Taming The Villainesses

(EP-332.2) Of Heart #1

332 – Queen of Hearts #1

How could she look at me so unwaveringly?

As the flickering firelight reflected in her eyes and cast a faint glow on my awkward face, Aira spoke calmly.

“Do I need a reason to call you? Theo, it seems like you’ve lost your touch after just a few days apart.”

Seuk.

Aira’s hands cupped my cheeks. She pressed them lightly, as if testing how soft they were.

“I…”

“You haven’t had a change of heart about your loyalty to me, have you?”

“Of course not.”

“Then prove it.”

“Prove it?”

“Just like you always do.”

“…….”

Here we go again.

I knelt before Aira. Then, I slowly lowered my head and was about to kiss Aira’s white, small foot when…

“Not there today—here.”

Suk.

Aira extended her hand to me. Long, slender fingers, more beautiful than any I had ever seen.

I lightly took her hand and kissed the back.

This was better than kissing her foot.

Just as I was feeling a little relieved.

“Lick it.”

Aira seemed unsatisfied with just a kiss. She wanted me to lick it? Her hand? This was definitely a first.

“Hurry.”

At her urging, I couldn’t refuse. Slowly, I extended my tongue and licked Aira’s fingers.

Like a loyal dog.

Slurp, slurp.

“Heuung….”

The more actively my tongue moved, the longer Aira’s soft moans lingered. When I glanced up, I noticed her breathing had quickened and her face was now slightly flushed.

A deviant.

I’ve felt it before, but Aira was a deviant who gets excited by being licked all over. Whether she was aware of it herself…. I couldn’t tell.

Shlick.

Then, Aira put her fingers in my mouth.

She roughly stirred them inside, as if trying to dominate my tongue with her fingers.

“Theo’s mouth feels nice. Your canines are sharper than I expected. And this tongue… was this the one that folded that paper crane?”

Shlick.

Finally, Aira grabbed my tongue that had been frolicking around.

“Got you.”

Seuk.

As if satisfied with that, Aira took her hand out and helped me up. What exactly was she trying to do?

“So, don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Aira elegantly crossed her legs and gazed at me with her sharp eyes.

Anything I wanted to say?

There’s plenty.

As I considered where to start, I decided to ask what seemed most urgent.

“Is it true you plan to march to Gargata beyond the wall?”

“Yes.”

“But I’ve heard there aren’t enough troops.”

“A shortage of troops… That’s not true. Theo, I thought you’d figure it out, but it seems your senses have dulled. No matter—You’ll find out soon.”

Aira’s tone was filled with a strange confidence.

“But more importantly—”

As I was about to say more, she interrupted me.

“I heard an interesting story from Stella. Did you meet a giant centipede?”

“Yes, it’s true.”

“Yakseon Angala… She’s related to the ancestors of our Tarantera family. Have you heard of the great spider Argala?”

[T/N: Yakseon means Chinese food therapy]

“The spider that gave wisdom to a witch?”

“Yes, they say she was the sister of the great centipede Angala. In other words, you’ve met my distant ancestor’s sister. How was it?”

“Do you believe me?”

“You wouldn’t lie to me, Theo.”

I see.

I told Aira everything that had happened beyond the wall. Of course, I left out having a relationship with Stella. By the time I finished most of the story…

Nod, nod.

I noticed that Aira was dozing off.

She’s sleepy.

Well, it’s time for bed.

“Aira-nim, excuse me.”

I slipped my hands beneath her arms and knees, lifting her up in one swift motion. Her body felt surprisingly light, almost weightless, which made me feel strangely tense.

Was she eating properly?

It wasn’t just my growing strength, her body really seemed lighter.

At that moment, her eyes slowly fluttered open.

“Theo lifting me? My Theo couldn’t possibly be such a strong man.”

“Well, you’ve become much lighter. Are you eating well?”

“I don’t know. Theo, I’ve only been thinking about you. I didn’t have much time to eat. So, I guess I’m having this kind of dream.”

“A dream?”

“Theo is lifting me up. Impossible. I’m still in the carriage. I must be dreaming of arriving in Sandora and meeting Theo.”

“It’s not a dream.”

“I’m the queen. Of course, I can distinguish between reality and dreams. This is a dream.”

Fufufu—Aira chuckled softly. She then rubbed her face against my chest and side like a puppy snuggling up to its owner.

Was she sleep talking?

「You have calmly judged the situation!

You have gained experience points through the talent 《Calm Thinking》.

All job experience +5」

Aira had always been sensitive to sleep. Once she drifted off, it was nearly impossible to wake her, no matter what you do.

She must have been exhausted from the long carriage ride.

With her health in mind, I decided to lay her down on the bed and let her sleep. But just as I was about to set her down, she clung tightly to my arm, refusing to let go.

“Let’s stay like this a little longer. Just a little. Since it’s a dream, it’s okay to indulge a bit, right? Just a little more…”

She’s completely spoiled.

At that moment, a tiny feeling suddenly sprouted inside me like a bamboo shoot breaking through the soil.

If Aira truly believed this was all a dream, perhaps it would be okay to ask her this.

“Um, Aira-nim.”

“…….”

The sound of her breathing was steady and rhythmic.

I decided to ask her while she had her eyes gently closed.

“Um, Aira-nim, by any chance…”

─Do you like Theo Gospel as a man?

It was a very faint whisper.

So quiet that it wouldn’t wake her from her slumber.

Swish.

However, those black eyes opened as if she was awake.