Chapter 23 - The Talk with Liselotte (2)

"About what? Did Sir Rio ask my impression of you as the Apostle of God, or as a person called Rio?"

"The latter," Rio answered Liselotte's question shortly.

Liselotte nodded in affirmation and closed her eyes briefly, collecting her thoughts. She then opened her eyes and looked into Rio's eyes with a tender look full of affection. And despite Rio was prepared for any sign of her affection for him, he was still surprised. But, he held himself from showing his surprise, maintaining his calm appearance to the end.

"I think Sir Rio is kind, thoughtful, reliable, and amazing. Sir Rio is a good person."

"I see…" Rio nodded his assent. He then asked Liselotte his next question, "Do you already have someone you like, romantically I mean?"

This time, Liselotte could not meet Rio's gaze and lowered her face deeply. She was hiding her face with her front bang, but Rio could see her ears which had become very red. Rio put his other hand above their intertwining hands and squeezed Liselotte's hand softly. Liselotte squeezed his hand in return, but she kept looking down, not meeting up his gaze.

After a few seconds, Liselotte raised her face slightly. Rio saw Liselotte's upturned eyes. When he saw that, his heart skipped a beat and wanted to hold this cute girl closely in his embrace. However, he restrained himself and waited for her answer.

Liselotte finally gave Rio her answer, "I have someone I respect and love dearly…"

When Rio heard that, Rio didn't fall into the cliche trap of misunderstanding that usually happened in Shoujo stories. No sir, no way! Thank you very much! Besides, Liselotte had subtly informed him of the man she remarked by putting her other hand above Rio's hand. Their hands were currently stacking on each other's hands.

"But…" Liselotte continued with a conflicted expression.

"What is it?" Rio urged Liselotte to continue, wondering what was her problem.

"I am not sure if I can be a suitable partner for him. I mean, he is very amazing! He is special! Yet, I'm only a lowly servant. And I realized that I am not suited to be with him..."

Liselotte had an expression of self-ridicule and grief when she said that. Tears were pooling in the corner of her eyes, ready to fall down her cheeks any moment. Her hands which were holding on his were shivering. She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from spilling out her inferiority complex by shedding her tears.

When Rio saw the grief-stricken expression in Liselotte's face, Rio felt a pang of guilt.

As an aside, Liselotte had started working as his personal maid the next day after their first meeting. It seems that the senior maid thought that Rio had taken a fancy to Liselotte, which he was by the way, when they informed her of their decision to stroll in the castle with Liselotte as the guide. Thus, that senior maid informed the head maid and soon, Liselotte was tasked to be Rio's personal maid.

Due to Liselotte's new assignment, Rio had more chance to deepen their relationship. And more than a week were enough for Rio to seduce Liselotte to the point of being confident that his confession would not be rejected.

Often time, when it was only the two of them, Rio caught the turmoils in Liselotte's eyes. It seems that she. didn't dare to overstep her limits as a mere maid. Moreover, she was only a silly young, pure maid, who never experienced love before, fall in love with someone she was tasked to take care.

Although she was dissatisfied, she could only sulk and agonize silently. She didn't have the courage to tell Rio her feeling for him because of the difference in their status. Also, she could not forget her budding crush for Rio and move on for Liselotte never fell in love before. Rio was her first love and she felt her feeling for him was very precious. She could not stop it from festering in her heart.

Rio forced himself to push aside the guilt in his heart. He then looked deep into Liselotte's glassy, wet blue eyes and said, "Do you love me, Liselotte?"

The tears that were hanging in the corner of Liselotte's eyes started pouring down like a waterfall. Liselotte gave Rio a happy yet complex smile. "Of course, I love Sir Rio! But—"

"No but!" Rio forcefully cut off Liselotte's words. Liselotte, wide-eyed, looked at Rio with slightly parting lips. Rio wasted no time and continued on.

"Listening to your answer is enough! I know that you love me, and to be honest, I like you as a woman and want you to be my woman! At the same time, there are other women too. I know that this sounds unfair, that I am a sinful man! You must feel dissatisfied and angry at my selfishness, but I'm a very selfish man. I want you yet I want them too! I don't care about the difference in our status! In my eyes, all women are equal! There is no woman with higher or lower standing! Knowing this, will you still agree to be my woman?"

Liselotte listened to Rio's words until the end in silence. She had a complex look when she heard that. A part of her felt joyful when she heard that the man she loved, her first love, returned her feeling. At the same time, she felt a tad dissatisfied when she heard that she would not be his only woman.

However, in Tortus, Polygamy was not frowned upon. In fact, it was widely practiced by nobility to produce heirs to continue their line. Moreover, nobles would often take good-looking commoners as concubines. Not only nobles, some exceptional commoners even practiced polygamy as long as the man was able to take care of more than a single wife.

Still, Liselotte wanted to monopolize Rio for herself. It was only natural for having this d.e.s.i.r.e. Love was not about giving and taking. It was about taking everything to satisfy it.

Liselotte closed her eyes and sunk deep in thought, weighing her answer carefully. After a few tens of seconds, she opened her eyes and displayed a resolute look. "Although I won't be Sir Rio's only woman, I am still happy to be your woman. Besides, polygamy is allowed in this world. I'm not sure about Sir Rio's world, but you can stay in this world forever! No, please don't return back! I know that I am being unreasonable, but I don't want to be separated from Sir Rio! I agree to be Sir Ri—hwah!?"

It was enough. The moment he heard 'I agree' from Liselotte's mouth, Rio pounced at her without hesitation.