Solomon was tackled to the ground by a surprisingly powerful force. His head bounced against the floorboards with a loud thunk.
Gritting his teeth, he reached for the sword at his waist, but felt his wrist get pinned down by someone's knee.
He was stuck.
"You've gained some weight." A female voice said.
Solomon suddenly stopped struggling. His cheeks became warm.
He felt a familiar, firm hand pat the muscles on his back and shoulders.
"What are you now, War? It feels like Two-thirty."
"…Two-fifty."
The voice whistled. "Big for a knight. A human one, anyway. If you were a titan-blood, you'd still be undersized."
Solomon felt his ears burning.
"Yeah well, you're to blame, Red. After you recommended I switch to a greatsword, I started trying to bulk up again. I need to be able to swing a two hundred pound sword as easily as a three pound one."
Solomon heard the sound of a knife being unsheathed.
He felt a cold sensation on the nape of his neck. It traveled down his spine as the fabric of his black tunic was cut open.
When his back was completely exposed, he felt a pair of calloused hands touch the various muscles on his back.
It almost felt clinical in a way.
"You should train your back and your legs more. I know you like the aesthetic of having big arms, but practicality always supersedes appearance."
Solomon was suddenly flipped onto his back so that he could see the face of his captor.
She was a hardened woman. Nothing about her seemed soft or dainty.
She had short, black hair slicked back in a roguish style. Her lips were full and slightly pink, brightening her olive complexion.
One of her almond shaped eyes was hidden behind a dark eyepatch. It had been ever since she was nine years old. But the remaining iris continued to burn with a fierce red.
She wore a silver breastplate underneath a dark leather long coat. A long scar ran from her neck to her chest.
Despite her rough exterior, her gaze and voice were quite soft. Her criticisms were uplifting and informative.
She was kinder than most people knew.
"Long time no see, Red. The frontlines look like they've been treating you well."
Rena scoffed as she unconsciously rubbed her neck. "Yes, fighting monsters that rise out of the Black Depths is never dull. But you'll learn that soon now that you're an official knight of Olethros."
Solomon didn't say anything, but Rena knew what the look he was giving her meant.
"…You're not coming?"
Solomon shook his head. "I'm going to the academy. "
Rena usually kept her emotions pretty well hidden, but even she had a tough time suppressing her shock at his revelation.
Volkova Academy was traditionally a place for gifted nobles, rich heirs and those with immense political connections.
The Academy teaches swordsmanship and magic, yes. But it also instructs students on themes of leadership, survival, and military strategy.
It's known as the Institute of Blood due to the unbelievable amount of deaths that occur every year.
"I guess… this will be the last time I see you for a while then." Rena finally said.
She didn't sound sad. It was as if she'd already processed the disappointment and recovered.
"…We get breaks twice a year." Solomon said. "I can be the one coming to see you for once."
Rena showed him a half smile. "And how will that look? War and The Golden Young Master coming to visit the Black Depths when they're on break for no reason at all."
"We've been careful so far. I don't see a reason why that would change."
Rena stared at Solomon.
"I think you're starting to fall for me just a bit. To think you'd risk this much for a casual relationship."
Solomon scoffed and looked away. "Don't be so full of yourself. I'm a grown man. I need help with my urges is all."
"I've been helping you with your urges since you were sixteen. Surely, you could see a brothel girl now that you've got free reign and pocket money."
"I'll think about it." He lied. "Maybe I'll find one who knows how to say hello like a normal person instead of tackling me."
Solomon and Rena smiled at each other.
They had maintained their relationship ever since they were teenagers.
To keep themselves safe and out of trouble, they didn't discuss their meetings with anyone, they didn't develop feelings for each other, and they didn't acknowledge each other in public.
They'd had these rules for four years now, ever since the two of them coincidentally came across one another at the training grounds one night…
She didn't even know his name back then. She just remembered everyone calling him a war orphan, so that was what she called him. War.
In turn, he called her Red because of her eye, and because of the time he saw her in the aftermath of an official duel. Covered head to toe in blood and none of it hers.
She was beautiful. Awe inspiring.
Their current arrangement worked well for the both of them. They were people focused on their swordsmanship and had neither the time, nor the experience for a relationship.
Mutual attraction and respect was enough to keep them close.
Rena leaned down and kissed Solomon on the lips.
It was their first shared embrace in eight months. Knights of Olethros don't get to leave their posts very often.
Solomon had thought about Rena quite a lot since she'd been deployed.
The Black Depths were a treacherous place where monsters from a cursed realm spill out into Komen. The seven martial families are charged with making sure nothing too big or ugly tries to get out.
It's dangerous work. At the height of the monsters' mating season, thousands can die every day.
There was no telling if Rena was going to come back alive after all. When she left, Solomon had to make peace with the possibility of her dying.
He didn't realize it, but his body unconsciously relaxed as soon as Rena kissed him. It was the first time in months he felt that sort of relief.
When they finally separated, both looked equally breathless.
Solomon grabbed Rena firmly by the waist.
"Stay the night."
Rena smiled confidently. "Oh, you're really starting to like me…"
"I like your body." He deflected. "And it takes a bit more to tire me out than it did when I was sixteen."
"Sure, sure…"
Rena shrugged off her coat and unclasped the buckles on her chest plate to remove it, leaving just a tank top underneath.
She gently removed Solomon's hands from her waist and stood up. She kicked her boots into the corners of the room and reached for her belt-buckle.
Solomon's eyes became addled by a desire-filled haze as Rena unbuckled her pants and removed them.
Her body was a vision to behold. She was muscular with deceptively large curves that she had miraculously managed to keep hidden beneath her clothes.
She was the only person Solomon had ever met who had as many scars as he did. Maybe that had something to do with why he liked looking at her so much.
"If you want me to stay then you better make it worth my while… "
Rena removed her underwear and lowered her body on top of Solomon's face, inviting him to taste her without letting a word slip past her lips.
He inhaled her scent deeply and allowed her pheromones to shoot straight to his brain.
Solomon gently bit Rena's inner thighs, taking a slow path deeper between her legs.
When his tongue finally brushed against her slick folds, Rena's face was already flushed.
Solomon indulged in her pussy like a man starved. Every lick and suck sent another shiver down her spine and intensified the sounds of her breathing.
Rena ran her fingers through his hair in an unknowing bid to keep her bearings.
The two maintained a steady, searing eye-contact. Each of them seemed to be waiting for the other to blink first. It didn't take long for Rena to realize that it wasn't going to be him.
"A-Alright, I'll stay, but no.." She gasped and shivered. "Spooning…"
Solomon didn't have any real issue with that. It didn't matter since he wasn't actually planning to let her sleep tonight.