togophonebook #767 - How come you are taller than me?
#767 - How come you are taller than me?
After Horn transferred the administrative center to the Holy See of Machinery, the first floor of the Holy Advent Hall remained as the city hall.
The second floor became Horn's Jeanne d'Arc office and residence in Fort Jeanne.
When Horn stayed in Fort Jeanne for work, he would mostly stay in his office.
This time, when he arrived at the office, Jeanne had been waiting for him for a long time.
Jeanne, with her short, thick braids hanging down her back and dressed in a set of rough hunting clothes, was idly flipping through the books on the desk.
"Jeanne—"
Horn's words suddenly caught in his throat.
The moment Jeanne turned her head, the candlelight shone on her face, which the scorching sun couldn't tan, and it actually had the texture of white jade.
This face was both clear and blurred in the candlelight. The face that hadn't fully developed in her adolescence had now blossomed.
She was wearing a heroic military uniform, but for some reason, Horn always felt a girlish softness.
"Jeanne, you… how did you get taller again?" As they approached, Horn felt something was wrong as soon as he got closer.
In the past four years, he had been growing taller at a rate of one centimeter per year, and he was only about 1.73 meters tall this year.
Any witch who awakens during puberty will be very tall as long as they have enough nutrition.
"Have you really developed?"
"Of course… What are you looking at?!" Following Horn's gaze downwards, Jeanne's fur stood on end when she saw her instep.
"I'm just looking at you, you…"
"Don't look."
Horn was speechless at first, and then couldn't help but laugh: "I didn't expect such a big change in two years."
"What two years? It's been four years. I'm already 21 years old."
She was still a high school girl back then, but in the blink of an eye, she was already a young woman.
At this moment, he realized that he and Jeanne had been separated more than they were together.
Before the founding of the Thousand River Valley, Horn and Jeanne were often together.
But after the founding of the country, everyone had to govern their own territory.
Horn always had to run around, inspect, give speeches, preside over frontline battles, and handle government affairs.
Jeanne had to suppress bandits, train soldiers, and she also took care of the affairs of the Department of Agriculture, responsible for promoting the Enrico crop rotation system, running to the mountains every two or three days.
Sometimes the two of them couldn't even see each other for two or three months. Even if they could meet, they would often only stay for two or three days before having to leave.
Either Horn had something to be busy with, or Jeanne had something to be busy with.
Busy, everyone was busy.
"I've neglected you during this time." Horn couldn't help but sigh. He had spent more time with the wolf girl in the past two years than with Jeanne.
Not to mention the extent to which he went with Melia.
"What are you being so smug about? When did I need your attention?" She said this, but Jeanne couldn't help but smile.
Horn looked into Jeanne's eyes: "If you're free tomorrow, let's get up early and take a look at the Red Maple Forest."
"You rushed here late at night and have to attend a meeting. Don't you need to catch up on sleep tomorrow morning?"
"I can take a nap later, it won't delay things."
"Let's forget it. There are maple leaves every year. Our days are still long." The candlelight on Jeanne's face was brighter than the sunlight. "When everything is resolved, let's build a small house by the maple forest and live there for two weeks every year, how about that?"
"Okay." Horn's heart and tongue promised at the same time.
"Are you only saying this to me alone, or are you saying this to Carrie, Catherine, Sylph, Melia, Sister Sissy, and Leanne too?"
"Forget about Melia. What's with Sissy and Leanne?" Horn's eyes widened. "Don't slander my innocence."
"So you mean everyone except Melia, Sister Sissy, and Leanne, right?" Jeanne's mouth turned up.
"I wouldn't dare to say anything randomly." Horn waved his hand with a righteous expression, and coughed guiltily, "I've only taken you to the Red Maple Forest."
Jeanne narrowed her eyes and suddenly smiled mischievously: "I don't believe it. Let's go, everyone's here, it's time for the meeting."
Watching Jeanne's leaving back, Horn didn't know why, but his body moved on its own.
He took a step forward, grabbed Jeanne's wrist, and pulled gently.
Jeanne, with her Seven Breaths Technique, was actually staggered by his Two Breaths Technique.
Horn's other hand took the opportunity to support Jeanne's waist and pulled her towards him.
"Huh?"
Under the candlelight, Horn quietly tiptoed and looked directly into Jeanne's eyes. The tips of their noses were almost touching.
"You, what are you doing?" Then Jeanne closed her eyes.
The familiar touch from the Battle of Pavia came again, but this time it was not just a fleeting touch.
Unlike last time, her brother's mouth had a strong coffee flavor.
Jeanne secretly bent her knees a little, reached her hands through Horn's armpits, and hugged him.
She could taste the faint bitterness of the coffee on Horn's tongue, while Horn smelled the familiar scent of cornflowers.
This kiss felt like a moment, and also like a long time.
Jeanne couldn't even feel whether time was passing, she could only feel her lips and tongue rubbing and stirring.
"Knock, knock, knock."
"Creak—"
"Everyone's here, Your… Bang!"
"Ouch, my nose, why did you suddenly close the door…"
"Shh, shh, shh, don't talk!"
Listening to the voices of the two treasures, Rudilo and Coleman, outside the door, Horn slowly retracted his neck.
"What was that just now?" Jeanne's face was flushed, like a red-hearted white jade.
"Just consider it an apology for not taking you to the Red Maple Forest in the past two years." Horn was frank.
Jeanne's face became even redder: "Shameless, taking advantage of others not paying attention, sneaking an attack, and sticking your tongue out."
"I stuck my tongue out, but your teeth didn't stop me, and you were still sucking on it…"
Jeanne immediately pounced over to cover Horn's mouth.
Feeling the amazing force on her cheeks, Horn quickly waved his hand: "I won't say it, I won't say it."
The fiery red blush on Jeanne's face subsided a bit, but her voice was unclear whether it was coquettish or truly angry: "You're not allowed to say it again."
"I promise not to say it." Horn quickly raised three fingers, and Jeanne let go.
Looking at Jeanne with her braids standing on end, Horn stood in front of the silver mirror and straightened his clothes: "Let's go, I guess they're all getting impatient, I don't know what they're saying about us."
"They wouldn't dare." Jeanne snorted, but didn't move, "You go first, I'll rest for a while."
Horn understood, he first walked to the door, revealing half of his body inside the door: "Oh, you're afraid that the blush on your face will be seen by them…"
Before he could finish speaking, Horn darted out of the door and closed the door behind him.
As soon as the door closed, he heard a soft thud against the door.
Horn chuckled, turned around, and saw the motherly smiles on the rough faces of Rudilo and Coleman at the corner.
Putting on a straight face, Horn quickly ran forward a few steps, kicking them each in the butt with the force of a dragon: "What are you laughing at, so perverted."
Rudilo and Coleman immediately shook their heads: "No laughing, no laughing, hehe, Your Majesty, everyone's here, I'll take you to the conference room."
"After we get there, you're not allowed to talk nonsense, understand?"
"Guaranteed."
"Okay, let's go then."