Alice was bathing the horses in the stable. Jack the coachman had asked her to do this while he attended to some business. She occasionally helped with such tasks in exchange for delicious food.

Flap!

When the horse shook its body, Alice’s clothes became soaked with water. Her tanned skin showed through the drenched fabric.

“Ugh! Water got into my mouth!”

Alice wiped the water from her face with a towel. The horse continued shaking itself while Alice sat on a chair watching it.

Fatigue clung to her eyes and wouldn’t let go. She had barely fallen asleep at dawn after agreeing to Khalid’s request yesterday.

[“I want you to be with me… I want to do various things with you.”]

Khalid’s words wouldn’t leave her mind. Her face flushed automatically.

‘What does he mean by doing things? What kind of various things…?’

Of course, since she couldn’t reveal she was a woman, she wouldn’t have a deep relationship with Khalid, but if Khalid wanted it…

‘No. That’s impossible.’

Khalid was the heir to the Count’s family. He wouldn’t want such things from Alice. He simply asked her that favor because he was curious whether he really liked men.

But if Khalid truly liked men, Alice would have to erase her small crush.

While she was lost in thought, a maid came looking for her.

“Noel. Master Khalid is looking for you. He wants you to come to his room!”

“What? Yes…”

Alice answered the maid and headed toward the mansion. Her heart pounded at the thought of seeing Khalid, but it beat anxiously. What was he planning to do?

* * *

The wooden staircase used only by employees creaked with age. Upon reaching the third floor, Alice knocked on Khalid’s door.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

“…”

When she opened the door, Alice was startled. Khalid was standing right in front of the door. He brushed past her and clicked, locked the door. Alice tensed up again.

Khalid swept his bangs upward. He looked at Alice with a troubled expression.

“What were you doing that got your clothes so wet?”

Alice’s wet clothes revealed her tanned skin underneath. Soft shoulders and collarbones. Though her chest wasn’t visible, her small navel could be seen. Khalid suddenly felt his throat go dry and unconsciously gulped.

“I was washing a horse…”

“…Noel. You’ll catch a cold if you stay in those wet clothes. Should I give you my clothes?”

When Khalid started rummaging through his wardrobe, Alice was surprised.

“N-no. If it bothers you, I’ll go to my room to change and come back!”

As Alice tried to open the door to leave, Khalid firmly grabbed her wrist.

“Master Khalid?”

“…Change here. I won’t eat you.”

“…”

Eventually, Alice changed her clothes behind a wooden screen.

The bandages compressing her chest were also damp, but she couldn’t change those. The clothes Khalid gave her were soft and large, hanging loosely on her. 

If the Countess saw her, she would be angry, so Alice needed to go back to her room later to change into her shabby clothes again.

‘These clothes smell like Master Khalid…’

Alice felt she could happily suffocate in this scent.

After she finished changing and appeared, Khalid made a strange expression.

“You’re shy even though we’re both men? Changing in hiding.”

“…”

“Well, I did say I might like men, so I guess that’s why.”

Khalid’s mood soured at the thought that Alice was wary of him. However, Alice was relieved she didn’t have to make excuses thanks to his misunderstanding.

“Do you still like Daisy?”

At Khalid’s question, Alice looked bewildered.

She quickly shook her head.

“No!”

“…Then who’s your ideal type?”

‘That’s…’

Alice took in the sight of the most beautiful man before her eyes. Khalid’s appearance was perfect, like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.

“Ma… Mariam.”

She had no choice. She had to sell out her friend. Pretending to be a man, she had to say she liked women.

Khalid’s eyebrows raised slightly.

“Ah. The red-haired maid. Yes, you two get along well…”

Khalid’s expression was languid, but he seemed strangely displeased. Alice watched his reaction and stood up.

“If you’ve asked everything, I’ll be going now!”

Alice tried to leave before Khalid could form strange misunderstandings, but she soon found her wrist caught by him.

Khalid forced Alice to sit on the sofa and grabbed her shoulders.

Gradually, Khalid’s moist lips descended and touched Alice’s dry ones.

“Master Khalid…? Mmph.”

Khalid’s tongue entered Alice’s mouth so deeply she could barely breathe, swirling around freely. He gripped her tongue so firmly it felt like it might be pulled out, bringing tears to Alice’s eyes.

“Hnng.”

Khalid’s hand explored Alice’s waist. When he felt her slender waist in his hand, the corners of his eyes curved upward.

“…You’re pretty, Noel.”

“Haa. Ha…”

“Breathe. …Is this your first kiss?”

Alice nodded at Khalid’s question.

Khalid tucked Alice’s hair behind her ear and pressed his cheek against hers. With such intense physical contact, Alice’s face also burned hot.

“It’s my first time too.”

“…What?”

“Kissing.”

“…”

Disbelieving, Alice opened her mouth, and Khalid’s tongue slipped deeply inside. This time, he began a kiss that seemed more considerate, gently caressing her tongue.

Khalid’s hand, which had been touching Alice’s waist, slipped inside her pants. Alice’s mind went blank.

“W-wait a moment!”

Alice pushed Khalid away with all her strength. Khalid licked the saliva from his lips.

“…Why?”

His blue eyes, clouded with desire, scanned Alice’s body.

‘I might be discovered.’

She might be discovered as a woman. How disappointed would Khalid be, who thought he might like men? No, more than that, he might be angry that she had deceived him. She could receive a severe punishment or be expelled from this place.

Alice avoided Khalid’s gaze.

“L-let’s just kiss. I can’t do anything else.”

“…Are you scared?”

Khalid approached Alice again. Her heart raced at the scent that enveloped her.

“…Yes. I’m very scared.”

Khalid thought for a moment, then sighed deeply.

“Alright. It’s understandable to be scared… I wasn’t planning to go all the way either.”

“…”

“Noel.”

“…Yes.”

“Open your mouth.”

Alice’s eyes widened. As she hesitantly opened her mouth, Khalid’s lips approached again. Khalid’s hands firmly gripped both of Alice’s wrists, preventing her from moving. Then his leg came between her thighs.

“Hngh…!”

When his leg pressed against her private area, Alice staggered involuntarily. She tried to move her hands, but Khalid’s grip on her wrists was tight.

Khalid’s lips sucked on Alice’s slender neck with a smack. Alice trembled. She couldn’t think straight with Khalid’s leg continuously pressing between her thighs. Her stomach tightened, and her underwear quickly became damp.

“Ah, ah…! Mmm. Master Khalid!”

Khalid’s knee deliberately pushed against Alice’s private area. Alice instinctively covered the front of her pants with her hand. She feared being discovered as a woman since she lacked male g*nitalia.

“…Noel. …I want to do many things with you.”

Alice’s legs weakened. Her body felt like it would collapse to the floor at any moment. When Khalid tried to press his body closer, her mind went blank. There was a limit to what she could block with her hands.

“N-no more. Please…!”

“Let’s go on a date tomorrow.”

“…What?”

Khalid’s lips and the knee pressing against Alice’s private area both withdrew simultaneously. Looking at the red mark on Alice’s neck, Khalid said pleasantly:

“Let’s go out together.”

“…”

Alice had never received a date invitation from a man before. And from Khalid, no less.

If she had received it as a woman, she would have been so happy she couldn’t sleep. But to receive a date invitation while disguised as a man was both joyful and somewhat disappointing.