I Became the Son of a Corrupt Lord, so I’ll Enjoy an Easy Life in Another World ~but Please Stop Revering Me as a “Saint”!~

Stage 4-17. Alice Who Isn’t a Maid

But now, all the knowledge she had gained seemed to have flown out of her head.

It was entertaining to watch Alice panic, but as she started to tear up, I decided it was time to step in.

“Alice. Watch my hands.”

If she thought calmly, she should realize she could just follow my lead.

When I pointed it out, her face turned even redder, and she eventually hid her face with both hands.

“…I wish I could disappear into a hole.”

“Chuckle. I’m happy to see a new side of Alice.”

“Uu… I’m so sorry. I’m wasting Ouga-sama’s precious time by making you worry…”

Alice seemed overwhelmed with guilt and wouldn’t lower her hands from her face.

While her mistake was cute, Alice’s mindset was still that of a maid, not a lover, so she was more concerned about inconveniencing me, her master.

If this continued, I wouldn’t be able to see Alice’s face.

So, I decided to cast a spell to remove her hands from her face.

“Alice. Say ‘ah~'”

I cut a small piece of the terrine and brought it to her mouth.

“…!”

Alice froze, and the gap between her fingers widened slightly.

“If Alice won’t eat it, then I guess I’ll have to.”

“Uu…”

“Huh? So Alice will eat it after all?”

“…! …!”

She made a reluctant sound, then suddenly shook her head vigorously.

It’s kind of like… she’s going through a delayed adolescence. It’s funny.

I couldn’t see Alice’s expression because her hands were covering her face, but her shoulders slumped, so I could tell she was shocked.

While I appreciate Alice’s respect for our usual relationship, if I don’t take a step forward here, we’ll never reach the kind of relationship Alice desires.

So, this time, I’ll support her so she can move forward.

“…Alice, we’re on a date right now. You’re not here as a maid, but as the Alice who wrote me that letter, right?”

“T-that’s true, but…”

“Then, you can act however you want. You don’t have to worry about whether you’re worthy of me or anything like that.”

“Ouga-sama…”

“Speaking of which… let’s drop the ‘-sama’ for now.”

“N-no way! You will always be Ouga-sama to me!”

…She shook her head so fast I thought it might spin right off. I decided to let that one go.

I offered her another piece of the terrine.

“Alice.”

“Y-yes… thank you hyu!”

Alice glared at the terrine on the fork as if it were her enemy, then bravely took a bite.

“…It’s delicious.”

“Chuckle, I’m glad. Then, coming here was the right choice.”

“Yes…! Thank you, Ouga-sama!”

Once she got over her initial nervousness, she seemed much more relaxed and started eating her own meal.

Feeling relieved that she was back to her usual self, I resumed eating—but the moment I put the terrine in my mouth, I heard something fall.

Looking over, I saw that Alice’s fork and knife had slipped from her hands.

“I-isn’t this an indirect kiss…?”

…Now that she mentioned it, I realized it was.

But getting flustered over an indirect kiss… no, surely not…

A bad feeling crept over me, and I immediately checked on Alice.

Her cheeks, which had been too red, seemed to have overflowed and were gradually turning pale.

…A deathly pale.

“…Ouga-sama… I’m sorry. I can’t hold on any longer…”

“Alice! Alice!!”

That day, I witnessed her fainting for the first time.