FGFM 09

Chapter 9

Aidan leaned in as if he would kiss her the moment she gave permission.

Now was the perfect timing to succeed in the quest. Instead, his affection level would rise.

Currently, his affection was at 25%. Once it passed 40%, his obsession began. With only 15% left before that threshold, if they kissed now, he might suddenly change his mind and kidnap Fleur right then and there.

But if she failed, she had no idea what would reset. Stuck in this impossible situation, her eyes darted nervously, which Aidan mistook for agreement. Half-closing his eyes, he tilted his head closer.

“W-wait…!”

Just before their lips touched, she pressed her hand firmly over his mouth. Aidan’s brows furrowed at being stopped.

“Let me at least do this.”
“Don’t talk into my palm!”
“Then move your hand.”
“T-that’s a little…”
“Fli, it’s my last request…”

His brows drooped, his voice pleading. The expression on his face was like an abandoned kitten, and Fleur’s heart skipped a painful beat.

Should she just close her eyes and let him do it once? No—this was an R-rated game world. What if one kiss led to her being stripped down in public?

But how could she resist that face?

Conflicting emotions clashed fiercely in her head.

“Please… Fli.”

As if sealing the deal, a raindrop clung to his eyelashes and rolled down, dropping onto the hand that still covered his mouth.

It looked so much like a tear that it seeped straight into Fleur’s heart.

“…You can’t say you changed your mind after the kiss.”
“I won’t, I promise.”

Right. Better to complete the quest with a short kiss than risk some unknown reset.

She slowly lowered her hand. The warm breath that had tickled her palm now brushed against her lips.

Both closed their eyes, tilting their heads. Just before their lips touched, both holding their breath—

“Lady Fleur!”

Dylan’s booming voice rang in their ears.

Neither of them had expected another person’s voice through the pounding rain, and their heads snapped toward the source.

Dylan was running toward them, one umbrella open, the other clutched tightly in his hand. Thanks to his long legs, it took only a few strides to reach them.

From below, he looked up at their faces—or more precisely, their lips—then fixed his gaze on Fleur’s golden eyes.

“I’ve come to escort you. The rain is worsening, you must return to the mansion.”
“Y-yes, of course.”

Even though nothing had happened, she felt as though she’d been caught in the act, and her cheeks turned red.

She tried to pull away from Aidan’s embrace, but instead of letting her go, he hugged her even tighter.

“Come back in five minutes to fetch Fli.”
“I am Lady Fleur’s aide. I have no reason to obey you, young master.”
“I’ll be her husband soon enough.”
“You are not her husband now. And since my lady wishes for the engagement to be broken, I have even less reason to follow your orders.”

Neither man was willing to back down, their tension palpable.

Then Aidan turned and buried his face into Fleur’s shoulder. She could feel his forehead rubbing against her soaked dress.

Dylan’s expression remained unreadable, but he gripped the umbrella so tightly it seemed ready to break.

“Fli… tell him to leave us.”
“Lady Fleur, if you stay outside you’ll catch a cold and won’t be able to tend the fields tomorrow. I’ve had the fireplace lit—you must return somewhere warm.”

Both pleaded for her to choose them. This was exactly why she hated being the heroine. Just two men were already exhausting enough.

“…Ha.”

Fleur sighed heavily and cupped Aidan’s cheeks, lifting his face.

He pouted, eyes begging for a kiss.

“Aidan. Go back to the mansion now.”
“…What?”
“You said you’d propose again. If we kiss goodbye now, wouldn’t that mean we’ll never see each other again?”
“……”
“When the day comes that our hearts truly connect, I’ll be the one to kiss you first. But today, please go.”
“Really…?”
“I’m a woman of my word. Don’t you believe me?”

Aidan stared at her face with eyes brimming with regret.

“How could I not believe you? Of course I do.”

Finally, he yielded and stepped back.

“I’ll deliver the annulment papers to Count Hauser myself next time I visit your mansion.”
“Then I’ll at least have one more chance to see you. That’s enough for me.”

Though it was their last moment as fiancés, instead of sorrow, he left with hope for the future.

“Lady Fleur.”

Dylan, silent until now, reminded them of his presence.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Fleur and Aidan stepped out from under the shelter.

Dylan handed Aidan the umbrella he had been carrying, then pulled Fleur into the cover of the one he kept for himself.

“Your servant is waiting at the gate.”
“Your face says you’d rather not see me off.”
“My duty is to my lady first.”
“Good. I don’t want your send-off anyway. Take her quickly. If I hear she’s fallen ill, I’ll come grab you by the collar.”
“That won’t happen.”

The two men glared at each other until Aidan turned first, heading toward the gate where his servant waited.

Fleur couldn’t take her eyes off his retreating figure. She wasn’t disappointed by the missed kiss—she was worried about failing the quest.

Something would reset, but what? The thought already terrified her.

“Are you cold?”

Dylan misread her grim expression as illness and bent slightly to study her face.

“No, I’m fine.”
“You’re trembling quite a lot.”

Her lips quivered from the soaked dress clinging to her.

“Forgive me, but may I trouble you for a moment?”

He held out the umbrella, and Fleur accepted it almost without thinking. While she lifted it, Dylan shrugged off his jacket.

Wait—she had just managed to send Aidan away, so why was Dylan acting like this now?

She couldn’t even stop him since she was holding the umbrella, so she turned her gaze aside.

Dylan stepped closer and draped the jacket over her shoulders.

“It should help until we reach the mansion.”

Feeling guilty for twisting pure kindness into something else, she flushed.

“Ahem, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Your face is red—shall I cover you with my vest as well?”

He was already reaching for the buttons, ready to strip further.

“N-no! Let’s just hurry to the mansion.”
“As you wish. Then please continue holding the umbrella.”
“Huh? Wait—ah!”

Without warning, he slid an arm behind her knees and another around her shoulders, lifting her into his arms.

Startled, she nearly dropped the umbrella.

“W-what are you doing?”
“The rain has turned the fields into mud. Walking in shoes will be difficult.”
“The heels are low, I can manage.”
“Your dress will be ruined. Then you’d have to buy a new one. Is that acceptable?”

Though she spared no expense for the fields, she saved ruthlessly elsewhere. To repay her debts quickly, she had to.

“That would be too wasteful. Dylan, please do your best to keep me dry.”
“Yes. Then will you make sure to cover me well with the umbrella? My shoulder’s already soaked.”
“O-oh, alright. I’ll hold it higher.”

To shield both of them under the small umbrella, she had to draw even closer to his body.

You are now physically close to a target character.

This is an opportunity to raise affection. Kiss him.

The same status window appeared as it had with Aidan.

So—it didn’t matter who the capture target was? Another chance to complete the quest had fallen into her hands, and Fleur stared at Dylan with a determined expression.

Noticing her gaze, Dylan turned his blueberry-blue eyes toward her.

“Do you have something to—”

Smooch.