An Unexpected Proposal
She was beautiful. Just for that reason, wanting to hire me as a servant?
It was surprising in so many ways.
"Well, it's not just because you're pretty. I mean..."
"...?"
Catherine hesitated.
What other reason could there be that made her answer so cautiously?
"Hiring someone... doesn't that feel good?"
"Yes...?"
My face was probably completely blank right now.
My inner thoughts were probably no different.
I had heard that my emotions and thoughts showed on my face since my adventurer days.
I could predict my expression without looking in the mirror.
"Please don't think of me as too strange a person. I properly inquire about the contract and conclude it well, so I hire fairly."
That wasn't the problem.
She was clearly not ordinary in appearance — an incredibly beautiful young lady — yet her tastes were...
Did normalcy in appearance and tastes inversely correlate?
I had no idea Catherine had such tastes.
"So, what do you think?"
"..."
"We can offer a salary far beyond that of Eristirol? If you work for just a month... you could buy a high-class horse, for example?"
"..."
Honestly, I was a little tempted.
Really, just a little.
It wasn't just a horse or a mule — it was a high-class horse.
The kind nobles ride.
Thinking at the price of my previous life, it was close to 7 million won.
More than three times the monthly salary I was receiving now.
For me, who had lived in the capitalist era, it was a proposal I couldn't help but be tempted by.
No, even if I hadn't lived in the capitalist era, I would have been tempted enough, right?
"And the Allenburg estate has weather different from this snowy landscape. In spring, not only does the snow melt, but flowers bloom too. In summer, people enjoy themselves by the river. In autumn, the leaves turn red, creating a beautiful landscape."
"..."
Four seasons.
In fact, it was something I hadn't experienced in Eristirol.
In Eristirol, it was either snowing or cold every single day of the year.
It was fine inside the castle, but cold weather wasn't good.
"And there are definitely more things to do and see in Allenburg than in Eristirol?"
It was definitely a better place than Eristirol.
More money, better weather, more entertainment.
It might seem a bit materialistic, but I wanted to go see it.
"So, what do you think?"
But it was too late to go now.
If I had been offered this when I hadn't even worked for a year, I would have said "I'll go right away!"
But now it was too late.
At least, I had to see our little one grow up.
"I'm sorry."
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't accept that proposal."
Did she not expect my answer?
Catherine frowned.
"I see. Then, there's nothing we can do. If you ever quit working in Eristirol, please come visit our estate sometime?"
"Yes."
Thankfully, Catherine didn't get angry and try to crush me or anything like that.
Instead, she smoothed her expression and spoke in a voice completely unlike her usual one.
It wouldn't be bad to go visit once Kyle grew up.
First, I should go see Mom.
"Failing to recruit you is a bit of a shame, but the estate is still worth exploring, right?"
"Of course."
After that, I spent pleasant time with Catherine.
Perhaps because I had come to know a bit of her true self, we seemed to have become closer.
Maybe I was the only one thinking that.
"Sophia, try this?"
"Thank you."
She would suddenly give me street food or tell me what was delicious.
I hadn't explored the estate much, but as an adventurer, I had tasted both good and bad food.
As long as it wasn't the highest-class food nobles ate, I had tried almost everything.
I had also learned a bit about high-class food while attending the academy.
"Mmm! This is even better than I thought! I should make it available at our estate."
"Excellent idea."
By the way, her affinity was too good.
If I had been keeping some distance before, now it felt like the lines had been erased.
"Sophia!"
"Y-yes..."
"Why are you standing so far away? Come this way."
"Understood."
"Haa... If you joined our family, you could enjoy yourself like this. Lord Kyle is... well, a bit stiff, isn't he?"
"..."
It seemed Catherine hadn't given up on recruiting me yet.
"Young Master has returned."
- Bang!
"Kyaaah...!"
I was startled because the door suddenly opened.
Between the open door stood Kyle.
"Young Master?!"
"Miss Sophia."
"Y-yes?"
Kyle's eyes were dazed and he seemed unable to calm down.
Was something wrong?
"Come inside for a moment."
With that said, Kyle grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the room.
"Eh..."
Somehow, I ended up in Kyle's room right after returning.
Originally, I had planned to wipe off some sweat, wash up, and change clothes.
"Young Master?"
"Miss Sophia."
"Yes."
Kyle was calling me suddenly.
Had something happened while I was away?
"Are you going to Allenburg?"
"Yes?"
Suddenly asking if I was going to Allenburg?
"What does that mean all of a sudden?"
"Didn't the Allenburg young lady say anything?"
"Ah..."
So that's what it was.
It seemed Catherine had spoken to Kyle before me.
"How do you think it would be?"
A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes.
It was a prank he wouldn't have done normally...
"Would you say I told the Allenburg young lady that I was going with her?"
"..."
Kyle couldn't answer easily.
It was a prank I had tried because I thought we had built some trust.
But seeing him unable to answer easily made me a little disappointed.
"Of course I said I wouldn't go."
"What?"
"Of course, it was a good offer. As Louise said last time, it's a good city. Just hearing the Allenburg young lady's words, I could tell it was good."
Eristirol wasn't a bad place, but Allenburg was better.
"It also offered a lot of money. Three times what I were receiving now."
"..."
Seeing it this way, there was no merit here.
So Catherine must have been trying to recruit me.
No one would refuse a job offer from a small company to a big corporation.
Of course, this wasn't a small company.
"But there was something more important."
"What...?"
Finally, Kyle spoke.
It seemed he was worried because he thought I would go.
There was only one reason I wouldn't go.
"Because Young Master is here. Right here, in Eristirol."
It had been three years since I started teaching our little one.
Since I had started, I had to finish it.
It was a habit I had since I was a man.
That's why I gritted my teeth and attended the academy.
That's why I did adventurer work for several years.
"If Young Master dismisses me, I have no choice, but I won't quit first."
At least until our little one grew up.
"...I see."
"Yes."
Only after hearing my words did Kyle calm down.
But he still wasn't looking me in the eye.
"Young Master, I am your servant and tutor. I have already stayed in the castle for three years, supporting you and living with you. Did you think I would easily give up?"
"..."
He couldn't answer easily.
He really thought I would go to Catherine.
"Don't worry. I rejected it politely."
Well, in five or ten years, I might work there too.
"...You asked too suddenly after just returning. Sorry."
It was sudden.
At first, I had planned to tell him I had returned, wash up, and explain slowly what happened.
But suddenly being pulled into the room like this.
"Rest. There's nothing more to do today anyway."
"Yes."
I said that and left the room after greeting.
By the way, Kyle's strength was stronger than I thought.
When pulled, I honestly didn't resist.
It was sudden, and he was stronger than me.
If I used mana, it wouldn't matter, but the difference in pure physical strength had started to show.
As expected... the body of a woman was useless.
It had no advantages except being pretty, having large breasts, and wide hips.
Even that was useless when using the body.
"Sniff... sniff..."
By the way, it smelled.
After walking outside, sweat had made a slight smell on my body.
Entering Kyle's room with this smell.
It was wrong.
"I need to wash."
The good scent in Kyle's room had masked it.
Walking down the corridor like this, it became too strong.
This... did Kyle also like it...?
"Sigh..."
It was a bit much.
I had to wash quickly.
"Oh?"
"Sophia?"
"Allenburg young lady...?"
As usual, entering the bathroom, Catherine was bathing alone.
Normally, at this time, no one was there...
"Ah."
Now that I thought about it, Catherine had come in with me.
So, of course, we overlapped.
"I'm sorry. I'll leave..."
"It's fine. After all, we're both women, right? Wash together and chat."
"Yes..."
Since I could wash immediately, it was actually good.
After washing my body, I entered the tub.
Among the tubs, I entered the one Catherine was in.
Some were extremely hot, so I had to be careful.
"Huu... If Sophia were my attendant, it would be wonderful. I could even join the bath service."
"As I said earlier, that..."
"I know, I know. It's not allowed, right?"
"Yes..."
Why was she talking even knowing that?
"By the way, Sophia, your breasts are really huge."
"R-really?"
If it was big, it was big, but was it to the point of staring?