The weeping god was cradled in her regent's embrace, as gentle fingers wiped away the lingering tears at the corners of her eyes.
Furina clung to Themis's waist, sitting quietly on her lap.
The flower-kiss therapy was quite effective—at the very least, her beloved god had gone from initial terror to present shyness.
However, anything deeper would require payment.
Bringing Furina into another kiss that left her both expectant and flustered, Themis succeeded in shifting her attention. When the kiss ended, Furina was left breathless, her entire body weak as she collapsed into Themis's arms.
With Furina's focus successfully diverted, Themis lifted her chin with gentle fingers, coaxing her to meet her gaze. Sitting on Themis's lap, Furina felt her nervousness grow.
Themis carefully observed her adorable Furina—her reddened eyes, still glistening with unshed tears, and the newfound innocence in her gaze made her even more endearing.
Unable to resist, Themis bit lightly at the swan-like curve of Furina's neck. Furina's breath hitched for a split second.
"Furina…"
She licked her little blueberry cake, leaving a faint shimmer upon its surface.
The little cake let out a startled yelp before swallowing it down.
"Sleep now."
Nuzzling against Furina's soft hair, Themis knew that rushing into future matters all at once was not appropriate—for either of them.
Furina nestled obediently into Themis's warm embrace without any struggle. Themis gently undressed her from the intricate layers of her attire—removing the outer garments, vest, and blouse—before helping her change into a light, soft nightdress.
"I want to hold you while I sleep tonight. Is that alright?"
Sitting by the window, Themis gazed at Furina with tender eyes.
Furina, half-hiding her flushed face behind the blanket, gave a tiny nod, her voice muffled in a quiet, shy hum.
"Alright." Themis patted her head. "Wait for me a moment."
Standing up, Themis tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and, with light steps, left the bedroom.
The moment Themis left, Furina lay staring at the ceiling, pressing her cool fingers to her burning cheeks.
Inside, the little blue cat in her mind let out a silent scream.
Steam was practically rising from the top of her head.
If put in simple terms—Furina's brain had overheated to the point of crashing.
This was her second kiss. The first had been in the narrow confines of the airship, where she had been gently pressed into a chair for a fleeting peck.
That kiss had left her restless, but compared to this deeper and more daring encounter, it was nothing.
Themis had completely gained the upper hand, seizing ground in her own domain.
Furina's thoughts spun in circles, her mind dazed.
Today was yet another day of defeat for the god.
When Themis returned to the bedroom, now dressed in sleepwear, she found Furina clutching her beloved Blubber Beast plush, face buried deep within it, as if too embarrassed to be seen.
Themis deliberately made a little noise, and immediately, like a spring-loaded mechanism, the little cat froze mid-roll, then swiftly ducked back under the covers.
With a gaze full of indulgent tenderness, Themis lifted the corner of the blanket and slipped into bed.
In the darkness, within the confines of the narrow bedding, there was no room for mistakes.
She wrapped an arm around Furina's delicate waist, fingers pressing lightly against her smooth, soft tummy.
Furina's heart skipped a beat. She quickly grabbed the mischievous hand at her stomach, turned around, and buried her face against Themis's chest, curling herself into a small, fluffy ball.
"Themis, stop poking me…"
She had avoided the mischief at her belly, but the hand behind her landed just as boldly on her equally soft backside.
Furina's head snapped up, round, watery eyes wide in mortified indignation as she glared at Themis.
But with such an entirely harmless, adorable expression, Themis's smile only deepened.
"If I can't touch the back, then I'll just touch the front instead."
Furina's face turned scarlet. Her beautiful eyes widened slightly, utterly disbelieving how her usually serious regent could be so shameless at a time like this.
"No! You can't touch the back, and you definitely can't touch the front either!"
The blue-and-white little cat, with a voice as soft and sweet as honey, shyly refused her regent's unreasonable demands.
But with such an unconvincing display of embarrassment, how could she possibly expect Themis to back down?
Taking Furina's hand in hers, Themis intertwined their fingers and placed them over her soft abdomen. Then, she lowered her head, resting her chin atop Furina's head.
Fearing that Themis might come up with another mischievous idea, Furina remained obediently still, surrendering to her fate.
Holding Furina tightly in her arms, Themis wished to leave her scent upon every inch of her.
She inhaled deeply—Furina's entire body exuded a sweet, delectable fragrance. It seemed that her cakes had completely soaked into her, both inside and out, leaving traces of herself on her god.
In the quiet of the night, as Themis finally ceased her teasing, Furina sighed in relief. Her once-tense body relaxed again, becoming as soft as a delicate little cake.
Themis took a strand of Furina's hair between her teeth, biting it lightly. Looking at Furina's utterly adorable expression, she sometimes found it truly difficult to restrain herself.
After a long while, when Themis's breathing steadied, Furina cautiously lifted her head—only to find that instead of a peaceful sleeping face, Themis's golden eyes were wide open, glowing in the darkness.
"Can't sleep?"
Their fingers still entwined, Themis gently traced circles in Furina's palm.
She asked softly.
"Mm… After everything that's happened, I don't think I could possibly be that carefree."
Furina's voice was tinged with dejection and unease as she nuzzled closer to Themis.
"I'm scared, Themis. I'm sorry—I'm not as perfect as you think I am."
"I'm weak. So, so weak…"
As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears.
"When that assassin appeared, I was so scared I couldn't even move."
"A god like me, so powerless and feeble… Do I really deserve your love?"
By the end, she had lost all confidence, tormented by the secrets she had to keep from Themis. It was agonizing.
In the darkness, Themis's golden eyes shimmered like molten gold.
She tightened her arms around Furina, holding her firmly.
"Furina, I never lie."
"My love for you has nothing to do with any of that."