Avalon's Dungeon

"Well, say hello to your second lover," Sara says, and Alexis leaves the doctor's office after receiving birth control pills.

（I don't have a second one, not even a first one...）

Alexis thought so, but decided to go to his next appointment.

The place Alexis arrived at was a workshop in the basement.

As expected, Dorothea was there.

She was sitting on a chair in the corner of the workshop, lying down on the table, and staring blankly at the table.

「Ah...」

Alexis was afraid to call out to her, because she seemed to be in a daze. But thinking about it again, he had done something terrible yesterday, which he had to worry about.

（Should I apologize? No, it's not a problem that can be solved by apologizing...）

Apparently still unaware of Alexis' distress, Dorothea lets out a sigh.

「...*Sigh* It's still tingling...」

She said with a hand on her lower abdomen, and she sighed again, "Ugh...what if I have a baby..."

She kept sighing and sighing, so Alexis decided to call out to her.

"Dorothea," said Alexis. and Dorothea jumps up.

「P-P-Princeee?!」

Dorothea gets up from her chair with a loud clatter, and Alexis takes a step toward her. But Dorothea takes a step backward.

「W-What do you want? Don't tell me you... you... will do it again...」

A wary look came from her eyes.

「I-I'm not going to do anything

Alexis says hurriedly, but Dorothea looks at him sharply, "I don't trust you!".

Well, it's obvious response because he had done something that can't be trusted.

For now, Alexis decides to give up on approaching her, and he tosses the birth control pills out of his pocket and hands them to her.

Dorothea hurriedly accepted it when it fell in front of her chest and then asked Alexis, "What's this?".

「Birth control pills. You need them, don't you?」

Dorothea looks miffed.

「I-If Prince hadn't done that, I wouldn't need them...?」

「I know that, but...」

Alexis had no choice to explace. Thought, he seemed to be in a very bad mood.

「Well, you know, yesterday I just... no matter how hard I tried to get you to pull away from me, you wouldn't wake up, and then I just got so horny. I'm sorry, I'm sorry」

Alexis finally apologizes and Dorothea's eyes flutter and she lets out a sigh.

「...what, you're just going to simply apologize?」

「What? What's wrong with apologizing?」

Dorothea miffed. And then, she shakes her head, "Well.".

「You're a prince too, and I thought you don't like to do that to common people. And besides... I'm aware of my bad sleeping habits...」

Dorothea finally smiled a little, and Alexis was relieved.

「Okay, I'm going to go now, but please let me know if you get sick or if there are any changes in your health. You seem to be a bit of a pushover when it comes to blacksmithing. I want you to take it easy」

「Do you mean if I'm having a baby?」

Dorothea asked, and Alexis shook his head in haste, thinking that this could certainly be taken as a meaning.

「No, no. You were a virgin, weren't you? I mean you might have injured or something!」

「Uh... yeah」

Dorothea's cheeks are stained and she puts her hand on her lower abdomen, as if she has an idea.

「It's true that there's still a little tingling or zinging sensation...」

「Ah... yeah」

Even Alexis is embarrassed and turns his face away from her.

It reminds him of the fact that he had slept with the woman in front of him yesterday.

「Well, I'll work again today」

Dorothea said, and Alexis was taken aback.

「How stupid are you, you blacksmith? At least when you're not feeling well...」

「It can't be helped. Because I don't want to be reminded of that. I have to move my body or I'll remember!」

Hearing Dorothea's line, Alexis can't help but fall silent.

「Besides, it's true that the work is getting harder and harder. If I don't do it, there will be no one to replace me.」

Dorothea picked up a hammer from the wall and looked back at Alexis, who looked dejected, saying "...but..."

「I feel a little better now that you're here... I thought you'd be a bit of a jerk after what you did, but you're so serious, even for a prince. So...I'm a little relieved.」

Seeing Alexis's expression change to a vacant one as he says this, Dorothea feels some embarrassment and her cheeks turn red.

「So... just get out when you're done. I can't concentrate」

Alexis nodded, "Okay," as Dorothea hurriedly looked away from him.

Alexis then says again, "I'm sorry again... and bye," and leaves.

After confirming that he was gone, Dorothea let out a big sigh.

She looks down at the birth control pills she is clutching in her other hand, the one that is not holding the hammer.

「Huff... I was thinking of what I'd say to him if he comes over, but he's acting so regretful like that...」

She missed the timing to say it and her shoulders slump in disappointment.

「If my lord is other person, I have to cry myself to sleep anyway. But he seems to be on a roll, and then he responds with such sincerity. He is different from the one I imagined the 6th prince to be, or in a way, he is just as I imagined...」

Dorothea had heard that the prince is a commoner from the beginning, but she didn't expect him to be that much. And then, it made her think, "Well, it's much better than dealing with a royalty who looks like a royalty.".

「Oh... no, I shouldn't be thinking. I have to get back to work as soon as I take the pills.」

Dorothea comes to herself and, out of habit, she puts the hammer on the floor. Then she went to the table to fill a glass of water.

Fortunately, there is a water tap in the workshop and cups are always available.

（...Prince, when he saw my privates, he didn't look at me strangely. He didn't say it was weird. Rather, I can't believe he said it was sexy...）

She thinks absentmindedly while holding the cup in her hand, and then she come back to herself.

「So... w-what!? Haven't I decided not to think about it any more? If so, I'm not going to think about it any more!」

Dorothea shakes her head and vows not to think about anything else this time.

* * *

Now that he had finished all of his planned errands, Alexis was walking down the corridor, thinking that he would have the rest of the day free.

The small courtyard, which can be seen from the corridor built in the middle of the fort, has a well-maintained flowerbed and an elegant table and chairs for two, which is not typical for a fort.

He had always wondered which of the sturdy soldiers packed in here would use this place, but that question has just been answered today.

「Your Highness, may I serve you some tea?」

「Thank you very much」

There was a beautiful princess in a white one-piece dress and her beautiful blonde maid beside her, which was not suitable in a fortress.

Moreover, it seems that it is the tea time, and they are drinking tea and enjoying sweets.

「Would you like to join me, Fatima?」

「No, it is not good for me to spend time with Your Highness」

Fatima looked at Fransisca with mild eyes.

「Fufu, Fatima. You don't have to worry about it」

「No, I'm doing what I want to do.」

At the sight of the two of them, people might think for a moment that they are in a palace somewhere.

Anyway, Alexis decides to call out to them to get their attention.

「Hey, you two」

Fransisca and Fatima started to look simultaneously.

Fransisca's cheeks are stained and her eyes are fluttering, and Fatima's expression becomes blank.

Alexis wondered if it was better not to talk to them. Just as Alexis was about to ask, Fatima said, "Well, well, isn't this Alex?"

「Yes, both of you. Sorry, I guess I interrupted you」

With that Alexis turned to leave, but then quickly turned back because he had something on his mind.

「By the way... who has prepared these flower beds, chairs, and desks that don't look like something in a fortress?」

"Ah, that?" Fatima said, smiling proudly.

「Her Highness and I take turns taking care of them. Last year or so, I suggested that a place like this might be needed, and was told that it would be a good idea to put some work into the courtyard」

「I see...」

Alexis is impressed that they are so careful, but it is also a bit disturbing to have so many places that are so stuffy. However, it's also a bit rough to live in such a place all the time.

「Umm, isn't it good?」

Fransisca seems to have taken Alexis' silence in the wrong direction and gives him a worried look.

"Well, it's good," Alexis replied.

「Having a feast for the eyes improves the morale of the soldiers」

「Yes, flowers are a great comfort to everyone」

Fransisca smiles in relief.

「No, not that flowers...」

（I mean, the view of two well-bred beauties having tea time together is a feast for the eyes...）

Alexis thought so, but decided to keep quiet.

He was tempted to say that this kind of behavior might be a part of the reason why the soldiers were looking at them with ulterior motives. He was tempted to say so, but he decided to keep quiet about that, too.

「...What's wrong?」

Fransisca looked at him with a puzzled look on her face. But Alexis said, "No, nothing," and then turned to leave again.

「Ah... yes, Alex, may I have a word?」

Fatima stopped him as if she remembered somehting, and Alexis stopped again.

「What is it?」

Fatima's expression was one of shame as she looked back at Alexis.

「Well, about today. I have a favor to ask you, if you're free...」

Fatima's fidgeting looks unusual to Fransisca, and she turns her eyes to the vassal by her side.

「I-I'd like to ask you to take care of the monster at a time convenient for you...」

Hearing Fatima's line, Alexis rolls his eyes while Fransisca's expression becomes indescribable.

At this, Alexis thinks, "Well, it's been almost four days."

「Yeah, no problem. I've been messing around with my free time all day」

He readily agreed.

Fransisca looks at Alexis with a somewhat disgruntled look in her eyes.

「Alexis-sama... at least hide a little in front of me...」

「Why do I have to do that?」

「B-Because I'm Alexis-sama... blah, blah, blah...」

Fransisca moves her mouth in a difficult manner, and now Fatima looks at her strangely.

「What? Do you want to do the same thing?」

Alexis grins and Fransisca's cheeks flush.

「...Your Highness?」

「No, nothing!」

Fransisca shakes her head in response to Fatima's question, but she can't seem to hide her loose cheeks.