"Fu… Uuun…"

I twisted my body from the unique sensation of waking up. When I opened my eyes, I was strongly hugged.

Already accustomed to it, I knew who it is right away.

"Freed…? Morning…"

"Morning, Lidi. You're finally up"

"Nn?"

Feeling impatience in Freed's voice, I opened my eyes while feeling suspicious.

When I did, I saw Freed watching me intently from up close.

"…? What is it? Or rather, what time is it?"

It's too dark for the morning. And then I realized I wasn't wearing my nightwear but my normal clothes. Of course, so was Freed. And at the moment my consciousness cleared up, my memories gradually returned.

My face flared up in an instant.

I recalled telling Freed "I love you" while rebuking him.

When I did, Freed responded to that sweetly.

And then I recalled… that when we were about to get to the love affair, I fell asleep. That means Freed has been 'waiting' since then…

Suddenly understanding the reason behind his impatient voice, I turned pale.

"I wonder if it's past 10 o'clock in the evening. You looked sound asleep, perhaps you'd been considerably lacking sleep?"

As he answered, while deep down fearful I apologized.

I neglected Freed who was beyond starved… My fate after this is frightening.

"Er… rr… yup. Umm, sorry for sleeping. Uh, Freed, you?"

"I also slept a little. Afterwards, I was waiting for Lidi to wake up"

"I… I see"

As expected, I couldn't ask what he was waiting for.

The heat in his voice and the strength in his arms as to not let me go express everything.

Still, hearing it's 10 o'clock in the evening, I could tell I suddenly got hungry.

"… I missed a meal again"

I know it's my fault that I fell asleep. Still, while I felt dejected, Freed said while stroking my hair.

"I was sure Lidi would be like this, so I had Clara make preparations. If you're fine with something cold, I had something to eat arranged in the other room"

"Really!? Thank you!"

My eyes sparkled at the unexpected words. Because I hadn't expected to eat anything tonight, my joy was great.

I hurriedly tried to get up. But, Freed thwarted me.

"… What?"

I thought I'd have a meal right away, so having been hindered by Freed I glowered at him.

But, looking completely unperturbed, Freed on the contrary coaxed me.

"Let's have a meal a little later, alright? I want you to be with me right now. I'd been waiting for Lidi to wake up all that time"

"Huh…"

"First, let me embrace you two, three times. Then, I'll accompany you for a meal? Okay? It's fine, right?"

"… Eh"

"I can't wait any longer. I want Lidi quickly"

Freed's sweet smile exuded an atmosphere that allowed for no refusal.

I could tell my cheek twitched.

"Umm… err"

"You won't possibly say you forgot what happened before falling asleep?"

"I, I won't. I won't say that, but…"

First, a meal… These words were blocked by his lips.

Freed indulged in my lips like he was at wits' end.

"Ha… Ah… Nn"

"Hah… Lidi, Lidi…"

The moment I opened my mouth to breathe, his tongue slipped in with a wet sound. Our tongues intertwined stickily. Even though I was trifled with, I frantically responded. The arousing movements of his tongue further roused my senses.

"Ah… Freed… Nnn"

After the long kiss finished, Freed separated his face, and staring at me, with a face like he's about to cry he said.

"I'm glad… I wondered what I'd do had you forgotten"

"… It's alright. I remember properly"

"Yup… I love you, Lidi"

"… Me too"

As he told me he loves me as if to confirm, I responded to him nervously.

Having heard that, Freed smiled with true happiness.

"Yup. It wasn't a dream"

"… I've just said I remember"

"After all, I'm so happy"

"…"

I became lost for words from his straightforward manner of speaking. Told such a thing, I can't say anything else. I just tightly gripped his clothes.

"Freed…"

"Lidi, can I embrace you?"

When he asked once again to confirm, I just nodded.

I have no words to refuse him when his body shows he loves me.

Besides - I think I'm happy myself.

I wrapped my arms around Freed's neck, and pecked his lips.

"Sorry I couldn't say it all that time. I love you, Freed"

"Lidi…!"

When I once again conveyed my feeling properly, Freed raised a delighted voice, and pinned me down just like that.

Without resisting I looked up at him.

"Freed…"

"Lidi, me too… I love you, Lidi. This feeling will never change"

"Nn…"

Changing the angle, Freed kissed me over and over.

I accepted it with pleasure. Before long, Freed's lips began descending.

It felt irresistible to have my neck strongly sucked again and again. Even though I understood he's likely leaving kiss marks, I didn't feel like stopping him. Because now I feel happy about his actions.

Freed pressed his lips over the kiss marks that had disappeared.

His right hand gently touched my chest. Even though it was through clothes, I felt it more than usual, surely because I recognized that we're in love with each in the true sense.

"Ah… Aah… Nn"

While skillfully taking off my dress, Freed dropped a kiss on the King's Flower.

―――― Come to think of it.

He always kisses the King's Flower like it's some kind of ritual. I wonder if there's any meaning behind it.

While I was pondering a little, Freed suddenly smiled.

"Curious? This is the proof that Lidi is mine. For me it's the most beloved mark. I want to kiss it over and over again"

He told me in a gentle voice as if he understood my doubt.

Having been told such a thing, I could only turn bright red.

"Cute… Does it make you happy?"

"Isn't… that obvious"

There's no way I wouldn't be happy being told that by my beloved. That's why I objected so, and with "Yup" Freed nodded many times.

And with a movement like I was seizing the current happiness, I pulled him to me and stroked his head.

"Sorry to keep you waiting…"

"It's fine. Because, I understood Lidi's feelings. But, I didn't think I'd be so happy hearing them put into words like this"

I timidly asked Freed, whose broad smile went beyond my expectations.

"Eh… You noticed?"

"Around when Prince Maximilian returned. Lidi is easy to understand…"

"…"

That's almost from the time I came up with (provisional).

I considered that he might have noticed, but it's too lame he noticed from the very beginning.

Uwaa, when I averted my eyes while thinking so, Freed laughed out loud.

"You don't have to worry. Thanks to that I could wait patiently. Hey? Lidi. There are lots of things I want to ask and talk about, but let's save it for later. May I get to enjoy Lidi now?"

"Yup…"

I nodded to Freed who said so impatiently.

Immediately I was stripped of my clothes, and a tempestuous, yet very, very sweet happy time came.