I Kidnapped the Hero's Women-Chapter 254: Birthday (3)

"Charlotte, what did you just do...?" "A kiss on the cheek. Why?" "How did you do it so naturally... like you've done it before...?" "Well, I’ve done it before, you know?" "...."

Yulia’s eyes narrowed. Just witnessing the sudden kiss on the cheek in front of her was enough to make her dizzy. It wasn’t the first time...?

While I had been conflicted, hesitating, and indecisive every day, Charlotte had already made her move? Pretending to be pure while secretly kissing behind my back? ...Aslan’s first time is no longer with me, is it?

Yulia's pupils began to shake violently.

"How... how did you end up kissing on the cheek...?" "Hmm? I don’t really remember. A kiss on the cheek is nothing, you know? Maybe that's why I don’t remember it."

"..." A kiss on the cheek is nothing? That’s something I still haven’t done yet! I hadn’t even dared to try!

"If you really want to do it, just say so. Here." "Hmm, I... it’s not like I really want to do it... uh." "Really? Then maybe next time..." "Well, still... I guess since I’m already sitting here, it wouldn’t hurt to do a kiss on the cheek..."

As Aslan kneeled in front of Yulia and was about to stand up again, Yulia urgently grabbed at his collar, pulling him toward her. Suppressing a laugh that was ready to burst out, Aslan lowered himself again.

She was usually shy and didn’t express affection easily. But when Charlotte nudged her gently, Yulia became impatient and eager to act.

Because of this, I had thought many times about telling Charlotte first about the kiss to encourage her, but in the end, I was glad I hadn’t said anything, and Aslan closed his eyes slightly.

"Ugh..." Standing in front of Aslan with his eyes closed, Yulia stiffened. As she was about to kiss his cheek, she suddenly felt embarrassed and shy.

More than anything else...

‘Should I just go for it and kiss him on the lips...?’

Her gaze locked onto Aslan’s pale face and the red lips, and the internal conflict of whether she should go beyond a kiss on the cheek was raging inside her.

It was already too late for just a kiss on the cheek. Aslan’s first time had already been taken by Charlotte. No matter how many times I kissed him, the fact that Charlotte was first wouldn’t change.

But what if I took his lips now? No matter how much Charlotte might have kissed him, surely she hadn’t kissed him on the lips yet... right? So if I do it now, I’ll be the first...?

‘Should I just go for it? If I don’t now, I’ll regret it when Charlotte gets the first kiss again...’

A kiss... should I really do it? Then it would basically be a done deal. A kiss is a bond stronger than any contract or promise of marriage.

‘Yeah, let’s do it. I can do it. This time, I’ll be first before Charlotte!’

With her resolve firmed up, Yulia swallowed nervously. She was about to shift her direction toward Aslan’s lips when—

"Ugh." "Eh!?"

At that moment, Charlotte lightly pushed Yulia’s back. Yulia’s body, already tilting as she changed her position, suddenly collided with Aslan’s cheek, and her lips met his.

Aslan, who didn’t know what was going on, smiled with satisfaction and stood up. Yulia instantly realized that her chance had slipped away, and her face fell in disappointment.

"Ahh...! Why did you push me, Charlotte!?" "I saw you hesitating and dragging it out, so I gave you a little nudge to make you do it! I was worried Aslan’s legs would get sore too!" "Ah, no... It wasn’t hesitation..." "Weren’t you standing still because you were hesitating?" "Ugh..."

It wasn’t hesitation, it was because I was debating whether to kiss his lips or not...

Yulia opened her mouth to say it, but the moment she tried to speak in front of Aslan and Charlotte, her face heated up instantly with embarrassment.

"Y-yeah, I think that’s right..." "Hehe! Good thing I pushed you!" "Ughhh..."

Yulia had to swallow her tears as Charlotte grinned and wiped her nose. She couldn’t speak because of the embarrassment... Defeat and humiliation filled her, but...

‘Next time, I’ll definitely wait for a moment when Charlotte isn’t around, when I’m alone with Aslan...!’

This failure didn’t mean giving up. Her resolve to take Aslan’s first kiss was still strong. Before it’s too late, I will...!

Yulia clenched her fist, steeling herself.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

"Ah? I think the scary older sister is here!" "Scary older sister? Ah..." At that moment, Charlotte’s ears perked up, and with a bright expression, she shouted. Aslan, who turned toward the front gate, understood immediately when he saw high heels stepping out of a carriage. She was talking about Irene...

"Scary older sister! Come on in!" "Scary older sister...?" "Thank you for coming to our birthday party!"

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

Charlotte and Yulia ran up and surrounded Irene, whose charismatic face quickly disappeared, replaced by a flustered one. Dealing with the children was still difficult. In the beginning, I had brought them to try and find Aslan’s weakness, hoping for cruel experiments from him.

Did these kids know that’s why I had brought them here? Of course, now it was all a meaningless past, but still, every time Irene saw them, her heart hurt, and she couldn’t treat them comfortably.

"Ah! Yuria is here too!" "Yuriaaa...!"

The carriage stopped in front of the main gate again, and as a familiar short-haired girl appeared, Charlotte and Yulia rushed to the gate.

"You said you were busy? You said you might be late today?" "I purposely finished early and came." "Really? How?" "It was a mission to wipe out rebels holed up in an old castle. When trying to break in head-on was too difficult, I just had them launch me over the castle walls with a catapult, and I swept them all away!"

"Ah... uh... okay..." Charlotte and Yulia, who were listening to Yuria’s story with bright faces, were left speechless. She really works in such a harsh way...

Seeing Yuria made them realize how hard it was to earn money by sweating.

"Before we start the real birthday party, how about we give out the gifts? What do you think?" "Ah! Yes, yes! I really like that!" "I’m so excited for the gifts...!"

With the excited children, Aslan led them into the room where the gifts were prepared. He was confident in the gifts he had carefully prepared. As he handed each box wrapped in elaborate packaging, Charlotte and Yulia’s mouths dropped open in awe.

"A huge box! Pretty ribbons! It really feels like we’re getting a birthday present!" "Yes, it really is a birthday gift, Charlotte..." "Go ahead, open it." "Uh-huh. Then I’ll open mine first...!"

Yulia couldn’t hide her sparkling eyes full of anticipation as she gently peeled off the wrapping paper. Opening the box’s lid revealed a cute bracelet inside.

"This bracelet was made with a special gemstone, so you can wear it on your body. When a necromancer wears it, the scary ghosts and spirits you usually see turn into cute little spirits instead." "Re-really!?"

Yulia was already satisfied just by receiving a bracelet from Aslan, but to find out that it had such a function, she was thrilled. Had she been getting nervous every time she saw a ghost?

This was the perfect gift!

Aslan watched Yulia admiring the bracelet on her wrist with a satisfied smile. He had also considered chokers among the jewelry candidates with embedded gemstones. He was glad he had gone with a bracelet instead, resisting his dark desires.

"Then what about me? What about me!? Oh! A dagger!" With eager hands, Charlotte quickly tore through the wrapping paper. Inside Charlotte’s box was none other than a dagger with a matching scabbard. A strikingly beautiful and alluring weapon that captivated Charlotte’s gaze.

"Charlotte, your main weapon is already the best sword around, but because of its size and shape, it’s difficult to carry around. I thought it’d be good for you to have a secondary weapon." "Wow! I love it! It’s so pretty!" "Good, huh? This dagger was made by Jacob, but because the orders were backed up, I couldn’t get one directly, so I bought it from another customer who had ordered it, paying a premium..."

"Huh? The dagger is changing!?" "...!? "

The moment Charlotte hugged the dagger to her chest, the dagger suddenly turned black, twisting and changing its form. In an instant, the dagger transformed into something far more menacing, just as fierce as her main sword, and everyone stared in shock.

"It looks so much cooler now...!" "..."

But Charlotte, the owner, was even more thrilled, shouting in excitement, close to a scream. Aslan, who had been about to say something, decided to let it go.

As long as Charlotte liked it, that was what mattered.

‘But how does everything she touches turn black...?’

It seemed that if she held a weapon for a little while, it wouldn’t change its form, but once Charlotte fully recognized it as ‘hers,’ it transformed. It was such a strange sight to see, again and again.

"Let’s go eat now." "Yes!" "Yeah! ...Yeah!"

Charlotte and Yulia, each wearing their gifts on their wrists or belts, walked excitedly toward the dining room. Birthday gifts. Even these luxurious items...

Just as a smile lingered on Aslan’s face, Charlotte and Yulia suddenly stopped and turned their gaze to Yuria.

‘Come to think of it, when is Yuria’s birthday...?’

Yuria, like us, didn’t know when she was born, and had never experienced a birthday party or received gifts. So it would be nice to celebrate her birthday separately too...

But was it okay for just us to enjoy this?

Aslan, sensing this slight guilt, called out.

"Yuria. You said you were from the orphanage, right?" "Ah? Yes. That’s right, Count." "Then you don’t have a family to celebrate your birthday with. I don’t know when it is, but I’ll make sure to give you a gift this year." "...!"

At that moment, Aslan took something from the cupboard and placed it on the table. It was a dog food bowl with the name ‘Yuria’ written on it. Yulia’s expression immediately froze.

"Ah... A dog food bowl... Yes..." "Wow! Yuria’s very own dog food bowl!" "With this, Yuria is like a part of the Vermont family now...!"

"...?"

Yulia, who had been trying to show a nonchalant reaction, was taken aback when she saw Charlotte and Yulia clapping in excitement. Was this really a good gift, not just a joke?

Was I supposed to be happy about this...?

"Th-thank you..."

Yulia felt completely confused.