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Bellatrix had to admit that watching her friend's needlework over Emilia's spine had a unique, artistic beauty that she didn't expect. Sick as it was, there was something about the young girl's pristine skin being pierced and permanently marked with a sign of her choice that made Bellatrix incredibly excited. And perhaps the most shameful thing of all was that she didn't even feel guilty about it.

Fortunately, the girl didn't seem to be in any pain, though Bellatrix couldn't deny that her relief was mixed with a little disappointment.

After all, there was a reason she took a seat not far from her. But it turned out she didn't need her hand held for comfort in the end.

On the plus side, she got to hear the girl's sweet hums and murmurs up close, and the two of them even made small talk for a while before the girl seemingly dozed off.

Looking at her friend's confusion, the tattoo artist grinned as she paused. "Don't worry, she just fell asleep. It's rare, but some people can actually doze off while getting a tattoo on their back."

Of course, this was often due to certain deficiencies or low blood sugar, but since it wasn't impossible for such a thing to happen naturally, there was no need to alarm their prime minister.

Anyway, the girl under her hand was someone who could decimate a whole squad of soldiers, so the artist had no doubts that she would be 'fine', though her friend's concern for her was both funny and adorable.

It was like watching a little girl have her first crush, full of innocence and clumsiness.

Knowing her lover's plan, Crystal just smiled. "Despite how she looks, Emilia has a surprisingly high pain tolerance."

Bellatrix couldn't help but frown. "Is that so…?"

Looking at her unconcealed concern, the blonde girl giggled. "Don't worry. We always make sure she doesn't suffer needlessly for anything. As you can see… there is not a single scar on her body."

The prime minister's eyes 'inadvertently' swept all over Emilia's body 'because of Crystal's words', and she couldn't help but gulp. "T-That is true…"

She didn't dare mention the regret she felt at not being able to see certain parts of the little beauty's body. It was a secret that should forever stay buried in her heart, something that no one must ever know!

Naturally, Crystal could read her like an open book.

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Emilia didn't wake up even after her tattoo was done, and after considering Crystal's suggestion of letting the girl 'catch up on her sleep', Bellatrix decided that there was no harm in just shifting her to the nearby bed.

Of course as main host of the event the girl was attending and the one who brought her back, she felt it was her responsibility to personally carry her over.

Bellatrix couldn't deny the butterflies in her stomach when her suggestion wasn't refuted by anyone, and she finally got to pick the barely clothed girl up carefully.

The crimson-haired beauty was both lighter and softer than she ever expected, and even through the thin fabric, Bellatrix couldn't help but imagine how amazing it would feel to directly touch the young girl's beautiful skin.

Feeling the blood quickly rushing to her head, the prime minister didn't dare get too distracted as she settled the little beauty on the bed before doing her best to distract herself by talking to the closest person available.

Surprisingly, the blonde friend of Emilia's was quite pleasant to talk to, and Bellatrix found herself feeling like she had met a kindred soul.

Of course, their life experiences were vastly different, but some of their views on both social and moral issues couldn't be any more similar.

Although she convinced herself that accepting Crystal's suggestion so Emilia wouldn't wake up and panic because of being in a vastly different environment than she had been in before was for the best, even the prime minister knew just how flimsy that excuse was.

Bellatrix felt like her good mood was momentarily ruined by her friend's smug smile and 'good luck' when she left, but after staring at Emilia's adorable sleeping face for a while, that feeling evaporated before she knew it.

Fortunately, the girl's parents and older sister seemed to believe in her ability and left the responsibility of taking good care of their 'treasure' in her hands with a smile.

Naturally, Bellatrix wasn't quite shameless enough to convince herself that she 'had to' sleep in the same bed as Emilia, and ended up taking another one nearby regardless of how her heart bled in regret.

Of course, nothing could stop her from getting up early next morning to prepare and make sure that hers was the first face Emilia saw when she opened her eyes.

The girl's blonde companion yawned as she wished her a good morning, and the prime minister tried her best to suppress the excitement in her heart as she calmly smiled back and returned the greeting while waiting for Emilia to wake up.

Unfortunately, all her excitement and good mood was instantly ruined when her secretary came rushing into the room well before Emilia woke up, her face completely devoid of the usual mischief.

Before she even opened her mouth, Bellatrix knew whatever she told her couldn't possibly be good news.

"B-Bella, t-there's something you must know."

Although it might be a bit offensive to her guest, the prime minister knew that there were some procedures she needed to follow in her position. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Inwardly, Bellatrix breathed a sigh of relief as she left after giving the 'worried' Crystal a reassuring nod. 'Fortunately, Emilia is still asleep, so things didn't get too awkward.'

As it turned out, however, her friend hadn't taken her away from the younger girls because she was concerned about confidentiality. If anything, the news she received was something that had already become public, and couldn't be hidden at all.

Barely resisting the urge to retch, Bellatrix couldn't help but clutch at the armrest of the sofa while feeling faint. "H-His face looked like it had been chewed up by something?!"

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