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“I’m sorry, Count… Sniff… I, I lied, I’m sorry… I won’t lie anymore…”

In the end, I had no choice but to scold Wendy. She had done wrong, after all.

She was sobbing, lying on my lap. I thought about giving her a good spanking, but when it came down to it, I found it hard to actually do it.

Well, it’s understandable…

“Eek?!”

“…I haven’t hit you yet.”

“B-but I’m scared…”

“Stop exaggerating.”

“Sniff… I’m sorry…”

Wendy’s frightened bottom was trembling.

No one would believe that this girl had once fought me, the Demon Lord, on equal terms as a Hero.

Of course, back then, she used the Hero’s Power to fight in a mature adult form, but at her core, she’s still a child.

That such a timid girl could fight the Demon Lord was probably because she mustered the courage to save me from despair.

In fact, Wendy occasionally showed such bravery that it surprised me. Thanks to that, I’ve managed to survive until now.

On the other hand, seeing Wendy anxiously waiting for me to spank her, looking like a child about to be punished, made me feel sorry for her.

After hesitating several times, I decided not to spank her.

Hmm. Yes. Wendy is a good girl, so a verbal scolding should be enough for her to understand.

Besides, how much must she have wanted to follow me to sneak into the bag?

Thinking about her feelings, it’s hard to punish her severely.

Seeing Wendy trembling, I gave up on the idea of spanking her.

“Wendy…”

“W-wait a moment!”

“?”

“Sniff… C-can I transform into an adult before you spank me…?”

Then it wouldn’t be a punishment.

Moreover, spanking a grown woman’s bottom might awaken some strange fetish, so I’ll pass.

“No need. I won’t spank you.”

“R-really…?”

“I’m not scolding you for lying.”

I grabbed Wendy’s waist and sat her on my lap. Then, pointing to the bag lying on the floor, I said,

“If something had happened to you while hiding in such a cramped bag, what would you have done?”

“Sniff…”

“Who else would serve me and pour my tea if not you?”

I spoke to her in a stern voice, like an adult disciplining a child.

“You are my Exclusive Maid. Be aware of how important your position is and act accordingly. I didn’t call you this time because I thought you wouldn’t be able to come along. I also wanted you to rest at the mansion after being so busy following me around.”

“I’m sorry…”

“If you really wanted to come, you should have told me.”

“B-but… I was scared you’d say no…”

“Wendy. When have I ever refused your request?”

Wendy’s big eyes looked up at me. Stroking the head of this girl with pure, innocent eyes, I said,

“You’re upset. I’ve indulged your whims and even took you to the Northern Region, but you still find me intimidating?”

“N-no! Not at all…! I’m sorry… Sniff…”

Realizing her mistake, Wendy finally burst into tears.

“Sniff…! I didn’t trust you enough… I’m sorry… I didn’t want to be apart from you even for a moment…”

I silently hugged the sobbing Wendy. I’ve seen many spoiled or ill-tempered children. Compared to them, Wendy is as gentle as a lamb.

If I ever have a daughter like Wendy in the future, wouldn’t I be the happiest father in the world?

As I was thinking this, Wendy suddenly lifted her head from my embrace.

“Sniff… Count… Can you not do it…?”

“…? Not do what?”

“Get married… Can you not get married until later…?”

Huh?

Suddenly, my eyes met Wendy’s. She was sniffling but staring straight at me with her big eyes.

“Until I grow up… Can you wait until then…? Sniff…”

“Why?”

“W-well… When I grow up… When I’m as big as the Hero…”

Wendy hesitated for a moment, then whispered to me in a tearful voice,

“C-can I marry you then…?”

It felt like hearing a daughter say, “I want to marry Daddy when I grow up.”

It was a situation that could be seen as cute and heartwarming, but I couldn’t help feeling sorry for her.

A normal child would have declared they wanted to marry me, but this timid girl was too afraid of being rejected to say it outright.

“E-even as a concubine is fine… I want to stay by your side for a long, long time… Sniff…”

Feeling both touched and a bit sad, I spoke to her with the gentlest expression I could muster.

“Alright, Wendy. I’ll marry you later.”

“R-really?!”

“Yes.”

“P-promise?!”

“I promise.”

As if she hadn’t been crying just moments ago, Wendy’s face brightened instantly, and she suddenly started jumping up and down.

“Yay! I did it! I did it!”

She looked as if she had won the world.

“I’ll grow up quickly! I’ll become your bride as fast as I can…!”

“Sure.”

“Hehe…!”

Yes. When you smile, I feel happy too.

The thought of scolding her had long disappeared.

I just hope she grows up strong and brave like a Hero, smiling like this.

“Count! I, I still have this…”

“This is…”

What Wendy pulled out from her pocket was the protective magic ring I had given her for self-defense. I had completely forgotten about it, but she still had it.

“The ring? I thought you didn’t like it since you weren’t wearing it.”

“N-no! I like it! I just didn’t wear it while working because I was afraid it would get dirty…”

Ah, now that I think about it, that makes sense.

Wendy, always working as a maid, isn’t in a position to wear something on her hand.

I had mistakenly thought she wasn’t wearing it because she didn’t need it.

That was clearly my oversight for not considering that.

“S-so, about this…”

Wendy shyly held out the ring to me.

“C-could you put this ring on my finger…?”

Her voice was timid and unsure.

What’s so hard about that…?

“Give me your hand.”

“Okay…!”

I chuckled and slipped the ring onto her left ring finger.

Just like when I gave her the ring before, putting it on her finger made me feel like I was proposing.

But Wendy looked several times more moved than before.

“I, I’ll never forget what happened today…”

Her expression was so endearing that I gently kissed her forehead.

Wendy said that, but by the time she gets married, she’ll probably forget the promise we made today.

No, maybe even I’ll forget it soon. Time flies, and children grow up even faster.

Still, I hope Wendy doesn’t forget me…

I hope she remembers me as not such a bad person…

I hope she doesn’t forget what happened today, just as she said…

*

Fortunately, Bella understood Wendy’s cute stowaway act.

Wendy decided to stay in the VIP cabin with us.

We considered having her stay in the first-class cabin with Helga and Blanshe, but without a ticket, it would be troublesome, so we opted to have her stay with us.

Bella and I are essentially on a state visit to a foreign country under the Emperor’s orders, holding a position equivalent to a state guest. As our attendant, the crew didn’t dare to check if Wendy had a ticket.

It’s times like these that make you appreciate money and power.

“It’s a bit disappointing that there are three of us instead of two, but it can’t be helped.”

Bella seemed regretful for some reason but soon went to tour the ship with Wendy.

Seeing them wave at me as they left, looking like a wife and daughter, gave me a very strange feeling.

While they were gone, I met Helga and Blanshe on the deck’s terrace.

“I see… Wendy came too. I’m glad she’s not hurt.”

“Yes.”

Blanshe nodded, concerned about Wendy. Meanwhile, Helga…

“Heh… I never thought she’d use such a method… I underestimated the kid…”

I don’t know what she’s thinking, but she’s still as sinister as ever.

“Count. Nothing happened, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll do a quick inspection.”

“…?”

Helga circled around me, then suddenly started sniffing.

“Sniff sniff… I smell something milky… and a bit of tears…”

I was startled.

Not that I was guilty, but I was surprised that her keen sense of smell had detected that I had been hugging Wendy.

But Blanshe was equally surprised.

“Helga! How rude to the Count…?!”

“Tsk. Blanshe. If you don’t know, stay quiet. The Count should smell like the Count. If someone meets him and smells something childish, wouldn’t they look down on him?”

It was a bizarre excuse, but strangely, it sounded somewhat convincing to me.

Well, smell is part of the atmosphere, after all.

“I-is that so?”

“Of course.”

Helga was showing off in front of Blanshe.

I don’t like it, but when it comes to intuition, Helga’s instincts are sharp, so she might be trustworthy…

Let’s hear her out.

“So? Go on.”

“Right. So, Count…”

Helga took something out from her pocket and handed it to me.

“Use this, and everything will be solved.”

“…What is this?”

“It’s called ‘Helga Anywhere!'”

Helga sounded like a blue, earless cat making a grand statement.

I unfolded the ‘Helga Anywhere’ she had prepared with such enthusiasm and immediately realized what it was.

“……Helga.”

“Surprised? You might think it’s my freshly removed stockings, but this is a groundbreaking item that lets you feel me anywhere!”

Now I noticed Helga was bare-legged.

“Above all, wearing this, which is soaked in my scent, will not only keep other females at bay but also solve your lust in one fell swoop—kwaak?!”

“Enough.”

I smacked her head once and clicked my tongue.

‘As expected…’

Today, Helga was just being Helga.

On the other hand, I felt somewhat reassured. Being able to exchange such trivial conversations like this is what makes ‘now’ the best time…

Lost in such thoughts, I suddenly saw the sun setting beyond the sea.

Beyond that lies our destination, the Maldives… no, Mojito Island.

Little did I know at that time.

That I would encounter a forgotten bad relationship on the island we visited for a vacation.

 

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