went too far.' He grinned.
Then, his hand slipped downwards in a sudden thrust.
Sloip!
!!!
A strange wet noise echoed...
And like the fuse of an electric circuit, both of them simultaneously stopped their movements at the same time.
1 second...
10 seconds .....
And the longer it passed, the more obvious it became.
The silence was louder than usual, the other three that were seated on the table flickered their gaze amongst each other and deepened down, as they didn't dare to say anything in this situation.
Then, with a cough, Liam hurriedly retracted his hand and placed it behind Mize's back, his eyes narrowed, hovering towards his fingers momentarily.
It was a scalding touch at the tip, and the remnants of an unknown transparent liquid lingered in between them.
'This is?... ' Liam's head buzzed, his eyes a bit dizzy by the sudden realization of what had just transpired.
As for Mize on the other hand, his body was rock hard like a stone, unmoving.
His fist clenched behind Liam's back, his eyes closed, as he hugged Liam's body tightly, not daring to lift his head.
But the pained expression that seemingly preferred to die on the spot, the shaking shoulders at the top, and the face that had somehow turned so impossibly red like a tomato.
It was obvious what had transpired just now.
Liam had accidentally slipped down into an unknown area, and Mize had so confidently allowed it without knowing the consequences.
'dear Lord,' Mize squinted his eyes, face crammed as if he had a heart attack, 'Please end my life,' a drop of tear slipped out from the corner of his eyes.
'I shouldn't have felt that excited in the first place!'
'And I shouldn't have allowed Liam to touch so freely too!'
'Now he will think that I am a pervert that would always be wet 24/7!!! A bitch in heat!!!' Mize cursed again and again, wanting to cry but not knowing where to vent.
Though all of his worries were then vanquished, Liam's hand gently wrapped around his waist from the side and pulled him closer.
Head peered down on the side, grazing the ears with a small nib, and then Liam spoke, his tone seducing, "We will continue tonight? Nothing further than some touches, I promise"
!!!
Mize hitched, but then his mouth was more honest compared to his brain, "Mhmmm" a muffled noise came out, accepting the proposal.
....
Then, the meeting continued as Liam, this time around, even gentler than before, pampered and caressed Mize's back to calm him down.
Mize, on the other hand, buried his face, arms not letting go as he sat there as if this was the last dawn of hope from looking into the other three's eyes.
Not wanting to see just what reactions they would have against the wife of their lord who had accidentally revealed herself as a big pervert!
'I should've worn a panty!!!'
Wuhuuu, Mize cried against Liam's chest.
The meeting was ongoing, but the unwanted and yet welcomed points were continuously coming in after the event just now.
Meanwhile, his thoughts were running around, trying his best to distract himself from the embarrassing scene just now.
'Yeah, topic... Any topic!' Mize murmured inwardly. 'Ah yes, it is now easier to farm points than ever before'
Just existing.
Walking past people, standing idly in view, his mere presence seemed to generate points automatically.
'Beauty privilege, huh?' Mize thought inwardly.
[Pervert privileges host]
'Shut up!'
[Understood]
Then for the rest of the meeting, his arm hooked around Liam's neck as he pressed closer, his chest resting against Liam's.
His head propped over his shoulder, body fitting snugly against him as he tried his best to disappear directly into Liam's embrace.
The warmth between them was subtle, an aftertaste of the prior accident.
Liam didn't react much, at least, not outwardly.
His grip on Mize's waist was steady, unmoving. His voice remained calm, carrying through the discussion with the other three.
But his focus?
Yeah. It slipped.
It didn't take long before the meeting finally wrapped up.
One by one, the others stood from their seats, ready to leave.
But before they could.
"Elias."
Mize's voice cut through the air, light yet deliberate.
"Stay for a bit. I-I need to discuss something with you" Mize stuttered a little in his words, his body turning as he faced the table.
His eyes flicked toward the green-haired man, gaze locking onto the one with glasses.
Elias hesitated briefly. The other two also paused, glancing back.
But neither the Lord nor the First Lady called for them.
So, without further delay, they promptly exited the hall.
Elias, meanwhile, let out a quiet breath before sliding back into his seat. 'why me, I just want to leave and let the two of you have your time' he sighed...
With a flick of his fingers, a writing board appeared from his space ring, ready to take notes.
Liam, watching all this, chose to stay silent, curious about what Mize wanted to discuss.
Mize leaned forward slightly, tilting his head.
"F-first!" he began, his voice oddly louder and yet stumbling.
Elias instinctively lifted his gaze, only to immediately lower it again, avoiding direct eye contact.
"I'd like to use my daily summoning from the Summoning Stele from now on"
Elias blinked. "As in… the commoner summoning, Your Highness?"
"Yes."
Mize nodded, his eyes briefly shifting to Liam's.
A silent exchange. A subtle glance of approval.
Then, Mize continued.
"I have my reasons." His tone remained light. "And none of them are for you to question."
Elias tensed. "I dare not, Your Highness." He hurriedly bowed his head. "Whatever your decision, I have no right to question. Only to obey"
Mize's nodded.
"Good."
Then, he tilted his head, tone gradually softened.
"Also, I need a more thorough explanation of how the Summoning Stele works."
Liam cut in smoothly, his hand absently rubbing the back of Mize's.
"It's simple. The first summon is free. Every summon after that has a cost."
Mize raised a brow. "And the cost is?"
Elias remained silent, deferring to Liam.
"The game's main currency," Liam answered.
"Though, I wouldn't blame you for not knowing. That feature was never in the original game."
Mize awkwardly nodded, eyes never meeting Liam's from the start. "I-I knew there was supposed to be a daily free summon."
"Outdated feature." Liam smirked. "Now, we have to use gold."
"…O-or diamonds?" Mize prompted.
Liam shook his head. "Haven't found a single diamond resource point so far. Might as well be as rare as a needle in the ocean."
"You're exaggerating." Mize gasped but didn't pursue it further.
Then, turning back to Elias, his voice sharpened slightly.
"I'll be summoning every day from now on."
"Your job is to prepare enough logistics and management to handle the incoming influx of people."
Elias immediately nodded, jotting down the order.
And once it was confirmed there were no further discussions, he left.
The doors closed behind him.
Leaving the hall quiet.
And the two of them alone.
Liam cleared his throat. "…F-for a Tier 3 Stele, you need 400 gold coins for a common summon. Limited to one per day."
He leaned in slightly.
"For Hero Summoning? Ten times the price. And only one per month"
Mize squinted. "Then how do you have three summoned heroes?"
Liam smiled knowingly. "There are… other methods. Unconventional methods"
Mize hummed, snatching the last few crumbs of bread from the table awkwardly.
"Well," he said, chewing thoughtfully. "You be the wallet. I'll be the user."
Then, with zero hesitation.
"I need money."
Liam blinked. "Hah?"
"How much can you spare?"
Mize's eyes gleamed for a brief moment.
If possible.
He wanted a lot.
Well, duh... obviously for riches.
[The host did just prostituted himself just now. So it's time for the payment]
'T-that... '
'That's true?'
[A whore with dignity!]
'Shut up!'
Liam's lips curled into a smile, but something about it felt off.
His eyes narrowed slightly, amusement lurking in their depths, yet the smile itself never fully reached them. "How about a thousand gold coins per month?"
Mize's gaze sharpened, suspicion flickering across his face. His fingers drummed lightly against his sleeve as he muttered, "How much is the current gold mine output?"
"Not much," Liam admitted, his arm slipping around Mize's waist with practiced ease, pulling him just a little closer. "But more than enough to support our territory's development."
Mize's eyes flickered with intrigue. "Oh? Have any of the local forces made contact with us?"
"There's been some interaction with native merchants." Liam idly traced the edge of the armrest with his fingertips. "They use a slightly lower-tier gold coin, but our currency gives us an advantage in every trade."
"Ah," Mize murmured, realization dawning as his gaze brightened. "That's why you want to build a trade market."
Liam nodded. "You could oversee it if you're interested."
Mize arched a brow. "It's a good source of money."
Liam's expression shifted ever so slightly, the faintest glimmer of mischief slipping into his tone.
"Exactly." It was the kind of tone someone might use when trying to subtly rope another into a pyramid scheme, "but there's a price for everything, Mimi"
Liam leaned closer, hand wrapping the rabbit against his, and he smiled, "Every night?"
To this, Mize gathered his strength under his flushed cheeks, and coughed, eyes averting, "I-I will think about it"
And then, he quickly waved his hand, "But c-can we talk about this later?"
"Sure" Liam nodded.
Seemingly to confirm this, Mize then continued.
He lifted a finger, signaling his next point. "Second, I need a proper explanation of how dungeons can be created."
Before Liam could respond, Mize's hand went up again, his fingers now marking three. "And third, I need as many people as possible in our territory." He leaned in slightly, his voice unwavering. "I want a lot. Can you do it?"
Liam blinked, momentarily caught off guard, but he could already piece together the reasoning behind the request.
He wasn't about to press for an explanation, everyone had their own motivations, himself included.
"Fine." He nodded, voice casual. "I'll send the armies to scour the surrounding villages and bring more people in."
He had already considered this approach last night.
In the long run, there might be issues, rebellious factions, resource strain, but as long as his strength remained absolute, the territory's foundation wouldn't waver.
"As for dungeon creation…" Liam tapped Mize's nose lightly, his voice drifting down from above.
Mize blinked at the sudden touch, his perspective tilted slightly upward toward Liam's face.
"The process is simple," Liam continued. "It requires an item called a Dungeon Core."
"Yeah… that sounds like the typical way dungeons are made," Mize muttered, unimpressed.
Liam chuckled, lifting a hand. A flicker of light shimmered around his palm, and within moments, a strange bead materialized, hovering just above his skin.
Mize's eyes locked onto it, his curiosity piqued. Just how many types of beads are there so far? 3? 4?