Chapter 2 part 4

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Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

“Because he decided it was necessary from the side of the Imperial Palace. On the surface, the Church and the Imperial Family, these two powerful forces, maintain an inviolable distance from each other. So, if it were to be revealed that the High Priest had asked the Emperor to bring him in, then Sir Rizar’s affliation should be to the Church, not to the Imperial Palace. That’s why we can’t dispatch the Holy Knight Squad and it’s not necessary to inform His Majesty the Emperor either.”

“Uh, umm. But why?”

“The High Priest and I also don’t know the specific reason. But it’s just my assumption and I’m making preparations before anything happens.”

… The fact that even adjutant Sieg didn’t know the reason behind it was much more surprising to me.

“… Anyway, so you’re saying that you’re staying with me because there’s a problem that has to be resolved?”

“That’s how it is for now. If there’s an incident, we predict it’ll happen at the Imperial Palace. Meanwhile, Captain has become a noble lady.”

“… The Holy Knight Squad can’t meddle in the Imperial Family’s affairs, but now I can. Is this your goal?”

“Yes.”

Hmmm, the Church certainly can’t intervene in the Imperial Family’s affairs. Speaking of ‘on the surface’, it was only at the very last minute that the Holy Knight Squad could meddle in and take charge of the Crown Prince’s matter. If I had let it be and entrusted it to the Church right from the start, I wouldn’t have been in this state. I would have had enough time, so rather than rushing into the Demon King’s castle alone, I could have slowly gotten rid of the barrier.

“Why do you tell me about that now?”

“Because you asked.”

“If I didn’t ask, would you never have told me?”

“I decided that I didn’t really have to tell you yet. As long as it’s possible to settle the matter by on our own, we didn’t intend to involve Captain.”

“You’re being overprotective.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

I am not a child, you know. Anyway, he didn’t offer to become a butler just for the hell of it so this took a load off my mind. When everything is over, he’ll go back to the Church or his duchy, right? … Go back, please.

“But we still don’t know what’s going to happen, so Milady has to properly build your influence and blend in with the Imperial Court. Do you understand?”

“… I’m not confident.”

“Don’t worry.”

A gentle smile appeared on his lips.

“All you have to do is just follow my orders.”

But that’s exactly why I’m not confident.



***



Today my body–, no, is it my soul in this case? Anyway, I woke up at the usual time out of habit, but I didn’t want to get up right away. I’ll probably be pestered by adjutant Sieg again like yesterday… should I just sleep in all day long? Or pretend to be sick and laze around? Of course, I can’t get sick, but wouldn’t it work if I insisted that it’s because my body has changed?

‘But I still have to do the morning kiss.’

And I want to see Captain Jullius off on his way to work. I wriggled under the blanket for a while then crawled out. After changing my clothes, I left the bedroom and walked across the living room. Then when I opened the closed door,

Thud.

“Huh?”

Something was leaning against the door.

“… Captain?”

When I stuck my head out through the crack in the door, I saw Captain Jullius crouching down in front of the door while rubbing his sleepy eyes. What is he doing here? When did he get here?

“… Roel.”

When he caught sight of me, he smiled faintly with a sleepy face. He looks cute, but there’s no way he stayed up all night here, right? Besides, this is in the corridor. What if someone accidentally heard you calling me by my real name? The room right across from here is Sofia’s bedroom.

“Really, how long have you been here– no, let’s come in first.”

I grabbed Captain Jullius’ arm and quickly pulled him in. What’s going on first thing in the morning?

For now I dragged him to sit on the sofa as he yawned a bit. It’s not time for him to get up yet. No, judging from his state, he looked as if he had been sitting in front of the bedroom door for quite a long time. I looked down at Captain Jullius who couldn’t hide his embarrassment and his face seemed very sleepy.

“Why in front of the door–, how long have you been doing that?”

The captain yawned once again and slowly replied.

“At first I intended to get up early and come here.”

“And?”

“But I wasn’t confident I could get up earlier than Roel. So, there’s no one here to wake me up, and you get up too early.”

He rubbed his eyes once again with his fingertips. Somehow his voice became clearer now as if he managed to get rid of his drowsiness.

“That’s why I decided to come in advance at midnight and wait at the door.”

“… But I think you just slept in front of the door instead of waiting?”

“I felt sleepy, so I slept for a little bit.”

I don’t think that’s a little bit.

“Instead of doing that, you should have come inside. I didn’t even lock the door.”

“His… Highness Siegfred? Butler?”

“Just call him Butler Sieg. Well, since he himself insists on becoming a butler himself.”

Originally he was supposed to be a prince, but he said he’d be a butler. So my fiancé, Captain Jullius, doesn’t need to use honorifics to address him. If he’s discontent with that, he shouldn’t have said he’s going to be a butler.

“Sir Butler Sieg is–“

“Remove the ‘Sir’. If adjutant Sieg says he won’t be my butler, at that time you can go back to treat him with respect again. Before that happens, just drop the honorifics. Dropping the honorifics is the right thing to do.”

Unlike regular knights, the commander of the Imperial Knights received the same treatment as high-ranking officials at the Imperial Court. Most of them came from influential families, and when they got older, it was common for them to move to higher positions in the military, so in a manner of speaking, their successful career was guaranteed because they’re elites. General Herva was also a former captain of Special Task Squad. So of course, the countryside Count’s daughter naturally was far superior than the butler who served her. Captain Jullius was more of an exceptional case, but a captain is a captain anyway.

“… I think Butler Sieg won’t like it.”

“Adjutant Sieg–, so what if the butler doesn’t like it?”

I wonder if I should also call him a butler now. It’s awkward, but I can’t keep calling someone who wants to quit being a priest as an adjutant forever.

“Ortzen told me not to go against Butler Sieg as much as possible.”

“But–, no, I think it’s definitely better to do that.”

I nodded briefly. If the High Priest together with Ortzen gave a warning one after another, then we had better follow their advice obediently. I hardly felt it when I was in the Holy Knight Squad, but as I think about it as an outsider like this, I wonder if adjutant Sieg, no, the butler, is a dangerous person in many ways. However it doesn’t matter since he’s on my side for now.

“But it’s not hard to sneak in and out. It’s alright as long as you don’t get caught, just don’t get caught. Just sneak in next time. Anyway, there’s no one else other than Butler Sieg and Sofia at night.”

“I was told that I shouldn’t come into woman’s bedroom at night.”

“So what? I’m the master here and I’m fine with that though. It’s fine, it’s okay.”

Who the hell instilled useless knowledge in Captain?

“Ah, of course you can’t do that with other women. I’m your fiancée so it’s okay.”

“I don’t even want to go into another woman’s bedroom.”

“Obviously. Anyway, it’s fine to enter my bedroom. Okay?”

He nodded obediently at my persuasion. Then I guess Captain won’t be crouching down in a desolate corridor and dozing off anymore.

“But why did you do that?”

Now it’s time to ask the reason for why he did so. What the hell is his reason for getting up earlier than me? Captain Jullius slightly tilted his head then opened his mouth to answer my question.

“The members told me yesterday.”

“What did they say?”

I clearly saw that they surrounded the captain and clamored around him, but I couldn’t hear anything about it. They didn’t say anything weird, right?

“Roel, you kissed me. That’s why you put in your tongue.”

“Yeah, I did.”

“The members said that a man should make the first move to do something like that to a woman. It’s not proper to make a woman do it first.”

I was about to shout ‘what nonsense–‘ before stopping myself and quickly shutting my mouth.

Frankly speaking, what they said is true. I’ve been doing as I please because my self-awareness as a noble lady was practically nonexistent, but actually men usually should be the one to take the lead in kissing, and of course, most other actions. Getting engaged or married, going into the bedroom or eat– ah, Captain Jullius should take the lead for these things. Anyway, if you’re a typical noble lady, it’s a virtue to wait calmly for the man to approach you first.

I don’t think I can live like that.

“So you’re doing something like this to–, what?!”

Wa, wait a minute. In conclusion, does that mean that right now Captain Jullius has been waiting since midnight to kiss me? Uh, wait, wait! My feet unconsciously stepped back and bumped into the table leg with a thud.

“Don’t tell me that you’re here to kiss me?”

“That’s right.”

He replied casually. Arghh, seriously! No, it goes without saying that I did it too. Even so. While I was at a loss for what to do, Captain Jullius stood up from the sofa.

What to do, should I run away?

“Roel.”

“No, wait a minute. I think I need to prepare my heart for a bit. Do you know how to kiss like that?”

“I can do that much.”

“How come!!”

(T/N: it’s not a typo, the raw clearly used two exclamation marks instead of question mark)

I thought you didn’t have any experience though? What’s this? Why did you answer so confidently?

“Don’t tell me you practiced it with another bitch?!”

As I moved closer to him as if I wanted to grab him by the collar and ask him, Captain Jullius titled his head.

“Do I have to practice?”

“No! You can’t do that ever!”

Although I had practiced doing it, but that’s because I was tricked. Anyway, it’s a relief that he didn’t do that. I was shocked.

“You can’t kiss anyone else.”

“I don’t even want to do it.”

“Then do you want to do it with me?”

His pale grey eyes rolled to the side in response to my slightly mischievous question. Is he being shy?

“….. so… yesterday morning, with Roel…..”

“What about yesterday morning?”

“Although I was really embarrassed, it felt good.”

(T/N: this ’embarrassed’ has the nuance of being flustered in it. So it’s different with the typical shy where your heart starts beating faster when you see your crush)

“But why–“

Ah, I was told that I shouldn’t ask about this. Well, maybe he was so embarrassed that he kicked me out. Anyway, I’m glad that it felt good. So all the practice I did wasn’t in vain. I let out a small fake cough and said.

“Then kiss me.”