Chapter 44: The First Letter (44)
Chapter 44: The First Letter (44)
At my repeated pleas, Senior Delphine finally adjusted her clothes. As she sat across from me, a strange flicker of annoyance lingered in her blood-red eyes.
I might have made myself a bit unpopular. Secretly, I felt a twinge of regret as well. Just as Senior Delphine had said, her naked form was as beautiful as a work of art.
But I had no choice. If things had continued like that, I wouldn't have been able to endure it.
The sweet fragrance drifting through the room, the romantic atmosphere created by the dim lighting, and a half-naked woman of rare beauty—it was too much.
If there were a Venus flytrap designed to hunt men, it would surely look like this room. Only after Senior Delphine had fastened her robe could I finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Even so, she remained breathtakingly beautiful, and her long, pale legs peeking through the gap in her gown inevitably caught my eye.
Still, it was a relief that her more intimate curves were no longer exposed. When she had approached me earlier, that floral scent of her skin had momentarily made my head spin, but at least now I could maintain my grip on reality.
Conversation is only possible when both parties are rational. A man bewitched by a woman is incapable of making sound judgments. Perhaps Senior Delphine’s intent had been to use a honey trap all along.
I started to think that, but then I chuckled to myself at the absurdity of the thought.
The Delphine Yurdina, using a honey trap just to deal with the second son of a rural viscount?
It was nonsensical. Anything I could do, she could do better; anything I could obtain, she could obtain more easily. Whether in skill, wealth, or status, Senior Delphine was superior to me in every way.
She had no need to use such tactics on me. Therefore, thinking rationally, it meant that the way Senior Delphine was acting now was simply her usual self.
While I let out a secret sigh, Senior Delphine spoke. Her voice was alluring.
"You were such a beast when you were swinging that hand axe, yet now you act like a stuffy, naive scholar who prizes his chastity. I'm a little disappointed, Hand Axe Young Master."
I had to swallow a dry laugh at her grumbling.
This lady was saying some very dangerous things in front of a man who wasn't her husband. If things went wrong, this could escalate into a scandal that would ruin her marriage prospects.
No one scrutinized chastity as strictly as the nobility. No matter how filthy or depraved their actions were behind closed doors, a noble had to appear flawless and untainted on the surface.
And yet, a man and a woman were meeting alone at night, and the woman was half-naked?
The moment such a rumor spread, her image would undoubtedly take a hit. Though, given that the 'market value' of Delphine Yurdina was so overwhelming, it would likely be nothing more than a minor scratch.
So, I cautiously offered her some advice. It was overstepping my bounds, but I felt it necessary.
"Senior Delphine, even so, as a noble, you should value your body more—"
"I have no need for that."
But before I could even finish my sentence, Senior Delphine cut me off with a definitive tone. Her answer was short and blunt, which actually left me flustered.
"...Pardon?"
"I said I have no need for it, Hand Axe Young Master. Have you ever thought about why women wrap themselves up so tightly in front of men?"
I fell silent at Senior Delphine’s languid question. Discussions regarding general social systems weren't my specialty. Maybe Reto would know.
However, I could at least give a common-sense answer. Thinking back to a sermon I had heard from the Saintess not long ago, I opened my mouth.
"Isn't it to protect one's chastity? Unlike the mind, the body was molded by the hands of the Evil God Omeros, and thus gives birth to sin—"
"That's exactly why I don't need it."
Again, that firm voice.
I stared at Senior Delphine without a word. With leisurely movements, she poured wine into an empty glass.
Glug, glug. A fragrant aroma of wine spread through the air. With a light flick of her finger, she pushed the glass, and it slid smoothly across the table to stop right in front of me. It was an artistic display of force control.
I could tell just by the scent wafting to my nose—it was high-quality. Since it was wine drunk by the successor of the Yurdina family, it certainly wouldn't be cheap.
How many gold coins would this single glass be worth? I tried to estimate it for a moment, but soon gave up, realizing it was a meaningless endeavor.
She and I lived in different worlds. No matter how much I agonized over the cost, it would be a trivial concern to her. There was only one thing for me to do.
I downed the wine, letting it flow into my mouth.
The sweet taste, the bitter undertones, and the profound aroma characteristic of fine wine as it traveled down my throat.
It was good. Even I, who knew little about alcohol, could tell there was a clear difference between this and ordinary commercial products. As I drained the first glass in one go, a hint of subtle satisfaction appeared in Senior Delphine’s eyes.
She seemed to enjoy a hearty drinking style. Since she was from the North, it made sense. They were people who had survived in a frigid environment. Whether noble or commoner, they were bound to be a bit rugged.
Even though, based on her appearance alone, she looked like she would strictly adhere to every meticulous detail of dining etiquette. Her noble looks and her actual tastes were somewhat at odds, which felt a bit confusing.
"Beautiful things evoke a desire for possession. Everyone is like that. A woman's body is the same; the more beautiful it is, the more it stimulates a man's lust. Thoughts like wanting to make it one's own..."
As she spoke, Senior Delphine picked up the bottle again. Her empty glass was filled, and her eyes turned toward me.
A look asking if I wanted another.
I silently held out my glass, and the bottle tilted. Glug, glug. The sweet fragrance spread once more.
Senior Delphine withdrew the bottle with a weary gesture. She continued in a soft voice.
"That's why most women wrap themselves up, talking about 'chastity' and whatnot. Only then can they suppress men's desires. Or perhaps, they use it as a weapon at the most critical moment... Either way, those are just the thoughts of the weak."
"...In what sense do you mean that?"
"Why should I be afraid, when no one can have me?"
It was an arrogant statement. But Senior Delphine, as she said it, was perfectly composed. Her voice held not a single shred of doubt, as if she were stating a self-evident fact.
And she had the right to be that way. Even if some man went mad and tried to assault her, there were few who could overpower her by force.
The same applied to me. Even if I lost my mind for a moment and tried to jump her, I would be subdued within seconds. That was why Senior Delphine had no hesitation in showing her naked self to me.
Because she was strong. That audacious confidence seemed to be the very foundation of the person known as 'Delphine Yurdina.'
A woman who feared no one and was possessed by no one.
I drank my wine in silence. As if I finally understood her a little, a voice mixed with a sigh escaped my lips.
"...So that's why you said it was 'unnecessary.'"
"Yes. I dislike unnecessary things. Beautiful things become more valuable the more they are shown off, don't they?"
She gave a slight eye-smile as she said that. She seemed to have noticed my gaze inadvertently drifting toward her fair skin. I cleared my throat and looked away.
The alcohol was making it hard to maintain control again. She spoke to me as if offering consolation.
"You can look as much as you want. It's a rare opportunity. Even I don't show off my body to just anyone."
I turned a questioning gaze toward Senior Delphine. Did that mean she had criteria for whom she showed her half-naked self to?
A faint laugh escaped Senior Delphine’s lips. She soon resolved my curiosity.
"Only a person of value has the right to see something beautiful."
"A 'person of value'?"
"Hehe, yes. To put it another way... a 'useful person.'"
It was a blunt expression. Depending on the person, it could be considered offensive.
However, I didn't find the words particularly unpleasant. Perhaps I had already expected as much from Delphine Yurdina. But a conversation I had with Seria a while ago suddenly came to mind.
The words Senior Delphine had supposedly said to Seria when they were children: 'If you can't prove your usefulness, you might end up like that too.'
I sipped my wine in silence. Regardless, Senior Delphine continued her story.
"I have only one perspective through which I view the world. Whether someone is useful or not... any other perspective is useless. In that sense, you are quite a useful human being."
"Because I defeated Senior Elsie?"
"I've heard various other stories as well."
It was around then that Senior Delphine crossed her legs. Her smooth, luscious thighs were briefly revealed. My eyes almost instinctively went there, but I held back with superhuman patience.
I couldn't keep letting her lead me by the nose. I squeezed my eyes shut and gulped down the wine.
Senior Delphine just chuckled, as if she found my reaction cute. She continued in a relaxed voice.
"I heard you've been hanging around with Seria lately."
"She's surprisingly a good junior. Though she lacks a bit of social grace..."
"I'm grateful for that. She has great talent for the sword, but she seemed to have no knack for human relationships... Even if she's a half-sister, she's still a member of the Yurdina family. I was worried she'd go her whole life without making a single friend."
A faint smile touched Senior Delphine’s lips as she spoke. Did she harbor some affection for Seria in her own way? They had grown up together since childhood, so perhaps it was only natural.
Senior Delphine, who had been wearing a somewhat bittersweet smile, fell silent for a moment.
Tap, tap. Her index finger drummed on the table. Her blood-red eyes, lost in thought, turned toward the window. The moonlight seeping through the glass felt like a spotlight highlighting her. It was a scene like a painting.
It was only after some time had passed that her eyes turned back to me.
"I've heard many interesting stories. Like the rumor that a man who was only a low-mid rank hero even as an Academy third-year has been showing unbelievable performance lately."
"I was just lucky."
At my self-deprecating words, Senior Delphine merely snorted. As if such a cliché, humble remark was laughable.
"There's no need for modesty. What matters is the result. If luck favors you once, it's a coincidence, but if it's repeated several times, it's skill. And I like people with skill."
With a clack, Senior Delphine set her wine glass down on the table. A rosy flush was spreading across her cheeks. It meant the alcohol was starting to take effect.
I felt a heat like steam rising through my throat and stinging my head. The alcohol was starting to get to me as well. Senior Delphine spoke to me with a suggestive smile.
"You know what I'm trying to say, don't you?"
Instead of answering, I swallowed a groan. It wasn't because I couldn't read the intent behind her question, but because it was so unexpected.
Is she really going there?