An Archer's Promise

An Archer's Promise Chapter 54: Conversation

Beta read by Shigiya and Fluffy Slayer

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-Feoh, Alicia’s Chamber-

"Onee-sama, are you there?" 

Following the meeting in the throne room, Prim Fiorire found herself standing nervously outside an opulent door within the grand castle. Her knuckles tapped against the wooden surface in a rhythm that mirrored her anxious state. "Can I come and talk to you for a bit?" she called out, her voice a mix of shyness and hope, each word hanging in the air with a hint of uncertainty.

Her brows furrowed as she waited, her worry etching itself onto her features. The silence hung in the air for a moment, pregnant with uncertainty until she finally managed to stammer out her question. "Are you... Are you mad at m—" Prim finally managed to stammer out, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. Her voice quivered slightly, revealing the depth of her concern. But before she could finish her sentence, the door swung open, revealing a breathtaking sight. 

There stood Alicia Arcturus, her beauty almost otherworldly with her sun-kissed blonde hair cascading in loose waves around her shoulders. Her cerulean eyes, like twin sapphires, held a glimmer of surprise as they met Prim's gaze. Clad in casual, airy attire without her usual armor on, these clothes seemed to dance with the gentle breeze, revealing more than it concealed, accentuating each of her curves with her nipples visible through the fabric, making the younger cousin's heart beat more erratically. 

Despite having known Alicia for more than a decade, seeing her without her armor and hair styled differently left Prim baffled. It was remarkable how a change in appearance could make someone seem so vastly different. 

A whiff of an intoxicating floral fragrance enveloped Prim, igniting her senses and causing her pulse to quicken. She swallowed hard, her nerves now a mix of anticipation and fluster. Gathering her composure, Prim managed a soft smile and took a step forward, her voice steady despite the flutter in her chest. "Alicia Onee-sama. I... I just wanted to talk."

Alicia leaned against the door frame, her expression a curious blend of exhaustion and anger, though not targeted at Prim in particular, but seemingly aimed at another individual. "Sorry I couldn't answer the door before, I was taking a shower." 

"N-nothing to apologize about,” With a deep breath, Prim stepped into the room, the door closing behind her with a soft click. An undeniable sense of awkwardness hung in the air. As she looked into Alicia's piercing blue eyes, she started speaking without hesitation. "You are mad at Archer-san." A statement more than anything else, one that showed the certainty of her claim when it came to Alicia's evident dislike for that man.

The blonde sighed, too tired to even shout out loud. "I do, very much so." 

"..." Prim walked over to the bed, gazing at the pieces of clothing and armor that lay in a haphazard pile before her. Without giving it much thought, she leaned forward and fell onto the soft mattress, her mind going blank from the potent scent lingering on the sheets. Her hand instinctively reached out and clutched the closest fabric as she struggled to stay in control of her desires and actions. On the other hand, in the eyes of Alicia, the woman just saw the action of her younger cousin as merely a childish one, a view that made her chuckle. 

"Now now, don't go jumping on my bed and ruining the cover just because you're angry. I thought you stopped doing this three years ago, Prim." 

Without turning to face Alicia, the pink-haired Princess Knight let out a sigh she hadn't realized she was holding, her shoulders trembling briefly before relaxing. "When I was going to the small river where we used to play, I wanted to play around for a bit and get my feet wet. Regrettably, I didn't take into account the strong current and ended up getting swept away by the water before plummeting down the waterfall."