10 – First Steps, from Crawling to Running (1)
How does the s*xual education of nobility take place? Whenever I hear stories about a bastard born between a noble and a maid, I often think about that. In reality, nobles probably don’t grow up receiving excessively debauched and vulgar s*xual education. Therefore, their private lives shouldn’t easily fall into the abyss of corruption.
But that’s just a delusion propagated by the culprits. They are also human beings and members of society, so what makes them so different? I am just a commoner, ignorant, and foolish, but I know that such thinking is nothing more than meaningless gossip.
However, now, as I look at Yuna, that belief is beginning to waver.
“Hey… what are you doing right now…”
“Just stay quiet for a moment. Please.”
“hahahaha…”
I laughed with my mouth, but a smile refused to form. I leaned back in the chair, lips tightly sealed.
And slowly, I watched Yuna approach.
Tick. Tick. Tick. As always, the sharp sound of high heels approached me. With each step getting closer, the pleasant scent of shampoo brushed my nose, and the warmth of another person’s body mingled through the dust dancing in the air. Soon, her black-stockinged knees gently touched my leg.
“Hey… Yuna…”
“I told you to stay still.”
Yuna once again covered my mouth, placing her hand on the chair’s armrest. Then, she leaned towards me. The large glasses shook, and green eyes peeked through the lenses. I opened my mouth again while looking at my reflection in those eyes.
“I’m sorry, but can’t you at least tell me what you’re doing?”
“I already told you.”
“Well… but that, it doesn’t seem to mean what I thought it would?”
“What did you think?”
“Um…”
My gaze naturally shifted towards the titles of books on the bookshelf behind. Why did Lady Yeongae give rice to the butler? The Marquis’s servant. Taming the Duchess. Truly, these were low-level titles suitable for the academy. However, as low as the standards were, they stimulated primal instincts quite effectively.
“…Don’t think weird things for no reason. It’s not to that extent.”
Yuna sent me a quiet warning, as if she had read my gaze. Then, leaning closer to me, she continued speaking.
“Anyway, the point is, when you touch me, money comes in, right? It’s not just that, but that’s the easiest way. Isn’t it?”
“Well… yeah.”
“And that means, if you flip it around, money could come in even if I touch you, right? Whether you touch me or I touch you, ultimately, physical contact is the same, isn’t it?”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Yeah. It’s something unknown. But that’s why we should experiment even more. Don’t you think?”
…Is that so.
I don’t really know.
But despite my uncertainty, she tilted her head towards me. Now, being excessively close, it seemed like you could count the number of fluttering eyelashes. Yuna, with precision, stopped at a distance where you could almost touch lips if she moved just a bit closer. Then, she slowly raised her hand.
Once the extended hand moved decisively towards my face, it paused again in mid-air. When I turned my gaze to look at Yuna’s face, hesitation fell off in a split second, lips trembling dozens of times per second.
“Hmm…”
The faint breath, dispersing thinly between shaking pupils, brushed the tip of my nose. The sauce from the forgotten sandwich, the smell of onion juice, and an indescribable sweet fragrance locked into my lungs one after another. Yuna hesitated for a long time, then reached out her hand as if determined.
And very gently, she caressed my cheek.
“Hmm… hoo…”
The moment the small touch touched my cheek, I unknowingly closed my eyes and exhaled tense breath. Yuna, like a child who met a mysterious creature, carefully touched every part of my face. From closed eyelids, flushed cheeks, to the forehead hidden by hair. The sensation of the soft fingers brushing against my face was irresistibly ticklish, almost making me sneeze.
“Hey…”
“Shh.”
As I tried to open my mouth, Yuna silenced me with her thumb, sweeping away my rough lips. Then, with a faint sigh, she quietly asked a subdued question.
“How is it? Did it come out?”
“Huh?”
“The money.”
“…Not yet.”
I concentrated my thoughts in case she might be silent for some reason. She still remained silent. It didn’t seem right. I opened my mouth to express my opinion.
“Hey, Yuna. It seems like…”
“I know. I thought it might be lacking.”
With those words, the fingers that were exploring my face slid down smoothly. But I couldn’t exhale a sigh of relief. Because this time, the fingers that slipped off my face stabbed into the middle of my throat with a soft “thud.”
“Sponsorship, huh? In the end, it’s similar to a throne, isn’t it? Holding hands costs a shilling. Hugging is five shillings. When you see it increasing sequentially like this, the purpose becomes obvious.”
“A throne… what’s that? What do you mean?”
“It means you’ll want something more provocative.”
“Uh…”
Although I wanted to object, as soon as a finger touched my throat, my voice involuntarily swallowed. Yuna, as if surprised, covered her mouth with one hand. However, a faint voice seeped through.
“There really is a throat… I didn’t notice when I looked, but it’s quite… clear.”
“Ugh…”
“Oops… move… it’s firmer than I thought…”
“Hey… Yuna?”
“Wait! I… I know too. This isn’t enough…”
In response to my words, Yuna, raising her voice more than necessary, looked straight into my eyes. Then she mumbled something continuously.
“G-Good… yes… provocative… yes…”
“Yuna?”
“Only to know the truth… that’s right…”
“Hey… it feels too close…”
With an awkward expression, at that moment, the soft touch of skin gently settled on my knee. Glancing down, I realized that Yuna had quietly sat on my lap. She took a deep breath for a moment and then lightly grasped my neck.
And then, she slowly unbuttoned the first button.
“Uh, uh, uh, Yuna?”
For the first time, I was startled and stumbled through my words. However, Yuna’s expression was incredibly determined. The hand that unraveled the top of the shirt naturally embraced my shoulders, and a rough breath blew out over the exposed chest. The heated heart, as if waiting for this moment, pounded wildly with a deep, muffled sound.
“Yuna, this is a bit…”
“Shh, be quiet. I feel so embarrassed I could die.”
There was a clear determination in the faint trembling voice. Now, I no longer trembled and imagined dozens of futures as I looked into the green eyes that were staring straight at me. In most scenes, Yuna, who couldn’t muster the courage, was running away, but in a few scenes, we were embracing each other or kissing. And in some of those scenes, I was lying naked on the floor.
“Haa… Haa…”
Now, the tense breaths that couldn’t be concealed touched my neck. I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes, so I turned my gaze away and bit my lip. The imagined futures brushed against my head like a will-o’-the-wisp, and now my heart was pounding so wildly that it felt like it was about to break my rib cage. Yuna stared at me like that for a long time, then suddenly closed her eyes.
And with all her strength, she struck my neck.
…
…?
Bam!!!
“Ugh!!!”
In the midst of the unexpected collision, I let out a passionate groan as if vomiting blood. Yuna, whether she knew about my situation or not, continued to grab my collar and ram her head against my neck.
“Ugh… Ugh…”
“Ugh… Argh…”
Even in the dizzying shock, I continued to watch Yuna, who was digging into my body like a squirrel. What is she doing right now? Could it be that she thinks we’re embracing? Conceptually, you could see it that way. However, with her relentless charge and the technique of pushing my chin away with her forehead, it seemed more like a scene from a martial arts fight than a romance.
“Hey… Yuna…”
“W-What? Did the money come in?”
Did it come in…
“What do you think?”
“It didn’t come in? Why on earth?”
Yuna looked at me with an expression that seemed genuinely unable to understand my words. And then, for some reason, she muttered to herself in a panicked voice.
“Why… why is that? I thought this would be a strong stimulus!”
“First, lower your voice a bit. We’re in the library.”
“In that unbuttoned shirt, your chest exposed… It was that scene where you were leaning in without much strength.”
“Without much strength…?”
“H-How much more do I have to endure? How much more?”
“I told you to lower your voice…”
I tried to calm Yuna by holding onto her arms. But she continued muttering as if her soul had completely left her. Truly, what a troublemaker she is. I swallowed the stifled pain and glanced over Yuna’s shoulder.
Does she really think this is embracing? The more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t help but laugh. What kind of life has Yeongae-nim lived to be so awkward in physical contact and dealing with people? I couldn’t understand the reason, but the result was entirely mine. Even now, a faint pain lingered in my neck.
…Could it be?
Has no one ever properly embraced her until now?
…
…
…?
At that moment, something entered my field of vision. Between the bookshelves, a fleeting and rustling shadow briefly caught my gaze. I quickly lowered my voice and opened my mouth slowly.
“Yuna.”
“Yeah?”
“Someone’s here.”
“What…!”
Yuna opened her mouth in surprise. But I swiftly wrapped my arms around her shoulders.
And with all my strength, I embraced Yuna.
“Kyaaah…!”
Yuna’s lips collided with the bare skin, and a faint scream escaped, echoing within the embrace. As her heated cheeks pressed against the exposed chest, radiating warmth like flames, I calmly whispered with a composed voice.
“Shh.”
“W-who… who are you?”
“Shh.”
“That… ugh…”
With each time Yuna tried to speak, I tightened my grip on her shoulders. She struggled for a moment, then clenched the hem of my shirt, silencing her breath. Soon, the tension left her body, and she softened, pressing against me.
“Shhh…”
“Ha…hah…h-hot…heavy…”
“Shh.”
“Haa…haa…huff…”
As my voice subsided, Yuna also forcibly swallowed breaths to regulate her quickened breath. However, contrary to her efforts, the warm exhales beneath my neck subtly spread. Sweat dripped from the hand gripping the shirt, and the thumping of Yuna’s heart resonated gently. Listening to the strong heartbeat, I felt my own chest mimicking the rhythm.
“Haa…haa…haa…”
“…”
“Huff…ha…ugh…haa…”
In an unnoticed library, hidden in the depths where even sunlight didn’t reach, a noblewoman who had never experienced the touch of a man found herself in the arms of a commoner, breathing heavily. If someone were to discover them, it wouldn’t end with a mere disturbance. Aware of this, Yuna tried hard to suppress the beating of her heart and breath. Yet, the excitement of a first experience continued to echo in the air.
“…He…left?”
“Hmm?”
“That person… did he leave?”
“Well…”
After a considerable amount of time passed, Yuna finally gathered the courage to ask, lifting her head slightly to survey the surroundings.
“Um… Can’t hear any sound, right? Did you go in?”
“Yeah. Can’t hear a thing.”
From Noble mtl dot com
“S-so, you went in? Did you see anything?”
“Probably haven’t gone in yet.”
I calmly responded to her trembling question. Then, after loosening my grip a bit, I casually threw out a remark.
“Actually, there was no one to begin with.”
“What?”
“I just made it up. Since you were making such a fuss…”
“You…!!!”
Upon hearing my words, Yuna literally jumped up and collided with the bookshelf. The impact caused her glasses to wobble, almost falling off the tip of her nose, but Yuna, seemingly oblivious, continued pouring out words.
“You… You…. Why would you do that…!”
“Well… Sorry. Did I go too far?”
“Of course! I… I didn’t even know that…”
Amidst the continued commotion, when the glasses finally dropped with a light tap, Yuna hastily picked them up, covering her body with both hands. Huh. The side where the clothes were slipping off is actually this side. I don’t understand why she’s reacting like that from over there.
“But wasn’t this what you wanted originally? I thought it would be okay.”
“What? When did I… We… Well, of course, I did, but that… that… that…!”
Yuna, pouring out words, momentarily swayed her body due to the heat. Worried, I sat up, but as soon as she saw my reaction, she shifted her body further away. In that moment, I anticipated the scene that would unfold next and slowly lowered my hand.
…!!!
And then, I gazed helplessly at Yuna’s retreating figure in the distance.
“Sigh…”
As my footsteps gradually moved away from the entrance, just like when we first met, I let out a sigh and slumped into the chair. It felt as if all the strength had drained from my body.
“Haah…”
Lost in my thoughts, I exhaled into the dust and finally buttoned up my undone buttons. Her warmth still lingered there, incredibly comforting. And underneath, there was a faint lingering sensation of excitement.
…
By the way…
They still haven’t come in. Support.
To shake off the lingering feeling in my chest, I deliberately thought of something else. It seems that physical contact itself isn’t the condition. It was a partial resolution to my question, but nothing had been truly solved. Who is sending this? And what is their intention?
It was still filled with unknowns.
What could it be…
…
Feeling a wave of exhaustion, I leaned my head against the backrest and closed my eyes. My field of vision, once filled with books and dust, quickly turned into darkness, and a drowsy energy spread throughout my body. Maybe I should rest a little. I relaxed, thinking such thoughts.
At that moment, the voice that had been ringing in my head unfolded before my eyes as words.
[ ]
In the blackened view, shining white letters began to emerge. I quickly shook off my hazy mind and woke up. Soon, the emerging letters took on a clear form and once again completed a sentence that I couldn’t understand.
[Yuna has posted a mission.]