Academy Pure Love Prison Guard

14 – Date (Part 2)

“Oh my, Ando. Are you here for sweets again today?”

“Well, yes. Just the usual, please.”

Sunny weather.

Usually, I would be mindful of others’ gazes in the mansion.

But today, I came out on an errand at the request of the young lady.

The goal is a simple and rough snack that lacks grandeur,

A cheap snack commonly eaten by commoners.

Surely, the mansion must be overflowing with luxury desserts.

But the young lady prefers these simple snacks over luxurious desserts.

She claims they are too burdensome for her to eat.

Honestly, I don’t understand at all.

I have occasionally tasted the treats she has given me,

And realized that I have missed out on half of life by not knowing such delicious snacks existed.

“Well, this one is quite tasty in its own way.”

I thought to myself while staring at the newly bought snack.

It may be a bit crumbly, but as I chewed, I could feel its nuttiness and a subtle sweetness.

Of course, compared to the luxurious desserts I have tasted in the mansion,

There is still a huge gap.

Now, the errand is probably finished.

I just need to return to the mansion.

“Should I stop by the corner shop?”

Returning now would only attract the attention of other maids.

As the exclusive maid, I can focus on the young lady,

And take some rest since she’s not around.

But at the same time, I would have to endure the glares of jealousy and envy from others,

Making it impossible to have a peaceful day.

So, for now, I should spend some time leisurely and return before the young lady comes.

Just as luck would have it, I ran out of my usual evening primrose oil,

I guess I’ll have to replenish it while I’m here.

***

…the past self who had such thoughts was filled with regret.

Was taking a shortcut through an unfamiliar path to the evening primrose shop the cause?

I was surrounded by worthless scumbags.

“Your face isn’t much, but I can enjoy it as it is.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve sucked on a milk bottle.”

They scanned my body with slimy gazes and critiqued it with dirty words.

“Reminds me of the days in the slums.”

Being from the slums myself,

rather than being disgusted by their vulgar language, I was actually relieved.

The slums, where pimps seduced men and profanity and lust ran rampant.

I can’t say it was good with empty words,

but it wasn’t the worst to the point of denying my time in the slums.

“But how should I deal with these bastards?”

Delinquents who knew nothing but wanted some fun.

Even if I’m just a maid, I am still a member of the Bright family.

I have enough skill to easily subdue two delinquents.

I was only worried that the pastries in my arms might break.

“This was the last batch of pastries. If I want more, I’ll have to go again tomorrow.”

If possible, I wanted to give the young lady the pastries she desired.

Not just because it was the young lady’s order,

but because I couldn’t bear to give up seeing her smile while eating these pastries.

“Hey, you there.”

While contemplating how to protect the pastries and return safely,

a blunt voice tickled my ears.

As if planned in advance, all eyes focused on the owner of the voice.

Sweeping back his dark hair like ink,

a reddish glint tainted with bloodlust was directed at me.

“I’ll ask you one thing, this isn’t some special play, right?”

“If that’s how it seems, then I recommend the temple. Usually, one gold is enough for eye problems.”

“Alright then.”

Without hesitation, the youth’s fist pierced through the delinquent’s abdomen.

“Faster!”

Although I boast about my abilities,

I couldn’t keep up with his movements.

Even just judging by speed alone, he surpasses an ordinary person.

If I do well, it could be a proper match against the Bright House guards.

“You little brat!”

Thud!

“Well, you sure do talk a lot for someone weak like you.”

A delinquent grimaces in pain, as if hit in the spine.

He tries to stand up again and confront the young man,

but the young man kicks him in the face and knocks him down.

Nevertheless, the delinquent doesn’t give up and tries to stand again.

“Ugh!”

“Don’t waste your energy on useless resistance.”

With this final blow, the delinquent reveals the whites of his eyes and faints.

The overwhelming victory of the young man is apparent to anyone.

It was almost an ambush, yet there were no flaws in the young man’s movements.

“A man like a snack that the lady would like.”

Just like the snacks contained within the envelope,

this young man is rough but has skill.

While staring at the snack envelope in his arms, he thinks this way. When he comes to his senses, the situation is already over.

Suddenly, they both snap back to reality and lean on each other’s shoulders, fleeing from the delinquents.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Without paying attention to those delinquents,

the young man immediately asks about my well-being.

Is he really the same person who defeated the delinquent?

I tilt my head, feeling the disparity between the fight and the atmosphere at hand.

“Oh? On closer inspection….”

Perhaps because the situation has settled,

I finally notice the handsome appearance of the young man, albeit different from the prince’s charming looks.

The young man was no less handsome to be called a good-looking man.

With his good personality, there was no need to worry about any bad luck to a woman.

“Hmm? His gaze… Oh my.”

She smiled back at his direct gaze.

It’s true that even if you’re good-looking, you can’t handle the women’s presence.

I might not say this with my mouth,

But, his body is just as good as anyone else’s.

“My suit looks good on me, right? Since you saved me from those guys, can I at least have the right to talk and suck up like them?”

“No, it’s okay.”

“… “

It was a joke, but it hurt to be rejected like that.

“First of all, let me ask again, are you hurt?”

“Thanks to you, I’m fine.”

Just before getting caught, the young man would have solved the problem anyway, without him stepping in.

I can’t guarantee the state of the snacks.

But thanks to the young man stepping in, the snacks are safe, and I’m also safe without any scratches. Aren’t I lucky?

“Then I’ll leave. You should too…”

“Just wait a moment!”

She grabbed his wrist, blocking his hasty departure.

Regardless of the reason, he was the one who saved her, and she couldn’t just let him leave like this.

She couldn’t do anything big in return, but she could at least help him.

“How about a date with your nice body maid?”

She playfully asked, lifting her chest with her arm linked with his.

Of course, it wasn’t a real date, just a simple guiding on the streets.

Originally, this was an alley with a lot of lost people.

The main road was so crowded that it was easy to get lost even with a little distraction.

She even noticed from his attire that he was not familiar with the main road.

In the same academy uniform as hers.

And an appearance that didn’t quite fit with the palace setting.

Clearly a newcomer, probably from the countryside or another village.

Must have wandered off while touring the palace.

“….”

Sure, they tried to keep it polite, but it wasn’t exactly a tempting offer.

Objectively speaking, not much to offer beyond the figure, and who would be excited about a date with a maid who had nothing much to offer but her body?

Just reject with a cool tone, explain I’m here for guidance—it’ll be fine.

“Sure.”

Yet the young man’s response was unexpected.

Expected a refusal, but there it was, a positive answer from his lips.

“…Did you hear me correctly? A date with me.”

“Yeah. So.”

They say when one is taken aback, they become oddly composed.

Never thought I’d experience it in this manner.

“Jeez, you’re kidding, right? A date with a maid like me? In a place like this where the streets are brimming with beauties, walking around with someone like me would be embarrassing, wouldn’t it?”

Spouted self-deprecation as if brushing off the situation.

The streets here are filled with beauties indeed.

Surely, walking around with a maid like me in a place like this would draw ridicule.

Surely, I’ll be accused of exploiting the young man’s weakness, forced into this against his will.

Surely, there’ll be all sorts of accusations and gossip about me buying him with money.

But the young man didn’t care, looking straight at me, saying clearly,

“You seem quite charming.”

“Huh!?”

Caught so off guard that I made a weird sound.

Would’ve brushed it off if he had said I was beautiful.

But being called charming felt sincere, and I couldn’t lift my head.

Maybe it’s a joke to mock me.

That thought crossed my mind, but I couldn’t deny it while looking at his face.

A young man smiling softly without a hint of mockery.

No matter how I looked at it, it didn’t seem like a joke or a lie.

Thump thump.

Is the sound ringing in my ears just a simple illusion?

Or is this sound really coming from my heart?

Although the man had already given up, he carried the words with him.

In the emotions that I felt after a long time, I realized that I had been waiting for my own prince charming.

Maybe that’s why.

Without seeing the young man’s face,

I kept my head down and concealed my blushing face.

“He must be a Casanova! Otherwise, there’s no reason for him to treat me like this!”

Taking a deep breath, I came to a somewhat realistic conclusion.

Though there were opposing opinions,

I eventually ignored them and slowly regained my composure.

“You don’t seem well. Are you sick or something?”

Swish.

The young man, who was gently touching my cheek, raised my chin softly.

Then, I saw the concerned face of the young man.

Our breaths were close enough that I could feel them, and my face became warm.

Thump thump.

At the same time, my heart raced as if it would burst.

Sometimes, I used to laugh at other maids who fantasized about handsome men.

Seems like I’ve become too enamored with a man to focus on my work.

As if a handsome man would want someone like me, I thought.

But now, facing them directly, I felt foolish about my past self who had laughed at those girls.

I deeply understood why people fall in love,

and how love can make a person a fool.

“That won’t do. Let’s go to the pharmacist quickly.”

“Huh? Just a moment!”

“It’s okay. No need to worry.”

“No, that’s not it!”

The young man took my hand and began to move, his footsteps determined.

I tried to stop him urgently, but there seemed no sign that he would.

In such a situation, was it strange to find the warmth that seeped through a mere layer of skin somehow pleasant?