Early dawn in Hal.
“Yaaawn…”
Histania Hanna rubbed her eyes as she greeted Hal’s cold morning.
Her entire body was sore.
Even though she moved less than usual during her training, her body was stiff, screaming in pain.
“Ugh… It hurts.”
She must have been too tense. The man she saw yesterday was a monster, after all.
Ihtest mistake. His skill and blatant murderous intent were overwhelming.
Of course, all those threats ended because of one person.
-Leave when you can.
Sitting on her bed, hugging her knees, Hanna reflected on what had happened yesterday.
The butler appeared when Michail senpai was in danger. She sighed deeply as she recalled being entangled by the heretic grunts and unable to do anything.
“I did nothing…”
She certainly tried to help, but she couldn’t do anything.
Even when they first t, during the conflicts with her father, Hanna always ended up relying on others.
Hanna thought she was pathetic.
There was no change.
Always grasping the butler’s hand of salvation, not making any progress, unable to be of any help herself.
The word salvation seed grand, but to her, the butler was like a key to a cage she could never escape.
Hanna always vowed to herself.
To beco soone who could help the butler. Instead of always being on the receiving end, she wanted to beco soone who could give.
She couldn’t beco as multi-talented as her brother, but Hanna wanted to assist the butler in other areas and worked hard to achieve that.
So, Hanna spent this winter vacation busily.
She continued with her adventurer work.
To gain as much practical experience as possible, Hanna took on various requests, such as escort missions, subjugations, and gathering missions. She hadn’t left any request untried.
Thanks to that effort, she overca her fear of monsters, especially her fear of orcs.
Alht her many difficulties.
She would be scared of large people, fear weak monsters, and so on. There were many limitations to living as a swordswoman.
Hanna confronted and overca her deficiencies countless tis.
With one single resolve.
Hanna wanted to be of help to the butler. Driven by that resolve, she constantly pushed herself, wanting to excel in at least one thing more than others.
Her outstanding looks.
Her lively personality.
Her family backing.
Hanna thought all these things were inferior to others.
She was aware of her feelings.
Even though it was the worst encounter, she realized she liked the man who gave her the best gift.
A man who did as he pleased.
A man who only cared about the princess.
A man who enjoyed worldly pleasures.
Hanna acknowledged she was in love.
So…
“Ha…”
She hated herself for not being special.
Only capable of receiving, Hanna believed she was no better than anyone else. Whether comparing herself to the princess or from an objective standpoint, Hanna thought she was inferior to others.
Her figure wasn’t bad, though.
Feeling dejected, Hanna looked down at her chest and buried her face in her knees.
“Idiot.”
She wanted to work harder.
She wanted to be prettier, and hear the butler’s complints.
Even though she knew it was wrong to just receive, Hanna wanted to know more about the butler.
She wanted to see more of his smiles.
She wanted to make him laugh.
She wanted to hold his hand.
So, Hanna kept pushing herself and couldn’t deny that Ricardo was the driving force of her life.
If it weren’t for the butler, she wouldn’t have survived in this world, let alone enjoyed such freedom.
Not falling for the butler, who extended a saving hand like a prince in a fairy tale, was impossible. The exit had disappeared long ago.
“…That’s right.”
With a small slap, Hanna lightly hit her cheek and steeled her resolve. Brooding only increased wrinkles.
“There’s no point in just sitting here and moping!”
With a renewed spirit, Hanna welcod the morning.
And then.
“..Ssi~”
A man’s voice ca from outside the window. Rubbing her eyes, Hanna looked outside. She heard a familiar voice calling to her.
The practical training ended due to the heretic attack, but hearing the familiar male voice calling her, she fixed her appearance and looked out the window.
“Hanna! What are you doing today?”
She could see the face of the man she liked.
Ricardo was smiling.
Despite the early morning, Ricardo’s face was bright with a lively smile, causing a small smile to appear on Hanna’s lips.
Gripping the windowsill tightly, Hanna thought.
‘I can’t give up.’
She softly answered Ricardo’s question. To not wake the sleeping students, she spoke quietly and gently.
-Tap.
“Mr. Butler! I’m alone in the room, so co on in!”
“What?”
The butler looked at her with the most flustered expression she had ever seen.
*
“Hey!”
Climbing in through the window, I scolded Hanna.
“What are you doing inviting a man into a woman’s room alone? There’s a reason why they say n and won should sit apart after seven!”
I intended to enjoy a al with Hanna, but now I was scolding her in a hushed voice for the mischievous act she had committed.
The seductive gesture of her beckoning finger still lingered in my mind, and the fla of Confucianism in my heart refused to die down.
Thinking I should repay Hanna since thanks to her, I found a temporary job, but being repaid this way was unexpected.
Trying to suppress the heat in my ears, I looked at Hanna, who was wearing a flimsy nightgown.
The academy students were to return in three days.
Without a carriage to return, I was half-forced to stay in this village and was determined to keep Hanna company. Thus, I was eagerly sharing my life wisdom.
“Save such actions for soone you like later…”
Hanna interrupted and answered resolutely.
“Why would I call anyone other than you, Mr. Butler?”
“What?”
I looked at Hanna with innocent deer-like eyes. What did she an by that?
Silently tying her hair, Hanna ignored my puzzled gaze.
Previously, her hair was a short bob that reached her shoulders, but now it had grown significantly since I last saw her.
Holding a hair tie in her mouth, Hanna deftly tied up her hair.
After tying her hair, Hanna smiled shyly and stared at . The faint peach scent wafting from Hanna made sniff the air as I asked.
“Did you put on perfu?”
“No?”
“Really? It slls like peaches.”
“Oh…”
Hanna offered her hand to and, with sparkling eyes, said.
“It’s my skin’s scent!”
Seeing her passionate gaze urging to sll, I chuckled awkwardly and firmly declined with, “No, thank you.”
No matter what, sniffing soone’s skin was strange.
Sitting lightly on the bed in the room, I spoke to Hanna.
“Anyway, do you have ti today?”
“Ti?”
I took a small booklet from my pocket and showed it to Hanna.
[The Empire’s Greatest Dancer Cos to Hal!]
“I happened to get two tickets. How about watching it together?”
Looking at the two tickets in her hand with a bewildered expression, Hanna asked.
“What about the Lady?”
Admiring Hanna’s thoughtfulness, I smiled gently and shook my head.
“…”
“So…! It ans just the two of us…!?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Clenching her fist, Hanna reacted exuberantly.
“Aweso!”
“What? What’s aweso…”
“I’m just in a good mood!”
I burst into a laugh and spoke to Hanna.
“So, do you have ti today?”
“Yes…! But, can you wait for a bit? I need ti to get ready.”
Seeing Hanna’s shy smile, hiding her plain appearance, I shook my head and answered.
“We’re not leaving right now. I haven’t prepared breakfast for the young lady yet.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Sorry, what?”
“I an, let’s et for lunch at the park, okay?”
“All right.”
Before jumping out the window, Hanna nervously called out to .
“Mr. Butler…!”
“Yes?”
“What… What will you wear today? It would be nice to match colors, haha…”
I smiled softly and answered Hanna.
“I’ll wear my casual clothes. I bought so new ones recently.”
And then.
“Oh, by the way. It won’t be the butler uniform.”
Hanna smiled brightly.
“Yes!”
*
And so, after noon arrived.
“Wow…”
I couldn’t lift my head.
In many ways.
“Is it… very strange?”
End of Chapter
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