It Seems That the Slave Girl Is Actually a Count's Daughter. - Episode 14: Nighttime Battle, Part Two

Episode 14: Nighttime Battle, Part Two

The summoning magic study session ended when the magical lamp in the room was lit. At some point, the sky outside had turned into the hues of dusk. It bathed the wooden floor in a warm orange glow.

“Oh, it’s already this late… I could still keep going, though…”

Pamela murmured regretfully. When I told her, “I’ll handle dinner, so you can keep reading,” she stubbornly refused. “Cooking is an important job for a slave. I’ll help with the preparations,” she insisted.

Over the past few days, I had come to trust Pamela’s cooking skills. The way she handled a knife and maneuvered a frying pan carried no hint of danger.

Even so, she was still a noble-born lady through and through. I couldn’t allow even the slightest mishap. Even with healing magic, deep wounds could sometimes leave scars.

As usual, I stood beside her in the kitchen. I was assisting where necessary.

When I was alone, I often ate out. But I still cooked for myself from time to time. I was confident I wouldn’t lose to Pamela in cooking skills just yet.

Tonight’s dish was ginger pork stir-fry. The sharp aroma of ginger filled the room, stimulating our appetites. Nothing pairs better with ginger pork than rice. After a long time, I cooked some white rice, and we ate dinner while it was still warm.

“Mmm, delicious. The pork turned out tender and juicy.”

“Yes, thanks to your help, El-sama, it turned out wonderfully.”

Pamela seemed to enjoy it as well. I had wondered whether a noble would eat such a commoner’s dish. But that worry was unnecessary. She alternated between bites of rice and ginger pork with elegant precision. Her dining etiquette was impeccable—no sound, no wasted movements. She was the picture of noble refinement.

To call her a “slave” was absurd.

Of course, I wasn’t one to talk—I was a “fake prince” myself. I could follow proper etiquette if I wanted to, but I chose not to. Since I was living outside the castle, there was no reason to eat in a rigid, tasteless manner. It was far better to enjoy food freely and deliciously.

“Starting tomorrow, we’ll continue moving like we did today. So be prepared for that.”

“Understood. But… will you be alright with your work?”

“I’ve got more than enough money, so that’s not a concern. The only issue is whether I get any direct requests.”

On this continent, there were four Platinum-ranked adventurer parties, including mine. People apparently called us the “Four Heavenly Kings” or something. I wouldn’t know.

Most requests requiring a Platinum-ranked adventurer were handled by those other parties. I only got called in when none of them could handle the job. And those kinds of requests were extremely rare.

After dinner, we quickly cleaned up. All that remained was bath time, summoning magic study, and then sleep.

I had planned for the night to follow the same routine as yesterday—bath, study, then bed.

But things didn’t go as planned.

“El-sama, every time I bid you goodnight, I fall asleep instantly and wake up in the morning. Do you have any idea why?”

As I was about to tuck Pamela into bed and turn off the light, she suddenly stopped me.

Cold sweat trickled down my back. I averted my gaze, pretending to inspect the magical lamp.

“What’s the matter? Maybe you’re just tired from being in an unfamiliar environment. You also used up a lot of magic today. So I’m sure you’ll fall asleep quickly again.”

I glanced at her.

Pamela was staring straight at me. Her eyes were sharp and unwavering.

“That’s not it. Even if I were exhausted, this is too unnatural. Even I can tell that much. El-sama… are you using sleep magic on me?”

If I looked away now, I would lose.

I met her gaze head-on. I was keeping my expression calm.

Her deep blue eyes gleamed beautifully. It felt like they could pull in my very soul, but I steeled my resolve.

I must not run away. I must not run away.

“I’m not using any magic like that.”

“…Are you absolutely sure?”

“I’m sure.”

We locked eyes. From the outside, it might have looked like a pair of lovers gazing into each other’s souls before bed.

In reality, this was a psychological battle—one deceiving, the other trying to see through the deception.

Pamela was the first to break eye contact. She lowered her gaze.

I won. I won!

…Or so I thought.

But Pamela hadn’t given up. She immediately reached for Shiro, who was curled up near her pillow. She lifted him so their eyes were level.

“Shiro-chan, El-sama says that, but is it really true? Has he really not been casting a sleep spell on me?” 

Pamela’s deep blue eyes locked onto Shiro, who immediately averted his gaze. Then, he sneakily glanced at me. Come on, at least try a little harder! 

“Hmm, I dunno~ I always fall asleep right away, so I wouldn’t know~” 

“Really?” 

“Really.” 

“If you tell me the truth, I’ll give you a Churutoro.” 

“He’s the culprit!” 

With a sharp motion, Shiro pointed his paw straight at me. 

Pamela turned toward me with a bright smile. 

Something felt off. Her face was certainly smiling, but her narrowed eyes… weren’t smiling at all. 

“So it was true, after all. El-sama, why would you do something like that?” 

She gently set Shiro back down on the bed and stepped forward. She closed the distance between us. 

Meanwhile, Shiro curled up again as if nothing had happened. He was slipping into sleep mode. 

So much for loyalty. Shiro was completely untrustworthy. 

Without hesitation, I turned off the room’s lamp. 

The small bedside light wasn’t on yet, and darkness instantly filled the room. 

I quickly grabbed Pamela’s hands and cast [Sleeping Beauty]. 

Pamela’s body immediately lost its strength, slumping forward. I caught her and carefully laid her down before turning the bedside lamp back on. 

“Master, you’re such a gentleman. You could’ve at least touched her a little. If you keep doing this, Pamela might start losing confidence in herself, you know?” 

“Ugh… I never even considered that. Could this… be a bad thing?” 

“It’s bad.” 

Shiro shook his head and let out a deep sigh. 

Wait………. am I the only one here who doesn’t understand a girl’s feelings? 

Maybe I should’ve studied female psychology more seriously… 

“What should I do…?” 

“Don’t ask me. Oh, I know! Why not ask Mama?” 

“Mother…?” 

What should I do? 

The only woman I could talk to properly was my mother. 

But could I really bring up something like this with her? 

Still… I didn’t want Pamela to lose confidence either. I wanted her to keep smiling. 

In noble society, even smiling freely could be a luxury. 

Following Shiro’s advice, I made up my mind and reached out to my mother. 

Considering the time difference, she was probably just about to have dinner. 

There was a good chance she’d be free. 

But… honestly, I wasn’t great at dealing with her…