After Retirement, Living a Stud Life in Another World - 86

Chapter 86: Gretel’s Lips

A short, sharp inhale is audible, and Gretel, who had been half-lidded, widens her eyes fully. Strength returns to her gray eyes, which had been cloudy like the sky, and her strawberry blond hair, which she had let down, swells with magic in an instant. I can’t help but think she looks like a Gorgon from a fairy tale, but if I say that out loud, I’m sure to get scolded. Silence is golden here.

“Lutz.”

“Y-yeah.”

Her voice, unusually forceful, makes me recoil slightly.

“Thank you, Lutz, for dispelling my doubts. Yeah, I won’t think about unnecessary things anymore… You said you even like me swinging my sword and cutting down enemies.”

Huh? You’re satisfied with just that? You’re not going to worry anymore just because I praised you?

“You look puzzled… You know, Lutz, your words are like magic to me. Just hearing your praise fills me with strength.”

Oh no, today’s Gretel, who has discarded her usual rough and fierce demeanor, is incredibly cute. My fickle heart can’t stop pounding. Without thinking, I reach out with my left hand and touch her rosy cheeks, and she closes her eyes as if relieved. The next moment, my right hand moves on its own, pulling Gretel’s waist closer. Her well-trained muscles twitch in response, and I instinctively flinch, but she continues to close her eyes with a relaxed expression… At least I seem to have avoided being punched, which is a relief.

“Hey, Lutz.”

“Yeah?”

“You said something when this war started. ‘You’ll get a reward when it’s over.'”

“That’s right.”

I remember hearing that. I was nervous about what I might be asked for, but if it’s in this situation, it probably won’t be something too harsh. That’s somewhat reassuring.

“Listen, Lutz, you have three fiancées, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Ayaka-san is already having children with you. Sister Beatrice and I can’t get married until you come of age, so we can’t have children. You’ll be able to once you turn fifteen… Of course, Princess Beatrice, who is the first wife, will go first. I think I’ll have to wait until she gets pregnant.”

Huh? What is Gretel trying to say? Maybe she’s not happy about being second? But I remember her saying that she admired Beatrice and didn’t mind being a concubine…

“Of course, I’m not dissatisfied with that. I intend to support Sister Beatrice properly from now on. Marriage vows, the first time having children, they should all be with Sister Beatrice first. That’s fine, but… there’s just one thing I want you to give me first.”

“What’s that?”

“…Before Sister Beatrice… I want you to… k-kiss me!”

Gretel’s cheeks turn from pink to crimson as she speaks with her eyes firmly shut.

I’m glad she wants my kiss so much, but is being the first to kiss her really that important? After all, I’ve done that with every woman I’ve been with so far, not just Ayaka-san.

“I know it’s not a big deal to you, Lutz. But it’s very important to me… As long as I have that memory, I can dedicate myself to Sister Beatrice with unwavering loyalty from now on.”

Ugh, this is heavy, really heavy… but if she feels that strongly about it, I have to respond.

I lightly lift Gretel’s chin with my left hand. With my right hand, I pull her waist a little closer, feeling her upper body’s muscles tighten slightly. Yeah, she’s still only fourteen… she definitely hasn’t had any experience with kissing.

Softly, as gently as possible, I let my own lips graze against hers, then quickly pull away. Waiting for the tension in our muscles to ease, I lightly press our lips together again… this time, keeping them in contact, we both feel each other’s warmth for a while. As our upper bodies relax, I slowly pry open her lips with my tongue, knocking against her pearly white teeth until they timidly part. Slipping my tongue into her mouth, she momentarily bites down in surprise, but then accepts it passively.

At first, her tongue, which had retreated fearfully, hesitantly entwines with mine. As we explore each other, Gretel, true to her bold nature, eventually extends her tongue actively, trying to taste the inside of my mouth.

After a few minutes of thoroughly tasting each other’s wine-flavored saliva, we finally part our lips.

“Was that okay?”

“Yeah, it was amazing. Thank you, this… it’s addictive.”

It might be a mental satisfaction, but if “the return of the hero” can be happy with this, even I, who can’t use magic, can be useful.

“No, this is… I might really be in good spirits. It feels like my body is filled with magical energy.”

“Huh?”

“Until just before the banquet, I should have been training using body enhancement magic to the fullest and depleting my magical power. But now, after receiving Lutz’s kiss… it’s incredible. I feel like even if a thousand enemies were to come now, I wouldn’t feel like losing.”

No way. Could this be another reincarnation cheat?