It Seems That the Slave Girl Is Actually a Count's Daughter. - Episode 27: A Curious Talk

Episode 27: A Curious Talk

With Pamela clinging to my left arm, I was shown around the Count’s estate. Orto was at Pamela’s feet, and Shiro was on my shoulder. If we did this at another noble’s house, we’d definitely get scolded. At a glance, it just looks like we’re walking around with pets though.

As expected of a Count’s mansion, there were many rooms. And all the furnishings were top-grade. I wasn’t particularly surprised since I was used to it. But it made me realize once again—nobles, no matter what country they’re in, are really creatures that care a lot about appearances.

Everywhere you go, nobles are always trying to one-up each other. Honestly, it doesn’t look fun at all.

More than that, I think slaying monsters one after another is way more enjoyable. Lately, I’ve also been enjoying the time I spend with Pamela. She’s the first noble lady I’ve met who doesn’t tire me out even when she’s next to me. I only just realized that now, though.

As we walked down the hallway, a man came from the front accompanied by a servant. That’s probably Pamela’s brother. The next head of the Count family, huh. I’m a little curious what kind of guy he is.

“Brother! I was just about to come greet you.”

“Welcome back, Pamela. I was thinking it’s about time I went to greet you too. But it looks like I’m a bit late.”

“Not at all. This is Ernest-sama, a platinum-rank adventurer. He’s the one who took on the request regarding the recent commotion. El-sama, this is my brother, Rufus.”

I bowed my head to the young man, who had a gentle smile on his face. I guessed he was around twenty years old? He gave off a youthful and energetic vibe. His features were well-balanced and he looked like someone who would be very popular. His appearance was just like their father’s.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Ernest.”

“I’m Rufus. You can call me ‘brother’ if you’d like?”

Rufus smiled with a wide grin at the corners of his mouth. Seemed like he was half-joking. So I replied jokingly as well, “I’ll call you that when the time comes.”

Pamela was the one who was overjoyed at that response. Apparently, to her, it didn’t sound like a half-joke—it sounded completely serious.

She jumped up, her chest bouncing wildly. Rufus’s eyes were naturally drawn to it. It was as if he was pulled in. Can’t blame him—he’s a guy after all.

Noticing I was watching him with a lukewarm gaze, Rufus cleared his throat dramatically. His cheeks were tinged slightly pink.

“Sir Ernest, how much have you heard about the request?”

“I heard that there are some residents who say they saw a Dragon-like creature. But the investigation team’s report said they didn’t find anything, correct?”

Rufus nodded. From his serious expression, I got the feeling he might know something else. Seeing that the Count didn’t say anything earlier, it’s probably something to do with Pamela. Maybe there’s a noble trying to target her?

“That’s right. No matter how much we search, we haven’t even found a trace. I know you’re strong, Sir Ernest, but please be careful.”

“Thank you. I’ll be cautious.”

Rufus nodded once and walked past us. I’ll try to talk to him alone later. The more information, the better. Maybe I’ll visit him when Pamela’s taking a bath.

After that, Pamela continued to show me around the mansion. She told me the location of the room I’d be staying in, and also where her own room was.

Since she told me where her room is, does that mean it’s okay to go there? She even tried to invite me inside. But that would definitely be bad. I asked if she could show me the garden instead. And though she looked a bit disappointed, she happily agreed.

In the Count family’s proud garden, flowers of all colors were blooming. And it was obvious from a glance that the gardeners tended it often and with great care. We had been walking for quite a while. So we decided to take a break near a fountain with a table.

I sipped the tea and nibbled on the sweets prepared by the servants. The baked pastry crumbled in my mouth. And a honeyed flavor spread inside. It was sweet and very delicious. I couldn’t stop my hand from reaching for more.

“El-sama, you like sweet things, don’t you?”

Pamela suddenly said that. I couldn’t help but give a wry smile. It’s not like I was trying to hide that I liked sweets or anything.

Now that I think about it, ever since I started living with Pamela, I haven’t really eaten many sweets. Even when I did, it was mostly just fruit. Maybe because I don’t buy food outside much anymore?

“I do like sweets. Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten them much lately.”

“Ufufu, I like sweet things too. But…”

Pamela said that and looked at her own body. Is she thinking that eating sweets will make her gain weight? But that only happens if you eat nothing but sweets continuously.

“Even if you eat sweets, as long as you exercise properly, you won’t gain weight. Look at female adventurers. They eat a lot but don’t get fat, right? Plus, many of them seem to love sweets—I often see them eating huge parfaits in cafes.”

“…You observe very well, don’t you.”

Ah, now the mood feels off. Just mentioning other women a little and this happens. I wonder if she’s very jealous, or maybe she lacks confidence in herself. If it’s the latter, then that’s a huge misunderstanding. If Pamela says she’s not confident, then practically no one would be confident.

“It was just a coincidence, really. I just happened to notice because all the customers in the shop were looking in the same direction. Then I saw a bunch of parfaits lined up on the table, and they were eating them all.”

“Oh, is that so.”

Pamela seemed to have cheered up. She gracefully held a white porcelain cup decorated with roses and began sipping it slowly, enjoying it. Whew.

“Hey, when we get back, let’s go eat at that place together. I’m sure you’ll like it too, Pamela.”

“Y-Yes, that sounds nice.”

Even as she said that, she once again looked at her body. She must really be concerned. But she’s not fat at all—not even chubby.

Just then, my detection magic reacted.