Chapter: 631
As winter melts into spring, the pristine white meadows bloom with a vibrant array of flowers.
It was a joy to traverse the meadows during this beautiful season. There was a charm in the wildflowers that you just couldn’t find in man-made gardens or backyards.
— Purr!
And it wasn’t just me who was captivated by nature’s gifts; the black horse I borrowed was equally enthralled.
I felt a bit guilty dragging a horse that was used to eating carrots at home out into the wild, but as soon as I took the reins, its tail started waving like it was on rocket fuel. It was as if it had been waiting for the chance to gallop outside all along.
That reaction was unexpected. They say you can’t touch a dog while it’s eating for a reason. In fact, I must be the first outsider this black horse has ever seen. It’s not surprising that it might kick me off and tell me to get lost.
‘Looks like it was bored too.’
This horse, which had abandoned its carrots, was more than willing to carry a stranger.
I can only guess, but it seems like it got pretty sick of being cooped up in the stable all winter. So when the opportunity arose, it was bursting with excitement.
“Easy there.”
— Purr…
Still, this outing was meant for a leisurely horseback date with Pine. I appreciated the horse’s eager cooperation, but if it went too fast, we wouldn’t be able to savor the sweet moments of our date.
Thankfully, it seemed to understand my feelings, as the overly excited horse gradually slowed its pace.
‘Good horse.’
When we return to the castle, I’ll tell Count Yudher that this black one is exceptionally smart. Then it can enjoy tasty treats and meet lovely mares.
“It’s been a while since we’ve ridden together, hasn’t it?”
I gently stroked the horse’s mane and wrapped an arm around Pine’s waist, who was sitting in front of me.
Thanks to its size, there was plenty of room for both of us. After all, a proper horseback date requires both people on the same horse for maximum enjoyment.
“I can’t even remember how many years it’s been.”
It had indeed been a while since I carried Pine in front of me. This brought back memories from long ago.
Immediately after the Great Hunt War ended and I became the Executive Manager, I had busy days filled with various responsibilities. Among those duties, I had roamed around the outskirts quite a bit, particularly making sure to look after the families of deceased members from Division 4 and inspecting the severely damaged northern border.
Pine was one of the war orphans I found while checking the border zone. She was a poor child who had lost her village, family, friends, and neighbors due to the tribal raids.
Though she looked like a child, she was actually older than me, and back then, Pine was much smaller than she is now.
‘That’s because she wasn’t getting proper nutrition.’
Pine was already a struggling commoner from the border region, and her conditions worsened during the war, leading her to be even smaller than most kids her age. You could say she looked emaciated, almost like Yuris or Sophia.
Feeling sympathy, I decided to let her ride with me as we headed back, and then—
“Are you a soldier, by any chance?”
“I almost became one. I got caught trying to desert and ended up in the Inspection Department instead.”
“Then can I also become part of the Inspection Department like you, your Grace?”
I never expected that this unfortunate child would turn into a voluntary slave wannabe.
Her face, dirty from the mud and dust, and her skinny frame devoid of any healthy fat screamed poverty. Still, there was a certain glimmer in her eyes when she looked up at me. From the moment I picked her up, she knew that I was a civil servant of the Empire.
More accurately, she realized that I was in desperate need of help.
‘From that moment, she was in debt to me.’
Looking back, Pine displayed an incredible willpower from day one. Among the other orphans I rescued and the grieving family members who vowed to carry on their deceased’s legacy, she was the one who achieved the most in the shortest time.
Honestly, if I hadn’t picked her up, I would have sworn she was from a noble family. The speed of Pine’s growth was unlike that of an ordinary commoner suffering from malnutrition.
“I was as good as dead before. It’s only natural to be loyal to you, the Manager who granted me a new life and purpose.”
The fact that her awakening was driven by a desire to repay me was even more remarkable.
If I said I wasn’t glad upon hearing her words, that would be a lie. In a situation where half of my subordinates were utterly useless, here came someone with maximum respect and affection for me? I wasn’t just doting on Pine from the time she was Division 4’s chief; she had a solid reason for earning my undying support.
That was how our relationship began. I had taken pity on a war orphan, and now here she was, riding on the same horse as my lover after years of growth.
“U-uh, h-having the privilege to ride alongside you, your Excellency, is… ah… truly… joyful…”
Pine’s lamenting voice snapped me out of my reverie.
“Thanks for saying that.”
Pleased with her response, I rested my chin on her shoulder.
Even when it was just the two of us, she still called me your Excellency instead of Master. The word “joyful” really touched my heart. This is what I need to help her learn to express herself more and to focus less on me. In that context, her answer was a beautiful start.
From now on, I hope she tries to call me by names like “Honey” or “Carl” instead of “your Excellency.”
The horseback date lasted longer than I expected.
The reason was simple; the black horse we were riding twisted and turned to prolong our return as much as possible.
‘Good horse.’
Indeed, the horses of the northern region are the best. They give remarkable results without the rider needing to command them. I finally understand why the cavalry from the nomads is so fierce.
“I wish there were more horses like you in Wuridia.”
— Nuzzling sound.
At my words, the black horse licked my cheek before nonchalantly trotting back into the stable, as if to say it had thoroughly enjoyed itself.
I felt a twinge of desire. Should I ask Count Yudher if that horse is for sale? Honestly, if it were a horse he truly valued, he wouldn’t have it lounging in the corner of the garden. If the price was right, I was sure he would let it go.
“…Your Excellency.”
“Huh?”
While I was spaced out, Pine cautiously approached and tugged at my sleeve.
“You said we’re on a date, so please focus on me now, not the horse.”
‘Whoa.’
I couldn’t believe the words I heard came from Pine.
“Well, of course.”
I beamed a smile as I brought Pine into my embrace, her cheeks flushing a deep scarlet.
Pine just asked me to look at her instead. She voiced a desire completely different from simply enjoying our time, hinting at a touch of jealousy.
While it was a bit unfortunate that the object of jealousy was a horse, what mattered most was that Pine was being honest with her feelings.
‘Little did I know I’d see results in just a day.’
I felt proud. Was it something about riding together? Or perhaps it was because I got her to call me your Excellency instead of Master? Maybe she was feeling the confidence to express her feelings rather than just calling me “your Excellency”?
Honestly, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is the result, not the cause.
‘Tomorrow will surely be even better.’
If Pine’s bold enough to show jealousy just one day in, it means there have been feelings she’s been holding back for quite a while. It’s reasonable to assume that she’ll be even more honest than she was today.
I can’t help but visualize how much Pine will change day by day; it makes my heart race with anticipation.
*
My face was burning up. My lips were trembling, unable to form even a simple word.
I was going crazy. No matter how I thought about it, I seemed to have lost my mind. No, I must have gone mad.
‘How dare I ask my Master…’
Unintentionally, I bit my lip. It felt shameful to not call him Master, but at least that was done under specific circumstances.
But speaking up earlier? How dare I pull on my Master’s sleeve and ask him to notice me? Was that even his request?
It wasn’t. That action came from my own will. I was greedy and unsatisfied just being his companion or even as a lover.
How bold of me! Asking for something from my Master. The one who gave me a new life; I shouldn’t have acted this way.
It should be wrong, it should be wrong, but…
“Well, of course.”
I couldn’t even mumble my apologies at the gentle voice and warm embrace.
After asking my Master to look at me, I found myself overwhelmed by an odd feeling I couldn’t escape.
This was strange. It’s always made my heart flutter to see my Master, but this… this was different.
“Pine.”
“Y-yes…”
“Let’s head inside. It’s getting cold; the sun’s about to set.”
With those words, my Master took my hand and smiled brightly.
I should just apologize now. For speaking out of turn, I should beg for forgiveness from my Master and prepare to face the consequences.
Yet, why did that not happen?
“Yes, your Excellency.”
Instead of an apology, different words tumbled out. I walked alongside my Master instead of kneeling.
Wanting to feel this heartbeat more, I indulged in my craving.
*
By evening, Count Yudher had returned stealthily without any fuss. I still wonder why he acted like a guest in his own castle.
Anyways, I accepted Count Yudher’s invitation to have dinner together, and while we’re at it—
“Are you talking about the black horse? The one in the garden?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
I immediately set about attempting to buy the black horse right there.
“Whoa.”
However, Count Yudher’s reaction was unusual.
It didn’t make sense. I thought he’d easily part with a horse stashed away at the corner of his garden.
“That horse boasts a prestigious lineage, even among the northern horses. It shares ancestors with the steeds ridden by historical legends.”
“…Excuse me?”
Wait, why would you leave such a noble beast stuck in the corner of the garden? Were you reserving a prime location for it?
“However, knowing its worth, it’s a rather unruly—no, a violent creature. I, along with all my warriors, tried to ride it, but it persistently refused, making it a troublesome pet.”
I quietly zipped my lips in light of Count Yudher’s lamentation.
But just a moment ago, Pine and I rode it effortlessly…?
“So I sold it to another chieftain before, but that damn thing escaped and returned to our territory. It decides where it wants to settle.”
“Ah, so it’s a loyal steed that loves its owner?”
“Only if the owner is worth riding.”
Count Yudher’s chuckle, laced with madness, made me freeze up with shock.
“So I’ll just give that horse to you, Count. No payment needed.”
“No, I can’t do that. After all, I’m purchasing your horse…”
“Haha! Honestly, I can’t claim it as my horse. It’s merely a guest that’s living at my stables.”
He seemed to plead with me to take it, and I nodded along.
Looks like I need to boost the supply sent to Count Yudher’s territory from 20% to a solid 30%.
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