In the dim room, Olga Marie's pale fingers traced along Shiomi's shoulder blades, then slowly slid down over his firm chest.
Shiomi gently caught her hand, his voice low and tender.
"Don't think too much. Just leave it to me."
"…Mm."
Her reply was barely louder than a whisper. One hand braced against his chest as she rested her head on his shoulder.
The warmth of bare skin against skin was vivid and undeniable. After the rush of pleasure came a faint sense of fatigue, along with a restless, trembling awareness.
It was different from when she was alone. Before even the physical sensations could take hold, something else flooded her first—an indescribable joy that filled both body and heart.
Even the sting of that first pain felt like a distant dream now, washed away by the steady rhythm of seeking and being held.
Only after she slowly regained her senses did Olga Marie realize just how far she had gone.
"Teacher… I…"
"It's not your fault," Shiomi murmured beside her ear, holding her close. "If I had pushed you away just now, you might have…"
"…Mm."
She answered softly again.
What she had sought was instinctive—comfort, reassurance, and proof of the one decisive difference between herself and the 'Alien God.'
If it hadn't been Shiomi, no one could have pulled her back from the edge.
Even if the method hadn't been entirely appropriate.
She felt no regret.
If anything, she felt grateful. And the affection she held for him had only deepened.
"Should this… stay a secret?" Olga Marie asked quietly.
"What do you think?" Shiomi replied.
"…I understand."
Some people would have to know. Others absolutely could not.
Otherwise, it would only create new trouble.
"You look better." Shiomi helped her sit up, studying her expression. "Feeling better?"
"Ah… mm…"
She thought he was asking about her first experience. Her face turned red, and she nodded shyly.
Shiomi caught on to the misunderstanding and gave a faint sigh.
"I meant… your heart."
He lifted a finger and lightly tapped the spot over her chest where her heartbeat echoed.
"Better."
Realizing what he meant, Olga Marie nodded again.
Even though she was still unclothed, she didn't feel embarrassed. If anything, she wanted to hold on to this moment a little longer.
"Then… would you listen to something trivial?" Shiomi asked.
"What kind of trivial?"
"Something about me."
He met her gaze.
"The truth is, I don't know where I came from. I don't have any memories from before."
"…What?"
Olga Marie blinked in confusion.
She knew he had come from the Land of Shadows, that he was Scáthach's disciple.
But she had never known how he arrived there. No one did.
"Before I met my master in the Land of Shadows—or even before I set foot there—I had no idea who I was, where I came from, or why I was born," Shiomi said quietly.
"Then… did you ever feel like this?" Olga Marie asked hesitantly.
"Maybe I did. I just don't remember." Shiomi cupped her cheeks gently. "But over a long time, I realized something."
He looked straight at her.
"What defines who I am isn't my past. It isn't my origins. It's the choices I make in this moment."
"Choices… now?"
"Even if a life is arranged in advance. Even if fate has already been prepared for us. What truly determines who we are is every choice we make from this point on."
His voice remained soft.
He could only say this because she had calmed down.
When she had been on the verge of collapse, words would have meant nothing at all.
"It has nothing to do with why you were born, or where you came from. You can become someone terrible, or someone wonderful. As long as you choose to, you can become either." Shiomi spoke with quiet sincerity.
On that point, he felt he had more right than anyone to say it.
He didn't need to lay out every detail. For Olga Marie, it was enough to know that he had once stood in a similar place.
"I… I see…"
A faint light returned to her expression.
She had already known she wasn't alone—otherwise he wouldn't be holding her like this.
But realizing she wasn't the only one who had faced such doubts made her feel even steadier.
"So don't worry. I'm here. Everyone is here. You don't have to face those questions by yourself, okay?"
"I promise, Teacher."
Still cradling the hand that touched her cheek, Olga Marie felt slightly lightheaded. Whatever Shiomi said, she could accept it.
Or perhaps it was simply that right now, she could only listen to him. She only wanted to stay by his side.
As that thought crossed her mind, a faint warmth stirred in her body again, a quiet yearning rising with it.
Her gaze drifted downward—and she noticed something.
"Teacher… are you still not satisfied?" she asked softly.
"…Ah…"
Shiomi was briefly at a loss for words.
It was true. He had only restrained himself earlier because she had nearly gone limp from exhaustion.
"Were you worried about me?" she asked.
"Of course."
That simple answer made her chest swell with happiness.
She had never truly been in a relationship before. Even though this was her first experience, she found herself unexpectedly reluctant to stop.
"Then… you've done so much for me. I should at least—"
She trailed off and shifted closer.
What she wanted wasn't repayment, not really. It was simply the desire to respond in kind—to stay connected, to feel needed.
When he reached out and gently stroked her hair, the small gesture felt like encouragement. It made her want to try a little harder, to give a little more of herself.
After a moment, she straightened slightly, swallowing and coughing faintly.
"That tastes… strange…"
"You didn't have to force yourself," Shiomi said with an awkward scratch of his head. "Though for you right now, it might actually serve as usable Mana."
She blinked, then frowned faintly.
"But it doesn't feel like it's settling at all… ah—"
Before she could finish, Shiomi gently laid her back against the bedding.
"Didn't I say? Leave it to me."
"…Mm."
Her eyes were hazy as she looked up at him, her voice soft and trusting.