Chapter 279
Chapter 279
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: A Date with Lize
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Negotiations with the people of Rose continued every day.
But after those negotiations wrapped up, I was spending the time a bit differently than before.
Not with anyone else—just me, for now?
Lize was following me around diligently, providing support, but that was something she did even on normal days.
"For now, it seems best to just demolish this whole area and turn it into a plaza. There's already one on the opposite side, but it's not being used much anyway."
"I'll note that down."
"Oh, and add that we'll bring in one of the chefs from the central kitchen to open a shop here."
"Understood."
In truth, it was basically no different from a date.
It was just me and Lize spending some intimate time outside.
We wandered around inside the territory, chatting about this and that, and she simply jotted it down in her notebook.
We grabbed some tasty snacks along the way and talked about our future plans while enjoying ourselves.
A date? Honestly, it fit perfectly.
"But, Young Lady, if we demolish the buildings here, won't there be strong opposition?"
"Of course we'll compensate them generously. We'll call in contractors from the central area, but it's obvious they won't be able to make a living for a while."
"Ah...."
"Besides, it doesn't matter right now, but someday we'll be taking money from the people here too. Customer relations are just basic business sense, right?"
"Noted. My thinking was too narrow."
"Nah, no need to put it like that. Sometimes there really are people who do exactly what I said—demolish things without giving the commoners a thing."
In any case, it was no different from casually hanging out with Lize.
The Rose folks... they were still stupidly rejecting my proposals anyway, and I was getting tired of pushing multiple times a day.
So instead, Lize and I were just enjoying ourselves hand in hand, laughing and chatting.
"What would you like to see go up here, Lize? A restaurant's fine, or anything else."
"Um.... Are you asking me? Personally, I don't have anything particular in mind."
"Really?"
"Yes. I simply follow you, Young Lady."
"Hmm...."
She could be so frustrating in all sorts of ways.
Of course, I was used to this attitude by now, found it cute, and didn't dislike it.
But naturally, I wished she would assert herself a little more....
I felt the same way about Karen, though the flavor of their weak self-assertion was different.
Low self-esteem versus simply not making choices based on one's own will.
Frustrating... in the exact same way.
"Don't say it like that—just tell me. You don't have to worry about any burden."
"Even if you say that...."
"And don't say it just because you think I'll like it."
........
Even that big bathroom she mentioned last time, when we were talking about the building we'd all live in together.
That wasn't something Lize wanted 100% for herself.
She said it because she knew I really liked baths and half-baths.
After all the time we'd spent together, she had no choice but to know that much.
"Oh, and by the way—this is an order. Give me a real, honest answer."
"Ah, um... Do I have to...?"
"Are you talking back? Lize has grown bold."
"That's not... I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
It didn't matter.
I just wanted to hear Lize's honest response right now.
Her hesitant reaction was amusing anyway.
"Hm.... Hmm...."
Lize started pondering hard on her own.
At least this time... it didn't seem like she'd base her answer on me, which felt like a relief in many ways.
After all, once I took over Rose Territory and the Rose Count Family, I planned to reshape this very spot where we stood.
I'd create a plaza and fill the surroundings with things I and the people I liked enjoyed.
And in doing so, I'd revive Rose Territory's economy by bringing over my businesses.
The most important part, though, was setting up things here that the women I liked wanted.
"Hm...."
"Take your time thinking. I'm not rushing you."
"...Yes, Young Lady."
Normally, Lize would have responded without a second thought.
But now, she answered with a genuinely troubled expression, which felt... reassuring.
It was too real to be acting.
Just knowing she was thinking sincerely about it made me happy.
I wouldn't have minded whatever request she made for this place.
Well... as long as it wasn't something weird like demanding a nude strip club or whatever... I'd be fine.
Of course, if she actually said something like that... I'd put in real effort to make it happen.
"Ah."
"Decided?"
"I...."
"Yeah?"
"An ice cream shop... I think that would be nice. Something like gelato."
"Ice cream?"
"Yes, Young Lady."
A pretty... novel answer.
I'd been expecting a clothing store, a café, or a nice restaurant—something like that—but this was out of left field.
An ice cream shop, of all things.
Since it was an answer I hadn't anticipated at all, I couldn't help but look at Lize with intrigued eyes.
"Why that?"
"Um..... Do I have to say?"
"Why? Don't wanna answer?"
"It's not that, but.... I feel like you might scold me a little, Young Lady."
"Hm?"
What?
I shot a glance at Lize, who was peeking at me nervously right in front of me, but I had no idea why.
Why on earth would I scold her over an ice cream shop?
"...Haven't you, ever since childhood, absolutely hated ice cream... whenever summer came around?"
"Lize, you...."
"Every time you ate ice cream, you were so incredibly happy, and I loved seeing you like that...."
"Haa......."
"I'm sorry...."
"Sigh, no. It's fine."
I let out a slightly deflated laugh as I said it.
Our exclusive maid was just so... frustratingly cute and kind.
Hearing the first part made me want to lightly flick her forehead, but the second part made it impossible.
I hadn't expected such a cute, cheeky reason.
"Still... I like ice cream too. So that's...."
"It's okay, Lize. I'm really not mad."
"Really...?"
"Yeah, for real. You know I don't lie about stuff like this."
"...True, but even after you said that, I...."
"I said it's fine? Are you really trying to get scolded?"
"...I'm sorry."
Seriously... she was older than me, yet always yielded to me.
"Yielded" wasn't quite right—something like "considerate" fit better....
But Lize really did yield to me.
When we were kids, she used to subtly protect me but raise her voice a bit when I did something dangerous.
At some point, she just became completely obedient.
Almost like....
"Is something wrong? Did something happen...?"
"Pfft.... No, shall we head back now? Or keep wandering around here for our date a bit longer?"
She was like a puppy.
The kind that, from the day you met your lifelong owner, locks eyes, wags its tail happily every time.
A woman who liked me.
To be precise, plenty of women were fond of me.
Some in a sexual way, some just human-to-human fondness.
Others might treat me like a doll they admired.
But someone like Lize... who liked me so blindly? Not many.
Even if I gave her some bizarre order—something clearly unfair—she'd carry it out, no doubt.
"...If possible, I'd like to spend just a little more time with you, Young Lady."
"Pfft.... Then let's do that? With the Young Lady that Lize likes, we can pop into a café for some girl talk, and even though it's a bit far... check out an ice cream shop too?"
"Yes, Young Lady."
Well, I didn't hate it.
How could I, with such a cute, pretty, kind maid loving me so obediently and blindly?
It was true I had many lovers.
Seven of them, and the reasons they liked me varied in all sorts of ways.
Rozalin... was hard to sum up in one sentence. Ella and Karen had been like childhood friends since we were little, naturally leading to this relationship.
Grace started off on bad terms but gradually grew close, feeling attraction along the way.
Ashley was just... a pervert?
Oh, Ivana too?
Well, anyway.
"What's your favorite color, Lize?"
"Yellow and red."
"You answered right away, and the reason's way too obvious."
"Ah, did I give the wrong answer...?"
"No."
Her favorite colors matching her favorite person's hair and eye color.
So... blatantly obvious it was ridiculous.
And yet she answered with such innocent eyes, clueless to my words. Cute.
"It's nothing, really."
"Is that so...?"
Lize still looked puzzled by my words but didn't press further.
I didn't follow up with more questions along that line either.
"Heh heh heh...."
The color of Lize's dress for that day... was definitely set.
They were such bold colors, not sure if they'd suit her, but if I handed a pile of money to an expensive artisan and placed the order... they'd handle it well.
For the size, I could just use her current maid outfit as reference?
"Heh...!"
"...?"
I hadn't even placed the order yet, but the laughter kept bubbling up.
On that future day... how fun would it be? Such anticipation started filling my head.
Of course, right now it was time to focus on my date with Lize?