Is this guy a masochist?

“Are you kidding me?”

I stared at Yani in disbelief.

Yet, the undeniable “It’s true” expression on her face made the reality unavoidable.

‘What kind of joke is this? Since the day I was born, the number of times I’ve spoken to a girl could be counted on one hand. Let alone holding hands, any further intimacy was something I’d never even dared to imagine.’

But now?

I, a virgin male who had never even touched a girl’s hand, now had a fiancé??

‘Haha, this must be a trial bestowed upon me by the Demon God. Yes, it must be; perhaps after passing this trial, the Demon God himself will welcome me to become a Flame Emissary of the Demon Realm!’

“Ah, Miss, I think it would be best if you stepped back a little now.”

At that moment, the maid suddenly reminded me, simultaneously pointing a finger towards my feet.

“Hmm?”

I lowered my head in confusion.

Suddenly, I saw the blond-haired man I had kicked to the ground.

He was tremblingly reaching a hand towards my calf, his face already soaked with tears.

“Boohoo, Airi, you finally deigned to touch me! I’m so happy. Could you perhaps… do it again…?”

‘Oh my god! Had this guy been kicked senseless by me? Where had his dignified demeanor from moments ago gone? He couldn’t even maintain his coolness for three seconds!’

I quickly pressed my foot against the blond man’s face to keep him from getting closer.

Turning to Yani, I asked, “What’s wrong with this guy?”

“Hmm, Miss, you don’t even remember this?”

Yani asked, blinking her eyes.

“I don’t remember!”

I shouted desperately, all while doing my best to push the blond man’s face away.

“Airi, sob…”

‘Oh heavens, his face is getting closer and closer! Ah, ah, don’t touch my leg! Help me, Demon God! I’m not playing this trial anymore; I don’t want to be a Flame Emissary of the Demon Realm. Just send me back!’

Hearing my outburst, Yani’s delicate eyebrows furrowed.

“This is troublesome,” she said.

“Miss, while Count Paritch is usually quite normal and impeccably polite, once he experiences a severe shock, he will…”

The little maid then pointed her index finger to her cheek, a slight smirk playing on her lips.

“Turn into a masochistic type, eheh.”

‘Eheh my foot! Why are you acting cute at a time like this? Isn’t he just a masochist? If you knew about this, why didn’t you stop me when I kicked him in the first place!’

“Because you acted too fast, Miss,” the little maid pouted, looking a bit wronged.

“Besides, you’ve always been so careful not to even touch the gentleman before.”

“However, Miss, rest assured. Count Paritch’s condition only lasts for fifteen minutes; after that, he’ll return to normal.”

‘No way, another fifteen minutes?’

I powerlessly gazed at the blond man sprawled on the ground, his face wearing an expression of utter enjoyment as I stepped on it.

My eyebrows arched, my lips formed a disgusted half-circle, and I shot him a look of unparalleled disdain.

“Airi, just once more, give me another one…”

The scene was utterly unbearable.

Yani instinctively covered her eyes.

“You damn pervert, that’s enough!”

“Ah—”

Twenty minutes later.

Outside the castle, within a small pavilion in the front garden.

The blond man slowly set down his cup, a faint smile gracing his face.

As the breeze ruffled his golden hair, he appeared exquisitely elegant.

“Airi, you’re quite spirited today, aren’t you?”

“Haha, am I?”

I chuckled a few perfunctory times, then helplessly turned my head away.

‘Don’t you dare smile at me! After witnessing your previous antics, no matter how elegant you pretend to be now, the dissonance in my mind is off the charts. The lingering imprint of my foot on your face is the best proof!’

The maid, meanwhile, stood behind me.

She held freshly procured bread in her hands, smiling as she watched us.

‘Wait, no way, Miss Maid! You haven’t given up on making me eat breakfast?’

‘I wondered why you were absent for a bit when I was just stomping on that masochist. So you went to get bread?’

‘I thought you’d gone to get medicine for that blond guy!’

“Speaking of which.”

The blond man—no, his real name should be Lance—smiled and addressed me.

“Airi,” he said, “since you’re well enough to walk around today, would you like to try going to the academy?”