Red Tape

Erwin’s sexual experience is poor.

Because he is surrounded by many nobles known for their debauchery, including Archibald, he unintentionally witnessed many people having sex. But He is also curious about it.

However, his meticulous nature prevented him from putting his curiosity into action. The mere thought of touching a courtier, who might be hugging and rolling around with others, made him uncomfortable.

In addition, the rumors of the high society are as fast as the north wind in winter, and if the protagonist is Erwin, the speed is even faster.

It is not that he does not have sexual desires, but they are not strong enough to go through the troublesome process of finding someone to solve it, paying a price, and keeping their mouth shut.

He mostly solved it by reading a book or thinking about something else to calm himself down, and in urgent cases, he would rub his body against a pillow or touch it with his hands.

Just like the large, rough hands of his servant had done for him a few days ago.

When he thought about it, hot heat gathered in his lower abdomen. Erwin’s face turned red for a reason other than the warm water and steam in the bathtub he was soaking in.

He hesitated for a moment.

Erwin’s hand, which had been hesitating, went not to the front but to the back. It was not his erect genitals but between his buttocks.

The tip of his index finger, which had been hesitating for a moment over the tightly closed entrance, gently stroked the wrinkles before carefully digging deep inside. Thanks to the water mixed with a lot of perfume, the first entry is not difficult.

“Umm…”

His body stiffened at the unfamiliar foreign feeling.

He pushed open the tightly closed part with his fingertips and went inside further, and his squishy walls were touched.

He feels a chill when he realizes he is putting his hand inside his body, even though he is soaking in warm water. The hair on his neck stood on end.

Even though he put in more than two fingers, the dizzying pleasure he had expected did not come. All I can feel is the unpleasant sensation of water flowing back into a hole that had never been forced open before.

Erwin carefully moved his finger, inserting as deeply as possible and feeling around the inner wall here and there.

He exerted himself so much that his arm stretched out behind him felt sore, but he could not feel anything other than discomfort.

He is a little disappointed; perhaps he had anticipated it too much. Was Archibald talking nonsense again? Or maybe I just don’t have that extreme point.

He boldly made one last attempt, thinking that he should go a little deeper. When he pushed his index finger all the way in and slightly bent it, the tip of his finger brushed against a thick part as if it were scratching it.

“ugh…!”

As soon as he touched that spot, the strength of his legs that were standing on the bathtub gave out and Erwin’s body slid down. Then with a splash, he was submerged in water up to his head.

Erwin, who is very flustered, unconsciously took a deep breath and water rushed into his nose and mouth. While he was panicking and struggling, Liam, who was just entering the bathroom to check the water temperature, ran over and pulled him out.

“Master!”

Erwin coughed as if he was going to vomit out his intestines. Liam patted Erwin’s back so that it was not painful.

“Did you fall asleep in the bathtub again?”

“Haa…Haa…· ”

Liam’s face is filled with deep worry. How could someone so dangerous and precarious that you couldn’t take your eyes off him live in a foreign land for years without a servant?

“Are you feeling better now?”

“…huh.”

Only after Erwin’s breathing calmed down, did Liam seem to feel somewhat relieved, and he scooped out some of the cold water in the bathtub and added new water.

Archibald’s words were true. There really is such a spot. Deep enough that my hands couldn’t reach it.

Erwin’s eyes, slightly relaxed, looked at Liam with a gleam that resembled ignorance.

To be exact, Liam’s long fingers with thick joints holding the kettle.

***

Liam opens his eyes just as night is turning into dawn. The interior of the bedroom is dyed pale with the blue light shining through the window.

Liam, whose eyes were briefly drawn to Erwin’s angelic sleeping face, averted his gaze and stood up.

He carefully untied the string from Erwin’s wrist and hid it deep in the drawer of the nightstand. Then he pulled up the quilt that had fallen to his waist, covered him neatly, and secretly left the room.

Liam, who walked through the gloomy atmosphere before returning to the cabin along the path, began his day as a hunter.

After washing and changing clothes, he cleans the cabin briefly and goes outside to look around the forest.

There are no big-hearted poachers who would dare to set traps or snares in the Duke’s Forest. The population of wild animals is also kept at a reasonable level.

Liam returned to the mansion and had breakfast in the servants’ hall.

The servants are only allowed to eat after their master has finished their meals. The food left by the master is also their share, but today, a whole roast duck with apricot sauce is served.

Judging from the traces of a small cut near the leg, Erwin must have had no appetite this morning.

Amid the clinking of dishes, Jeffrey, who had finished eating first, looked at Liam, dabbing his mouth with his napkin.

“Liam. “Master Erwin wants to hire you as his personal servant.”

Liam’s eyes widened. Not only Liam, but the other servants are also surprised.

Erwin had never had a personal servant before. Furthermore, a personal servant to a nobleman is a high-ranking position, and for Liam, who is a low-ranking servant who takes care of all kinds of chores in the mansion, this is a huge promotion.

“Managing the hunting grounds is not much work, so you can continue, right? Don’t do anything else and focus on serving the master.”

Jeffrey glanced at Liam, who had a bewildered expression.

Seeing this, Jeffrey smiles gently as if he is impressed.

“It seems you did a good job.”

“Thank you.”

Liam bowed his head in satisfaction after receiving Jeffrey’s compliment.

“Oh. It’s time for the postman to come.”

Jeffrey checked his pocket watch and stood up. Then, as if something suddenly occurred to him, he continued talking to Liam.

“Oh, I need to replace the flag on the spire with a new one. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes. I understand.”

At the eastern end of the duke’s mansion, there is a tall spire that can be seen from anywhere in the mansion. The flag hanging from the spire has the family crest, a golden daffodil, engraved on it. It is a symbolic flower of the North that blooms in winter.

Liam followed Jeffrey to his office and took the box containing the new, crisply ironed flag, and left.

The castle, which had been expanded several times, is connected by a long corridor. When he went up to the first floor and entered the long gallery reminiscent of an art museum, Liam encountered Erwin, who was strolling.

Liam’s eyes suddenly brightened.

Perhaps it is because they had spent so many nights together that they had grown closer. Suddenly meeting Erwin is even more delightful.

“Master!”

Erwin, who had been walking slowly while reading a book, raised his head.

Liam, who had been so happy that he had forgotten to even bow, bowed belatedly, but Erwin ignored it and smiled faintly.

The way he made a childish expression that didn’t match his bear-like size whenever he met him seemed cute in its own way.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to the east spire to change the flag.”

“Okay. Go.”

Liam bows and passes Erwin but then he hears footsteps that aren’t his own behind him. When he turns his head, Erwin is standing right behind him.

“Master? Is there anything you want me to do…”

“I’m taking a walk. I told you to keep working.”

Liam scratched the back of his head awkwardly and started walking again. However, Erwin is still following him.

Erwin is still behind him even as he opens the heavy iron door leading to the spire. Only then did Liam realize that the young master’s destination was the same as his.

The stairs to the spire are narrow enough for one person to walk and endlessly high. The wall next to the spiraling stairs is made of piled stones, and there were holes here and there, so if you looked closely, you could see far below.

When Liam reached the top of the stairs, he exclaimed as he looked out over the railing.

“Wow… .”

Just below are steep cliffs, and the deep blue sea crashed fiercely with white foam.

The Duke’s Residence was built hundreds of years ago, during the height of territorial battles, and located at the northernmost point to prevent foreign invasion.

The spire on the edge of the cliff was used to watch for enemy forces coming in by sea, and after the peace treaty was signed, it served as a landmark for ships.

“It’s been a long time, here too.”

Erwin looks at the distant sea with eyes that seem lost in emotion.

This spire is a place where he often climbed when he was young and spent his time daydreaming.

When he was here, he could sometimes see a large ship leaving for a long journey. Erwin imagined himself boarding that ship and going on an adventure.

Erwin sat on a long bench against one wall, opening his book, while Liam worked in front of him.

He pulled the rope attached to the middle pillar and the old and worn flag that had endured the harsh weather came down.

When he turns around with a new flag, Erwin is leaning against the stone wall and dozing off.

The pouring sunlight infused the area where they were with life, making even the floating dust sparkle. A ray of sunlight shone on Erwin’s face, who was sleeping with his head slightly bowed.

Liam approaches as if he is possessed. At this moment, he is no different from Pygmalion, who was captivated by the statue and fell in love with it passionately.

He can not stop his feet from approaching him and his hands from reaching out without his knowledge.

Liam, kneeling in front of Erwin, reached out one hand and placed it against the wall behind him. Then he slowly tilted his head.