The crystal chandelier in the east tower was dim, dim enough to mask Alicia's nervous shiver as she heard Ren's footsteps coming up the spiral staircase. After the morning's chaotic training, she had sent a text message—half hesitant, half longing—asking him to come over. Now, in a private training room that smelled of horse balm and metal, the Knight Princess waited on a wooden bench, her hair damp from a quick shower, her thighs still tense under the thin cloth pants she had changed into for armor.
Ren entered with a small bottle of golden liquid. He closed the door, keeping his gaze from lingering too long on the skin of Alicia's thighs peeking out from between the slits of her training pants. "A mild relaxation potion," he said, holding up the bottle. "Maruna flower and a little mint essence. Just calms the muscles—no headaches."
Alicia accepted the bottle, weighing it in her hand. "Still upset about Hiro?" Ren asked softly. The Princess sighed. "I'm upset with myself. I shouldn't have been shaken by his words." She took a sip of the potion; the warm mint flavor slid down her throat, leaving a calming sensation that quickly spread to her shoulders.
Ren sat down on the low stool in front of her. "Can I massage you again? Without the armor, it's easier." The words made Alicia's cheeks warm, but she nodded, turning the chair to give him some room. She set the Lumenheart sword aside, a symbolic gesture that the speaker in this room was not a knight, but an exhausted woman.
Ren bent one knee, gently lifting Alicia's right foot into his lap. His warm hand cupped her wrist, his thumb drawing small circles on her heel—the first touch causing a soft moan to escape the Princess's lips. He calmed himself, but the relaxing potion made her skin more sensitive with each stroke.
Ren's fingers moved up her calf slowly, massaging the knots of muscle that had been strained by the horse. When he reached the inside of her knee, Alicia held her breath; beneath her skin, a soft tremor was rising. Ren paused for a moment, looking at her face—making sure there was no resistance. Alicia looked away, but her hands gripped the edge of the stool, not moving away.
Slowly, Ren's fingers slipped up her inner thigh, beneath her loose-fitting trousers. The touch was light, almost a grip of air, but its warmth made Alicia's muscles go limp. She bit her lip, tasting the mint concoction mixed with the rush of blood. "Feel the heat? That's calming nerves, not magic," Ren whispered hoarsely, as if explaining a common massage technique—though his own voice was shaking with the urge.
Alicia nodded, her face now burning pink. Every gentle movement of Ren's inner thigh ignited sparks that ran to her lower abdomen. She tried to stay calm, but her jaw clenched reflexively. Ren massaged right where the thigh muscle met the groin; Putri shivered, a thin sigh escaping, wrapped in the sound of the crystal flash of the lamp.
"If it hurts, tell me," Ren whispered. Alicia shook her head, her voice choked. "No… it's just warm." She turned, her blue eyes misty, full of a newfound desire. Ren slowed the massage, his palms pressed together, applying long pressure that made Alicia's breath stutter.
A few seconds passed in almost sacred silence, filled only by the sound of intersecting breaths. When Ren was about to pull his hand away—resisting the temptation to go too far—Alicia surprised him. She touched Ren's wrist, holding on. "Just a little longer," she whispered almost pleadingly. Their eyes locked; no mask of knight or servant, just two hearts burning with the same feeling.
Ren lowered his head, letting his forehead touch Alicia's upper thigh, taking in the scent of skin mixed with mint. His lips kissed the thin fabric there—so softly, but enough to make the Princess moan under her breath, her hands buried in his hair. The moan echoed in the stone room, marking a line that would never be the same again.
Footsteps approaching in the corridor made Ren lift his head. Alicia panicked for a moment, but Ren reassured her with a quick smile; he pulled the Princess's pants down a little, pressing one last kiss to her skin before smoothing them out. A knock on the door followed a second later—Hiro's voice calling Alicia for an evaluation rondo.
The princess stood up hurriedly, her knees still weak. Ren rose, whispering in her ear, "Remember the taste. Tonight, if you want, we'll make it perfect." Alicia couldn't speak; she just nodded, then opened the door. Hiro gave her a suspicious look, but Alicia met his gaze with a serene smile—unbeknownst to Hiro, a smile born of the taste she had just tasted.
Ren closed the door after them, breathing heavily. The scent of mint and the heat of his skin still hung in the air, signaling his new step in winning the heart of the Knight Princess.
On the steps of the tower, Hiro helped Alicia down, but he felt her fingers resist his grasp—as if the heat there belonged to someone else. When the princess's eyes happened to glance at Ren in the window above, Hiro caught a gleam he had never seen before. And the night was not over—jealousy readied its own sword.