SSA Chapter 53

That hand extended from between the buttocks to the thighs, scooping up the scattered semen. Then, it gently rubbed it onto the scrotum and perineum. As the rough thumb coated with semen softly pressed against his anus, Rinda inhaled sharply, feeling the sensation deeply.

“When I return safely, I’ll make sure to let you swallow it properly, right here.”

At those words, Rinda sniffled and blinked. He unwrapped his arms from around Cain and turned to look at Fang.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Fang nodded, looking into Rinda’s eyes. There wasn’t a hint of deceit in those black eyes. Rinda’s gaze wavered before he nodded firmly.

“…It’s an absolute promise, okay?”

Speaking in a slightly sulky tone, Fang replied with an unwavering “Yeah.” Fang leaned in from behind and planted a kiss on Rinda’s cheek.

“Mm.”

While it was common to receive vital energy through the mouth, it was rare to have it done on the cheek. Fang traced Rinda’s tear-stained cheek with his lips, finally kissing the corner of his eye.

“Hey.”

Suddenly, his arm was pulled, and his body tilted.

“What’s with this intimate atmosphere between you two?”

Cain said this as he embraced Rinda’s head against his own chest. Then, he planted a kiss on Rinda’s crown.

“I’ll give you my semen too.”

“You too, Cain? Is that okay?”

Rinda looked up suddenly. If he could receive semen directly from both Fang and Cain, he would be quite satisfied as an incubus.

Despite having been sobbing just moments ago, Rinda couldn’t help but smile gleefully at the prospect. Watching Rinda, Cain gave a wry smile… and then stroked Rinda’s head, brushing his bangs upward.

“Hm?”

“So, make sure you come back, alright?”

Cain’s lips touched Rinda’s exposed forehead. Then, from behind, an arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him close. Of course, it was Fang doing this. Rinda leaned the back of his head against Fang’s thick chest and exhaled contentedly.

Although today had been a bit unsatisfying, knowing there was something to look forward to later made it bearable.

“If anything happened to you, I… we would be devastated. Guile and Shan would cry their eyes out.”

Cain cut himself off awkwardly mid-sentence, then laughed bitterly.

“That’s true.”

Remembering the commotion after dinner, Rinda chuckled. Then, as his laughter faded, he recalled the words that had stayed with him from that time.

“You know, Vilda said…”

“Hm?”

Fang gently stroked Rinda’s hair, encouraging him to continue.

“He said something like, ‘We never know when we might not be able to see each other again, so we should say what we want to say’…”

When had he grown up enough to say such things? It was both proud and somewhat sad to realize that the brother he had thought was still a child had matured so much.

As Fang stroked his head and Cain held both his hands, gently massaging them, Rinda continued speaking calmly. Talking peacefully like this naturally calmed the aroused feelings he had as an incubus.

“It really made me think, you know?”

Rinda makes promises assuming tomorrow will come as a matter of course. For example, just now, making promises with Fang and Cain about “receiving semen directly” like this.

“It’s kind of a pathetic promise, but a promise is a promise. …Yeah, really. I want to receive semen from you two again.”

He wished he could make a cooler promise, but unfortunately, half of Rinda was an incubus. This was also an important promise related to his life.

“Well, still… wanting to receive semen, haha.”

Perhaps because his emotions had settled, he felt strangely embarrassed. He laughed awkwardly at Cain in front of him to hide his embarrassment… but unexpectedly met serious eyes.

“Rinda.”

“Hm?”

As he was about to ask if something was wrong, his palm was gripped tightly. Surprised by the strength that was almost painful, he tried to pull his arm away, but Cain’s hand wouldn’t allow it.

“Ca-“

“I love you, Rinda.”

His mouth, which was about to finish saying “-in,” remained open, unable to form words. Instead, only unintelligible sounds like “Huh?” and “Eh?” escaped. Unable to even say “What’s gotten into you suddenly?”, he stared up at Cain in bewilderment.

“I love you. I’ve always loved you, truly… probably for much longer than you’d expect.”

Suddenly, it felt as if the air in the room had changed. Rinda tried to say either “Well, I love you too” or “Stop joking around,” but found himself at a loss for words.

“You mean, that kind of love…”

He couldn’t bring himself to say “as family, right?” Cain’s eyes, his trembling lips, and his warm palms clearly conveyed that it wasn’t so. Even though Rinda was inexperienced in matters of love, he wasn’t so oblivious as to misunderstand the meaning.

“Wait, hold on…”

Unconsciously trying to step back, he bumped into a thick chest. It was Fang. Rinda looked up at his brother, as if seeking help. But there was no escape there either.

“Me too, Rinda.”

“Huh? Nii-“

“I love you. I’m in love with you.”

Fang’s words were even more direct than Cain’s, leaving no room for escape, not even a “You’re joking, right?”

“W-wait a minute. What’s gotten into you two?”

He was about to say “So suddenly,” but then realized. Was it sudden? Was it really sudden for these two to show affection towards Rinda? Remembering the heat of their lips kissing him, their touching fingers, their warm embraces, and the vital energy they generously gave him, Rinda looked up.

“This isn’t… because of my incubus powers, right? Haha…”

Trying to brush it off with a laugh, Rinda attempted to stand up and distance himself from the two. However…

“Rinda.”

Their voices overlapped as Cain grabbed Rinda’s hand and Fang wrapped his arm around Rinda’s body. Through their hands, waist, and skin, Rinda could feel their warmth. He couldn’t laugh it off as a joke, but he also didn’t know how to seriously accept it and… how to respond.

“No, but, I… I…”

Rinda opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. Unable to say anything, he closed his eyes.

As if trying to escape from everything before him.

****

“Hey, rookie. Rookie? Roo-kie.”

“…Wah!”

Startled by the loud voice near his ear, Rinda jumped. Then, looking around in confusion, he stammered, “Huh? What?”

“Oh, Kenneth-san…”

“Geez, spacing out the moment we arrive. Come on, we’re going to gather information.”

This was the church in Giggs Village. Since there was no inn in the village, they had to borrow a room at the church.

(When did we arrive, and when did we enter the church?)

Rinda, still dazed, slowly stood up, putting down his luggage. The room they were given was austere but clean, with two beds pushed against the walls, a five-tiered shelf by the window, and flowers arranged on top. It was truly a simple room with just these bare essentials.

Watching the flowers sway gently in the breeze coming through the open window, Rinda lightly slapped his own cheeks.

“I need to go. Move, me.”

He stood up, motivating himself with words. Today, they had to go around the village to gather information. After confirming that his notebook and pen were in his chest pocket, he remembered that the pen was a gift from Cain.

(Cain… Nii-san…)

Remembering their faces and the serious eyes he saw two nights ago, Rinda’s shoulders slumped as he let out a sigh.

“Haah…”

Rinda had never experienced “love” before. During his student days, he had been so focused on making up for his lack of magical ability with academic studies and sword skills that he had no time for anything else. What little free time he had was spent on housework and taking care of his younger brother, leaving no room in his heart to like someone. His sexual knowledge was also limited, and his first kiss came only after discovering he was half-demon.

He understood that it was somewhat disjointed to have a physical relationship without experiencing proper romance first, but strangely, he had accepted it. Although it was beyond his control, he had come to rely on Fang and Cain in this way.

(They didn’t fall in love with me because I’m an incubus… right? They said they’ve loved me for a long time.)

How long was “long”? Rinda had never thought of them “in that way”. At least, not until he found out he was half-demon and they began their physical relationship.

Yes, Rinda had connected physically with Fang and Cain without feeling “like” or “dislike”. But the two of them had loved Rinda in that way. It might not be (wasn’t) unpleasant to be intimate with someone you feel nothing for, but what about being forced into a purely physical relationship with someone you have feelings for?

(If it were me…)

Surely, it would be painful. Moreover, in Rinda’s case, since it involved the depletion of vital energy, they didn’t have the option to “not cooperate”.

(But it’s wrong to assume their feelings on my own, and yet…)

Fang had already established a vital energy supply relationship with Rinda, but then had to share that with Cain as well. Cain, who had been in love with Rinda for so long, had to know that Rinda was kissing, and doing even more, with his brother Fang, even if it couldn’t be helped.

(That kind of thing, isn’t it…)

It might be strange to consider their feelings of love now, but once he knew, he couldn’t help but think about it.

Moreover, it wasn’t just their feelings he needed to consider. He also had to confront his own feelings after being confessed to.

(How should I respond to their feelings?)

Rinda let out a deep sigh before slowly starting to walk. Kenneth, who had left the room earlier, should be waiting outside the church.

Two days ago, Rinda had received what you might call a “love confession”. And not just from one person, but from his brother Fang and his younger brother Cain.

How long had they loved him? Why him? Were those feelings real? There were many, truly many things he wanted to ask, but in the end, he couldn’t ask anything. Fang and Cain had told the bewildered Rinda, “You don’t need to rush to answer. In fact, you don’t have to answer at all.” He wondered if that was really okay, but the two seemed fine with it.

“We’ve kept quiet for years. It’s not like we suddenly expect you to feel the same way now.”

That was Cain’s explanation. Apparently, they hadn’t told him because they wanted an answer.

“Rinda, you’ve become a Holy Knight too, and it’s become even more uncertain what might happen to any of us. We just realized we should express our feelings while we still can. Both Cain and I,” Fang said this while gently stroking Rinda’s hair.

And then, although it may have been awkward (perhaps only for Rinda), they calmly gave him vital energy… Before he knew it, Rinda had fallen asleep. Yes, he had been sleeping. Probably because he was satisfied after absorbing plenty of vital energy.

He thought it was amazing that he could sleep in that situation, but there’s nothing to be done about having fallen asleep. He was in awe of his own thick-skinned or insensitive nature.

When he woke up the next morning, he thought “Maybe that was just a dream,” but Fang and Cain quickly assured him, “Yesterday wasn’t a dream.” With an enthusiastic send-off from his younger brothers (especially Guile and Shan), Rinda set off for Giggs Village without being able to question them about the matter.

On the first day, they rode horses relentlessly. They took breaks in between, but continued moving almost without stopping. Since there was a possibility of falling off if he spaced out, Rinda was able to think about nothing while riding, which was oddly relieving. It also helped that Kenneth kept talking to him or pestering him along the way… He never thought the day would come when he’d be mentally helped by his superior’s usual troublesome behavior.

They went to bed early at night, and from morning they rode horses endlessly again… and finally reached Giggs Village.

Once they arrived, there were moments to think, such as the instant he sat down in a chair or while unpacking. Each time, Rinda found himself brooding over Fang and Cain’s confessions.

(But come on, we’re brothers. Yes, brothers! Well, step-brothers, but still…)

That’s right. Rinda, Fang, and Cain are brothers, even if by adoption. However, it’s also true that as brothers, they’ve been engaging in acts of giving vital energy… which is almost equivalent to sexual intercourse.

(If asked whether I accept that purely as brotherly feelings… I probably don’t think so. But…)

“Aah… ouch”