Dawn.
“Ah, this is nice.”
“You’re that pleased?”
Lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, I saw a blonde maid approach and hand me a glass of water.
“What is it? Poison?”
“Should I add a love potion instead?”
“As if, Yuno.”
The blonde maid playfully pretended to stick out her tongue at the water, but I quickly accepted the glass and drank it down.
“Oh my. What if I really had put poison in it?”
“Then I would’ve been poisoned. Just like the time you tried to kill me.”
“There you go again.”
“What? Are you mad?”
“How could I be? It’s my karma.”
“Still mad? Want to touch my chest?”
“…Isn’t that usually something a woman says to a man?”
“But your eyes and hands are honest.”
“Hmph.”
Yuno hugged me.
“Haa… these firm muscles… mmh.”
“I didn’t ask you to hug me. And you were the one enjoying it so much last night.”
“Back then, you were too busy enjoying other things… Ah, so are you really getting married?”
“Hm…”
The problem we had deliberately avoided talking about all night.
The one I didn’t want to bring up and ruin our first night together in 100 days.
It returned now.
“Marriage… I’m not thinking about it right now. I haven’t even considered marrying the princess.”
“Heh. So you are thinking of getting married eventually?”
“Yes. Maybe… around 35? Or before I hit 40.”
“Pfft. Even if you’re a Grand Master, isn’t that too late?”
“It’s fine for men.”
Perhaps because I came from modern times, even by this world’s standards, it wasn’t unusual.
“There are young ladies who’d marry a count in his 50s or 60s without hesitation. I’m still young.”
“But they’re not the right person.”
“Tsk…”
“Right now, among us, there are many subtly aiming to restore their status—or rather, climb the social ladder—by marrying you. Not to mention those who were kicked out of this mansion…”
“Hmph, that’s enough. I still have 100 days—no, 99 days—before the wedding. I’ve got time to think.”
“Are you going to cancel the wedding the day before?”
“There’s no law that says I must get married. And it doesn’t have to be as the Knight of a princess, does it?”
“Oh? Perhaps?”
Yuno, and the other maids who had just come from their showers, smiled hazily.
“Can we have hope, then?”
“If you get your hopes up for nothing, you’ll only end up disappointed. Let’s just savor the present. The war only ended two days ago.”
This was a completely different situation from the 12-year war. My mindset had to shift.
But a rather large bomb had been dropped on day one.
“I need time to sort things out.”
“You say that, but why are you still here?”
“I woke up this morning and… huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“No, it’s just… a familiar mana aura…?”
Knock knock.
“It’s Robert, Master. Excuse me, but there’s a guest.”
“Come in. A guest? At this hour?”
“Yes. That’s why…”
Robert entered, facing me and the maids, who were hurriedly putting on robes. His face looked apologetic.
“Princess Sylvia is here.”
“…Damn it.”
—
“Haah, fine. For now, escort her to the garden.”
—
To Robert, the chief butler of the Wilhelm family and manager of the capital’s Wilhelm Mansion, Hans Wilhelm was nothing short of a hero.
A savior of the nation—and his own life.
Back when the Wilhelm name was synonymous with treason, Robert hadn’t thought much of Hans Wilhelm.
A man who became a noble by sword alone.
While Robert had worked for noble families for nearly 50 years—never rising above servitude—a mere farmer’s son had earned a title through battlefield merit.
It was jealousy. A natural human frustration.
Every time he heard about commoners rising through war, his pride took a blow. Especially since he served Count Steven—a man who sat safely behind the scenes and ruined Hans’s name with vicious rumors.
“Count Steven was an Imperial spy!!”
No one had imagined that all the nobles who had subtly sowed doubt about Hans were actual spies.
Robert was stunned to learn he’d been manipulated by them.
But the Grates Kingdom didn’t just frame one traitor.
The entire count’s estate—its territory, people, and servants—had been complicit in treason.
Robert and many others were thrown in prison.
“I’ll take responsibility for these people.”
He’d been tortured, headed to the execution grounds… until Hans Wilhelm stepped in.
“Isn’t it enough to weed out actual spies? If we execute everyone who was tricked by them, who will be left?”
Hans was merciless with his sword when needed, but he saved people when he could.
“They nearly died because they were used. They’ll never side with the Empire again. As part of my battle rewards, I request the capital mansion—and the people inside.”
Once Hans decided, he didn’t waver.
Later, Robert learned how deeply he agonized before making such calls, but once made, Hans always took responsibility.
A hero celebrated by all.
And perhaps because he had no noble blood, Hans treated his servants less like property and more like employees—like those in merchant guilds or trade houses.
He was a righteous hero—one who could criticize his superiors, show mercy to subordinates, and cut down villains.
But was Hans Wilhelm a perfect saint?
No.
Robert could never believe that.
Because Hans had one undeniable flaw—and that flaw was exactly why Robert remained loyal:
He liked women.
Not like Count Steven, who’d drag women into bed by force after every victory.
Hans only accepted women who approached him willingly.
At banquets, he’d discreetly charm one for a night.
Even among the mansion’s maids, subtle sparks would light, and eventually lead to an invitation.
Robert noticed it.
His master was a Grand Master in more than just swordsmanship.
He was also—quite clearly—a Grand Master in bed.
Some maids would fight to claim his bed.
And Hans? He’d simply smile and say:
“The bed is big and the night is long,” encouraging them to embrace each other, and Robert could not help but feel genuine admiration as a man.
“Count… Kyaa!”
He even overheard the maids chatting about how amazing Hans was.
—
“How do you even send off all the maids like that?”
“Well, butler. First of all…”
—
Because of his master’s “skills,” Robert had even rekindled the spark in his own marriage.
To Robert, Hans Wilhelm was a war hero with humanity.
Not the kind of stiff patriot who abandoned every pleasure for the sake of the kingdom.
If he were that kind of man, he might’ve been admired—but never trusted as a fellow human.
Thanks to that, running Wilhelm Mansion was easy.
He just had to keep the house clean, take care of the guests, and—now and then—reset the master’s bed.
No bribes, no threats. Just cleaning magic and fresh sheets.
That was the routine.
Though the master had abstained for 100 days due to an incident, he resumed the routine the moment peace returned.
—
“So… does that mean we won’t be able to be with the Master anymore?”
“Probably not. He’ll be at the royal palace from now on.”
Robert’s ears perked at the voices of the maids in the dining hall, tired-eyed even after using cleaning magic.
“What do you think, butler?”
“I told the Master I’d follow him and serve as Palace Steward if needed. But for you, entering the palace will be harder.”
“Why? Because of this?”
One maid hollowed her bread roll and shoved in a long sausage.
“…I can’t deny that.”
“But it’s not like we’re asking to have his baby.”
“That’s what you think. The royalist nobles might disagree.”
What did these women have in common?
Gratitude? Desire? Willing participation?
Or—
“He never thought about having a child before… but hearts can change. Maybe you’ll want one. Or maybe he will.”
Even if they’d shared his bed so far, the future held other possibilities.
“I’d be happy to serve whoever becomes Countess, but would the royal palace accept you?”
“You mean… it could become political?”
“Exactly. Because the Master is now—the husband of the Princess Knight.”
“Ha… seriously.”
One maid scowled in irritation.
“Then, from now on, will it be… only with the Princess?”
“We don’t know.”
Robert glanced toward the garden, expression mixed.
“We can’t predict how Princess Sylvia will handle the Master’s… hobbies. Only time will tell.”
—
And then…
“…What did you just say?”
I heard words from Sylvia like a bolt from the blue.
“So…”
“Women.”
Since morning—
“For your safety… for peace… I’d like you to refrain from women.”
I was speechless.
What kind of ridiculous request was that?
