Chapter 57 -  Queen and her mood swings  ---

Chapter 57 - Queen and her mood swings 

---

I didn't stop until it was 4 a.m., and the first light of dawn began to peek through the curtains. Exhausted but satisfied, I picked both Sēramu and her clone up and gently settled them in the bathtub.

"Haah," I sighed, leaning back into the warm water.

In my arms, both Sēramu and the clone rested peacefully, soft smiles of joy and contentment on their faces. 

"Thank you," Sēramu whispered, her eyes barely open.

"Thank me? For what?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know," she murmured. "I just feel happy... happy to have someone who cares about me."

I couldn't help but smile. We had gone through 33 rounds, and I had held back as much as possible, but the evidence of our night was everywhere—the bed sheets were soaked, the room filled with the lingering scent of passion.

From my inventory, I summoned fresh bed sheets and created two shadow clones to help clean up the room and wash Sēramu and her clone. After making sure everything was spotless, I took Sēramu into my arms and we rested until a knock on the door interrupted our sleep.

I gently woke Sēramu. She blinked a few times before snuggling further into my embrace. 

"Oi, if someone sees us like this, you know what could happen, right?" I teased, a playful tone in my voice.

"You did this, now take responsibility!" she pouted, her cheeks puffed out in frustration. "I can't even walk! What were you expecting? Even the clone, which feels 90% less pain, is numb and cold from your... pounding."

I chuckled and kissed her gently. Afterwards, she controlled her clone to go down for breakfast, while I made some ramen in her small kitchen.

I fed her slowly, using chopsticks and my hands. "Since I hurt my queen, I'll naturally take responsibility."

After breakfast, I carried her to the bathroom to wash up. I didn't push her any further; we both needed rest.

"You... my whole body is still sore. I can't even move my hands or legs, you monster," she huffed, puffing her cheeks in mock anger.

"What can I say? You're just too cute, dear wifey," I teased, pinching her cheeks.

Sēramu blushed before leaning in to kiss me. "You're the one who's cute," she whispered, rubbing her cheek against mine, her smile full of happiness and contentment.

She sighed contentedly. "I still can't believe all this happened. You came to my bedroom in the dead of night, told me I was going to be assassinated, made a clone of me, then... well technically you 'raped me', you know. And now, after all that, I've fallen in love with you. How does something like this even happen?"

"I love you too," I replied softly, my voice tender and full of affection.

She didn't respond with words; instead, she jumped into my arms, rubbing her head against my chest. I played with her long hair and patted her back, enjoying the peaceful moment.

"It feels so comfortable whenever I'm in your embrace. I feel safe when you hold me like this," she murmured.

I smiled down at her. "You're not the only one to say that," I teased.

Her body stiffened, and she looked up at me with wide eyes. "You have other women besides me?!"

I nodded. "Yes. I can't hide it forever."

"Who are they?" she demanded, puffing her cheeks again.

"One is my sensei, and the other is a woman I fell for," I replied with a small smile.

"Your sensei?" she asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Yes, her name is Nami. She's a sweet and silent woman," I explained.

"You even took your sensei..." she said, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions.

"Well, I might need their help in the future," she teased back, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Yeah, but you'd still lose," I retorted playfully.

After that, I massaged her sore muscles, taking care to ease the tension in her body. As she enjoyed the massage, I couldn't help but tease her again. "You really are acting like a queen."

"I am a queen," she shot back, looking at me pointedly.

"Really? Two hours ago, you were saying something else," I teased.

"Shut up! Don't talk about that," she snapped, her face turning bright red.

Afterwards, she rested in my lap until it was almost noon.

"It's almost afternoon. Do you want to eat something?" I asked her.

"Hmm," she hummed and nodded.

"What would you like to eat?" I asked.

"Anything would do," she replied modestly.

"Okay, I'll cook," I said, standing up to head to the kitchen. But before I could take a step, her voice stopped me.

"Where are you going?" she asked lazily.

"To cook, of course. Where else?".

"Me too," she insisted, stretching out her hand like a child pleading with her father.

"You're not a child, my queen," I teased.

"No, I am," she retorted stubbornly.

'This girl...' I thought, shaking my head.

"Okay, if you call me Daddy, I'll carry you," I challenged.

"Yes, Daddy! Pick me up," she said, stretching her arms wider.

I sighed, unable to resist her playfulness. I carried her on my back, and she clung to me like a koala.

With her still on my back, I made shadow clones to help with the cooking. Sēramu rubbed her head against my shoulder as I worked, both of us dressed in light clothes, relaxed and comfortable.

As I lit the stove and started cooking, I asked her questions about the city and its citizens. She answered with a soft voice, her cheek still pressed against my shoulder.

After lunch, her eyes lit up, and she praised my cooking.

Afterward, I tucked her into bed and prepared to leave.

"Sēramu, I'm leaving for a bit. Be safe. If you need anything, just ask my shadow clone," I said, creating a clone before heading out.

"Hmm," she hummed, nodding at me as I left.