A Fight Where the One Who Likes More Loses (2)

Usually, in fantasy worlds, inns get more expensive the higher the floor.

It’s a world without the technology to stack buildings dozens of stories high using reinforced concrete like in modern times, so naturally, it costs more to add each floor on the same plot of land.

Of course, even with limited architectural technology, it’s a world with magic, so nobles above a certain rank might hire Earth Mages to build high-rise mansions or large castles. However, buildings on this Shopping District Street, built without such high-cost laborers, were limited to three stories at most.

And Ethan and I rented the top floor of that three-story inn. We entered the largest room among them.

“It’s nice and spacious.”

“…Yes, Ethan young master.”

A room spacious enough to rival Ethan’s private room or the annex guest rooms at Blackwood Mansion. One could only wonder how much investment it took to create such a roomy space on the third floor of an inn.

One thing was certain: finding a better inn room on the Island of Knowledge would likely be impossible. The only rooms better than this would be those in the ‘VIP Room’ section of the Academy’s Imperial Dormitory.

‘This kind of room would cost one Gold Coin for a night, of course.’

A price that even most nobles would find a bit burdensome for daily use.

I heard it’s usually used when parents of high-ranking nobles attending the Academy visit the Island of Knowledge, or as an extra room when people flock in during the Academy’s admission season.

Thinking that Ethan and I were renting such a room just for one night, it truly felt like an unparalleled luxury.

‘I didn’t suggest coming here first, and Ethan paid for the room anyway, so I don’t really have a right to say anything, but….’

Since we’d be on the bed the whole time anyway, was there really a need to rent such a spacious room?

To exaggerate a little, it was spacious enough to take a walk inside. Compared to Ethan’s room or the annex guest rooms, there were fewer pieces of furniture, which also made the space seem relatively larger.

Well, seeing as Ethan brought me here to ‘do things’ instead of just staying in a perfectly fine dormitory, he must have been really pent up. He probably wants something from me, which is why he booked such a nice room to put me in a good mood.

‘Seeing things like this, it really confirms that I hold the initiative.’

As I sat on the room’s sofa, resting for a moment with those thoughts, Ethan first put down the sword and bag he had strapped to his waist and began to undress.

Just as I was thinking how impatient he truly was, and debating whether to undress myself or wait for Ethan to undress me-

“I’ll wash first, Lillith.”

What came from Ethan’s mouth wasn’t a demand to start right away, but a rather unexpected suggestion that he would wash in the bathroom first.

“Aren’t you going to wash together?”

“…I do like that, but since we’re out for a change today, I wanted to try something a little new.”

“…….”

…Indeed, if we were to rub our naked bodies together in the bathroom even before starting, the excitement on the bed would be somewhat diminished.

As I partially agreed with Ethan’s reasoning, I nodded inwardly and replied.

“Understood. In that case, I shall also prepare to enter the bath immediately after Ethan young master has finished his bathing.”

“Just for washing, you need to prepare?… Anyway, just wait comfortably.”

“Ah, but I should be the one to prepare the hot water for you….”

“It’s fine, this bathtub has a magic tool for hot water control attached to it. We can heat the water without needing Fire Magic.”

“Ah, yes….”

With those words, Ethan calmly undressed and entered the bathroom.

Seeing his back, which seemed strangely calm yet hurried… I felt a peculiar sensation.

‘Why does Ethan seem so awkward today?’

He moved with a slight urgency, as if he had something he wanted to hide from me.

Of course, it might just be my imagination, and he might actually feel normal, but I couldn’t deny that today’s Ethan was subtly different from usual.

That strange question he asked before we entered the inn, too. Hmm….

‘Has it become so routine that the excitement of sleeping with me has vanished…?’

Since our first experience, Ethan had won quite a few rounds against Harold, so naturally, the number of times Ethan and I had been intimate was also considerable.

There were even a couple of times, like during the cold incident, when we did it just because he wanted to, separate from his competition with Harold. If that’s why he no longer felt excitement from our acts, and just saw it as something to do when the opportunity arose….

‘If that really is the reason, it would be a bit miserable….’

Could it be that Ethan now just sees me as a woman he can comfortably embrace?

Since we’ve already had our first experience, and in some ways, even more intimate play than that, several times?

Have I become like the neighborhood’s backyard mountain to Ethan, no longer worth conquering?

‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have abandoned my Saintess title?’

Perhaps it would have been better to leave at least one last motivation for Ethan to pursue me until the very end.

If I had, Ethan’s desire to conquer me wouldn’t have disappeared to this extent. At the very least, he would have struggled more to achieve that final goal of my virginity.

And maybe it would have been fine to give him my first experience as a ‘gift’ around the last day of Academy graduation, then part ways like a midsummer night’s dream….

‘…I think I just had a thought like a really bothersome woman for a moment there.’

Indeed, what meaning would there be in gaining a little more of Ethan’s attention that way?

Even if I gained more attention, the density of our time together would naturally decrease, so this way was still better.

And well… the fact that I also enjoy doing these things with Ethan hasn’t changed.

If I had only discovered this joy two years later, I might have felt even more wronged, so in the end, everything had its pros and cons.

With those thoughts, I listened to the sound of water from beyond the bathroom, waiting for Ethan to finish washing, for about 10 minutes.

As I sat on the bed, idly looking around the room, my eyes inadvertently fell upon the bag Ethan had placed on the room’s table.

‘…Wait a minute, now that I think about it.’

There wasn’t really any reason for him to bring a bag today, was there?

If we were just going out to eat and stay overnight, the most he’d need to bring was his wallet, and Ethan usually carried that without a bag.

His sword was always at his waist, so that had nothing to do with the bag. So, it meant he brought the bag because there was something he needed to carry inside it….

‘What’s inside?’

As a maid, I knew I shouldn’t question my master’s personal belongings, but seeing Ethan’s unusual behavior, I couldn’t help but feel curious.

It felt like I might find the reason for Ethan’s subtly changed demeanor within that personal bag.

‘Don’t think strange thoughts. No matter what, it’s Ethan’s bag, and you, his Exclusive Maid, shouldn’t touch it.’

Even if I planned to quit my maid duties in two years, I had been working as a maid for a whopping eight years.

Among those, I had spent over six years as Ethan’s Exclusive Maid, so I had a certain sense of pride.

But to violate the most basic rule of a maid and interfere with my master’s private life now… even I thought it was a bit much, didn’t I?

‘Besides, there’s no guarantee that what’s inside that bag will explain Ethan’s changed demeanor.’

What if I opened it suspiciously and found a Swordsmanship Textbook he put in to read in his free time, or a hand grip strengthener for training?

The thought that such things might be inside made my mind race only in that direction. Considering Ethan’s usual dedication to swordsmanship, this was actually a more rational suspicion.

With that thought, I tried to dismiss my interest in Ethan’s bag and just wait for him to finish washing, but….

‘…No, wait, wouldn’t that be even more infuriating?’

It’s a rare date with me, and he’s looking for opportunities to read a Swordsmanship Textbook or do physical training during it?

Even if I wasn’t Ethan’s real lover or fiancée, wouldn’t that still be a breach of basic etiquette?

In fact, on our date today, I focused all my attention on Ethan, and except for a brief conversation with Agnes, I spoke almost exclusively with him.

The thought that Ethan might have been thinking about other things during our date made me feel strange all at once.

‘Of course, it might not actually be a Swordsmanship Textbook or a hand grip strengthener inside that bag….’

What should I do?

The thought that such things might be inside made it impossible to see the bag as anything else.

The demon of suspicion in my mind wouldn’t leave, instead continuously amplifying the doubt, so eventually, my hand couldn’t help but reach for the bag Ethan had been carrying all evening.

‘I’ll just quickly check what’s inside and close it right away.’

It’s not that I don’t trust Ethan.

Quite the opposite, in fact. I know Ethan is innocent, so I want to confirm that innocence.

With that thought, I unfastened the strap of the cross-body bag on the table, carefully reached inside, and pulled out….

“…A headband?”

It was a ‘Cat Maid Headband,’ something I had absolutely not expected to come out of Ethan’s bag.