Chapter 76
“Ah…”
Hilde nodded. “It’s almost completely healed. I don’t even need bandages anymore.”
“That’s good to hear. I recall it being quite a deep wound.”
“It’s scarred over now and doesn’t hurt at all.”
Greta nodded at Hilde’s reply, a thought forming in her mind. His Highness will be returning to the estate soon. It was time to make the necessary preparations.
***
“Hilde, come sit here.”
Hilde’s eyes widened as Greta handed her a box. “Head Maid, what is this?”
“Open it.”
Hesitantly, she lifted the lid. Lace? A shimmering, pearly, translucent fabric was the first thing she saw. At first, she thought it was new embroidery cloth.
“Take it out.”
With a rustle, the fabric unfolded, revealing its true form. Hilde froze, her face flushing crimson. “H-Head Maid…?”
It was a negligee, so sheer it was almost transparent. If she wore this…
“You said your shoulder had healed, didn’t you?” Greta’s calm question made Hilde’s heart skip a beat. Speechless for a moment, a slow realization dawned on her. The time had come.
“Ah…” She had known this was coming, yet her hand trembled as she held the negligee. Greta sighed softly, folded the garment, and placed it back in the box. “You said you wanted to stay here, didn’t you?”
Hilde’s eyes flickered nervously as Greta continued, her voice gentle yet firm.
“Whether you can stay here, and how you stay here, depends entirely on His Grace’s will.”
I know. The knowledge itself frightened her. What if, by some chance… what if he doesn’t find me pleasing after we spend the night together? Will I be cast out immediately? Hilde nervously twisted the hem of her skirt.
“His Grace has been generous to you, it’s true. But it would be foolish to assume that his generosity will last forever.”
Hilde knew this too. A small seed of anxiety had always bloomed in the corner of her heart, the fear that this tranquility would shatter one day. No, she knew it inevitably would.
“He will want something from you soon. If you cannot provide it, he will cast you aside.”
The thought of being cast aside made Hilde’s eyes well up. Her fingers, still clutching her skirt, trembled.
“I can’t say for certain about anything else, but I can tell you one thing for sure.”
Hilde waited, her breath caught in her throat.
“You don’t have much time.”
Greta’s words, stark and unflinching, made Hilde bite her lip.
“Do you not want this?”
“N-no, it’s not that. Absolutely not…” Hilde shook her head quickly, her response almost desperate. Greta’s stern expression softened slightly.
“If you are prepared, I will gladly help you.”
“You will…?” Hilde blinked, surprised by the unexpected offer.
“If you don’t mind, it means you needn’t be so afraid.” A flicker of sympathy finally crossed Greta’s face as she glanced at Hilde’s hands.
Only then did Hilde notice her trembling hands. “Oh,” she whispered.
“You likely know nothing about what happens in the bedchamber.”
Hilde nodded. Her vague anxieties stemmed from this very uncertainty.
“Don’t worry. I will teach you everything.”
“Yes.” A blush warmed Hilde’s cheeks, but she nodded. She truly wanted to please him. Not just to avoid being banished from the ducal estate, but because… Hilde bit her lip. The memory of his touch, his breath on her skin, the mingling of their saliva—it was all so vivid, even now. Please, Master… Please find me pleasing. She wanted to experience more of the sweetness she had discovered with him. Again, and again, for a long time to come.
***
After days of relentless riding, Benedict and the Ducal Knights finally reached the foothills at the edge of Crozeta territory, bordering the Empire.
“The path is quite rough.” In truth, there was barely a path at all. Their informant had described it as a shortcut known only to a select few.
“This way, Your Grace.”
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