Chapter 17 Obligatory Muscle Festival

While Belvant was taking his bath, Marietta was doing her best.

Quivering under her heart’s violent palpitations at remembering Belvant’s sexy, half-naked body, she struggled down a sip of tea and nibbled at the sweets laid across the table.

You need to calm down Marietta, you can’t think like that. Even if Sir Belvant is bathing naked in the other room, thinking about the water splashing against his muscles, or the soap smeared across his skin, or, or, just don’t think about it!

Even as she frantically fought the sinful thoughts in her head, Marietta kept her back straight and the teacup in her hand poised, firming her “composed princess” aura for the moment Belvant returned.

“I’ve kept you waiting, Marietta.”

At the greeting, Marietta turned around with a sweet laugh, capping off her composed princess performance.

At least, that was the plan.

“No- oh, huh?!”

Her teacup met its saucer in a violent clink as Marietta shrieked. Despite all her effort cleaning out her impure thoughts, Belvant appearing before her was enough to send her blood shooting to her head and nearly flying out her nose.

W-why, why is he only wearing a single towel across his hips?!!!

Indeed, right before her eyes was a treasure Marietta wanted to store deep within her heart for the rest of her life, Belvant’s (almost) naked body.

With a stature impressive even among the men of Oltaire, it was the sturdy body of a sword wielding soldier. It was plain to see that these muscles were no mere ornamentations, but tools to propel him across the battlefield like a tempest.

Even for this body bursting with manly charm, the wet, glistening tawny hair and clear, ice-blue eyes only accented the ensemble. He was a fine looking man who could snatch anyone’s eyes, but at this moment, he struck in full force with that special smile known only to Marietta.

Perfect.

He had shattered his way right to the heart of Marietta’s strike zone.

Right before her was a man transformed into a legendary hero of her dreams.

Ohhh, Sir Belvant…

Marietta was spellbound, her lips frozen half open between flushed cheeks.

So beyond dreamy…

As Marietta’s soul threatened to shuffle off this mortal coil, that living, breathing masterpiece, the splendid work blessed by the god of art, came closer.

Closer and closer, until it was right before her.

“How is it, Marietta? I’ve properly washed, but…”

“… Huh, pardon?”

“Have I rid myself of the smell you disliked?”

Looking up, Marietta saw Belvant’s steady face as he placed a hand down and leaned even closer over the table.

Oh my goodness, is, is he asking that I check his fragrance?

Seeing Belvant’s face as he requested help, she nodded with with a serious look.

Marietta was bright red at the unobstructed view of the dreamy muscles before her, but quietly leaned forward for a sniff.

Watching as Marietta’s trembling face crept closer, Belvant laughed with a broad smile.

“It’s fine not to restrain yourself so much, so come on and check. See, if you don’t get a bit closer, you won’t know for sure right?”

Belvant’s hand circled around the back of Marietta’s head and tugged her closer.

Oh my, what sort of prize is this-?

In an instant, Marietta’s face was buried in her beloved Belvant’s chest, and her arms reflexively flung around to cling to him. As her nose, her cheeks, and even her lips met his chest, she raised her swimming eyes to Belvants, and he prompted her on with a nod.

She couldn’t escape.

It was a prison of muscles.

Thinking as much, Marietta meekly leaned into that chest, still warm from the bath, and inhaled, taking in the fragrant, herb-laced scent of soap.

“… It, seems to be alright. The stench of perfume has disappeared.”

It couldn’t be helped that she had to speak between ragged breaths.

“It’s just, the soap has a good scent.”

In truth, she was knocked giddy by the natural aroma lingering around her beloved Belvant’s chest, but there was no way she could simply say that, of course.

“Phew, what a good smell…”

Surrounded by a strange sensation that felt equal parts fascinating and suffocating, Marietta sighed. Belvant placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pulled her off his chest. Tracing a finger down her chin, he tilted her head up to meet her eyes before covering her lips with his, the soft kiss echoing through both their hearts.

Between the impish smile and unconcealed desire plainly surging within Belvant’s eyes, the beating of Marietta’s heart once again grew to a tempest in her chest.

“Marietta, I’ve thought of a good way to get that smell off of you.”

“Right…”

Marietta’s mind was too dizzy from Belvant’s scent to resist, and she was inexorably drawn into those ice-blue eyes that twinkled more than ever before.

“It ought to be enough to just cover you with my own scent.”

“Ah… Sir Belvant’s scent, on myself?”

In a moment, Marietta was squeezed once more against Belvant’s chest.

“Ah, wha-, oh-“

“If we stay like this, the scent of the soap will rub off on you too, I think.”

In a moment, that mostly nude form pressed itself against Marietta’s body. Seen from the side, one might mistakenly see a pervert assaulting a young maiden.

However, Marietta, drawn by an arm into those lovely muscles… And more, to her lovable fiance, smiled blissfully as she entrusted her body to Belvant.

“Yes, for Sir Belvant’s wonderful scent to cling to me as well, how lovely…”

And so, despite intending to merely tease her.

Despite only wanting to poke fun at her until she blushed…

“Ehehe, how warm.”

How is it she can look so blissful when she’s only clinging to my chest? Does she… Does she love me that much? To be attracted to this thing everyone else calls a terrifying demon…

… This is bad! She’s way more c-cute… than I could expect!

As Belvant kept track of the sugary thought within his mind, a warmth spread through his body.

My resistance won’t hold!

Holding back so much he felt like his mind would shatter, he managed to pull his arms away with only the tight hug, rustling Marietta’s hair before his hand affectionately slid along her cheek.

“Seriously, how can you be so adorable!”

The strength behind his hands kept her close against that burly chest even so. It was a muscle festival that could content even this princess’ heart.

“I love this, Sir Belvant… If I could hug you like this forever…”

The happy atmosphere hit its limit, and Marietta felt herself swept up before she was laid across the wide sofa, Belvant’s head settled in between the two swellings upon her chest.

“Ah, that’s, Sir Belvant-“

“Ah, Marietta, you are far too cute! Therefore, to make sure my scent properly reaches your entire body, I’ll ascertain it myself.”

Nicely stumped by that disconnected “therefore”, Marietta bore Belvant’s ferocious, nigh beastly gaze.

Tugging down the bosom of her dress, the general began his assault on those soft, white hills.

“Ah, don’t be, so unreasonable…”

Marietta ran her thin fingers through Belvant’s slightly damp tawny hair, embracing his head.

Belvant tempestuously rubbed at the two puffs with both hands, before bringing his mouth close and gulping in the small fruits. As his tongue entangled, kissed, and rolled about, as his teeth delicately nibbled, and impatient feeling boiled up in Marieta, and her legs unconsciously twitched, her knees rubbing together.

Belvant guided a free hand to the hem of her dress, a clear rustling resounding as he traced up her leg.

“Ahh, that…”

“Marietta…”

With a hand caressing just below her dress, Mareitta’s embarrassment peaked. Belvant leaned up to tease the maiden’s ear with his tongue, where his deep, sensual voice would echo through her entire being.

“I want to make you completely mine…”

“I am… already, Sir Belvant’s though.”

“But not yet completely.”

Belvant blocked her lips with his own, his tongue ravaging her mouth, tracing across her lips and teeth until faint drops of saliva threatened to leak down her face. At the same time, the general’s hand kept at it’s assault, conquering her thighs and finally reaching to brush a fingertip against her underwear.

“Mmm-“

Marietta let out a muffled voice, touched in a place even she was rather unfamiliar with and discovering it shamefully sensitive. Belvant paid it no mind, trailing a fingernail across the cloth trapped between her thighs to stimulate her further.

“Mm, mmm-“

Each touch was the same as the first, sending an ache through her until the feeling was unbearable, until tears crowded her eyes as she worried about.

It’s no good, hopeless, I can’t stop, damn it someone get in here and hit me!

A few righteous thoughts called from the corner of his mind, but it was already too late. Belvant had transformed into a rampaging muscle train, and his hand couldn’t be stopped; not between the slight dampening of cloth under his finger, the bit of change in the sound of the rustling, or Marietta’s moans.

“Ahhhhn-!”

With a loud cry, Marietta’s body tensed and warped like a bow, and then just as suddenly her strength left her hand she dropped back, limp. Under Belvant’s tampering fingers, she had finally reached her peak.

How enrapturing… She’s quite sensitive.

Under attack from Marietta’s faint blush and rough breathing, a certain portion of Belvant’s anatomy was pressed into showing its charm.

Hurriedly calling back his steel force of will in this interim, Belvant properly adjusted the ends of Marietta’s dress until she was once more presentable. With that, he dropped one more kiss on those tempting, half parted lips before he spoke.

“Rest up a bit. I’m going to take a shower.”

As an adult man, Belvant would require a veritable waterfall of cold water to regain his composure.