Ch.99I Have a Girlfriend #2

I soothed Helena as if comforting a whining child, and she fell asleep with gentle breathing sounds.

It was both cute and amusing to see how she looked no different from a baby despite her large size.

I carefully lifted Helena in my arms and headed to the bedroom.

Since I had finished all my tasks anyway, it seemed fine to spend the rest of the day leisurely.

“Phew…”

A sigh naturally escaped my lips as I gently laid Helena on the bed.

Despite it still being bright daylight, I felt a fatigue as if I had been working day and night.

Once I started feeling tired, I noticed my eyelids growing heavier, and my body felt utterly languid.

It felt like I was catching a spring breeze, even though autumn was approaching.

Since I had finished today’s work, perhaps it would be fine to take a breather.

The moment I thought that, my eyes slowly closed, and I felt my entire body sinking into drowsiness.

.

“I just threw it out there, but to think he would actually accept the invitation.”

In a room decorated lavishly and classically as is typical of the nobility faction, the owner of the room and the mansion muttered in surprise.

The man’s name was Brown Hound, a count. As a peculiarity, he had a hobby of raising hunting dogs.

Well, since he accepted the invitation, I can’t treat him carelessly.

Brown put down the letter Helena had sent on his desk, then tapped it with his finger.

He hadn’t expected that a mere count’s invitation, moreover from a different faction, would be accepted.

Usually, such parties are mostly gatherings where people from the same faction strengthen their relationships.

If one has no faction, they try to host or receive invitations to join their desired faction.

That’s how nobles create their social circles.

Of course, if there’s a significant occasion like the king’s birthday, people gather regardless of faction, but…

“…Since this has happened, I have no choice.”

Brown sighed as he recalled the face of the man who had given him these instructions, Luke.

Although he held a position with some influence in the nobility faction, he was ultimately just a member of it.

Therefore, he couldn’t even think of inviting an uncomfortable opponent.

Especially if that opponent was a duke.

But the head of his faction, Luke, wanted it that way.

He thought it would be better for Brown to extend the invitation rather than doing it himself, as it would be better for hiding the purpose and causing less ripple effects.

So from Hound’s position, he had no choice but to comply.

Even though his opponent was a young man younger than himself, he was both the head of the nobility faction and a duke.

.

“They say Count Hound’s estate has many dogs.”

Is it because his surname is Hound that he has a deep connection with dogs?

Sitting on the sofa in my office, I chewed on a bacon sandwich I had made for dinner while listening to Helena’s voice.

“Dogs? Does he enjoy eating them? Or does he use them in some other way?”

“They say Count Brown Hound has a hobby of raising hunting dogs. It’s apparently a good place for hunting, perhaps because there are also many birds in the environment.”

In this continent, hunting is survival for some and a game for others.

And for Brown, it was probably just a game.

Moreover, since nobles in my homeland also enjoyed hunting, it wasn’t particularly surprising.

However, if a noble personally raises hunting dogs, he must have his own know-how. I was curious about what that know-how might be. It wouldn’t hurt to know, even if it wasn’t essential.

“He must be good at raising hunting dogs. Do you think he would teach me his methods if I asked?”

“Hmm… I don’t think the breeding methods are classified as confidential, but he might not be willing. No, he would definitely feel uncomfortable. The hunting dogs of Count Hound’s estate are also used in territorial wars, I hear.”

In fact, it means they serve not just as hunting dogs but also as military dogs.

And military dogs can perform more specialized roles while being similar to soldiers.

Learning their breeding methods would be like extracting a territory’s unique training methods.

So it’s natural for him to feel uncomfortable about it.

I nodded, showing that I understood this was a reasonable concern.

“If he uses them so efficiently, it makes sense he wouldn’t want to share. And if we were to insist, he might think the royal faction is pressuring the nobility faction or looking for an excuse to cause trouble.”

“Yes. I accepted the invitation because I wanted to know their dark intentions, but I’d like to avoid unnecessary commotion.”

“I agree. So it’s better to stop trying to find out directly and not put any pressure on them.”

It was right to avoid situations that could create unnecessary problems.

I had seen with my own eyes the great losses that could occur if one didn’t.

The elves who had tried to kidnap me were one such example.

They had caused trouble due to Ellen’s potential danger and ended up with the entire race bearing a great loss as a result of their failure.

“Um, Zion.” “Hmm? What is it?”

While I was sorting out what not to do, Helena spoke with flushed cheeks.

The way she fidgeted with her hands neatly folded together suggested she had something to say.

So I naturally asked, and a question I never expected came flying.

“Should I… wear a dress?”

A dress. Helena in a dress.

She who had always stuck to wearing uniforms like knights would wear, had for the first time mentioned wearing a dress.

She who had always been in uniform except when she was a child or at her wedding.

While I was inwardly extremely surprised, outwardly I smiled as gently as possible and asked.

“Why so suddenly? Did something happen?”

“No. Nothing happened. I just thought you might be tired of seeing me always in uniform.”

“So you thought about wearing a dress?”

“…Yes. I’m already living quite differently from ordinary noble ladies, and my hands are getting rougher… I thought I might look prettier if I wore a dress. Besides, since it’s a party without any formal purpose…”

Perhaps she was afraid that I might be distracted in a situation where the party was purely for enjoyment.

But if I were to actually look elsewhere, she would show obsessive possessiveness as if it had never happened, which was truly perplexing.

“Now of all times? That’s quite unexpected.”

I held Helena’s hand firmly and let out a small laugh.

She seemed downcast because of her hands that were getting rougher due to her continued training.

The more one becomes stronger, the rougher the hands that hold the sword become.

“Even if your hands are rough, Helena, you’re still attractive.”

“Really…?”

“Of course. Truly.”

It’s not just empty words but sincere.

Helena seemed to sense that as she brightened up, her dejected look fading.

She still seemed half-doubtful, but that too would soon disappear.

Actions speak louder than words.

Strengthening that thought, I moved my hand that had been holding Helena’s to her smooth thigh.

I could feel the firmness and smoothness that had been tightly toned through intense exercise.

“See? Even now, you feel delicious.”

As I slightly twisted the corner of my mouth and stroked her thigh, Helena shuddered with a low moan.

It seemed the fingers stroking her thigh had given her goosebumps.

“I’m… delicious?”

“Delicious enough that I wouldn’t get tired of eating every day, delicious enough that I want to eat more.”

A master-servant relationship that should maintain boundaries. Or remarks that shouldn’t be made even during the time we were designated as fiancés, but now it’s different.

We’re already officially married and mix our bodies in bed every day.

So it was okay to make suggestive jokes or speak what nobles would call vulgar words.

Helena would have accepted me regardless of my circumstances, but the environment hadn’t allowed it before.

“And, selfishly, I’d prefer if Helena didn’t wear a dress.”

“Why…?”

“Because if you wear a dress, everyone will see that delicious-looking body.”

The room heated up as if we had entered a steam sauna, and hot steam rose, almost suffocating.

Helena showed a look filled with expectation rather than anxiety. I probably looked the same.

Moreover, it was evening time, so there was nothing to hold back.

It would be fine to move to the bedroom now, or it might be good to cool down here first.

However, there was still something left to do, so it had to be postponed just a little.

“Huh? Why are you stopping? I was planning to subtly join in when you started.”

That was, determining Ellen’s position, who was staring blankly at us from across the room.

“There’s something I need to do first.”

“What? What else is there to do? There doesn’t seem to be any paperwork…”

Perhaps due to the sudden change in atmosphere, Helena snuggled tightly into my arms, seemingly embarrassed.

In contrast, Ellen calmly looked back and forth between my desk and my face, tilting her head.

“I need to determine Ellen’s official position.”

“Position? Are you saying she needs something other than being Your Grace’s guard?”

“That’s part of it, but I think it’s time she had an official title.”

Ellen is my guard and currently the captain of the mercenary group.

In other words, she’s receiving quite good treatment as a guest and as a woman protecting me.

However, because of this, Ellen’s treatment hasn’t been clearly defined.

She’s a concubine, but unofficially, and can’t be publicly acknowledged.

This was a promise between Helena and Ellen. A promise I shouldn’t interfere with.

In the end, Ellen’s only visible position is as my guard, but looking at it now, it seemed improvement was needed.

It was the moment when the saying “a problem isn’t a problem unless it’s brought up” came to mind.

“Is that so…? It seems more than sufficient even now. Anyway, I’ll follow whatever you say, Your Grace. What should I do?”

“It’s nothing special, but I was thinking of formally knighting you. Since we don’t have time, we’ll do it in a simplified manner.”

I rummaged through my pocket and pulled out a badge made of gold.

It was a badge that any knight would receive, engraved with the Krauser family crest.

“A knight? Me?”

Ellen asked indifferently.

She seemed more like she would do it because it was given to her, rather than being happy about becoming a knight.

It seemed like the attitude of someone who, as she said, was already receiving sufficient treatment.

“Yes. A knight.”

“Um… Do we just need to hold a simple ceremony?”

“That’s right. We’ll probably hold a simple one tomorrow morning. I have the authority to appoint knights, so there’s no problem, and Helena won’t object either.”

Nod. Helena, still in my arms, nodded her head.

It seems the awkwardness and embarrassment still hadn’t faded.

“I understand. If it’s Your Grace’s wish, I’ll naturally follow it. However, could you tell me why I need to become a knight?”

“Count Hound’s estate is in the nobility faction’s territory. It’s not connected to the royal faction, which might need to change its attitude toward dark elves because of us. So they might pick a fight over your role as my guard, and I want to use the external status of a knight as a shield.”

“Ah… You mean if we mention that I’m a knight, they might look down on me less? I don’t mind either way… but thank you for your concern.”

Ellen bowed her head with a faint smile.

Even if it wasn’t very noticeable, she seemed pleased that I was worried about her.

Thanks to that, I felt that my concern was worthwhile.

“But if I’m a knight, do I always have to carry a sword? I’m more comfortable with a bow…”

Just as I thought the conversation was wrapping up, an unexpected question came.

“Usually knights carry swords because they use them, but it’s not legally mandated. Moreover, since Ellen primarily uses a bow, I don’t think it’s necessary. You do use a sword, but it’s a secondary weapon, right?”

“Yes. I carry a small dagger. Anyway, I’m glad I don’t have to carry an awkward sword.”

As I watched Ellen stroke her chest in relief, I inwardly thought she was quite peculiar.

Perhaps because we hadn’t spent much time together, it felt like I had glimpsed a new side of her.