Academy Pure Love Prison Guard

15 – Date (3)

Date.

A word I had never experienced myself,

one that had only reached my ears through others.

All I knew was the vague notion that it involved men and women in a relationship doing various things together,

but even with just that scant knowledge, I could be certain of one thing.

“Look at this, mister!”

“I’m hungry.”

“The villain has appeared! I, the hero, shall defeat you!”

“Waaah!”

This was not a date.

Even someone like me could tell that much.

I looked at the young man surrounded by children,

and tried to remember how things had ended up like this.

After finally calming the young man down, we were walking down the street, then entered an alleyway by chance.

Normally, the alley would have been quiet, but as soon as the young man entered, it transformed.

Children hiding here and there popped out and rushed towards him, creating the situation before us now.

I thought it over but couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

When I asked the young man who was now being beset by children, he gave a response that was more of a guess:

“Just before we met, I was helping out some kids. Seems like word spread among them.”

Even while looking troubled,

he made no move to shake off the children.

The children too, knowing he wasn’t a bad person, gleefully climbed over him and played to their heart’s content.

And while the sight was heartwarming…

I was anxious about the fact that our date, which could be both the first and the last, was being interrupted.

Did he hear me sigh quietly?

He motioned to the children, pulling them away one by one.

“I’m sorry. I’m busy today, so I’ll play with you next time.”

“Huh? You’re free right now. Let’s play with us!”

“Yeah! Yeah!”

Nevertheless, the kids didn’t give up.

They were still self-centered as they were children.

Or maybe they knew that adults sometimes lie.

All the children here are orphans.

They must be the ones who were abandoned by their parents, hoping for something better.

That’s why they don’t believe the young man’s words and hold onto him.

Because they know for sure that there is no next time.

Because they know that it’s a lie to avoid facing the present.

As I think about it, my heart becomes heavy.

I, too, had a similar period in my life,

And thanks to the Count’s help, I can live as a respectable adult.

But still, the thought comes to mind from time to time.

Perhaps my parents are still looking for me.

Of course, I know it’s pointless.

Those people who have already abandoned me are not my parents.

However, the longing for family is difficult to overcome even as an adult.

That’s why I could vaguely understand why the children were causing a fuss and blocking the young man.

“What can I do…”

“Kids, I’m sorry.”

At that moment when I was thinking of giving up on the date, which hadn’t even started between us,

The young man hugged my shoulder and spoke to the children.

“We’re on a date right now, so I’ll definitely come next time.”

In a situation where I had given up, the young man tried to continue the date. He looked at me with a warm smile and sent me a gaze that seemed to say “I told you so.” As I nodded my head in agreement, suddenly a child objected. “Liar! Are you just trying to deceive us by calling it a date?” “No, it’s a real date,” the young man replied, but the children still looked at him with suspicion.

Then, the child who had taken the lead shouted with a voice full of anger, “There’s no way you would date such an ugly girl!” Thump – it was like being hit on the back of the head with a hammer, so shocked that my mind went blank. Children can be scary in their innocence. They are so pure and innocent that it can be even more frightening than anything else.

“I know, but still.” To say that I was ugly in front of everyone… I knew I wasn’t beautiful, but I couldn’t easily shake off the shock. It was strange just to be with a handsome man like him. He should be with a beauty like Miss Lily, not someone like me, right? Realizing this from the children’s words made me feel even further away from his world.

“Ha… honestly.” Unlike me who became a little melancholy, the young man approached the child with a heavy sigh. And then… “Ah!” “Do you think it’s okay to say whatever you want just because you’re young? Stop flapping your mouth unnecessarily,” he scolded the child who had just insulted me. In an

The child, who had spent a sweet night, stared blankly at the young man.

“Don’t casually call someone ugly. And…”

Turning around, the young man approached me and looked at my face,

With a confident expression, he spoke to the child.

“This person has their own charm. And in my opinion, they’re not ugly either.”

“Huh?”

I heard those words a few hours ago,

But hearing them again, I still couldn’t adapt.

To cool down my flushed face, I fanned myself continuously.

“Sniff! Sniff! Hooaaah!”

Whether it was because of the pain from the sweet night or because the young man seemed to ignore me,

The child who had experienced the sweet night burst into tears.

The young man, surprised by this turn of events, urgently sought help with his eyes.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. That man over there is a bad man, right?”

Hurriedly embracing the child, he patted their back.

What’s wrong with the child?

It’s the adults who leave children alone in this world that are bad.

If this child had received a good education, such a thing would not have happened.

They only encountered bad parents,

Isn’t it a sin to not even receive an education?

As I comforted the child, their crying subsided before I knew it.

Just as I was about to let go of the child and stand up,

“The bad man was taken down by me, bam!”

It was a coincidence.

Yes, everything was just a coincidence.

Even lowering my body to comfort the child,

And grabbing the young man’s pants as the child stumbled and fell from behind.

And as the pants came down, along with them went the underwear.

It was all a coincidence.

‘Oh no!’

The young man pulled up his pants urgently.

His face turned red with embarrassment as if he had realized the current situation.

Maybe I have the same look on my face as the young man.

‘Uh? Huh? Uh?’

Unlike my childhood, I am now an adult.

I have a certain understanding of the appearance of the reproductive organs and related knowledge.

Even so, or rather.

That’s why I couldn’t help but be surprised.

‘Can it be that big?’

I knew nothing in my childhood.

I have even witnessed a drunkard taking off his clothes due to the wind blowing.

At that time, it was more cute than scary, but the young man was different.

As if another man was a dagger, the young man was a longsword.

He refused to be ordinary in length and thickness.

‘Even now, if he’s in a normal state, then…’

I can’t imagine.

If the young man is serious, how impressive it would be.

Even though it was covered with trousers, the scene engraved in my mind did not disappear and flickered before my eyes.

“Well, I’m really busy, so I’ll come next time. Got it!”

As if he wanted to leave quickly,

He hesitated and moved hurriedly.

Following the young man, as he reached his side.

“Don’t go somewhere and talk about today’s work.”

“Oof!”

Laughter burst out at the warning that was not a warning.

“Don’t people usually say to forget it? Or pretend you don’t know.”

“You can’t easily forget memories. And what just happened was an accident.”

The young man grumbled with a resigned tone.

It was definitely an accidental overlap.

Was it not a turning point when the child fell?

So, there was no one to blame.

That’s why I chose to leave without reproaching the child.

“Well then, as a token of appreciation for showing something nice, should I show you something too?”

“……It’s okay.”

He hesitated for quite some time before answering.

Honestly, such good things are not easy to come by.

It would have been fine to show him the milk jug, which wouldn’t have worn out either.

***

“That is….”

The footsteps of the young man, who was heading to the restaurant to solve his late lunch, came to a halt.

Following the young man’s gaze fixed on a particular place,

there stood a crocodile-seller selling items.

“Did they even have crocodile-sellers in the royal capital?”

This doubt arose because crocodile-sellers were rare within the royal capital.

Less than 1% among all sellers.

If you see a crocodile-seller in the royal capital, it means you’re exceptionally fortunate.

However, thinking that meeting a crocodile-seller is a stroke of luck didn’t last long.

The young man turned around and approached the crocodile-seller.

“Welcome. Do you happen to be looking for something?”

The crocodile-seller greeted him warmly.

In contrast, the young man scrutinized the items with narrowed eyes.

“How much is this?”

“Oh, your taste is quite refined.”

The item the young man pointed at was none other than a transparent glass bead.

At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary glass bead,

but the crocodile-seller explained that it was not an ordinary item.

“This is the famous non-melting ice. It’s a rare item that only comes from a remote northern region.”

“Non-melting ice.”

As he gently touched it with his finger, a definite sensation of coldness was transmitted.

If it’s ordinary ice, it usually comes out dripping.

The non-melting ice really didn’t have any moisture.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? As it boasts high popularity, it’s not a cheap item to say the least.”

“…how much is it?”

“1 gold. One for 1 gold.”

I felt my breath catch at the unexpected price.

1 gold.

That’s well over a year’s worth of my salary.

Shocked by the fact that my hands had touched such an expensive item, I quickly pulled them away.

I don’t know if it was my mood, but after hearing it was expensive, the glass beads looked like a jewel.

However, the young man seemed to have a different appreciation, and he began to argue with a sigh.

“It’s definitely hard to come by in the royal capital.”

“That’s right. That’s why the price is….”

“But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get. You can buy it at the alchemy guild.”

Although I couldn’t understand the young man’s explanation,

I could tell from the alchemist’s reaction.

He had intentions of deceiving us.

“1 gold is a bit much. How about 30 silver, no, 37 silver.”

“…Are you a fellow merchant?”

Even the alchemist’s tone had changed, and he glared at the young man with sharp eyes.

However, the young man shook his head and, after rummaging through his pockets, soon tossed a shining coin to the alchemist.

“What’s your game?”

“I’m buying, so I negotiated the price. What’s the problem?”

It’s no surprise that the coin the young man handed over was none other than a gold coin.

It was the same amount that the alchemist had mentioned in the beginning.

I, too, have to work tirelessly if I want to get my hands on that.

How could a young man who has just entered the academy possess it?

Or did he enter the academy because he has such wealth?

“Well then…”

After narrowing the distance between himself and the crocodile master, the young man whispered as if in his ear.

At that, the crocodile master opened his eyes wide and stared at the young man with a look asking how he knew.

“Well then, please take care of me next time.”

“It seems like this guy is more formidable than I thought. Guhuh.”

Whether some kind of deal was made or not, the crocodile master and the young man shook hands.

It was a sight that I couldn’t possibly comprehend, but as a maid, I understood that it wasn’t my place to interfere.

***

“We had a lot of fun, more than I expected.”

After that, they enjoyed their date to the point where they wondered if it was acceptable.

They ate together, walked around the park,

and even visited famous dating spots in the end.

It was probably a decent last date.

“I really had a great time. I never thought I would have a day like this.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“Well, that’s all for now.”

Now it’s time to return to the mansion.

To leave behind the sweet dream and go back to being an ordinary maid.

“If I wasn’t busy, we would have gone to a warm place by now.”

“You until the very end… oh, right.”

The young man, who was muttering in a slightly irritated tone, seemed to remember something and widened his eyes.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t even introduced ourselves yet.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

Upon careful consideration, I realized that I still didn’t know the young man’s name.

No way, going on a date with someone whose name I don’t even know.

I can’t even say that I went on a date somewhere.

“Well then, let me go first. I’m Ando. As you can see, I am an employee.”

“Ando, huh? Quite a nice name.”

“Do you think so?”

He only says pleasant things from one to ten.

How could any woman dislike him?

Now it was the young man’s turn, and he slowly opened his mouth.

“I climbed up the royal road upon entering the academy.”

“It’s Ron.”

“………… What?”

Time stopped for a moment.

Ron?

He clearly said his name was Ron, right?

Clearly, Lily likes someone named Ron,

And Ron said he entered the academy at the same time as Lily.

That means…

“Ando!!!”

I regained my senses from the sudden loud noise, but

My mind was still dazed as if the shock remained.

Regain my senses? I was already in Lily’s room,

And she was stuffing her mouth full with the snacks I bought.

“Did something happen? You’re acting strange today.”

“Um, Miss. Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, sure, anything.”

To deny this utterly unbelievable fact, I asked her a question.

“Is that person named Ron? Black hair, narrow eyes, and a scary handsome face?”

“Huh? How does Ando know about that?”

‘Woahhhhh!’

What kind of prank of destiny is this?

Of all people, it had to be Ron, whom Miss Lily likes.

However, the shock was only temporary.

Soon, he grasped Miss Lily’s shoulder firmly, recalling the events of today.

“Miss!”

“Uh, uh?”

“There’s no need for confessions or anything. Let’s establish the facts first!”

“What are you talking about!”

Lily has no chance against him like this.

With a handsome face, a good personality,

And even exceeding the average male pride.

Moreover, judging by his casual use of gold coins, he must have some wealth too.

A man like that is easily sought after by both commoners and nobles.

Even if Lily has lived like family,

If the person is Ron, it won’t be an easy fight.

“Let’s at least stick as close as possible! No, it’s too much for you, Miss.”

“Ando, are you feeling sick anywhere? Should we take a break?”

“No! I’m perfectly fine!”

Innocent Lily, who knows nothing and munches on snacks.

If she stays like this, another woman could steal him away.

I can’t just stand still.

For Lily’s happy future.

Ando! I’ll do my best with all my strength!