Just the Two of Us
I had clearly washed up feeling refreshed, yet my mood was gloomy.
Goddess, why on earth are you giving me this trial? I quietly gathered my washed clothes and made to head back to my room. But why was he standing right there in front of the stairs!
“Ah, you’re out?”
Maximilian approached with a gentle smile.
“Y-yes!”
I bit my tongue in my fluster.
“W-what, um, is the matter?”
I had no idea why the young master was coming toward me, and I just wanted to get away. After that restless dream, I felt like I was dying.
“I truly wanted to thank you. When I checked my body at dawn, I found I had grown remarkably stronger. So I wished to express my gratitude properly.”
“I already told you that yesterday.”
“I wanted to greet you properly.”
Is it because I ran away yesterday? I couldn’t very well say anything about it, nor could I explain the circumstances, so it was thoroughly frustrating. Why now of all times?
I averted my gaze out of embarrassment. Even so, I was reminded once again: this man really was a good person.
To know the value of that elixir and still offer his thanks…
He could have wiped his mouth clean and pretended nothing had happened. What would another noble have done? Hidden it, or tried to exploit my knowledge? The fact that Maximilian showed none of that made him a gentleman among gentlemen.
Was that why? Suddenly an old matter came to mind. Strictly speaking, there was no need to apologize for it. Yet keeping it hidden filled me with self-reproach, especially when set against his honesty.
The incident where I had looted the ruins he had planned to explore first—there was no real need to dredge it up. But I no longer wanted to keep it secret from him. I wanted him to know the kind of person I was.
Was it because I wanted to stand with a clear conscience? Because I didn’t want to hold a favor over him? Or because I wanted us to be on equal footing? Even I couldn’t quite sort out my own heart.
I fretted and fretted until the words simply tumbled out.
“It’s fine. Actually… I did something wrong to you, young master.”
“Pardon?”
Maximilian looked as though he couldn’t make sense of what I’d said. Of course he couldn’t. There was no way he would ever know unless I told him myself.
“About a year ago, when you were still in the territory, you planned to explore some ruins, didn’t you?”
“You heard the rumors? Unfortunately it ended without much to show for it.”
“When you explored those ruins… did you happen to find any signs that someone had been there first?”
At that point, he seemed to catch on.
“How do you know about that?”
“That was me.”
Maximilian’s eyes went wide with shock.
“Y-you mean… Miss Julian was the one who went in first?”
“Yes. When you started recruiting people, rumors about the ruins spread. I went in ahead of you, hoping for money.”
“That was a dangerous thing to do.”
“Was it? Because of that incident, I became who I am now.”
He still looked as though he didn’t understand. That was only natural.
Who would ever imagine that falling into a trap had turned a man into a woman? And that wasn’t all. Becoming a woman there was what drove me to seek the knowledge that might turn me back into a man. Selling the ornaments I’d found let me stay longer in the territory and buy books.
Buying those books led me to meet my master. Through my master I ended up at the Nam estate… and met him.
Our first meeting and the relationship that followed hadn’t been particularly pleasant… yet the time we spent together and the bond that formed allowed us to improve things.
Remembering all of that brought a natural smile to my face.
Maximilian had turned his head away, his face flushed. Honestly… how could a person be so cute when he acted like that? It must have been because my mental age was higher.
Counting my previous life, my mental age was roughly in the forties, so a young man in his early twenties like him was practically a child.
Of course, the mind tends to follow the body, so I wasn’t exactly mature myself…
“S-so, what do you plan to do today?”
He asked, stumbling over the words.
“Well… the big matter is settled, so there’s nothing particular.”
“Then… would you care to look around the capital?”
I had been here and there recently, but I hadn’t properly toured the place…
“Then I should tell my sister and Sister Mary as well.”
“W-wait, please stop.”
He stepped in front of me.
“I-I meant the two of us going out.”
Just the two of us? Well, we had wandered around together plenty of times while traveling. My sister wasn’t lazy, but she was rather free-spirited and often refused anything that didn’t catch her fancy.
Sister Mary, who seemed the type to insist on attending me, had strangely declined more often than not.
Even if I invited them, they would probably refuse…
“J-just the two of us?”
If yesterday’s incident hadn’t happened, I would have agreed without a second thought. But now it was different. After yesterday, walking around together felt a little embarrassing. I couldn’t keep avoiding him forever, and it wasn’t a big deal.
Right. It’s nothing special…
“A-all right.”
I decided to follow my heart. I wanted to see the capital, and with him as escort it would be more than enough…
“Th-then… I’ll see you a little later.”
He spun around abruptly and hurried up the stairs.
“Ah…”
I was going back to my room anyway, so what now?
I stood blankly in front of the first-floor stairs.
Maximilian and I didn’t exchange a single word until breakfast was over. Sister Mary even looked worried watching us.
“I-I’ve finished, so I’ll get up first.”
I hastily emptied my bowl and rose.
“Julian? Is something the matter?”
Perhaps because of yesterday, concern clouded Sister Mary’s eyes.
“N-no. I just agreed to go out today, so I’m going to get ready.”
I left only those words and turned away. As I passed, I caught a glimpse of Maximilian looking bashful. If he’s going to act like that, what am I supposed to do? The moment I left the dining room, heat rose to my face.
Back in my room, I immediately prepared to go out.
“A s-skirt feels a bit much, doesn’t it?”
Among my clothes, the only skirts I owned were ones remade from my sister’s. Ones I had already worn several times…
“Wouldn’t wearing it again feel stale?”
I should have gone along when Sister Mary or my sister suggested shopping. I had nothing decent to wear.
But why am I trying to look good for him? There was no real need…
Looking good is simply better, so of course one wears pretty or stylish clothes. It wasn’t as if I was agonizing over impressing him.
After much deliberation I chose the cleanest outfit I had. Unfortunately it was trousers rather than a skirt, and the color was dull. Once dressed, I examined myself from every angle…
“Ha, I really do look like a boy.”
I finally understood why my sister and Sister Mary always said I looked mannish. If we had planned this for another day, I would have had time to buy clothes. It was a little disappointing.
Then again, this might be for the best.
If word of what happened at the temple had spread, it was wiser to be careful. I pulled the only hat I owned from my bag.
A flat cap. Similar to a beret but with a brim—rather cute. After tying back my hair and putting on the hat, I looked like a rather pretty boy who hadn’t yet hit his second growth spurt.
“Hmm.”
Being able to hide my eye-catching hair was deeply satisfying.
I checked my appearance once more. A mirror would have made it easier… but mirrors were far too expensive.
I fastened my pouch at my waist, took my spear… Fully armed, I looked every bit the adventurer.
When I stepped out of the room, Sister Mary was waiting right outside the door.
“Going out with Maximilian?”
How did she know?
“Y-yes.”
She studied me steadily.
“You’re not wearing a skirt?”
“I-I’ve worn that one too often…”
Had I said something strange? Sister Mary smiled as though pleased.
“Let’s go shopping for clothes later.”
“Yes…”
I was a little disappointed myself, and curious about what was fashionable in the capital, so I agreed. She stepped aside, and I walked down the corridor toward the stairs.
“Have a good time.”
Her voice followed me from behind.
“Yes.”
I answered vaguely and quickened my pace.
Racing down from the third floor past the second to the first left me a little short of breath.
“D-did you wait long?”
Maximilian had come down ahead of me and was already waiting.
His clothes were plainer than I expected. Extremely ordinary commoner’s attire that wouldn’t look out of place next to mine.
“You had clothes like that?”
“Yes, well… I bought them when I had the time.”
The fabric was completely different from the noble-looking clothes he usually wore. Even dressed as a commoner, though, his radiant looks couldn’t be hidden.
“I-it suits you well.”
To look dashing even in something like that… Was fashion truly completed by the face after all?
“Miss Julian looks lovely as well.”
“Lovely? Not like a boy?”
When I teased him, he laughed.
“Then allow me to correct myself. Miss Julian is cute.”
Well, my appearance was rather cute, I supposed.
“Ahem! Shall we go?”
Feeling awkward, I pretended nonchalance and strode ahead.
He quietly fell into step beside me.
We passed through the entrance hall toward the front gate. Just as we were about to leave the mansion, my sister approached.
“Sister?”
“Have a good date.”
What on earth is this sister suddenly saying?!
“Th-this is absolutely not a date!”
At my reaction, Maximilian’s expression drooped. Was he sulking just because I said it wasn’t a date?
He wasn’t a child, and he was older than me, for heaven’s sake!
“What are you doing? Hurry up.”
I grabbed his hand firmly and dashed out the gate.