Mel POV

Hehehe... this is just as I planned!

As Mel melted into a blushing mess within Maria's grasp, she secretly conjured a comeback and surprise plan tonight.

No longer will she surrender easily under her Partner; this time, she'll 'pretend' submission and surprise by topping her tonight!

A foxy smile curled across Mel's heated cheeks as her back slid up Maria's embrace.

In her passion to outwit the Saintess, Maria drew idle circles on Mel as she viewed her 'future' with the Prophecy Magic.

"Hehe..."

Adoring chuckles escaped her as she licked her Mel's ear in delight.

"Hic! Partner..." The tickly sensation jolted Mel awake, as she squirmed under Maria.

"Shh... Mel..." Maria puffed hot breaths into her ear. "Remember, Lila was listening to us as well."

'Lila... Lila...'

Mel's thoughts echoed in the telepathy, reminding herself she was not in a *REDACTED* doujin.

Then, both paused as the swirly breeze brushed up snow in the air.

"Uh..."

The breeze eventually calmed, then swirled around them like a tornado again.

Yet before Mel's lips parted to ask, it died down again suddenly.

'This is...'

"Hm."

A regretful frown spread across Maria's face as she pulled away, staring across the snowy night sky.

Uneven winds, snow thickening and thinning at an urgent pace, and most notably to Envy...

She opened her palm to catch a pile of snow. Then another.

Some cold enough to freeze a man over a drop. Yet some hollow-feel without heat or chill at all.

"Yep." Maria nodded to herself. "That's the sign of Envy fighting."

'Hm? Lila's fighting?'

As Maria nonchalantly admired Mel's shocked face, she warmly smiled.

"Absolutely. It would seem..."

A pause in the air as Maria closed her eyes, then re-opened them.

"Oh, she's currently... flinging icicles at Wrath now!"

'Eh?!'

Mel's lips gaped, her hat almost shaken off in shock before Maria's fingers caught the tip.

"What-"

Stammering, Mel coughed twice before continuing her Telepathy.

'Why was she fighting Wrath now? Don-don't you think that will trigger Pride to... You know.'

A malicious shadow covered half of Maria's face as she stared somewhere in quiet contemplation.

"I don't think you need to worry."

Her grasp over Mel's waist tightened, her thighs splitting before sliding against Mel.

'Ah...' Mel held back a moan, steadying to relay her thoughts. 'But... given how emotionally sensitive she was last time...'

"I'm serious, Mel. I'm not lying."

Maria sighed. "That Family-seeking Pride was, unfortunately, huddling in a corner while crying now."

Mel froze; Maria's possessive touch faded in irrelevance upon hearing the news.

'Miss Pride was... crying again?'

"Of course she would."

A sad tone took root in Maria's voice, more towards Mel's ignorance of their flirts than sympathy for Pride herself.

Hesitation marred her mind, yet it melted upon observing Mel's warm yet concerned look.

Eying Nyrel's disheartened self, her arms dangling to allow the indifferent maid to be held, Maria shrugged.

"Pride saw one of her children blatantly disregarding the Principles she set up."

Then disgust crept up Maria's throat. "Despite her... unique experience, it eluded me how naive Pride was for her 'family'..."

"Maria."

This time, Mel spoke with resolve as she turned and faced her Partner with a steel stare.

"Leave Miss Pride alone for now, Maria."

She narrowed her eyes for Maria's, now without her usual blindfold.

Maria's brows raised subtly, yet the observant Mel caught the fear flickering across Maria's eyes.

She knew not what her Partner was thinking, yet her hands raised to cup both of her cheeks.

"My Partner." A teasing grin bloomed on her lips. "I understand your distaste for Pride since you've fought her for a long time, but please... give her some moment."

As much as Mel wished to rush for a visit to Miss Pride herself, her Partner held the ultimate key to Miss Pride's seal.

So, Mel wished the Saintess time to progress their history with Pride to ensure Miss Pride was at least allowed some leniency before then.

"Mel..."

Yet Maria's golden eyes pierced through Mel's, her hands raising to cup Mel's.

"Sorry for my venting." The Saintess's face softened. "And please. You do not need to ask for my permission."

"Eh?"

"I said, you do not need to ask for my permission to visit Pride."

A looming smirk on Maria's face, before she lowered her hands behind Mel's thighs.

"For a price, of course."

Then, without warning, she scooped Mel up.

"Hic!"

Yelping, her thighs clasped over Maria's waist; her skirt half-exposed as she snapped her gaze behind her on instinct.

Nyxia and Nyrel were both 'frozen', unaware of this embarrassing scenery ahead of them.

"Maria... Partner..."

She whimpered out, her hands gripping Maria's neck.

"Relax... soothe yourself..."

Licking her lips, Maria breathed onto Mel's neck. "Remember my offer, Mel."

Her hips buckled up against Mel's, while her palms smoothed over her thighs-

Then grasped Mel's bum lightly.

"Ah-ah..."

The Witch of Lust nodded. "Mm. I will..."

Maria's eyes smiled in satisfaction.

It bugged Maria once; how she disliked forcing Mel against her own will.

Then, as she touched Mel, her Mel, more and more, she broke her promise to herself as Maria contemplated a fair, calculated plan.

She would prioritise Mel's happiness.

But... who couldn't say she couldn't shift Mel's happiness solely to be hers and hers alone?

"Good."

Mel blinked away her tears as she glanced at her surroundings with wondrous eyes.

Greyness occupied every corner; snows halted mid-air like the distant clouds.

"Maria..."

As her partner's forehead clung to hers, she faced Maria's mischievous, heated gaze.

"Yes, Mel. I'm just preparing against our descent to stop Envy's fighting."

Her lips neared Mel's. "But before we do, let's present a more... graceful self for her before we do?"

One palm continued to tease her bum, as another slid over her back before claiming her hair.

"Consent." She murmured. "I know you want to."

The creepy tone scared Mel, as her thighs wetted in the promise of pleasure.

Yet in the trance, the Witch smiled as her neck bowed.

Then, her tongue darted out and swiped against Maria's cheek.

"Hehe..."

A childish giggle escaped her as Mel gazed into Maria's shaken eyes.

"You're also blushing, my Partner."

Maria blinked; her cheeks further flushed as she panted.

"I know. Of course you're not embarrassed..."

She murmured as her lips frowned.

"Because I feel the same as you... Partner..."

A breath caught in Maria's throat as she gasped at the wetness that clung to her robe.

"I... hehe..."

A hushed chuckle, then Mel tilted her head.

"Just a little..."

Maria's mock-calmness shattered on Mel's blushing submission.

Her rationality told her she shouldn't.

The original plan was always to leave Mel hanging for tonight, before she suggested Mel date Lila.

So that Mel would have her in mind more, so that she could occupy Mel's thoughts a while longer.

Yet as her hand loosened on Mel's cheek, Mel's hands remained firm on hers.

The warmth, sickeningly sweet as if ripe for breaking.

"Heh..."

She took Mel's hand, as her golden eyes suddenly shone.

Then, the grey World expanded itself, stretching beyond the horizon as far as she liked.

"You win, Mel."

Facing Mel's confused glance, Maria squinted as she tilted her head and licked Mel's palm.

"As always."

Her lips stuttered before confessing.

"I can never win against you."

Then, they teleported out, blinking out of existence.

The grey world continued to expand, for Mel and hers alone.

----------------

Wrath POV

"Senior! Please stop running!"

Lila shouted as Wrath sprinted and weaved through frosted trees at zooming speed, as shadows loomed over the entire forest.

The falling snows, once gentle winter that never hurt anyone, now turned icicles against the running Wrath.

Worse, some harmless snows mixed in as traps; a tactic all too familiar to Wrath.

As she lifted her blade to mix dodges with slashes against the spiked ice, Wrath shouted.

"Aren't we all fellow Witches? Shouldn't we all calm down and-"

"Yes! I'm very calm!"

Lila screamed as she amplified snow glitters on the frozen bark, snapping it in half and continuing to chase Wrath in clumsy steps.

"I'm just... asserting my place right now!"

She pouted, recalling an embarrassed Mel.

"You can take it regardless. Mel wouldn't care for a friendly spar as long as we're both not hurt!"

With her Frozen trait, Lila was sure she could somehow freeze wounds 'pain' away.

"Tch."

Recalling Envy's impulsive and unshameful nature, Wrath's steps continued forward-

Then ground stop, as a wave of greyness washed over her.

With her shocked gaze up, Wrath quickly flicked the blade-

And slashed nothing.

"What?"

Confusion marred her mind, as her eyes drifted over to the 'grey' scenery; all snows and leaves ceased fluttering in this grey-filled world.

"Ha?"

Lila, too, came to a halt.

Having received her power just now, her senses were enhanced to monitor the entire world.

Yet as the greyness encroached further and further, beyond even this forest...

The Witch of Envy felt as if the World slipped away from her grasp, away from her vision, away from her hearing.

"What is... what is this?"

Whispering out, Lila snapped her gaze and locked onto Wrath's, questioning as if it was her doing.

Wrath merely glanced away, slightly annoyed.

Judging how she failed, it seemed to her that Maria had acted impulsively on her own, again.

The principle behind the grey world was simple: A Drifter's Gaze, and...

"It was a Reality Marble."

Wrath groaned. "A Marble that extended the principle of frozen time across the World. Or specifically, our World."

Beyond this World, the real World would continue to persist typically.

Even with no evidence, Wrath was sure that the Saintess would be cunning enough to entrap them.

"Well, just get us out then!"

She watched Lila's face beam, as if finally finding relief.

Wrath's brows raised in interest as she smirked a little.

"I refuse."

She buckled her knees, this time in readiness.

"This time."

A rare excitement bloomed in Wrath's face.

She has been avoiding Envy, but not out of fear of fighting her.

But I fear that Lila and the world would be hurt under her... carelessness.

So, Maria's Reality Marble, one that separated the real world from harm, was an opportunity.

"Let's spar a little."

Deep down, Wrath could guess where Maria... and Mel were headed.

So this is Maria's way of telling her to distract Envy as well, as their current deal dictated.

Let's treat this as a favour for an old friend, then.

Upon watching her senior Witch's serious frown, Lila shuddered.

"Uh..." Her fingers tapped against each other. "Sorry..."

Wrath tilted her head.

And creepily, her eyes and lips smiled bizarrely on an otherwise indifferent face.

"No."

That night, Envy ran screaming as she ducked and jumped against Wrath's ruthless slashes.