Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Horseback Riding is a Maid's Basic Qualification (1)
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As Ethan's personal maid, Lilith was granted a fairly long break every day after lunch.
Usually, after breakfast, cleaning Ethan's room left awkward scraps of time, and after dinner, preparing his bed created similar odd gaps.
This stretch after lunch, though, could safely be called my personal free time, as long as nothing urgent came up.
Unlike regular maids, personal maids were exempt from other household duties—a sort of privilege, really.
Of course, the tradeoff was dropping everything and responding swiftly whenever the master called, but Ethan wasn't the type to summon me on a whim.
Since that incident three years ago, he'd called for me personally only a handful of times—mostly for truly important matters, like asking if I'd attend Seraphine's masked ball.
In other words, the wait from after lunch until dinner was entirely mine to use.
I usually invested this time in efforts to survive in this world as Lilith.
Like knitting bit by bit to build Lilith's independence fund, or borrowing books from Ethan's room to gradually accumulate knowledge of this world.
The new skill I started learning today was closely tied to survival, too.
It was horseback riding—one of those adventurer skills you could never go wrong with.
Today, to learn it, I'd come to the stables with Head Butler Ditmaier in tow.
"Be careful, Miss Lilith."
"Ah, I know..."
Ditmaier, in charge of my training, gave me a slightly anxious look and a warning.
I, still shaking off my tension, locked eyes with the white horse in front of me.
...How do you befriend a horse? Lock eyes and pet it?
"Ooh, looking forward to working with you today, Zeraon..."
'Hiiing!'
"Eek! Hiiik...?!"
Zeraon let out a loud whinny just from me making eye contact and greeting it.
It wasn't aggressive, thank goodness, but the sudden movement was enough to startle me plenty.
It wasn't snorting at me or anything, so this was probably just one of its affectionate expressions.
"Are you all right, Miss Lilith?"
"Y-Yeah... This is nothing..."
"I came to assist since you wanted to learn riding, but if it's too much for you, Miss Lilith, you don't have to push yourself. There's no need for Ethan's personal maid to master horseback riding."
"N-No, I want to learn properly. Please teach me thoroughly, Butler."
"...Understood. If that's what you wish."
Ditmaier didn't take my words lightly. He approached Zeraon, grabbed the reins draped over its back with one hand,
and stroked its neck a couple times before handing the reins to me.
"Here you go, Miss Lilith."
"...Aren't you going to show a demonstration first?"
"Riding is much easier to learn hands-on. Frequent rider changes tire the horse, too."
"I... see..."
"And you've ridden in my carriage a few times, haven't you?"
"W-Well, yes..."
"The basics are the same for riding and driving. You have good athletic reflexes, Miss Lilith, so watching me drive yesterday should suffice for prep."
...Truth be told, I was too exhausted and asleep, so I barely saw it.
How could I watch after exhausting all my mana? Staying awake by force is torture.
Still, I'd seen plenty of characters riding horses in games—main protagonists from my past life, anyway.
I could probably mimic that and get by.
I took the reins from Ditmaier, stroked Zeraon's neck a few times,
greeted it briefly, and kicked off the ground to mount its back.
"Looking forward to it, Zeraon."
"Oh, by the way, its name is actually Lucina..."
-Thwack!
"......"
Thanks to a solid jump that put me up high, I avoided looking clumsy in front of Ditmaier.
...I just copied what I'd seen in games, and it worked.
Probably because at level 9, my basic physical abilities weren't too shabby.
Or maybe it was some innate talent of Lilith's character.
She was one of three main heroines in Luminor Academy who could ride solo, alongside Seraphine and Natalie.
For reference, characters like Agnes couldn't even mount alone, let alone ride. She didn't look the type anyway.
"Impressive reflexes, Miss Lilith."
"Th-Thank you."
"Now, hold the reins firmly and slowly..."
"Hold the reins firmly and... uwaaah?!"
-Slap!
'Hiiihihiing!'
I gripped the straps with both hands and slapped its flank once, and Zeraon bolted off with a loud cry.
I ended up clinging to its back, tasting unexpected speed.
"Kyaaah! Ah! Uwaaah!"
"M-Miss Lilith! Pull the reins! Pulling stops it!"
"P-Pull?! Like this?!"
-Slap!
'Hiiihihiing!!'
"That's acceleration! Don't pull so hard..."
Ditmaier chased desperately behind to stop me, but Zeraon was already speeding away, dragging me across the Blackwood mansion grounds.
The first real speed in this world made my head spin like seasickness.
In those disoriented seconds, Zeraon charged toward the wall at the edge of the grounds.
"Kyaaah! St-Stop!"
'Hiiing!'
"At least turn!"
Desperate to survive, I yanked the reins right and leaned my body.
Thankfully, Zeraon understood, tilting right for a 90-degree drift that rounded the corner.
Wait—this is the training grounds on the mansion's right side. If anyone's there, they'll definitely...
"Kyaaaah?!"
"M-Maid?!"
"What in the world are you doing...?"
"M-Move aside, please! Master! Young Master!"
The Blackwood father and son, mid-spar with swords, spotted me coming and dodged in panic.
Thanks to their swordmaster-level agility, they evaded the charging horse.
So, no hit-and-run scandal with the lord or his son on my first riding day.
"Maid?! What are you doing?!"
"I-It's fine! This is nothing...!"
"What on earth has gotten into you..."
Wait, no—saying I'm fine doesn't cut it.
The debt maid suddenly galloping on horseback? Harold or Ethan might misunderstand.
Right before the next corner with Zeraon, I desperately appealed my innocence to them.
"I-I'm not riding away to escape~!!"
...Realizing that just made it sound more suspicious came only after I finally stopped.
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
-Clop. Clop.
"......"
-Clop, clop, clop.
"St-Stop."
'Hiiing!'
A gentle tug on the reins and a word, and Zeraon halted quietly with one whinny.
Seeing it obey so meekly after the wild ride, I silently patted my chest in relief.
"Well done, Miss Lilith."
"W-Was it okay...?"
"Mastering a walk on your first day shows real talent. At this rate, you'll handle a canter in days."
"......"
Thank goodness. I worried possessing Lilith meant no riding talent.
Ditmaier's teaching was easy to grasp—fitting for someone who'd risen to head butler young.
He explained postures for holding reins mounted, signals and horse responses, all clear even to a total beginner like me.
For reference, he'd ended that wild Zeraon dash, too.
After lapping the grounds, Ditmaier mounted behind me, took the reins, and stopped it.
I'd seen mounting-running cutscenes in games, but I never expected Ditmaier could do it.
He always seemed the scholarly type from my old world, but apparently he handled physical work well, too.
Makes sense—this era doesn't promote solely on brains.
Driving the carriage from Blackwood lands to the capital for hours without tiring showed stamina and strength.
Anyway, safely now, I practiced stable walking for another 30 minutes per Ditmaier's lessons,
then dismounted, exhausted, and flopped to the ground for a break.
"Haaa..."
"Tired, Miss Lilith?"
"...A bit. I didn't expect it to be this draining."
"Most think that at first. It looks like the horse does all the work while you sit pretty, but reality's different."
"...Yeah. Felt it in every muscle."
I never imagined squatting to the horse's rhythm.
Ditmaier's constant corrections helped me endure from mid-session.
Not comfy yet—running might be easier.
"That's today’s lesson, but will you continue next week, Miss Lilith?"
"...Why? Is teaching me a burden?"
"Not at all. I just wondered if you'd lost interest. Riding is taxing and takes time to master."
"Ah."
So, polite check if one session tired me out.
It was exhausting—maybe running practice would've been faster.
But that's only for solo Lilith travel.
For future adventurer life, horses were essential for long hauls.
Carrying gear when relocating, or double-riding for escorts or rescues.
Or driving carriages later.
Hard to learn meant time and money intensive.
Not something to pick up casually outside later.
So, learning basics now for free(ish) with Ditmaier was smart.
Of course, voicing that greed would end lessons, so phrase nicely.
"Might as well finish what I started. It's a useful skill even for a personal maid."
"Indeed, Miss Lilith."
"If I can drive the carriage, it'll ease your load, Butler. We can't always bring you everywhere Young Master Ethan and I go."
"Excellent mindset, Miss Lilith."
"Plus, I've bonded with Zeraon—too soon to part after one day. Right, Zeraon?"
'Hiiing!'
"As I said, it's Lucina, not..."
I ignored Ditmaier's stiff correction, stroked Zeraon's mane, and wrapped up casually.
Afternoon free time was ending anyway—I needed to change for dinner.
Even personal maids had to attend all three daily meals by rule.
As I led Zeraon back to the stables by the reins, a familiar shadow emerged from the east training grounds,
and hurried toward me, calling out.
"M-Maid! You okay?! Anywhere hurt?!"
"Young Master?"
...Might sound funny saying this, but he worried fast.