Chapter 84
Meanwhile, Clael and Reina had drifted to an uninhabited island.
"Lord Clael, say ahh."
"A-ahh..."
Clael opened his mouth, his face twitching.
Reina held out a piece of fish speared on a fork and put it into his mouth.
(No... How did things end up like this...?)
Clael chewed the piece of fish, confused about the situation he was in.
Although the two of them had washed ashore on the uninhabited island... the sun had already set, and it was night.
Rescue still hadn't arrived. They had asked the Holy Spirits for aid, but... it seemed they wouldn't actually come until tomorrow.
So they had no choice but to spend the night on the uninhabited island.
They started a campfire and were eating fish they had caught during the day, but... for some reason, Reina was feeding him.
"R-Reina. I really should eat by myself."
"No, Lord Clael. We only have one fork, remember!"
The fork Reina and Clael were using for their meal had coincidentally washed up on the beach.
They had cleaned it with magic to deal with any hygiene issues before using it... but really, how much sense did it make to use utensils on a deserted island?
"I mean, we could just eat with our hands or bite right into it..."
"Of course, if we didn't have a fork, that would be fine. But it would be nonsense not to use one when we have it."
"Well, I guess... you're right?"
He didn't know.
What Reina was saying seemed reasonable, but at the same time, he couldn't shake the feeling he was being talked into something.
"Okay, say ahh."
"Ahh..."
"Fufufufu."
As she fed Clael the fish... Reina looked genuinely delighted.
What in the world was making her so happy? Ever since they drifted to the uninhabited island, she'd been smiling the whole time.
(Well, this trip is for Reina's sake. If she's enjoying herself, I guess it's fine...)
It's fine.
It should be fine... but why?
For some reason, he felt like he was being cornered into a dead end.
The outer moat... no, was it the inner moat being filled in real time?
"R-Reina, you should eat too. I've been the only one eating this whole time, you know?"
"Ah, you're right... *munch munch*"
Reina stabbed a piece of fish with the fork and brought it to her mouth.
She ate it deliciously using the same fork that had just been in Clael's mouth.
"............"
Clael started to feel oddly uncomfortable, furrowing his brow and shifting in place.
"Reina, seriously..."
"Okay, say ahh."
"Ahh... there's a saying, 'Even among close ones, courtesy must be kept.'"
"Okay, say ahh."
"Ahh... even if we're family, there are boundaries we should observe."
"Okay, say ahh."
"Ahh..."
Clael desperately suppressed the urge to shout, "What am I, a baby bird!?"
Reina generally appeared to be gentle and obedient to Clael's words, but in reality, once she decided on something, she was incredibly stubborn.
This was exactly one of those times, and no matter what Clael said, she wouldn't listen.
(It's not a rebellious phase... Is it that she's developed a sense of independence since she started attending the academy? But if she's clinging to me like this, it doesn't feel like she's independent at all...)
"Okay, thank you for the meal."
"...Thanks for the meal."
"Well then... since we've finished eating, let's go to bed early today. There's nothing else to do on an uninhabited island."
"...Yeah, you're right."
Clael agreed.
He was more than happy to go to bed quickly.
If he stayed up too long, he'd just end up thinking unnecessary things.
"So, about tonight... I found something washed up on the beach earlier."
"Is that... a sleeping bag?"
What Reina pulled out from the bushes was a rather large sleeping bag.
"With this size, both Lord Clael and I can sleep in it together. It might be a bit tight... but if we snuggle, it'll work out."
"What!? We're sharing it!?"
Clael recoiled in shock.
"No, no, no! Reina, you should use it alone! It's summer, so I'll be fine!"
"Lord Clael, you mustn't underestimate summer nights. If you sleep in light clothes just because it's summer, you'll catch a cold, you know?"
"Honestly, I'd rather catch a cold..."
Clael lowered his flushed face.
He had been trying not to think about it... but Reina was still wearing that shameless leaf bikini.
Her clothes, which had gotten soaked in seawater, should've dried by now, but she said they felt sticky and uncomfortable.
(Sharing a sleeping bag, pressed up against a girl dressed like that... what kind of punishment game is this...?)
Anyone thrown into such a situation would find their willpower tested, even a saint.
If he ended up feeling lust toward Reina, who was both his daughter and his sister, who would take responsibility?
"Come, come, over here. Right this way."
Reina got into the sleeping bag first and beckoned Clael over.
It should've been impossible... but tonight, the usually pure and innocent face of the Saint looked sultry and seductive.
(No... this must be because of the wicked thoughts in my heart...!)
Because he was having lewd thoughts, he was deluding himself into thinking she was inviting him.
(No matter what, I can't accept this. But Reina won't back down... then there's only one thing left to do...!)
Clael, trying to shake off the wicked feelings budding in his chest, took action by force.
"Water magic... 'Daidal Wave'!"
"Ah..."
The action Clael took... was to forcibly shut down his own consciousness.
He faced the sea and unleashed the power of the Blue Moon Ring.
A person equipped with the Blue Moon Ring not only gained enhanced stats, but could also use several water-element spells.
'Daidal Wave' was among the most powerful of those, with a heavy cost in mana.
"Guh..."
A massive wave of water was sucked into the sea... and immediately after, Clael's consciousness began to fade.
Having exhausted all his mana, he blacked out.
"Lord Clael!"
Reina hurriedly crawled out of the sleeping bag... but it was already too late.
Clael had completely lost consciousness and fallen asleep.