CH 200

Since dinner would be catered towards noble customs, I had to dress up. After being dragged into the bath, I got cleaned all over to be sparky clean, before getting dolled up. The maids decked me out with accessories until they were satisfied with the result, and then I went to the dining hall to wait there with Sword who had reluctantly shown up.

“…I’ll pass the ownership of this mansion to you, ‘kay? Your fine with bein’ the master of this house, right? So, would you allow me to quietly leave?” Sword started to whine.

“I don’t want that! You paid with your money, so it’s your mansion! I won’t be able to come to terms with this arrangement unless I buy this place off you at the very least.”

“I’ll sell it to you for one silver, you know?”

“I told you…!”

When I got upset, Sword soothed me, “…Gotcha, I guess you’ve got your own pride, too. Buy it off me for the price I paid. No, half the amount will do. And then let’s register both of us as owners. I’ll yield all rights to you, so please take measures so you won’t ever get dragged into any troublesome stuff in the future.”

Given that he told me all that, I reluctantly nodded while pouting, “Okay. …But, the situation this time isn’t my or Damsel Scarlet’s fault, you know? Damsel Scarlet had apparently planned to come alone at first, and that was my intention, too. Your fan forced his way in, okay? I had plans to treat Damsel Scarlet to cooking, which she might consider as nostalgic, in a relaxed atmosphere in my room, if she had come here alone.”

“Ugh,” Sword groaned as he didn’t know how to refute this.

“I planned to let her eat “udon” and “ramen” with “chopsticks.” And even though I even had Sahad bake bowls for this sake…”

They’ve become completely useless now. Sorry, Sahad.

“…I told you that I’m sorry. But, it ain’t my fault either.”

“I know. I’m well aware of that. …Well, it’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped anymore.”

The one being disappointed the most has to be Damsel Scarlet. After all, she’s going to miss out on the chance of slurping noodles without needing to care about manners. Though, I think I shouldn’t tell her any of this.

＊

They showed up soon after we waited in the dining hall for a bit. Both froze simultaneously when spotting me.

“”He’s cross-dressing…..””

“I’m not!”

Don’t harmonize your remarks!

“Well, I heard about it, but I was under the impression that you’re a guy in reality. Forgive me.”

“No, it’s okay. Adventurism transcends gender. And since I’m not always dolling up like some noble women, it’s got to be hard to tell.”

I held him back with a raised hand since I accepted his apology. Sword’s line of sight pointed – for some reason – at my chest, but when I asked him, “Is something wrong?”, with a smile, he quickly looked away.

＊

“Hero 【Thu…”

“It’s Sword! …Long time no see, Duke Chaudgal.”

He interrupted Duke Chaudgal’s greeting with his own and performed a proper knight bow. Somehow Sword sure looks like he’s used to it.

But that makes sense. Even if he may say this or that, Sword’s ability to adapt is extremely high.

“Sir Sword! It’s truly been a long time! Maaan, when I heard that you set up a mansion, I wanted to rush over right away, but my wife didn’t let me go…”

So he had been reined in by his wife, eh? And this time she couldn’t hold him back, I suppose.

“…Ah, so even Ally couldn’t hold you back, huh? You truly haven’t changed a bit!” Sword spat out.

But, the duke smiled cheerfully without minding it at all.

“My respect and love towards you is eternal and unmovable! No, it actually grows with each passing year!”

“Oof, can I have you stop that? I’ve told you at least a hundred times by now,” Sword croaked wearily.

Damsel Scarlet covered her face with her hands.

“I am truly and utterly sorry…”

It looks like she’s quite embarrassed about this.

But, I can understand. Totally!

If I had a father like this…okay, he’s still better than that guy, but I think it’d be a bit too much for me! Though it’s fun to watch as an unrelated party!

＊

The adults chose their aperitifs.

“Ooohh, so this is the legendary phantom wine…!?”

Hmm, he knows about it?

When I looked at him with an expression making my question clear, Duke Chaudgal puffed out his chest and drummed on it.

“I also participated in that auction! Given that it was wine created by Sir Sword, it’d have been unthinkable for me to not buy it! Though I missed the days following after the first since I got stopped by Ally!”

――Hmm, I see. Maybe it’d have been better if Mrs. Ally would have come along this time? Wouldn’t it have been smarter to not let the duke at large instead of not coming out of reservation?

Well, I have fun with this, but it does look like the mental and spiritual damage to Sword and Damsel Scarlet is escalating quite a bit.