Chapter 44

Three days after receiving a letter requesting a visit from Sir Blacksong.

In the afternoon, the carriage carrying Ethan Richard Blackwood and me toward the Security Division office of the estate guards was moving at a reasonably fast pace outside the Blackwood estate.

Due to Ethan’s whim, I ended up going out while on duty as his exclusive maid, Lilith Rosewood.

It was actually my first time going outside the mansion since becoming his exclusive maid.

Of course, I wasn’t excited or feeling refreshed about this rare outing. Instead, a strange sense of unease was slowly blooming in my chest.

‘I don’t know what this brat is up to.’

Ethan, the heir of the Blackwood family, went with me to the guards’ Security Division office under the pretext of patrolling the estate.

It would not have seemed strange since he was the son of a noble family, as it was a common practice.

However, the fact that this chubby Ethan was outside the mansion for such a reason was something I could hardly understand, no matter how I thought about it…

…even more so after reading the letter from Sir Blacksong, the Captain of the Blackwood Estate Guards, which was delivered to me.

‘He definitely has an ulterior motive.’

I was uneasy because I didn’t know what that motive was.

Could it be that after starting his etiquette training, he was truly preparing to take over the Blackwood estate?

Perhaps I was overreacting, and his actions were nothing unusual.

After all, the Ethan beside me now was similar but slightly different from the hateful one in the original storyline.

Of course, the fundamental soul of him embedded in my mind would likely be the same, whether it was the current Ethan or the hateful one, so I couldn’t let my guard down.

However, it was a bit strange for me to be surprised every time he acted differently from the original storyline. 

Unable to guess his true purpose, I fixed my gaze on Ethan and quietly observed his side profile.

Ethan’s eyes, which had been looking out the carriage window, turned inward, and our eyes met.

“……”

“…Maid?”

“Yes.”

“Do…you have something to say?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Oh…okay…”

Ethan then withdrew his gaze back outside with an awkward expression. 

For some reason, his reaction clearly indicated he was up to something.

…Could it be related to me receiving the visit request from Sir Blacksong?

As various guesses, whether misunderstandings or truth, swirled confusingly in my mind, Ethan asked the butler in a slightly louder voice from his seat on the right.

“Head Butler, how much longer until we arrive?”

“We should arrive in about 10 minutes, Young Master Ethan.”

“Alright. When we arrive, just park the carriage and take a break, Head Butler. The maid and I will return after we finish our business.” 

“Understood, Young Master.”

Dittmeyer Collin Evercroft, who ended up driving the carriage after overhearing my conversation with Ethan, responded to Ethan’s words.

Even after the Head Butler’s final words, Ethan turned his gaze back outside the window, seeming lost in thought with a pensive expression.

The carriage Ethan rides certainly seems to be much more stable than the freight carriage I hitched a ride on with the coachman last time.

Even in a medieval fantasy world, it seems money can solve most inconveniences.  

‘Come to think of it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn how to drive a carriage if I get the chance.’

If I end up becoming an adventurer later on, I may live a nomadic life rather than settling in one place.

Especially if my status as someone capable of using magic as a commoner ends up being exposed for some reason, it could cause a lot of trouble. Having a means of transportation and a livelihood to flee at any time could be essential.

…Or if I’m forced to flee the Blackwood estate for some unavoidable reason, I could use it as a means of transportation to evade pursuit.

‘I should ask Dittmeyer to teach me how to drive a carriage when I get the chance.’ 

I can just say it’s a necessary skill to serve the young master in the future.

As an attendant to Ethan, Dittmeyer, the Head Butler, wouldn’t be able to refuse such a request.

While I was thinking this, our carriage carrying the three of us eventually entered the Blackwood estate’s guard station.

Following the guidance of the sentry guarding the entrance, we entered the guard station grounds.

“Greetings, Young Master Ethan Richard Blackwood! We sincerely thank you for gracing this humble place with your presence!”

“””Thank you, Young Master!!!”””

The soldiers greeted us with an air of full formality as we entered the guard station grounds.  

Disembarking from the carriage, Ethan responded in a calm voice to the soldier at the front who had greeted them:

“Yes. Before patrolling, I would like to speak with Sir Blacksong first. Could you show me where he is?”

“Yes! Sir Blacksong has been awaiting your visit, so I shall guide you to him!”

Following the soldier’s guidance, we entered the two-story guard’s station building and proceeded to the second-floor hallway.

We were then led to a room next to the stairs leading up, marked as the Security Division office. 

“Sir Blacksong is waiting inside!”

“Alright, thanks for your effort.”

“The honor is mine!”

…Are all the regular soldiers of the Blackwood estate guards like this?

With that thought, I slid open the sliding door to the Security Division office.

As soon as they noticed our visit, a middle-aged knight with dark brown hair stood up from his seat and greeted us welcomingly.

“My apologies for having you visit this humble place, Young Master Ethan.”

“No need to apologize. It doesn’t even take an hour by carriage to get here.”  

“It’s been a while, Sir Blacksong.”

“Yes, it has been a while, Miss Lilith.”

Sir Blacksong ushered us inside with a curiously gentle smile towards Ethan and me.

Behind him, a teal-haired soldier in short hair observed me with a peculiar expression.

Though I wasn’t sure why, there was an awkward atmosphere. Nevertheless, I first let Ethan enter the room. 

I then followed behind him, closing the door as I stepped into the Security Division office.

“……”

A brief silence fell.  

Fully aware that I was not of a status to speak first, I quietly waited for one of the two men to open their mouths.

It didn’t take long before Ethan spoke, addressing the captain by name.

“Sir Blacksong, I heard you requested the attendance of my exclusive maid. Is that true?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“The letter’s content didn’t clarify why you summoned the maid. Was it something so troubling that it couldn’t risk reaching other ears?”

“No, that is not the case. …However, I did not elaborate to avoid potential blemish to Miss Lilith’s achievements. For causing you discomfort, I will apologize.”

“……”

Ethan fell silent for a moment at Sir Blacksong’s composed response.  

Compared to before, his polished manner these days often gave the impression of an entirely different person.

…Truly, it still doesn’t seem like I’ll ever get used to it.

Well, Ethan is Ethan. What matters to me now is the reason Sir Blacksong summoned me.  

I cautiously inquired about the cryptic remark he had just made.

“Sir Blacksong, if I may, I have one question, if it’s not too rude.”

“Yes, go ahead, Miss Lilith Rosewood.”  

“What did you mean by being concerned about causing a blemish to my achievements, which is why you didn’t elaborate in the letter? Does this ‘achievement’ refer to what happened with the Hooked Tusk last year?”

“You understand quickly, thankfully. The very reason I brazenly invited you today, Miss Lilith, regards that matter.”

“…….”

Ah, so that’s what this is about.

Even if I was out of my mind, it would be strange to expect no consequences after hurling insults at the Captain of the Blackwood Estate Guards. 

I should have sent an apology letter when I had the chance.   

Since meeting face-to-face would show more sincerity, I had been postponing it, but it seems this is the karmic result. seaʀᴄh thё NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

For a knight of a family like the Blackwoods, his status is practically that of a minor noble.

What I did that day was essentially the rude behavior of a commoner woman picking a fight with a nobleman.

“I truly regret what transpired that day, Sir Blacksong.”

“…What do you mean, Miss Lilith?”

“Even if I was beside myself, shouting and cursing at you, the chief knight of the estate’s security force, is absolutely unforgivable. I should have apologized first, but instead, I made you reach out first. I have no excuses, even if I had a hundred mouths…”

“Ah, no, Miss Lilith. I did not summon you to receive an apology. As I mentioned in the letter, I am grateful to you for that day’s events. I did not call you here merely to receive an apology for such a trifling reason.”

“…Pardon?”

I had desperately bowed my head to avoid any lingering resentment and offered an apology. But Sir Blacksong’s response was completely different.

His following words made the reason for summoning me to the guard station understandable.

“The reason I invited you today, Miss Lilith, is that I require your testimony for documenting the record of events from that day.”

“My testimony?” 

“The estate guards document and record all the events that occurred over the past year every fifth month. We don’t record every minor incident, like quarrels between residents or slime exterminations. However, the Hooked Tusk you subdued was too major an incident to overlook.”

“…I suppose you’re right.”

“Originally, I had planned to document the record based on the prowess I witnessed from you that day and the testimonies of your fellow maids. There would be no need to trouble you by summoning you here. However…”

He trailed off awkwardly and shifted his gaze to the teal-haired female soldier standing to his right.

With a composed gaze, she immediately fixed her eyes on me, taking her cue to speak.

“I cannot accept this.”

“…Pardon me?”

“I cannot accept the record of an ordinary, untrained woman, like Miss Lilith, subduing a dangerous monster like the Hooked Tusk,” the teal-haired female soldier stated firmly.

“……”

“Therefore, I request a correction to the record based on testimony. The subjugation of the Hooked Tusk in the commercial district was not your achievement but Sir Blacksong’s.”

…No.

What do you want me to do about it?