Chapter 22

Hi, this is Desmond.

Even though Katherine was here, I felt that even Charlotte felt lonely sometimes.

"I had no idea that you were such a friendly person"

"I myself am surprised Maia was so easy to talk to."

Uh-huh. Ha-ha.

　My wife has made a friend.

　Not a noble friend, but a commoner friend. And she doesn't even look at me sitting beside her. I believe in her, but I felt betrayed.

　I've really become a loner.....

Hello, this is Desmond.

I was at Maia's house The small living room is furnished with the minimal number of things necessary, but the furniture is rather stylish for the house of a simple, farmer couple. This means that there is enough luxury to pay attention to such things.

　As a lord, I am satisfied with the life of the people in my domain, who can afford it.

　At the table in the center of the room, Charlotte and I sat next to each other, with Maia across from us and Katherine ...

Like a fully automatic tea fetching device - no, it's not that simple. Katherine poured the tea into Charlotte's cup, which was so elegant and effortlessly smooth that the tea seemed to gush out of the cup on its own. Oh, and she does it for Maia too.

　I'm sure she'll pour it for me too as soon as I finished mine.

　Even though she was being offered a chair, Katherine did her job as a maid as if she were a household fairy. A maid in the living room of a farmhouse may not seem fitting, but Katherine is a first-class maid.

They blend in naturally by using "presence block"

　That's why I'm afraid I might get stabbed before I know it, you little assassin maid ....

"I really like that scene, It's so wonderful"

"I thought so too. when the two of them, who had been so far apart suddenly held hands"

" "Kyaaa!" "

"...."

　It is often said that if you want to know what it is like to be lonely, it is better to go into a crowded area.

　No one speaks to each other, and people pass by without being noticed or cared for. They are all the same, but they not only don't communicate with each other, they pass by each other as if they were mere obstacles. --It's a strange way of putting it.

　But I would like to add one more thing to that.

　If you have doubts about your existence, just go to the "Maiden's Garden".

'Why am I here? Why do I have to stay in this place?'

"Charlotte-sama are you familiar with this novel?"

"Of course. I've ordered it directly from the artist and have already read the latest edition."

" Impressive. Even I was surprised by that Lord Oskar's hand touching scene."

" " Right!? Kyaaa!! " "

　Charlotte and Maia lean over and fuss over each other. I sip my tea and pick a strawberry.

　Really, why am I still here?

　I followed their lead and wordlessly sipped my tea (bittersweet) and picked a strawberry (sweet and sour). It's true what the priest said, that the taste of things changes depending on the snack.

　It seemed that Maia also liked the books that Charlotte liked, and as soon as she was shown into the house, Charlotte found the book on the shelf. And after that, the two of them got to know each other very well, talking about romance stories, and since then, they've been neglecting me, their lord, noble, protector, and husband.

　Well, it's good that my wife is enjoying herself, isn't it?

　I can't get the way of their hobbies, right?

　Besides, I want her to get to know the commoners, and it's good to have friends, right?

Even if I don't have any friends, and even if I've been feeling lonely and flustered inside for a while now, even the maid's narrow eyes seem to have a hint of pity in them ( whether that's true or not, I can't tell from this almost expression-less face).

..........

........

　I want to go home. .... Why do I even exist here?

*sips*

　I sipped my tea.

"Kyaaa"

"Kyaaa"

　If I say you're too old for this, I could get killed. right? Charlotte and Maia, they're so friendly they are they would never kill me, right?

　--I want to believe that they won't.

　However, it was a scene that made me realize that women are always girls, even if they are in their late 20s.

"Desmond-sama"

"Kyaaa!"

　I stopped myself from letting out a cry when she suddenly spoke to me.

"What's up, Katherine?" This is probably the first time she has ever taken the initiative to speak to someone other than my wife. I responded as if I were a department manager being talked to by a young female employee.

"Um" said this maid, with her usual cool good looks. "Maia can read?" There seems to be an admiring tinge to it.

"Oh, that."

　I'm a little too proud to mention it.

"I've set up a free academy. We teach reading, writing, and math, and other..."

　I was about to say but stopped it.

"Other....?"

"Nothing, nothing"

　I was afraid to say that in this place.

　I glanced to the side to see Charlotte happily chatting with Maia. She was so different, and it was also true that she was feeling relaxed.

　--If this family is one of those, it would be beyond unpleasant....

"Well, anyway, I'm trying to make sure that commoners can read, write, and do math, too."

"I'm impressed."

　The maid's honest compliment almost makes my nose grow.

　But Randolph old man was....

'The townsfolk are highly literate and they are more educated than the rest of the country, if not more so. ... You are doing something interesting, Desmond. They will not accept exploitation due to ignorance, and they will not blindly follow authority due to critical thinking. I wonder how Lord Desmond's people will grow up. Ho-ho, interesting.'

　I'm not kidding when I say that the commentary was not exactly complimentary. it was vaguely grim and smelled of blood. I pretended not to see the hidden hound's fangs. I just thought it was better that way. ...

　I have no desire for greed or violence.

　More like I didn't think too much about it. ...

　--Well, I hope you can learn from this maid. If I have the opportunity to do so, I would be more than happy to accompany you more ...

　Anyway, thanks to this, Charlotte was able to make friends with Maia. The merchant who was delivering the new book to Charlotte's place was also selling it to the town's bookstore, and he was delighted with the good sales.

　Isn't this the only town in the country where books sell well?

　The reputation of the crops and livestock in our territory is good, and thanks to that, even a commoner farmer and woman can afford to buy an illustrated book.

　However, if you think about it, Charlotte's tastes are known to the people of this town. ... So to speak, even if you're not that of a fan, you can still enjoy it.

'Favorite author of lord's wife, New issue of Mr.**** is here'!!!

　It's like a pop-up ads. If it were me, I couldn't stay in this town anymore. Thank God there is no Eros in this world. If there had been, Desmond's ads would have been placed next to Charlotte's ads, and I would have been unable to bear to look at it.

　--Don't worry!　It's okay! Charlotte's got friends now!　

　But even if she can make friends, I don't want her to put any of my recommendations on the table.

　And Charlotte-chan, twenty-nine years old, whose preferences had been exposed without her knowledge, was still having a great time with Maia, a commoner, and a farmer.

　--I'm bored ....

　Picking strawberries sounds good, except, I need to maintain the dignity of the Lord.

In the past, if it was a regular man's face, everyone would have turned away. but in this life, the blonde-haired, blue-eyed, handsome aristocrat's face, the women would not be able to leave him alone and would console him - but I couldn't afford a thing like that....

'Haa ***-sama is so cool.『I'm sure that's why I was born here. To love you.』I'd love to be told that.'

　Maia sigh. In a world where there are many beautiful women, regardless of whether she's a big woman or a farmer's wife, Maia's melancholy breath is lustrous, and her thick lips almost draw my eye in. But in front of the narrow, almost expressionless eyes of the assassin maid, I had to hold back, and the most important of all--

"------"

"Hey, what's wrong?　Miss Charlotte."

"....."

　Charlotte is here.

*stare*

　--Ung, please stop, I'm sorry, please.

Since Charlotte's favorite picture story has become an untold favorite of the town's bookstores, please, I hope you will forgive me for leaking to the outside world and don't compare it with our private bed activity.

"Oh."

　And Maia seemed to have realized the meaning of Charlotte's gaze. She glanced at me, her cheeks flushed, and looked at Charlotte, then at me.

*stare*

commoner should never float to the top of a lord.

'Hmmm, heh, hmmm...Well, well, well. Lord Desmond, you've done it.'

"Well, Lady Charlotte. "

"............ Yes."

　A tiny little voice, like the buzzing of a mosquito, muffled.

　My beloved wife, with her face turned red up to her ears, as sweet and sour as a strawberry.

"Pretty ..."

"Fue!?"

When Maia's true feelings leaked out, Charlotte looked up at her with her cute voice leaking out. Even if she is beautiful, we can see her blushing face with all the pretty things, as well as her emerald eyes that have been moistened by love.

"----"

　Maia froze.

　--Unh, I know that feeling.

　You'd be amazed at how cute my wife is. And I can't help but be surprised by the way she looks at me like she was a pig on a pig farm. Because I know that you used to have the eyes of a dead fish... I also know that you used to work as a decorating stone in the noble house and that you had to give up all hope when you walked through the gate of my house... Damn, I'm starting to tear up.

　Well, that's why it's so pretty--.

"Oh!　I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude to you, Charlotte-sama..."

　Maia panicked as if she had just realized something.

Oh, come on, if you're going to apologize for that, don't you have someone else to apologize to first? You know, like that cute woman's husband?

　The warmth of your eyes is enough to make me think that you're being disrespectful. you know?

"Don't worry, Miss Maia," the sharp maid followed up. "Miss Maia was merely expressing her impressions. And it's obvious that Charlotte is very pretty. What is the disrespect of saying something is pretty is pretty? Is That right, Desmond-sama?"

"Oh, oh."

　--Oh, shit, she's throwing it at me.

　She is always trying to get at me.

　But I'm not afraid to return this maid's pretense with all my might.

"Yes, Charlotte is pretty. What's wrong with telling the pretty Charlotte that she's pretty? There is nothing wrong with it. In fact, it would be more of a sin not to call her pretty."

　I told her in a dignified, nonchalant manner, just like a lord.

"Wow..."

　And then Maia's eyes grew warm.

　--What is that reaction?　That's disrespectful!

　But Charlotte, beside me...

Kaaaaah

　Psshhhhhh... ...

　I can almost hear the sound effect like that coming out of her.

　--Un, cute, cute.

So it's not surprising that I'm tempted to fondle those chubby thighs under my desk.