I am returning home from a tea party that Neusch invited me to.
　When I say return home, I don't mean to the Touahade mansion, but to the room I'm renting at the castle.
　The purpose has been accomplished, there's no point in Meena, the snake demon tribe, trying to do anything to Noish and the others. Noish is proud of his knighthood and will stick to what he decided to do in the duel and shun Meena.
　........What is interesting is the craving for power that Noish showed at the end. If the thirst for power is even stronger than his pride, then that's where he could be taken advantage of by Meena.
　After all, they are the demon race. It would also be possible to give power to humans.
　Therefore, I'll use the backstage communication network to contact Maha in order to make arrangements to put a surveillance on him.
　While doing that, we cleansed ourselves with hot water and towels in our respective rooms, then we changed and gathered in the direction of the common space.
　While chatting, we had a meeting for tomorrow or later.

This room is so convenient, I want to live here forever.
As a servant, I'm uncomfortable with the prospect of my existence being shaken.

I guess it's because it's a room for state guests that it has a large communal area, each room, and a kitchen, all in a rented room.
　Food and drinks are of first-class quality, and most things are brought to you immediately upon request.

It's very comfortable here, but I'm more comfortable in Touahadé. It's a comfortable place, but I feel more at home in Tauahade, and I prefer the food prepared by the tart.
I'm glad to hear that.
I knew I'd have to learn to cook. Your mother always said a man's stomach is his own.
Gosh, let's just talk about tomorrow.

........I decided to attend Noish's tea party, but in fact, there's one more invitation of the kind that I can never refuse.
　Now that I have the title of a holy knight, there are few things of the kind that are unavoidable, but there were those few exceptions.

''Tomorrow I'm meeting with the Duke of Romalung. ........I didn't know you'd issue an invitation in the joint name of the royal family. There's no way we can escape. And that's why you're meeting with us.

The sender is one of the four major duke families, just like Noish's family, the Gefis family.
　It's also a house that is closely related to Touahade's underbelly.

The Touahade's blade is wielded only for the sake of this country. Hence, it operates only on orders from the royal family.
　However, not all the orders of the royalty are transmitted directly to them.

One of the four great dukes, the Dukes of Romalung, will decide if it is truly for the good of the country and ask Touahade to do it.
　And after our assassination, the Duke of Lomarng takes care of the rest, which is in the national interest.
　He is, after all, the Touahade's superior.
　And to be entrusted with that role is to be the most trusted nobleman in the kingdom.

Originally, I was supposed to greet the Romalung family's daughter from time to time after I entered the school, but due to various troubles, I had to postpone it.
　But now that I've come to the capital, I'm finally going to face that person.
　.........If I made a mistake, let alone one step, if I made a half-step, not only my life, but my Touahade would be over.
　As expected, I'm nervous.

Hey, Roug. I guess I'm not really supposed to go along with that.
That's harsh. They say they'll allow one squire, but not the others.
What do you think happens when you go against them and follow them?
"The letter had the royal seal on it. If you're going to defy the king's order, at best, I personally will be put to death.
'Ugh, when you put it that way, I can't say it's unreasonable. Tart, you have to protect the rogue for me, too.
Okay, I'll take care of it!　I will protect you, Master Lugue, with my life.

As always, the tart is hard at work.

'I'm glad you're enthusiastic, but you need to take care of yourself. It makes me sad when my precious tart gets hurt.
Woo, that's awfully important.

Tart blushes and presses both cheeks together.

'Rouges are so plain sometimes, aren't they?
'I try to be honest about my favors. Especially for Tart, Dia, and Maha.

We're a team.
　We don't like to keep things from each other.

'Hmm. But I don't want to do that, but I don't want to have to keep playing the game just to get them to do that. I think we need to keep up the good work on the tart. It's just that lately, Rouges have been obsessing over this s*xy sister. It's not enough for me. You need to have Tart's s*x appeal.
What, bromance?
'Yeah, yeah, I don't mind a tart, and I'd much rather be satisfied with a tart than be taken by that old lady.
''So I'm telling you I don't look at the Countess of Grunfeldt that way.
Yeah, I know. I was sure of it today. I'm pretty sure Lug thinks the guy is the enemy. I was just teasing him. I should probably get back to my room now. I just want to give shape to the magic that came to me during the day.

Dia said all she wanted to say and then went back to her room.

I'll be wearing earplugs today because I want to concentrate on my work, and once again, I can't hear anything if I'm concentrating on my magical research. It's a good idea.

He said meaningfully.
　After Dia was gone, I looked at the tart's face and it flushed even more.
　Then, Tart squeezes out a voice.

''Um, Rougu-sama, well, do you remember when I said that I would be more useful to Rougu-sama if I used naughty things for assassination?''
I remember. I stopped it.

One assassination technique, coloration, is very powerful and has been used since the past.
　Tart's good looks, s*x appeal, and gestures that unconsciously stir up a man's taste for s*x are innate. If the target is a man, it can be used as a weapon.
　However, it is not suited to Tart's personality.

Above all, I don't want you to make me a tart like that.

'After you stopped me, I said I wanted to serve Master Rougues as his maid, rather than learning how to color as an assassin, and I remember what Master Rougues said. 'That'll happen sooner or later. I'm not going to hold a woman who's trembling just because a man pushed her down on me.'
You said it.

Surprisingly, he's right, word for word.

I mean, can't it be now?
How is this possible?
'There's no rush!　I've always wanted you to love me, but I've been so scared of you, and I'm afraid that when you're no longer afraid, you'll be able to stop being scared of what Master Rogues said about the day that comes. You have to resist asking me to love you. But Master Rogues starts doing that with Master Dia, and I see so many naughty girls and other people, and I don't want to wait any longer.

........He looked unconcerned, but was he concerned about what happened with Dia and the snake demon race, Meena?
　As for the latter, though, it was a complete false accusation.

''Feng, Tart. Let's settle down for the day.''

Tart looks like it's the end of the world and my heart aches.
　I guess I didn't say enough.

''It's not that I don't want to make love to Tart. You still have the effects of [Beastification], right?　If you decide not to be cool, you'll regret it.
'It doesn't matter!　I've been thinking about it for a long time!　Besides, this is the only time I can say this, when I'm trying to be reasonable!

...He's so excited, his tone is funny and he says something outrageous at the end.

'You were scared before, but you're really okay with it.
'I learned my lesson!　Also, all I want now is to have a rogue-sama, and I'm not afraid of him at all, because I just want to eat him!
'Studying. That's what you were looking at yesterday, huh?
'Hi!　Oh no, no, did you realize that?
It's hard not to notice. All those eyes.

And the tart wasn't just watching.

'Oh, um, well, I'm sorry. I was just curious.
I forgive you for that. Don't do it again. If you must see it, ask Dear for permission.
I won't!

Tart answered immediately.

I forcefully hold the tart in such a way and squeezed it.
　Then I love the tart's body with my hands.

'You really seem to be okay.'

Before, I shivered and stiffened, but now the tart is different.
　Softly, and accepting my embrace, he hugs me back the other way.

'I won't be afraid of you anymore, Lug-sama. So, please.
All right. Let's go to your room then.
Yes please make me feel better.

It's typical of a tart when he says not to be nice here, but to feel good. He puts me first.
　He's a really good kid.

That's why I want to take care of him and love him.
　I'll take the lead in making sure it's a great experience, even if it's your first time.
　Also, let's take care of the door, just in case.

Dea had expected this to happen, or rather, she had a section of the tart that spurred her on.
　I'm sure Dia won't be able to see through the keyhole like Tart did, but we have to be careful just in case.