https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5562hc/65/
Through the Door
When Nerine finally stopped crying, she rolled over and faced me completely.
“Liffy-san, I want you to sleep with me.”
“Sleeping together…. these beds do look like they’d be perfect for a nap….”
“So it’s good!? Come, come!”
Nerine tugged my arm and pushed me down into bed with her. She hugged my arm tight and rubbed her face against it. It was cute, so I was willing to turn a blind eye to a little rowdiness.
I’m an only child, but is this how my younger sister would’ve treated me?
I turned my body so I was laying on my side, and this time, Nerine buried her face into my chest.
“Fluffy…. even better than the bed….”
“Wai-…. stop….”
Nerine’s breathing was getting rougher and rougher. She kept getting more excited and rubbed her face even deeper into my chest. If I wasn’t keenly aware that it was Nerine doing it, I might’ve gotten excited myself.
From Nerine’s point of view, her actions were probably just her trying to calm herself down. The proof of that is how it didn’t take long for her to drift off into a peaceful sleep.
In the end, I couldn’t find out anything important, but I at least know for sure that something’s bothering her. However, seeing this child sleep so peacefully in front of me, I find it impossible to believe that Nerine would take the initiative in trying to kick someone down or set them up. The idea that someone is using her is looking much more likely.
♠
At some point I had fallen asleep as well, and the red glow of the setting sun was peeking through Nerine’s window by the time I woke back up.
“Wake up Nerine.”
“Mmm…. morning…. UWA! What is it!?”
Nerine was so adorable rubbing her eyes after first waking up that I couldn’t stop myself from pulling her into a hug. Nerine yelled out at me, but she didn’t seriously fight back beyond that which made me just hug her tighter and furiously pat her head.
“Nerine is such a cutie. Just think of me as an older sister and tell me if there’s ever anything bothering you.”
“Thank you! I will!”
A servant stopped by to call us for dinner while I was showing a carefree smile. By the time the two of us finished fixing our sloppy sleeping faces and made it down to the dining room, the other three were already chatting away while eating their meals.
Nerine was able to naturally slide her way into a conversation with Lily, it looks like there won’t be a problem with our teamwork for the time being. That’s a relief.
We were given the chance to take a bath after we finished eating. Lily told us the tub wasn’t that big, so we decided the order we’d enter in advance.
Nerine, Peony, and Ran enjoyed their own times in there, and a knock on my door from Ran let me know it was my turn.
This is just a private mansion rather than a large dorm, so I assumed the bath would be at least a reasonable size, but when I passed through the dressing room to check on the bathroom, I was faced with a pool of water more than large enough to fit five people. Lily and I must have two very different ideas on how much personal space a person needs.
It makes me feel like a fine, upstanding lady though, so I giggled while pulling my clothes over my head. Those clothes ended up getting stuck on my head though when someone came up from behind me and held them in place.
Even now, if it wasn’t for the fact that they were sticking so close to my back, I still wouldn’t be able to have sensed them.
“W-Who is it?”
The person silently put a little distance between us and started to trace their finger against my back. I could assume they were trying to write out letters, but their finger traced against my skin so faintly it felt like a feather against my back. I had to fight hard to concentrate on what was being spelled through my own ticklishness.
“Try ⋅ And ⋅ Guess”
Those were the words I pieced together from the letters I could make out. There is only one person I know who would do something like this and have business in this bathroom.
“Lily, it’s my turn for the bath. It’s a little too small for both of us to get in.”
“It would be boring if I simply hit you with a hello when I walked in. And haven’t you realized I only said such a thing to get the others to finish up their baths before us?”
Lily’s words make my heart throb. Maybe this time she’ll say the words I want to hear. With that hope in my heart, I tried taking my clothes off again, but Lily was still holding them in place. I had pulled up the hem of my skirt was already over my head, so I couldn’t see anything. I also hadn’t gotten my arms out of my sleeves yet, so with my head and arms wrapped in cloth, I was left unable to do anything.
“Um…. what is it?”
“You are bare from the neck down, and yet I cannot see your face. It is an interesting sight.”
“M-My face is my selling point…. except for people like you I suppose.”
“Even with your face aside, your entire body is beautiful. I am reminded that even I can still feel jealousy.”
“Lily too, but…. Hii….”
I didn’t want us to start off in a weird position, but while I was trying to skip past this topic, Lily’s switch had already been thrown. She didn’t bother trying to listen to me and began running her free hand over my body.
Just like when she was writing on my back, she managed to keep the perfect distance between my skin and her fingers. It was like being assaulted by an army of fine feathers. The ticklishness mixed with pleasure and caused my body to twist and jerk, but with my clothes acting as a leash around my head, it was impossible for me to properly resist.
Once Lily’s fingers had gotten enough of my upper body, she let go of my clothes and used both her hands to move on to my lower half.
My clothes were still hanging around my head, but I didn’t feel like resisting even with my freedom. My hands had nowhere to go, so they grabbed the shelf where our discarded clothes were supposed to go.
The pleasure gradually outgrew the tickling, and I had to breathe through my mouth to get enough air.
“A wonderful reaction. Your back is turning red. I wonder what will happen if I continue on like this.”
“I-I don’t know.”
“It is your body. There is no chance you don’t know what is about to happen.”
Lily scolded me for my words. Of course I know what’s going to happen. But that doesn’t mean I need to hear her politely describe how the parts of my body I can’t see are reacting.
“Say it quickly. Otherwise, I will leave you like this forever. Of course you won’t be allowed to comfort yourself either. All the time you spend in this villa, I will be carefully observing you–enjoying your agony.”
“If you keep going…. I’ll…. get there.”
“Since when did you learn how to speak in polite company? Your feelings are much dirtier and vulgar. Use the words that fit the beast you are.”
Lily was masterfully controlling my excitement. She keeps running up and down my thigh, making me feel like I definitely don’t want to just let this feeling go. Just say it. It’s a trick her hands are playing on me, trying to convince me things would be easier this way.
“I….”
“I?”
“I…. I won’t say it.”
“How stubborn. Do what you want”
I pretended to be strong, but my limit was right in front of me. The sensations passed on by Lily’s fingertips were gathering together at the base of my throat, ready to burst out all together.
In that moment, I heard the clattering of the doorknob as someone tried entering the locked door, and Lily’s fingers came to a stop. I held my breath at the same time and stared at the door.
“Are you in there Liffy? I forgot my barrette.”
Peony’s voice came from the other side. It looks like she was not going to try and unlock the door. I could breathe out.
“Here is the barrette. I am not going to stop.”
Whispering in my ear, Lily pulled the barrette off the shelf and placed it in my hand.
“Coming. Just a minute.”
I shouted back to Peony from the other side of the door.
“Oh? So you’re fine saying it to Peony.”
“They’re two different words!”
I lowered my voice to a hiss at Lily, fixed my clothes, and moved in front of the door.
Lily moved to a spot where she could be sure Peony wouldn’t see her and once again started running her fingers up and down my legs.
I pinched my hand hard once to try and replace the pleasure with pain before opening the door.
“Looking for this?”
“Yeah. Thanks. …..Are you okay!? Your face is bright red!”
“Fu…. I just got out of the bath. Just feeling a little dizzy.”
I assumed Peony would just say, “Yeah sure,” and call it good. End of conversation, close the door. But Peony put her hand on the door to stop me from moving on, against my expectations.
“Can I talk to you for a minute? It’s about Lily and Nerine. You stepped in, and it looks like things got a little better. Thanks for that.”
“I-It’s fine. Just one of those things. We…. We’re comrades after all.”
Lily’s fingers were still running up and down my thighs, and she was attacking my more sensitive spots more often. Even if I try brushing her hand away, it came right back. It’s like dealing with a nasty little fly.
“Yeah…. it looks like I misunderstood you a little. I always thought you were a weirdo, but I’m glad to see you’re actually decent. I’ll ask for your help again in the future…. Are you sure you’re okay? Let me look you over.”
“I’m okay! Really! I appreciate your feelings!”
“Y….Yeah.”
Peony’s eyes narrowed at me. It feels like that weirdo label I just lost is about to be reapplied to me.
I’m desperately trying to endure the pleasure because all it will take is one slip up for it to all come tumbling down.
But Peony doesn’t seem like she’s done talking yet. If I had left my clothes off and made her think I still needed to head in, she probably would’ve felt bad and let me go already. I screwed up.
“Also, thanks for my sister. It might be a fantasy having a pair of sisters be heroes together, but thanks to you, I don’t have to give up on it just yet.”
“N-No problem. I love spending time with Melia, so I’m happy she’s still here too.”
“Well…. not everyone can survive until the end, so let’s get along until the audition is over.”
“I would like that too. Um…. I want to take another bath, so, I’ll talk to you later.”
“Ah…. sorry. Then, thanks for the barrette.”
I shut the door and took a deep breath. I can’t remember half the things she said near the end there.
Lily hugged me from behind as if she were trying to cover me up.
“You fought well. When I really think about it, I suppose it doesn’t need to be said in an obscene way. How about, ‘I’m going, Lily-san.’ Just a little. Come on.”
“T-That….”
“But if you wish to continue with your policy of being thin and fleeting with your words, I will not force you. So, this ends.”
Just as I felt Lily’s skin peeling off my back, a sharp pain rain through my butt. The plosive sound of her skin making contact with mine echoed off the dressing room walls.
Everything I had been holding back until the last moment came rushing out all at once, and my body fell against the door after my knees gave out. I bit my arm to muffle the noise, but a small yell leaked before I was able to cut my voice off completely.
“Are you sure you’re all right after making a noise like that?”
I had propped myself up against the door to endure the waves of pleasure when I heard Peony’s voice once again on the other side. My voice must’ve made her turn around.
“I-I’m fine…. a little dizzy…. I slapped myself to wake me up.”
“A-All right….”
Peony’s voice drifted off. I listened this time to her footsteps as they slowly tapered off into the distance. This time it sounds like sh really has gone back to her room.
“Well then, let’s take a bath. Your legs are sweating a lot.”
Lily began taking off her own clothes while looking very satisfied with herself. Even after all that, I still feel embarrassed seeing her naked. Meanwhile she’s able to strip down as if it’s completely normal. I was fidgeting by the entrance still, so Lily looked at me suspiciously.
“What is it?”
“No…. um…. the nude, aren’t you embarrassed?”
“Yes? Well…. Yes. You go in first.”
Lily didn’t seem to know what to make of my question, but after thinking about it for a second, she answered ‘Yes’ as if she had just thought of something.
Did she want to put that idea into action right away? With a hide grin, Lily threw on bathrobe and left me and the bathroom for somewhere else.
Experimental Translations 