Chapter 170
Chapter 170
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 170
Chapter Title: The Lord Who Exercises the Right of the First Night (11)
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After my first night with Agon, the two of us had been incredibly busy. We poured every ounce of time and effort into reviving the merchant house that had plunged into crisis. The compensation gold we'd received from the Lord helped, but it wasn't enough to fix everything on its own, so we even skimped on sleep to get back on our feet.
"Agon! Everything's finally ready!"
"Yeah! Now we can start over!"
But it wasn't all that tough. Seeing our merchant house's future brighten day by day gave us all the strength we needed. They say a rainbow comes after the rain, right? Having overcome the crisis together, our crew had bonded into a tight-knit group we could truly trust, making Smith Merchant House even stronger than before.
And it was all thanks to the Lord. Without the generous compensation he'd given us, the house would've gone bankrupt, and we'd be drowning in debt. His kind heart moved me all over again.
"Rozina, it's been a while... Lately, you crash the second you get home."
"Mmm... But I'm so tired, Agon..."
"Tomorrow's a rest day anyway, right? Come on, don't say no."
"......Okay, fine..."
Still... I couldn't bring myself to thank him properly. Even knowing his feelings, I kept agonizing over it, unworthy as I was to even face him.
"That was great again tonight, Rozina..."
"Ah... Yeah......"
The gap in our stations, the fear I might get cast aside because of it, and my growing sadness over losing my beauty and innocence with each passing day... All that kept holding me back, and I felt myself drifting further from the Lord every day.
"Ahh... My Lord, haa... I'm sorry... Nngh... I did it again, aaah!"
But was it because of that longing for what I couldn't have? Every time I thought I could never be with him, I yearned for him even more.
With preparations for the trip to Horn complete, we decided to take a short break before departing. A small festival had broken out in the city, so we stayed in Freha until it wrapped up. That's how Agon and I ended up at our usual tavern for some long-overdue downtime.
But thanks to the festival buzz, the place was packed with groups of women and men, and we got dragged into separate drinking sessions against our will.
And there... I spotted Christine, the newlywed from not long ago. She was decked out in a stunning dress that the Lord must've gifted her.
"Hehe! Look at this, everyone! Proof the Lord fell for me! Pretty, right? He said it matches my beauty perfectly and gave it as a gift!"
"Whoa, really?"
"Christine's cute and all... but enough to make the Lord swoon?"
"I must be his type! How else would I get a gift like this?"
Lies... You get that dress before even meeting him. Why was she spinning such tales? Seeing her puff out her chest proudly, hand on her modest bosom, left a sour taste in my mouth.
"Bullshit. You get that just for showing up. I got one too. You're not the only one who's met the Lord—why tell such an obvious lie?"
Then Sair, who'd been listening quietly from the next table, slammed her glass down and snapped at Christine in a grumpy tone. Come to think of it, Sair had gotten married recently too... Three women in this little tavern who'd fallen for the Lord? It made my stomach twist even more.
"W-what?! Hmph! You're the liar! The Lord saw my face and was so amazed he gave me the gift!"
"Rozina, what about you? Didn't you get yours right when you arrived?"
"Huh? Ahaha... Yeah, same here."
"See? It's just a standard gift. Why make up stories and attach all this meaning to it? Don't you feel bad for Johan?"
"Y-you...!"
Oh no, I shouldn't feel this way... But seeing Christine's indignant face was oddly satisfying.
Christine, why'd you lie like that? The Lord fell for me, not you. Better not tell fibs like that—for your sake and your husband's too.
I silently cheered Sair on as she dismantled the nonsense with cold logic, offering Christine some mental advice of my own.
"God... Don't get too thrilled over scraps like food, gifts, and prima nocte. It's not like you'll see him again anyway."
"He was different with me! Do you have any idea how sweet the Lord was to me?!"
"That wasn't just you. He acted like he was my husband too. Right, Rozina?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah! ...You're right..."
But Sair's follow-up made my mind go blank. So he hadn't been sweet just to me? No way... The maids swore he was cold to everyone else... Was that a lie to make me feel special?
Christine and Sair both seemed genuine, which sank my mood again. Still, neither mentioned the garden, so I could breathe easy on that front. Ah, he really had only taken me there.
'There's actually a wind spirit living in this swing.'
'Yeah. And this guy's a real flirt—blows wind to swing it whenever a beauty sits down. Pretty fun, huh?'
Thinking back, that garden was truly magical and enchanting. With a wind spirit no less... I lost myself in the fairy-tale memory for a moment.
"So snap out of it. Nothing like what you're hoping for is gonna happen."
Sair's icy words snapped me back. A dream, huh? Yeah... it was just a dream. But can't a girl dream a little?
"......I wasn't hoping for anything. Just... without Johan, it's hard not to think about it... I was so much happier than with him... So I'm just reminiscing. That so wrong?"
*murmurs*
My heart had skipped at "snap out of it," but now I silently rooted for Christine as she fired back, seemingly in my defense. She must be hurting like I was. Of course... her delusion and my confession from him were worlds apart.
"Yeah, it is wrong. Get a grip. You're a married woman. And what was so great? The sex? Was the Lord's dick that good?"
"Pfft! *cough cough*..."
"Rozina, you okay?"
"Y-yeah... I'm fine..."
Wait, Sair... straight to the point like that?! No shame at all? Her blunt talk of sex and dick—thrusting her hips for emphasis even—had me coughing involuntarily. Probably because it hit too close to home. I had to agree... the Lord was amazing in bed.
"He was good, sure... But that's not all. Just being near him made me feel like a real woman—so happy... Hmph! But you saying that means you loved it too, huh?"
"Ugh... Well, yeah... You know how huge he was. How could that not feel good?"
"Pervert... Figures, you've always been that way."
But I couldn't agree this time. Sure, the Lord's cock was... enormous, but what made it feel good was his consideration. Unlike Agon, who only thought of himself.
Sigh... So different from Agon. Sex with the Lord had been pure bliss... The thought made me miss him all over again.
"Anyway... I miss the Lord. I want to see him again."
"Why not go beg to be his concubine or something?"
"Hmph, as if. The head maid threatened me not to show up with such foolish ideas."
"Oh, her... She warned me too."
Which is why... maybe I don't need to go on this trip? It'd be better for Agon, for me... and for the Lord. I could return the letter and give my thanks in person.
"Rozina, you got threatened too?"
"Yeah... She was scary. Ahaha..."
Threatened? What did that mean?
"Phew, finally."
"Finally what? You're still way short, so hurry up and shake those hips already."