Chapter 77 Travel Sleep
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Dressed in a white tracksuit with black stripes, Yuuri finally felt something close to comfort. Among the limited clothing in this fabricated girls’ academy, the faculty’s leftover gym uniforms turned out to be the safest, least embarrassing option.
It wasn’t a tuxedo, nor was it the kind of “outfit” Marina might mischievously suggest. After being dressed by Ashley what felt like half a day ago, this was the first time his body had relaxed.
”Whoa,” Marina sighed, her eyes shining. “I forgot how good jam buns could taste…”
Yet the current situation was anything but relaxing.
—Marina was sitting squarely on his lap, manners nowhere in sight.
When they’d returned to the student council room with their borrowed goods, Yuuri had expected her to take the president’s seat. It was a grand chair—something you’d expect in a corporate office, not a school—and he couldn’t bring himself to sit there. He’d been aiming for the smaller vice-president’s chair when the “president” herself had insisted he sit up front.
And the moment he straightened his posture like some overly polite subordinate, Marina slipped onto his lap without hesitation.
”Yuuri, try one! Here, say ah~♡”
”That’s your half-eaten one… Don’t look at me like that. Fine, fine—I’ll eat it.”
He could easily have lifted her off, even without the workshop’s enforcement fields. But this domain existed so servants could relax without the weight of hierarchy, and right now, letting her have her fun seemed right.
Marina clearly understood that freedom. She reclined against the armrest, her legs stretched across the opposite side, completely at ease. Her blazer pulled tight as she arched her back, the line of her chest unabashed beneath the fabric. Yuuri averted his eyes and sighed inwardly.
”Mmhmm~♡ So? The workshop’s food is much better, but cheap treats like this have a certain charm, don’t you think?” she said, voice lilting with nostalgia.
”Yeah. Back in the capital, you hardly find sweets with this kind of warmth anymore. ‘Nostalgic’ fits.”
It was a flavor so ordinary it must have been everywhere in his past life—yet rediscovered through this body, it felt strangely new. The sensation was enough to dull his urge to scold Marina for her posture. When she leaned forward to grab a cream bun, he steadied her with one arm.
”Oops, thanks. We got lucky, didn’t we? Or maybe that’s Shelm-sama’s guidance.” She smiled, licking a bit of sugar from her thumb. “This domain must’ve frozen time right at lunchtime. If we’d come earlier, there’d be nothing here. Any later, and the hungry maidens would’ve cleaned out the shelves.”
”The cafeteria looked like it had been active too,” Yuuri mused. “Though the machines stopped while we were… occupied. Everything went cold.”
There’d been no sign of active students, no living traces—yet parts of the facility still operated, from the store to the pool area. Maybe it was designed to simulate routine activity. Or maybe, he thought, the system had simply frozen mid-operation; without safety protocols, the whole place could’ve gone up in flames.
”Guess we owe civilization a thank-you,” Marina said lightly. “Still, I wouldn’t have minded tasting proper cafeteria food again. If the replication had caught a later moment—ah, pointless to say now. At least we got to enjoy something from our old world.”
As she opened another cream bun, Yuuri noticed her gaze drift toward a corner of the room. Among rows of elegant cabinets sat one jarring addition: a plain metal locker.
A disaster-preparedness cabinet.
When she handed him half the bun, he understood immediately.
”I see. Worst case, we could’ve dined on emergency rations.”
She giggled. “Imagine that—our first night alone turning into a disaster drill. They probably had instant porridge too. Romantic, in its own way.”
He chuckled softly. “I remember eating expired stock from work once. Tasted better than you’d think. Maybe that’s the logic—feed people decently so they don’t lose hope.”
Given their current “dinner” of sweet buns, the comparison wasn’t far off. Still, this was all part of testing the domain. Best to treat it as such.
”Oh, right,” he said, remembering. “Speaking of tests—if my guess is right, anything here can be taken out as long as it passes through the gate. Whatever we don’t finish, we can bring back as souvenirs.”
”Really!? …Ah, right, you were cozying up with Ashley in her replicated Alegria estate, weren’t you?” She winked. “If that place had all the Count family treasures, we can’t go home empty-handed, can we? Tomorrow, we’re raiding the whole campus. Let’s surprise everyone with what we find.”
He’d told her about meeting Ashley right after arriving in her domain, explaining the situation in short. Marina had grasped the concept instantly. She hadn’t pried about Ashley—but comparing the precision of her own domain, she must have assumed Yuuri had scavenged rare items from the Count family’s hidden stores.
And as a princess, she couldn’t allow her maid to outdo her.
Still, Yuuri thought, it wouldn’t be easy. The simulation stripped all proper nouns, crests, and logos—everything tied to the original world. Even the workshop’s office computers barely functioned. If he took a tablet, it might only serve as a camera or calculator. Impressive, but limited.
Considering that, usable items were few. Beyond the endlessly regenerating workshop stock, most of what the academy offered was static display.
”Hmm. It’s a pity there weren’t any sweets left for souvenirs,” he said. “University stores back home were practically mini-convenience shops.”
”Really? The hospital where I stayed had one of those convenience stores inside. Maybe it was like that… I wanted to go to university someday.”
The air shifted. Yuuri felt a chill crawl down his spine. He knew—vaguely—that Marina had died of illness, but not the details. Asking would be cruel. A short, tragic end like his could be joked about; a long, painful illness could not.
He said nothing. Even an apology would have only deepened the wound.
This academy—where she’d once still lived without pain—was the easiest place for Marina’s heart to take shape. Anything beyond that moment in her life was a subject to tread upon carefully.
Their conversation faded, the buoyant rhythm dissolving into perfect stillness. Even the air seemed to hold its breath. The night inside the simulated campus was utterly silent.
Yuuri felt Marina’s warmth against his arm as she chewed quietly on a piece of bread. When he tightened his hold just a little, she must have sensed the gloom settling between them, because she leaned closer and whispered, “Hey… don’t worry about it, okay? Sure, my last days were long and painful—but they led here, didn’t they? I got to meet you. I’ve got regrets, sure, but now… now I’ve got hope. A husband to rely on.”
He swallowed, guilt prickling his throat. “No, I’m the one who should apologize. I can never find the right words. My life wasn’t exactly smooth either… but I wouldn’t trade this one for it. Not after meeting you. Ore wa, I want to live for you. For all of you.”
He meant it—every trembling word. The future walking beside these girls was something he couldn’t imagine giving up. In fact, the thought of losing them terrified him. Even now, he feared how easily that joy could be taken away.
When that awareness shivered through him, Marina smiled and brushed her hand against his cheek. “Mmh… there it is again,” she teased softly. “That greedy look♡ You want us that much? You want to keep us close forever?♡”
”Of course I do!” His voice cracked, half flustered, half fierce. “Women like you—there’s no way I’d let you go! I’ll conquer the labyrinth, no matter what it takes!”
To anyone else it might have looked like an exchange of affection. But Yuuri knew the truth—it was a challenge. Marina’s tender words always came with steel beneath. Her affection forced him to face what he wanted and speak it aloud.
The warmth of her body through the thin fabric only drove his heart faster. Words spilled freely. She laughed, satisfied, and when he drew her close, she yielded easily, pressing against him with that soft, living weight.
”I love you, Yuuri♡ My precious husband♡”
The confession whispered at his ear burned into him like a sigil. For that voice, for that embrace, for that smile—he could never turn away from hardship again.
He lifted his gaze slightly—and froze.
Around her neck, half-hidden by the blouse collar, the black leather band still gleamed.
”…You’re still wearing that?”
She had taken it off before, in the shower. Which meant she’d put it back on deliberately when she dressed. Whatever memory the collar carried, it wasn’t simple play anymore.
Marina’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “Maybe you haven’t noticed, hmm?♡”
”What—what are you talking about?”
Instead of shrinking at the question, she leaned forward and straddled his lap again, pressing close until her arms wrapped tight around his neck. The trained strength in those slim arms locked him in place.
Her breath brushed his ear, hot and intimate. “This,” she murmured, “is the first accessory you ever gave me♡”
”What—wait—what?”
It had only been a prop, something to heighten the mood. He understood perfectly well what giving jewelry meant—especially in the Kingdom of Restea, where such gifts carried deep significance. But this had been nothing more than a repurposed belt, a rough imitation for their private play. Surely she didn’t…?
Marina’s voice was low, playful, and devastating. “You’ve got nerves, Yuuri♡ The first thing you give a princess as her lover… is a collar♡”
He floundered. “N-no, that’s not— I didn’t mean—are you angry?”
Cold sweat ran down his back. Maybe he had taken her lightness for granted. For a princess, and as a woman, being given a collar as her first token of love… it did sound awful.
Her grip eased. She drew back just enough to look up at him, gold eyes bright and faintly accusing. “Maybe a little. I know you didn’t mean it that way—but still, it stung.”
”I—I’ll make it up to you. I’ll find something worthy of you, something that’s mine to give.”
That promise melted her irritation. Her smile bloomed again, radiant and relieved. He remembered something he’d once heard—that the secret to a happy marriage was learning to understand each other. He was slow at that sort of thing, but with her patience, maybe they’d manage.
But her softened expression soon shifted, heat rising behind her gaze. Yuuri’s heart stumbled.
”Still,” she purred, “as shocking as that collar was, I kind of liked it. Being wanted that much… felt nice♡ So if you really mean you’re sorry, show me. Don’t hide how much you want me, Yuuri♡”
His answer came rough and immediate. “Of course! Marina’s mine—Ore no! No one else can have you. I’ll make sure you never forget that!”
He caught her face between his hands and spoke directly to her, inches apart. The flush on her cheeks deepened, eyes dazed with delight. She swayed, and he steadied her by the waist.
Marina didn’t want words—she wanted proof. He reached for the collar peeking from her neckline, hooked a finger beneath it, and pulled her toward him.
Her breath hitched. “Nnh—ah… Yuuri♡”
What had once been just a toy now bound them in meaning. She had accepted it as devotion, and he could only answer in kind. He kissed her fiercely, tasting the sharpness of air and her soft gasp. For a moment, she stiffened; then her body relaxed, melting against him.
When she finally drew back, trembling, he whispered against her lips, “Marina. Be mine. …Get ready.”
His gaze flicked toward the rest room door. That alone was enough. She understood perfectly.
Her smile turned tender. She touched her lips lightly to his, then met his eyes and nodded.
”Let’s,” she whispered, her voice trembling with joy. “Let’s do this♡”
Notes:
• Ashley – Count’s daughter, royal attendant, has a crush on Yuuri.
• Marina – First Princess of Restea—needs labyrinth escort.
• Shelm – Wicked Goddess, reincarnated Yuuri, manipulative, wants him to use his power.
• Restea – Yuuri’s homeland.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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