Chapter 323


“Hmm… I didn’t know there was such a big bed inside the Count’s carriage.”

“Yes, miss. It seems like five people can sleep comfortably here.”

“Five?? From what I see, it looks like it’s barely enough for two.”

“I, I think… it’s fine… for me…”

Let’s try to make sense of this situation.

In the middle of the night, after Helga, Bella, Blanshe, and Wendy all showed up, somehow the four of them ended up gathered on my bed inside the carriage, chatting away.

What’s going on?

They’re talking as if they’re planning to sleep here. They didn’t even ask for my opinion, but it feels like it’s already decided that I’m coming along.

“What are you doing, Count? Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“…Are you all really planning to sleep here?”

Bella made a face as if I had asked a stupid question.

“Count, did you forget what almost happened earlier? What if another ‘intruder’ attacks you?”

As she said that, Bella’s gaze turned toward Helga.

Helga, who was being treated like an intruder, was smiling, but the veins on her forehead were throbbing as if they were about to burst.

Of course, Bella didn’t seem to care.

“It’s dangerous to sleep alone on a night like this. So, I have no choice but to stay with you all night.”

“There’s no need…”

“Be grateful. Instead of your useless bodyguard knight, Blanshe and I will keep you safe.”

“Excuse me? You’ve been ignoring me this whole time, haven’t you?”

Finally, Helga snapped and started growling at Bella.

It was quite intimidating, but Bella wasn’t one to back down either.

“Ignoring you? I was just trying to help because it seemed like you were struggling to protect the Count alone.”

“Who’s protecting who? Sorry, but I’m stronger than you, Princess.”

“That’s rude to our lady, Helga.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry for being rude, Princess. But I’m a bit of a blind woman, you see? So, be careful, okay?”

“Hmph… Is it because you’re a reckless bodyguard knight who attacked the very person you were supposed to protect? You talk too much.”

“Ha! If you think about it, it’s because you cut in line, Princess.”

“Cut in line? Hehe… That’s a funny thing to say.”

Bella looked at Helga with a smug face and chuckled. It felt like she was mimicking me, but maybe it was just my imagination.

“Don’t you think I just got to him faster than you?”

“What did you say…?”

“I met the Count before you did. Of course, I’m closer to him than you are. But you’re accusing me of cutting in line? That’s just ridiculous.”

“You think you know the Count better than I do?”

“Yes. Is there anyone here who knows the Count as well as I do?”

“Well, there’s me.”

As expected, Helga confidently raised her hand. But surprisingly, someone else raised their hand too.

“…Blanshe?”

“Ah…”

Blanshe, who had raised her hand, looked embarrassed as all eyes turned to her.

“Well… I also know a little bit about the Count… Yes… I just wanted to say that…”

Her voice was as soft as a mosquito’s, followed by an equally timid voice.

“I, I also… know quite a bit about the Count… Oh, no… just a little…”

This situation, sitting around in the middle of the night and talking one by one, felt exactly like a university MT.

No, if I had gone to one, it probably would have felt like this.

The problem was that the atmosphere here wasn’t as warm and friendly as an MT.

“So, what were you trying to do with the Count earlier?”

“Mate.”

“W-what kind of vulgar…!?”

Helga’s blunt statement even made Bella, who had been maintaining her composure, flustered.

But I know. That was a toned-down expression for Helga.

However, while it was a vulgar word to some, it was a completely new word to others.

“Mate…??”

“……”

Why are you looking at me, Wendy?

Don’t ask me with those innocent eyes. Even if I know what it means, I can’t explain it to you… but it’s hard to ignore Wendy’s curious gaze.

In the end, I reluctantly explained.

“…It means when a man and a woman pair up.”

“Ah…”

Wendy muttered softly, as if she understood.

“T-then, I also want to… with the Count…”

“No, you can’t.”

“Hic?!”

I understand how you feel, but please don’t say that.

I tried to calm Bella and Helga down and asked if they were really planning to stay here.

“What else can we do? Besides, it’s already late…”

“I’m worried about the lady…”

“I’m worried about the Count…”

“I, I’m the Count’s exclusive maid…”

Yeah, I expected this. Not a single one of them said they would leave, so we ended up agreeing to all sleep together in the carriage.

Just yesterday, I was sleeping in a bed set up in the barracks, but tonight we’re staying at a campsite we’ll be leaving early tomorrow, so we didn’t set up a barracks. I was fine with sleeping in the carriage anyway.

But I didn’t expect it to end up like this.

No matter how nice and big the bed inside the carriage is, it’s still inside a carriage.

How big can a bed in a camper van really be?

It was fine when the four women were sitting on the bed earlier, but lying down seems a bit cramped.

Wendy, who seemed to have the same thought, hesitantly spoke up.

“I, I’ll sleep on the floor so I don’t get in the way…”

“Don’t go. You’re sleeping with me.”

“Huh?!”

Wendy has to stay.

After all, if Wendy is on the bed, no one can do anything reckless. At least with a child around, they won’t try to jump me.

Of course, I might be overreacting. Maybe they just came here to sleep without any ulterior motives.

But I think the chances of that are very low.

“…What are you looking at?”

Bella was wearing a white lace nightgown under her coat. Her alluring chest and slender shoulders were clearly visible, making it hard to know where to look.

“Did you even bring your nightgown?”

“If you say it like that, it sounds like I planned to sleep here from the beginning.”

“…Didn’t you?”

“…Hmph.”

Bella turned her gaze away. Her cheeks were slightly flushed.

For some reason, I felt embarrassed too and looked away, only to see Blanshe next to me.

“Ahem…”

She was wearing the black full-body tights I had seen before. Her figure was clearly visible through the tights, making it hard to know where to look.

“Count.”

“…?”

“I’m fine today too.”

What do you mean, fine today?

Ah, now I remember what Blanshe said before. Wearing that is a signal that it’s okay to touch her. She said it’s fine as long as it’s not directly on her skin, but from my perspective, it’s still difficult.

Wait. But it seems like Blanshe is always wearing tights…?

And when I turned my gaze…

“Helga.”

“Yes?”

“Why… are you trying to take off all your clothes?”

Helga had taken off her uniform and was about to unhook her bra.

“This is my nightgown, you know?”

You were about to take everything off?

Does this girl not know what clothes are?

“Put it back on.”

“Ugh… Count, did you forget? I can’t sleep unless I’m naked.”

“Then don’t sleep.”

“Tch…”

Helga clicked her tongue and finally lay down on the bed in her underwear and stockings.

And Wendy… She didn’t think she’d be sleeping here, so she’s still in her maid outfit. I lent her my shirt as a makeshift nightgown.

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“N-no…”

Wendy shyly nodded.

But my shirt is big, but not as big as I thought.

Wendy must have grown, because it looks like she’s wearing a short dress. She’s holding onto the hem of the shirt I lent her and pulling it down…

But it’s just a nightgown, so it doesn’t matter.

A little later, I changed into my nightclothes and tried to lie down on the bed, as far to the corner as possible.

But they didn’t let me do that.

“Count, come here.”

“The lady commands it, Count. You can sleep between me and the lady.”

“Count, you don’t need to listen to them. Just sleep with me in the corner.”

“I, I think… it would be nice to sleep with the Count…”

Sleeping with the charming characters from the original story is a blessing for any man, but on the other hand, it’s also a torment.

Because I can’t choose just one of them.

It’s a selfish thought, but I don’t want to ruin my relationship with any of them.

I need their strength to stop the players. None of them can be left out of my ending; they’re all precious to me.

So I can’t choose. If this delicate balance I’ve maintained breaks… all the playthroughs I’ve done so far might become meaningless.

‘At least until the safety of this world is guaranteed…’

I have no choice but to endure.

I sighed inwardly as I faced the bed.

Will I… be able to sleep?

*

In the end, as expected, I ended up sleeping in the middle of the bed.

With five people on the bed, there was no room. Well… not exactly, but everyone crowded toward the middle where I was lying, making it hard to breathe.

Especially Bella and Helga, who took the spots next to me as soon as I lay down.

“It’s cold, so we have to stick close like this.”

“I’m cold, Count.”

They clung to me flirtatiously.

Because of that, I’m overheating. Good thing I wore short sleeves and shorts as pajamas. If I hadn’t, I might not have been able to sleep from the heat.

Bella and Helga weren’t satisfied with that and subtly used my arm as a pillow.

“Then, good night…”

As Blanshe turned off the light, the inside of the carriage became pitch black.

Bella and Helga are more well-behaved than I thought. I expected them to start fighting as soon as they lay down, but they just clung to me like well-behaved cats and dogs and fell asleep.

Were they tired?

Well, it’s good for me.

But then someone grabbed my hand.

“……”

Looking closely, it was Wendy, who was behind Helga. She held my hand tightly with her small hands, as if it were something precious.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I met Wendy’s gaze, and she was smiling brightly. Her expression was so cute that I poked her cheek with my finger, and she didn’t know what to do.

And on the other side… Blanshe, who had taken my hand, seemed to be using it as a pillow. When I stroked her hair, she closed her eyes and accepted my hand.

I could feel her breath on my fingertips, and it felt nice.

And so, I gradually fell asleep.

……

How much time had passed?

It was probably dawn.

My arm had gone numb from being used as a pillow, and I woke up.

Ugh… no circulation.

“Count~.”

Just as I was about to move, a small voice reached my ear.

“Are you asleep?”

It was Helga.

“You’re not asleep, are you?”

“……”

I didn’t open my eyes, so I thought I wouldn’t give myself away, but how did she know?

It gave me chills, but I decided to keep pretending to sleep.

“Hoo…”

Suddenly, Helga blew into my ear. Her warm breath tickled my ear.

Hold on… I can endure this much.

But Helga wasn’t one to give up easily.

“You said something earlier, right?”

I felt the rough texture of her stocking against my calf.

Helga’s leg was wrapping around mine like a snake.

“I’m yours, Count.”

Under the blanket, her slender leg was rubbing against my thigh.

I have a lot of body heat, so wearing shorts was a mistake.

“Hurry. Take me.”

As she said that, Helga was teasing me with her leg. The smooth, soft texture of her stocking and her seductive voice made me wide awake.

Even so, I managed to hold on.

It was probably because I had fallen to the depths of despair and come back as the Demon Lord…

But there was another ambush under the blanket.

“Hmm. What are you doing…”

On the other side, Bella’s leg wrapped around mine. Her bare leg, warmed under the blanket, touched my thigh.

“Don’t take your eyes off me even when you’re sleeping…”

“……”

It was a contradictory request, but I couldn’t respond.

For now, pretending to sleep was the best option…

“…If you’re not asleep, I’ll kiss you.”

“……”

Bella’s voice, whether it was sleep-talking or serious, was alluring.

Moreover, she pressed her lips against my ear, going even further than Helga.

“‘Again,’ I’ll have to do this, won’t I? Be a man and take the lead.”

If I had lost my sanity, I might have done it already… but no, at this point, even as the Demon Lord, I feel like I’m about to lose my mind.

“Hehe…”

“Heehee…”

With both of them whispering sweetly in my ears, I had no choice but to endure with ‘Patience.’

I’m a man too, and this kind of stimulation is hard to resist…

In this desperate situation where I couldn’t move or use my hands… Bella and Helga were competing to seduce me. Under the blanket, their legs tangled with mine. The way they brushed against my thighs made me even more determined.

They probably wanted me to make the first move, but that’s not happening.

In previous playthroughs, there were a few close calls, but I don’t think there was ever a moment as tense as tonight.

As I endured their temptations, I made a vow to myself.

I’ll definitely pay them back double for what happened tonight.