Avalon's Dungeon

Fransisca's face turned pale as she came to herself.

She turned quickly to Alexis, who cleaned himself up.

「Alexis-sama!」

She shouted, just as Alexis is getting out of the spring to put on his clothes.

"Yes, what is it?" Alexis responded, completely naked.

「Whoa――」

Fransisca turned away hurriedly with her cheeks flushed while saying, "Ah, I'm in trouble".

「Fatima saw us...」

"You say it now!?", Alexis couldn't help to say.

「You haven't said anything after all this time, so I was starting to think it wasn't a big deal.」

"Well, I wonder...?" Fransisca tilted her head.

「Still, it's true that I've been seen in an embarrassing way...」

Fransisca blushes and sighs.

「Well, maybe we should have a talk later...」

Alexis looked up at the ceiling.

* * *

When they returned to the camp, Fatima is waiting for them.

The blush on her cheeks is still there, but her face is as expressionless as ever as she tells Alexis and Fransisca in a nonchalant tone, "I need to talk to you later."

「If you want to talk, let's put the three of you in the guard tonight in consecutive numbers, and then me and Lorenzo-kun can take turns.」

Sara also decides to do so.

However, it is true that it is easier for the three of them to have a discussion now that it is their bedtime.

* * *

Within a few hours, the three of them are together in front of the camp.

「What a splendid watch we have here tonight」

"Don't fool around," Fatima said, folding her arms.

「Fatima, you seem to be in a bad mood...」

Fransisca also looked at her vassal's face.

"Of course I am in a bad mood", said Fatima looking at Fransisca.

「Still, Her Higness is Her Highness. Then, when Your Highness started doing that kind of thing? No, it's no longer a problem. God will forgive us if there are unavoidable circumstances. That is why it allowed it at one time. But there should be no such circumstances in this case. This is a violation of purity. Such behavior is unbecoming of a princess-maiden!」

「Eh... Is it violating my purity?」

Fatima's shoulders slump in disappointment as she sees Fransisca's eyes widen in surprise.

「We are responsible for teaching Her Highness anything. Her Highness is too innocent. But... Alexis, I told you to draw the line」

Now Fatima's eyes are fixed on Alexis, and Fransisca panicked.

「D-Don't blame Alexis-sama!」

「Please keep quiet, Your Highness」

Fatima said crisply and then turned her attention back to Alexis.

「I never thought you are such a person...」

Fatima's face is expressionless, but there is a flicker of emotion in her eyes that could be neither anger nor sadness.

"...Even though you are supposed to be a good man to me...", Fatima muttered quietly.

She knows the reason why.

"Because I am not attractive," Fatima thought.

It is true that Fransisca is a pretty and beautiful flower in Fatima's eyes.

On the other hand.

（...Even though I'm talking about this, my parents educated all my brothers and sisters, including me, with the intention of making us knights. But even now that I know I'm a failure, I can't even speak in a womanly way. I can't tell how many times I've been told that I'm the kind of woman who serves as a close advisor only because of my family background...――）

Fatima thinks about it and changes her mind, saying that now is not the time to think about such a thing.

Although she understands that she is a failure no matter how far she goes, she cannot just stand by and watch the current situation.

「I am indebted to both Your Highness and Alex. Not that I want to make things worse. So... before I do anything else, promise me that this will never happen again.」

In the end, Fatima thinks this is the only way to reach a settlement.

But Fransisca says...

"Eh?," she says, with an expression of obvious sadness on her face.

「But I...」

Fransisca glances toward Alexis.

Eventually, Fransisca decides on an answer and begins to speak with a downcast look on her face.

「...Fatima, I'm sorry. I didn't know it meant violating purity.」

For a moment, Fatima was afraid of what was going to happen, but she was relieved because that was the first thing that Fransisca said.

「...I'm glad you understand.」

Fatima was relieved to hear that. However, Fransisca continued.

「But, you know that I have been rude to Alexis-sama, don't you? This is my way of making amends. I know it is wrong for a Princess-maiden. But I must cling to it now. In the first place, our country is already doomed...」

"But," Fatima retorts to Fransisca's assertion.

「Isn't there another way? For example, if you want to make amends, you could leave it to vassals like me...」

「So you're saying that you'd rather be a slave instead?」

Alexis is the one who suddenly spoke up.

「Slave?」

Fatima asked back, and Alexis nodded, "Yes."

After they had been seen, he decides it's okay to tell Fatima what he's done, and continues.

「Your precious princess and I made such an agreement. That's why I did what I did. Fransisca said she would make amends by becoming my slave. But do you think you can take her place? You, who values purity in any way?」

Alexis meant it as a half threat.

He thought that this would be enough to get her to back off.

But Fatima's reply was.

「...I... I understand」

She nodded her head with her cheeks stained, though she os at a loss for words.

「I-If you say that I can take Her Highness' place... then... even so... if I can take Her Highness' place...」

（I have no choice but to protect Her Highness. God will forgive me.）

Fatima thought so and nodded her head.

"...Is this for real?" Alexis stunned.

（Well, I guess I must say it. Now I'll get the purity I've longed for.）

As he was thinking like that.

「A-Alexis-sama...?!」

He noticed Fransisca's reproachful eyes on him.

「Uh, don't nod. I don't need a substitute...?」

Fransisca quietly whispered in his ear.

Alexis then puts her hand on her head and says, "Well, that's for now,". Then he continues in a quiet voice so that only the two of them can hear.

「Look, Fransisca, I'm not going to lie to you, this is an opportunity.」

「Eh...?」

「I mean, if we keep going like this, I can get Fatima's purity.」

「Eh... ehh?!」

Fransisca screams in surprise.

Alexis looks serious and continues to talk to her in a whisper.

「...The only problem is. If I do it, it will be revealed that the stick I usually put in Fatima's butt is actually mine...」

「Wait, isn't there another problem...?」

Fransisca's eyes go black and white, and finally she can no longer keep her voice down.

"Anyway," Alexis tells Fransisca.

「Let's just do it.」

That was the conclusion Alexis came to with a straight face.

「A-Alexis-sama?!」

Fransisca's eyes are filled with tears, whereas Fatima's are not.

But then, "I... I understand," Fransisca nodded her head with a determined look.