Ch.3939. Not My Type

Lady Reneva escorted me to the inn where Shiro was staying, then left in a truly cool manner.

“It’s been a while since you two met, right? Have a good time together.”

“…Yes, Lady Reneva. Thank you.”

The knight closed the carriage door, and it departed without incident.

‘Was she serious?’

It’s already strange for a commoner woman to become someone’s concubine, but for a count’s daughter to want to be an explorer’s concubine?

From the Manis family head’s perspective, this must sound like the sky is falling.

‘…I should go in first.’

After entering the inn, I headed toward Shiro’s room.

But the woman at the counter was giving me a strange look.

“…”

Did she mistake me for a criminal?

“I’m here to see someone I know.”

“Oh? Yes. Well, you were here before, weren’t you? I remember you stayed a night in that pretty elf girl’s room. Of course I remember.”

Then why are you staring at me like that—

—I decided not to ask since it would make me look like a jerk, so I just walked past.

“As it happens, the elf girl arrived about an hour ago. How did you know to come at just the right time?”

The woman called out to me again.

“If she wasn’t here, I was planning to wait. I’m glad she’s in.”

“Hohoho. How wonderful. She used to rarely leave her room, but lately she’s been going out often. Is that because of you, young man?”

“Was she?”

“Of course. Absolutely. She even asked me about skincare and hair care tips the other day… Ah, ahem. What am I saying? Hohoho!”

She swallowed her words and smoothly changed the subject, as if she’d just revealed information she shouldn’t have.

But she asked about hair and skin care methods?

“Excuse me, ma’am. Perhaps—”

“—Anyway, young man! Have a good time today too!”

The conversation was half-forcibly terminated, and I headed to Shiro’s room.

At the end of the second floor. I remembered it well since I’d spent a night there before.

—Knock, knock.

I knocked on the door and called for Shiro.

“Shiro, are you—”

“—Adel. You’re here.”

Shiro opened the door immediately, as if she’d been waiting for me.

Had she heard my footsteps and been waiting?

“It’s been a while.”

Her purple eyes looked up at me.

Shiro had said she was a little over 160cm tall, so our eye level difference was about 30cm.

…This thought might be rude, but she looked cute gazing up at me with that calm expression.

“Yes. I missed you.”

I tried to continue the conversation like that, but Shiro grabbed my arm and led me into the room.

She sat on the bed and patted the spot next to her with her left hand.

“Sit beside me.”

“Okay.”

I sat down without argument.

“By the way, your clothes look nice today.”

“Ah, thank you. As I mentioned before, I attended Lady Reneva’s coming-of-age party today.”

Shiro’s eyes turned to me again.

She seemed to have bathed recently, as a strange warmth emanated from her body.

“And I have more to say about the party… but first, there’s an issue with Lady Reneva.”

“An issue?”

“Yes. What happened was—”

I explained what had happened with Lady Reneva in an organized manner.

The letter hadn’t reached me, and while talking with her, I learned that they had met.

Then, feeling uneasy, I asked, and she said she hadn’t given up her feelings.

“—And she added something important. Lady Reneva said she doesn’t want to be a lover like you, but rather… she wants to be my concubine.”

“…?”

Shiro’s brow furrowed slightly upon hearing this.

A reaction that seemed to ask what nonsense this was.

“Are you lying?”

She tilted her head and leaned her body toward me.

Our faces were uncomfortably close. Though to me, she just looked cute.

“It’s not a lie. She really said that.”

“Really?”

Then she came so close that only her eyes filled my vision.

Her breath touched my lips.

“…It’s true.”

“I see. What a strange person.”

She nodded in understanding and returned to her original position.

“That’s fine then.”

…What do you mean “that’s fine”?

“Are you okay with this, Shiro? I think it would be better to clearly tell her to give up.”

“I know how much the lady likes you. I can understand to some extent.”

I wasn’t sure what part she understood, but I decided not to press further.

“But what do you think? Do you want to take the lady as your concubine?”

What kind of question is that?

“No, absolutely not. I love you, Shiro. Lady Reneva is just an acquaintance to me.”

“…I see. I’ll respect your thoughts.”

“Yes, let’s… just leave this topic here.”

Though her feelings for me would likely continue for a while, Lady Reneva didn’t seem to be trying to force anything.

Whether it was pure love or pure madness, I thought it best to move on for now.

“Hmm. This is sudden, but you have nice skin, Shiro.”

“…Do I?”

I blurted out something I’d been thinking about to change the atmosphere.

Plus, there was what the woman at the counter had mentioned.

“Thanks for the compliment.”

Just looking at her face, it was snow-white without a single blemish.

“Adel, you too…”

She was about to return the compliment but seemed to realize something and trailed off.

My skin wasn’t particularly good; rather, it was dark and rough.

This isn’t racial discrimination—my skin just wasn’t in good condition.

There were patches that had turned dark due to scars. In the past, when I got serious injuries, I just patched them up with low-grade potions.

Unless there was something like an elixir, it was difficult to remove scars that had already formed.

Anyway.

“…You just have a good personality.”

After much deliberation, Shiro uttered the typical compliment given when there’s nothing else to praise.

Of course, Shiro probably genuinely thought so.

There was sincerity evident in her tone.

If this was just my imagination, it would be quite sad.

“And Shiro, you’re cute.”

“Yes. Thank you. …No. Wait, what did you just say…?”

She seemed to have no resistance to being called cute, as her previously calm expression instantly turned red.

It was unexpected.

“I said you’re cute, Shiro.”

“…!”

—Whoosh.

Embarrassed, she immediately dove into the blanket and buried her face.

Then she looked at me again with the lower half of her face still covered by the blanket.

…She’s kind of like a cat.

“That word seems a bit difficult for me…”

We’ve done all sorts of intimate things, but she’s weak to this?

“Don’t you think you’re cute, Shiro?”

“…”

She started glaring at me as if she would pounce if I said it one more time.

I can’t resist now.

“I think Shiro is cute.”

“!”

The moment I said it, she grabbed the blanket and jumped at me.

Shiro grabbed me and fell backward, and as if intentional, the blanket fell over us.

In the narrow space under the blanket. I faced Shiro at a distance of just a few centimeters.

“If you say that one more time, I’ll bite you.”

“…”

She said it in quite a serious tone.

“You really are cu—”

—Squeeze!

She hugged me tightly.

Fortunately, she didn’t actually bite me.

“Shiro. Could I change clothes first? I’m still in what I wore to the party.”

I did briefly change into different clothes when putting on armor, but it was still unhygienic.

“…Shiro?”

“…”

As I tried to break free by moving my body, she turned in the opposite direction and climbed on top of me.

“Stay still. If you move, I’ll freeze you.”

“…Okay.”

Shiro sat on my chest.

An act some industries would call a reward.

Unfortunately for those with such tastes, Shiro’s body was light, so there was virtually no pressure.

Shiro quietly looked down at me.

She lowered her waist and brought her face closer, and just when I thought she might bite my neck like before.

The distance simply narrowed.

If she tilted her head a little more and moved just a bit forward, our lips would touch.

However, it wasn’t just our lips that would touch.

When bending her upper body and trying to bring her face close, inevitably, “that” part would also touch me.

“…Shiro.”

“Yes.”

We whispered softly.

“It’s touching me.”

“…I see.”

I felt a soft sensation against my neck.

Three seconds of silence passed.

“…!”

After fully grasping the situation, she hurriedly backed away and fell over.

“…Adel, are you okay?”

Shiro’s leg came over my face.

…It smelled like lavender.

“So you did have that kind of taste.”

She looked down at me, having somehow returned to a sitting position.

“No, Shiro. That’s another misunderstanding…”

“It’s okay, Adel. I’ve heard that men can be like that.”

“It’s really not like that.”

What man wouldn’t like smelling a woman’s scent!

Probably none.

…Probably.

“Adel. No need to be embarrassed. Even if it’s not just the scent, but a specific body part you like, I’ll understand. I’ve heard about that too. Like feet—”

I mentally filtered the rest of what she said.

By the way, who on earth told her about such deep preferences?

…Could it be?

“By any chance, was the person who told you this the innkeeper?”

“…”

Shiro, who had fallen silent, blinked and looked at me.

She’s been taught some strange things.