Chapter 279 - Reunited At Last

Dante stared down the hole in the outhouse, "Walk though… That?"

I nodded, "It's not as bad as you'd think."

"Really?"

"No. I lied. It's much worse." I pinched my nose as I recalled the terrible smell, "I had to crawl through this thing more than once too. You would think it would get better, but it doesn't. It only gets worse."

Dante frowned as he looked down. I could feel his grip on me tighten. 

I sighed, "Okay, you can put me down. I will lead you through. Just make sure you-"

Dante didn't give me chance to finish my sentence before suddenly jumping down the hole.

"EEEK!" I scrambled to grab his neck in a panic as Dante jumped down into the sewer without another thought. I was expecting splash-back, but Dante had landed perfectly below.

If he was an Olympic diver, he would have been given a perfect score.

Dante calmly looked in both directions, "Which way?"

I blinked in surprise as I pointed down the direction of the exit. He nodded in response as he carried me.

"Wait. You are still carrying me?"

Dante looked down at me as if it was a stupid question, "Yes?"

"Why?"

"I'm not going to make you walk in... This."

I gave him a coy smile, "Fufu~ It looks like my little Dante has finally learned how to spoil me." I paused, "But… You should have let me finish what I was about to say."

He tilted his head.

I explained, "I would have said to make sure you take off your shoes and roll up your pants first so that way you won't get dirty. Then once we get out we can find a lake to clean up in."

Dante frowned, "Walk barefoot… Through this?"

"…"

Well, I won't lie. Feeling the squishy feeling of [censored] between your toes was a traumatic experience I will never forget.

Ugh. Even the smell is enough to trigger me.

I buried my head into Dante's chest while embracing him. I took in deep breaths of his aroma to get the smell of sewer out of my nose. I felt him flinch and tighten his grip on me. Although I couldn't see his face at this position, somehow I had a feeling he was looking away with the tips of his ears turning red.

But why is he feeling so bashful? It's just like a hug and we have hugged many times before.

I nuzzled my face against his chest and paused.

Wait… Wasn't his shirt ripped open? Then that would mean my face… Is against…

Bare skin?!

I opened my eyes. Sure enough, I had buried my face on his bare chest. I gulped as I peeked at the muscles so close to my face.

I know I should look away… But I can't…

It looks too enticing. 

AHH! I can't help it…

I need a taste!

I placed my lips against his chest and began to kiss his tender skin.

I felt him flinch, "S-Seri!"

I froze and pulled back, "Ah! Sorry… I lost control for a moment…"

Can you blame me? I haven't seen him in too long! Now I need to make up for it.

He cleared his throat as he looked away feeling embarrassed, "J-Just wait until we get outside and find a lake…"

…Right. I forgot we were in a sewer.

I nodded, "Okay, okay. I will wait… Patiently…"

More like impatiently.

As he carried me through the rest of the sewer, I kept rubbing my face against his chest to fend off the smells around me. Once we were outside, I directed him to a lake where I had hidden supplies for us when I first arrived. He put me down as he began to clean up. I went to a nearby tree and climbed up.

He looked at me as I was in the tree, "What are you doing?"

I answered as I climbed, "A while back, I hid a backpack with enough resources to get us back to the Imperial Kingdom. I even packed a change of clothes for both of us."

We were both wearing clothes that were ripped and bloody. Dante especially needed a change of pants. I grabbed the backpack from the top and held it up, "I got it!"

*CRACK*

I screamed as the limb holding me broke and sent me barreling down to the ground. I squeezed my eyes shut expecting to land on the painful ground, but instead I only felt the gentle feeling of arms catching me. I looked up to see Dante's handsome face staring down at me.

"Bad luck, huh?"

I nodded and whispered, "You have no idea."

"Hmm." 

He bent down to kiss me tenderly. I tossed the backpack to the ground without a second thought before I wrapped my arms around his neck to receive the kisses. I closed my eyes to enjoy that tasteful moment. I wish I could stay like this in his arms forever.

Dante pulled away putting a stop to the sweet kisses. "I am curious about something."

I looked at him with a pout for stopping. I grumbled feeling wronged, "What?"

"I clearly watched you get shot in the chest. How did you survive?"

I scratched my cheek awkwardly, "I may have invented Kevlar."

"Kevlar?"

I clicked my tongue, "Right… That term doesn't exist here." 

He put me down and I reached down into my shirt to pull out a necklace. It was the thick plated sun shaped necklace that Bertram had given me. In the dead center of the necklace was a bullet. It had made an indentation, but it was stopped from going through.

I explained, "Bertram gave me this necklace. At first I thought the sun was huge and gaudy so it wouldn't be useful. But it turns out that it must be bullet proof since the bullet wasn't able to break it."

Dante's eyes widened, "How lucky."

I pouted, "I wouldn't say lucky! Look at this! It completely bruised my chest! Do you have any idea how much this hurts?! If it were over my heart the pressure probably would have ruptured an artery and stopped my heart!"

I pulled down my shirt to reveal the nasty bruise between my two breasts. The bruise was large and dark purple. I wouldn't be surprised if I had internal injuries from this! 

I had expected Dante to comfort me but was amazed to hear him not utter a word. When I looked up, I could see his ears were bright red as he stared down my shirt.

"…"

"…"

I immediately pulled up my shirt while blushing.

AAH! I forgot that when I was in a rush to put on clothes, I neglected to put on my binding tape or anything underneath this!

I can't believe I just practically flashed Dante!

Wait?! Why am I feeling so bashful about this?! It's not like he hasn't seen it before…

But then again… He also didn't remember because he was so drunk.

I looked away and cleared my throat, "Anyway… You are covered in wounds. I brought a first aid kit so let me take a look."

I grabbed Dante's hand and held the backpack with the other. I brought him to the lake and placed the backpack down by the edge and turned to Dante. I went to look at his cuts, but he pushed me back.

He looked at me with a serious expression, "We should take care of yours first."

I sighed in irritation, "Listen. I wasn't the person in a dungeon for more than a month. So we are taking care of your wounds first."

"But-"

I leaned forward to seal his lips with a kiss. I pulled away hovering in front of his lips with a smile. I spoke flirtatiously, "No complaints. If you are a good boy, I will give you a reward~"

Dante looked ahead with a blank expression. I grabbed his sword and stood up. I went over to a nearby tree and used his sword to chop down the leaves. Dante watched me in confusion as I gathered up the leaves and brought them over. 

I spoke as I sliced them open, "The Head Priest showed me this. The leaves are very good for working as antibiotics as well as bandages."

Dante watched me prepare them in deep concentration. He glanced at my wrist and froze, "What is… That?"

I stopped and looked down to where he was looking. Fern had heard our conversation and slithered down my arm to look at Dante with his dark beady eyes. I almost forgot that he was still clinging to me. I'm surprised he hasn't died from the previous fight.

I held him up, "This is Fern. He belonged to the Holy Empress." I looked at the snake, "Fern, this is Dante. He is the son of the Holy Empress."

Dante glanced at me before looking at the snake once more. The snake slithered off of my arm and towards Dante. Dante froze as the snake started coiling around his wrist as if it was hugging him.

I chuckled, "He likes you. He must know you're her child."

Then I turned to his chest with a hungry expression, "Now strip."