27 No Matter What, I’ll Protect You

My eyes abruptly shot open as a weird sense struck me awake from a deep slumber. I then gazed around the room with my sleepy eyes and realized that the ceiling didn't belong to my room, as I can't see a hologram alarm that usually woke me up in the morning.

"Hmm? How did I end up here?" I scratched my hair while a feeling of oddness cropped up.

Is it just me or— wait… Why's there a white hair on my cheek? Did my hair turn white because of stress? My hand touched the hair and traced the source before finding that it came from under the blanket where my right arm was.

Ah… no wonder my right arm feels heavy for some reason. Swiftly opening the blanket with my left hand, I saw a sleeping figure of cute and pure white-haired girl was clinging on my right arm.

As I thought, it's Lillie. I had been planning to get away after waiting for her to sleep, but I guess my exhaustion caught up to me first before I manage to do the did… Guess, I'll wake her up… Huh?

Just when I was about to poke her snow-white cheek, a trace of tears formed on the edge of her eyes. She then murmured something and snuggled up to my arm.

"N-no… Don't leave Lillie alone! Mo-mother…"

Eh… so she was still sad about her family… Poor little girl… This reminds me of my family, it's been years since I last saw them… Hah… Would I ever see them again?

Unconsciously, I patted Lillie's head before getting out of bed after covering her with a blanket. Little did I know, that she was awakened by that. Her eyes twitched before it opened slowly, and her covered hand rubbed her eyes as she gazed around the room.

She then sat up with one of her hands holding the bed and the other on her mouth as she looked at me. Her look was so innocent and pure despite the different colors on her eyes. I couldn't help but fell in reverie.

Hmm… cute.

"Hoam~… Victor? Good morning." She said with a straight face as if there was nothing wrong with anything. Good morning? Good morning your head!

"Y-yes… good morning, Lillie."

Wait, this is bad… If Brown were to discover this, the loyalty that he shows yesterday would shatter in an instant. I would also be stamped as a pedophile which I wasn't. I wasn't a lolicon, alright!

Gryut~ Gurgle~

Huh?

"T-that wasn't Lillie!" She denied while shaking her flushed head. No… it's definitely yours….

"Anyway, it's morning already, let's have breakfast."

"Uh-huh~… The last dinner was the best dinner Lillie ever had!" Lillie swiftly nodded in anticipation.

Now, how could I come out from Lillie's room without being known? Ah… I should just use the camera in the hallway. Wait, that's stupid, I should just ask ATA about it.

"ATA, show me a 3D map of the ship!"

["Affirmative!"] As her frosty voice was on English, only me could hear it.

A moment later, a hologram map of the ship was projected. I could see two green dots inside Lillie's room with one of it had a thicker outline, indicating me. There was also a triangle attached to the dot that showed where we were gazing.

Hmm… so where's him? Ah, here it is!

There was a green dot inside the dining hall of the ship. For some unknown reason, it was constantly moving and didn't stop turning around.

Of course, he'll be confused by the devices on there. Come to think of it, he was a butler of a noble, must have taken an initiative.

Thereafter, I got out of Lillie's room in a still vigilant state despite the map saying that Brown was in the dining hall. A few seconds later, Lillie also came out as well after I told her to.

So far so good… Just when I was celebrating the successful escape. A sudden sound of clap brought me back to my reality, while a shudder cropped up my back.

"Aren't its milord and milady. Good morning." Brown came out from the hallway with a gentlemanly smile.

Unknown to me, Lillie tilted her head a little after hearing what Brown said to me. Then, a blush appeared on her cheeks for an unknown reason.

"Y-yes, good morning." I nodded with a wry smile before asking, "What's the matter, Brown?"

"My apologize, Young Lord… But I'm afraid that my incapable self isn't able to serve any breakfast." He downcast his eyesight as if his pride was hurt. Figures. That was the case.

"Well, I never ordered you to do that. Nonetheless, follow me!" With that, Brown nodded his head and followed me with Lillie.

As we reached the dining hall, I didn't explain to him how to use the auto kitchen. After all, teaching him that would be the same as teaching a blind person how to read. There was a look of disbelief and astonishment as my finger touched the hologram list. I wasn't scared that he will poison me, hence I told him to bring the food to the dining hall.

After that, I and Lillie sat on the chair and wait. A few moments later, Brown came with a trolley and served us breakfast. A disappointment couldn't be hidden on his face as he gave each of us a tray filled with food and drink.

"What is it, Brown?" My brow raised in question.

"It hurts my pride that I couldn't serve milord and milady with food that I made." Hmm? Brown is a man with high self-esteem. Well, as expected from a butler of a noble.

As my mouth was chewing, I noticed that Lillie wasn't as gluttonous as usual. At first, I ignored it, but couldn't help but ask in the end, "So, umm… is there a problem, Lillie?"

Lillie which was playing with her food stuttered, "N-no… it's nothing, Victor." She then avoided eye contact while her cheeks redden a little. Ah… Did I do something that upset her?

"Just tell me about it, if it's within my power, I'll help you." I slurped my drink after saying that.

Initially, she hesitated but then answered with a blush, "it's just… only father and mother were called milord and milady. So, does that mean we're married?"

Pfthhhh… Uhuck-Uhuck… did she really was so clueless? Or is she trying to pull my leg…?

Hearing that, Brown's face darkened and a bloodlust pervaded the atmosphere. Although I had anticipated such a thing and ready to act in case of such, killing him won't give me any benefit whatsoever.

After cleaning my mouth, I swiftly coughed to clear the misunderstanding, "Ahem… No, we never. Brown, explain it to her."

Somehow, her eyes dimmed a little, and she gazed at the floor as if she was a little let down by that answer. Why are you look a bit disappointed??

"Yes, milord! Little miss, I dedicated my old self to work under Sir Victor in exchange for him to protect you."

"He's right, I promise you a lifetime of peace and happiness. No matter what happens and when it is, I'll guard and protect you. As that was what I promise."

Just when that sentence finished being uttered, Lillie's face brightened and she smiled happily. She then said, "Lillie didn't quite understand fully what that means. But somehow, it made Lillie's heart flutter."

Thereafter, she ate the food swiftly with an appetite greater than ever before. Making all the food on her plate vanished in an instant. Unknowingly, a smile formed on my mouth as I watched her smile. What a simple kid.

Afterward, I went to the control room as ATA had reported that the ship had reached the destination.

"ATA, show me a map of the surrounding landscape!"

["As you commanded!"]

Subsequently, a 3D hologram map was projected. A flat grassland with an area of 5.000 square kilometers located near an intersection of a river entered my eyesight. It had steep hills surrounding it dozens of kilometers away, thereby making that place secluded and quite easy to defend.

What a great place to set up a base, it had a food and water source while also geographically strategic. I wonder why there wasn't any settlement of humans near here.

I rubbed my chin before shrugging it off, "Eh… there's no need to look a gift horse in the mouth. I should just accept this gift and be content with it."

After inspecting the place and found it to be perfect, I decided to land. But just to be cautious, the invisible mode of the ship wasn't deactivated so to not attract any attention.