“This move was used just right. First grant a small favor, then make a request that’s hard to refuse. It seems your methods are growing more and more practiced, and your influence is quietly expanding as well. …I’m looking forward more and more to the day you actually come to ‘usurp the throne’!”
Seraphina rolled her eyes at her and scolded,
“Stop talking nonsense over there. Usurp the throne? Save talk like that for the next life.”
“Fine, let’s talk business. How are you going to handle today’s documents? You gave Lina the day off, and besides… in your current state, can you still manage that many papers?”
Those words stirred Seraphina’s fighting spirit.
She straightened her back and said, “Of course I can! Something this minor can’t stump me.”
With that, she turned and headed toward the study, intending to throw herself into work right away to prove it.
Movira, however, stuck to her like sticky candy, immediately following and staying right by Seraphina’s side without a single step of distance.
After walking a few steps, Seraphina couldn’t help stopping.
She turned to look at Movira who was sticking so close and asked,
“Don’t you have anything else that needs handling? As the Demon King, are you free to this extent? Is there not even one more important matter that requires your personal attention?”
At those words, Movira’s eyes lit up.
She nodded as if truly reminded. “Mm, your words reminded me. I really do have one particularly important matter.”
Hearing that, Seraphina found a reason to dismiss her at once and immediately said, “Since it’s important, then hurry up and go deal with it! Why are you still following me?”
She secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, thinking she could finally shake off this “appendage.”
Yet Movira’s next words and actions left Seraphina frozen in place, a strong sense of foreboding rising inside her.
The other woman’s lips curved into a mischievous smile as she said, “You mean… have me go handle the ‘important matter’?”
“…Of course!” At this point Seraphina could only go along with her words, silently praying in her heart that it really was something unrelated to herself.
Movira stretched out an arm and effortlessly scooped Seraphina up horizontally!
“Ah—!” Seraphina cried out in surprise as her body was suddenly suspended in the air.
She struggled in panic:
“Movira! What are you doing now?! Put me down right now! How is this supposed to be an important matter?!”
But Movira paid no attention to her protests, as if she hadn’t heard them at all, and carried her straight toward the study.
With a bang, the study door was kicked open by Movira, then closed behind them and even locked.
The click-click of the lock made Seraphina stop struggling for a moment, after which a wave of great panic surged up.
What does she mean by this?!
“Wait! Why lock the door?!”
Then Seraphina was carried by Movira to the large chair behind the desk.
Just like earlier, Movira sat down first, then adjusted the position of the Seraphina in her arms so that she continued sitting on her lap, facing the documents on the desk.
After that, Movira’s arms continued wrapping around Seraphina’s waist, fixing her firmly in her embrace.
Her chin rested on Seraphina’s shoulder as before, and she spoke in a low voice laced with laughter against her reddening ear, “Alright, didn’t you want to handle official business? You can start now. Of course… you can also choose not to. I can approve these documents for you. Oh, and this answer doesn’t have to follow the punishment rules.”
Seraphina was completely enveloped in Movira’s scent and body heat, just like always…
She only felt the temperature on her face shoot up once more.
Struggling was impossible; it would only make Movira’s arms hold her tighter.
“You… you’re like this! I can’t think at all!” Seraphina forced herself to stare at the words in front of her.
She clearly recognized every single character, but strung together she had no idea what they were saying!
How could she possibly concentrate on handling these dull and tedious things in such an ambiguous position?!
“Then don’t do it!” Movira said lightly upon hearing that, even nuzzling against Seraphina’s shoulder. “It’s not like they’re any urgent major affairs. Just trivial matters. When I have free time I’ll take a casual look, sign my name, and nothing will go wrong.”
“How can that be!” Seraphina retorted, trying to twist her body to emphasize the importance of the matter, but the arms around her waist were like iron, leaving her unable to move. “You… can you put me down first? I really… can’t think like this!”
“No…” Movira shook her head, her arms tightening further.
She buried her nose in the hair at Seraphina’s neck and took a deep breath. “Nana smells so good, and she’s warm too. Holding you makes me feel so secure. I… I really can’t bear the thought of losing you again. Even just thinking about it scares me to death.” The latter half of her words was spoken in a pitiful tone completely different from usual.
This sudden confession was like a precisely aimed arrow that pierced through Seraphina’s defenses.
The rebuke that had been on the tip of her tongue got stuck there.
Mm… she fell silent for a few seconds, then finally sighed as if resigning herself to fate.
She didn’t even know why, but she actively raised one hand and placed it over the back of Movira’s hand.
“Fine… I… I won’t leave… just don’t be like this…”
“Really?” Movira immediately lifted her head, the pitiful tone vanishing without a trace and replaced only by delight.
She turned her head, her bright eyes looking at Seraphina’s profile so close by.
“You said it! No taking it back!”
Seraphina realized she had been tricked by this guy’s excellent acting again!
That pitiful appearance had been completely fake!
“You… you tricked me again!” Seraphina got a bit angry, her cheeks flushing red as she tried to break free from the embrace.
But as she exerted force, the arms that had relaxed tightened again.
The strength wasn’t light, and Movira’s palm just happened to brush across a sensitive spot on the side of Seraphina’s waist that even she herself hadn’t noticed…
“Ya!!”
A strong tingling sensation exploded there like an electric current without warning, rushing straight to her brain.
Seraphina couldn’t suppress a short gasp of surprise.
Her body trembled violently, and the bit of strength she had just gathered instantly dissipated.
Her legs went soft; there was no way she could stand.
Her entire body seemed to have its bones removed as she softy collapsed back into Movira’s arms, the gap she had deliberately maintained between them no longer existing.