episode_0154

A weekend outing with Edan that started out of the blue.

In reality, it was just an extension of our usual daily routine.

Harold’s magic swordsmanship class held once a week.

After almost three weeks since our last duel, I had the chance to face Harold again, learning from my previous defeat and challenging him once more.

Naturally, as expected, I ended up losing the duel without any significant progress, despite trying to conserve my three daggers as Harold had pointed out that I had used them too carelessly. The Sword Master was not an opponent I could handle while holding back my strength.

Ultimately, it was a more humiliating defeat than the previous duel. Yet, strangely, Harold somewhat praised me after the duel.

It seemed that I needed a different approach to face him. Although I had no idea what that approach might be at the moment.

After a few students, including myself, were soundly defeated by Harold, the top students continued their swordsmanship duels with him as usual.

Having exhausted myself facing Harold, I quietly watched Edan and the other top students’ duels with Harold.

Although I conceded one round, I quietly applauded Edan for ending the duel with Harold in a draw by winning another round.

“Since Edan won, I guess I should change into my uniform a bit later today.”

It’s probably best not to take off the underwear inside the uniform. I had once mistakenly left my underwear off and went to school, causing a misunderstanding.

Besides, Edan seemed to enjoy undressing, so there was no need to ruin that enjoyment.

After Edan finished satisfying his desires in his own way, I planned to spend some quiet time alone in the bathroom…

“No, wait.”

I suddenly felt a sense of confusion as a series of thoughts popped into my head.

It felt awkward to be naturally recalling the process of a night’s intimacy upon seeing Edan’s victory, as if I was oddly enjoying the idea of Edan touching my chest.

“…Could it be?”

Could it be that, regardless of Edan not doing anything ‘extreme’ to me, my Release body had somehow become accustomed to Edan’s body?

No, that’s probably not it. After all, in the original game, Release was the heroine who was handed over to the protagonist after being saved.

Moreover, the various humiliations she suffered from the protagonist in the game were only intensified because Release did not reciprocate the protagonist’s feelings.

Maybe I just no longer felt resistance towards Edan, allowing the chest touching to be perceived purely as pleasure…

“Strictly speaking, that might be more of an issue.”

Finding pleasure in a man touching my chest was definitely not a normal way of thinking.

As a man myself, it was absurd to be happy about being touched by Edan.

Although the time I spent as Release in my past life and the time I’ve spent as Release here were almost similar in terms of absolute years, I still had a reluctance towards forming any romantic relationships with men.

If I had realized that I had been possessed at a young age, it might have been okay, but I only found out about it about 5-6 years ago.

In such a short period of time, it was still a separate issue, even if Edan was a decent guy…

“Release?”

“…Ah, yes. What’s the matter, Edan?”

“What’s wrong? You seem to be troubled about something.”

“No, it’s nothing. It’s not a matter important enough for Edan-nim to worry about.”

“Hmm.”

It seemed that Edan didn’t even realize he had finished his sparring and returned to my side, lost in his own thoughts.

In front of me, Natalie and Harold’s sparring was in full swing after Edan’s had ended.

I needed to focus. No matter how confused my mind was, I was Edan’s personal maid now, and I had to give my all when it came to my duties.

“Lilith.”

“Yes, Edan-nim.”

“You didn’t miss watching the sparring between me and Father because you were lost in thought, did you?”

“No, I saw that part properly, Edan-nim. You don’t need to worry. I even saw the match where you and Father ended in a draw.”

“Well, that’s a relief then.”

Seeing him say that it was a relief, it seemed that bedtime would be a little later tonight.

For some reason, lately, Isabelle seemed to quietly retire to the servants’ waiting room early every night, as if she had vaguely sensed something about Edan and me.

Well, it wouldn’t be strange if she caught on soon, considering she had moaned between the doors while we were engaged in such acts.

Rather, Isabelle was remarkable for not showing any sign of it, even though she knew Edan and I were up to such things.

“Lilith.”

“Yes, Edan-nim. If you wish, I will prepare the reward for tonight as well.”

“T-the reward… I actually wanted to ask for something else…”

“…Yes?”

At Edan’s mention of asking for something else, my mind momentarily went cold.

Asking for a reward that involved touching the chest in a different way, was he implying he wanted to move on to the next step?

Even though I couldn’t use the power of the saintess at all, it didn’t mean I could easily give up my potential just like that.

Distorting the potential of a saintess just because a teenage boy wanted to satisfy his sexual desires was an unreasonable story.

The problem was, if Edan decided to attack me forcefully, I lacked the justification to resist in various ways…

“E-Edan-nim. I acknowledge that your skills have improved significantly, but, um, moving beyond that kind of relationship is, um, a bit impure, in my, opinion…”

“Oh, no, Lilith. I’m not asking for anything lewd.”

“…Yes?”

“When I say I’m asking for something else, I mean I want to ask for something not related to our usual nighttime activities, just something not lewd…”

“…?”

“With the student council starting soon, weekends will be busy, so I wanted to ask if you’d like to go out together outside the academy the day after tomorrow… Is this kind of request not allowed?”

…So, that’s what he meant?

First of all, Edan never had any intention of asking me for anything inappropriate from the start.

I unnecessarily panicked in my head, assuming he would definitely ask for something inappropriate, and I desperately pondered how to reject and cover it up in my mind.

For some reason, a familiar feeling of embarrassment rushed into my mind all at once, and I could only quietly bow my head.

I didn’t want Edan to notice the flush of red creeping up my face.

“Oh, I understand, Lord Edan. If that’s what you desire, I can certainly accommodate that.”

“Good. Thank you, Rilis.”

“If that was your request from the beginning, there was no need to demand something in its place. It is only natural for me, as your exclusive maid, to follow behind you…”

“Right. While we’re on the subject, it might be a good idea to discuss that as well.”

“What?”

“For tomorrow, I would like you to spend the day with me not as my exclusive maid, but as the ordinary noble lady Rilis. That’s my request, Rilis.”

“…What?”

Although I thought it hadn’t been that long since I had been watching over the still immature Edan by my side.

Seeing him talk about something I didn’t understand, it was clear that people’s hearts were truly unknowable.