Lucretia & Lumiere Arc


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    (POV: Lumiere)


    I strolled over to Lucretia''s gazebo, where her servant was diligently applying oil to her naked body.


    Yeah, you heard me right. Naked.


    As I approached, I calmly greeted and called her name, "Yo, Lucretia."


    But she barely acknowledged me, responding with a nonchnt "Hm?" as if she didn''t realize I was there. But then again, it made sense since she wasying t on the tform and her face was facing the other side. I actually nned to use a calmer approach so that she''d freak out when she saw me casually looking at her naked body.


    It was disappointing that she reacted in a much more levelheaded manner, almost like she wasn''t naked. If she had a thing for me, she''d definitely have a problem with me looking at her body, andst time in the cave, she was flustered when I took a peek at her breasts... Or maybe It''s because she was still vulnerable after the attack of that Frost Lich.


    And there was also one other possibility... She nned this.


    I sighed.


    "Is this... a bad time? I could alwayse backter."


    I suggested, hoping she might have other ns; or at least that''s what I wanted her to think.


    Lucretia chuckled softly. I could painfully hear the amusement in that posh English voice of hers.


    "Do I not have the liberty to be naked in my own home, or is that a problem?" she teased, observing my verbal reaction as her servant continued to work,thering the fragrant oil on her skin.


    Her skin got shinier by the second and it got oddly stimting.


    She still couldn''t see my face, and casually inquired, "No response? Flustered, are we?"


    I shook my head, trying to maintain myposure. "No, I''m not." I assured her.


    "That''s rich," Lucretiaughed mischievously.


    As her servant gently massaged her back, she yfully quipped, "Or do powerful women scare you?"


    I chuckled softly, meeting her gaze. "I''ve known a few powerful women in my time, so I guess I''m immune to it," I admitted. "Besides, let''s not forget that I''m the bastard child of the King; I''ve lived under the roof of the King''s four wives, who were all ''more'' powerful and influential women."


    I was sure I saw Lucretia twitch for just a short moment. If I could see her face, I''d be able to discern her emotions, but for some reason that statement easily irked her... Sigh, women.


    "Oh, I see," she cooed.


    An awkward pause followed before she spoke again, this time in a more sincere tone.


    "Let''s just take that as a poorly timed joke."


    I agreed, feeling the tension ease. "Sure, no problem."


    She was right actually, that was an absolute joke, and whether or not she meant it as one (which she obviously didn''t) mattered very little. I agree that Lucretia does have some impressive skills that makes her likely one of the more powerful women in her generation... But that was it.


    If we went on a more generalparison, she''d be more like the bottom of the barrel.


    Lucretia cleared her throat. "It''s quite the surprise to see you here. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" she asked, genuinely curious.


    That was what killed me the most, she tried so hard to sound genuinely curious. I already felt myself slowly gritting my teeth out of frustration.


    I just looked at her incredulously.


    "You invited me here, for heaven''s sake!" I eximed.


    She chuckled. "I suppose you''re right."


    Even if she conceded, I could already tell that she was wearing that cheeky little grin of hers.


    I cleared my throat and then said, "Could you please put some clothes on so that we could talk? I can''t really have a conversation with someone who isn''t even looking at me."


    "Is that so?" she retorted. "Though, I''m certain you''re enjoying the view, aren''t you?"


    Lucretia then replied in a slightly cheeky and oddly smug voice "Is that so?"


    I already knew she was wearing that usual smug smirk of hers, all nobles had that some exact smile. Whenever they''d climbed to a decent stage of magic or maybe managed to learn a new element they''d get unending praise for what you could consider— an "okay" feat.


    Because those praises, they''d let it go to their head and start wearing one particr smirk... Like they were special.


    I''m not gonna call names but Salmarc uses that stupid smirk a little too much. If I could just get the chance to cauterize it off his face with my [Fire Magic] then trust me I would!


    I hadn''t noticed that I was already gathering mana in my tightly squeezed fist.


    But then, Lucretia dropped a randompliment on herself out of nowhere.


    "You must certainly be enjoying staring at my naked ass. And yet you''re eager to have me remove wear my clothes, perhaps you don''t enjoy looking at them?"


    "I d—" I had almost answered instinctively as my cheeks grew hotter by the minute.


    The servant who was oiling Lucretia''s buttocks then looked at me with what I could only call a judging stare. It was as though she was saying in her mind that I was some sort of perverted acquaintance of hers.


    She''s the type to say ''how tasteless'' after every sexually awkward encounter with a man. Then again, I''m built different so I''m mostly the only one, or at least one of the very few who experiences sexually awkward encounters on a daily basis... Sigh.


    I nervously shifted my gaze and cleared my throat before telling her, "What? No, I wasn''t looking."


    With a sarcastic chuckle, Lucretia replied, "Sure."


    Seeking to steer the conversation in another direction, I questioned, "Are we going to keep ying games or will you tell me why you invited me to yourpany?"


    Lucretia dismissed my inquiry with a wave of her hand, "h, h, h. Stop whining unnecessarily; it''s unbefitting of a man."


    My patience waned, and I retorted sarcastically, "Oh, like you know what a man wants."


    In response, Lucretia called to her servant, "Mina, that''s enough. I wish to speak with my guest."


    I looked at the servant in question.


    Oh, so her name''s Mina...


    Mina respectfully acknowledged Lucretia and then retreated from the rooftop, leaving us alone.


    However, even with her servant gone, Lucretia remained rxed, her gaze was still purposely fixed away from mine.


    "Are you nning on taking this serious or not?" I prompted, frustrated.


    Lucretia chuckled and quipped, "Can you get me my panties?"


    "Eh?"


    In my life, I''d never heard such a more scandalous question, and I''d heard quite a lot— after all, I knew Isadora.


    I faltered at her request, seeking rification, "Wait, what did you just say?"


    "I need your help with getting my panties," Shefortably exinedu, adding, "Or do you have a problem with that?"


    Wary of her intentions, I cautioned, "There''s a lot of problems when ites to getting a woman''s panties for her. Are you sure this isn''t a trap?"


    Why am I the only one that has to get caught up in the most awkward encounters, why do they always have to he so lewd damn it! Can''t I just be a normal guy, having one normal day?! Curse you, [Beginner''s Luck] I me this all on you...


    Expectedly, Lucretia still remained calm about her request.


    "Come on, there''s nothing wrong with that, I just need your help to get something I can slip my naked body into... You''d be doing me a huge, huge favor~~"


    I hesitated, "Well, before now you didn''t have a problem unting that nakedness."


    Growing agitated, Lucretia raised her voice, "Don''t make it sound like I''m a whore! I don''t usually do this; you''re the only man who''s seen me this way. Not even my hus..." she paused abruptly and then retraced her words. "Nevermind."


    Chastened, I backtracked, "I didn''t mean it that way."


    "Nevermind, just get them for me, please?" Lucretia impatiently asked.


    Now, the only thing I was painfully praying for, was that these panties of hers weren''t freshly worn, please, let it be a fresh pair.


    "Sure," I epted her request for "help".


    But then, I asked her a strange question that even I didn''t know the reason I''d done it.


    "The panties you need me to bring, were they worn or is it a fresh one?"


    Lucretia chuckled, "Hm, you sound eager... To know~~" I heard her deliberately slow, chuckling voice. "Well, I''ll tell you now, I just wore them... So I''m sure they''re still as hot as when I removed them, I always get a little hot in-between my legs, but you can''t me me right? I''m a woman after all."


    Yep, I''m screwed.


    I sighed and then told her, "You sound like you''re enjoying this.."


    "Huh? Why whatever do you mean?" she faked a clueless response with that half-assed acting of hers. "I''m merely a woman who seeks to reunite with her panties... Or forever naked I shall remain."


    She''s talking like those nobles that use super archaic English...


    "Whatever," I told her.