“Eristirol Duke’s Son, could I borrow Sophia for a moment?”
“Not allowed.”
“Oh, come on~.”
“Even if you say so, it’s still not allowed. You aren’t thinking normally, are you?”
“Busted.”
I totally don’t get why she followed me all the way to the library.
I’ve already turned her down several times.
So why is she still pushing?
In the past, she kept chatting with Ms. Sophia under the pretense of hiring a new servant.
After that, they actually got to know each other.
But since Ms. Sophia said no, I didn’t think anything else would happen.
“Oldenburg, why are you so fixated on Ms. Sophia?”
I can’t figure out what this woman in front of me is thinking.
Does she like Ms. Sophia like I do?
Or is she still looking for a servant?
“It’s a discussion that ended years ago. Do you really need to express interest in Ms. Sophia even coming to our territory?”
Saying it’s hot and that’s why she came to Eristirol is just nonsense.
Even if it’s hot down south, there’s no way she’d come here because of that.
It’s not hot enough to die.
But for anyone not from the North, this place could be deadly cold.
That was the main reason I gave Ms. Sophia a coat.
I was worried she’d freeze while walking outside, so I gifted it to her.
“Hmmm… what if it’s for the same reason as you, Eristirol Duke’s Son?”
“….”
For the same reason as me… huh.
The Oldenburg Count family is quite extraordinary.
The Count’s lady is interested in a servant from another family.
In a romantic way, no less.
“Even so, nothing will change. Ms. Sophia will remain by my side.”
“Hmmm..? It seems you still don’t know, do you?”
“What do you mean?”
What could I possibly be unaware of?
Am I supposed to not know something about Ms. Sophia?
There’s way too much I don’t understand.
Even after spending years with Ms. Sophia, I still haven’t completely grasped her.
I don’t get why someone so beautiful has never experienced a typical romance, nor why someone with her looks is a commoner.
Well, the only conclusion I could make is…
She must have just been born that way.
“Hehe… you really don’t know. If you don’t catch on quickly, you’ll regret it, you know?”
“….”
“If you don’t snatch up Ms. Sophia soon… I or the White Young Lady might…”
With a meaningful smile, Oldenburg finished her sentence.
I had no clue what I was missing out on.
There’s just too much I don’t know about Ms. Sophia.
“Sigh…”
Oldenburg left the library after saying her piece.
Now, I was the only one left in the library.
“Should I call Ms. Sophia…?”
Wouldn’t it be better to bring her here instead of leaving me between those two women?
At that moment, I recalled something my father once said.
“Go for it.”
No, no matter what, that’s crossing the line.
How could I do that?
Isn’t that a crime from the get-go?
While studying under my father, I had heard many stories.
About what happened between my father and mother, and what my father did.
One thing is certain: my mother was a good person.
“Sigh…”
Next year, I will turn an adult.
And Ms. Sophia doesn’t even seem to know, behaving with me just like before.
She touches my shirt and tie as if she’s my wife and seeks my permission for everything.
Spending time with those two women instead of her isn’t really an issue.
It’s not working hours after all.
But she always comes to me, seeking my permission for everything.
If Ms. Sophia had a tail, it would probably wag every time she approached me.
Maybe she really does have a tail.
Could she be a woman-eating fox in disguise?
I found myself seriously contemplating that.
Surely there’s no shortage of tales about humanoid beings.
Of course, while the Empire is mostly human, doesn’t that explain things?
Her face is far too beautiful for a commoner; even more beautiful than some nobles.
With a slender build, unlike her grand chest and hips.
The gestures and words she’s been using to tease me for years.
As the days go by, the alluring aura surrounding her intensifies.
“…”
That’s quite a stretch, isn’t it?
To think I’d consider Ms. Sophia as some sort of different race, that’s plain foolishness.
“I really should wash up.”
I’ve been in this library for too long, it seems.
Even trying to handle father’s assignments must have made things worse.
“..?”
“Young Master, you’re out..?”
As I opened the library door, there stood Ms. Sophia.
She looked half-asleep like she had just gotten up from a light nap.
“Have you been waiting out here the whole time?”
“Yes…”
I had been in the library for about four hours.
Oldenburg had left only an hour ago.
“… When did you arrive?”
“I heard that Young Master was in the library, so I’ve been waiting outside…”
With somewhat awkward pronunciation, Ms. Sophia looked a bit sleepy.
“Let’s just change locations. It doesn’t look right lingering in the hallway.”
“Yes…”
I took Ms. Sophia to her room.
After all, she had no more tasks for today.
The time was already nearing dinnertime.
“Ms. Sophia, you should sleep.”
“But… it’s still not…”
“You look quite tired today. I’m fine, so let’s get some rest and meet tomorrow.”
“….”
“If you’re feeling hungry in the middle of the night, I’ll prepare a separate dinner for you.”
She probably hadn’t eaten yet.
Ms. Sophia always dines late after I have my meal.
I would love to eat together, but…
Should I ask my father about it?
He already knows how I feel about Ms. Sophia, so I think it would be fine.
He might even agree without hesitation.
I should probably inquire about it tomorrow during class.
“.. G… then please step inside for a moment, Young Master.”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Ms. Sophia pulled me into her room.
Honestly, this is my first visit to Ms. Sophia’s room.
She often came to mine, but this was the first time the opposite happened.
How often do you get invited to a servant’s room anyway?
“It’s something that shouldn’t reach other people’s ears, so I could only say this to you. I apologize.”
“Oh… no! It’s okay.”
What could she want to say to bring me into her room?
Could it be something I’ve been hoping for?
By the way, Ms. Sophia’s room smelled heavenly.
The scent she always carries was enveloping the entire room.
If I ever share a room with Ms. Sophia, would I get to smell this fragrance daily?
And it seemed she hadn’t tidied up, as a few items were scattered across the floor.
Something was even lying on the chair.
“….”
It was the lingerie that supported Ms. Sophia’s large chest.
Something she must be wearing right now.
To be wearing something like that, and with a shirt and blazer over it, how is this size even possible?
It was truly astonishing.
Not magic, but this was pure magic.
Momentarily, my gaze darted down towards Ms. Sophia’s chest, but she remained oblivious.
As always, she was defenseless in this regard.
Even when I walked behind her sometimes, wearing formal attire only accentuated it.
The way her waist swayed enchanting as she walked.
With each movement, her slender waist and hips were mesmerizing.
Considering how tight her outfit was, it only made it more obvious.
So many times I adjusted my pace to walk in front of her deliberately.
“Young Master.”
“Yeah.”
Maybe I had been thinking too much.
Well, that makes sense since I’m in the room of someone I fancy.
A room that was just as untidy as usual.
“Perhaps…”
“gulp…”
What could possibly follow the word ‘perhaps’?
All my attention focused on that one question.
No, correctly speaking, my gaze was divided between Ms. Sophia’s face and chest; my nose filled with her fragrance.
“I hear you have someone you like.”
“Yes.”
It’s you standing right in front of me.
The person who has been with me for years.
The one who has become more precious to me than my own mother.
The one who supports me, nurtures me, and cares for me.
“I wonder if that person…”
I couldn’t say, “It’s you.”
“Is it one of the ladies in the territory?”
The expression on Ms. Sophia’s face asking was so ordinary.
If only she had blushed or hesitated when asking, it would have been different.
But Ms. Sophia’s face was calm, just like always.
Not quite businesslike, but it was no different from how she usually speaks with me.
As if looking at her younger brother.
“…”
“It’s alright. I don’t mind who you like. In fact, I’ll support you.”
“….”
How can she look at a man who’s over 30 cm taller than her as just a younger brother?
It’s hard for me to see someone 30 cm shorter than me as just a sister.
“I don’t.”
“Oh, then who was that person you mentioned before?”
“That… I’ll let you know someday.”
It might be best if I change my plan.
Up until now, I thought it would be fine to take it slow and properly approach things when I turned an adult.
But… that won’t do.
The alluring woman before me is more clueless than I anticipated.
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