Ch 10: Lost The Game, Won At Life

Phia’s face, originally flushed from alcohol, instantly turned pale. She thought she would win the Match, but Bago, seeing that Phia remained sober after several drinks, realized that this mischievous little kitten was deceiving him. Thus, he employed a strategy of reciprocity, a calculated feint.

“Oh dear, who do I like? I wonder if you have any… uh… pig heads~”

“Bal… Bago… General Bar! Let’s talk things over, calm down, calm down!”

“I seem to recall a Demon Race girl saying she wasn’t very good at drinking~ I wonder who that was~?”

Phia was pinned beneath Bal, her hands raised above her head, held down by one of Bal’s hands. She struggled to escape, but General Bar cut off her retreat.

“Should we punish a deceitful little cat~? How should we punish this naughty little cat~?”

“I… um… Bal, I’m sorry, please stop.”

Phia was very anxious; after all, this was no longer a matter of victory or defeat. It concerned her honor, and she wasn’t ready. Tears welled up in her wide eyes.

Bal was the type who wouldn’t yield to force but would to gentleness. He couldn’t bear to see a girl cry, so he decided to compromise, but there still had to be punishment—it was the victor’s right.

He leaned down, his eyes full of tenderness. Slowly, gently, his lips covered the catgirl’s mouth beneath him. It was his first kiss, and Phia’s as well.

“Mmm… ! Mmm… Ha…ha… You… actually…”

Phia’s face, robbed of her first kiss, was like a cut watermelon—flushed red, with tears still streaming down from her struggle.

Bal looked at the person beneath him, flustered and distraught, and smiled playfully.

“As expected, even the firmest mouth is soft when kissed. It tasted quite good. The child liked it very much. We’ll do it again next time.”

“Waaah… !!!！”

Phia cried out. Now it was Bal’s turn to be flustered. Although he had anticipated Phia might cry and had prepared countermeasures, the sudden cry still left him at a loss.

“Waaah!!! That was my first kiss… you scoundrel! I’m not innocent anymore, waaah!!!!！”

“Wa…wait a minute! It was my first kiss too!”

“I don’t care! A stinky man’s first kiss isn’t as valuable as a little girl’s!”

Bal steeled his heart, gritted his teeth, and stamped his foot—of course, he did this in his mind. He slowly got up and then looked at Phia solemnly.

“Phia, I like you.”

“Ehehe! Hooked!”

Bal: ?

Bal never dreamed that Phia would actually use her first kiss for a one-for-one exchange. He froze on the bed, beginning to question his life.

Although Phia had won the Match, despite her outwardly confident demeanor—even nine-tenths confident—her legs trembled uncontrollably, and her crimson cheeks diminished her triumph.

“Well, little Bago, you confessed. Even for a grown man, saying that isn’t embarrassing.”

“……I admit I lost, but I still want to hear your answer. I like you. How about you?”

Bal snapped out of it, looking at the cat-eared girl kneeling on the bed, his expression serious. He acknowledged his feelings for Phia, and he was certain that Phia felt the same way. He wanted a definitive answer, an answer that allowed for no joking.

Phia looked at the man’s serious expression. She knew that if she didn’t tell the truth now, she might hurt his feelings. Although they had been enemies and had fought each other, that didn’t mean their relationship was bad; quite the opposite. From the moment he saved her, she had been grateful to Bal, but because of their identities, she didn’t want to believe him. But in subsequent actions, she found herself falling for this stubborn, playful black-haired Hero. Phia took a deep breath, her expression turning serious. She was ready to give her answer.

“You know, when you saved me, my opinion of you changed. Although that wasn’t enough for me to fully trust you, later, in Luca Village, when you chased away the drunkards for me, I realized I had changed—I could believe in someone, entrust myself to him. You constantly consider my identity. I’m very happy because it’s the first time someone has been willing to do so much for me without asking for anything in return. When we entered the city, you said we were a couple. At that time, I was overjoyed. At that moment, I really did fantasize about getting married to you. I know you like me. I used all sorts of clever tricks to get you to confess first. I won, but I feel like I also lost. Now, in response to your confession… “

Phia approached Bal. Their eyes met. She reached out her arms and wrapped them around Bal’s neck, her face slowly approaching the man she liked, gently placing a kiss on his lips. The action was short, but to them, it felt extremely long—as if it lasted a century.

“I like you too, Bal Kres.”

Phia said the words she most wanted to say.

They remained in the position where Phia had initiated the kiss, silently looking at each other. The space became extremely quiet; they could even hear each other’s heartbeats.

Without a word, Bal put his arm around Phia’s waist. Her slender waist was easily held close to his side.

“……Say something, Dumb Dog. I’ve said so much, and you haven’t said a word. It’s making me embarrassed.”

Phia blushed and turned her head away. She wasn’t worried about him rejecting her; she had that confidence. But his silence was embarrassing.

“……So that’s how it is.”

Bal replied faintly. This response surprised Phia. She had imagined countless possible answers, but she couldn’t understand this one.

Phia felt a little disappointed. She showed her feelings on her face. Just as she was about to pull away from Bal’s grasp, he held her tightly.

“What are you doing?!”

“I, Bal Kres. I swear by my surname, by my life, by everything I have! I will take responsibility for Phia. I will stay by her side until the end of my life! If I ever betray Phia in any way, I will pay for my sins with my life!”

Bal held Phia tightly in his arms, unwilling to let go, as if releasing his beloved would cause her to drift away. His solemn vow moved Phia in his arms.

“Humph, sweet talk. It seems this stone has finally cracked. You can actually say such mushy words.”

Phia appeared calm, but her heart was already pounding. She, too, was the type who wouldn’t yield to force but would to gentleness. A direct confession was equally impactful.

Phia looked up at the black-haired Hero before her.

Bal lowered his head, looking at the silver-haired Demon King before him.

They embraced, their lips close, but only close. After giving her first kiss, they kissed again.

Half an hour later, the two reluctantly separated. Bal took the dishes downstairs. When he returned, he also brought a basin of hot water. Phia wetted a towel, rubbed it, wrung it out, and began to wash Bal’s face. After enjoying Phia’s face-washing service, Bal used the same method to clean Phia’s face.

The two smiled at each other, put away the towels, turned off the lights, and went to bed.

At this point, Phia no longer cared about boundaries. She nimbly snuggled into Bal’s arms, her head resting on his chest, enjoying Bal’s hand stroking her hair as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

Bal contentedly looked at the little catgirl in his arms, restraining his inner impulses from going further. He wasn’t ready yet. When they returned to the Royal Capital, he planned to propose to Phia and then further develop their intimacy.

Tonight, they shared a good night’s rest, spoke their hearts, and slept in each other’s arms.