8

[AI CENSORSHIP BLOCKED THIS CHUNK - RAW ENGLISH RETAINED]

Darkness’s father said he was probably just getting in the young people’s way, and he excused himself.

As he walked out, he patted me on the shoulder and whispered, “I’m counting on you.”

Now Darkness and Balter were taking a walk in the garden of the Dustiness mansion, with Aqua and me in tow.And what a garden!

The sprawling grounds boasted a huge lake, and even though it was winter, colorful flowers bloomed everywhere—maybe they’d been bred for it, or maybe they were just that high quality.

Aqua watched the fish in the lake, then gave a whistle and a clap.

At first I wondered what she was doing.Then I noticed the fish had flocked to her.

…Actually, that’s pretty neat.I’ll have to have her teach me how to do it later.

“Milady Lalatina, do you have any hobbies?”

While we stood there, quite taken by the lake, Balter asked the kind of inane question usually required for a get-together like this.

“Oh, I’ve always been rather fond of goblin hunti— Grrrg!”

I jabbed an elbow into Darkness’s ribs as she began to run her mouth.

Balter responded with a crooked smile and a cock of the head.I had, after all, been staying abnormally close to Darkness all day.

“…You two seem like quite good friends.”

I frowned.Aww, crud.

Darn!What was I going to do if I’d gone too far and was about to hurt Darkness’s reputation instead of helping it?

After all, how could two prospective partners meet each other with a butler an elbow length away all the time?

Darkness saw me grasping for the words to smooth this over and gave me a vicious smirk.

Oh no.What’s she…?

“My butler, Kazuma, and I are indeed very close.We’re together every day.We eat together, we bathe together, and of course at night we—we— Hrrr…!”

One ridiculous thing after another came out of her mouth until, suddenly, her face turned red and she swallowed her words.

Geez, doesn’t she have any shame?

“My young lady does love to joke.She has an adorable way of saying things that are personally embarrassing.Isn’t it sweet?Miss Lalatina?What’s wrong, my dear Lalatina?Lalatina, your face is so red…”

“Hrr… J-Just…you…wait…”

Darkness grit her teeth and held back tears at hearing her cute little name so many times in a row.

All right.That ought to keep her in line for a few minutes.

Balter gave us a bittersweet smile and said, “You two are as close as you say.It’s enough to make a man jealous.”

“Oh, you jest, sir.We are merely a lady and her butler having a jape…”

At that, Darkness gasped a little and took a quick step away from me.

What’s this?

“This has gone on long enough!When are you going to drop this stupid act?!”

And before I could stop her, Darkness ripped the hem clean off her dress.

Her thighs were clearly visible; there was no way to avoid herero-ness.Or the perv-ness of the way she had shortened her skirt so it was easy to move in, with a slit down the side.

Balter quickly averted his eyes, and Darkness yelled, “You—Balter!Your class is Knight, so you know how to use a sword, don’t you?My class is Crusader, and you’re coming with me to the training grounds!Then I’m going to find out what you’re really made of.Now, come on!”

I had no hope of stopping Darkness.This crazy fit had come on too suddenly.

“Look at this man, Balter.At this Kazuma, who has gazed lasciviously upon my noble self for all this time!”

I w-w-wasn’t looking!

I just glanced out of curiosity…