Chapter 417

Victory over Ethan. My first win.

After ten days of hard work, the moment of triumph wrapped me in an overwhelming sense of joy.

"Yes! Finally!!"

In the past ten days, Ethan and I crossed swords over a hundred times. Counting every single session, even before we discussed any rewards, we must have dueled almost a thousand times.

So, the euphoria that filled my mind was undeniable as I claimed this hard-won victory.

“Yes! I did it! I finally won…!”

“Are you that happy, Lilith?”

“…Oh.”

…Caught up in the moment, I screamed like a madwoman, and now Ethan was staring at me with a slightly bemused expression.

It finally dawned on me that I was still in front of him, and I hurriedly tried to pull myself together.

“...My apologies, Master Ethan. That outburst was simply an unconscious reaction to my happiness and was in no way intended to insult you…”

“I know. I can tell you’re genuinely happy about your victory, and I also know you tend to restrain your emotions most of the time.”

“…”

“I never imagined you’d capitalize on my first mistake and take the match with a final strike. This sparring session was truly remarkable.”

“…Thank you for the high praise.”

With both of us exhausted, it was a final blow that I barely managed, but Ethan acknowledged my victory.

Looking at his cheerful expression, it even seemed like he had been hoping for me to win.

It reminded me of the way Harold had taught Ethan swordsmanship—Ethan was likely enjoying teaching me as well, with the heart of a mentor watching their student grow.

“Seeing you so thrilled makes me a bit shy. I didn’t expect you to be so eager for your reward.”

“…Oh.”

Right, that was the reason I had been focusing so intensely until the end.

I was so caught up in the victory itself that I forgot why I had been sparring with Ethan daily in the first place. And what my triumphant display must have looked like to him.

‘He probably thinks I look like some crazed woman, desperate for sex.’

An absurd misunderstanding, but it was already too late to correct it. Besides, making excuses would only make me look even more pathetic and fake.

…And honestly, I still wanted that reward, so there was no need to complicate things by saying too much.

The real issue was figuring out how to make the most of the ‘one night’ I’d earned from Ethan.

“How do you want your reward, Lilith? I’m fine with tonight, if you are.”

“…How much work is left for you here on the Blackwood estate, Master Ethan?”

“Not sure why you’re asking, but I’d say there’s at least another three days of work. The urgent matters should be handled within that time frame, and once I’ve sent out the necessary letters, I’ll have to wait for replies, so I should be free for a while.”

“Then, would it be acceptable if I received my reward after you’ve taken care of all your business?”

“Hm?”

Ethan tilted his head slightly, looking puzzled, but I was serious.

Since I’d earned this reward, I wanted to be thorough with my preparations.

“I don’t mind if that’s what you want… Are you sure?”

“What do you mean, Master Ethan?”

“You were so happy just now—do you think you can wait three more days?”

“…The joy I showed was purely from winning our sparring match, not from the thought of receiving my reward immediately. Just because I didn’t protest the last time in bed, does that mean you see me as some kind of lewd maid, Master Ethan?”

“…Ah, no, that’s not what I meant.”

Ethan shook his head, a strange silence settling between us.

“Either way, I’d prefer to receive my reward when you have a clear mind, without any pressing matters hanging over you. I think it would be better to wait until all your tasks are complete so you can enjoy it freely.”

“If that’s what you want, then that’s fine by me. I think it’s a good idea too.”

“Thank you. Then I would like to schedule my reward for four days from now—after all matters are settled.”

“…Four days from now?”

“Yes, four days.”

“…Understood.”

Ethan nodded, though he seemed to sense something odd about it.

And so, the timing of the reward I earned after a thousand rounds of sparring was set.

The day after I secured my victory over Ethan and scheduled my reward, we both sat in Harold’s office, attending to the various tasks that had come up for the Blackwood family.

Scheduling the reward for four days later was for two main reasons.

One, as I mentioned, I wanted to receive my reward from an Ethan who was free from pressing duties and had a relaxed mind. Two, if I claimed my reward on the third night, I wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy it.

Having earned this hard-won victory, I wanted to take a whole day to savor it properly.

…Of course, that didn’t mean I planned to spend the entire day in bed with Ethan, tangled up with him non-stop. Realistically, I’d probably tire out before he would, given the difference in stamina.

Instead, I wanted to take advantage of this rare opportunity to go on a date around the Blackwood estate and spend some quality time together. Then, we could enjoy a comfortable, intimate moment as the day ended.

Since he’d indulged my whim the last time with the cat ears and tail, he’d probably agree to a few more requests this time around.

…With these thoughts, I felt more at ease about waiting for the reward. But not even a day had passed before I started to regret this decision.

Knowing that I could finally claim the reward seemed to ignite a fire inside me that refused to be ignored.@@novelbin@@

‘Damn it… I really want him…’

Just yesterday, I hadn’t felt anything unusual, but only a day later, the longing flared up inside me again.

Up until now, I’d had the self-control to hold back because I knew there would be no reward until I won. But now that I’d finally won a round, my restraint was slipping away.

It was as if my body was demanding, ‘You won, so why aren’t you getting what you want?’

It wasn’t helping that we were both confined in the office, with me acting as his maid and unable to leave his side.

The longer we stayed in this small space, the stronger his scent seemed to become, or so it felt to me.

“Lilith, could you come here for a moment and help with this?”

“…Yes, Master Ethan.”

He called me over to assist with a letter, so I stood up from the table and moved to Ethan’s desk (which was really Harold’s desk) a short distance away.

“What can I help you with, Master Ethan?”

“This letter is from Silverwood, and this one is from Greenwood. For the Silverwood letter, I want you to respond positively. For Greenwood…”

-Plop.

“Huh? Aaah!”

“Whoa!”

Suddenly, our fingers brushed against each other, and I instinctively let out a yelp.

Ethan, startled by my reaction, dropped the paper he had been holding.

-Flip, flip.

“…S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine. Do you want to take a break? You don’t have to help if you’re too tired…”

“N-No, I’m fine. Helping you means we can finish faster.”

Quickly gathering the scattered letters from the floor, I felt relieved that there weren’t too many.

As I picked up the last one, I found myself almost at eye level with Ethan’s waist.

“Haa…haa…”

“…Lilith?”

“Gasp!”

…I must have lost my mind for a moment. I was able to snap back when I heard his voice and hurriedly stood up.

“I’ll draft replies for these letters as you instructed, Master Ethan. You said a positive response for Silverwood?”

“Yes. For Greenwood, just ask for more time. But if it’s too much for you…”

“I’m perfectly fine! I’ll get started on them at the other table now!”

“…All right, Lilith.”

Three more days.

Just three more days until I could finally claim my reward from Ethan.

…What am I, a beast? I can hold out for three days, no problem.