Chapter 56

Before I could react to Altair's warning, his hand tore through my clothes and delved inside. Startled by Altair's bold touch, I flinched and grabbed his shirt. Seeing his advance thwarted, Altair looked at me with a somewhat displeased expression, but I couldn't back down. There was a very serious issue at hand.

"Here, you want to do it here?"

I looked around with a mix of anxiety. This place was a public garden, open to everyone. With the surroundings so open, anyone could see what was happening from the corridor. Didn't I spot Altair and come to the garden while walking the corridor? I thought it was a valid point, but Altair seemed to have a different opinion.

"At this hour, no one comes."

Altair replied indifferently and started moving his hand again. It was as if he didn't mind that I was holding his shirt; his actions were very natural. Stunned by his confidence, I was brought back to my senses when his hand caressed a sensitive spot.

"No, no! The servants are busy moving around all night!"

On the surface, the castle seemed to be sleeping peacefully, but there were people who were busy even then. If the lights in the corridor went out, it would be a big problem, so the servants took turns patrolling the castle throughout the night. It was entirely possible that they would notice any suspicious movements in the garden.

"Why worry about the servants? If you worry about them, you can't do anything."

"But... there are more servants now... and there are guests in the annex..."

Stammering, I tried to avoid Altair's touch, and he finally sighed and buried his face in my neck.

"I feel like I'm going to die."

"Ah, stop exaggerating..."

"It's not exaggeration. I really feel like I'm going to die. So, even if my methods are a bit rough, understand."

Altair lifted his head and warned me.

"Understand what...?"

As I asked, stepping back with a bad feeling, Altair neatly adjusted his disheveled coat and suddenly picked me up in one arm.

"Ah!"

Startled by being lifted like a sack of potatoes, I screamed, and Altair slightly raised one corner of his mouth and put a finger to his lips.

"Be quiet. What if the servants see?"

With a nod, I covered my mouth with both hands, and Altair chuckled and started walking.

'Wow...'

I marveled at the scenery passing by quickly. Altair's steps were so fast that it felt like riding a carriage through the corridor. But I didn't feel like I would fall because Altair held me firmly. During our journey through the corridor, we encountered a few servants who were still working on the castle at night. Despite the shocking sight of the viscountess being carried by the viscount, they all maintained their professionalism, bowed politely, and helped reduce the awkwardness.

'Still, it's embarrassing.'

I pretended to be calm, but they would definitely gossip about this scene with their colleagues when they returned to their quarters, and soon all the servants would know about the commotion.

'How much will they think we're unusual?'

Actually, we weren't that unusual. As I thought this, I felt strangely uncomfortable. Was it so bad that the servants thought we were an unusual couple? Or was there another reason I was upset? While I was lost in thought, we had already arrived at the bedroom. Altair opened the door and walked in, and the faint scent of the candles Anna had lit tickled my nose. The deliberate atmosphere made me blush, and I felt the embarrassment I had forgotten return.

"Seems like the lady was thinking about the same kind of night as me."

"It's not like I asked her to prepare it..."

"Then I should praise the clever maid and servant."

Altair walked into the room and gently placed me on the bed. Looking up at Altair, I could feel the strange heat on his face. I tentatively reached out to touch his heated face, but his height made it difficult to reach. Feeling embarrassed by my hand hanging in the air, I was about to pull it back when Altair grabbed it.

"Dirty."

"Huh?"

"I mean my hands. They're a mess from planting trees earlier. Ah."

Altair sighed in frustration and annoyance, closed his eyes, and let go of my hand.

"I'll wash them quickly with cold water, so wait a moment."

Altair reluctantly turned away, still looking at me. Before he could get too far, I quickly reached out and grabbed the hem of his clothes. Both of us, me holding Altair and Altair being held, looked at each other in confusion. I rolled my eyes and scolded my impulsive hand, then closed my eyes tightly.

"Shall we wash together?"

"…What?"

"I mean, I fell and got dirty too, so if we wash together..."

"Right now..."

As I rambled on with unorganized thoughts, Altair's voice sounded a bit dazed. When I peeked at his face, it matched his voice.

"If I'm not mistaken, you're deliberately trying to seduce me right now..."

My face flushed at his very direct question.

"W-Well, if you ask me so directly, how can I say yes?"

In situations like this, shouldn't you pretend not to know and let it pass? Feeling my face burning with embarrassment, I bowed my head, and a small laugh came from above. But when I looked up, Altair's face was completely serious, with a hint of tension.

"Should we take off your clothes first if we're going to wash?"

I carefully took off my coat, feeling tense. In my thin nightgown, I shivered from the chill and laughed awkwardly, and Altair's expression changed.

"No, it's not necessary to take off your clothes to wash."

Altair picked me up again and walked to the bathroom connected to the bedroom.

"It's not because I can't hold back. Do you think I can't wait the time it takes to take off a nightgown?"

Muttering to himself, Altair's tension eased, and I laughed. Leaning against Altair, I felt him flinch and bite his lip.

"I think I should sing a song."

"A song? Suddenly?"

"The imperial anthem... I need the imperial anthem..."

Why suddenly? I blinked in confusion, but Altair started singing softly, muttering something in between.

"Altair Eilsworth... you are human... not an animal... you have to wash..."

***

'Ugh...'

The next day. I woke up with a familiar feeling. After spending the night with Altair, my body always felt heavy, so I was prepared, but yesterday was particularly tough...

'Ugh.'

The thought made my face feel like it was about to burst, so I shook my head and sat up. The sunlight streaming through the window showed that it was well past morning. Checking the clock, it was indeed around lunchtime.

'I should start moving...'

Just as I was about to get out of bed, the door opened, and someone entered the room.

"I want to wash."

Thinking it was Marina, I spoke without looking, but there was no response from the expected person. Turning my head in surprise, I saw Altair standing there with a tray, his eyes narrowed.

"Really? You want to wash?"

'Huh!'

Recalling what happened after suggesting we wash together yesterday, I shook my head frantically.

"I didn't know it was you, Altair..."

"I know. After what happened yesterday, you wouldn't say that to me again."

Altair chuckled and placed the tray in front of me. On the tray were freshly baked bread and warm soup.

"I was going to bring tea, but I thought you'd just complain. The prince's face was really distorted when I served him."

"Um. Altair's tea is..."

I couldn't bring myself to say it was fine, so I trailed off, and Altair, looking a bit embarrassed, ruffled his hair and urged me.

"Just eat. What's so different about water from boiled grass?"

Altair's grumbling made him seem cute, and I suppressed a giggle as I started eating the bread and soup. Eilsworth's bread was indeed the best. I remembered how the delicious bread had calmed my nerves on the first day when I was trembling in front of Altair's intense gaze.

'If this bread were sold outside, it would be incredibly popular.'

In my original world, there were many such bakery franchises, so I had that feeling. The thought that came to mind didn't seem bad, and as I started planning in my head, Altair poured water into a cup and said,

"The doctor will come this afternoon. Have a good talk."

"Ah. Is it about the research investment? I told them to send everything to Altair for review and to decide the support range."

I deliberately handed the research support issue to Altair to create more opportunities for him and Leon to interact, thinking that working together would naturally resolve any misunderstandings about their personalities.

"Ah, the research issue is already settled. We've agreed on the support range."

"Then why is Leon coming to see me?"

"Because you haven't fully recovered and you... overdid it last night."

"Huh?"

I was startled and threw the bread I was eating onto the tray.

"Why call a doctor for that!"

"Doctors are there to consult on such issues. I asked for a thorough examination, so don't try to avoid it."

"I really am fine..."

'If I keep calling the doctor like this, they'll think I'm exaggerating.'

But it might not be bad to have Leon confirm that I'm fine. I decided to endure the embarrassment.

'I didn't know he would be this unusual.'

Maybe because he's so robust and spends most of his time with equally robust knights, he doesn't understand other people's standards.

'Fine. I'll use this opportunity to show him! That I'm just a normal, healthy person!'

*** But my plan didn't go as smoothly as I hoped.

"Hmm..."

When Leon arrived to examine me as scheduled, his expression was unexpectedly serious and heavy.