The Matter of Talula Taking Me In, Chapter 49

"Big Sis Talula?"

Orson looked up and saw Talula standing before him, holding something in her hands with a concerned expression.

"Tonight... um, are you free?" Talula took out the object she had been holding. It was an actual chessboard.

The leader who always wore an upright, composed expression now tried to invite Orson with a flickering gaze.

"Yeah... I suppose it's fine to relax once in a while."

Orson nodded, got to his feet, and followed Talula into the room.

"It feels like it's been a long time since I last played chess with you, Big Sis Talula."

Orson entered Talula's room and sat down beside the table as he spoke.

"Yes. More precisely, it's been at least six months."

Talula gently locked the door behind them as she answered Orson.

"Huh, Big Sis Talula, you remember that so clearly?"

"—I was just saying it offhand!"

Talula immediately defended herself, then sighed and calmed down.

Seriously, what am I even nervous about?

Talula set the chessboard on the table, then sat across from Orson. Her bright eyes stared straight at the boy before her.

"Do you want to go first, Big Sis Talula?"

Orson arranged the board as he asked Talula.

"Hm? Oh... all right."

Talula replied absentmindedly, picking up one of the real wooden pieces rather than the ones Orson had once drawn with paper and pen.

"Now that I think about it, everything we've done feels like a dream."

Talula moved a pawn and spoke softly.

"A year ago, we were still scattered drifters with no purpose, able only to wander and struggle to survive. But today, we can stay in Chernobyl openly and legally, without hiding from anyone, playing chess like this."

Talula looked at Orson, but the boy's eyes remained fixed on the board.

"Yeah. The Emperor isn't pursuing the matter, and the other old noble factions probably can't make any rash moves for now."

Orson replied while considering the game.

No—

"No... that isn't what I mean, Orson...!"

Talula rested her fingers on a piece, but this time, she did not move it.

The chess game was only an excuse. What I truly wanted to do, what I truly wanted to say, was—

Talula suddenly stood up and walked over to Orson.

"Huh... Big Sis Talula...?"

Pinned into the corner by Talula, Orson looked confused, unsure what she was suddenly doing.

"Orson, stand up, then close your eyes."

Talula spoke in an almost commanding tone, and Orson could only obey despite his confusion.

"Big Sis Talula, I should mention that today isn't my birthday. If you're preparing a birthday surprise, then the timing definitely isn't—"

Before he could finish, Orson felt something soft and warm press tightly against his lips. Then his body was pulled into a tight embrace.

The shocking development made him accidentally open his eyes. What he saw was Talula hugging him tightly, her face flushed red as she buried her head against his chest. As for why she was blushing, it was clearly related to the lingering warmth on his lips.

"...The moment I saw you suddenly collapse after the battle ended, Orson, it felt as though my heart skipped several beats as well."

Talula spoke softly into Orson's chest.

"I never felt fear when facing the Inner Guard or the old noble factions. But in that moment, I was so afraid that I froze in place, my mind completely blank. I was afraid that if no 'miracle' appeared this time, you might truly leave me forever."

Talula released her arms and looked at Orson. She was embarrassed by herself at this moment, yet also felt relieved that she no longer had to suppress these feelings.

"I've thought more than once... do I really deserve to be saved by you again and again? The only thing I ever did for you was not bring down my sword in that village. But what you've done for me... it's simply too much. Again and again, always like this."

Talula rubbed her eyes. This young dragon, who had always seen herself as a fighter, did not want to show weakness before others—especially not before the person she liked.

"That isn't true, Big Sis Talula. You've helped me a lot too. If it weren't for you, I might have—"

"There's no need to say such polite things anymore, Orson." Talula interrupted him and took his hand, leading him to the bedside.

"You know I'm not here to settle debts of gratitude with you. And if we did count them, I owe you far too much... So consider this a despicable, selfish method of mine. Just tonight—tonight, could you... not see me as the leader of Reunion, nor as the tyrant you need to support, but instead... instead... as an ordinary Sankta... woman...?"

By the end, Talula was nearly out of steam herself. This girl, who had never known what love was, had never imagined that saying such things could be so, so embarrassing.

"What am I even doing... This is just too... ngh..."

Talula fell backward onto the bed, covering her face with both hands. Even so, she could not stop the blush from deepening, and her tail lashed back and forth like it had gone mad.

On the other side, Orson's face was just as red. A few minutes ago, he had never imagined Talula would say something like this to him, much less that the ever-cool and steady Talula would be rolling around on the bed with her face covered like a real girl.

There was an old Yan Country saying: once the rice was on the string, it had to be cooked.

Orson took a deep breath. First, he had Rest Note switch off the lights in the room.

For a moment, darkness swallowed them both, leaving only cold moonlight faintly outlining their figures.

Then, Orson applied tuning to the black snake's curse—after all, no one wanted what happened next to be broadcast live to that black snake.

"Big Sis Talula—Talula, is this really okay?"

Orson looked at the young Sankta and asked for her consent one final time.

"I... I'm afraid of losing you, Orson. So even if it's only for tonight, hold me tightly and let me know that you're still here. Then... soothe the feelings in my heart that are about to surge out with a roar."

Talula climbed onto the bed, sitting with her legs apart beneath her. As she fought back the shame threatening to spill out, she slowly undid the noble military uniform she wore.

Although Talula had taken off her clothes many times before when entering Koschei's consciousness domain, this time was different. She was before Orson, and she understood clearly that this meant something entirely different.

Her coat slipped off, revealing Talula's simple undergarments to the air. But this time, the young dragon did not stop.

Under the dim moonlight, the innocent Sankta shed all her "disguises." Her pale, slender body, which had nevertheless endured several battles, was fully and unreservedly displayed before Orson for the first time, like a sculpture.

"...Um, I'm starting to regret this—"

The chill against her chest made Talula pull out a pillow and hold it in front of herself. Even though she had prepared herself beforehand, the young dragon still could not be as decisive as when commanding Reunion. She hesitated, blushed, and fidgeted uncertainly, unable to decide whether she should continue.

"Isn't it a little late to say you regret it now, Talula? Since you're the leader guiding us forward, you should understand just how important the words spoken by those in high positions are."

"You say that, but Orson... I really—ngh!?"

Talula was still turned away, mentally preparing herself, when a force suddenly pinned her to the bed. The pillow in her hands was forcibly torn apart by Rest Note, its stuffing scattering through the air before falling down. Rather than concealing Talula's body, it made the young dragon look pitiful and fragile, a stark contrast to her usual image of having everything under control.

"Orson... you hurt me—Orson?"

Talula tried to break free from the restraint of Orson's hand, but he held her firmly beneath him. She could only twist slightly, trying to cover the exposed skin of her body.

Talula suddenly realized that something seemed wrong with Orson.

Did this idiot use tuning on himself...!?

Talula finally understood. Afraid that she might "retreat at the last moment," Orson had ruthlessly given himself a reverse post-nut clarity.

"You... you idiot!"

Thud!

"Urgh!"

With tears in the corners of her eyes, Talula slammed her head into Orson's like a dragon, knocking him out of his tuned state.

"What I want is the real you... Th-that is, anyway, don't use those weird things...!"

Talula spoke with a red face, and Orson, having come back to his senses, realized that he was actually the more flustered one.

"Sorry, Talula... I understand."

The awakened Orson canceled the tuning on himself, but he still maintained the position of holding Talula down. He could even clearly feel her chest rising and falling faintly with her heated breaths.

"..."

"..."

The two maintained that position in silence for a while.

"Um, Orson?"

Talula blinked and asked why Orson was not moving.

"I... um, don't know what to do next."

Orson spoke with the utmost embarrassment born of more than twenty years of virginity.

"...I don't really know much about this either."

Talula turned her head away. Although Koschei had taught her all kinds of wisdom, techniques, and ways to deal with all sorts of people—

That black snake had never taught Talula about matters between men and women, and Talula herself had never considered such things.

"—"

"—"

The hopelessly straightforward woman and the virgin stared wide-eyed at each other. The slightly forbidden atmosphere they had struggled to build vanished in an instant.

"...Should I ask Koschei?"

Talula said something astonishing.

"Huh??"

"No... sorry, I-I'm a little—"

Realizing she had said something utterly absurd, Talula covered her face again and wagged her tail.

"Forget it, we'll figure it out as we go...!"

Orson gritted his teeth, stamped his foot, and reached out, gently running his hand over the young dragon's body.

"Mm...!"

Though she had never experienced it and knew nothing of matters between men and women, the young Sankta's immature body could still sense the pleasure carved into instinct.

At first, they only touched each other awkwardly and clumsily. But soon, they gradually became immersed in one another. To suppress that overly forbidden pleasure, the young dragon even accidentally bit through her lip. The blood that flowed from the corner of her mouth onto her pale skin stirred an even deeper desire within Orson—

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After one night.

"Orson, do you mind explaining this?" "Orson~ Did something happen between you and Talula?" "Mm... Orson, perhaps my thoughts are a little dirty, but could you explain this properly?"

"Um, actually, this was a workplace injury..."

Orson sat in a chair with cold sweat on his face, his entire body covered in burn marks. FrostNova, Alina, and Lumen surrounded him, their stares painfully sharp.

Meanwhile, Talula wore a smile. This eager-to-learn young dragon had not only gained new knowledge, but had grown considerably as well.

The Little Bunny's Coffin-Carrying Mission Went Wrong

Chernobyl, the only mobile city in Ursus led by the new noble faction and focused on "industry and economy," had already been calm for some time after the turmoil known as the Kazimierz City Incident.

For most of Chernobyl's citizens, today was merely another ordinary day. The old nobles' schemes, the new nobles' counterattack, the emergence of a new organization called Reunion, and the youngest mayor in history taking office—though major news kept appearing, everyday life had not changed much.

But what these citizens did not know was that a group of unidentified "outsiders" had quietly infiltrated Chernobyl.

"SCOUT, how are things around us?"

"No law enforcement personnel in sight for now. There are few people nearby. We can move."

"Understood. Everyone... begin the operation!"

In an empty alley somewhere in Chernobyl, a Kates girl wearing a blue-toned uniform pressed down on her communicator. Then she nodded, signaling several members of different races beside her, all dressed in similarly styled clothing, to begin moving.

These members, who called themselves Rhodes Island, set out from a corner of Chernobyl. Along the way, they avoided surveillance and guards as much as possible, advancing toward a certain hub in the underground power district.