Chapter 57
"I'm going to die buried in work at this rate. Why are there so many documents piling up?"
After finishing managing the territory and returning, today I found an enormous pile of documents on my desk.
Exaggerating a bit, it was about as tall as me.
For the first time since being possessed in this other world, I felt like wanting to escape reality.
'If I run away from reality, I'd have to say goodbye to Chloe too, so I worked to death.'
Thanks to that, I succeeded in conquering the mountain of documents, but I don't want to experience such terrible overwork again.
"I should promote Antonio, who's been the manager of the first Cafe Medici since it opened, and entrust him with providing coffee to all cafes. If I try to manage everything myself like before, I'll die from overwork."
Some crazy person whose hobby is sending Shiba dogs to Mars says you should work 100 hours a week.
If a person does such a thing, they'll die from heart disease or high blood pressure within a few years.
And when you think about it, people work hard to live well and eat well, work itself isn't the purpose, right?
"I should cool my head while chatting with Chloe."
Seeing her act spoiled like a puppy when I pat her gives me motivation to live for tomorrow.
Without Chloe, I probably would have suffered from migraines like Cao Cao due to stress, wouldn't I?
With such idle thoughts, as soon as I opened my room door, Chloe welcomed me.
"Welcome back, young master."
"Don't even mention it, I thought I was going to collapse from too many documents to process."
"Then shall I give you a lap pillow?"
"Please do."
Chloe stretched her legs on the bed and pointed to her thighs.
Lying down with my head on her thighs, I feel like all the fatigue in my body is melting away.
"Do you like my lap pillow that much, young master?"
Is there any human who dislikes a lap pillow from a beautiful girl?
Even a homosexual who only feels sexual desire towards men would definitely like this.
"If it's okay with Chloe, I want to cancel all my work tomorrow and stay like this."
I wouldn't get tired of lying like this all day.
"Is that so? Then today I'll keep doing this until you fall asleep, young master."
A long silence flowed between us.
A quietness that makes my heart very comfortable even without exchanging any words.
While feeling the peace in daily life, Chloe asked me:
"I'm sorry to bother you when you're so tired, young master, but can I bring up an important topic for a moment?"
Although it's been over a year since I've been with Chloe, she's never brought up something she really wanted to say like this before.
'She must have agonized over this dozens of times internally before bringing it up.'
It's not like I'm in a state where I'm about to collapse and die from exhaustion, and considering that she's gathered this much courage, I should listen.
"What is it?"
Chloe asked in a sorrowful voice like a girl agonizing over a long unrequited love:
"It's not my place to say as a mere maid, but what do you think of me, young master?"
Although I've never dated even once in this other world or Korea, I'm not so clueless as to ask what she means after hearing those words.
Even from a rough listen, it sounds like something that would come out just before a confession.
Has the moment finally come for the efforts I've put in since first picking up Chloe and making her my personal maid to bear fruit?
Anyway, I should seriously accept her feelings now.
"No matter what anyone says, I think of Chloe as my family."
"Is that so? I..."
Chloe took a deep breath.
Then she looked around worriedly before finally putting her feelings into words.
"I love you, young master."
Chloe continued speaking without giving me a chance to answer.
"Just seeing you focused on work in your office makes me smile, and I like the kind young master who eats cake every day for me even though you don't really like it. I'm so happy I wish days like this would continue forever."
When I stretch from fatigue while working, Chloe often smiles faintly while looking at me.
Then when our eyes meet, she turns her eyes to the book she's studying as if she didn't...
But her face does turn as red as an apple.
Sometimes I tease Chloe like this.
'Is there something on my face?'
Just asking this makes Chloe stammer and bury her face in her book.
"So I thought it would be nice if we could always stay like this... but now this much is far from enough."
A tear dropped on my face.
My view is blocked by Chloe's chest so I can't see well, but she must be crying, right?
"The other maids around you, and now even Lady Christina seems to be subtly attracted to you. Although she doesn't seem to have noticed her own feelings yet, you're so charming that she'll fall in love soon... just like how I, a mere maid, fell in love with you."
"Chloe."
"I like you, young master. So I'm always trying to be of help to you. I've studied hard at writing, math, and accounting, which I've never done before. I'm not helpful yet, but when you praise me for doing well, a corner of my heart warms up. At the same time, I'm so anxious."
Chloe swallowed hard and spoke to me in a small voice as if pleading:
"Because you're such an excellent person, young master, kind to everyone and loved by all. And later you'll take a lady from a noble family as your wife. I know I can't monopolize your affection for life, but still."
She grasped my hand tightly.
Chloe's hand was trembling slightly, no, quite a lot.
"I don't mind being any number, I just want to be your woman, young master. So I've tried to become the kind of girl you like. I've studied hard, exercised to maintain my figure, and because you seem to like big breasts, I've even massaged my chest with my hands when you're not looking. So... therefore..."
In dramas and such, when a woman confesses like this, the male protagonist often interrupts her words and silences her with a kiss.
In my opinion, that doesn't seem like a very good idea.
When someone speaks desperately after gathering courage, you should listen to the end.
"Every time I touched my breasts with my hands, I imagined your touch. Each time, a corner of my heart grew a little more sorrowful..."
Chloe carefully removed my head from her lap pillow.
We faced each other.
Tears were already welling up in Chloe's eyes as she poured out everything in her heart.
Fear from thinking I might reject her feelings, expectation hoping her love would be fulfilled, obsession not wanting to let go.
All sorts of various emotions could be seen through her eyes.
"Young master, please. Make Chloe your woman. And put me at ease."
At this point, asking if someone like me is really okay is a stupid question.
The person speaking might be saying it with good intentions.
But from the listener's perspective, it's such nonsense that it makes you wonder if they properly heard what you said.
'She's making such a desperate confession because she likes me that much.'
Asking not to regret it or whatever is something only an idiot would say.
"I'm sorry I didn't bring it up first."
I reached out my hand and stroked Chloe's head and cheeks.
Tears were still welling up in her eyes, but a smile full of relief appeared on her face.
"Young master, please accept me."
Instead of answering those words, I kissed her.
Chloe carefully took off her clothes.
Under the maid uniform she usually wears, quite daring underwear, no, negligee was hidden.
When her underwear was revealed, she bowed her head deeply and stammered.
"I wanted to look as pretty as possible for my first experience with you, young master, so I saved my salary and bought this. And because I heard it hurts at first, I asked the head butler and drank two cups of coffee. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight."
Although coffee can be used as a stimulant and aphrodisiac that stimulates sexual desire, it probably has no analgesic effect to reduce the pain of first experience...
Chloe brought my hand to her chest and whispered.
"Please dye me in your color, master. All through the night."
On this day, I finally climbed the stairs of adulthood.
After enjoying our first night all night long and waking up in the morning, I saw Chloe sleeping under the covers looking so cute that I did it again, so I couldn't go to work the next day.
Sebastian brought up foods like seaweed soup full of eel, oysters, almonds, and garlic on my meal tray that day.
**
"Young master, there's a guest outside."
Hearing those words, I clicked my tongue.
"I'm busy dealing with the work I postponed yesterday, who on earth is it, Sebastian?"
"It's Baron Ducat, commander of the Tuscan Empire's 1st Division."
The timing was a bit later than I expected, but the Emperor said he'd give me a chance to achieve military merit, right?
So I thought I'd do something like military service.
But of all things, that very division where Pereira made a profit from supplies?
"I have no idea what kind of work they'll give me, damn it."
That Emperor really doesn't give me any easy jobs that I can coast through.
I hope he suddenly throws out his back while exercising at night and is bedridden for a week.