Chapter 675: Zephyra Part 1
Chapter 675: Zephyra Part 1
"Come on, love! You need to loosen up a little, Zephyra," Pandora says, taking my hand and pulling me gently through a bright, beautiful forest. Today, we’re having a picnic so I can get out of the castle for a while.
"I-I’m coming, Pandora," I say, a bit flustered, carrying the picnic basket with one hand. We soon arrive at a clear, silent clearing. Beneath a tree, there’s already a cloth spread out where we’ll be protected from the sunlight.
’Wow... it’s so beautiful...’ The place has such a calm, lovely atmosphere. Pandora has taken such good care of me over the last year and a half. She’s been so gentle and affectionate.
"Do you like it? I prepared this place for you. It took a while to rid a 20km radius of all forms of life because there were so many insects, but now this calming silence is the only thing that reigns here, love," she says, sitting down on the red cloth on the ground. I sit beside her, placing the basket between us.
"I l-liked it! It’s beautiful, and it’s so calm... it reminds me a little... of the forest near my old home..." I try not to dwell too much on the past, so I can enjoy all the happiness Pandora gives me now.
"..." Pandora nods, starting to take the food from the basket and arrange it on the ground on well-prepared little plates, along with bottles of drinks.
"I cooked all of this myself, Zephyra. I hope you like it! It’s a very interesting mix of food, magic, and the fluid from my tail!!" she says, taking a sandwich from the basket and holding it out to me.
Timidly, I take the food. Pandora always looks after my meals now, so I’m certain it’s delicious. I remove the wrapping, noticing the bread has a pale hue, and the vegetables and meat look pale as well.
Because Pandora has been mixing everything in my food with the fluids from her tail. About 60-80% of the food is Pandora’s fluid, and the rest is actual food.
"Aaahh..." I bite into the sandwich, tasting the familiar flavor. It’s undeniably very good. It has exactly the perfect taste my palate and body grew accustomed to consuming in that "cave" that hurt me so much.
"You know, Zephyra, I love these peaceful moments between us! I’m so lucky to be the avatar who gets to stay with you. My life is wonderful," Pandora says, grabbing a bottle of real wine and starting to drink, while offering me the other bottle filled with a viscous white liquid.
"I’m very happy too, Pandora. You’ve been wonderful to me." At the beginning, I was scared, suspicious, and somewhat afraid of making mistakes, but this Pandora is very understanding and kind.
Even when I mess up, am annoying, or don’t want to do something, she accepts and respects my decision. Even though she sets very strict boundaries, she still gives me all the attention and love I need.
She’s also been helping me heal from my traumas a little. Leaving the house no longer feels as horrible and oppressive as in the past, when I never knew when I would be hurt by Pandora.
"..." She drinks the whole bottle of wine while I take small sips of the liquid in my bottle. The silence is almost too peaceful; we don’t need words in this moment, as I just appreciate the scenery.
We stay like that for a few minutes, just eating in total silence. In moments like these, I wonder if this is the best life I can have. Obviously, I’m happy with Pandora now.
But I went through so much suffering to get here, and when I see Delphina or Grimm, for instance, I feel a certain envy of them, who had a more stable relationship with Pandora in the past without seeing her more possessive and monstrous side regarding her obsession.
It makes me regret having tried to deceive Pandora in the past and having hurt her. If I had made her fall in love with me but hadn’t done that stupid thing of refusing her love, I would never have been hurt.
"You seem thoughtful, Zephyra," Pandora says, looking up at the blue sky, the peaceful atmosphere of the forest and the natural scent of the plants being among the few things in the environment.
"J-Just regretting past choices... I-I would be so much happier if I had been smart and chosen to love you back then..." I finish eating my sandwich after giving Pandora my answer.
"Hmmm... yes, you would undoubtedly be much happier, Zephyra, but the past doesn’t return, and even if it did now, maybe changing it wouldn’t be good. After all, this happiness you have now is something you earned after the suffering. It’s a sweeter love in a way."
"M-Maybe..." As I answer her, Pandora removes all her clothes, tossing them aside, and lies down on the cloth, her tail stretched out beyond the tree’s shadow to soak up the sun.
"Zephyra... it’s been a year and a half... and I don’t think you can bring yourself to love Lycoris... and I also don’t think that castle environment is good for you. It holds too many bad memories for your body and your mind."
"So... do you want to live in this forest with me? We can occasionally go back to the castle for some things, but our life will be spent almost entirely in this peaceful forest. If you desire this simpler life, that’s what I’ll give you. After all, even though you are a queen, you’re not obliged to stay in the place that only brings you dark memories."
"A-Are you serious, Pandora?" I ask, completely taken aback.
"Yes, I am. We can live like two little animals in the forest, living peacefully, a wilder life full of pleasurable things, like two rabbits. And we don’t have to have any more children if you don’t want to."
"T-That sounds g-good..."
"Then shall we start now? Take off your clothes. Feel the wind of nature, the peaceful environment touching your skin. And don’t worry about people or animals. I’ve already erected a barrier around this forest. This place is just ours, and the most you’ll find here are trees, plants, and fruits preserved by magic."
"So clothes are only if you want to wear them. And I built a very lovely wooden chalet. I think you’ll like it," she says with a smile. I hesitate a little, but I take off my clothes, tossing them aside, and lie down right next to Pandora.
I let my draconic parts show — wings, horns, and tail — allowing myself to feel this "freedom" that the natural environment provides. It’s somehow very liberating.
No pressure, no responsibilities. Just me, Pandora, and nature with all its calm, peaceful silence.