Chapter 7
Chapter 7
First Meeting (6)
Yuki’s mansion was quiet.
Though Kara’s desperate shouting and Millie’s wailing could still be heard outside, the courtyard, finished with thick, high-quality stone and leather, felt like a completely different world.
Walking into the courtyard with Yuki, I let out a deep sigh.
"...My lady. Did you really have to say it like that?"
"What? I didn’t say anything wrong."
That arrogant smile she had shown in front of the villagers still lingered faintly on her lips.
At the same time, the way she casually twirled her riding whip with her fingers made her look every bit like a villain.
She wasn’t just accepting the villagers’ misunderstanding—she was enjoying it.
She really does have the makings of a witch.
"‘Hot time,’ really? Isn’t that exactly the kind of phrase that invites misunderstanding? Kara’s already turned me into some tragic protagonist in her head."
"So what if they misunderstand? Thanks to that, annoying flies won’t gather around you anymore."
Yuki leaned slightly closer to me, her violet eyes glinting mischievously.
"That... eel concentrate earlier, was it? Being dragged to my mansion is much better than drinking that, isn’t it, teacher?"
She hit the mark.
Just imagining drinking that black liquid from hell made my stomach twist.
As soon as we entered the mansion, I was greeted by maids bowing politely, and—
"Ian, are you really alright? Did Lady Yuki actually hit you...?"
A woman who seemed to be the head maid looked at me with concern, holding a first aid kit.
It seemed Yuki’s earlier talk of torture and “hot time” had already spread inside the mansion.
Yuki brushed off the head maid’s concern and led me into her office.
"Florin, we won’t need the first aid kit. Instead, prepare the most nourishing meal possible. Lots of meat."
"...You’re not actually torturing him, are you, Lady Yuki?"
"Torture, of course. If I feed him well, I can torment him longer, can’t I?"
Yuki spoke such horrifying words casually and pushed me inside.
As soon as the door closed, she led me to the private bath and handed me a pile of cleaning supplies.
"Ian. That eel extract thing earlier—your body smells like it. Go wash up immediately."
"Wash? In someone else’s house...?"
"It’s my house. And you’re my sandbag. If the sandbag isn’t clean, the one hitting it gets uncomfortable."
She laughed playfully and pushed my shoulder.
When I came out after washing, I saw a lavish spread on the desk—premium steak and fresh salad.
"Sit. The torture begins."
"...This is torture?"
"Yes. Instead of that rotten-smelling eel extract the villagers bring, you have to eat everything my chef prepared."
Yuki sat across from me and elegantly picked up a knife.
"Eat first. You stayed up until dawn dealing with me, so your complexion looks terrible. Just like the villagers said—you look like paper."
She spoke indifferently, placing the knife and fork in front of me.
Then she pretended to read documents while secretly watching me take a bite.
For some reason, she seemed pleased.
"Why aren’t you eating? Afraid it’s poisoned?"
"No. I’m just moved because it looks a hundred, a thousand times better than Kara’s eel extract."
As I cut a piece of steak and put it in my mouth, the corners of Yuki’s lips lifted ever so slightly.
"Ian. I’m curious about something."
"What is it?"
"Why do you hide it? Your overwhelming talent."
I chewed my food and answered casually.
"Because it’s troublesome."
"Troublesome?"
"I don’t like losing, but I hate winning even more. Winning always comes with consequences. Challengers appear, jealousy arises, envy follows. And if the one winning is a man, it gets even worse."
I took a sip of soup and continued.
"It’s better to live as a weakling like this and read books in my spare time. That’s the most optimized path for my happiness. As long as you keep quiet, my lady."
Yuki stayed silent for a while after hearing that.
"That’s so like you. A guy who hates inconvenience and is obsessed with efficiency. But what will you do? The rumors are already out. The villagers will try to save you, and I’ll try to hide you even more."
She lightly swirled her wine glass.
"Is this scenario included in your ‘optimization’?"
"...That was outside my calculations. The effect was bigger than I expected."
"Hmm... is that so?"
She made an ambiguous sound and cut a piece of meat for me herself, placing it on my plate.
"How did it feel earlier, seeing the village girls making a fuss about protecting you?"
"It was exhausting. I just want to live quietly."
"That’s a lie. You secretly enjoy that flower shop girl worrying about you, don’t you?"
Yuki’s knife scraped lightly against the plate, making a sharp sound.
"I don’t feel great seeing girls care about you that much. Especially that flower girl’s expression when I talked about ‘hot time.’ She looked like her world was collapsing."
Yuki narrowed her eyes.
I looked away and replied.
"Thanks to you, I’m now the tragic boy being tortured nightly by a noble lady. My chances of marriage are ruined."
"You were planning to get married? To who? That eel extract monster?"
Yuki leaned in close to my face. A faint lavender scent filled the room.
"Don’t worry. I’ll take responsibility. I have no intention of letting my personal sandbag go anywhere."
Just as she leaned closer, her face slightly flushed, a loud shout echoed over the mansion walls.
"Freedom for Ian! Let us deliver the eel extract!"
It was Kara’s booming voice.
Yuki and I both turned toward the window.
The maids had warned them they’d pour cold water if they didn’t quiet down, but Kara proudly puffed her chest and shouted back, "My body is tempered by the forge! Cold water is nothing!"
"...They really don’t get tired."
I sighed and took a bite of the meat Yuki had placed on my plate.
Yuki glared outside in irritation, then smiled mischievously and grabbed the fork.
"Those girls... this won’t do. I’ll feed you myself. So they can all see."
"My lady, please..."
Ignoring my protest, Yuki pushed a large piece of meat toward my mouth.
From outside, screams could be heard.
"I’ll eat it myself. Just give me the fork—"
But Yuki was relentless.
In the end, I chewed the meat she fed me while looking at the “Protection Squad” outside.
At that moment, my eyes met Millie’s.
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she let out a scream.
"Oh my...! Ian is eating tear-soaked meat! She’s fattening him up so she can beat him harder later! He’s being raised like livestock!"
At that, Kara became even more frantic, shaking the eel extract.
"Ian—! Don’t fall for her manipulation! I can feel your soul dying from here! I won’t move until you come back!"
I quietly closed the window.
Please, just leave me alone.
My expression must have looked like resignation to them.
"Ian, what’s with that face? Is the food not good?"
"No, the food is good... I’m just already getting a headache thinking about the aftermath."
After the meal, Yuki led me to the training ground behind the mansion.
It was surrounded by high walls, completely hidden from outside view.
"Alright, second torture. Grab a sword."
Yuki handed me a sharp, real blade.
It was completely different in weight from the practice sword.
"Today is real combat. I’ll see if I’ve perfectly mastered what you taught me."
Swish—!
Her sword cut through the air, aiming straight for my throat.
She had definitely improved.
This was no longer the clumsy swinging from a month ago.
I twisted my body to deflect the blade and grabbed her wrist, breaking her balance.
Instead of falling, Yuki used my shoulder as leverage, spinning away and creating distance.
"Heh, you’re amazing as always. I wish those girls could see this."
"If they did, my life would truly be over, my lady."
"Don’t worry. No outsiders can enter here."
Yuki brushed her sweat-soaked silver hair back and looked at me with a strange expression.
"You know, Ian. The village girls said we spend ‘hot time’ together."
"That’s what you said, my lady."
"Yes. But that phrase keeps lingering in my mind."
She lowered her sword and stepped closer.
The heat of the training ground mixed with her body heat, creating a strange tension.
"That ‘torture’... should we really try it? I can make you beg for your life for real."
Her fingers brushed against the buttons of my shirt, loosened from training.
"I’ll pass. I have my preferences too. I prefer mature, glamorous women over bratty little girls."
"...What?"
Caught off guard by my sudden confession, she froze in place.