Chapter 22: I Think Of Her As My Partner

Butler returned just before dinner.

I asked why he stayed in the village for so long, but he just smiled, patted my head, and went to organize the luggage without saying anything.

‘What the…?’

A question arose, but I didn’t dwell on it and headed off with Lilac for dinner.

The Count’s estate, unlike the village, boasted a considerable size, being three stories high.

Naturally, it was smaller compared to the Duchy, but seeing such a large building in the north for the first time filled me with wonder.

The room for our one-night stay was on the 2nd floor, and we had to go down to the 1st floor for meals.

Heading towards the banquet hall, I held Lilac’s hand and asked.

“Why was Butler late?”

“Butler?”

“Yes.”

Lilac paused and scratched her head with her other hand.

“You probably shouldn’t know that.”

“Huh…?”

At Lilac’s words, a chilling breeze seemed to run down my spine.

Being in the north made it feel even colder.

“Want to hear?”

“No…”

Whenever she ended her words like that, I somehow didn’t want to hear.

As if someone had done something wrong.

The Butler I knew was a kind grandfather, so he wouldn’t have caused trouble; I dismissed my worries.

Lilac chuckled, released my clasped hand, picked me up, and started walking again.

“The only person around me who likes holding me like this is Lilac.”

“Does that mean I’m your first?”

“……”

How could she reach that conclusion?

It felt like some sentences were omitted in the middle.

Well, still.

Being carried like this was comfortable and saved stamina, so it was okay.

Not entirely bad.

“Here?”

At Lilac’s words, I looked straight ahead, and a large banquet hall came into view.

Come to think of it, the Count’s butler explained.

The Count sometimes invites the residents of the County and eats together.

However, since we were the guests today, only a few people were in the banquet hall.

Those few people were also members of the Count’s family.

At the head seat at the far end sat the Count, who possessed a build significantly larger than the village residents.
About three times my size.

‘Or maybe even more?’

His height was such that I had to crane my neck to look up, making me feel incredibly small.

Of course, even Lilac, taller than me, looked like a child before the Count.

Next to the Count was a chair that seemed intended for guests, and it too was slightly large.

‘Seems like there would be space left even with two of me.’

I knew the northern people were large, but I didn’t expect such a difference.
Especially the Count’s family, who were larger than the residents.

Lilac, still holding me, sat down on the prepared chair next to the head seat.
As expected, even Lilac was smaller than the chair’s width, leaving space.

‘This is like, not even human, but a giant.’

“As expected of a descendant of giants, your size is extraordinary.”

‘Wait, that was real?’

Staring at Lilac with a dumbfounded face, I saw the Count looking back with the exact same expression as mine.

“Khahahaha! Of course!”

For reference, this was the County, so even with the Duchess present, the actual master here was the Count.
Thus, he could perhaps speak a little more casually here.

But considering who his counterpart was.

No matter how young Lilac was or that she came as a guest, defying her, ignoring her martial prowess, would have led to great trouble.

Fortunately, the Count, who had friendly relations with Lilac, occasionally joked around with each other.
Still, perhaps finding it daunting to drop formalities, he ended every sentence with honorifics.

“By the way, who is that ‘commoner’ Her Grace is holding?”

Before the meal arrived, while exchanging idle chat with the Count’s family, the conversation turned to me.

The one introduced as the Count’s eldest daughter, perhaps?

“Indeed. Why bother holding a dirty commoner…?”

This time it was the eldest son, a man with an even larger build than the eldest daughter.

Hearing that made me feel weak.

Only Saintess Diana was introduced to them.

Saintess Sia was not introduced.

If my name became known in the Empire, nobles would likely latch onto me, a commoner.

Tap. Tap.

Lilac tapped the table with her fingers.

‘Hmm.’

Watching her idly, I leaned back listlessly.

A kind of safety measure, perhaps.

Lying back while being held, I pinned Lilac to the chair.

This way, she couldn’t move recklessly because of me.

Not without pushing me away.

If I had been slower, Lilac might have already jumped up and cut off the necks of the eldest son and daughter.

“……”

Feeling a gaze looking down at me from above, I raised my eyes to meet hers.

“Mean.”

“They insulted you.”

‘You can’t kill them just for that. Besides, they’re fellow nobles, and this is someone else’s territory.’

Without replying, I rolled my eyes to look at the Count and Countess beside them; where did their hearty laughter from moments ago go? They were just sweating profusely.

Meeting Lilac’s eyes again, I spoke.

The only difference was slightly raising my eyebrows to express my anger.

“Sssst.”

“You keep defying me?”

“Hmph…”

Having no choice, I relaxed my eyes and rubbed my head against Lilac’s stomach.

“Killing is bad.”

Speaking with slightly slurred pronunciation, Lilac’s body stiffened.

‘It worked.’

The sense of self-loathing was indescribable, though.

“Th-that thing, what is it doing!”

The eldest son jumped up from his seat and pointed accusingly.

And I could grasp one thing.

‘Looks like he likes Lilac.’

‘But there are proper things to be jealous about. Why is a man jealous of a woman? And with your build, liking Lilac is a crime, you know. Where do you think you’re going with a body that looks over 3 meters tall?’

“…Count, focus more on educating your children.”

“Thank you…”

Lilac spoke with a low resonance, and the Count breathed a sigh of relief.

Lilac was struck(?) in the heart by my action, and the Count looked relieved because his children were saved.

By now, I was used to being called a commoner, so I thought the eldest son and daughter were right.

Never imagining my name would later be in the Ducal family register.

“Rebecca! Whissen! You two return to your rooms!! If you come out before the guests leave, I’ll smack your faces!”

“Huh? What does that. Father…?”

“D-Dad! What are you saying?”

As the Count quickly stood up and spoke to his children, the eldest son and daughter looked at the Count with bewildered faces.

“What are you doing!! Get out immediately!”

“……”

“……”

Without knowing the reason, the siblings left the banquet hall with aggrieved faces.

I nodded at the Count’s swift judgment.

At least the Count and Countess seemed quick-witted.

Once the two siblings left, an icy atmosphere blanketed the banquet hall.

As everyone waited silently for the food, the Count seemed curious from the start about why I was here.

Naturally, my identity wasn’t revealed to the Count either.

He just acted cautiously, seeing me attached to Lilac like this.

The Countess was the same.

“She’s a child I cherish.”

“I-I see.”

As the Count nodded reluctantly, food started being served as if on cue.

After that, conversation ceased, and while everyone was eating their chosen food.

“Think of her as my partner.”

I was eating the freshly served carbonara when those words nearly made me choke.

“Keck. Keck.”

As I patted my chest, a cup of water was held before me.

Taking the cup and drinking, my blocked throat cleared.

This time, with truly bewildered expressions, the Count, the Countess, and I stared at Lilac.

“What if you choked? Eat slowly.”

“Ah, thank you. No, wait! What are you saying?”

“What.”

“No…”

I never knew the expression ‘speechless from absurdity’ could actually be used.

That confident attitude and expression clearly asked, ‘What’s the problem?’.

“Ahem. I see. I respect that.”

‘Don’t respect it. Don’t respect it.’

Lilac, looking at me with upturned lips, continued.

“Why. We’ve already slept in the same bed. We even bathed together.”

“……”

It was true, so I couldn’t refute it.

Should I explain this as a misunderstanding?

But even if I said we just slept in the same bed, who would believe me?

“Ahem… Th-then this person is…?”

“The Duchess, what else.”

“I see.”

Staring at Lilac with hollow eyes, laughter that had been held back until now seemed to burst forth, echoing in the banquet hall.

“Just kidding. Kidding. Khak. Ahaha!”

‘Is my face really that funny?’

Anyway, since Lilac said it was a lie, no more…

Looking at the Count’s state, I saw him wiping sweat again.

Thankfully, he seemed to believe Lilac’s words.

However, there was a problem.

The Countess’s eyes were unusual.

“Fufu.”

‘Why are you giving me that smile? I wish you wouldn’t look at me like that.’

“Keke. It was just a joke.”

Finding Lilac, still laughing, annoying, I took the hand that was touching my head and bit it.

“What are you doing?”

“Rebenge.(Revenge)”

“Doesn’t hurt?”

“……”

It seems this transcendent body takes no damage even from teeth.

“Dirty. Spit it out.”

Lilac, finally stopping her laughter, tapped my cheek with her other hand and spoke.

“Blegh.”

Releasing the tension in my jaw, Lilac’s hand, covered in my saliva, dropped from my mouth.

“Hmm…”

“What is it?”

As I stared with a sulky face, Lilac didn’t wipe her hand but instead.

Slurp.

“!”

“???”

Put it to her own mouth and licked it with her tongue.

The Count and Countess looked on with different expressions, and mine was no different.

“Why did you lick that?!”

“Why. Last time I ate your saliva-covered hair-.”

Smack.

I quickly turned around and covered Lilac’s mouth.

However, it turned out to be a poor choice.

The heat and dampness felt on my palm.

“Ugh!”

Pulling my hand away, my white palm was wet.

“What are you doing?”

“Revenge for covering my mouth.”

“Ooooh.”

My head spun.

Why does that sound like something I said earlier?

While I was trying to calm my head.

The Countess stood up from her seat.

“Wife? Where are you going?”

“Ah. Well…”

The Countess glanced at us briefly, then smiled with her eyes and pointed upwards with her finger.

“I just wanted to change the guest room for a moment. To a small one with a single bed.”

At least among the northerners, the Countess seemed sharp-witted.

And the Count, unaware of his wife’s intentions, readily agreed.

He didn’t ask why.

Simply trusting his wife would handle things well.

Watching this, I felt extremely tired.

‘Come back… that’s not it.’