hotmtlnovel Chapter 92
Chapter 92
After completing the harsh task of 2,000 swings instead of the afternoon duel with his father...
Ethan Richard Blackwood walked up to the 4th floor where his private room was, clutching his arm that was aching from muscle pain.
He felt somewhat calm after performing the task his father had given him to properly clear his mind. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]
Of course, this would probably just seem like a temporary settling, becoming meaningless the moment he faced his exclusive maid again at dinner time, but for now, he could somehow hide his confused feelings with fatigue.
“...”
...On that day, three days ago, did Lilith really let him touch her chest just because she needed the position of his exclusive maid?
Maybe, even if just a little, did Lilith also have romantic feelings for him, which is why she allowed it?
Is that why she kept approaching him, saying she would become his exclusive maid even after becoming a noble lady? [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]
If he hadn’t stopped touching her chest midway, what would have happened after that?
Perhaps that relationship might have gone beyond simply touching her chest...
‘No, no, no... I don’t want to build that kind of relationship with Lilith...’
It seemed that lately, whenever his brain had a moment of rest, it always returned to the memory of that moment, so he had to resolve this problem as soon as possible.
Now that other people had started to notice his strange attitude...
If the reason he became like this was revealed to be because of Lilith, his exclusive maid...
...He thought that perhaps his father might separate Lilith from him for the sake of education.
There was nothing more foolish than being distanced from the person he loved most just because he was distracted just thinking about her, so Ethan had to somehow erase that scene from his mind to prevent it from happening again. However...
It was naturally not an easy process for a man in his prime to forget that.
He didn’t know whether he could forget it tonight or whether he could shake it off by tomorrow. With such thoughts filling his mind, Ethan entered his room. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]
In his private space, where he entered to find peace of mind, Ethan couldn’t help but feel his heart racing again.
“Have you finished training, young master?”
“M-maid?!”
The exclusive maid who had been confusing his mind all day long was waiting for him in his room first.
Unlike him, who couldn’t hide his surprise, Lilith, the exclusive maid, continued the conversation with Ethan with a calm expression.
“I have something to tell you, young master. Could you spare a moment to talk?”
“...Does it have to be now?”
“I’ll just say in advance that the sooner I tell you, the better.”
“...Alright, Maid. If that’s the case, let’s sit down and talk.”
If it was something she waited for him to return to say, it must have been important from the maid’s perspective, at least.
Ethan just nodded to her question and sat down on the opposite side of the table.
“...”
Lilith’s chest became even more noticeable as they sat facing each other at the same table.
Why is the maid’s uniform an attire that particularly stimulates a man’s vision?
Because his gaze kept wanting to go to that outfit that he couldn’t avert his eyes from even if he wanted to, Ethan deliberately turned his body away, pretending to be nonchalant, and rested one arm on the table. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]
Of course, Lilith, who had memories of being a man in her previous life, completely understood the meaning of that gaze and the action of pretending to be nonchalant.
“So... what did you want to talk about, Maid?”
“I want to talk about what happened between you and me three days ago, young master.”
“Wa-wasn’t the exclusive maid issue already resolved? It was decided that you would continue to be my exclusive maid even after entering the academy, and Isabel would assist you as your aide...”
“It’s not about that, but about you touching my chest, young master.”
“*Cough* *Cough* *Cough*...!”
Ethan deliberately pretended to have forgotten, bringing up a different topic nonchalantly in case it was a trap, but instead, Lilith boldly mentioned that day’s incident.
That brazen attitude was enough to make Ethan flustered to the point where he choked on just a few drops of saliva he was trying to swallow.
“D-didn’t you tell me to forget about that time...?”
“For someone who said they didn’t need it, you’re pondering quite seriously, Young Master Ethan.”
“N-no! I wasn’t seriously considering it, just...!”
“There’s no need to be embarrassed. Rather, it’s a proposal I made for you to consider seriously.”
“...”
“Isn’t it better to use that energy as your motivation for improvement rather than blindly trying to control your complicated feelings and forcibly forget what happened, young master?”
Lilith was right.
Right now, he was so caught up in the shocking memory of just touching a chest once that he couldn’t even properly go about his daily life.
If he could pour this concentration directly into swordsmanship, it could become a good driving force.
...Even if it stemmed from the impure intention of wanting to touch his exclusive maid’s chest.
‘But...’
There was something that didn’t quite add up about simply accepting Lilith’s proposal at face value.
It was because he couldn’t understand why she, who was just an exclusive maid, had set the condition based on his swordsmanship improving.
Therefore, Ethan had to carefully ask Lilith about her reasons.
“Maid, there’s one thing I’m curious about.”
“What is it, young master?”
“Why has me landing an effective hit in a sword duel with my father become the condition for you letting me touch your chest?”
“Pardon...?”
“Letting me touch your chest based on my sword skills improving doesn’t seem to be included in the role of an exclusive maid. After all, it’s an act that brings no benefit to you.”
“...”
“Is there something that benefits you from my sword skills improving?”
Lilith froze for a moment, unable to answer Ethan’s sharp question that came from an unexpected situation.
Seeing his exclusive maid not answering immediately, the doubts of the young master of the Blackwoods deepened.
Before Ethan, who sensed something suspicious, could open his mouth to ask again, Lilith Rosewood was barely able to come up with a plausible answer to give him.
“Could it be that you...”
“...That is because I simply like strong people.”
“...You like strong people?”
“Personally, I tend to find people who are stronger than others and have potential for growth more attractive than those who are weak or passively protected by others. And among the people I’ve seen so far, the strongest person would probably be my master, Harold, the head of the household.”
“...Yes, that’s true.”
“Therefore, if the young master I serve could catch up to the master’s strength even a little, I thought it would be okay for me to offer my body a bit.”
“...”
“...Is this answer sufficient?”
“...Yes, for now.”
Because it seemed like there was nothing particularly strange about the answer at first glance, Ethan quietly nodded.
Lilith, whose heart was racing for a different reason, carefully announced her departure.
“Then I’ll return to my room so you can rest, Young Master Ethan.”
“...Alright, Maid. See you at dinner.”
“Yes, young master.”
Click.
The maid returned to her room, closing the door with an awkward smile.
Looking at the place where she had just been, Ethan was engulfed in complicated thoughts of a different nature.
It was the moment when he started seriously considering the ideal type that Lilith, the person he had personal feelings for, had mentioned.
“The maid’s type is... strong people...”
The naive young master of the Blackwood family still didn’t know that it was just an excuse blurted out to avoid the sudden question.