NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 74.2
Stage 3-7. Alice’s Devoted Service
Her hands tremble slightly as she grips the ear pick.
Her face is still a little red, perhaps from lingering nerves.
Good grief… What a maid she is. Maybe I’ll lighten the mood with a little joke.
“That’s handmade by me, so don’t get nervous and snap it by accident, alright?”
“Of course. But, Ouga-sama… Forgive me, but may I take just a moment?”
“Hm? I don’t mind, but…”
“Thank you very much. I’ll return right away…”
Alice leaves the room with footsteps so stiff they sound like “clunk, clunk.”
“I’m such a foolllllll…!!!”
Suddenly, I hear her shouting, her voice growing more distant.
What on earth…?
After three minutes of waiting, the door creaks open again.
“Thank you for waiting. Now, I will humbly clean Ouga-sama’s ears.”
Alice has regained her composure and looks quite determined.
I don’t know why, but something must have changed inside her.
It’s best to just accept it.
As Alice sits down, I rest my head on her lap.
As expected of Alice. I can tell how well-trained her thighs are.
But they aren’t stiff with only brute muscle. That would limit her range of motion and reduce her speed.
She maintains a perfect balance of flexibility and strength.
The result is an exceptionally comfortable lap pillow.
A strong lower body is the foundation of all martial arts and swordsmanship.
…So this must be the secret to Alice’s strength.
“Ouga-sama? If you keep prodding like that… Is it not to your liking?”
“No, it’s fine. I was just impressed. Start when you’re ready.”
“I’ll proceed carefully, so please tell me if it hurts.”
“Understood. I trust you.”
“Thank you very much.”
She carefully presses the ear pick against my ear and starts to scrape away the dirt.
Her movements are cautious and considerate, ensuring I won’t be hurt.
Scratch, scratch… scrape, scrape… crackle…
Ah, she got a big one just now.
She’s so precise that it’s incredibly relaxing.
I start to feel drowsy.
Sleeping like this wouldn’t be good, so I should talk to fight off the sleepiness.
“…You’re quite good at this. Were you being modest earlier?”
“…No, well… I did practice this properly…”
“Heh, whether it’s ear cleaning or swordsmanship, you’re good at putting in the effort.”
“That’s too much praise. I’m just a foolish woman who only knows how to walk forward.”
“That’s too humble. Plenty of people can’t manage that kind of effort.”
“…Ouga-sama, you truly are kind. If only all nobles possessed a heart as compassionate as yours… I can’t help but wish for it.”
If everyone were like me, this country would be in a much worse state.
After all, it’d be filled with villains living however they pleased.
Taxing the citizens dry, living in luxury.
Alice would undoubtedly punish us all first.
Right now, I’ve managed to keep her fooled, so things are fine, but if my dark schemes were ever exposed, Alice wouldn’t hesitate to draw her sword.
“…By the way, you’re not carrying your sword now, huh?”
“I left it in my room after patrolling outside earlier. I didn’t think it necessary right now.”
Fair enough. It’d just get in the way of a lap pillow.
“That sword—wasn’t it the one you’ve used since your days as a holy knight?”
“…Yes. It’s my treasure.”
“Oh? For Alice to call it that, it must be quite the weapon.”
“It has certainly defeated many monsters, but it’s not a famous sword. It’s just…”
“Just?”
“…It was given to me by someone precious. I wield that sword so that her will won’t fade.”
Her gentle tone carries a weight of emotion.
I glance at Alice’s expression out of the corner of my eye.
At that moment, she gazes into the distance, her expression tender and wistful.
“Forgive me. That must’ve been a boring story to hear…”
“I brought it up, didn’t I? I’ve never heard about your days as a holy knight.”
“Hehe, Ouga-sama is quite talkative today.”
“It’s been a while since we spent time together like this. Maybe I’m just enjoying myself.”
“My, my… Then we must talk more, shouldn’t we?”
Alice continues to speak while cleaning my ears.
Her early days, when she joined the holy knights to earn money for her single mother.
Her time as a foot soldier, training relentlessly under strict superiors.
Her struggles as a commander, where paperwork wasn’t her strong suit.
But one thing stood out to me.
“…And then I was picked up by you, Ouga-sama. I must thank fate for letting me meet you.”
In the past Alice described, she wasn’t yet someone obsessed with justice like she is now.