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Elysia gently caressed Clarice’s arm, but Clarice barely felt anything. Perhaps it was because Elysia, already tipsy, was clinging to Clarice and being affectionate. There was also the thought that a hero like Elysia wouldn’t do something like that, combined with Clarice’s unfamiliarity with such things as a spirit.

“Ugh. If I knew it would be like this, I shouldn’t have brought the alcohol. I’ll have to drink the rest with Lindy later.”

“Ahh! Clarice! You only like Lindy! That’s unfair!”

Even while intoxicated, Elysia managed to decipher Clarice’s mumblings and nearly snuggled into her lap. Elysia’s right arm, which had been wrapped around Clarice’s left arm, somehow found its way to her waist.

“Hehehe… Clarice! Cheers!”

With her right arm still wrapped around Clarice’s waist, Elysia raised a cup with her left hand and presented it to her. Though Clarice attempted to pull the cup away due to Elysia’s already drunken state, Elysia tightened her grip on her waist even more. As Clarice flinched from the unfamiliar sensation, Elysia clinked the cups together.

Then it was time to gulp down the drink again.

The last remnants of Elysia’s rationality slipped away completely.

“Clarice, you don’t think Lindy did anything wrong, right?”

“Well, it’s not that it’s not wrong, just… that the punishment is way too harsh compared to the mistake…”

Clarice tried to correct Elysia’s words but hesitated for a moment. Elysia’s hand, resting on Clarice’s waist, was lightly tickling her, and her other hand, which had set down the cup, was now overlapping Clarice’s on the table.

“A little physical contact between friends is normal, right? Since we’re both women…”

“No, but Lindy…”

“What about Lindy? Should I scold her? Yuli said it wasn’t weird for friends to do this…”

As the hand encircling her waist slowly crept upwards towards Clarice’s ribcage, Clarice found herself thinking that perhaps this kind of proximity was indeed something that could happen freely among friends.

And so, Clarice couldn’t shake off her hand.

Elysia’s hand, which had briefly paused as if seeking permission, seemed to interpret Clarice’s momentary hesitation as implicit consent, and it began to move again.

Elysia’s hand that had been resting on Clarice’s hand on the table started to entwine its fingers with her own, feeling a peculiar sense of connection. It was just their fingers intertwined, yet Clarice couldn’t shake the strange feeling; it felt ticklish, almost like they were communicating.

Was this what it felt like to form a pact with a spirit?

However, there were only a few strongly bonded contractors in the entire history of the continent who could summon a Spirit King, and none of them resonated with her. Thus, Clarice was utterly unfamiliar with forming such contracts, merely curious at this point.

One reason Clarice found herself attracted to beings from the Material Realm was that they could satisfy her curiosity, having never ventured there herself, but now they had come to the Spirit Realm.

“Lindy did this and that, but doesn’t it bother you, Clarice?”

Elysia’s hand started to move more boldly. In fact, it was even more forward than what Lindy had done to the spirits in the past.

However, Elysia had never witnessed Lindy’s actions directly, only ever hearing vague descriptions. Hence, she merely assumed it was slightly more intimate than the typical friend-to-friend contact.

Elysia’s hand climbed even higher, passing her side and reaching just beneath her armpit. Her fingers roamed along Clarice’s body, exploring.

If Elysia were sober, she’d never act this way, considering her conscience, but right now, one mission dominated her mind: to persuade Clarice.

The fingertips of Elysia’s wandering hand gently brushed against the side of Clarice’s chest.

“Eek!”

Since spirits generally lacked any breeding urges, they didn’t really experience sexual desire. But what Clarice felt—whether she realized it or not—was undoubtedly the thrilling pleasure that came from contact with another.

Low-level and mid-level spirits are usually clumsy with their powers and cannot take on specific forms in the Material Realm. Only at the intermediate level can they begin to form vague shapes, and at the upper tier can they completely resemble the image in the contractor’s mind.

Moreover, this was the Spirit Realm, where spirits could unleash their powers freely. Even low-level spirits, who couldn’t assume forms in the Material Realm, could show off their uniqueness here.

Naturally, the Spirit King, possessing overwhelming power beyond even the strongest elemental spirits, could mimic not just human forms but even the sensations of a human body.

And that was Clarice’s downfall.

“B-but this is definitely…!”

Even amidst these unfamiliar sensations, Clarice clung to her reasoning. No matter her lack of understanding of Material Realm normals, Elysia’s actions were undeniably excessive for friend-to-friend interactions. Hence, late to the realization, she attempted to halt her.

Swiftly, the hand that had been at her side slipped away, extending a single finger to trace along her spine lightly.

The heat radiating from Elysia’s body, pressed closely against her, completely infected Clarice. Her body, already flushed from the previous interactions, succumbed to a primal pleasure.

“Ah!”

A shiver ran down her entire body, igniting sensations like electricity. In her attempt to stop Elysia, Clarice released only feelings of pleasure instead of coherent words, her senses overwhelmed by the bizarre situation she found herself in.

It was clear that she had formed a fondness for Elysia, the first visitant she met. Clarice had felt curiosity and affection towards nearly all visitors from the Material Realm, so she assumed it was just another case of that typical sentiment. A light affection meant to show goodwill, but if it ever crossed the line of rudeness? She could easily dismiss it as an utterly trivial matter—she firmly believed that.

Of course, with her abilities, she could easily push Elysia away now if she wanted. She was in the Spirit Realm, not a place where her powers were restricted. No matter how much of a Hero and Sword Master Elysia was, she could never overcome the Spirit King who was in the Spirit Realm. Perhaps one day, as time passed, it could be possible, but certainly not now.

Yet, even with the last threads of her rationality warning her to push Elysia away, Clarice found herself firmly grasping the hem of Elysia’s clothing, unable to let go.

For some reason, she couldn’t reject her. In truth, pushing away this intoxicated person was always an option, but she wanted to feel this foreign sensation just a little bit longer.

Clarice’s resistance had now completely vanished. She had buried her face in Elysia’s shoulder and entrusted her body entirely to Elysia’s touch.

Elysia was thoroughly satisfied with Clarice’s yielding demeanor. It felt as though she had finally realized that Lindy’s actions were not particularly problematic. And so, this led her to another whimsical thought.

Just as wrongdoings warrant punishment, correct actions should bring rewards.

Now, Elysia’s touch had completely shifted in purpose. What had once been about making Clarice realize that such interactions between women were perfectly normal had become about making her feel good.

Of course, even in her inebriated state, Elysia would not cross any lines. Everything she did from now on would merely be playful antics between friends, fully aware that she was not a pervert like Lindy. And so, she acted—just as friends would do.

 

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