29 27. perfume







The leaves are starting to turn. In a little while, I'll have to collect the fallen leaves.
Feeling the change of the seasons, I was helping to replant the flowers in the flower bed. The flowers that were originally planted were still blooming for a while, so I avoided them near the servant's entrance, and waited for them to turn into seeds, which I would grow and use when the time for planting came. As for the bulbs, I will cut off the flowers of the Gekka and Ukon, dig them up, and overwinter them in a storage place.
I moved the end-of-season chrysanthemums and hagoromo plants into pots and used a cart to carry them to the servants' entrance. There is a path leading from the entrance of the house to the kitchen door of the fence, so the potted plants can be placed along the path to ensure sunlight.
It will take a few days to move the potted plants along the path. It takes a lot of energy, but it is interesting to see the carpet of flowers changing little by little. My father plants new flowers, and I take down the ones that have finished blooming.
In the late afternoon, I finished taking down the flowers for the day. This is because if I do this work all day, I won't be able to inspect the whole garden. As I was wiping off the sweat with a hand towel, a familiar face came out of the servant's entrance.

"Hello, Katrin. Are you out shopping?

Hello, Mr. Isak. Yes, I'm here to buy more tea leaves and coffee beans.

I greeted Katrin, the maid accompanying the young lady, and she greeted me back. She was carrying a small pochette with her wallet in it and a note in her hand.
She looked a little frail, so I asked her.

"How much do you buy?

"I buy coffee in beans, so I buy a little more.

I asked her to show me her notes, and it was indeed a heavy amount for Katrin to buy by herself. Thinking about it for a moment, I asked Katrin to help me.

You know, would it bother you if I went with you, even as a baggage handler?

"Yes, .......

I don't get a chance to go to expensive restaurants for the aristocracy, so I wanted to see it from the outside.

I know there's no way a commoner like me can get inside the store. But if I could just observe the exterior of the store, it would be a good reference for my garden.
After this, I'm going to look around the garden, which is also an important task, and I'll follow my father around, so I can learn a lot. I don't mean to disparage him, but I really lack the sense of beauty of the upper class. As it is, I don't think I can landscape a visitor's area like my father.

It's fine.

I looked at her as if to ask her to do something, and although she was confused, she agreed.

I'll go tell my father. I'll be right back, so please wait a little while.

There's no need to panic, .......

As soon as I ran out, Katrin's concerned voice was on my back. She must have been worried that I might fall over. I raised one hand and waved it in the air to let her know I was okay.
With my father's permission, Katrin and I headed for the stores lining the central street. It's a different street from the market street we usually go to, with different scenery and people. There are usually horse-drawn carriages, and the only people are near the entrance of the stores or on the terrace of the cafes. The only people on foot are servants like us.
I am waiting for Katrin in front of a tea store that sells tea leaves and tea sets, carrying a bag of coffee. On the market street, stores are mostly differentiated by variety, but I learned today that there are stores for the upper class that specialize in one genre. There is a large glass window in which the products are displayed. It looks like a Japanese show window.
The symmetry of the building is similar to the garden around the main entrance of the Ernst house. I guess symmetry and orderliness are popular with the aristocracy. I also think it's beautiful, but I'm a person who likes flowers in full bloom and trees growing up, so I thought I'd have to get used to this kind of thing. I'm still not very good at pruning flowers, I thought to myself.

The only saving grace is that the Ernsts like to keep things classy, not opulent. ......

Most of the stores that I could see had large windows displaying their products. Even if it is not a precious metal store, there are some stores that try to make their products stand out by dazzling them with jewels and decorating them with luxurious artificial flowers such as roses. Yes, it hurts my eyes.
I don't know what they want to show off more, the products or the decorations. But the store Katrin is in right now has a velvet tablecloth on a table in the window, with a strip of white silk cloth over it, like a line between the two. And there were ceramic pots and teacups of uniform design, probably brand-name ones, placed on the table as if just before drinking. On the side of the pot was a can of tea leaves with the store's logo on it, though I couldn't tell if there was anything inside. I felt it was elegantly casual.
The atmosphere of the store where I was going on an errand could tell me a lot about my employer's taste, so it was worth the trouble of asking to come along.
While I was satisfied with myself, a carriage passed in front of me.
The road was wide, but I took a step back just in case. I followed the carriage with my eyes and saw a café just ahead.
It was just in the late afternoon, so it seemed to be busy. There were people sitting on the terrace. Because of the sun, umbrellas at each table were open, mainly for women, to protect them from the ultraviolet rays. I wonder if people in this world know about ultraviolet rays. Well, even if they don't, they probably don't want to get sunburned.
I look at the customers under the umbrella. And then my eyes caught sight of two people.
One is a noblewoman. She was wearing a dress so extravagant that she could have gone straight to a soiree, and her makeup was heavy. To put it bluntly, she's gorgeous. She's not my type.
The other one was a boy about my age. He was as good-looking as a woman. He had hair the color of a purple hazel with loose waves. I'm not surprised because I'm used to seeing good-looking people at my place of employment, but his appearance alone gave me the impression that he smelled as sweet as a gardenia.

She's pale.



The reason why I stopped looking at him was because he was paler than the boy, even if it was because he was under an umbrella.
The reason for his pallor was obvious: the woman next to him.
She was not a family member or relative, but she was unusually close. She's holding the boy by the shoulders and stroking the contours of his face. That's not the way you look at a child.

Pervert?

No, it's s*xual harassment. If there's power added to this, it's power harassment. The boy is not making any obvious resistance, so that's a possibility.

Mr. Isak, sorry to keep you waiting.

Katrin came out of the tea store with a can of tea leaves in her hand. I looked away from the cafe and turned around.

No, it was a good lesson. Thank you very much.

When I thanked her, Katrin gave me a small smile.

I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that. I'm the one who should be thanking you.

It's not so much that I'm annoyed as I am amused, and I nodded my head. I don't know why Katrin-san is thanking me when I asked her to.
Ms. Catrin urges me to go, but I'm curious about the boy from earlier, so I look toward the cafe again.

"Is something wrong?

"No, .......

This time it was Katrin who tilted her head. It's a place I don't usually go, so Katrin can't tell what I'm looking at.
In my head, I know that I'm only here to escort Katrin, and that there's nothing I can do about it. But I can't ignore the fact that someone around my age is making such a face.
It's not fear, it's terror. The woman next to him doesn't seem to care about the boy's will. It's as if she is playing with her own doll. I know how scary it is to receive a gaze that paints over your existence.
Once I looked around, I noticed a person and called out to him.

"Hey, bro!

That's Zaku! It's so rare to see you here.

It's one of the cooks I meet in the kitchen. He is still young among the cooks, and I often see him preparing vegetables. He has a shaved head and looks like a first-year baseball player.

Do you go shopping too?

"Yes. I've got some nice fragrant mushrooms. The owner told me to go to .......

Here, take these too! I'm sorry I left you in the middle of the day, Katrin! Please go home with your brother first.

I just ran into one of the cooks from the Ernst family (my colleagues), so I left the bag of coffee beans I was carrying with him and quickly bowed to Katrin-san. I raised one hand in the air as if to say hello to my brother, and ran off, leaving them there.
He heard them calling his name, but did not look back.
As he approached the terrace of the café, avoiding the passing carriages and people, he smelled a smell that was not appropriate for a place to eat.
It was a strong scent, like the scent of lilies boiled down with the sharpness of lily-of-the-valley. I'm not good at either flower's scent. Breathing in the thick air of the scent I don't like makes me feel sick. Some of the customers around me frowned.

"You stink.

"What?

I tell the woman who smelled it straight away. The woman looked at me in astonishment, as if I had just appeared out of nowhere and said something rude.

"If you wear too much perfume, your food, tea, and wine won't taste any better.

If you wear perfume where you eat, it will interfere with the aroma of the food and you won't be able to taste it. In my previous life, the reason why there are non-smoking restaurants in Japan is to let people enjoy the taste of food including its aroma.
In my previous life, when I was in high school, there was a time when I longed for cigarettes, but I gave up because the old man in chemistry at the time punched me in the stomach and assured me that while I smoked, my food would taste bad, and if I stopped, I would become hopelessly fat because the thickness of my blood vessels would return and my food would taste good.
Cigarettes can be regulated, but perfume is difficult to regulate because it is in the category of fashion. It seems that this is the same in Japan in the past and in this country of Arbentroth. Some of the people around me looked at me as if to say, "He's got a point.

Some of the guests around me looked at me as if to say, "A little perfume is just right, isn't it? You're a lady and you don't know that?

That's what I learned from my sister in a previous life, but I'm sure she's right. Like Ok-sama.

What a rude lowlife!

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it. The boy, who had been rolling his eyes at my comment, turned to me with a frightened look, and I looked him straight in the eye.

"If you want to stay here, shake off my hand. If you don't, we'll leave.

What?

I say to the boy so that only he can hear me, and I pull him by the arm and start running.

I think you'd look better with less makeup on, you ugly old lady.

I said to the aristocratic woman, who was wearing a lot of makeup, as I left.
The boy's legs tangle, but he runs as he is pulled. But he's slower than me, as if he's not used to exercising.
A voice called out to him to stop, and he glanced behind him to see two men who looked like the woman's servants or bodyguards chasing after him. If I keep going, they'll catch up with me.
I quickly turned and entered the narrow space between the stores. The street was barely wide enough for one adult to pass, and it was in the shade, so I covered it with dark magic just in case. This is the first time I've tried to cover a shadow that disappears while moving, so I'm not sure if I'm doing it right. I'm not sure if I'm doing it right, but if I can make it a little harder for them to notice me, I'll be happy.


After passing through the stores, we came to the market street. A wave of people spread out in front of me.
As a commoner who is used to this many people, I entered the market street without hesitation. The arm that grabbed me hesitated for a moment, but I followed without retreating.
By the time I reached the market street, the shadows had broken through, but it would have been very difficult to find the two children in the midst of so many adults. I was silent, as was the boy following me, until I was sure that all signs of my pursuers were gone.

"......, wait!

I stopped and turned around to see the boy breathing on my shoulder, a bead of sweat running down the outline of his face. He couldn't run in the crowded market street, so he kept his speed to a walking race, but it seemed to be hard work for the boy.

You're not very strong, are you?

There's no way a nobleman, not even a horseman, would be working out. ......

But Leo's not afraid to come along.

Who's that? ......

You wouldn't believe me if I told you he was the prince of this country. Or maybe Leo is just weird. I don't know if it's normal for royalty to work out if nobles don't work out because of their family history.
By the way, the mini-game in Leo's route was a tactics RPG where he was in charge of commanding the troops, so I don't know if he had any combat power in the game.
At any rate, I decided to walk normally along with the boy, assuming that he would be fine since I had already covered a large distance. As soon as the boy was breathing, I told him my name.

"My name is Isak.

"Well, Isak. Why did you save me?

I didn't help you.

What?

The boy is surprised, but I nod my head.

You ran away on your own feet, so why would I help you?

I only grabbed the boy's arm with enough force to shake him off. Even now, I'm not holding his arm anymore, but he's walking with me.
The boy was stunned by my words.

And we're still only making do with what we have, so we'll have to figure out what to do.

"Oh, .......

When the boy realized that he had only temporarily escaped danger, his face turned pale as he imagined what was to come. When I slapped the boy on the back, he stumbled forward a little, as if I had given him too much momentum.
The boy looked at me in confusion, as if he had never been treated like this before. But his color improved, and I smiled at him.

Come on, let's go.

"So ......, speaking of which, where are you ......?

I thought I'd ask you for some advice since I don't know.

"Who?

The boy tilted his head and followed me. I walked through the servant's entrance and into the garden. I walked through the servant's entrance and into the garden, followed by the boy, who looked as if he was afraid to follow me.

I wonder if it's okay. ......

I'll talk to him about it, and if he doesn't, I'll just get scolded.

The boy let out a puff of air as he ducked through the trees and under the hedge like in a forest.
The fountain was now surrounded by beautiful cherry blossoms in red, white, peach, and purple, one for each color. Their backs were below the edge of the fountain, so the boy could sit on the edge of the fountain, and I encouraged him to do so.

You, whose name is ......, need to use honorifics after all this time?

"Huh, it's really late. I don't care.

He laughed at me. I sat down next to him, thinking, "Well, it's better than giving him a gloomy look.

My name is Nikolaus von Rudolstadt.

I'm Nikolaus von Ruedlstadt. My name is Isak Baumgartner. I'm an apprentice gardener for the Ernst family.

The moment Nikolaus heard the name of the Ernst family, he was blindsided.

What? So this is the duke's garden?

As Nikolaus panicked, the hedge snapped and his shoulders bounced.

"Oh, miss. I was just about to call you.

"Zak, I knew you were here. Zak, I knew you were here. I was worried that Denise would be late getting back.

The lady scolded me for not stopping by, taking off the hood of my cloak. I think Dad is angry, not worried, but she's kind enough to look for him as far as she knows. He won't be back for a while after this, so be prepared for at least a fist bump.
I smiled and thanked her while preparing to be scolded.

"Thanks for looking for me, lady.

"Hey, ......, I was just checking to see if the beautiful cherry blossoms were in bloom. ......

The lady's words trailed off as she looked toward the flowering fountain. I followed her gaze and saw Nikolaus hiding on the other side of the fountain, looking at me with trepidation.

"Oh, miss. His name is Nico.

"...... Nicolaus.

"That. Sorry, it was too long to remember.

You're not a spirit ......, you're a human ......? Zak, he must be the son of one of them! How did he get here?

I protected him.



The lady was surprised, then looked dumbfounded at my answer, and let out a long sigh.

He's not a cat or a dog, .......

He was molested.

"Oh my God, what have you done to my daughter?

The young lady was startled by the word "molester" and Nikolaus, his cheeks flushed with shame, impatiently covered my mouth. I unclasped my hand and turned back to Nikolaus.

I was going to talk to the lady about it, the sooner you tell her the better.

"Na ......, why, to your daughter~?

Nikolaus looks weak, as if he is about to cry. It would be shameful and embarrassing for Nikolaus, a man, to consult a girl, but I, a commoner and a man, can't do it alone.

You need a girl's opinion. Hey, girl. What do you think of this guy?

The lady stares at Nikolaus as he tries to hide behind my back. He was speechless for a moment and then gave his impressions with an exclamation of admiration.

"She's so beautiful it draws you in. ......

She's beautiful, isn't she?

She's more beautiful than most women, but she's not mistaken for a woman. I don't know. I don't know, but there's probably something coming out of her. Some kind of pheromone.

I'm sorry I'm late in greeting you. I'm Ludia von Ernst. I'm Lydia von Ernst. A servant of the family apologizes for the inconvenience. I apologize on your behalf.

No, no, no, no, no, no! I am Nikolaus von Rudolstadt.

I'm Nikolaus von Ruedlstadt. ...... Hey, don't greet people with me in the middle. And why is the young lady apologizing?

I'm standing in the middle of their conversation because Nikolaus is hiding behind me.

It's not the first time Zak has been rude.

"You don't have to apologize for me, young lady. I'll apologize for myself. Nico, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Yeah, what's up with .......? It's okay, you're rude. I mean, you're not gonna remember my name, are you?

Sorry about that, too.

I apologized again, and he laughed and said I could call him that.

So, why are you hiding?

Because girls are women, too. ......

Nico has been trying to hide from the lady's view for a while now. But there's nowhere to hide in the study garden, which is nothing but a small fountain that serves as a sun pool, so he uses me as a shield. Apparently, even though I'm not being molested, I'm getting some looks and thoughts from girls my age, and they're scared of me.

You'll be fine. You'll be fine. You've got Leo and everything.

"What are you basing that on? You're being disrespectful to Master Roy. First of all, Master Nikolaus is a different kind.

Oh, so you want to s*xually harass Nico, too?

I don't know what a s*xual harassment is, but as a duchess, I would never be rude to Master Nikolaus.

I'm not sure what a sekhara is, but as a duchess, I would never be rude to Nikolaus-sama.

I applauded with admiration as the young lady proudly declared. I applauded her with admiration, but perhaps because I said she was cool, she looked at me with half-lidded eyes. I complimented her.
Since I hadn't asked her about it yet, I decided to sit back down at the fountain and ask Nico about it so that I could think about what to do. I asked Nico to sit down again, and I sat down next to him and tapped him on the groin.

"Hey, sweetie.

What? What is it?

What is it?" "If you sit there, you'll get pollen on your skirt.

She tilted her head back, but then understood my intentions and her face turned red.

No, thank you! I'd rather stand than sit on top of a Zaku.

I'd rather stand than sit on Zaku.

Why don't you just sit down? There are places to sit.

Why did you plant it like that, anyway?

I thought it was cute.

I thought it would look nice if we surrounded the fountain with colored blocks, like a picture frame for flowers. The young lady asked me accusingly, and I answered honestly, and we both lost our strength.

"That's enough, .......

"I'm so sorry. Master Ludia.

When the young lady seemed to be tired of something, Nico gave her some words of encouragement. I wonder what Nico is feeling sorry for.
Anyway, we decided to sit down and talk, so I pulled her hand and made her sit sideways on my lap. This way it would be easier for Nico to talk to her, and the flowers wouldn't get on the hem of her skirt.
Is it my imagination, or does the young lady look strangely stiff? Well, sitting on a man's lap is not very comfortable.

"Sir Nikolaus, may I ask what's going on?

"Yes, yes.



The young lady hastened to start the conversation, and Nico told me the story with some trepidation.

My family is an earl family, but since my father is the Prime Minister, we are often approached by the higher nobility.
So, my mother frequently took me to tea parties. ...... Some people asked me personally to help them choose a gift for their nephew, and I couldn't refuse... ...

The more he spoke, the more dejected Nico became. The more you talk about it, the more disheartened you'll become. You can't say no because you're in a position to do so, but as a man, you feel ashamed and devastated because you can't resist a woman's advances.

You can't say no because you're in a position to do so.

Aunt ...... is fine for now. If that's the case, she's probably screaming because she was taken by a commoner kid. As soon as I get back to the mansion, I'll tell the Ruedelstads that I happened to see the wandering Nikolaus and invited him to my house.

"You're quick, young lady.

I'm sure Zak didn't do anything to make it obvious that he's related to the Ernsts.
Dear Nikolaus, can we assume that you were released immediately because you had no money on you?

Of course.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at my home.
However, ......, I will ask for your mother's cooperation without telling her the situation, but please understand that there is a possibility that she will know.

"I understand, .......

Even if we secure a shelter, we still have to deal with the source of the problem.

The fact that it's a woman is ......

That's right.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out how to get the best out of it. I'm not sure what to make of this.

"Well, let's just relieve the stress we've been under.

What?

I'm not sure how to respond to my suggestion," he said. I said no to the girl, took her off my lap and opened a drawstring bag I'd brought from the laundry drying area I'd stopped at on the way over.

"What is it?

What's that?" The lady and Nico peered curiously at the leather pillow-like mass I pulled out of the large bag.

It's some kind of punching bag.

I've got a tool I use when I train with my master, but I don't know what it's called. It has a handle and a place to put your arm through, and you hold it like a shield. It is large enough to be used for kicking.

Come on, come on, come on.

"What? What? I'm not sure what to do.

Nico was confused as I held up the leather bag. It seems he's never been in a fight before, let alone trained for one.

"Punch this as hard as you can. You're a creep, you're a b*tc*, you're a b*tc*, you're a b*tc*.

What do you mean "creepy"?

It means "gross.

What does this mean, ......?

It'll clear it up.

Nico and the girl don't seem to know what's going on. When I told him to try to hit me, he made a fist and hit the leather bag.

"Weak. Give it all you've got. Also, tighten your arms.

.......

There's more force than before, but it's still weak.

I can't hear you. Tell him he's disgusting.

That's ...... gross.

No one's listening in here, so you can yell as much as you want. See?

That's what I said to Nico, but then I saw the girl.
I gestured to her to cover her ears just in case, and she did so with both hands. I made sure of it and used wind magic to put up a membrane around her to block the sound from reaching her. It may not be completely soundproof, but it can at least make it difficult to hear. Well, even if she could hear it, it's unlikely that she'd learn to swear.
After showing some hesitation, Nico thrust out his fist with a voice.

I'm not sure what to do.

For the first time, there was a heavy thud. You'll be able to see the difference in the feel of the fist, and Nico's eyes will light up.

It's good.

It's definitely a little refreshing. ......

You'll be able to see the difference in the way your fists feel. After a few strikes, Nico began to complain on his own, even if I left him alone.

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it.

A good fist bump.

My dad told me to tell him if there was anything he wanted to know. ...... How could he?

Another good fist bump. I mean, Nico, aren't you getting worse than me? Well, that's how stressed you must have been. It's amazing that she's beautiful even with her angry expression.
After finishing his fist, Nico breathed on his shoulder, wiped his sweat with his sleeve, and took a deep breath to catch his breath. Then she smiles radiantly.

"Oh, I feel better!

That's good.

I don't know what it is about ...... boys.

When we released the wind film and told her she didn't need to cover her ears anymore, she looked at us with a look of incomprehension.


In a previous life, my friend and I would go to the batting center after a test and hit the ball while screaming for no reason, but I've never seen a girl do that. I wonder if it's a feeling that girls don't understand. I wonder if it's a feeling that girls don't understand, but it's fun to say the name of the ramen for no reason.
Now that I'm done relieving stress, I'll think about what to do in the future.

You can't be around your mother all the time, and she doesn't know it, so she can get in touch with you. ......

How can I avoid this? ......

Oh.

I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.

You don't have to be the target in the first place, do you?

What do you mean?

If Nico is seen in a different light, the other side won't come close to him, and he won't have to run away.

I'm not sure what you mean by that.

"Can you do that?

"Maybe, but ......

But?

Nico also has risks. It might be harder for you to make friends in the future, and you might have a hard time when you find a girl you like. ......

I'll do it.

I'm not sure if you've seen this before, but I'm sure you've.

I was surprised when Nico answered right away before I even asked him what he thought.

I'd rather do anything than go through such a horrible experience. I've never had any male friends because the only ones I've ever had were either jealous of the women who came to me or cursed me to my face. And I don't think I'll ever be able to do it, but it's more important to have a beautiful body in case I do get such a girl!

"Oh, my God, .......

I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it. That's it, Nico. The lady also felt that Nico was in serious trouble. She gave Nico a sympathetic look.
She pushed Nico's shoulder, distanced herself from him, and said what she thought.

"You should become a woman, Nico.

"Onee?

Both Nico and the girl couldn't make sense of it, so they repeated the words.

"Just pretend to be a man and use feminine language and gestures.

It will change the way people look at you, but will it make a difference?

I'm not sure. Then you won't think so when you get a homos*xual response from him.

Is that how it is?

"Feminine language and gestures." ......

I don't know what to refer to Nico, but I'll warn you that I saw your daughter.

I'm not referring to your daughter. She's cute.

"What ......?

Suddenly, the girl turned red. I wonder if she was offended that I said she was not a reference. If you're referring to the young lady, she's probably not an onee, what was it? If you refer to the girl, maybe Nico is not an onee, but a man's daughter. I've heard my sister complain that one of her friends had a problem with that. That might rather widen the range of perpetrators.

What should I do then?

Nico laughed at the girl's reaction, and then asked me.

Well, the first person is me, and I'm kind of an opinionated ...... person.

You have to be strong to do that. ......

You can't attack me physically, but you're beautiful. You can't physically attack her, but you can use her beauty as a weapon.

You can use this face as a weapon. ......?

It seems that Nico, who was victimized because of her beauty, did not have the idea of using her appearance as a weapon. He rolled his big eyes framed by his long eyelashes.
After a few moments of silence, Nico muttered to himself, "I'll give it a try," as if he had made up his mind. I'm going to practice a little so that I can get used to the language, and then I'm going to ask the lady to help me check the actual effect. If you can say it without flinching against a duchess, you'll have more courage.
Taking a deep breath, Nico opened his mouth.

You're pretty, but you're nothing compared to my beauty.

Brushing her hair lightly, Nico said in a high-pitched voice. And then the young lady muffled.

I don't have any objections to ......, but it's kind of frustrating.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Master Ludia!

"Don't go back, Nico. It worked.

Yeah, .......

How did it make you feel, young lady?

It was as if a man of the same s*x had pointed it out to me. I don't think I'd recognize a man if he acted like that.

Nico's face lit up when he heard what she said. It's strange to think that you'd be happier if you weren't seen as a man, but if that's Nico's situation, so be it.

I'm going to go with ......, I'm going to go with this!

I'm going to go with this!" The gut-punching Nico seemed to have grown stronger, even though he was talking to a woman.

"Oh, good luck. If you need to blow off some steam, I'll be there.

Thank you.

Nico nodded with a big smile on his face. Looking at the motivated Nico, the lady muttered.



...... Zaku really does come up with the strangest things, doesn't he?

Really?

It was supposed to be a serious problem, but now it's just ridiculous. It's strange.

I see.

I laughed, knowing that it was not a compliment.
I was happy to see Nico's expression had changed so much from the first time I saw him. I think it's important for Nico to look forward to the future, although it's hard to know without trying.
That day, Nico went back to the mansion with his daughter and was driven home in the Ernst family carriage.


A month later, when he was working in the garden, the young lady came to visit him as usual. Behind her, there was another person with her. The other one pulled her out with a big wave of his hand.

"Zaku, they're here!

"Here she comes! Nico, you're here again?

Why is it that Nikolaus is always here on the days that I don't tell him to meet Zaku?

Hi, Mistress Dia. I told you to call me Nico-chan.

I'm sure you'll be able to understand why.

I think you're being too forward.

"Oh, if you're going to act, you have to be thorough or you'll get caught.

"Nico looks like he could be an actor.

You could be an actor," I muttered admiringly.

"That's a good idea. So, Zak--

He squared his shoulders firmly with a smile.

"Let me hit you.

It's a bit too direct for my taste, but I'm used to it. He seemed to like the way I tried to relieve his stress, and started to ask me to do it regularly. I've heard that he's not getting molested or s*xually harassed anymore, so maybe it's just a hobby.

"I'm almost done, wait for me.

"Hurry up!

While sweeping the leaves with the broom, I keep Nico company. He can't wait, so he hurries up behind me.

Then get away from me.

Yes, please don't interfere with Zaku's work!

It's fine for sweeping, but it's hard to move, so I tell him to move away, and the lady pays attention.

"Oh no, Miss Dear. Are you jealous?

"No, I'm not!

The girl who had been ridiculed by Nico, who asked happily, became angry and her cheeks flushed. The two of them started arguing, and I told Nico to moderate himself and concentrate on his work.
Lately, the background music at work has been getting louder.
Well, I guess it's better to keep the girl occupied than to keep her waiting.