Rumors of the Commander's particular "preferences" had begun to circulate quietly among the Royal Maids.
But for certain obvious reasons, none of them had ever dared to bring it up directly in front of Levi.
…After all, peeking into one's master's diary was a grave breach of maidly propriety.
Unaware of the whispers, Levi's attention was fixed entirely on today's system mission.
Mission: Richelieu will come to make amends. Show her what it means for a shipgirl to properly apologize.Reward: Time-Stop Ability.Success Condition: Win Richelieu's heartfelt submission before the day ends.
Levi blinked at the system prompt.
This was the first time he had ever received a mission like this.
Up until now, all of his system tasks demanded he keep his "chastity," resisting temptation to earn upgrades. But now, the roles were reversed—he had to make a shipgirl willingly submit to him in order to claim the prize.
Which, honestly, suited him just fine.
With his body's strengthened state, gone were the days when one night's indulgence would drain him for several days.
At his current level, handling one shipgirl a day? Easy.
And Richelieu herself had once said she would repent before him, leaving herself at his mercy.
Now, five days had passed. It was time, Levi thought with a smirk, to go collect a little "tithe" from our dear Cardinal.
The tithe is for the church, you say?
Hah. In my port, if I demand a shipgirl pay her dues—who dares refuse?
Levi was still contemplating the best way to "tax" her when Richelieu's message arrived.
Since that night when she had "forced herself" on her commander, Richelieu had been uneasy.
She'd heard plenty of rumors about what the other shipgirls had done with Levi in recent days.
But when it came to her own involvement, she couldn't help but feel nervous.
What if the Commander truly resented her for that? What if he avoided her, grew cold toward her… or even hated her?
The thought had weighed on her for the past five days.
Five days without seeing him.
Commander…
What Richelieu did not know was that Levi hadn't given that "incident" a second thought.
If anything, he was only mildly annoyed that it had caused him to miss out on completing a system task that day. Nothing more.
"Commander, my Lord, please allow me to repent before you." Her message was humble, sincere. "Come to the cathedral. I will dismiss everyone and offer you my apology in person."
By the time Levi read the message, he was already standing outside the Iris Church.
Richelieu emerged from her chamber just in time to see him striding confidently toward her.
"Eh? Commander…?"
Levi didn't bother with words. He simply seized her wrist and led her firmly toward the back rooms.
"Commander, the confessional is that way—"
At her guidance, Levi shifted course and made straight for the confessional booth.
It was a small, enclosed space divided in two by a wooden partition, with only a tiny lattice window allowing voices to pass through.
Pulled along by her commander, Richelieu's garments were slightly disheveled from the brisk pace, but her heart soared.
He doesn't resent me at all… he even takes my hand and runs with me…
Once inside, she quietly turned the lock.
Levi noticed the click. A knowing smile curved his lips.
Heh.
You'll regret that choice, Cardinal.
But Richelieu was none the wiser.
Who would have guessed that, in just a handful of days, her commander—once cautious and tentative before her—had grown strong enough to easily dominate her?
"Please, Commander…"
They took their places on opposite sides of the partition, the small lattice window between them.
Levi frowned slightly. His half of the booth was completely bare—no seat, nothing. He had to either stand or sit directly on the floor.
Experimentally, he lowered himself to sit on the ground. From that angle, he found he could see Richelieu's figure framed through the lattice just right.
That height…
Levi's smirk deepened.
"So… you sent me a message about repentance?"
"Yes, Commander, my Lord. Please forgive me…"
Richelieu knelt in her half of the booth, voice steeped in humility, a stream of religious phrasing spilling from her lips as she begged pardon for her earlier "offense."
At first, Levi only noted the exaggerated reverence of her tone.
"Forgive me for acting on my own judgment," she said softly, "for taking liberties without first seeking your permission…"
The longer Levi listened, the more his smile turned sharp.
So… in your mind, your real mistake was not asking me first?
Meaning, if you had asked, you'd be free to do as you pleased?
On his side of the partition, Levi chuckled darkly.
He'd almost been moved by her penitence—but in the end, she was just as greedy for his body as the others.
In that case, don't blame me for being ruthless.
Levi activated his hypnosis. Quietly, he rewrote her sense of "common sense."
"Mmh…" Richelieu faltered mid-prayer.
Kneeling alone isn't enough…
If I want my words to truly reach my Lord's heart, there must be… a medium. Yes, a medium to carry them…
She lifted her head.
And right before her eyes, she found that very medium—the one she had long dreamed of, familiar and yet overwhelming in its presence.
Her thoughts fogged, but instinct overrode doubt. This was her commander's sacred vessel.
Clearing her throat, Richelieu pressed her lips softly against the "medium," resuming her repentance through intimate whispers.
As long as she spoke to it, surely her heartfelt prayers would reach her Commander.
On the other side, Levi stood with hands on his hips, holding a rather ridiculous pose.
Richelieu's warm breath washed through the lattice, her soft lips brushing against the wood and beyond. Each word tickled him with a strange mix of stimulation and itch.
A shiver ran through him.
Richelieu, oblivious, kissed the partition again and again between her words. Deep down, she believed this was the true culmination of her penance.
The more she pressed herself against this vessel, the more completely she could express her devotion to her Commander.
"Commander, I must confess…"
Her voice faltered, interrupted again and again by the magnetic pull of her own actions.
She couldn't help kissing the barrier.
The wood felt nothing like cold, rough timber—it carried warmth, almost a living pulse, radiating a power she found irresistibly comforting.
It was as though her ultimate purpose in kneeling here was to surrender herself entirely before it.
From the other side, Levi arched an eyebrow.