A Sweet and Bitter Kiss

Walking through the streets of Morgan City today, Domu felt a significant difference from his usual routine. The most striking change was Soronna, who clung tightly to his arm, her face brimming with a sweet and radiant smile. Equally impactful were the gazes from the surrounding residents, which caused Domu to blush uncontrollably.

From the moment they stepped out, Soronna had held onto Domu’s arm without the slightest intention of letting go. No matter what he said, she refused to release him, and instead continued to complain about him wearing such rigid armor, saying that its cold, hard surface was far less comfortable than Domu’s soft, smooth skin.

Domu somewhat regretted bringing Soronna along with him. The residents around them had clearly misunderstood the relationship between the two, their gazes filled with sweetness, blessings, and even a faint trace of envy. It was at this moment that Domu suddenly realized that, in the eyes of others, he was currently portraying the image of a righteous and powerful male paladin.

To walk down the street in such an intimate manner with a young girl, without any sense of shame or restraint—good heavens! His own reputation did not matter much, but this kind of situation would undoubtedly have a negative impact on Soronna, who was still a young maiden.

In Domu’s heart, Soronna had always been nothing more than a little girl. Her feelings toward him were merely a temporary curiosity and impulse. To Domu, Soronna was just like Na’er; he simply regarded her as a mischievous younger sister.

Even when Soronna did many strange and overly intimate things to him, Domu never harbored any improper thoughts toward her. Instead, he constantly worried that he—originally a boy—was taking advantage of her by relying on his current appearance, and this thought filled him with guilt.

Faced with the gazes of the surrounding residents, Domu even had the urge to cover his face with his hands and run away to hide somewhere deserted. As a lone wolf, Domu was most afraid of being stared at by too many people, finding such attention extremely uncomfortable.

However, when he lowered his head and looked at Soronna beside him, seeing her face filled with happiness, Domu’s heart softened once more. Despite the overwhelming embarrassment, he felt that if it could make Soronna happy, then enduring it was worthwhile. Still, would this really not have any negative effect on her?

It should be fine, Domu thought to himself. Once I make a name for myself and find Na’er, I can explain everything clearly—that I am actually a man. After all, I will have to explain my current female body to Na’er sooner or later. If I clarify everything at that time, it shouldn’t affect Soronna’s reputation, right?

“Domu! I want that! Can we go over there and get it?” While Domu was still lost in his thoughts, Soronna, who was clinging tightly to his arm, suddenly pointed toward a nearby stall and spoke in an excited tone.

“Soronna… that… that’s something children usually eat…” Following Soronna’s gaze, Domu saw that it was a stall selling candied hawthorn skewers. He turned to look at Soronna beside him, a faint and helpless smile appearing on his face.

“I don’t care, I don’t care… Domu, I want that one… please, please, Domu, pretty please?” Soronna grabbed Domu’s arm with both hands and shook it continuously, her face filled with pleading and expectation.

“Alright…” Watching Soronna’s playful behavior, a helpless smile appeared beneath Domu’s helmet. He gently reached out and patted Soronna’s pink hair, then led her toward the candied hawthorn stall.

“Sir, could you give me one candied hawthorn skewer? How much is it?” Domu’s deep and magnetic voice sounded from beneath his mask as he spoke to the stall owner, who was currently looking at him with an extremely excited expression.

“No, no, no! How could I possibly accept money from Lord Domu! This skewer—no, this largest skewer—is my treat for Lord Domu and Lady Soronna! Lord Domu, you are the pride of Morgan City, a demigod-level powerhouse! It is my honor that you would come to buy candied hawthorn from my stall! Oh, and sir, could you possibly give me an autograph?”

The candied hawthorn vendor, visibly excited, hurriedly rummaged through his stall, selected the largest skewer, and respectfully handed it to Domu, then looked at him with anticipation.

“Hmm… I suppose I can…” Domu accepted the skewer, his voice carrying a slight trace of embarrassment.

“But… where should I sign?” Domu looked around, only to find that there was no suitable place to leave an autograph within the small stall.

“Ah—Lord Domu! Right here, right here!” The vendor’s eyes darted around before he quickly took down the signboard hanging above his stall. He pointed to a blank spot on it, his face filled with excitement.

“Hehe, Uncle, I didn’t expect you to be quite clever. But asking for Lord Domu’s autograph in exchange for just one candied hawthorn—isn’t that a bit too greedy?” Soronna stepped forward, took the candied hawthorn from Domu’s hand, and then stood in front of the suddenly sweating vendor, speaking softly.

“I’ll give you a suggestion, Uncle. Just spread the word that Lord Domu often comes here to buy candied hawthorn for me, and your business will surely flourish. You won’t even need Lord Domu to sign your signboard, because whether anyone verifies it or not, Lord Domu will admit that he did indeed buy candied hawthorn for me here.”

“Ha… haha… Lady Soronna, you’re absolutely right!” The vendor hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead, clearly flustered. “Let’s forget about the autograph! Please come again often!”

“Hehe, thank you for the candied hawthorn, Uncle~ We’ll definitely come again often~” Soronna smiled happily, waved the candied hawthorn in her hand, and then pulled Domu—who was still somewhat stunned—away from the stall.

“Soronna, why did you refuse to let me sign for that kind vendor? It wouldn’t have mattered, would it?” Since they still had some time, Domu led Soronna to a nearby bench by the roadside, planning to head to the Lord’s Mansion after she finished eating. However, he was still puzzled by what had just happened, so he decided to ask.

“Domu~ why did you only buy one candied hawthorn? Aren’t you going to eat any?” Soronna did not answer Domu’s question. Instead, she leaned her head against his shoulder and happily began eating the skewer.

“I… I can’t eat outside like this, you know. In my current state…” Domu pointed helplessly at his helmet.

“Then… if Domu feeds me, I’ll answer your question~” Soronna extended her small tongue to lick the sugar residue from her lips, then winked playfully at Domu.

“Eh? So… Soronna… how exactly am I supposed to feed you?” Seeing Soronna’s expression, Domu felt a sinking feeling in his heart, as if he could already guess what kind of strange idea she had come up with.

“Of course… mouth-to-mouth…” Soronna softly whispered these words to Domu, then slowly closed her eyes. Her neck and ears gradually turned red at a visible rate.

“W-wait a moment, Soronna… there are so many people here. I can’t take off my helmet…” Soronna’s words startled Domu. He quickly glanced around, noticing that many residents nearby were already looking at them with curious and gossip-filled expressions. Domu lowered his head, not daring to meet Soronna’s gaze.

“Hehe, I knew Domu wanted to kiss me too… because your first thought was about how inconvenient the crowd is, not about why we should kiss… I’m so happy, Domu… really, really happy…” Soronna opened her eyes, gently bit her lower lip, and revealed a sweet smile.

“Soronna… n-no, that’s not what I meant at all…” At this moment, Domu felt both extremely helpless and completely at a loss.

“It’s fine now~ I just used the [Mirror Twist] spell. No one can see us anymore!” Soronna stood up, her hands slightly spread as she released what seemed to be an invisible magical barrier. Then she playfully turned around, handed the candied hawthorn to Domu, clasped her hands behind her back, gently raised her head, and slowly closed her eyes.

“Prince, please awaken your princess with a sweet kiss~”

“Ah…” Domu looked around and discovered that the surrounding residents truly seemed unable to perceive them anymore, instead looking around in confusion. Soon, someone shouted, “Lord Domu is over there!” and a crowd rushed off in that direction.

Looking at the girl standing before him with her head slightly raised, Domu felt an indescribable sensation arise within him. His heart began to beat faster and faster. He looked at her flushed cheeks, her soft lips, and her slender neck. A sudden impulse surged within him—an urge to hold her, to kiss her.

No… you can’t, Domu… You are not someone from this world. You shouldn’t invest too much emotion in the people here. Besides… this is just a game… You are only a man using a woman’s body. Even if Soronna truly likes you, what she likes is only your game character.

This is just a transaction, just a response to her feelings, just something to satisfy your own curiosity.

With this thought, Domu slowly removed his helmet. With complicated emotions, he picked up a candied hawthorn with his lips, then leaned forward, his heart pounding, and gently pressed it against Soronna’s lips in a soft kiss.

You can’t, Domu. No matter how much you might like her, you cannot fall in love with her. Just treat all of this as a game.

At that moment, Domu felt his eyes grow moist, and tears uncontrollably slid down his cheeks, landing softly on Soronna’s lips.

“Domu… it’s strange. Why does this piece of candied hawthorn taste a little bitter?”