She would not miss that instant — Alisha closed the distance between herself and Ellenphia.
“Gah…! You… little brat!”
Ellenphia’s sudden strike was aimed at Lotte.
The sword tip closed in on Lotte, who had lost her balance and fallen —but it would not reach her.
“Lady Alisha…!?”
Lotte cried out in astonishment.
For Alisha had stopped Ellenphia’s sword blade —with her bare hands.
“Wh—!?”
Ellenphia also let out a cry of surprise.
She immediately tried to swing her sword —but it wouldn’t move.
Blood dripped through the blade —yet the reason it could cut no further lay in the difference between Alisha and Ellenphia’s magical power.
Though Alisha should have been battered and bruised after her battle with the dragon —she still possessed enough strength to overwhelm Ellenphia.
Or perhaps, fuelled by rage over Lotte being wounded, she had surpassed her limits —gripping the blade, Alisha raised the stolen sword towards Ellenphia.
“Hii…!”
Ellenphia dropped her sword and fell flat on her backside.
From Lotte’s position, she couldn’t see Alisha’s expression.
Still gripping the blade of Ellenphia’s sword, Alisha declared.
“Do not show your face before Lotte and me again. There won’t be a next time.”
With that, she flung Ellenphia’s sword roughly towards her.
Ellenphia, looking terrified, did not pick up the sword—instead, she leapt straight out of the room’s window.
But she was immediately caught by a knight stationed nearby who had noticed the commotion.
“Lady Alisha! What on earth—”
“I’m fine. Please take care of her — Ellenphia. She seems terribly distraught after failing to slay the dragon.”
—Distraught she undoubtedly was, but the dragon slaying failure surely wasn’t the sole reason.
Yet, Alisha seemed in no mood to press for details about the events that had transpired here.
With a click, she closed the window and turned back to Lotte.
There was her usual gentle smile.
“Lotte, are you alright?”
“Alright? I’m not alright…!”
“I see. Show me your neck wound immediately—”
“That’s not it! It’s your injury, Lady Alisha!”
“Mine?”
Alisha looked puzzled, but Lotte immediately stood up, fetched gauze and bandages, and began treating Alisha’s left hand.
The wound didn’t seem too deep, but —since she’d been gripping the sword tip —it might leave a scar.
“…I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Lotte. It’s mine for not anticipating Elenphia might resort to such drastic measures. More importantly, you need to stop the bleeding—”
“I’m fine.”
“Then, Lotte, let me tend to your neck. I’ll hold my hand steady.”
Saying this, Alisha applied gauze to Lotte’s neck with her free hand.
—Indeed, the wound on Lotte’s neck was shallower, unlikely to leave any scar at all.
Yet Alisha was solely concerned about Lotte.
While applying pressure and wrapping the bandage, Lotte said.
“…Your whole body is covered in injuries.”
“But Lotte, when you first arrived here, you were covered in scrapes too. Walking alone through the forest? It’s reckless. I couldn’t let you do that.”
Alisha chuckled, her tone playful.
—I mustn’t say things like I shouldn’t be near Alisha.
What Lotte should say now is different.
“Thank you for protecting me.”
Lotte gently touched Alisha’s wounded hand as she spoke.
“It’s fine. More importantly —now that the nuisance is finally gone—”
The nuisance —she must be referring to Ellenphia.
Suddenly seeming restless,
“I’ve been looking forward to this for ages.”
Sitting on the bed, Alisha uttered those words.
＊＊＊
Looking forward to it —Lotte instantly understood the meaning behind those words.
“What!? You’ve only just been injured!”
“This isn’t even a proper injury. What do you think I worked so hard to slay the dragon for?”
“…If the world found out you worked so hard to slay the dragon for this, they’d be utterly dumbfounded.”
Saying this, Lotte moved closer to Alisha.
Then, as if pushing her down —they exchanged a kiss.
When Lotte touched Alisha’s body, caressing her, she flinched and her body trembled slightly.
“Does it hurt?”
Pulling away from her lips once, Lotte asked with concern.
Though convalescence was the pretext —it was also true that her injuries, including the recent wound, hadn’t healed.
“…Don’t worry about the injury. More importantly, please continue.”
Alisha said, brushing it off casually.
After the kiss — Alisha showed an expression that seemed to demand more.
Lotte herself felt her heart beating loudly, almost annoyingly, since earlier.
She ended up initiating the kiss herself —and then took things further with Alisha.
Lotte’s hand moved, caressing the area around her lower abdomen.
“Hmph…”
Alisha gasped, looking tense.
Lotte stopped moving abruptly right then.
“I’ll stop if you’re scared?”
Lotte asked Alisha.
She was aware it was a spiteful question —because Alisha would never back down now.
“…I’m not afraid of anything.”
For some reason, Alisha answered with a confident expression.
It was the response Lotte had expected.
Lotte’s hand slid further down from her lower abdomen.
“Hm, mmm…”
A slightly sensual sound escaped from Alisha.
Lotte felt a damp sensation on her fingertips —to be honest, Lotte was feeling her way too.
Not really knowing what to do, she simply continued, watching Alisha’s reactions.
When their gazes met, they naturally kissed —each seeking the other.
“…Truthfully, I was scared at the thought of you leaving, Lotte.”
Suddenly, Alisha spoke in a quiet voice.
“Is that —because I hold a secret over you?”
“…Are you asking knowing full well?”
At Lotte’s question, Alisha frowned, looking slightly annoyed.
Seeing this, Lotte let out a soft chuckle.
“So Alice is rather fond of me, then?”
“—If I weren’t fond of you, I wouldn’t let you do this.”
Lotte understood, and Alisha understood —their feelings were in perfect accord.
“The purpose was supposed to be relieving Alice’s stress.”
“It was at first —but not now.”
And so —they exchanged a kiss, as if to confirm it once more.
Repeating it over and over.
—No one could imagine the Princess Knight, whom all admired, being in love with a mere maid.
It was something Lotte herself hadn’t imagined either —yet it was reality.
And so, the night passed, just the two of them.