Exit: Words with the Wetnurse

[AN: Obligation and responsibilities took hold of me and did not let go.]
[Sexytimes stop after James gets done suckling Lilian's tit. It's all a general 'Where are we now?' from there, which gets progressively more general as it goes. I don't feel this James just fucking Lilian, and there was only so much to write about the breast play, so... yea. He ends up having her tutor him unironically.]

I decide to Exit, and take in my new reality.

Time resumes, and Lilian's words change seamlessly along with her tone to match the current situation, "...and should you desire it, my lord, I would be more than happy to offer you my milk as well." She says with a smile, her voice still smooth and cultured but no longer dripping with self-superiority. There's a surreal contrast between how regal and refined she sounds and the fact that she's currently fondling her tits and massaging milk from her nipples, then offering it to me.

"Ah, um, thank you, Lilian," I say, doing my best to not let the abrupt transition from frozen time to reality show on my face. I'm not entirely sure what the new context for Lilian's presence in my room is, but she shouldn't be out to usurp Arma and Artelle's authority anymore at the very least. "Then..." I step forward, pocketing my phone, and stepping over to the noblewoman.

Lilian gives a small nod as I step forward, her eyes following me closely while her own expression remains surprisingly composed for a woman in her position. I'm not sure if that's the result of her training and professionalism, or just her natural disposition. Either way, the way she lifts a teat up toward my in invitation is quite attractive, and I can't help but be reminded of a similar situation I shared with Arma.

I don't know what to say, really, so instead I just sit down and let my actions speak for me as I lean over to the presented breast. The scent of Lilian's milk is surprisingly strong as I bring my mouth to bear on her teat. It's a pleasant scent, and I'm a little curious how it will taste so after I've opened my mouth, I flick my tongue over the nipple and then wrap my lips around it. My hands come to rest on Lilian's sides as I start suckling from her tit.

The taste is not what I expected, but I can't exactly put it into words. It's a little sweet, a little rich, a little thick and savory, and a lot satisfying. Lilian seems to enjoy having her breast suckled from, too: she's leaning her head back slightly and her expression has started to look a little strained, her cheeks flushed and her breaths coming out a bit heavier than before. I wonder how much of this is typical for a woman, how much is typical for a woman in this world, and how much is the result of the curse I accidentally enabled twisting society and its people.

Food for thought, for later. Right now... As fun as it is to experience this with a grown woman, as a grown man, I stop well before I'm 'full.' Instead, I decide to give myself and Lilian a moment to breathe, then figure out where we stand. "So, Lilian," I say, licking my lips and idly accepting an offered handkerchief, "are you a member of one of the noble families?"

"Yes," she answers with a nod, "I am the youngest daughter of House Paran," she says, "I've come of age, and my parents sent me here to offer my services to the royal family." There's a hint of some emotion in her voice there, but it's not the same unwavering pride and ambition which previously colored her every word.

"So you are an actual noblewoman, and not just a retainer of the royal family." I surmise. This is information I already knew, or at least strongly suspected, of course, given I made sure to include the word 'noble' in her description, but it's still nice to hear her confirm it herself. Lilian nods in response to my query, and I decide to ask her a more personal question, "Might I ask, are you married? You're certainly pregnant, but I don't see a ring, or any other obvious marital symbol." I'd already verified this sort of tradition had carried over here with Artelle and Arma, as part of one of our few productive conversations.

"I am not married," Lilian admits, "but the circumstances of my pregnancy are a sensitive matter," she says, a bit of color blooming in her cheeks, "I'm afraid that I cannot share them with you. I promise, it will not cause any difficulty for the royal family." I consider pressing her on the subject but decide to take her word at face value and trust her. The app assured her loyalty, after all.

...It's kind of amusing, having a serious political conversation with a woman who's got her breasts out in the open. Who I just suckled from, at that. She's even absent-mindedly fingering the nipple I used to do it as she speaks.

"Tell me: What do you think of my relationship with the royal family?" I decide to probe a different subject as I slide further onto the bed and recline against the wall and headboard.

Lilian tilts her head slightly, and the thoughtful look in her eyes tells me she's giving the question honest consideration "...well, as I understand it, it was sudden and unexpected. Even so, your treatment of both of them has been very courteous and generous, and they seem quite pleased with your company. I believe you're an excellent fit for the Royal Family, and should be kept on, regardless of any political considerations."

She considers for a moment, and then adds, "That being said, if you're not interested in a permanent arrangement, I will still support you and the Royal Family. I think the best thing to do is to have as many children as possible, regardless of whether or not you marry, and I'm certain the Royal Family will agree. That is how we will save the Kingdom, and bring it back from the brink."

I blink. "So... wait. You don't even care if I marry them or not?" I intend to, of course, because why the hell wouldn't I? It's not like disappearing into the night is going to paint any less of a target on my back.

But still, it seems a bit... strange, to me, that she's advocating for me to sleep with them outside of wedlock, and even to continue to sleep with them if I don't marry them. Aren't noblewomen usually all about the propriety?

Lilian gives me a somewhat confused look. "I mean... I would prefer you do marry them, but I can't say the order matters. Given your lack of any verifiable pedigree - no offense intended, my lord - there is sufficient cause to avoid a marriage. The Goddess knows, many noble houses haven't had a proper marriage in the last decade for that very reason." She sniffs dismissively. "They'll poach men from the commonfolk for the purposes of bearing children, but dare not 'sully' their house by marrying a commoner... I fear in a few generations they might give up the idea of marriage entirely, if our country still stands at that time."

She shakes her head. "That is why, while I'd prefer you to marry the royals for the sake of tradition and precedent if nothing else, I will hold no grudge to either party if no such thing happens."

"I see." Well, at least she won't be too upset when the wedding eventually happens, but I still feel there's something strange going on here. So... "Why are you so concerned with me being involved with them anyway? Don't you want a shot at the throne, or at me?"

Lilian laughs, "No, not really." She shakes her head again. "I'm aware that my house has fallen on hard times, and I know that my family has been trying to find ways to restore its fortunes, but I have no interest in becoming the Queen." She shrugs, "I would much rather serve in some capacity, or perhaps become a trusted adviser to the Royal Family. I have no interest in ruling the kingdom, or in becoming the center of the kingdom's attention. That is a position of unenviable danger, in these times."

...I wonder if I should tell her I'm pretty sure she's the only woman in the castle actually capable of that kind of responsibility and competence. I wonder if I should tell her she was plotting to usurp the Royal Family and have me all to herself as recently as a few hours ago. I wonder if I should tell her that, at least in part, I'm responsible for the situation that has left her so concerned for the Kingdom's future.

...and I dismiss those thoughts. One person mildly aware of the app is dangerous enough as it stands. Lilian isn't even that close to me, and I already know that she's capable of duplicity even if she seems to be disinterested in this reality. I trust that she'll serve admirably in her role, but that's not the same thing as trusting her with something as dangerous as my phone.

"I suppose I should let you get to your business, then." Lilian says, pulling her clothes back into place, "I've taken up enough of your time as is."

"Wait, I think I would like to continue... enjoying your presence," I tell her. Lilian smiles faintly, and inclines her head in acquiescence as she pulls her clothes back down, revealing her breasts once more. "Well, yes, that too," I can't really be offended at her immediate assumption, really, "but..." but Lilian is uniquely suited for helping me get better informed about the sheer level of shit I'm in. "the conversation was actually quite interesting. If you don't have pressing business elsewhere, I should like to continue speaking of such things with you."

I'll check everything she says against Artelle later, of course, but... Sadly, the royals and I tend to distract ourselves quite quickly whenever we're in a room together, so an in-depth education regarding the kingdom is something I've yet to properly acquire.

I pat the bed beside me, and Lilian moves to join me, sitting beside me as I lean back. "Let us speak of the state of the country and its people."

Lilian and I spend the next few hours discussing the state of the country and its people. I learn a lot about the various nobles who support the royal family, the various factions within the nation, the other nations that surround Armelia, and the demons that have been raiding our borders. Lilian is an incredibly intelligent and articulate young woman, and I find myself easily able to keep up with her, even if she has a lot more experience than I do.

I learn that the country is mostly rural, and that the cities are mostly inhabited by the upper class, while the countryside is mostly inhabited by the lower class. The country is divided into several regions, each of which has its own ruling family - subordinate to the royal families, of course.

Each of the regions has its own distinct culture, and its own distinct problems. The most shared of these problems is, of course, the bloodline curse that's causing the decline of male births even as it heightens female libido and sexuality ever closer to the edge of reason. This has led to a lot of social upheaval and has caused many of the more traditional noble families to lose their status, as their male members die out and the female members are reduced to poverty.

Meanwhile, the commonfolk have fared much better. The lack of education has left them much more flexible in regards to their sexual proclivities, and their more practical lifestyles have tended to see them retain their virility much longer than the average aristocratic man. Furthermore, the commoners have already pretty much transitioned to outright polygamy to cope whereas the nobility still stubbornly refuse to share out any men they have access to beyond their family and closest allies..

This all lines up with what I learned in the previous iteration of reality, except that now the standards of nobility have begun to crumble and they've started taking particularly virile young men on as 'honored servants' and essentially forcing them into prostitution for their families. This, thankfully, has been held in check by swift action from Artelle and the Church setting for standards and restrictions for such practices but...

...it seems like the country is on the border of both civil war and outright civil revolt.

I think that House Paran, being a centerpiece of the 'Traditionalist' faction, was responsible for the dogged refusal to lay with anyone outside of marriage... and by making Lilian more open to the idea via my changes - as restrained as they were - I by proxy made her family's general disposition match and... everything's kind of just spinning out of control as the nobility takes the inch they were given as far as they can.

So... I have yet again made the situation worse, even when exercising relative restraint. Can I really not have any fun with this thing without the country going to shit? ...Or maybe the situation was already dire, and my changes are just making it more obvious? There does seem to be a tendency for things to remain 'mostly the same' after all, as far as they can...

Still. The country is stuck in a delicate balancing act. Artelle's powerbase and the church are barely restraining the nobility from causing a general revolt amongst the citizens, and I'm pretty sure that in turn the nobility is only accepting that restraint because the ongoing threat of the demons means they can't afford to waste their troops to infighting but... if the demons just pull back and do nothing for a while then... that could be very bad for us, if the wrong person gets a 'bright' idea.

By the end of my conversation with Lilian, I've got such a migraine. Rather than stay in my own quarters, I share Arma's and let her soothe me to sleep. What a mess.