Chapter 251

“……Huh? You’re telling me to lie down on your lap?”

Given how surreal this situation was, I found myself asking Reika once more for confirmation.

But she simply nodded with an expression so calm it was unsettling, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

“Ah, i-it’s fine…! It’s not like you’re some random person, right, Sir Swoen?”

“Uh…”

Honestly, the first thing that came to mind in this situation was sheer discomfort.

Why is the usually shy Reika suddenly acting like this?

Sure, we’ve managed to get along well with each other and Lady Iren over the past few days… but I don’t recall her ever being this bold.

Just as I was at a loss for what to do…

“Um… Do you dislike it…?”

When she asked me with a voice trembling on the verge of tears, I instinctively waved my hands in denial.

“What? No, I don’t dislike it.”

“Y-Yes!”

Reika seemed to relax upon hearing “I don’t dislike it,” then boldly patted her knees again with an expression that was strangely confident.

Everything swayed. Especially her chest. It made me realize just how easily a man’s attention can be captured by such things.

“Then… I’ll take the liberty.”

Clearing my mind of all thoughts, I lay down on her knees.

…It’s soft and warm.

There was a pleasant sweetness emanating from Reika, like a faint scent of cake—just enough to tickle the senses without overwhelming them.

“There you go, Sir Swoen… Please rest comfortably.”

When I tried to look up at her face, her bosom partially blocked my view, revealing only her eyes.

Still, judging from her general demeanor, she didn’t seem overly embarrassed.

In fact, it felt like the one who was more conscious of this situation wasn’t Reika but me.

Her white dress concealed breasts that swayed gently every time the carriage rocked.

‘…They’re big.’

For some reason, these past few days have been filled with encounters involving women’s chests.

Even Lady Serpina, whom I serve, has impressive proportions, making it hard not to notice.

And as for Lady Iren… Well, there’s no need to elaborate. I’ve never seen anyone with bigger breasts than her.

I had subconsciously categorized Reika as “average” because she often accompanied Lady Iren, but seeing her directly now…

It became clear that she was just relatively smaller compared to the others, a fact driven home by the sweet fragrance wafting from her body.

‘…After Lady Iren and Lady Serpina, maybe?’

Lost in thought, I let out an unconscious chuckle.

To think I’m heading somewhere that will likely be of no help to the nation while indulging in such peaceful musings.

Anyone watching might mistake this for a leisure trip.

“Um… Sir Swoen, are you uncomfortable…? You seem to be fidgeting…”

“Huh? Oh, no, I’m fine.”

“That’s good… I’m relieved…”

Reika sighed softly before continuing.

“E-excuse me…!”

She then slowly reached out her hand toward my head lying there.

And said…

“Sir Swoen, you’ve worked so hard… Please, take a good rest.”

Gently, she began stroking my hair.

“Thank you for all your hard work…” “Your efforts mean so much to us…” Her words flowed endlessly, soothing me.

Unable to shake the feeling that something must be up, I cautiously asked her.

“Is something the matter?”

“Huh? No, it’s just… Sir Swoen, you’ve looked really tired lately.”

“Me?”

“Yes… You always have dark circles under your eyes, and it seems like you haven’t been sleeping properly…”

“How did you know?”

“At night… Haven’t you been wandering around the manor quietly sometimes…?”

Ah, that’s right.

Ever since hearing about Lady Luna’s illness, I haven’t had many peaceful nights.

When sleep eluded me, I’d wander through various parts of the manor, lost in quiet contemplation. Apparently, she had noticed those sounds.

“I feel bad if I disturbed your sleep, Miss Reika.”

“No, no! It’s just that I have light sleeper tendencies… So I heard you moving around. Yes, Sir Swoen isn’t at fault.”

After saying that, she hesitantly revealed her intentions in her usual bashful tone.

“So… Because Sir Swoen looks so exhausted, I wanted to help somehow… Even if it’s just a little bit, I thought you could use some relaxation and rest.”

“Miss Reika…”

“Therefore… For now, please don’t worry about anything. Helping our lord or doing things for Miss Reika and Lady Iren are all wonderful, but right now, I want you to focus solely on yourself and rest.”

Without responding, I simply enjoyed the sensation of her knees beneath me.

Noticing my silence, she timidly asked again.

“Um… Did I cause any inconvenience…?”

“No, thank you, Miss Reika.”

I genuinely felt grateful.

If anything, her words helped me realize how much energy I had unknowingly expended while striving to save Lady Serpina instead of returning to Lady Luna.

“Since we’re here, I should take a proper rest. Would it be okay if I fell asleep here?”

“W-well, of course! I’m fine. Since it’s Sir Swoen…”

“Then please keep stroking my hair.”

“A-yes!”

Obeying my request, Reika resumed gently caressing my hair.

“Rest well, Sir Swoen…”

Despite the rough road causing the carriage to jostle, lying on her knees felt softer than any bed.

As the pleasant sweetness tickled my nose, I finally drifted into a deep sleep after what felt like ages.

* * *

‘To come back here again…’

Upon arriving at Kelshtain Castle and stepping out of the carriage, I glanced around lightly.

It stirred mixed feelings within me.

…Nothing seems changed. Or perhaps everything has changed so much that it feels unchanged.

The first time I came here, my cloak bore the crest of the Brance Clan.

Now, I stand here adorned with the emblem of the Einhardt family.

From when the blue flag of the Brance Army atop the tower was replaced by the yellow flag of the Serpina Army, quite some time has passed.

Soon enough, several soldiers recognized us and approached, offering respectful greetings.

“Welcome, Sir Swoen. Miss Reika.”

“Ah, hello…”

Reika bowed slightly beside me, reinforcing the impression that she doesn’t quite fit into places with strict hierarchies.

“Where is the Lady?”

“She waits inside. Please follow us.”

“Understood.”

Just as we were about to step forward,

“…?”

“A-ah… Um, I-I’m… nervous…”

Apparently, the prospect of going to the new royal palace made Reika visibly tense, shivering nervously while glancing around.

The same person who acted so confidently giving me a lap pillow moments ago now reverted to being shy in front of others, which I found endearing.

Instead of saying anything, I took her pale hand.

“A-ah!”

“Let’s go, Miss Reika.”

“A-yes, yes!”

Thus, holding Reika’s hand, we moved towards the Kelshtain Royal Palace.

* * *

Upon arrival, an old acquaintance greeted us.

“You’ve arrived, Sir Swoen.”

“Greetings, Lord Cranfis.”

“C-Cranfis-sama… M-my l-lord…”

Cranfis ignored Reika’s stammering behind me and kept his gaze on me.

That man, Cranfis, who once held opposing views to mine, apparently served as the lord of Hisfil Castle before troops were withdrawn… and since being pushed back to Kelshtain Castle, he continued staying here without further orders.

I looked at the empty throne chair and asked.

“Where is the Lady?”

“She’s temporarily absent. But there’s something I wish to ask you.”

“Please speak freely.”

“You mentioned relief activities. What exactly does that mean? As far as I know, thanks to our lord’s quarantine order, the plague hasn’t infiltrated the Northern Continent.”

“Exactly as it sounds.”

I briefly explained the significance of this ‘relief activity’ to Cranfis.

Firstly, “the dissatisfaction among citizens who couldn’t return to the northern continent after a temporary visit to the central region, or those with families or relatives in the central region, is very strong. We need to quell this public sentiment.”

“And, as you know, Lord Cranfis, since Yuria has unjustly provoked us, I believe our army needs to respond directly.”

Of course, I added that this would target citizens near Kelshtain with relatives in the Northern Continent.

Cranfis listened silently until the end, nodding but still harboring doubts in his eyes.

“If that’s the case, why not simply send supplies?”

“To another country? There’s doubt whether they’ll reach properly…”

“But if what you say is true, won’t we eventually need manpower to set up relief stations and possibly accommodate patients from the central region who may have contracted the plague?”

Indeed, that was the biggest concern.

Even if only a few people, given the nature of the plague, there’s no guarantee it won’t spread to the north due to bad luck.

“That’s why I brought someone.”

Saying that, I placed my hand on Reika’s shoulder standing next to me. She nervously bowed repeatedly.

Right.

The moment I heard Lady Serpina’s concern—”If we mobilize soldiers who fear contracting the plague, rumors will inevitably spread”—and chuckled at the result of Divinity 100, I realized the decisive factor.

It was none other than Miss Reika.

“…Are you Miss Reika?”

“A-yes, y-yes! T-that’s right…”

“Lord Cranfis, surely you’re aware of Miss Reika’s abilities?”

Without needing detailed explanations, Cranfis seemed to understand what I implied and nodded before posing a question.

“However, the issue lies in how much we can trust this magic.”

“Have you not heard news from the Northern Continent?”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

Cranfis waved his hand dismissively.

“It’s not about whether I personally trust it or not.”

…Ah.

“If I declare that the power of magic will protect you, thus allowing you to fully dedicate yourselves to the relief activities without worry, naturally the soldiers will obey. But is that truly the best course of action? That’s what I’m questioning.”

He struck a sharp point.

From the perspective of soldiers stationed far away and only receiving news, even with explanations about magic, it might appear as though we’re forcing them into a dangerous situation.

There’s also the possibility of unrest among soldiers coerced into participating, so establishing trust beforehand was essential.

‘How should I persuade him?’

Just as I pondered this,

“I’ll do it.”

Turning at the familiar male voice from behind,

A familiar face walked toward us.

“If I lead the relief operation personally, wouldn’t it prevent any complaints from the participating soldiers?”

The speaker was the interim lord of Kelshtain Castle—

Irian Al Caskey.