Chapter 137

About a week had passed since I returned to the Blackwood Estate with Ethan.

The days during this week were so relaxed that they could almost be considered a vacation.

First of all, my duties as Ethan’s exclusive maid at the mansion weren’t any more than what I did at the academy, and in fact, I was more accustomed to these duties as I had been doing them longer than those at the academy.

Of course, following Ethan around all day and assisting him meant I had almost no personal time.

“Lilith…?”

“Ah, yes. If you need my help with anything, please let me know anytime.”

“No, I didn’t call you for that reason. I was just wondering if you aren’t bored just standing there.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve been by my side for days since we returned to the mansion. I’ve been staying in my father’s office all day lately.”

“……”

It would obviously be a lie if I said I wasn’t bored at all.

Ethan has been spending eight hours a day handling Harold’s work, and although we’re in the same space, we only talk once or twice an hour.

In that sense, Ethan’s question about whether I was bored wasn’t incomprehensible, but it wasn’t like I was so bored that I couldn’t stand it. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

I could pass the time by reading books on magic from the Blackwood Mansion’s storage or doing some knitting as a pastime.

“You don’t need to worry, Young Master Ethan. Where else would I, your exclusive maid, go if not by your side?”

“You could take a break alone or go out on a holiday with Isabel or Catherine. You’re not a debt maid anymore, so you’re free to come and go from the mansion.”

“I can rest sufficiently here, and I spend enough time socializing with Isabel and Catherine outside of work hours, so it’s fine.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I’m glad…”

As he said this, Ethan looked at me with a somewhat concerned expression.

Seeing that strange gaze, I suddenly wondered if I had been misunderstanding something all this time.

‘Maybe he’s been uncomfortable with me being in the same space as him all this time.’

Indeed, given that Ethan has been becoming more like Harold lately, it was quite possible.

Harold was famously known for not having an exclusive maid because he found it annoying to have someone around, so it’s possible that his son Ethan inherited that trait.

I’ve been needlessly irritating him for days without realizing it.

“I apologize, Young Master Ethan. I’ve been failing to grasp the true meaning behind your words until now.”

“Huh? True meaning…?”

“You’re the type who finds it distracting to have someone else around while working, Young Master Ethan. I’ll withdraw so as not to bother you anymore. Please call me back anytime if you need me.”

“Huh? That’s not it! It’s not like I find your presence particularly bothersome!”

“You don’t need to be considerate, Young Master Ethan. I’ll withdraw for a while so as not to disturb you. Please call me back when you need me.”

“……”

Ethan, who had just indirectly expressed that he was uncomfortable with me in the same space, now looked flustered as I offered to withdraw.

Thinking he might have something more to say, I waited for a moment, and he suddenly drained his teacup in one go and held it out to me.

“Lilith, I’ve finished my tea, could you go to the dining room and bring me some more?”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, and on your way, could you deliver these letters to Dittmeyer? There’s no one else I can ask but you.”

“Ah, yes.”

“It’s really reassuring to have you always by my side, Lilith. If I were alone, I’d have been tired going back and forth outside the office.”

“You’re stating the obvious.”

“Come to think of it, I think it’s better if you just stay by my side. I’d like you to wait in the office even after you come back from the errand. …Like you’ve been doing until now.”

“…I understand, Young Master Ethan. If you absolutely need my help, I suppose I have no choice.”

“Yes. I absolutely need your help, so please keep waiting in the office. I’m asking you.”

“Of course, I’ll do so, Young Master Ethan.”

Honestly, if he was going to say he needed me in the end, why did he pretend I was bothering him?

Thinking that he was quite dishonest in many ways, I left Ethan’s office with a teacup in one hand and letters in the other.

As expected, he can’t do without me.

Harold returned to the Blackwood Mansion that very evening.

It seemed he had returned as soon as he finished his backlog of work at the academy, riding in on horseback proudly to the Blackwood mansion.

Unlike Ethan, being a character capable of personal horse riding, he didn’t bother to use a carriage.

Well, while it would take nearly a full day by carriage from the Island of Knowledge, riding one’s own horse could reduce the travel time by 60-70%.

Harold, who arrived at the Blackwood mansion after half a day’s ride from Luminor Academy, returned just last night.

Naturally, the workaholic Harold immediately occupied his office desk upon return, bringing Ethan’s temporary role as acting head of the household to an end after a week.

…As a result, I, who had been spending time in the office with Ethan, was left with nothing to do and was now waiting in my personal room.

‘I really have nothing to do now.’

In fact, if I wanted to, I could ask Ethan for permission to go out and hunt monsters in the back mountains, which would help me grow a little.

At least that would be more visibly beneficial growth than reading books in my personal room like this.

…But I didn’t want to obsess over growth to the point of neglecting my main job.

First of all, now that my level is somewhat on track, the monsters in the back mountains of the Blackwood mansion would only give me a tiny amount of XP.

Having just leveled up recently, I was destined to accumulate over 1,000 XP again for the next level. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

I had concluded that to level up from the monsters that spawn in the back mountains, I would have to hunt almost every day for two weeks straight.

Rather than abandoning my exclusive maid duties to do such a thing, it was better to just stay by Ethan’s side.

After all, passing time like this and reading magic books from the Blackwood Mansion’s storage was helpful in its own way. It wasn’t just the numerically visible growth that was meaningful information for living in this world.

‘It’s nice to have some leisure time after a long while.’

I had a sense of mental relaxation I hadn’t felt in a long time, having escaped from the Luminor Academy life where I was pressed by competition and assignments every day.

After all, the Blackwood Estate itself was a peaceful setting with almost no connection to the main story, except for the ‘Ethan Subjugation Battle.’

By now, that Gyeongmwajogyegigwat guy is probably participating in the main story along with Seriste and Selena.

Luminor Academy had many events during the summer and winter vacations where you could progress the story while getting involved with various heroines.

As I was enjoying this peace of mind, completely unrelated to the troublesome events of the main story, I heard a knock at the door with a rhythm I could now recognize just by the sound.

Knock, knock.

“…Young Master Ethan?”

“I have something to talk about. Is now a good time, Lilith?”@@novelbin@@

“Yes, Young Master. I’m always on standby.”

“Then come to my room for a moment to talk. I’ll be waiting inside.”

“Yes, Young Master Ethan.”

It’s not mealtime yet, I wonder if he’s planning to go out for something.

Knock, knock, knock.

“I’m coming in, Young Master Ethan.”

“Yes, come in.”

Creeak.

With the sound of the door opening, I stepped into Ethan’s personal room.

As I visited every morning and evening to prepare his bed, it was a familiar sight in a way, almost as much as my own personal room.

Naturally, my eyes fell on Ethan, who was sitting at the table waiting for me as if he had been expecting my arrival.

“What did you call me for?”

“First, could you come over here and sit down for a moment?”

“…Yes.”

What’s this about?

I remember that most of the conversations where Ethan sat me down at the table were about fairly important matters. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

For a moment, I wondered if he was going to take me to some noble socialization event again, like last time.

“Lilith, do you have any plans for tomorrow or the day after?”

“No, as your exclusive maid, I basically keep my schedule clear.”

“Is that so?”

“Do you have plans to go out of the estate?”

“Ah, yes. Now that Father has returned, I no longer have to handle the official duties, and I think this is the best time since you’re free, too, Lilith. I could go alone, but it would be much better if you came along.”

…I had just thought about it in my head, but it seemed he really was planning to disguise me as his fiancée and take me to another nobles’ gathering.

By the way, I’ve already given up on correcting the rumors circulating here and there about me being Ethan’s fiancée. That issue had completely left my hands already.

Due to Luminor Academy’s unique closed amplification network, it was already a rumor that wouldn’t die down even if I denied it.

If Ethan, who is both a party to the same rumor and the son of a duke’s family, directly intervened, he could certainly prevent it from spreading openly, but Ethan didn’t seem to have any intention of denying the gossip between us.

He’s probably not denying it because it’s a politically useful situation. If rumors spread that the son of a duke’s family in his coming-of-age period doesn’t have a fiancée, it would always cause troublesome issues in future negotiations between nobles. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

Not only would he have to deal with nobles who use the position of his fiancée as a negotiation card in almost every exchange, but it would also be easy for relationships to sour if he refused engagement proposals from nobles he was friendly with. Also, he would always have to accept relationships with heirs requesting new exchanges with double and triple suspicion.

In that sense, the current situation where I act as a fake fiancée and serve as a breakwater was the time when Ethan could move most freely.

Therefore, it was quite understandable for him to take me to another noble socialization event.

His purpose would be to confirm that it’s not just a baseless rumor circulating within the academy by taking me to the noble exchange venue once again.

…Well, if Ethan wants it, I guess I have no choice.

I didn’t particularly want to go somewhere and act as his fiancée, but it was politically important for Ethan.

Above all, as someone who had no intention of marrying a man in the future, I didn’t care whether I was labeled as Ethan’s ex-fiancée or not.

So, I had no choice but to willingly agree to Ethan’s request as his exclusive maid.

“Where are you planning to go, Young Master Ethan?”

“We’re not going too far. We’re going to Grainstone Village.”

“Grainstone Village?”

“Yes. It’s a nearby village, so we’re leaving tomorrow. Do you know where it is?”

“Yes, I know where it is, but…”

“Hm? What’s wrong, Lilith?”

“…Can they hold noble socialization events in such a small village?”

“…Noble… socialization events?”

“Pardon?”

“There’s a blacksmith shop in Grainstone Village run by a half-dwarf, so I’m going there to have a new dagger made for you.”

“……Oh.”

Oh!

Oh, oh no, oh nooo!