Chapter 162
Chapter 162
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 162
Chapter Title: The Lord Exercising the Right of the First Night (3)
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The lord was truly repulsive, but the banquet with him... wasn't as bad a time as Rosina had imagined. It was because the flavors of dishes she'd never seen before in her life were simply outstanding. Amid a feast of tastes that seemed to mock everything she knew as 'delicious' up until now, Rosina happily savored each bite without hiding her involuntary gasps of delight.
"Mmm, nom nom... gulp. ...Hnnn!"
"Kuhaha! It suits your palate, I see."
"......Yes."
Showing such a sight to others—especially to the lord—was utterly embarrassing, but since she'd have to reveal far more shameful aspects of herself to him tonight anyway... Rosina decided against putting on any pointless airs.
"Seeing you eat with such relish makes me happy too. Alex is really going to love this. Isn't that right, Sera? I suppose we should give Alex a reward for this."
But the lord showed no sign of disgust or disappointment at her display. Instead, he praised the chef who'd prepared the meal and expressed great joy.
As a result, Rosina—who'd expected to be mocked as a boorish commoner ignorant of table manners—was left utterly dumbfounded.
'I heard he looked down on commoners so much... Was that rumor false too?'
The lord's demeanor was the complete opposite of the rumors circulating on the streets.
"Perfect timing with the trade routes opening up too. If we bestow some ingredients unique to Horn, he'll be thrilled. Alex has been completely absorbed in cooking lately, after all."
"Kuhaha! That's a great idea. As expected of you, Sera. Then I can leave it to you with confidence?"
"Yes, I'll prepare it along with my own reward."
"Why should you get a reward?!"
"Tch."
Of course, there was a chance this was all an act to deceive her... but seeing the head maid joke so casually, and the other servants watching them with warm expressions, made that possibility seem extremely unlikely.
So Rosina changed her mind, unlike at the start.
The lord... might not be such a bad person after all.
But that didn't mean Rosina had fully let her guard down. Even if he seemed like a good person, he was still an unbeliever who'd denounced the church and a villain who'd revived the right of the first night, so she couldn't trust him easily.
"Kuhaha! How was the meal?"
"Yes... it was delicious."
"Glad to hear it. Now, shall we take a stroll to aid digestion? My castle's garden is quite beautiful, you know."
So when he suggested they go for a walk alone together, Rosina thought the moment she'd been dreading had finally arrived. She expected his lecherous true nature would reveal itself once they were alone without the servants.
"Wow... it really is... I've never seen such a pretty view..."
But... her prediction missed the mark once again.
The lord's claim that the garden was beautiful was true, and his escorting her there was gentle. His rough speech and calloused hands were a slight blemish on the jade, but until they reached the center of the garden, the lord behaved like a perfect gentleman every step of the way.
'It's like something out of a fairy tale...'
In the heart of the hilltop garden stood a massive tree with a cute swing hanging from it. Seasonal flowers bloomed around it, their beauty harmonizing so perfectly it looked like a scene from a novel.
"Care to try the swing? The view from here at this hour is a work of art in itself."
"Then... if you'll excuse me."
"Kuhaha! No need to be so formal. Just hop on."
As Rosina climbed onto the swing at the man's urging, the sunset-tinted garden—crafted by the setting sun—filled her wide eyes. She let out a soft gasp of awe at the enchanting sight, and the lord standing beside her suddenly spoke up in an excited voice for some reason.
"Actually, a wind spirit lives in this swing."
"A wind spirit?"
"That's right. And this one is quite fond of women, so whenever a beauty sits on it, it blows wind to push the swing. Isn't that fun?"
"Ahaha... that's amazing..."
"You don't believe me, do you? Come on, give it a try. Just sit still, and the spirit will come."
Rosina chuckled inwardly at the lord's childish antics and reluctantly waited on the swing as he instructed. She figured he'd pretend to be the spirit and push it himself, but she wasn't in a position to refuse.
"Eh... Eeeh? For real?"
And yet... whether his words were true or not, a gentle breeze suddenly began to stir behind her at some point.
"Kuhaha! There it is!"
"Is it real? The spirit... Kyaa! I-It tickles!"
It caressed her hair like it was playing a prank, then tickled her body this way and that. It really seemed a wind spirit had appeared.
"It looks upset that you didn't believe in it. Better apologize quick."
"Uh... S-Sorry. Mr. Spirit!"
Only after Rosina belatedly apologized—still dazed by the fairy-tale-like event—did the wind finally calm, stroking her cheek as if to say it accepted.
-Creak, creak
"Waaah! How... such a wonderful thing...!"
And just as the man had said, it pushed the swing she'd mounted, gifting her a magical moment.
After lavishly praising her as a beauty—enough to make Rosina embarrassed—and saying he'd see her later, the lord departed. The head maid who'd been guiding her earlier then returned and led her back to the large room. She summoned other maids to remove her makeup and clothes before taking her to a luxurious bath to wash her body.
"Haaah..."
Before she could even resist, Rosina found herself naked and permitting others to touch her, writhing in shame.
"Oh my... look at that skin. So beautiful."
"And those breasts are huge... Are you really a commoner?"
But the maids ignored her reactions, openly appraising her figure right in front of her and making her even more embarrassed. They touched her enviously, making a huge fuss.
"Um... I can wash myself. So... haat, could you please stop?"
Her entire body flushed bright red, and Rosina desperately pleaded with them, at a loss.
"No can do. This is our job."
"You'll be touched all over soon enough anyway. Why be so shy?"
"Oh dear, exactly."
"......"
But the maids refused her pleas to the end, forcing Rosina to give up resisting.
"By the way... what do you all think of the lord? It's just... he's so different from the street rumors..."
Instead, she seized the chance to ask what she'd been curious about. She wanted to know if the impression of the lord she'd gotten today was just her imagination.
"You know rumors are always false, right? Where else would you find someone as good as the lord, and yet those rumors spread... Sigh."
"It's because his looks are so rough. But his heart is truly warm."
"Yeah, yeah. He even gave me a gift for my wedding anniversary this time. He's so sweet."
But... she could feel they all genuinely respected and loved the lord. Realizing the side he'd shown her today wasn't fabricated, Rosina felt reassured that her changed opinion wasn't wrong.
"Then... what about the right of the first night? It's an evil custom, isn't it...? How can he take a bride's first night...?"
Even so, the right of the first night was still unforgivable. Seeking agreement, she asked them once more.
"Oh! Spending the first night with the lord would be amazing. He's so good at it!"
"And he pays money too? What's not to like? It's a reward, a reward."
"Money's not the point. Spending a day acting like lovers with him is what matters. Ahh... I was so jealous watching you today."
Yet not a single one in the bath rejected the right of the first night. Rather, the maids joked they'd get married just for it and defended the lord. It even swept Rosina up in the mood, making her wonder if she'd overreacted.
In the end, still more confused after finishing her bath, Rosina donned the provocative yet dignified translucent lingerie the head maid handed her and headed to the lord's room.
There, the lord awaited her in his underwear as well.