Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Stiffy
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Back to work after two days.
"Huh? Secretary Aiden?"
Jin greeted me with a smile.
"I heard you took yesterday off and rested at the Grand Duke's palace?"
"Huh? How did you know?"
His unexpected words left me flustered.
"Heh heh, everyone knows. Secretary Aiden... I didn't peg you for it, but you're quite the player, aren't you?"
Jin poked my side with a sly grin.
What? Had he figured out my relationship with Luna?
His knowing expression only made me more uneasy.
If word got out that Luna and I were together...
Her suitors would kill me.
"I heard it from my girlfriend. They say you got real hot and heavy with some girl in the guest room? The bedsheets were covered in the evidence of your romp."
"Ah?"
His words made my heart drop.
"So, which maid stole Secretary Aiden's heart?"
"Huh?"
Maid? What nonsense was that?
"Maid?"
Jin covered his mouth with his hand, shooting me a lecherous look.
"Or was it a cook? Hmm... That new chef Elena is pretty cute..."
I'd clearly misunderstood on my own.
Seeing Jin's playful face, I had to admit it was annoying.
"Cute my ass! Get to work! There's a secretaries' meeting today, right? You done prepping?"
I snapped at him, and Jin flinched.
"Y-yes... All prepped."
Sulky Jin.
His pitiful expression was almost comical.
After his prank scared me, he didn't seem pitiful at all.
"So... what's this meeting about?"
"Northern reclamation, probably."
"Oh? Really? Guess I don't have much to do then?"
Northern reclamation meant developing the vast forests, mountains, and plains up there.
It was called reclamation, but it was basically war with orcs, dwarves, and elves.
We'd invade their territory, build forts and castles to establish a defensive line.
Not my finance wheelhouse, so I'd just nod along.
With that easy mindset, I headed to the meeting room. I was nodding off absentmindedly when...
"I'll lead the reclamation personally this time."
"A wise decision! If Your Grace leads us personally, all us secretaries will follow!"
The sudden declaration jolted me awake.
"Secretary Aiden? You'll come too, right?"
"Pardon?"
Where? Where the hell to?
Military Secretary Jake raised a hand and shouted.
"Secretary Aiden's in too! This reclamation's bound to be a huge success!"
What? Why go there?
Even half-asleep nodding along, Luna's bombshell froze me solid.
They said winter in the north was so cold it froze your lungs.
***
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
That evening.
I requested an urgent meeting with Luna.
Northern reclamation? Why me?
I'm a secretary, not a soldier.
I crunch numbers and wield a pen—that's my job.
Sending me on a northern expedition was basically a labor law violation.
Did they even have labor laws here?
No idea, but I stood before Luna's office to hash it out.
-Knock knock.
-Come in.
With her permission, I turned the knob.
-Click.
Luna in her usual uniform, shuffling papers.
"You're here?"
Alone with her, she spoke casually. I looked at her calmly.
She's the Grand Duchess—no matter how mad, I couldn't just blurt out anything.
"So, what's up?"
"I wanted to talk about the northern reclamation."
She nodded.
"Go ahead."
"Um... could you leave me out? I really hate the cold."
Feeling closer after our intimacies, I added a playful tone...
-Zing.
"You won't join just because it's cold?"
Luna glared with a menacing aura. I swallowed hard.
-Gulp.
I'm screwed.
"That's not it..."
She widened her red eyes, lecturing me.
"Things are progressing steadily per your plans, but we still can't cover expenses for a few months. So of course I need to lead personally and wrap it up fast. That means I need a secretary for governance even on campaign. And you wanna bail?"
She tilted her head petulantly. I apologized quickly.
"I'm sorry."
She'd probably chew me out big time.
Her reputation for being cold supported that.
"Sigh... Fine. Look up."
I lifted my head at her words... She looked a bit sulky.
"Anyway, Aiden, I noticed last time you haven't had proper systematic training, right?"
"Training?"
"Yeah. You haven't really learned swordsmanship or spearmanship properly?"
"Just what I got when joining the guards."
Why would I learn spearmanship in the modern world?
She sighed deeply at my answer.
"Can't be helped then. Before the reclamation, I'll train you myself. Use this chance to learn some swordsmanship."
"Pardon? Train me yourself?"
"I'll protect you as much as I can... but you need to know how to defend yourself."
Luna scratched her cheek awkwardly, her face flushing slightly.
"After work, come to the training grounds."
Ah... Luna teaching me swordsmanship personally?
A Swordmaster instructing you was an immense honor.
But... I didn't want to wield a sword.
I never liked moving my body.
Couldn't say no to my boss offering personally, though...
It felt like the boss whose hobby is hiking dragging employees out on weekends.
"Why the face? You hate it?"
She scanned me up and down. I forced a smile.
"Of course not. It's a great honor for a Swordmaster to teach me personally."
Inside, my chest felt stuffy with dread.
Why was today so rough?
***
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"Hah... hah..."
"The enemy won't wait for you to catch your breath!"
Luna swung her wooden sword lightly.
I blocked it with my shoulder.
-Thwack!
"Time out... just... a moment to rest!"
"Stamina grows when pushed to the limit! A weak mind can't make a great knight!"
-Thwack!
"No... wait! Shit!"
Why did I need to be a knight?
I'm a secretary? Why knight stuff?
The words rose to my throat, but I held back.
She's the Grand Duchess—I couldn't snap.
She'd made me run 10 laps around the training yard right away.
Then tossed me a wooden sword and told me to block.
"Shit? On a battlefield, foes won't be this lenient!"
Luna sharpened her gaze.
-Thud!
Her wooden sword slammed my shoulder.
"Ow!"
"Oh? Sorry? Didn't mean to hit. You okay, Aiden?"
Luna looked apologetic.
But from the start...
"Hah... I'm... a secretary... why... do I have to... do this... hah..."
Gasping breaths, pounding heart.
My body felt like a waterlogged sponge—heavy, like I might die.
Luna scratched her cheek sheepishly.
"I'll protect you if I'm there... but war's unpredictable... And you seem out of shape, never exercising..."
Drenched in sweat—was it from hits?
"I'm an office worker. I hate physical labor!"
I snapped without thinking.
She looked sorry.
"Sorry, training ends here for today. But I ordered something tasty for after. Go wash up and let's eat dinner."
My boiling irritation...
Her usual icy face saying that melted it away.
Beautiful women... are cheats.
A pretty girl apologizing—getting mad would be weird.
"Got it. But please remember I'm a desk guy, not a muscle one."
Luna nodded.
"Yeah yeah! I know. You're the brains. Come on, wash up and let's eat."
I showered in the guest room I'd stayed in lately, ate dinner with her, and soon it was nearing 11 p.m.
"Aiden? It's late. Stay in the guest room."
"Thank you for looking out."
My thighs ached from the exercise anyway.
I gladly accepted.
Long time since working out—everything hurt like hell.
The wooden sword was heavier than expected; wrists and arms throbbed too.
Lying in the guest room bed, ready for sleep.
Perfect temperature, cozy bed and blankets.
Muscles ached, but mood was good.
What about work tomorrow?
Legs trembling now—tomorrow's soreness would be brutal.
Then.
-Rustle...
A sound from the window.
What? Bird?
As I wondered.
-Knock knock.
A knock at the window startled me as I stared.
"Aiden, you up?"
-Creak.
A black-haired woman slipped in from the balcony.
"Ah... No?! Um... why here?"
Luna grinned.
"One more round?"
Are you some beast? Nearly slipped out, but I held it.
"Huh? I'm beat today!"
I looked troubled, but she approached slowly.
"Just once? Please? One time?"
She climbed atop me slowly...
"Kyaa! This is rape! Rape!"
"Hey! Don't throw a fit! It's already stiff down there."
Luna pulled off my pants.
And so, I got done again.