・・・・・
The saintess’s wedding anniversary celebration was not very grand.
The couple held a simple ceremony before the statue of Goddess Aurora and shared a modest cake made by adding honey and fruit to altar bread.
Occasionally, passing priests offered their congratulations, but that was all.
Liliana gave each of her two husbands a quill pen imbued with blessings.
Since she had two husbands, she had to make sure that neither felt left out when giving gifts.
Altus, in turn, kissed the backs of the couple’s hands and offered them his own gift.
“Happy wedding anniversary, Saintess.”
"Thank you, Altus."
"Congratulations, Liber."
Altus’s gift was a pair of thin bracelets inlaid with opals.
Touched by the unexpected present, Liliana took his hand.
“Thank you so much, Altus, for taking such good care of Liber... Thanks to you, he’s adjusting well to life at the temple.”
“As family, it’s only natural to do so.”
Altus answered affectionately as always.
Liber made a gagging gesture beside her, but Liliana didn’t see it.
“You too, Liber. It must’ve been tough adjusting to such a different environment, but now you’re a full-fledged member of the temple.”
“Right? So, tell bro to stop picking on me already. He only pretends to be nice when the Saintess is around...”
“Liber, didn’t you prepare something as well?”
Liber shot a glare at Altus for cutting him off, then pulled out his gift.
It was a ruby-studded necklace and a leather bookmark about the length of a finger.
“Oh my, did you make this yourself?”
"Yeah. I thought the Saintess would like something like this."
"Thank you. What do you think, Altus?"
“…You considered the Saintess’s tastes and put real thought into it.”
Altus offered the compliment reluctantly, and Liber grinned in triumph, as if he’d just won something.
Still, perhaps they had grown close enough to exchange words like that.
‘If only things could always be this way…’
They hadn’t had any serious fights yet, but Liliana couldn’t help hoping the two men, now her family, would grow even closer.
It would still take some time, though…
Sparkle.
Just then, the statue of the goddess standing behind the altar seemed to glimmer faintly.
Liliana’s eyes widened slightly.
'Huh?'
It was probably just her imagination.
Surely not. Surely not again…
How could she ever forget that day?
On her wedding day, she had made a brazen wish and woken up wedged between her two husbands' rooms.
Sure, it had been a delightful experience, but even so, she had no desire to find herself stuck in a wall again.
"What's wrong, Saintess?"
"Are you okay?"
"Oh, I'm fine."
Seeing the tension on her face, both men looked at her with concern.
Liliana gave them a sheepish smile and shook her head.
No, surely not.
It couldn’t be.
She tried to convince herself of that, but the unease refused to leave her.
・・・・・
'I don't think I was mistaken...'
No strangers appeared even until nightfall.
It was a relief for Liliana, but that didn’t mean she could fully let her guard down.
She stayed tense until Liber finished his bath.
“It’s the first time I’ve slept in the Saintess’s room.”
Liber shook the water from his wet hair and approached her.
Normally, sex was meant to take place in the husband’s room, but tonight, they had chosen to spend the night in Liliana’s.
It was at Liber’s request — he wanted to make a special night feel truly special.
‘You really do have a cute side.’
Actually, she felt a bit sorry for not paying more attention to Liber all day.
It was a special day for just the two of them, but she had been on edge the whole time because of the glowing statue of the goddess.
"Come here, Liber."
Liliana smiled softly and opened her arms to her second husband.
Liber, as if he had been waiting for this, came closer, rubbing his cheek against her palm and kissing her while acting playful.
Surely, this kind of affection had a different charm compared to Altus.
Moreover, Liber, who was said to have had plenty of experience before marriage, suggested more adventurous intimacies than the straightforward Altus — things like massages with scented oils, bathing together, or even making love while looking in the mirror.
So when he suddenly pulled out a long black cloth, Liliana didn’t feel particularly wary.
“Did you know, Saintess? Covering your eyes sharpens your senses.”
“...You’ve been carrying this around since morning?”
“Why? Have you fallen for my preparedness?”
He smiled playfully and sat quietly, as if waiting for Liliana’s permission. Naturally, she nodded.
“All right, do as you wish.”
As soon as she gave permission, a soft cloth was drawn over her eyes.
There were a few gentle rustling sounds behind her head, and then a light pressure fully blocked her vision.
"...Can you see?"
"Mmm, not at all."
“Is it not too tight?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
When she answered with a smile, Liber leaned in and kissed her.
At first, their lips touched lightly and playfully, then slowly pressed together in a warm, lingering kiss.
The tip of his tongue gently traced between her lips.
"Ngh..."
As their tongues intertwined, his large hands skillfully began to undress her.
Whether or not her senses were truly sharper, every time his hands brushed an unexpected spot, the fine hairs on her skin seemed to stand on end.
“We can make it even more fun.”
After undressing Liliana completely, Liber took both of her hands and brought them behind her back.
Then, using a fabric similar to the one covering her eyes, he firmly bound her wrists.
Though she couldn’t see, Liliana turned her head in the direction where Liber was.
"Mmm, Liber. What are you doing?"
"Why? Don't you like it?"
"It's not that I don't like it."
With her hesitant consent, their lips met again.
The tongue that lightly traced between her parted lips slipped gently inside her mouth.
If Altus’s kisses were polite and careful, Liber’s were wild yet expertly controlled.
They brushed lightly like a feather, then suddenly grew intense, softened soothingly, and deepened again.
With her vision blocked and hands bound, there was no resisting — everything happened in an instant.
Liliana parted her lips and stuck out her tongue, doing as Liber guided her.
Their saliva-moistened tongues gently entwined until he suddenly withdrew.
"...Liber?"
"Wait a moment, Saintess."
Liber broke away from the kiss and got up.
Confused, Liliana turned her head toward the sound but still couldn’t see anything.
“Sorry. I forgot something, so I’ll be right back.”
"Uh… Like this?"
"Yes."
Liber responded as if it were obvious, kissed Liliana’s cheek, lightly tugged at her nipple… and then actually left the room.
“...”
Liliana was left alone on the bed, blindfolded, her arms bound, and completely naked.
"Liber?"
What could he have gone to get in the middle of sex?
Massage oil? Or some adult toy that was inconvenient to carry around?
Her imagination ran wild.
Did he really leave the room?
Or was he just pretending to leave while secretly watching her?
Conscious of the unseen gaze, the nipple Liber had touched suddenly tingled for no reason.
Liliana glanced around nervously, then realised her shoulders had hunched and straightened her back.
Still, there was no sign of anyone nearby.
'Is this some kind of abandonment play…?'
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
In the empty room, only the quiet sound of the second hand moving could be heard.
Under normal circumstances, it might have been fine, but for a couple’s anniversary, this wasn’t exactly the most appropriate event.
Should she scold him, just once, like Altus said?
But he looked so pitiful when he was sulking...
It was then that the door suddenly swung open.
Liliana turned her head toward the door.
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