Right after I made a brazen misunderstanding and mentioned noble socialization events when Ethan had simply made a kind offer to have a new dagger made for me…

As I covered my face in shame and buried my head on the table, Ethan carefully spoke to me as if to comfort me.

 

“I’m sorry, Lilith. I should have explained properly from the beginning.”

“…No. I made a foolish assumption, Young Master Ethan.”

“N-No, it’s not foolish or anything like that. I’m always grateful that you don’t deny being mistaken for my fiancée.”

“…I’m sorry, young master. I’ll ask you this: could you please forget the conversation we just had? I… I’m too embarrassed to face you like this…”

“…What conversation? Weren’t we in the middle of talking about going to Grainstone?”

 

…As expected of the young master of the Blackwoods, he’s really good at reading the atmosphere.

Thanks to Ethan pretending to have forgotten my words with a nonchalant attitude, I was somehow able to calm my flushed face.

Although there was still some heat left on my face, I had to continue the conversation somehow, so I answered with a brazen attitude.

 

“Grainstone Village is the small village where the half-dwarf blacksmith runs a forge, isn’t it?”

“…Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“What’s the reason for visiting such a small village? Are you thinking of getting a new sword made, Young Master Ethan?”

“…No, not that. I want to have a new dagger made for you, Lilith.”

“You mean a dagger for me? I really didn’t expect that, Young Master Ethan.”

“……”

 

Ethan was biting his lower lip hard as if trying to hold something back, somehow restraining his emotions.

Well, with this, the brazen timeline where I was going to participate in a noble socialization event with Ethan has somehow disappeared. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

This time, I asked the first question that came to mind about Ethan’s offer to have a new dagger made for me.

 

“By the way, is it necessary to go all the way to Grainstone to have a new dagger made?”

“Huh?”

“Of course, I don’t mind if I can get a good dagger, but I’m wondering if it’s not too troublesome for you to take me along, Young Master Ethan.”

“What are you saying? It’s not troublesome to go get a dagger made for you, Lilith.”

“Pardon?”

 

He says it’s not troublesome to have a dagger made for his exclusive maid, and he’s not even concerned about his own sword.

I was momentarily confused about what he meant, but I soon understood the hidden intention behind Ethan’s words.

 

‘He must be thinking about the Harvest Festival in the second semester.’

 

Just as the evaluation battles for combat department students mark the end of the first semester at Luminor Academy, the event marking the end of the second semester was the Harvest Festival, in which all students participated. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

One of the things combat department students do at the Harvest Festival is to hunt in the forest hunting grounds near the academy, and this is the only time of the year when it’s possible to form parties, regardless of year level or department, to participate in the test.

If Ethan is thinking of including me in his party there, it’s not particularly troublesome to strengthen my combat ability.

Thinking this was a perfectly understandable reason, I nodded to show that I understood.

 

“I understand, Young Master Ethan. I think I can see why you say it’s not troublesome to have a dagger made for me.”

“…Can you tell me why you think so? I’m not doubting you, but I’m worried you might be making another strange misunderstanding.”

“Isn’t it because, as your exclusive maid, an increase in my combat ability is equivalent to an increase in your own combat ability, Young Master Ethan?”

“…Huh?”

“…Did I get it wrong?”

“Ah, no… I was just surprised that, for once, you understood correctly without any strange misunderstandings, Lilith…”

 

…It seems like Ethan just momentarily gave me a somewhat harsh evaluation.

I just brushed it off as my imagination.

 

“Anyway, if we’re going, let’s leave tomorrow morning. I’d like to leave right now, but that seems a bit difficult.”

“Pardon? Isn’t Grainstone Village not too far from the Blackwood territory? If we leave now, I think it wouldn’t even take half a day.”

“That’s true, but we can’t just ask the coachman to leave right away. We should have the carriage checked before departing.”

“Is there any need to take a carriage for a trip to just Grainstone?”

“Huh?”

 

Ethan, who was saying something strange, tilted his head and asked me.

I immediately made a gesture of holding reins with both hands and waved my fists in front of Ethan.

 

“If it’s just a journey for the two of us, Young Master Ethan, we don’t need to rely on a carriage. One horse should be enough.”

“…Really?”

“If we leave now, we can arrive before evening, Young Master Ethan.”

 

That was the moment when the members of the expedition to Grainstone were decided.

In front of the stable, which I came to with Ethan after the Grainstone expedition was decided…

Stroking the mane of a majestic white horse that I hadn’t seen in quite a while, I called out the name of the horse I had almost forgotten.

 

“It’s been a while, Zeraon.”

“Neigh!”

“You haven’t forgotten me while I was away at the academy, have you? I’m glad to see you’re healthy.”

“Neigh, neigh!”

 

Zeraon, the white horse of the Blackwood family, helped me in many ways during Dittmeyer’s horseback riding lessons.

Fortunately, it seemed that Zeraon hadn’t forgotten the memories of the three months we spent together, as he happily responded upon seeing my face.

 

“…Lilith, this here says its name is Lucina? And Zeraon is a bit odd for a female…”

“Let’s just go outside for now, Zeraon.”

“Neigh!!”

 

Ignoring Ethan’s unnecessary nitpicking, I grabbed Zeraon’s reins and headed outside the stable.

My heart started to flutter strangely at the thought of riding on this old friend’s back after such a long time. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

I guess I had developed quite an attachment since I started my first horseback riding lesson with this friend, and above all, there were many differences between driving a carriage and riding a horse directly.

Personally, I found riding on horseback much more enjoyable than driving a carriage.

Although it’s a bit bumpier than a carriage, you tend to feel that less when you’re riding on the horse directly, and you can enjoy the main aspect of horseback riding – the feeling of speed – without any interference.

 

“Will you be alright, Lilith?”

“I mastered horseback riding even before carriage driving, Young Master Ethan. I don’t understand why you’re worried when you’ve experienced riding in a carriage that I drove myself.”

“No, I know about your horseback riding skills, so that’s not an issue, but what I’m worried about is something else…”

“Pardon?”

 

Ethan hesitated, seeming to have difficulty answering directly.

Then, out of the blue, he confessed something I already knew and seemed to hesitate about the journey to Grainstone Village.

 

“I can’t ride horses, Lilith.”

“Yes, I know, Young Master Ethan. You spent more time on sword training instead of learning horseback riding.”

“So, if we go to Grainstone on horseback as you suggested, the only way is for you to sit in front holding the reins and for me to sit behind you.”

“Yes, I know that too.”

“…You knew?”

“We’re just traveling together on horseback, aren’t we? There’s nothing particularly problematic about it.”

“……”

 

Ethan suddenly went quiet after my last reply.

Then, with a slightly stiff expression, he nodded as if he understood.

 

“Alright, if you don’t mind, Lilith.”

“Pardon?”

“If that’s what you think, Lilith. Let’s just go like this, the two of us riding together.”

“…Is there something bothering you, Young Master Ethan?”

“No. There’s nothing like that, so don’t worry about it. Let’s just hurry and depart, Lilith.”

“…Yes.”

 

Something about his demeanor seemed clearly displeased.

Given the considerable time we’ve spent together, I thought I had been careful not to do things he might dislike in our daily lives. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

But now, Ethan was clearly expressing his emotions as if he wasn’t very happy with me.

…I don’t know what it is, but knowing Ethan’s personality, he’ll probably get over it soon.

Thinking this, I mounted Zeraon’s back, as Ethan said, despite feeling a bit uncomfortable about his attitude.

As soon as I got on the horse, I felt Ethan climbing up behind me.

 

Thud.

 

“We’ll be departing for Grainstone Village now, Young Master Ethan.”

“…Okay.”

“Please hold onto me tightly so you don’t fall off during the ride.”

“…Right.”

Squish.

“…Huh?!”

 

I inadvertently let out a slightly embarrassing sound as I felt hands from behind momentarily touch my chest.

Wondering what Ethan’s intention was in suddenly grabbing my chest from behind, I turned my head back, and Ethan immediately apologized.

 

“…Young Master Eth-“

“Sorry, Lilith. It was a mistake.”

“Pardon?”

“I was trying to hold onto you from behind, and it seems I accidentally touched you. I’m sorry, Lilith.”

“……”

 

If it wasn’t intentional but a mistake… I guess there’s no need to get angry and interrogate him about it.

Well, I was the one who suggested we travel together on one horse in the first place, so it would be strange to complain about this now. It’s not like I didn’t expect this level of physical contact.

…And this might sound a bit odd, but to be honest, my chest has already been touched several times before.

It was something I could easily ignore if I chose to.

 

“I understand, Young Master Ethan. Please be more careful next time.”

“Yes.”

Squish.

“…Ugh.”

“Sorry, I was trying to adjust my posture a bit.”

“…It’s alright, Young Master Ethan.”

 

The first time, he unconsciously grabbed my chest, and now this… Could he be doing this on purpose…?

No, that can’t be. What kind of person is Ethan? It can’t be intentional.

Pushing away the unpleasant thoughts that had momentarily crossed my mind, I slapped Zeraon’s reins that I was holding with both hands. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

The white horse carrying the two of us, myself and Ethan, began galloping towards Grainstone Village.