Nurturing the Hero to Avoid Death

translator: mii

editor: sleepchaser, ASplashofMusic

This world doesn’t ban underage drinking. You’re allowed to drink as long as you’re strong enough to handle it, even if you’re below twenty years old. This world is very lenient about this matter.

After inviting me into his room and closing the door, Alfred sighs in amazement. “You… I feel like you’ve already drunk a lot earlier. Aren’t you drunk by now?”

“What are you talking about? I’m not drunk at all! And you, why do you look completely fine?! Let me see you dead drunk, idiot!”

I’m pretty sure Alfred drank as much as I did earlier. No, he drank even more than that. But why doesn’t he look the slightest bit drunk?! Isn’t this just unfair?

I flick off the cork from the mouth of the wine bottle. Then I grab the mug on the table, fill it almost to the brim, and shove toward Alfred’s face. “Drink!”

Helpless, Alfred takes the mug. Chugs down more than half of the mug in one go before setting it back onto the table.

…He may be a brat, but he sure can hold his drinks. Damn it! I can’t even do that!

…No, I can also do it. I’m sure I can. There’s no way I can’t do something this guy can.

I pour more wine into the mug and grab it, but Alfred quickly snatches it back. He even nabs the bottle of wine I’m holding.

“What are you doing?!”

“Stop drinking already. You’re drinking too much.”

“I told you I haven’t had enough yet!”

I try to take the wine bottle and the mug back, but he places them on the top of the closet. Where they are out of my reach.

Then Alfred tugs at my arm, pulls up the bed quilt, and pushes me down onto the bed before covering me with the quilt. “Come sleep now.”

“No! I’m still wide awake!”

But after Alfred pushes me toward the inner side of the bed, he slides in beside me.

I repeatedly shove his shoulders down to make him lie on his back. He doesn’t resist at all and readily lies down according to my wishes.

“What is it?” asks Alfred, looking up at me with that indulgent, older-brother-like expression he always makes whenever he quietly watches over the kids as they throw tantrums… How cheeky. What gave him the gall to act like that even though he’s younger?

…Well, we’re technically the same age, but I’m mentally older than him. That counts!

I place my legs on both sides of his torso so that I’m straddling his stomach and sit down. Then I lower my upper body and kiss him on the lips.

Alfred widens his eyes in surprise. How unusual coming from him.

Even after our lips part, his eyes still remain wide open.

I start unbuttoning his shirt, not moving from his stomach.

“L-Lian?” says Alfred, looking up at me, a hint of surprise still present in his eyes.

I let out a small huff and glare at him. “What? You’ve been creeping into my bed at night for quite a while now. It should be okay for me to do it to you too.”

“Creeping at night, you say…”

Whenever we stay overnight at some place outside the mansion, he often takes the opportunity to push me down. I can even say that it happens almost every time.

When he said he wasn’t holding back, he actually wasn’t kidding.

Sometimes it becomes too much that I have to cry out in the middle of doing it and beg him to go easy on me since we still have work to do the next day. It becomes too overwhelming that I even stopped caring about the embarrassment or my reputation anymore.

This is why I keep reminding him that my stamina’s only on the level of an ordinary person.

And even during my visits to Cheddar’s Ranch… there have been several times where we did it in my room.

Whenever he tells me he wants to touch me in an ardent tone, I can’t really bring myself to reject him. I know I’m slightly at fault here too.

Well, there are also circumstances where we absolutely cannot do it. During those times, I would attack his tender spots like his ears, kick his more vulnerable points, and head-butt against his chin. He’ll stop after I do that.

But, after doing the deed countless times… it’s like a whole new world has been opened to me. How will you take responsibility, you brat?

Well, it’s not like I hate being touched by Alfred. In fact, I like it. It’s relieving, it feels good, and I’m able to get a good night’s sleep afterward without having to take the sleep-inducing herbal medicine. It’s enjoyable, so I have no qualms with it now.

Back then, I used to be a normal guy who liked the beautiful older sister type. I was just a pure boy at that time… If my past self ever sees the current me, he will definitely faint and get a fever. I can even bet on it.

Now my body has become like this.

It’s gotten used to being touched and embraced by Alfred after he has accustomed me to it.

Well, I do want him to touch me too, so… It’s fine, I guess.

I’m already accustomed to doing the deed, but… today’s actually the first time I made the first move. I guess that’s why Alfred’s surprised.

Though what’s pathetic is I was still fine when I pushed him down, but now, my hands have started trembling. Even opening the third button on Alfred’s shirt has become a struggle for me.

I can’t grab the button well for some reason, and my fingers keep slipping.

No way. Isn’t this just too pathetic?

Alfred releases a soft sigh before placing his hand on top of mine, hiding my hand from my line of sight. “Lian? What happened?”

“N-nothing happened! What’re you talking about? You… you don’t want to hold me?”

Even though I said that myself, I still grow upset with my overly direct words. Embarrassed, I avert my eyes from him.

“…Well, if you’ll allow me, I want to hold you every day,” mutters Alfred and pulls my arm.

“Wah!”

In a blink of an eye, our positions are flipped. Alfred has pulled me down flat against the bed, and I’m now looking up at him, just like usual.

Well, I’ve already taken the initiative. Now that it has come into this, I don’t really care whether I’m above or below.

I just want to touch him as much as I can. Though that thought makes me embarrassed.

If possible, I want to remember these moments, and I want him to remember them as well. If he can remember even just a little bit, it’s enough for me.

About how I love him and how he loves me back. About how this makes me happy and how this feels good and pleasant.

I hope he can remember, even if it’s just the happy memories.

Alfred sighs once again. Then he licks the corner of my eyes.

Really, he sometimes… no, often acts like an animal.

“What happened to you now? Why are you crying?”

“I’m not crying.”

“Okay.” He laughs for some reason, then kisses me.

I slightly open my mouth and let Alfred’s tongue in, deepening the kiss.

“Mm…” I tilt my neck to the side, welcoming his hot tongue.

Alfred’s large, warm hand slips into my shirt. As his skin slides across my skin, his heat seeps from his palm and into me, sending shivers through my body.

My body starts to lose strength little by little.

Having grown accustomed to Alfred’s touch, my body grows obedient under his hands, reacting honestly against my will. Now that he’s touching me with that kind of intention in mind, I can feel my body heat up.

“Lian… what do you want me to do?”

“W-what… ah!”

Alfred harshly rubs my nipples using the pads of his fingertips. My back arcs as I tremble.

I used to feel nothing whenever he touched me there… Damn it.

“What do you want me to do?” His trembling indigo eyes peer at me.

I manage to conceal my ragged breathing before looking at him with the same intensity. I can see the restless heat within his eyes, causing me to shiver. He wants me.

For some reason, this makes me happy. Though he sure has strange tastes to want someone like me.

Anyhow, I’m currently drunk.

Even if I say something a little different than what I usually say, I can just dismiss them as drunken talk.

I reach out to caress Alfred’s face. He now looks like a valiant young man, not a bit of childishness left in his features.

Seeing him grow this much makes me emotional. Long ago, he was still thinner, weaker, and smaller than me.

Now… At some point, the escorts have begun holding practice matches with the knights who have been dispatched to Leis village during their breaks. Only Alfred still holds the record of all wins, zero losses.

Apparently, Alfred has already become somewhat of a common topic of conversation within the Knights’ Order. Every time the new batch of knights comes to the village, they will energetically challenge Alfred, not caring about his consent at all. And not just once or twice either, but again and again until the end of their duties in the village.

Every time the knights request for a match, Alfred will complain about how troublesome it is with an unhappy expression.

As these thoughts run through my mind, I realize how much stronger he has become.

And the person who raised him to become such a strong person is me.

I’m sure some people will disagree, but that’s okay. No one’s here to refute me right now.

He’s someone I’ve nurtured over the years. My only hero.

And for now, I want to monopolize him.

“Touch me more.”

Alfred breaks into chuckles. “More?”

When I nod, his palm starts caressing my skin.

“I understand. What else?”

“Um… G-give me lots of kisses.”

“Okay. A lot?”

“A lot.”

Just as I ask, he plants butterfly kisses all over my face.

The flitting sensations feel pleasant and also slightly ticklish, warming my chest with a bit of joy. For some reason, it feels fun to be kissed like this.

When I look up and meet his gaze, Alfred squints his eyes, happiness also apparent in his face. He laughs. “You like this kind of kiss, right?”

“Yeah, I like it…”

I’m drunk anyway. It’s not strange for me to be honest to myself tonight. Probably. Just blame everything on the alcohol.