EP.3 The Picked-Up Stone
"This is the mansion where you'll be living with me from now on."
Selene introduced the mansion lightly, as if it were nothing special.
But I couldn't take it so lightly.
The front gate of the Elysis family was as grand and antique as its reputation.
If I hadn't had a connection, I would have turned back at the entrance.
That's what it means to be a famous noble family.
'Nobles really are nobles.'
It finally sank in that I had become a noble's knight.
Honestly, what happened at the inn didn't feel real.
I was suddenly appointed as a knight, and then ordered to lick her most secret place.
If that felt real, that would have been even stranger.
But the beautiful scenery of the mansion and Selene's attitude made it clear that this was reality.
"What are you staring at like that?"
"It's just… the mansion is so big."
"Hm… It is quite large. Thanks to that, there are plenty of places to hide from the servants. And there's a separate annex, so don't worry."
I wondered what exactly she was telling me not to worry about.
Maybe she didn't realize that her words only made me more anxious. Or maybe she was expecting that.
"Don't just stand there spaced out, follow me."
"Ah… yes."
Selene passed by the mansion and headed somewhere else.
Apparently, our destination wasn't the main mansion.
"Um… aren't we going into the mansion?"
"I'll assign you a separate place to stay."
Following her, we passed through a complicated garden filled with unknown plants.
After walking for a while, I saw a house smaller than the mansion.
"There it is. It's a bit shabby, but if it's uncomfortable, I can fix it up more."
"No, this is already much better than a shabby inn."
"Even though it's an annex, it's basically your house, so make yourself comfortable inside. The furniture is already prepared."
It was quite far from the main mansion.
Even the servants I'd occasionally seen near the mansion were nowhere to be found here.
'And the garden is so complicated… Unless you're deliberately looking for it, you wouldn't know it's here.'
Why was I being made to stay in a place like this?
If a noble lady with perverted tastes was suggesting it, it was worth suspecting her intentions.
At the very least, it seemed like there was something impure behind it.
"It's pretty far from the mansion."
"That's why it's better."
That confirmed there was an ulterior motive.
Her mischievous smile said it all.
She looked like a girl plotting something fun.
"So… what exactly am I supposed to do as a knight from now on?"
"Hmm… Generally, just stick close to me to protect me. There's a bit of a problem, though."
"A problem?"
"It's nothing you need to worry about, so just ignore it."
Selene entered the house first, as if telling me not to worry.
I still felt uneasy, but checking out the house I'd be living in came first.
"The house… is more ordinary than I expected."
"Did you think there'd be something special?"
"To be honest, I thought there might be some weird tools or something."
"Hmmm~ Did you really think there'd be strange tools lying around in the Elysis family's annex?"
Normally, no one would think that.
But from what she'd shown me, it wasn't out of the question.
"If there aren't, I apologize."
"No need to apologize. I do have some things hidden…♥"
Ah, so there are things hidden after all.
Well, if they were lying around openly, the servants would gossip.
"They're not in this house, are they?"
"Well~ What do you think? Wouldn't it be convenient if they were here?"
"If I find them, I'll just leave them alone."
"You really do get it. Must be because you're a former adventurer-you pick up on things quickly."
Selene looked quite pleased.
Even though other noble ladies would call this a vulgar conversation.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself."
"You're the only one I can have this kind of conversation with."
She seemed to really enjoy expressing her desires openly.
She must have been holding back for a long time, so I could understand.
What happened at the inn was something she couldn't even tell the servants about.
It didn't feel vulgar at all.
In fact, there was an honest charm in her openness.
"Ah, just to be clear, you know this is a secret from everyone else, right?"
"Of course. If anyone found out the Elysis family's lady did something like that…"
"There'd be blood, one way or another. And you'd be the one to really bleed."
If word got out,
the consequences were obvious.
Even just rumors would be a huge problem for a noble.
First, they'd try to eliminate me as evidence.
Even if Selene said not to, there'd be no stopping it.
"I have no intention of telling anyone, so don't worry."
"I'm glad you understand."
"Is that everything I need to know?"
"Hmm… It's not that important, but I'll tell you one thing about this house."
So there was something after all.
Her smile seemed to deepen a little.
"Is there something?"
"It's not a big deal. There's just a passage in the basement that connects to my room in the mansion."
A passage that connects directly to the lady's room.
I immediately understood what it was for.
"…That's perfect for sneaking over."
"Or you could just come find me yourself."
"If I get caught coming out of the lady's room, it won't end as a simple commotion."
"Don't worry. I've already arranged for there to be fewer servants in the mansion. And…"
Selene paused, then slowly approached me.
Her elegant movements made me feel frozen for a moment.
The distance between us shrank.
Her attitude was both bold and seductive.
While I stood still, she pressed her body close and whispered softly in my ear.
"What we did at the inn… it was so good, so I'm looking forward to more…♥"
Just hearing her voice was enough to stir my male instincts.
I wanted to continue what we'd started at the inn, right then and there.
"Even if I say no, you'll just order me anyway, so there's nothing I can do."
"You really do understand. I'm proud I chose you as my knight. For today, just take your time and get settled in."
Just as Selene was about to quietly leave the house,
a loud unfamiliar woman's voice rang out from outside.
"Lady Selene! Are you here?"
Instinctively, I looked at Selene.
Her face looked like a girl who'd just been caught playing a prank.
"Sounds like the servants told her."
"Who is it?"
"A knight. She was supposed to become my personal knight instead of you."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
"You're probably right."
While Selene and I exchanged a few words,
the owner of the voice opened the door and entered.
"Lady Selene, you were here. And… who is this…?"
Selene's expression became complicated.
From the situation, it was clear the newcomer was her subordinate, but she seemed annoyed.
"I was just showing my personal knight around the house."
"Personal knight…? You don't mean this man, do you?"
Her gaze was full of suspicion.
The look the woman gave me was anything but friendly.
It was understandable, since I'd effectively taken her place.
Though I don't think Selene ever intended to make her the personal knight.
"Did you really go through with what you mentioned before?"
"I said I would, so what's the problem?"
Apparently, Selene hadn't done this without warning.
But the woman still didn't seem happy.
'She's quite a beauty, too.'
Shoulder-length orange hair.
A well-trained, athletic body.
She was the very image of a beautiful female knight.
This was exactly the kind of knight women people admired.
But Selene just looked at her as if she were a nuisance.
"I can't really say anything since it's your decision, Lady Selene… but I don't know if this man can really be trusted. I don't even know his skills."
"I checked myself, so there's no problem."
"…Let's discuss this later. And you!"
The female knight glared at me with open hostility.
All I'd done was get dragged here by Selene.
"If you do anything foolish, my sword will cut off your head!"
I'd already done such things.
And on your mistress's orders, no less.
But I couldn't say that out loud.
"Yes. I'll be careful."
"Hmph!"
When I replied a bit sarcastically, her gaze grew even colder.
But perhaps because she couldn't draw her sword in front of her mistress, she stormed out.
"So this was the problem you mentioned earlier."
"She's a capable knight, but she's too uptight."
"Still, wouldn't it be better to have her as your personal knight, since she's a woman too?"
"What do you think it would be like having such an uptight knight constantly by your side?"
"Ah…"
I immediately understood why she hadn't chosen her as her personal knight.
If a knight like that followed her around, she'd have to suppress her desires in all sorts of ways.
That's why she went out of her way to appoint me as her knight.
"Anyway, things got a bit hectic all of a sudden, but welcome to the Elysis family."
Selene greeted me with the elegance befitting a noble's daughter.