I knew you two were sneaking around behind my back having an affair!

Thinking this over, Auxicris bit her lower lip, feeling somewhat conflicted.

It was impossible for her to be with him. Yet, she wanted Louis to follow her, to stay by her side to run errands, though maintaining a certain distance was necessary. Conferring upon him the title of her knight seemed like a good decision.

A knight of proper standing could act as a notary to witness the oath of a new knight.

A lord could do the same, and by utilizing her authority as a lord to appoint Louis as a knight, everything would be procedurally sound. Afterward, even once Louis became the husband of Yingling, he would still remain her knight and vassal.

After pondering for a long while, Auxicris raised her head.

Then, she looked at Louis with a solemn expression, only to find that at some point, he had already knelt on one knee before her.

Auxicris felt a surge of emotion, thinking that she and Louis still shared a deep mutual understanding—she hurriedly stood up, grabbed a small scepter from beside her seat, and with a serious expression, gestured with the scepter over Louis's shoulders and head for quite a while, while rambling a long string of words.

As she spoke, a tinge of sorrow welled up in her heart.

The two of them were bound to keep their distance in the future. Knowing his feelings, she felt deeply distressed and regretful. Surely, he must feel the same way, right?

Yet fate is a cruel thing; since he had already chosen to walk alongside Yingling, she could not simply barge into their lives.

Of course, even if she hadn't, the two of them could never be.

Amidst her wandering thoughts, Auxicris suddenly felt a pair of warm, large hands caressing her calves. Startled, she lowered her gaze and saw Louis looking up with red-rimmed eyes, gently stroking her shins. Terrified, Auxicris stepped back in a hurry, accidentally tumbling down onto the throne.

She quickly straightened her posture, wanting to reprimand him, but the words died on her lips, replaced by a wave of sorrow—surely he had many things he wished to say? Perhaps he was simply overwhelmed by emotion, leading to such an abrupt action.

She would not blame him. She would pretend this never happened and let him return at once to calm his mind. If he were to shed tears right in front of her and speak words best left unsaid, things would become rather awkward between them in the future.

Putting on a stern front, Auxicris assumed an air of proper detachment.

"Louis, now that you have become my knight, you must strictly obey..." Pausing here, Auxicris blinked in slight realization, remembering that Louis hadn't actually taken any oath at all. Never mind, let it be: "Louis, why have you not risen yet?"

The princess's knight suddenly lifted his head. In those bloodshot eyes, a raging fire had already been kindled throughout the princess's lengthy and rambling speech.

"I can serve as your knight," Louis said softly with a red-rimmed gaze and a gentle smile, though the smile itself sent a shiver of fear through Auxicris. "But Your Highness, shouldn't you grant me a reward?"

*'He is going to confess his love to me after all?!'*

A flicker of hesitation crossed Auxicris's face. Looking into his burning eyes, she 'knew' what he was thinking... but an entanglement between them was impossible.

The princess on the throne haughtily raised her chin. "Speak, my knight. What is it that you desire?"

"You must also grant me a mount."

"A mount?" Auxicris froze, finding the request oddly reasonable. "What kind of mount do you...??? What are you doing, Louis!"

Before Auxicris could finish her sentence, she realized Louis had started stroking her feet.

"Just doing a quick inspection." Louis softly kissed her shin and leaned in with a beaming smile.

Auxicris's mind went blank with a loud hum; at that moment, thought deserted her. Seeing his face slowly drawing closer, she panicked and pushed him away, fixing her expression into a stern scowl as she shouted angrily, "Audacious! Show some respect!"

Scarcely had the words left her lips when she felt herself pressed firmly back down onto the seat. Then, she felt Louis lean against her neck.

"Don't do this..."

The scorching breath, like a dragon's exhale, drifted from the knight's nostrils onto the princess's face. Looking at the handsome face just inches away and feeling the scorching pair of hands on her body, Auxicris turned pale with shock.

She had known this fellow was utterly lawless; just as in her dreams, this scoundrel...

*[Yet this is a love without a future...]*

The searing breath scorched Auxicris's neck and collarbone. Her breathing gradually grew heavy as well.

"Don't do this, please let me go... We cannot be together... We, we... have no future..."

Auxicris couldn't help turning her head away, closing her eyes with a heartbroken expression. "I know what you want to say, but you have your beloved, and I am bound to be married far away. Forget me, we are impossible..."

A hand lifted Auxicris's chin. She opened her eyes, looking into that searing gaze, knowing he refused to give up and was determined to speak.

A tear traced the corner of Auxicris's eye. She closed her eyes once more, bracing herself for Louis's words—even if he tried to persuade her, it would be of no use.

"Teacher, thank you for introducing me to a girlfriend—but I still want you to be my concubine."

"W-What?" Auxicris's eyes snapped open in sheer disbelief. "C-Concubine?!"

"Come here, your brother-in-law will take good care of you."

"B-Brother-in-law?!" Auxicris was dumbfounded. "Louis! You are utterly shameless! Have you no sense of shame at all?!"

"You promised to treat my illness tonight!"

"T-Treat your illness?" Auxicris blinked, suddenly recalling Louis's mention of his leg pain. Reaching out defensively, her face flushed crimson as her eyes widened in horror.

What an utterly shameless scoundrel!

Searing lips pressed against Auxicris's crimson mouth. She tried to push against Louis's chest, but her strength felt increasingly like gentle scratching, and the places she touched began to stray wildly off-course. That blazing hot poker felt even more formidable than the one in her dreams, sending a wave of panic through Auxicris's heart.

*[How can I ever face Yingling...]*

*[I am so sorry...]*

Following a deep kiss, looking into Louis's burning gaze, Auxicris's face burned with a stinging redness. She parted her lips, wanting to say something. The next moment, she felt her low-cut evening gown being pulled down in one swift motion.

At that instant, the countless words long buried in the depths of her heart suddenly broke free. Yet the moment her inner knight settled into the soil of her heart to listen, every single word was completely forgotten.

*[Oh heavens... I actually ended up... committing adultery with my own student...]*

Right at that moment, the door was suddenly kicked wide open. A tall figure clad in knightly attire, walking with long, slender strides, staggered in while drunkenly lugging a bottle of alcohol.

【Unexpected participant joined +1】

【Heaven knows how much alcohol this dragon has chugged tonight!】

【She seems to have entered estrus... Be careful, this is her first time entering estrus, and she is currently extremely dangerous. Emotion far outweighs reason.】

Louis instantly sobered up by more than half. Exchanging a panicked glance with Auxicris, the two of them hastily spun around and scrambled to straighten their clothes and skirts.

"I knew it! I knew you two were sneaking around behind my back!" Annabel chugged a mouthful of alcohol drunkenly, pointing at Louis with tears in her eyes. "He doesn't deserve to be your knight at all. Without the son of Lant and the magic scroll, he is nothing."

"???"

I saw Annabel looking at Yige with that kind of gaze earlier today, right? She thought the king was a man, didn't she?

What is she even doing here?

Is she here to stand up for her brother out of anger?

Louis, who was in the middle of tidying his shirt with his back turned, blinked. Then, he heard a barrage of incoherent confessions. Turning around in a daze, he saw Annabel kneeling before a deeply embarrassed Auxicris, clutching her hand and babbling drunkenly.

Louis's eyes widened as he stared blankly at the two princesses.

"...You know... (sobbing) You know how much I love you... (incoherent rambling) Back then, the moment my seven Yordle Dragonborn Ironguards found you... the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew... I knew it was you..."

"You kissed me... and broke my curse..." The Black Dragon Princess wept uncontrollably. "I knew it was you..."

"Run away with me, Auxicris... Your slender, beautiful horns, your red scales—they still haunt my dreams to this day..."

What?!

What?!

【Though dragons in estrus would try to mate with stones, it seems Annabel's feelings for Auxicris might actually be real...】

A sudden crack of thunder outside the window echoed in Louis's mind. He abruptly recalled Crowley and the others' previous arguments.

Louis looked blankly between Auxicris and Annabel.

Holy shit! This is getting way too damn chaotic!

Your older sister became your mother's child bride, and then you showed me a story about a Black Dragon girl and yourself—what on earth is wrong with your family?!

My brain is an absolute mess!

This is way too stimulating!

Auxicris, oh Auxicris, what kind of constitution do you have? Why are everyone around you utter perverts like this?!

Pricking up his ears, Louis continued to listen.

"Annabel, I only ever regarded you as my dearest friend..." Auxicris said with a tangled expression. "You should be marrying a prince, not..."

"No! I love you! (Sobbing loudly)."

"Why must you treat me this way (sobbing), seven years... why must you still treat me this way..."

"I'm begging you, come with me... I am willing to give you everything (sobbing)... Come with me to Dragon's Nest City, pay no heed to the judgment of this mortal world, my grandfather has already agreed (sobbing)..."

Holy shit!

Am I about to be moved to tears here?!

Auxicris! Hurry up and agree to her!

On the other side, the weeping Black Dragon Princess had already grabbed Auxicris's hand, attempting to kiss it.

Auxicris hurriedly yanked her hand back. The sight made Louis's heart wrench and twist with a sharp ache.

He couldn't just stand by anymore, glaring furiously at Auxicris.

Your Highness the Princess!

I must scold you for this!

You've gone too far!

How could your conscience bear it?

How can you bear to hurt her like this?!

Auxicris: "???"

.......

(The next chapter will be revised and published shortly. Please drop some recommendation tickets.)