“Luna, Luna.”
As I was about to leave the dining hall after finishing my meal, I heard hurried footsteps behind me.
Before I could even turn around, I felt someone quickly grabbing my sleeve.
When I turned to look, Seila was gazing up at me with a worried expression.
“Luna, are you okay?”
Glancing at Ayla, who was walking ahead, Seila asked in a low voice.
I also took a quick look behind Seila. Daisy was there.
Daisy had a pleased expression, as if she were watching her two granddaughters talking.
Among the people in this mansion, she seemed to have a broader perspective.
For someone living in a place that is generally exclusive to outsiders, her way of thinking was strangely flexible in this regard.
Well, wizards tend to have unusual ways of thinking, even if they aren’t elves.
“Yes, I am fine, Lady Seila.”
However, even when I answered with a faint smile, Seila didn’t seem convinced.
This is why novels are scary.
Because in them, even a smile can be described as something that isn’t truly a smile.
Though, it’s not like that never happens in real life.
Especially for nobles, who often have to hide their emotions.
Still, misunderstanding everything like this made it a little difficult for me to respond.
“Lady Seila, Lady Ayla is kind to me.”
“…Kind?”
“Yes. She is honest about what she wants as well.”
At my words, Seila’s eyes trembled violently.
“Lady Ayla grants everything I wish for, so there is no need for concern.”
“That can’t be…”
Can’t it?
Well, what kind of master would grant all their servant’s wishes?
Though it’s not unheard of, those cases usually involve someone being completely deceived.
But I was sincere.
At least in that room, I had never failed to get what I wanted.
Being alone with Ayla was what I wanted most right now.
If I could, I wanted to take it a step further.
I wanted to make Ayla love me.
Unfortunately, I didn’t know how.
I would have to figure that out moving forward.
“…Don’t force yourself to endure it. If it gets too hard, come stay at my villa. This estate belongs to me, right?”
“I understand, Lady Seila.”
It was only after I answered that I realized—both Shadow and the Empress had been nearby, listening to our conversation.
Even Ayla, standing in the distance, didn’t rush me.
That’s right. This estate could also be considered Ayla’s property.
Legally speaking, things could get complicated.
After all, laws can shift according to the will of the nobility.
Instead of being rigid rules recorded in law books, they are judgments made based on necessity at the time, leading to a mix of both ideal and absurd aspects.
Since the Count had died, Ayla would inherit all his wealth.
Or perhaps his daughter would inherit everything.
The answer would depend on which noble you asked.
The most ideal outcome would be for the two of them to become close and manage the estate together.
“Luna.”
A voice called from behind me.
A quiet yet clear voice.
In the distance, Ayla was calling my name.
Had she been deliberately waiting for my conversation with Seila to end?
“Then, Lady Seila, have a peaceful night. I hope the other guests feel at ease as well.”
I bowed deeply in greeting.
Seila still wore a sorrowful expression.
As I turned and walked briskly toward Ayla, she didn’t scold me or anything—she simply turned around and started walking.
Maybe Ayla could suddenly become gentle with Seila.
With a little help from the side, it might be possible.
Thinking back to when the three of us played with dolls together…
But unfortunately, the first step had gone wrong.
Ayla was already in a difficult situation, and Seila had been suspicious of her.
In her haste to escape with Seila, Ayla had moved too quickly, causing Seila to completely misunderstand her.
If she suddenly started being kind now, it would only create another misunderstanding.
The only way forward was to approach slowly, step by step.
“You always speak softly to Seila.”
We had almost reached the second floor, near Ayla’s room, when she suddenly spoke.
“She’s still a child.”
“Well, that’s true. A child.”
Ayla agreed.
But her expression seemed unsettled.
When I tilted my head in confusion and opened the door for her, Ayla walked into the room.
And as she entered, she casually threw off her clothes.
“Lady Ayla?”
“The schedule is over for today, isn’t it?”
As I hurriedly closed the door and picked up the fallen clothes, Ayla said that as she sprawled lazily onto the sofa.
Thankfully, she wasn’t completely undressed.
She was wearing underwear beneath her outfit, and over that, she had a thin dress.
Of course, the fabric was so sheer that her skin was visible through it.
I quickly picked up the dress and headed to the bathroom.
After carefully sorting the clothes into the laundry basket, I returned to Ayla’s room.
“My legs are stiff from walking too much.”
Lying on the sofa, Ayla said that.
Her bare legs were exposed, even without stockings.
The way she wiggled her toes looked a little cute, and I couldn’t help but smile slightly.
“You only smile like this in front of me.”
“Ayla-nim?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Ayla didn’t say much beyond that, but I knew what she wanted.
Ayla had hardly walked today. She got up in the morning and stayed in her room, then after breakfast, she locked herself back in her room, had a light lunch, and stayed there again until dinner.
Come to think of it, she hasn’t done sword training for the past few days. Of course, whether she does it or not is up to Ayla, but I am a little worried.
Could something have changed in her mind?
I approached the sofa and knelt beside her.
Then, I carefully took Ayla’s foot and touched it gently.
“Heh.”
Was it a little ticklish? A soft chuckle escaped from Ayla’s lips.
But as I began to press firmly and massage her feet overall, the sound coming from her lips turned into a slightly suggestive moan.
To be honest, listening to it made my thoughts wander.
What can I do? Anyone would feel that way when hearing such sounds from the one they love.
“Ugh.”
Ayla made such a sound and slightly stretched out her leg.
The leg she had placed on the sofa’s armrest moved a little closer to me.
I took it as a sign to massage her calf as well, so I gently kneaded that area too.
Press.
Ayla’s foot stretched out.
Her foot, which had been wiggling along with my hand, suddenly stiffened and stopped.
Even her moans paused for a moment.
I knew the reason.
Ayla’s right foot had touched my chest.
I was still in my maid outfit.
Of course, it was a plain, modest maid uniform with hardly any exposure.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t feel the body underneath.
Press.
Her foot pushed into my chest.
This time, it wasn’t an accident—it was intentional.
Physically speaking, breasts are just lumps of fat.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel anything when they are touched.
If that were the case, there would be no reason why I couldn’t look at Ayla’s body properly.
However, while touching something myself might be fine, being touched feels entirely different.
“……Haa.”
But honestly, physiological responses don’t have a huge impact on sensual feelings.
Rather, it’s the forbidden nature of it—the sense of taboo we learn over time—that catches my attention more.
Ayla’s foot twitched again and stopped.
Was it because of the sound I unconsciously made?
Her big toe stretched slightly, then curled back in.
Little by little, her foot slid down toward the lower part of my chest, as if she were stepping on me.
“Luna?”
And while moving her foot like that, Ayla called me in a completely casual voice.
“Y-Yes, Ayla-nim.”
Meanwhile, I stuttered.
I couldn’t use my usual voice.
Under Ayla’s right foot, my left breast was slightly compressed.
“I feel like taking a bath. I sweated a lot today, so I want to take a long one. Prepare it for me.”
“Understood, Ayla-nim.”
She sweated a lot today.
That was true.
It just wasn’t because of sword fighting.
I let go of Ayla’s leg and carefully stood up.
Turning away, I gently placed my hand over my heart.
Thump, thump, thump—it was pounding hard.
I wondered if Ayla felt the same thing when her foot was on my chest.
I hoped she did.