Chapter 92

※This is the second part of a dual update.

Yuma used up all her strength by getting involved with me and ended up crouching in a chair. When I tried to carry her to the bed, she shook her head vigorously.

"Yuma, you always wake up early, so it's actually your bedtime, but you're trying hard to match Dee's schedule."

"I'm fine even without sleeping, but I can't let Yuma, who is in her growth period, be sleep-deprived."

"Lord Dick, you are indeed considerate of your companions. You wouldn't say such things if you didn't always care. Your kindness is why you were lenient with me..."

Premiere didn't seem drunk, but I could tell she was tense. I was also nervous, probably because she was nervous about talking to the master.

"Premiere, did you leave your room this late without being stopped by your attendants?"

"I instructed them to let their hair down today... Since Lord Dick and the others are here, I told them there's no need to worry about my safety. They should be resting in the borrowed rooms now."

Indeed, Premiere's two attendants, though hesitant, had been drinking the wine offered by the guests. They hadn't passed out, but with a moderate amount of alcohol, they should be sleeping well.

"...So, what did you come to talk to the master about? If it's sensitive, you don't have to say it."

"No... I thought I could talk to Lord Dick as well. The time when I can act freely like this is precious. I apologize for acting on my own convenience."

Being born into a ducal family means you get everything you want, but Premiere's words made me realize that's not the case. By her words, I felt the weight of her obligations and the constraints they impose. Attending the banquet tonight required scheduling, and being constantly under surveillance, she thought she couldn't miss this time.

To talk to me and the master. I wondered what her troubles were—many possibilities came to mind, but none seemed quite right. Was it about the Marquis courting her? I didn't want to bring it up and make things awkward, so I decided to observe for now.

"...Actually, it's about Duke Orland... He sent a messenger directly to me, asking me to keep his actions secret from His Majesty the King."

"Here we go again, lowering his stock. I understand he's embarrassed, but that would make his apology meaningless. Sherry, who was a victim, and I are both angry. We didn't delve into the labyrinth to kill people."

Premiere didn't answer, just looked down. I shouldn't have pressed her, but I ended up raising my voice.

Clive turned into a monster, and I eliminated him. That was my decision, my burden, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I shouldn't have recklessly released him from prison.

"...What should I do? I don't know if the Marquis intended it, but knowing what he did and keeping it secret makes me a co-conspirator. When the Orland family is punished, the Marquis will surely blame me."

"I understand. I'll do something about it. I won't meet the king directly, but I have a chance to meet him indirectly."

Despite being warned by Aileen, he's still thinking of self-preservation. Lowe also acted on personal feelings, and it makes me worry that the country could collapse if just one gear is off.

"I appreciate Lord Dick's kindness. But I didn't just want your help; I wanted to talk to you because I need your assistance."

"Is there something else you want to ask me?"

"...If I abandon the Marquis, will you think I'm a cold-hearted woman?"

If she was genuinely worried and asked me, Premiere must be a principled person.

She respects me for successfully exploring the labyrinth. If she fears my contempt, there's only one thing to say.

"I don't know the full story between you and the Marquis... The Marquis probably thought that sharing secrets among ducal families would absolve him, but that's a naive thought. I'm glad you told me. Don't abandon the Marquis; leave it to the proper authorities. That's why we have a country and a legal system."

Vinsbrouct was also judged for treason. The Marquis's crime is lighter, but he must be punished.

The master was sentenced to slay the 'Snake' as punishment and witnessed the death of his friend. She still has people to atone to, but she has the will to do so.

"Well... If two ducal families fall in a short time, the country will be shaken. It's not possible to promote someone from a lower rank to replace them. The marquis family that was under the Orland family will likely act as a proxy for a while."

"Indeed... You are right. I don't have the charisma to command all the nobles. I've hidden my face to avoid being underestimated... but such superficial measures haven't been very effective."

—And then, Premiere.

She took off the veil she had been wearing and showed her face. Her bright chestnut hair spread out, and her gentle eyes were visible, but she blushed and looked down.

"...You look a lot like her. Her..."

One of the party members who sealed the snake with King Albein. That person is the ancestor of the Stollen family, but—was she a woman?

The master must have said this without thinking. The founder of the Orland family is said to be male, so the party consisted of two males and three females.

"Premiere, can you please look up? You've decided to show your face, after all."

"S-Sorry. I showed it, but... what am I doing..."

Confused, Premiere looked up. Her face was red to her ears, and I realized she looked much younger than her twenty-three years and was quite shy.

"I'm so embarrassed. I can't act confidently without hiding my face behind a veil..."

"No, I think it's good. If you showed your face, the Marquis Duke wouldn't be the only one to pursue you. If that happened, you wouldn't be able to focus on your work."

"...That's..."

Seeing Premiere's hesitation, I could imagine what it was like before she started hiding her face. The master, sitting next to me, leaned closer and whispered in my ear.

"The founder of the Orland family was quite a womanizer. He used to do the same thing to the woman who founded the Stollen family."

Blood is thicker than water, I suppose. Over a thousand years, the blood of the two families might have mixed a few times, but according to historical records, it didn't, so they probably don't get along well.

"If Premiere marries in the future, the Marquis will give up, and no one will pursue her. Until then... or maybe it's fine to keep wearing the veil."

"...To fulfill my duties as the head of the family, I must leave descendants. People around me say that since the Marquis Duke is of equal status, at least the children... But I..."

"That... Even if it's a noble's duty, it's not something you should accept. If that's the thinking, Jean of Vinsbrouct would have been fine too."

"He was directly told that when he was in the position of Duke. For the prosperity of both families... I really thought, what does he know, being courted by a princess?"

Another Vinsbrouct, I thought, feeling more than exasperated. It was fortunate that Premiere hadn't been targeted by him, given that he had been involved with noble wives and daughters.

"Such things continued, and she became distrustful of men. That's why I want Dee to help her with her troubles."

"Is it okay for me to deal with such troubles...?"

If I told her about my actions today, her trust in me would likely collapse. I'm reflecting on that now.

But seeing me like this, Premiere smiled and said,

"Talking to Lord Dick alone made me feel much better."

"...I'm glad. I'm happy if I could help. I just listened, though."

"That's why... Since Dee helped me so much, I want to thank him. I'll accompany you, so you don't have to be so embarrassed."

"Thank you...?"

Premiere's face was red again. Blushing might have been one of the reasons she wore a veil—she then said,

"...If you don't mind, would you let me wash your back in the bath?"

"Th... The bath... Do you mean... the bath?"

Premiere nodded. Do nobles pay their debts with their bodies? I've never heard of such a custom.

"The nobles are more particular about such things. They believe they must properly thank their benefactors."

"Is... Is that so... Is it okay for a duke to bathe with a guild master from a backwater?"

"...If everyone here keeps it a secret, there should be no problem."

Indeed. The master and Yuma are tight-lipped when it matters, so rumors won't spread.

But I had too many distractions today. Even if it's just washing my back, I might look at her with impure thoughts, which would be wrong.

"Th... That... I appreciate your feelings, but you don't have to..."

"It's okay, Dick."

"Wh... You're awake? What's okay?"

Yuma looked up. She gave me a pure smile and said,

"I'll calm your impure thoughts, Lord Dick."

"Y-Yuma, you mean in a sacred magical sense, not... not in a dirty way...?"

"It's not like that. Impure thoughts can be dispelled by my 'Purifying Hands.' Actually, I did this occasionally during our travels, when you were sleeping. Thanks to that, I could practice sacred magic..."

(No wonder I felt so refreshed some mornings...!)

Of course, it wasn't in a dirty way. It was about purifying my soul and the corruption accumulated from fighting undead monsters.

"Can I perform the purification with Lord Dick's permission...?"

"If you do that, Dee won't be able to refuse. He won't have impure thoughts either."

"Why is the master so eager... Isn't it embarrassing to bathe together now?"

"Because... If Yuma calms you, I think you'll have clear eyes like before..."

Are you saying my eyes are clouded now? It's a very disrespectful comment, but I can't deny it.

The idea of a duke washing my back in the bath seems far-fetched, but if she wants to repay her debt this way, there's nothing I can do—though I feel like I'm being swept along.

"Then, Lord Dick, please stand there. Today, I'll use a special method to purify you immediately."

"Can't you purify me by touching me with your hands?"

"No... This is special. It's a 'Purifying Embrace' just for Lord Dick."

Literally, she hugged me tightly from behind. I couldn't react to Yuma's close-range attack, just like before.

(Uh... It's very calming... What is this feeling...)

"Hmm..."

"Dee, how do you feel? Are you calmer?"

"Yes, much calmer. Premiere, I'm sorry, but I'll have to trouble you."

"Y-Yes... I'll do my best, even if I'm not very good."

Having my distractions purified by Yuma might be a good method. But the purification took time, and Yuma didn't let go of me.

"Isn't it enough now? ...Yuma?"

"Su... Lord Dick, you smell good... I can smell the alcohol and perfume..."

"Dee, are you wearing perfume? Oh, maybe it's the scent from Vell and the others."

I don't use strong perfumes, but I started using them because of Cordy. She was a woman and cared about her appearance even in a male-dominated knight's order. That's why she's popular among noblewomen.

"To be courted by someone like Yufiel, who is said to be the next High Priestess... Lord Dick's virtue is boundless."

"Ugh... That's enough. I'm sweating, so I was about to take a bath. Don't sniff me so much."

Being praised to death is one thing, but I don't have the hobby of lowering my stock. I'm flattered, but being sniffed is unsettling—Yuma having dog-like attributes isn't entirely surprising.

◆◇◆

First, I entered the bath, followed by the master and Yuma. Then, Yuma started washing the master's back. Yuma, who had already bathed, said she wanted to wash the master's back.

I also bathed twice today due to the various activities and sweating. After pouring water from a bucket, I felt much refreshed.

"Rimseritt, your skin is so beautiful. Your hair is so long and shiny, I'm so jealous..."

"Yuma, you're trying to grow your hair too. If you use healing magic to repair your hair every time it grows a little, you can keep it smooth while it grows."

"Ah... That's... I have a favor to ask of Rimseritt. I can only purify, and I rely on Lord Dick..."

Indeed, priests in a party often handle not only purification but also healing magic. Still, Yuma's ability to calm spirits is unique, and she has helped us a lot. It used to be difficult to completely destroy undead monsters that could regenerate multiple times using necromancy.

"Do you want to learn other sacred magic besides purification?"

"Y-Yes... I can't control my magic well, and I end up purifying without limit. I know I shouldn't, but it's happened so far..."

"Other sacred magic can be dangerous if you use too much magic. Yes, I understand. You can visit the church another time, right?"

"Yes, please. Can I call you teacher?"

"Hehe, sure. Dee is my disciple, and Yuma is my student."

It's a pleasant conversation, but I can't see the two on the left—The master is slightly leaning forward, trying to cover her chest with her hands, but parts of it are still visible.

(She's a slim type... The master always wears loose clothes, so I guess that's why.)

"Premiere, are you coming? Dee, should I call her?"

"N-No... It would seem like I'm rushing her. She can come when she's ready. If she's embarrassed, she doesn't have to..."

Just as I said that, the bath door creaked open.

I hesitated to look, but since she wouldn't be naked, I glanced over. Premiere was wearing a thin robe for bathing and had her hair up with a hair clip, probably borrowed from the master.

Premiere was also a slim type. I hadn't noticed because she usually wears formal attire with little exposure, but she had curves where they should be and a slim figure.

"Wow... Premiere's waist is so slim. Noblewomen work hard with corsets. I should learn from her."

"No... It's just an old custom that we still follow. I'm not even wearing a tight one. Some people wear even tighter ones."

"Um... Can I touch it?"

"Ah... T-Ticklish, Lady Yufiel..."

After washing the master's back once, Yuma went to touch Premiere's waist. The master, also interested, joined Yuma and patted Premiere's waist.

"Ah... Dee, you look like you want to touch it too."

"Mmm... N-No, if you really want to, just a little..."

"Don't tempt me. Yuma just calmed me down."

It's not bad to see women getting along, I thought, but am I opening a new world? It's all because Premiere's reaction is too alluring.

"It's bad... Lord Dick, I need to calm you again. A lot of muddled things are coming out of your soul."

"Can you see such things... I can see magic power, but not that far. Yuma is really amazing."

"Are these muddled things bad? If so, I'd like to help calm them."

"It's fine. Every man has these muddled feelings, and it's normal to have them. They don't need to be calmed..."

I didn't think she would come to calm me in that direction—until I forgot. Yuma seems calm, but she's still drunk.

"Having such muddled feelings worries even the gods. Do you want