Mia stepped forward and hugged Little Merlin, even deliberately pressing Little Merlin’s cheek against her large pocket.
“You see, the road in this forest is so hard to walk on, and you’re wearing such cute but inconvenient high heels. If your delicate little feet get blistered, Big Sister will be heartbroken.”
Mia’s voice was gentle, as if she were softly comforting Little Merlin the way she usually treated ordinary people.
“Leave it to me?”
Mia said, then shook her arm slightly, adjusting the center of gravity of holding Little Merlin to make it more comfortable for herself.
“Mmn…”
But Mia’s fingers, through the thin white stockings, lightly touched Little Merlin’s leg. It was inevitable; when holding a baby, there would be contact.
“Mmn…”
The sensation traveling up from her feet made Little Merlin shiver, her toes instinctively curling inside her stockings.
“Don’t be afraid, Big Sister will use holy power to soothe you.”
“Let go of that! Please wait!”
Mahina, who was nearby, could no longer contain herself. From the start, she had been like a powder keg ready to explode. Watching that nun who appeared out of nowhere, monopolizing Little Merlin as if it were natural, and using that… that technique! This was Merlin! Even she hadn’t touched her yet! Really, from the moment she met Merlin, she hadn’t touched her!
‘So angry so angry so angry! Another candidate saintess from who knows where is sneaking a bite!’
“This… Sister Mia?” Mahina forced a polite smile, walking quickly to the two, and reached out to take Little Merlin back. “Though you mean well, this is the Hero we are supposed to escort. It’s not good to keep troubling the Church. Let me hold her instead.”
Mia didn’t look directly at Mahina, only slightly turned sideways, skillfully dodging Mahina’s reaching hand. Taking the opportunity, she changed Little Merlin’s position, letting her sit in the crook of her arm like a doll.
“Oh my, Miss Magician.” Mia lowered her head, revealing a bright smile at Little Merlin in her arms. “You look like your gear is very heavy; you must be very tired, right? Care for the Hero, a job that requires carefulness and tenderness, is better left to someone like me who serves the gods. After all… Lord Hero seems to like me too, doesn’t she?”
Little Merlin, dizzy from the strong lily fragrance emanating from Mia, and with Mia’s warm embrace, subconsciously nodded.
This nod directly became the straw that broke Mahina’s rationality.
“Merlin!!” Mahina’s voice instantly rose an octave, her powder-blue eyes almost spitting fire. “How can you let a stranger hold you? And… and she’s even…”
Mahina gritted her teeth, her gaze sweeping over Mia’s unfair figure, almost insane with jealousy.
‘She’s definitely doing it on purpose! That woman is absolutely doing it on purpose! She’s using her pocket to attract Merlin!’
“I don’t care! Give Merlin back to me!” Mahina no longer minded etiquette, directly reaching out to grab Little Merlin’s arm.
Mia lightly stepped back, still wearing that perfect saintess smile. “My, being so rude won’t do. Lord Hero is very fragile right now. If you pull like that, you’ll hurt her.”
“You—!”
Just as the two were at daggers drawn, with thick gunpowder in the air—
clang!
A sheathed longsword was thrust between the two, forcibly separating the sour distance.
Lucia stood between them impatiently, one hand on her hip, the other holding the sword hilt. “Enough. I said, are we here to fight the Demon King, or to watch you act out a palace drama?”
Lucia’s gray eyes coldly swept over Mia, then glanced at the angry Mahina, finally landing on the dumbfounded Little Merlin.
“And you, Lord Hero.” Lucia reached out, mercilessly pinching Little Merlin’s cheeks and pulling them to both sides.
“Mmph mmph mmph…!”
“Taken and snatched like a ragdoll, and you still don’t know how to resist? Have some self-awareness.” Lucia let go, looking at Little Merlin as if her mood had improved a bit. She glanced at the two women still at odds, sighed, “Since we have to walk, then walk by yourself. If not… we three can take turns carrying you. One hour each.”
Mia saw her chance and leaned in. “Come, let Big Sister hug you.”
Before Little Merlin could react, she was already lifted up by Mia. The moment her body left the ground, her legs in white stockings dangled helplessly in the air for a moment, her Mary Jane shoes lifted by her toes, revealing cute ankles.
“Ah!”
To steady Little Merlin, Mia’s hand naturally cupped the back of her thigh.
zzzt!
Through the transparent white stockings, the temperature of Mia’s palm was transmitted without reservation.
“Ugh…!”
Little Merlin’s whole body trembled, as if struck by a weak electric current. The stockings were compressed by external force, sinking tightly into her tender flesh. Wrapped in the stockings and heated by the palm’s warmth, Little Merlin squirmed like a cat. She twisted restlessly in Mia’s arms, trying to avoid that hand, but instead made her legs make more contact with Mia’s clothes.
The smooth surface of the stockings rubbed against the rough fabric of the nun’s habit, making a subtle sound. That sensation was amplified through the taut fabric, turning into continuous tingling numbness.
“So… so numb… my legs… are going to break…”
“Time’s up! My turn to hold!”
However, when Little Merlin fell into Mahina’s embrace, the same torture repeated. Mahina’s arm circled around Little Merlin’s knee, inevitably touching the white stockings.
“Mmn!” Little Merlin pursed her lips and curled her toes, the toes already curled inside her black Mary Janes now gripping the sole even harder.
Through the stockings, Mahina could clearly feel Little Merlin’s movements and the tension and slipperiness of the skin on her legs. “Merlin… does it hurt?” Mahina asked worriedly.
Little Merlin buried her face in Mahina’s neck, her voice tearful. “…Moving… so itchy…”
Because she was being carried, though she didn’t have to exert herself, the dangling legs became even weirder due to the wrapping of the stockings. The wind blowing, hands touching, even the interactive force between her legs would trigger waves of tingling numbness.
Night fell, and the group lit a campfire in the forest.
“Finally, a break…”
Little Merlin sat on a fallen tree trunk, eager to take off the damn high heels. But when her hand touched the buckle, she found no matter how hard she tried, the clasp wouldn’t budge.
“Mmm?”