After sharing a wonderful moment with Aoi and experiencing our first time together, we found ourselves lying on the blanket. Our bodies, bare, stayed close, intertwined in a cozy embrace. While my excitement persisted, I chose to take a pause, conscious not to exceed the limits of Aoi's body. Respecting her well-being was my priority, and I was determined not to cross the boundaries her body could bear.

As this was her first time, I chose to be gentle and careful. But to me, we weren't just having physical relations; we were sharing something much deeper. As we kissed and caressed, our whispers were filled with words of love. At times, our lips met, and in other moments, our hands explored our intimate parts, yet we never crossed the limits we had set.

This moment lingered, but as the night advanced, we decided to spend some time talking to savor every moment together. We still remained close, our bodies intertwined, and the softness of Aoi's breasts brushing against my arm was a delicate and pleasant sensation.

"Do you have plans for tomorrow?"

Aoi asked, her head resting on my chest. My hand gently stroked her hair, trying to provide as much comfort as possible. Though I wasn't sure if I was being effective, seeing Aoi nod her head and nuzzle closer to my chest made me believe I was on the right track.

Reflecting on Aoi's question, I organized my thoughts about what I would do the next morning. I had already decided beforehand that I would return to the guild to inform Adya and her companions that we were well. Our last meeting ended quite anticlimactically, and I feel it's the least I can do to express my gratitude for all the help they provided us. With this thought in mind, I responded to Aoi's question.

"I'll head to the guild for a moment. I want to let Adya and her friends know that we're alright. It seems like the right thing to do after all the help they've offered us"

After sharing my plans, I asked Aoi another question.

"You and the girls are going to spend the afternoon in the garden tomorrow, chatting with Sylvia, right? I heard you talking about it this afternoon"

Upon hearing my words, Aoi nodded her head, confirming my assumption. Though we were about to part for a while, I was planning to leave a clone here as a precaution. While the clones possess only about thirty percent of my full strength, that should be enough to deal with any issues that may arise, or at least buy some time until I can return.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

With those words, Aoi and I fell asleep in each other's arms, feeling each other's warmth. The next morning, I was the first to wake up. I got out of bed, dressed myself, and then turned my gaze to the bed. Aoi was still sleeping peacefully under the covers. Though I knew she was naked underneath, thanks to the blanket, it wasn't visible, making the scene somewhat erotic.

With a gentle smile adorning my lips, I moved towards the bed, stopping next to Aoi. Planting a kiss on her cheeks, I bid her farewell in my mind and headed to the door, entering the palace hallway. With calm steps, I reached the room where we would have breakfast. Upon arrival, I found Sylvia and Saemi sitting, seeming to be engaged in an animated conversation. A smile lit up Saemi's face, while Sylvia maintained a composed yet radiant expression.

"Good morning"

I greeted as I walked to the empty chair next to Saemi. As soon as they noticed my presence, Saemi was the first to speak, followed by Sylvia.

"Makoto, good morning"

Said Saemi, waving her hands in an adorable manner.

"I hope you had a good night's sleep"

Added Sylvia, smiling in my direction. As I settled in next to Saemi, I made the decision to share my plans for the day with both of them.

"Sylvia, after finishing breakfast, I intend to go to the guild for a moment. I need to talk to some people about our last visit there, which, as you know, had quite an unexpected outcome"

I explained, fixing my gaze on Sylvia. Hearing my words, Saemi also looked at me and offered her company.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

I gently shook my head, declining Saemi's offer. My intention was to make a quick visit to the guild and return, without the need to involve more people in this plan.

"It won't be necessary, Saemi. I plan on making a quick round trip"

With a soft smile in response to Saemi, I noticed a slight expression of disappointment on her face, but she didn't comment. Ignoring this reaction and raising an eyebrow in curiosity, I turned my attention back to Sylvia.

"Don't worry about security, I'll leave a clone of myself here in the palace. Although he's about seventy percent weaker than me, he should be able to handle an enemy until I return"

I explained to Sylvia. Her eyebrows raised in curiosity at this topic, and she asked a question.

"Clone? What do you mean by that?"

Sylvia inquired. Pointing my hand to the side, I responded straightforwardly.

"I mean something like this, cloning"

As I pronounced these words, a dark mist emanated from my hand. After a few seconds, the mist began to materialize, and in a matter of moments, an identical clone of me stood by my side. Observing Sylvia's face, I could see that she was surprised to look at my clone, although she didn't show as much surprise as I had expected.

"And that's basically it. As I mentioned before, he's not as powerful as me, but in case something happens, he'll be able to provide assistance"

I explained. Upon hearing my words, Sylvia nodded her head and continued to closely observe my clone. After a few seconds of contemplation, she made a comment.

"Although I had heard of this magic before, this is the first time I've seen it in action personally. As I suspected, you're truly amazing"

Sylvia declared, giving me a smile. Beside me, Saemi seemed proud to hear Sylvia's words.