When she heard the new king, Sai Akuto, wanted her to warm his bed, Diana's brain basically short-circuited.
Wasn't she just following protocol—coming by to pay her respects to the new king and explain the situation with "Hera's Pillar"?
How did that suddenly turn into this?
And if she remembered correctly, wasn't this new king—Akuto—someone her disciple Liliana liked? Back when Liliana was studying magic under her, Diana had heard that name more times than she could count.
So why had Akuto suddenly become a Godslayer?
Becoming a Godslayer was one thing, but why was he calling her to warm his bed, too?
Diana looked down at the cute dress she was wearing, then patted her own doll-like face, and a terrifying thought popped into her head—
The new king, Akuto… he wouldn't be… shameless, would he?
…
Luckily, not long after, Diana finally met that "Witch of Sardinia."
And the moment Diana learned the Witch of Sardinia had also been told to warm the king's bed, she immediately crossed off the "Akuto is into lolis" possibility.
But after crossing that off, she ran headfirst into an even bigger problem.
So the new king wasn't a lolicon, but…
He was a walking calamity with absurd magical power.
Even so, Diana had no intention of resisting. She didn't even use a communication spell to warn Liliana ahead of time that she'd been summoned to warm the king's bed.
Diana's survival instinct was healthy. She didn't want to—and didn't dare to—do anything that might irritate the Godslayer King.
In a way, once she pushed aside the fact that "Akuto is the man Liliana likes," Diana's willingness actually rose.
Because whether before retirement or after, she'd never dated a man. Forget dating—she'd never even had close, intimate contact like that.
If her first time in life was going to be with a man who stood at the peak of humanity—a Godslayer—then Diana could accept that. Easily.
That was the difference between a woman in her thirties and a girl in her teens or early twenties.
Diana was that kind of woman—thirty-something, even if she still kept the peak beauty of her twenties, even if she still looked like a cute doll-faced girl in a white dress and white stockings.
But… she wasn't who she used to be.
Compared to her younger self, her way of thinking had changed dramatically.
If nothing else, finding a powerful man to take her first time before she could no longer maintain her youthful appearance—Diana wasn't bold enough to actively chase that, but she didn't find the idea repulsive, either.
As for what kind of mess might erupt on Liliana's side after Diana went through with it…
Diana could only feel helpless about it.
She wasn't reckless enough to "confess" something like that right in front of the new king. She could only hope young people would figure it out on their own.
…
In any case, for the sake of making her first experience as pleasant as possible, Diana decided to ask the Witch of Sardinia for advice.
Just looking at Lucrezia Zola's body—mature to the point it seemed ready to drip sweetness—Diana assumed she must have deep expertise in the art of serving a man.
However, when they were having afternoon tea yesterday…
Diana got an unexpected answer.
Lucrezia crossed her long legs—wrapped in purple lace-trimmed garter stockings—and spread her hands with a helpless shrug.
"Sorry, Diana. It's my first time too. You're asking the wrong person~"
"…"
Diana dropped straight into silence.
What kind of joke was that?
Lucrezia Zola had never been with a man?
Wait.
If even a mature, onee-san-type witch like Lucrezia had never been with a man…
Then didn't that make it totally normal for a doll-faced, cute-type witch like Diana to be inexperienced, too?
The moment she reached that conclusion, Diana's disappointment eased considerably.
Lucrezia noticed her reaction, but didn't comment—she only smiled and took a sip of coffee.
"Witch Diana. I may not have experience in that sense, but I do know someone who does."
"It just so happens it's about time for my appointment with her. Before warming the king's bed, I planned to ask her for some… guidance and tricks."
"Would you be interested in listening in?"
"Eh?"
"Someone with experience serving the new king…? Please, let me sit in!" Diana looked at Lucrezia with genuine gratitude.
They did have a bit of history, after all—acquaintances who'd kept in touch.
Back when Diana was wandering in her youth, she'd received more than a little help from the already-famous Witch of Sardinia.
And a few years ago, Lucrezia had consulted with her and even accompanied her to check on the Neapolitan witches Marquis Voban had abducted.
…
Still, even though Diana had imagined all sorts of possibilities for this "experienced person," the moment she saw "Saint Raphael" step through the door, she nearly lost it.
No—wait—Saint Raphael-sama too?!
She was the one Lucrezia meant when she said "someone with experience serving the new king"?
Lucrezia smiled, looking at the female paladin who'd been active in the same era as her.
"Long time no see, Saint Raphael. Do you mind if we have one more listener?"
Diana wasn't sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but… the Saint Raphael she remembered had always seemed carved from iron discipline.
Now, though, there was the slightest softness at her lower belly. If her frame hadn't still been so lean and capable, Diana would've thought she'd simply gained weight.
"I don't mind. She's someone Akuto-kun personally named anyway. Listening in won't hurt," Saint Raphael replied.
Very much in that crisp "female knight" style, she sat down across from Lucrezia without any fuss.
"Saint Raphael, when did you and the new king… become intimate?" Lucrezia asked the moment she sat, unable to hide her curiosity.
Saint Raphael took a slow sip of coffee, as calm as ever.
"Last night."
The instant Diana heard "last night," she nearly choked.
"Last night?! You're telling me he only made his move on you last night—and tonight he's coming for us?!"
"Ah. Yes. He's a man who values efficiency," Saint Raphael answered seriously.
"…"
Diana quietly sat down, drinking coffee to soothe her shock.
It was already astonishing enough that Akuto had made a move on Saint Raphael—yet the follow-up was even more outrageous.
Last night with Saint Raphael, and then tonight with them?
Wasn't that… a little too eager?
Lucrezia, on the other hand, didn't look shocked at all. She studied Saint Raphael more carefully.
"Saint Raphael. You're not quite the same as you were in my memory. You have more… feminine charm now. And you seem more willing to lean on a man."
"In the past, I couldn't have imagined you looking like this after I touched your man's cup."
"Still—laugh if you want—I rather like the new king, Akuto."
"I feel like he might be the one I've been waiting for."
"And even if he isn't, with his strength and his looks… I'd gladly spend a night with him."
Lucrezia extended her pale, elegant arm and slowly traced along her own thigh—where a glimpse of skin showed beneath her outfit—down toward her calf and the tip of her foot.
It was obvious: the Witch of Sardinia was confident in her body, and she knew exactly how lethal it could be to men.
But Saint Raphael didn't react to the provocation.
She understood Akuto wasn't the type to judge a woman by curves alone. He was the kind of man who savored every girl's unique charm.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have summoned her.
He wouldn't have looked so excited whenever she lost control and showed him an expression she never showed anyone else.
"Lucrezia Zola," Saint Raphael said evenly, "I can tell you with certainty: Akuto-kun won't only ask you to spend a single night with him."
"He's possessive. So even if he leaves Italy, you'll still find yourself being summoned from time to time—no matter the situation."
Saint Raphael had glimpsed fragments of Akuto's nature. She understood his tastes—how many "types" he liked—and how strong his possessiveness ran.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to seek a world where he could "stop time" whenever he wanted to keep things fair—to keep no one waiting too long.
"Is that so? Possessive, huh~~~" Lucrezia nodded, half understanding, half savoring the idea.
"That's right. Possessive."
As she spoke, Saint Raphael lifted the edge of her pale warrior's robe slightly and revealed the lower part of her abdomen.
What stood out most wasn't the slight swell—it was the four golden crests marked there.
A "Golden Sword" and a "Goat" in the middle, with a "White Horse" and a "Camel" to either side—strange symbols that felt both sacred and intimate at the same time.
"He could've carved these crests on my back, or my hand," Saint Raphael said, calm as if discussing the weather. "But he insisted on my lower abdomen. Maybe that's his possessiveness showing."
She had no complaints about that possessiveness.
If anything, she could even indulge it.
Because she truly did like Akuto.
And when you like someone, meeting their tastes was only natural.
"Mm?"
Staring at the gold crests, Lucrezia suddenly noticed something… off.
"Don't tell me this is—"
"Yes," Saint Raphael admitted frankly. "After Akuto-kun refined those divine incarnations… he temporarily stored their power within me."
"So that's how it is…" Lucrezia licked her red lips, then reached toward Saint Raphael's abdomen.
"Wait—"
Saint Raphael didn't manage to stop her in time.
Lucrezia's hand pressed lightly against the markings.
And the air in the room seemed to thicken with a warm, fragrant vitality—like something ancient had been stirred awake.
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]