[FMMISM] Chapter 61: Sleeping Together

"Iri, where do you usually sleep? I want to sleep in your room tonight. Is that okay?"

As soon as Ragna entered the gate of the Einzbern Castle, he revealed his true intentions.

In the beginning, he casually made up an excuse to send away the bickering Pendragon sisters.

"Since the battle in the forest is likely being observed by familiars from other Masters, you two will take the night watch tonight. Don't get into any fights while I'm away, okay?"

With that, as soon as Morgan and Artoria had left, the overly cheerful boy immediately showed his true colors to the poor wife who had just lost her husband.

"It's decided! From today on, I'll be sleeping in your room, Iri. After all, I’m the new master of this castle, right?"

"..."

Irisviel, who was being dragged by Ragna, turned pale upon hearing his unreasonable words.

Even the homunculus lady who had been locked away in the castle for nine years and was clueless about the world understood the implications behind the boy’s words.

Clearly, despite Ragna's appearance as a child, his mind was already that of an adult.

'Don't tell me... this kid wants to make me his woman tonight...'

"...Ugh!"

As Irisviel thought despairingly, her heart weirdly raced uncontrollably, forcing her to press down on her full chest.

Holding onto the front of her purple luxurious shirt, Irisviel found herself involuntarily recalling the feeling of being forcefully kissed by Ragna in the BBQ restaurant.

'Ugh... Why… Why does my body react like this, even though I find it so repulsive and dislike it intensely?'

'Even though I've decided to fight to the end for my husband's dream.'

'Even though this kid is the enemy who drove a wedge between me and my husband.'

'Even though my husband never spent a night in this castle...'

'Why is my body heating up on its own right now?!'

Feeling frustrated and confused, Irisviel bit her lower lip.

"What's wrong, Iri? Your face is so red. Are you okay?" Ragna held her hand, looking up at her with concern.

"I-I'm fine… Just a bit uncomfortable... Maybe it's the night breeze from the forest." Irisviel forced a smile.

"I see... Well, it wouldn't be good if you got sick." Ragna nodded. "Let's hurry to your room then."

"..."

After a few seconds of silence, Irisviel pressed her dry, bright lips together, and then obediently nodded.

"...Yes, Lord Ragna, please follow me." Irisviel responded with a polite tone. 'This boy had let Kiritsugu go from the start just to claim me... If I go against him… I absolutely cannot go against him, absolutely.'

"Don't call me Lord Ragna, just call me Ragna, okay?" Ragna said with a warm smile.

"..."

Her crimson eyes were fixed on the boy who was a head shorter than herself, looking at his still immature face.

"No, there's no need for that, Lord Ragna."

===

Irisviel's bedroom in Einzbern Castle was located in the center of the castle, and starting tonight, it was officially designated as her and Ragna's shared bedroom.

Without a doubt, it was a room of unimaginable luxury.

Although the exterior of the castle was gray and cold, the interior was decorated in a lavishly warm red and gold.

It was no wonder that the Einzbern family managed to obtain an extraordinary relic like 'Avalon'.

Irisviel's bedroom was filled with precious metal crafts and magical gemstones, with the centerpiece being a large bed where everything from the mattress to the blanket was the finest velvet.

Even though the room temperature remained low, Ragna felt unusually warm, especially with a beautiful woman like Irisviel accompanying him.

Ragna wandered around the bedroom, feeling that his years of living in Tokyo had been in vain. He quickly sprawled out on the soft mattress, then looked at Irisviel, who stood by the bed like a maid.

"Don't be so formal, Iri. I've never seen you as a slave or servant, y'know. You're special... Well, I feel something like familial affection for you."

"Thank you. I don't deserve such praise." Irisviel replied politely, keeping her head down.

Even though Ragna said that, to her, Illyasviel was the only family she had left since Kiritsugu was gone.

"I mentioned this before, didn't I? To me, you're like a granddaughter or sister, Iri." Ragna continued.

"Lord Ragna, your kindness makes me shiver." Irisviel responded with an indifferent voice.

"Gosh, that's dull... Whatever, let's just go to sleep." Ragna shook his head.

"Yes." Irisviel nodded and then turned off the lights in the bedroom.

At this moment, she just wanted to quickly find relief and end the nightmare of the night.

And so, the room was engulfed in darkness.

In the silence so profound that even a needle could be heard, the sound of Irisviel climbing into bed faintly reached Ragna's ears, stirring his emotions.

"..."

Ragna and Irisviel lay side by side on the empty bed.

It was a bed over five meters wide, with a luxurious canopy, more than enough even if the two Pendragon sisters were invited to sleep together.

'Hmm, definitely need to try that if given the chance...'

With such thought, Ragna lay on his side, covered himself with the blanket, propped his face up with his palm, and admired the beauty lying beside him.

From this angle, he could see Irisviel's eyes in the dark, as beautiful as rubies.

At the same time, Irisviel ignored his gaze, staring fixedly at the canopy of the bed with a pink blush on her face.

"Hmm... it's suddenly a bit cold..." Ragna murmured.

He wasn't sure if it was a sensory illusion or just his imagination, but he felt that the indoor temperature in the castle was weirdly lower than that in the forest.

"It can't be helped. It's still winter."

"Don't you have an air conditioning here?"

"Grandfather hated overly intricate electronics and forbade such things in the Einzbern family."

Upon hearing Irisviel's reply, Ragna couldn't help but smile wryly.

'Bullshit! That old coot hates overly intricate electronics? He's basically artificial intelligence powered by magical energy himself!' Ragna thought speechlessly. 'It's decided, the first thing I'll do when I become the master of the Einzbern family is to install air conditioning in the castle.'

"Iri, could you come a bit closer?" Ragna asked.

"..."

There was a brief silence, followed by the sound of a woman's body and fabric brushing together.

"Understood..."

With that, the soft and warm body of Irisviel moved closer.

Ragna pressed his forehead against her shoulder, taking in the faint scent of orchids from her.

"Iri, your body is so warm. Are you sure you're okay?"

"N-No… I'm fine."

Even though she said she was fine, the first skin-to-skin contact in bed with Ragna made Irisviel shrink nervously.

"Next… he's going to reveal his true self, isn't he? This kid would use the same hands that hurt Kiritsugu to roughly tear open my nightgown, pull off my underwear, a-and then…"

'But… this might be for the best... If giving myself to this kid means no one else gets hurt…'

Irisviel let out a small sigh and closed her trembling eyes.

'I'm sorry, Kiritsugu…'

However, Irisviel did not face the anticipated rough treatment. Instead, Ragna gently wrapped his arms around her.

"Okay, if you're uncomfortable, let me know…" Ragna closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Iri."

"Goodnight, Lord Ragna… Eh?"

Irisviel suddenly opened her eyes wide and stared blankly at the boy holding her arm.

Exhausted from a night of magical energy depletion, Ragna fell asleep within five seconds, leaving a flustered Irisviel.

'Did he... fall asleep already? Isn't tonight supposed to involve forcing me to do 'that' and 'that'?'

"..."

Irisviel's body and mind quickly cooled down as she observed the boy beside her in disbelief.

His breathing was calm, his expression peaceful.

It was a face that could make one forget his usual frivolous and insolent demeanor.

Facing the defenseless boy, Irisviel brushed aside his messy black bangs.

'It's unbelievable, you're a devil who ruined my happiness... yet your sleeping face is like an angel's, just like Illya's...

As if guided by the forces of nature, Irisviel placed a kiss on Ragna's forehead.

"...Goodnight, Ragna."

With a tender whisper, her consciousness gradually faded.

"Hmm?"

However, just as she was about to fall into a dream, she suddenly felt something with a strong presence pressing against her thigh, making her wake up immediately.

'Uhh, that is…' Irisviel blushed deeply.

===

The next morning, when Ragna woke up, he found that the beautiful woman who had slept beside him now had dark circles under her eyes and was glaring at him with a resentful expression.