Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Will Dwells in the Sword (5)
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Emilia's act of branding me as Ser's merit thief had, for the time being, been wrapped up thanks to Ethan's intervention.
Truth be told, I wouldn't have minded just handing over the Hookerni subjugation merit to Ser entirely and calling it a day.
To be precise, that female soldier had been undeniably in the wrong.
If I'd visited alone without Ethan, there'd have been no reason for someone in my position to stir up trouble, so my merit likely would have ended up transferred to Ser anyway.
Of course, even if I'd offered to yield it, I doubt Ser would have accepted it so readily.
Just looking at how he was bowing his head to a commoner maid like me right now.
"My apologies, Miss Lilith. The truth is, I didn't call for you to transfer the Hookerni subjugation merit. I wanted you to appear as a witness to it."
"Pardon? A witness?"
"Yes. Emilia wouldn't budge no matter how I tried to persuade her, so she demanded to speak with you directly, the person involved. I thought bringing you, the actual party in question, would convince her... but once again, I've wronged you, Miss Lilith. I have no face left."
"No, Sir Ser. As I said earlier, I thought Emilia's suspicions were reasonable. ...Though, of course, turning that suspicion into certainty and jumping to conclusions so hastily is something you should be a bit more cautious about."
Emilia flinched slightly at my words, her shoulders twitching in surprise.
From her reaction, it seemed she'd just realized how imprudent her actions had been.
Of course, I wasn't saying it to mock her out of any offense taken from her words.
It was purely out of concern for this woman named Emilia— the words had just slipped out.
Something about the way she'd spoken to me earlier made it seem like her personality could easily lead her to slip up somewhere down the line.
It was a shame to see someone who'd risen to senior soldier at such a young age recognized for her skills lose her career over something so foolish.
Plus, given her rigid attitude... she probably had plenty of enemies within the guard too.
Of course, for someone in my position, offering more advice would be overstepping, and I had no intention of getting more involved anyway.
Associating with someone who had that many enemies would just bring unnecessary trouble on me.
'To live long, the best policy is to stay as uninvolved as possible.'
I must never forget. I'm just a commoner maid. A pathetic existence whose life could vanish at a single word from Ethan, Harold, or any noble or knight.
"...So, is that the end of your business with my maid?"
"Yes, Young Master Ethan."
"Good. Then we'll be on our way."
"Pardon?"
Ethan spoke so calmly about leaving that a dumbfounded question slipped from my lips.
He glanced at my expression, pondered for a moment, then looked at me and asked,
"What's wrong, maid?"
"...You said you came out for a territory patrol, so I naturally assumed you'd inspect not just the public safety office but other parts of the guard as well. I'm just surprised you're heading back so suddenly."
"......Ah, right. That's the reason."
What was with that look, like he'd completely forgotten?
No way he'd really dragged that heavy body of his all the way here just because I mentioned needing to meet Ser, right?
In any case, thanks to my reminder, Ethan recalled his original purpose and nodded quietly.
Ser, seizing the perfect opportunity, pointed to Emilia standing beside him and said,
"Perfect timing. Emilia here also handles administrative duties for the territory guard. If you're patrolling the guard facilities, she'd be the best one to guide you."
"...Captain?"
"She made a mistake against both of you, so why not give her a chance to sincerely make amends to the young master and Miss Lilith?"
...Wow.
No wonder he'd risen to captain of the Blackwood territory guard's public safety division.
Not content with just having his subordinate bow her head to a commoner in apology, he immediately snatched up any chance for her to redeem herself.
Definitely the type of superior his men could trust and follow.
Far more reliable than commanders who ruled through authority and force alone, at least.
"......"
Ethan pondered with a subtle glint in his eyes the moment Ser made his suggestion.
He was probably debating whether to accept and play the magnanimous noble, or refuse again to solidify his initial domineering image.
Or maybe he just disliked Emilia but found it hard to outright reject Ser's proposal.
After agonizing for a few seconds without deciding, Ethan leaned in and asked me in a voice only I could hear,
"What does the maid think?"
"...Me, Young Master?"
"About letting this woman guide us. You think it's better to accept?"
"Why ask me, Young Master?"
"...Just, you might feel uncomfortable around her."
Since when did he care about whether I felt uncomfortable?
Well, truth be told, I'd gotten an uneasy first impression from Emilia too, and I had no desire to get tangled up with her if possible.
...Still, depriving her of even this chance to apologize felt a bit cruel.
"I'm fine with it, Young Master."
"......Really?"
"Emilia is a senior soldier and handles the guard's paperwork, so as Sir Ser Blacksong says, she must know the layout well. I think it's a good opportunity."
"...Alright. If the maid says so."
After our brief whispered exchange, Ethan shifted his gaze from me to Emilia.
He referenced Ser's proposal of having her guide us and said,
"If you truly regret what you did to my maid, I'll give you a chance to make it up."
"......!"
"Guide me and my maid around the guard facilities. Wholeheartedly."
"Thank you, Young Master Ethan!"
Emilia, granted the chance to redeem her verbal blunder, bowed deeply to Ethan in gratitude.
Behind her, Ser quietly whispered something advisory to her in a low voice.
"Don't make another slip-up this time, Emilia. If you irk the young master again... there won't be a second chance."
"...I'll keep that in mind."
I couldn't quite catch what the two exchanged.
⁎ ⁎ ⁎ The patrol of the Blackwood territory guard began under Emilia's guidance.
To be honest, it wasn't a completely comfortable situation.
Emilia had already accused me and made unreasonable demands back in the office, and Ethan had just silenced her through sheer authority.
She probably still harbored some smoldering resentment in her chest.
Not to mention the pressure of knowing one more slip-up would get her booted from the guard by Ethan.
And the misunderstanding that I'd seduced Ser to steal the Hookerni subjugation merit hadn't been cleared up either.
Ethan had crushed her into silence with his authority, but her mind was likely still suspicious of me.
Of course, one more wrong word, and she'd be stripping out of her guard uniform, so she'd keep quiet.
Fortunately, Emilia hadn't wasted her time in the guard—she was skilled at masking her emotions.
As if the office incident had never happened, she guided Ethan and me calmly.
"This is the guard barracks. The hallway splits here: men's on the right, women's on the left. Most are out training now, so the rooms are empty. If you'd like, I can open an unoccupied one for you to inspect the living quarters."
"Knowing they live in decent conditions is enough. ...I also have no desire to intrude on others' privacy."
"This is the guard mess hall. The Blackwood territory guard receives balanced meals for all three daily rations. If the young master wishes, you could sample what the soldiers usually eat."
"Knowing they get balanced meals suffices. ...I'm on a diet myself, so I'd prefer to avoid unnecessary extras."
"This is the solitary confinement for disciplining soldiers. Violations of regulations within the guard result in confinement here for a set period. The most recent occupant was in for... indecent conduct with a superior officer..."
"......That's enough. We'll skip the rest here."
Ethan and I followed Emilia, who was earnestly guiding us through the guard facilities.
...That said, every time we moved through the building, I got the feeling Ethan was sneaking glances at me, like he was gauging my reaction.
Or maybe he was just back to his old habit of ogling Lilith's chest.
After rationalizing it that way and finishing our tour of the interior,
we moved on to the outdoor facilities under Emilia's lead.
The moment we stepped outside, shouts like soldiers' kiais echoed from not far away.
"Argh! Argh! Aargh!"
"Hiya! Urgh!"
Awkward yet spirited yells from the soldiers.
Naturally drawn by the commotion, Ethan and I turned that way, and Emilia guided us there.
"This is the sparring ground for mock battles. New recruits who've just joined the guard train here with training armor and weapons, simulating real combat."
"Is there a reason only new recruits use the sparring ground?"
"Safety. Soldiers who reach a certain level can wield energy, so even training weapons can cause serious injuries."
As I'd mentioned before, swordsmanship in this world meant slicing hills and splitting earth—true magic in blade form.
I nodded at Emilia's explanation just as,
'......?'
a strange sensation hit me, like eyes suddenly focusing on me.
Soon, the gruff voices of about a dozen adult men rang in my ears.
"Greetings, Squad Leader Emilia!"
"""Greetings!!!"""
...Whoa, that startled me.
Even the new recruits in this high noble's guard had ironclad discipline.
The gazes I'd felt converging on me were actually aimed at Squad Leader Emilia.
The new recruits training in mock combat swarmed toward her.
I'd grown so used to men's stares that I'd mistaken it.
"......"
"......"
"......"
...Or maybe it wasn't a mistake.
They were verbally greeting Squad Leader Emilia, but their eyes subtly drifted to my face and chest.
With this appearance and outfit, I'd stand out anywhere in the world.
"...These are important guests. Withdraw your rude stares, everyone."
"""Our apologies!!!"""
Perhaps mindful of the earlier office incident, Emilia took the initiative to reprimand the soldiers eyeing me.
The recruits snapped crisp apologies and straightened their gazes forward instead of sneaking peeks.
"The gentleman here is Ethan Richard Blackwood, the Blackwood family's only son and heir. The lady beside him is his exclusive maid, Miss Lilith Rosewood. You were observed training during our patrol."
"An honor to meet you, Young Master Ethan!"
"Thank you for visiting us!"
"It's an honor, Young Master!"
"Yes, carry on as usual. Don't mind us."
"""Yes, sir!!!"""
They replied in perfect unison, as if rehearsed, then resumed training.
As I blankly watched the new recruits drill,
...suddenly, a forgotten part of the 『Luminor Academy』 game system floated into my mind.
'Wait, if I play this right, maybe...'
The moment the overlooked game element resurfaced, a way to exploit it bloomed in my head.
Couldn't I set things up here for my next level-up?
That audacious idea took shape naturally.