“What are you doing?”

A low, pleasant yet somehow eerie voice resonated in my ear.

I quickly turned my head and saw Carl’s face close to my shoulder, water dripping from his wet hair.

Seeing that the part below his moist face was flesh-colored, I screamed without realizing it.

“What, what, what! Why are you completely n*ked?!”

“I only took off the top.”

“Still! You shouldn’t come out like that when I’m here!”

I hurriedly covered my face with my hands and scolded him.

It’s the first time I’ve seen a man’s bare body this close!

Carl’s body, dotted with small scars, exuded both rugged wildness and refined sculptural beauty.

A fantastic inverted triangle line, naturally long and solid bones, and muscles like those meticulously crafted by an artisan.

So this is why people rave about chests being amazing…

“For someone who’s embarrassed, you’re staring quite intently.”

Carl laughed incredulously as he shook his head with a towel.

“How long are you going to keep watching?”

His question startled me.

Carl narrowed his eyes and looked at me while drying his hair with a towel.

“If you’re going to peek through your fingers, why cover your face?”

“…Ahem! Ahem!”

No, I didn’t mean to look closely, but the visual attack caught me off guard.

I awkwardly dropped my hands and turned away.

“Hurry up and get dressed.”

“Wait.”

I heard rustling sounds behind me.

As I looked down at the floor out of boredom, Carl asked,

“So, why were you fiddling with my sword so suspiciously?”

“Suspiciously? I was just trying to replace the ragged cloth out of goodwill.”

“Well, the suspicious thing was your gaze sweeping over my body.”

“No, it wasn’t!”

I turned around in irritation, only to be startled by his still half-n*ked state, and quickly turned back.

Carl chuckled softly.

“You’re laughing? You find this funny?”

“Why wouldn’t I? I’m the one who’s exposed.”

“I didn’t want to see it!”

I was serious.

…Probably.

“Fine, fine.”

After gritting my teeth and warning him, Carl finally dressed and approached me.

“I’ll take care of it, so give it here.”

“Suit yourself.”

I handed over the sword and bandage with a pout.

Carl, now in a light shirt, wrapped the sword handle tightly with the white bandage.

“Don’t handle others’ swords carelessly. You might be mistaken for a thief and killed.”

“A kind and good-hearted person like me?”

At my shameless retort, Carl laughed incredulously, then spoke seriously.

“I almost mistook you for a thief just now, so be careful.”

Wow, is it an expensive sword?

The falcon pattern is intricate, and there’s even a jewel embedded, so it seems quite valuable…

But fearing I’d really be mistaken for a sword thief, I said nothing more.

Carl took out a blanket from the wardrobe and gestured with his chin.

“Sleep on the bed.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll just sleep on the floor.”

He laid the blanket near the door.

Since Carl was the original owner of the room, I felt guilty using the bed, but I obediently lay down.

“Thanks for letting me use it.”

“Forget it, just sleep.”

“You sleep well too.”

Carl turned off all the lights in the room. It quickly became pitch dark.

I tossed and turned, trying to fall asleep. But perhaps because of the day’s events, I was wide awake.

Turning towards the door, I could faintly see Carl’s silhouette in the dim moonlight seeping through the window.

“…Carl, are you awake?”

“Still awake.”

Fortunately, he hadn’t slept yet, as he replied immediately.

I gestured towards him, though he might not see it in the dark.

“Can you come over here?”

“Why?”

“What if someone breaks in through the window again? I’d feel better if you were closer.”

The bed happened to be by the window. It made me anxious.

“…….”

Carl sighed softly and moved next to the bed.

Knowing there was someone to protect me nearby, I felt much more at ease.

“Thanks for becoming my bondservant.”

I mumbled as sleepiness suddenly overwhelmed me.

“Sorry I’m a poor master. I’ll probably never be able to pamper you… ever…”

“…….”

“But I’ll make sure you don’t regret it… I’ll work hard on the game…”

I mumbled and fell asleep, not knowing what I was saying.

Carl quietly looked up at the now silent bed.

Her words, slurred with sleepiness, had faded, leaving only the sound of her gentle breathing.

‘What a strange girl.’

He couldn’t describe how shocked he was when he saw Shailyn handling his sword when he came out from washing.

For a moment, he really suspected she was after the sword.

Of course, seeing her innocent, smooth face dispelled his suspicion immediately.

She’s a bit too naive for any wrongdoing.

‘But what is a game?’

It was a word that particularly caught his ear among the things Shailyn mumbled before sleeping.

Not knowing what it meant even after pondering, Carl too closed his eyes.

Thus, they unknowingly exchanged parts of themselves they wanted to hide as the night passed.

The next day, the two of them left after acquiring a carriage and clothes for their journey to the capital.

2. Family is Too Much

It took three days to reach Banas, the capital of the Hersen Empire.

On the last day of the mission, they barely made it to the capital.

I pulled back my hood and widened my eyes at the dazzling scenery.

“Wow.”

Honestly, Sharofe’s territory and other lands had quaint corners like a typical medieval era, but the capital was on a different level.

Pointed high spires were scattered everywhere, and buildings reminiscent of European castles were not uncommon.

As I busily looked around, Carl, carrying my backpack, scolded me.

“Why are you acting like someone who’s never been to the capital?”

“Because it’s my first time. Have you been here? Did seeing the capital bring back any memories?”

Carl quietly turned his head, indicating it hadn’t.

“Ahem. So, what are you going to do now, master?”

“Find a place to stay.”

“Do you have somewhere in mind?”

“Yes, but I might get kicked out if I go there.”

Since deciding on the capital as my destination, I had a place in mind.

The Duke of Diart’s residence.

It was my mother’s family, but I, or rather Shailyn, had never met them.

Having lived almost her entire life confined to her estate, Shailyn had no relatives except them, so it was the only place I could ask for help.

‘I wonder how they’ll react when they see me.’

The former Count Sharofe had nothing but his looks to woo a noble lady into marriage.

Despite her family’s opposition, Shailyn’s mother eloped for love and built a family with the count.

Back then, she ran away at night, and now I was on a nighttime escape to find Lord Diart.

“Carl, I’ll tell you in advance. My real name is Shailyn Sharofe.”

I finally revealed the last name I had hidden just in case.

In this world, having a last name meant being a noble, while not having one meant being a commoner.

“The name you originally gave me was that.”

Carl replied as if wondering why I was stating the obvious.

I was revealing my nobility, but he seemed to miss the point.

“Idiot, I have a last name. It means I’m a noble. The place we’re going is a noble family, so you have to be careful with your words.”

“Oh.”

He nodded as if he finally understood.

“Since there are ranks, a lowly commoner should behave respectfully.”

“…….”

No, saying it like that makes me feel uncomfortable.

His words poked at my original self from Korea, where there was no caste system, so I pondered before speaking.

“When it’s just the two of us, it doesn’t matter if you speak casually.”

Carl was a new connection I made after meeting him as someone other than the real Shailyn, so we could be like friends.

“But be careful in front of others because they might find faults.”

“Got it.”

Carl chuckled and answered obediently.

Soon, we arrived at the duke’s residence. Seeing our destination, he raised an eyebrow.

“Hey, master. You plan to stay here? Is that even possible?”

“…We’ll find out, won’t we?”

Leaving him behind with a doubtful expression, I approached the knight guarding the entrance of the mansion.

The young knight, standing like a toy soldier, spoke stiffly.

“Who are you?”

“I am Shailyn Sharofe of the Count of Sharofe. I’ve come to see the Lord Diart.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No, but could you inform him? His granddaughter has come to see her grandfather.”

The knight flinched.