The Sub-Heroine’s Butler Is a Vicious Bastard - Chapter 118



118. Confession

I returned from the capital to the north through the portal with Arlot.

Normally, a carriage would be used, but in a situation where the Grand Duke of the North has not yet risen, Arlot is clearly the head of the family.

It was not good to be away for a long time.

“Ugh… “The documents have been piling up?”

“Aren’t there many issues that require the head of the family’s final approval? “The number of refugees has increased a lot recently.”

“Yes, you have to work hard.”

“I will assist you.”

Arlot rolled up his sleeves and enthusiastically began processing the documents.

The situation in the north was gradually returning to its previous state, and it even felt better than before.

First of all, it was significant that the northern front had almost reached a ceasefire situation.

‘We were able to prevent manpower from being consumed by the continuous war.’

There may be benefits from the war, but it has already been several years.

The situation was so bad that the northern part of the country could not be managed without receiving war donations from all parts of the empire.

In such a situation, the North’s power could be strengthened again through a ceasefire.

Also, one thing that changed was the expansion of the number of people by accepting refugees.

“Schmitz, but is it really okay to welcome elves to the North? To be honest, I would say I’m a little worried… “

“The elves who worked in the drug industry definitely missed the telegram. Elf refugees are rather worried about being ostracized by the North. As a result, you will be more motivated to work. “Now is the time to build buildings or require a large workforce.”

“Umm… That’s true too. Because there are so many people, we definitely need houses.”

When the elf kingdom reached a state of half-destruction, the elves left the kingdom and dispersed throughout the empire.

Among them, quite a few people came to visit the North, and it turned out that the North had quite a good reputation among refugees.

The war was almost coming to a halt, and manpower was needed due to the loss of people.

“They also feel grateful that they accepted us as commoners and not slaves.”

“Huh… After all, there are unfair aspects such as guilt-by-association.”

“As expected, the princess is kind.”

“Just… “I just wanted to do that.”

In fact, it was possible to bring in elves as slaves.

Sebas also recommended it, and other regions also considered elf refugees as pariahs.

However, Arlot rarely expressed the opposite opinion and accepted the elves as commoners.

There were many concerns, but the result was a great success.

Due to Arlot’s decision, the number of refugees actually increased, and he even formed his own vigilante group to regulate security.

The elves also had a good reputation among the northern natives, as they faithfully participated in construction projects that required large-scale labor.

Thanks to Arlot’s consideration, a society where everyone can smile was created.

“Ugh… I can’t do this anymore… “

“Thank you for your hard work. Please take a break.”

“It’s despairing that there’s still so much left.”

Arlot muttered, pressing her cheek against her desk.

The papers were stacked up to the ceiling, which was enough for Arlot to work.

I smiled bitterly and smoothed out her messy hair with my hands.

“Excessive work without rest is not good in the long run. How about taking a walk in the garden for a while?”

“Huh… Is that so? You mean the rose garden? Now that I think about it, I’ve been busy lately so I haven’t been able to have it.”

“I think it would be helpful to cool off while taking a walk.”

“Huh… A lot of time has already passed, so let’s go for a walk. Are you going together?”

Without saying a word, I pulled Arlott’s wheelchair and headed toward the rose garden.

While she was concentrating on her paperwork, time passed and the sun had already set over the mountain ridge, creating a beautiful sunset scene.

“Wow… Has it gotten bigger?”

“Recently, a lot of good magic tools have come in and we have expanded.”

“It used to be smaller than my room, but now I can really call it a garden.”

“Thank you.”

The rose garden we brought Arlot to has definitely expanded in size.

In the past, it was made with my own money, so it really didn’t take a few minutes to look around.

When Arlott took a liking to the rose garden, her daughter, the Grand Duke of the North, invested her own money to expand it.

Thanks to this, I can see a rose garden every day that is as beautiful as the garden of the imperial palace.

“Do you remember when you first visited this garden?”

“Yes, of course. “Before that, I had never seen a rose in my life.”

After taking a walk around the rose garden, Arlot and I sat down on a bench.

While we were leaning against each other and chatting, a story about when we were children came up.

To me, it still feels like it happened yesterday, but it’s already been ten years.

-Miss, the roses bloomed so beautifully.

-It’s really beautiful. I’ve never seen a live rose before… I think I know why people look for roses.

As young Arlot, who still had her breasts, touched her rose, she said those words.

The sight of her examining each and every petal of a rose as if she were about to be sucked in.

Her pure admiration and her happy smile made me promise to make her happy again.

“Huh… I remember it exactly because it was the first time I saw a rose in my life. And… They also gave me a crooked wreath.”

“You don’t have to say that, right?”

“Schmitz is strangely shy.”

“Hmm… “

I was reminiscing about good memories, but I woke up when Arlot mentioned the flower crown.

Thinking about it now, I have to say I feel a little embarrassed.

It was a bit difficult to make a wreath, but the level of completion was far from perfect…

“And now that I think about it, it doesn’t exist anymore.”

“If you say that… “

“A white rose. “It was pretty.”

“…Are you talking about that withered thing?”

“Yes, it was better when it withered.”

Arlot looked into the distance and muttered.

As she said, there were no more white roses to be found in the rose garden.

It was expensive to begin with, and since it was a mutant, it wasn’t that difficult to raise.

As she forced down the corner of her mouth that was trying to rise for no reason, Arlot asked with a mischievous smile on her face.

“Do you know what the flower language of white roses is? Schmitz.”

“I know. Doesn’t it mainly mean purity?”

“…Yes, I know very well.”

Arlott carelessly touched the rose with a grumpy expression.

I smiled shallowly and looked at her, her side, her face, her

Because the meaning of her flower language is not what I am talking about.

-Oh, can’t you forget that you gave me a ‘withered white rose’ today? Okay?

-…Of course. We will continue to do our best for your well-being.

What was given to Arlot from the rose garden was not an ordinary white rose.

A white rose that has withered unsightly.

I remembered her words, ‘Never forget.’

And another meaning hidden there.

“The flower language of the white rose is interesting, and it is said that the flower language has different meanings depending on the situation of the rose.”

“…Huh?”

“At the time, I just planted white roses because they matched the color of her hair, but now I know their meaning. So, I would like to invalidate what I handed over at that time.”

“Sch, Schmitz… ?”

I slowly got up from my seat and stood in front of her.

She bent down on one knee and took out a small box from her arms.

I carefully opened the purple, luxurious box, and inside, a white ring sparkled and shined.

It was a white platinum ring with a withered rose engraved on it.

“Do you remember what I told you about Hannah one day? After hearing her words, I realized what she thought of me. The fact that I also feel like a young lady.”

Rarely, I recall the day when Arlot raised her voice and spoke as if making a declaration.

-If you ask me whether I like it or not, of course I like it. But this feeling I have is difficult to put into the word ‘good’. It’s a precious feeling that I accumulated while living with Schmitz for a very long time…

I thought I was the only one who had such feelings.

There was no way a person like Arlot would feel that way toward an attendant like me, so she decided on her own and drew her own line.

It took a long time to realize that it was my illusion.

Now I know that she just ran away because she was scared of being rejected and that I would ruin her happiness.

And I wanted to convey all of these feelings to her.

Since she opened up her heart honestly, I should do the same.

“I am a coward. Even though I had the young lady in my heart, I doubted and distrusted myself and withheld judgment as to whether I could stand by her side. But now I want to be brave.”

I held the hand of Arlot, who was shocked and couldn’t say anything.

She slowly took off her ring and put it on her her fair, white finger her her her.

Fortunately, the ring in the shape of a withered rose fits perfectly on the ring finger of her left hand.

“I want to continue to be by your side from now on. Not simply as a servant, but as a man-“

“…Yes.”

Arlot gently held my hand with her left hand her her, which had her ring on it.

“We ask well. Schmitz.”

“I look forward to. Lady.”

In a world where the whole world is colored orange by the glow of the sunset

A single tear fell from Arlot’s eye,

She was happier than ever.

Maybe I was smiling like her too.