After the episode with August, I regularly checked on Mayer's condition while training the special unit. Of course, I used 'reporting the unit's growth' as an excuse. Since it took more time than I had expected to drill through Mayer's mana circuit the first time, I visited him late at night to avoid being seen on my way back. But when I got there

Pardon?

I still have paperwork to deal with. It cannot be helped as I must finish it before tomorrow morning, Mayer said. Wait for me in the bedroom. Take a rest if you need it.

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I felt that he had perhaps gotten a little too used to it. But if there was one thing even Mayer couldn't grow accustomed to, it was the pain of drawing mana from the heart. He would groan during every session, twisting and curling his body, feeling like his blood vessels were burning. The process repeated until he lost consciousness. Ordinary mages didn't suffer so much, as far as I knew. I had no idea that demonic power could be this difficult. We must have spent thousands of gold in holy water poured to neutralize his dark energy. At least there was no need to pass it through mouth-to-mouth like the first time, but still

I sighed and stared at Mayer. Once again, he was pinning me down with delirious eyes, his golden irises clouded by pain. I didn't know how we ended up like this. Could it be that what had happened on the first day got misinterpreted by his subconscious? Whenever the pain intensified and Mayer's mind became hazy, he would try to kiss me like it was his only way to avoid the pain. There was no point in saying anything since he wasn't aware of what he was doing. Even if I tried to push him away, I couldn't match him in strength. As Mayer's face approached mine, our lips touched, transferring the heat of his breath to me. I sighed. Hnn

We began kissing again for the umpteenth time. The act was meaningless, only serving to ease Mayer's suffering. I considered telling him about this at first but abandoned the thought before long. He could end up refusing to expand his mana circuit and arguing about it would be too bothersome. Better to let him have a few kisses instead; it wouldn't be long before the circuit expansion finished, anyway. I decided to bury this matter in my heart. If only I didn't get so bruised in the process, though I was sick of listening to August's nagging every time he healed me. I felt like even the barest of touches with Mayer gave me bruises. It spoke volumes for how much he usually restrained himself.

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It was almost dawn by the time I finished widening the captain's mana circuit and left his bedroom. Then, as I crept back to my room, the worst self-doubt suddenly rose up within me. A feeling worse than when the unconscious Mayer was kissing me. What was I doing, really?

Clang, clang

The sound of the monastery bell rang across the cold early morning air. People would be waking and moving soon. Hearing the bell rings pounding in my ears, I quickened my steps.

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Getting used to sneaking around was hard. But there was something I was getting used to, and that was the pain from the myriad of bruises left on my body. On the first time, I had had no choice but to call August to my room. But now I had reached the point where I would seek the priest myself to get treatment. Speaking of pain, I remembered bawling my eyes out the first time I was stabbed by a sword during the first playthrough. Nowadays the memory only made me chuckle. As I dragged my aching body toward August, I thought back to all the wounds of glory I had borne thus far.

Pardon my persistent intrusions. I wore a cheeky smile as I entered the prayer room. August, who had just finished praying to Saint Marianne, got to his feet and sighed. Today as well?

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I empathized with him. I was visiting August as many times as I was visiting Mayer. Haha. I fell out of the bed today, you see. Even I knew I was giving an absurd excuse, and I expected August to cast me a weary, scathing look. All I found in his gray eyes was stillness, though, as if he was trying to figure me out. What was up with him? As I started feeling suspicious, August changed the subject. Where are you injured today?

I pushed my thoughts aside. Healing came first. My calf, my forearm, and I pointed to the various bruised spots on me. August's scowl worsened along with the number of injuries I confirmed.