They Say an Age Gap Like This Doesn’t Even Need Matching - Chapter 5

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Huh? Why…?”
I lifted my head, puzzled, and saw his ears, face, and the back of his neck all flushed a deep crimson.
“Ah…?”
In the suffocating silence, I swallowed hard.
For some reason, his robe seemed to have come undone.
‘There was quite a significant… variable at play.’
At this point, I needed to retreat.
Before I turned a simple misunderstanding into something irreversible.
When it came to withdrawing without provoking a formidable beast I couldn’t handle, no one knew better than I did.
I smiled faintly and returned his belt to his hands, slowly backing away.
“…There’s no need to be so wary. I won’t do anything without your permission.”
He tied the belt tightly with imperceptible speed as he spoke.
And then I…
“So if I give permission, you’ll do anything?”
I blurted out a foolish question without engaging my brain.
He studied me silently for a moment, then offered a smile that mirrored my own from before.
“Had this been no misunderstanding, I would have welcomed you as my wife. Even now, I need a wife more than a maidservant.”
Come to think of it, when I had pinned him down earlier, he’d said something along the lines of not pushing me away given the circumstances.
“I intend to change the nature of our relationship. In other words, I will treat you with impure intentions from now on.”
His golden eyes, fixed upon me, gleamed with a seductive light like that of a nightmare king.
“If you dislike it or fear it, we can change the arrangement even now. I’ll prepare a separate place for you to rely upon.”
Somehow, those words sounded like a declaration of war.
‘If I’m afraid, I should run?’
That wasn’t possible.
I had scoffed at and rejected even the seduction of the Nightmare King.
“There’s no need to change the arrangement.”
I declared confidently, lifting my chin.
“Once you experience my competence, your mind will change too.”
The corners of his eyes softened gently.
“Is that so.”
“…”
That expression reminded me of someone entirely unlike him, so I quickly turned my head away.
Oh, that’s right.
“That’s broken, isn’t it?”
Following my gaze, Elhart spotted the flattened chain.
It was the very shackle I had destroyed when removing it from his ankle before he went to wash.
“…It appears so.”
“I’ll fix it for you.”
Whether repairing a restraint that oppressed my master’s freedom truly fell within a maidservant’s duties was unclear, but it was certainly something Elhart needed done immediately.
I laid out the damaged section of the chain carefully on the floor.
I wasn’t a formal mage, but I knew the basics of practical life magic well enough.
Thanks to learning essential spells from the Expedition Team members—purifying water, cleansing clothes and body—I had picked up magic necessary for prolonged field work.
Restoring a hunk of metal this size to its original form wasn’t particularly difficult for me.
The key was controlling my mana output so no one would come rushing in like before.
‘Draw it out thin as thread….’
After grasping the metal and straining for a while, the chain returned to its original state.
“…!”
“How’s that? Perfect, right?”
Elhart stared back and forth between me and the chain, his expression hardening.
“What….”
I lifted my chin and spoke with confidence.
“Look at this. You won’t find a maidservant as capable as me anywhere in the world.”
“….”
The shock was considerable—he couldn’t even respond, frozen in place.
In his stead, I connected the chain to the shackle around his ankle.
At this strength, it wouldn’t snap easily even if he moved carelessly.
Of course, if he crushed it in his grip like before, it would be useless.
“Is there anything else you need?”
After a long moment, Elhart opened his mouth and shook his head.
“…No.”
“Then I’ll clock out for the day.”
Today’s work was finished.
It was late, so I’d handle the rest tomorrow.
The aftereffects of the return spell hadn’t fully dissipated yet, leaving my body heavy as lead.
“Where are you going? Don’t you need a place to stay?”
Elhart suddenly sprang up and poured out words before I could answer.
“You can use my bed. I’m more comfortable on the floor anyway.”
And with that, he tried to lie down on the bare ground.
“There’s no need for that.”
No matter how accustomed he was to the floor, it couldn’t be worse than what I’d endured.
I had lived in the Land of Demons for years.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
I reached into my spatial bag and pulled out a sleeping bag.
“This is better than most beds.”
Mikhail had specially prepared this sleeping bag for me, who was particular about bedding, and it boasted the finest comfort.
The Expedition Team members had envied it greatly.
I unrolled the sleeping bag on the floor beside the bed and slipped inside, leaving only my face exposed, when my eyes met Elhart’s standing beside me.
He was frozen just as much as when I had repaired the chain earlier.
Someday I’d be able to boast that this was a gift from the founding king himself.
“Sleep well, Elhart.”
I deliberately closed my eyes without offering any explanation.
After all, one can only show kindness when they have the leisure to do so.
Today was the day I finally subdued the last demon.
So eager was I to return that I didn’t even rest.
I simply washed myself clean, dressed in the formal attire I’d been saving, and tore open the return scroll.
I had imagined laughing with joy as my friend welcomed me back, regaling them with tales of my adventures until I was sick of eating, playing, and resting.
Now that my expectations had been shattered, this overwhelming exhaustion was only natural.
‘Mikhail, I’m back.’
As my consciousness sank deeper, I whispered the greeting I had prepared to myself alone.
I swallowed the words about being late.
You wouldn’t want an apology anyway.
‘Though it’s strange to say, I will do my utmost to care for the nation you built and your descendants.’
Retiring without a care is a bit frustrating for me given the current circumstances.
‘But, Mikhail.’
Even though it had been quite some time since I closed my eyes, I could feel Elhart’s gaze still fixed upon my face.
‘Your descendants don’t resemble you at all….’
It was my last thought before sleep claimed me.
***
The next day, I was officially hired as Elhart’s maidservant.
When Elhart saw me arrive in the formal Cradian Palace maidservant uniform, she seemed quite startled, but this was hardly difficult for me.
A little storytelling mixing truth and falsehood, combined with a touch of demonic power, and voilà!
I became Ser Brin, an experienced maidservant from Bardia.
In any kingdom, royalty are attended by nobly-born maidservants or servants.
Even if they are hostages.
Since Elhart was also royalty, it was only natural that she have someone to attend to her.
Properly speaking, Bardia should have sent servants along when she was sent as a hostage.
After all, no Cradian noble would volunteer to serve a hostage.
I became a maidservant belatedly sent from Bardia—a nation where duty had run away and conscience had died—to attend to the deposed prince.
Perhaps because there had been no dedicated staff for the hostage until now and many inconveniences had arisen, she seemed quite pleased.
‘It worked out well for both of us.’
By the way, my false surname ‘Brin’ was borrowed from one of the expedition team members’ names.
Coming up with names is more tedious than I expected.
I can only hope that person’s family still prospers.
But then.
“What are you eating right now?”
Upon seeing the strange something before Elhart, I immediately frowned.
The meal that had apparently been brought while I was away looked decidedly suspicious.
The murky broth with floating debris looked as though someone had left it half-eaten….
“Don’t eat that!”
I snatched the bowl from Elhart’s hands just as she was about to slurp it down.
You dare serve such slop to the Prince of Bardia?
“It’s more palatable than it looks.”
“What?”
My eyebrows shot up, and Elhart laughed with an awkward expression.
Seeing him like that only made my irritation boil over.
Tormenting such a kindhearted boy?
And he’s incredibly handsome too—do these people have their eyes in the back of their heads?
He deserves better treatment just for his face alone.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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