﻿\setgamedatatitle("El_01")

\text("El")
Hmm, hmm, hmm-hmm-hmm~♪
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\text
El walks down the corridor of the underground labyrinth with
a light step again today.
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\text
It's a gloomy place―dark, damp, and the torchlight flickers
eerily.
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\text
But she's already gotten used to it.
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\text
Home is where you make it. She's always been optimistic, and
gloomy moods never last long for her.
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\text
Back when she was in the royal palace of Lucto=Lusario,
Queen Tiela once said to her,
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\text
El, the way you walk always looks like you're skipping.

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\text
When she asked, Does it bother you? Tiela just smiled and
shook her head.
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\text
Not at all. Watching you makes me feel brighter too.

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\text
She told her to always stay that way, and patted her on the
head.
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\text
El couldn't help but feel like she was being treated like a
child―
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\text
But she quickly reconsidered. She really is childish, so
there's no point pretending otherwise.

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\text
And if the Queen likes her just the way she is, all the
better.
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\text("El")
(Besides, I actually really like my body the way it is now.)

\endtext

\text
She looks young for her age, but that's just how Brightleafs
are.
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\text
Her stomach and limbs are firm and toned like a boy's, and
while her chest and butt are starting to fill out, they're
not big enough to bounce when she walks.
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\text
She does admire Queen Tiela's voluptuous, graceful figure―


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\text
But for someone like El, who loves running around the
forest, that kind of body seems heavy and hard to move in.

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\text("El")
(Ah, but I do kind of wish I was a little taller...)

\endtext

\text
Brightleafs are usually tall as a race.

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\text
But for some reason, everyone in El's family―her parents,
siblings, and relatives―are all short.
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\text
And El is the shortest of them all.
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\text
The other day, when she went home for the first time in a
while, even her youngest brother had outgrown her.
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\text
She wishes she were at least tall enough that people
wouldn't treat her like a kid and pat her on the head so
easily―
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\text("El")
(―But if I got taller, I'd probably just bump my head on
branches in the forest.)

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\text
El nods to herself. Yup.
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\text
In other words, this is just fine.
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\text
El resumes her cheerful humming.
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\text("Spacchio")
Hey there, shorty. You're in a good mood again today.
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\text("El")
Spacchio-san! I have a proper name―it's El, not shorty!

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\text("Spacchio")
Haha... I know, I know. You're so loud. My ears are ringing.

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\text("El")
Ah, Noro-san, hello to you too!
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\text("Noro")
..................
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\text
Noro nods slowly in silence.
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\text("Brightleaf Soldier")
It's been a while, Captain Fraphnith.
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\text
Behind the two monsters, several Brightleaf soldiers with
bows slung over their backs were following along.

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\text("El")
Wow, everyone! So this is where you were. Have you all been
doing well? Are the people here treating you nicely?

\endtext

\text("Brightleaf Soldier")
Oh, absolutely. In fact, we're about to head out into town,
courtesy of our seniors.

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\text("Spacchio")
Hey now, I don't remember saying I'd pay for everyone.
...Well, whatever.
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\text("Spacchio")
So, these guys used to be your subordinates? They're
well-trained. Not bad at all.

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\text("Brightleaf Soldier")
She was a strict captain, you know, even if she doesn't look
it.
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\text("Spacchio")
Huh... Well, judging by how tough you all are, I can believe
it.
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\text
Spacchio looks at El again, a little more impressed than
before.
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\text("Spacchio")
...Still a little shrimp, though.
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\text("El")
Hey! That was uncalled for!
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\text("El")
Anyway, are you all having a get-together in town? If so,
can I come along too?
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\text("Brightleaf Soldier")
Uh...?
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\text("Spacchio")
Ah, well, that's...
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\text("Noro")
....................
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\text
The men exchange glances, looking a bit guilty.

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\text("El")
Huh? What's up? Aren't you just going out for drinks?

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\text("Spacchio")
Well... there's all kinds of places out there. You know,
even if it's called a tavern...
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\text("El")
Huh? ...Oh, I get it. You're going to that kind of place.

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\text
El has zero experience with sex, but her knowledge is
surprisingly solid.
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\text
Thanks to her long time at court, she picked up plenty of
stories about love and sex without even trying.

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\text("El")
Honestly. Geez...! Fine, go have your fun.

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\text("Brightleaf Soldier")
Sorry, Captain...
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\text("Spacchio")
No need to apologize... See ya, shrimp.

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\text("El")
It's El! Use my name properly, geez...!

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\text("El")
Seriously... Geez...
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\text
She pretends to be a little annoyed, but honestly, she's a
bit shocked inside.
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\text
Up until just recently, she was close with her subordinates
as their captain.
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\text
―But in the end, they're still 'men', with their own libido,
and they go to those kinds of places too.

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\text
Suddenly, El realized something.
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\text
Right now, the place where she's standing. It's where the
labyrinth corridor splits left and right.
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\text
―If she goes right, she'll reach the throne room where Demon
Lord Caym is.
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\text("El")
Ugh, geez...! It's because those guys said weird stuff...
N-now I can't stop thinking about it.

\endtext

\text
Her subordinates are doing well, and Queen Tiela actually
seems relieved to have that burden off her shoulders.

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\text
But even so... for El right now, there's one thing that's
really bothering her. The thing on her mind.
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\text
That day, El made a deal with Demon Lord Caym for Tiela's
sake.
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\text
Queen Tiela had been captured by Chancellor Rudol. If Caym
would rescue her―
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\text
I'll give you my virginity, she said.
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\text
Remembering it, El's face flushes red without thinking.
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\text
Back then, she was completely caught up in the moment.
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\text
Once she makes up her mind, she stubbornly pushes forward no
matter what―that's always been a part of her.

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\text
So at that time, she really was prepared for it―

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\text
And even Caym seemed interested in El's earnestness and
determination.
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\text
But once Tiela was safely rescued and the excitement
faded... she started to get scared.

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\text
El had always thought that not just sex, but even romance
was still too soon for her.
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\text
Honestly, her body is still that of a child.
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\text
When she thinks about Caym's strong build, and that huge
thing he used to violate Tiela―

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\text
When she imagines that being used on her, it scares her so
much her legs tremble.
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\text
At first, that's why she tried to avoid being alone with
Caym as much as possible, running away whenever she could.

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\text
She knew that couldn't go on forever, though.

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\text
Surprisingly, Caym acted as if he'd forgotten all about that
deal―
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\text
Up until today, he never called her at night or pressured
her about it at all.
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\text
Even so, every night El would get nervous, wondering if
tonight she'd finally be summoned to his bed―

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\text
She'd imagine what would happen, blush, and spend the night
restless and unable to sleep.

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\text("El")
..................
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\text("El")
If this keeps happening every night, I'm going to lose my
mind.
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\text
Caym has already made Queen Tiela his own.

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\text
Even El understands that, as a woman, Tiela is far more
attractive than her childish self.

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\text("El")
I wonder... has he lost interest in me already?

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\text
...If that's the case, then at least her purity will be
protected, so she doesn't really mind.
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\text
Still, whether he's going to do it or not, she wishes he'd
make it clear already.
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\text("El")
Alright... I'll just ask him directly!
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\text
With a determined huff, El gathers her strength and heads to
the throne room where Caym is.

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\text("Caym")
Oh, it's you, El. So, have you gotten any taller?

\endtext

\text("El")
Geez! You too, Caym-sama? ...I'm a Brightleaf, you know. I
don't grow that fast.

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\text("Caym")
Hahaha! ...Just kidding.
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\text("Caym")
But really, it's nothing to be so pessimistic about.
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\text("Caym")
Judging by the genres of lewd illusion stones out there,
there are actually a lot of men in this world who like girls
like you.
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\text("El")
Huh? Girls like me...?
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\text("Caym")
Kids, kids. That flat chest, that skinny ass, that body with
no sex appeal! To the right person, you're as attractive as
a jewel.
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\text("El")
I-I can't tell if that's a compliment or if you're making
fun of me...
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\text("Caym")
I'm saying you shouldn't be so down on yourself. Hahaha!

\endtext

\text("El")
Ahaha...
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\text
She still doesn't really understand this Demon Lord.

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\text
Is he just a hopeless person, or is he some kind of
extraordinary figure who defies common sense―
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\text
One of El's special skills is being able to talk easily with
important people, no matter their status.
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\text
Thanks to this personality, country-girl El became a good
conversation partner for Tiela―
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\text
And earned her trust, eventually becoming the captain of the
royal guard.
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\text
Even from El's perspective, Caym's friendliness and lack of
pretense are a bit over the top.
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\text
He talks openly about lewd stuff. He doesn't even try to
hide his desires.
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\text
...Even though he acts like this with all his subordinates,
every one of them still respects Caym as their boss.

\endtext

\text
That's why, despite how it looks, this labyrinth is actually
a comfortable place to be―
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\text
And it's Caym who creates that atmosphere, making him truly
the king of the demon army.
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\text
...Probably.
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\text("El")
Uh, um... I get that girls like me are popular with a
certain niche crowd, but...

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\text("Caym")
Hm? What is it?
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\text("El")
Ah, um, well... Caym-sama, what about you?

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\text("Caym")
Me? Hm... that's a tough question.
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\text
Caym put on a serious face and pretended to think deeply.

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\text("Caym")
If I had to say, I've already graduated from simple
categories like age differences.

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\text("El")
H-huh...?
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\text("Caym")
It's all about the situation. You get it? I mean the roles
and relationships between a man and a woman at that moment.

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\text("El")
W-w...what???
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\text("Caym")
Specifically, let's see... Oh, looks like someone's here.

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\text("Agri")
Hey! Caym! I found something I thought you'd be interested
in, so I brought it over...

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\text("Caym")
Agri, huh. Hm? What's that―

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\text
Caym leaned forward from his throne.
\endtext

\text("Agri")
My men seized some cargo from a stingy smuggler. Risbell's
big sis took the food and military supplies, but―

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\text
What the Diabolica officer Agri brought was a handful of
illusion stones.
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\text("Agri")
If they went to the trouble of smuggling them, they must be
worth something. Not my thing, but I figured they had to be
valuable.
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\text("Caym")
Let's see... 'Cream Elixir'? 'Brightleaf Konoka, 110 years
old'?
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\text("Agri")
Are they worth anything?
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\text("Caym")
Heh...! It's a shame they're a bit different from my
personal tastes.
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\text("Caym")
But every single one of these is the kind of thing you'd get
arrested just for having.
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\text("Agri")
Haha! That's good to hear. I'll tell my men to bring you
more if they find anything like this again.

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\text("Caym")
Yeah, I'm counting on you! ...Heh, I can't believe you can
still get this stuff nowadays...

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\text("Agri")
See ya.
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\text("Caym")
Kukuku...! Which one should I look at first? This one? Or
maybe that one?
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\text("El")
U-um, Caym-sama? About that promise you made to me before―


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\text("Caym")
Hm? El, you're still here? As you can see, I'm busy today.
If you want to talk, come back tomorrow.

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\text("Caym")
Heh...! Alright, this one first, then this one second. Gotta
be careful not to blow my load halfway through...

\endtext

\text("El")
―I'll come back again.
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\text
Hanging her head, El bowed and left the throne room.

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\text("Risbell")
I see... I understand now.
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\text("Risbell")
I was sure Caym-sama had already had his way with you over
and over again.
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\text("El")
E-eh? N-no, nothing like that yet... I'm still just a kid...


\endtext

\text("Risbell")
I don't think Caym-sama is the type to hesitate, whether
it's a child or an old lady.
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\text("El")
U... Y-you're right...
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\text
Office in the labyrinth. After being kicked out of the
throne room, El decided to consult with Risbell, who was
there.
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\text("Risbell")
Well, it is strange. Knowing Caym-sama, there's no way he'd
forget a promise about sex.

\endtext

\text("El")
I knew it... Maybe it's because Tiela-sama came here with
me...
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\text("Risbell")
Ah, that could be it. Most men tend to prefer women with big
breasts and butts, after all.

\endtext

\text("El")
................
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\text
El fell silent without thinking.
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\text
But then, she suddenly found herself paying attention to
Risbell's body in front of her.
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\text("El")
(She's not big... She's short, and her boobs and butt are
only a little bigger than mine.)

\endtext

\text("Risbell")
What's wrong? You're staring so much.
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\text("El")
Ah! N-no, it's just...
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\text("El")
...Risbell-san, um, have you... with Caym-sama?

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\text
El's question was so blunt that Risbell was surprised... and
her face turned red.
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\text
Then―she nodded.
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\text("El")
(I see... If Caym-sama can have sex with Risbell-san, who's
as small as me...)
\endtext

\text("El")
(Maybe the reason isn't just because my body is small...?)

\endtext

\text("El")
U-um, uh... Th-thank you very much!

\endtext

\text
Bowing, El left the office where Risbell was.

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