Chapter 395 - Chapter Five: Embrace
The matter of how to shop in the city was resolved quite simply.
Of the roughly two million people in the Rodberg Kingdom, just over twenty percent are beastmen. In the Kivileft County territory, located in the southern part of the kingdom, the proportion of beastmen is slightly lower, at just under twenty percent, but even so, out of the territory's population of seventy thousand, over ten thousand are beastmen, and in the county capital of Laden alone, out of a population of thirty thousand, about five thousand are beastmen.
More than half of them are slaves, but the rest are commoners with property rights. Among them are craftsmen, merchants, and independent farmers who have achieved a certain degree of success and earn above-average incomes.
Naturally, there are also many shops in Laden run by beastmen that cater to such commoner beastmen as customers. There, Matilda could do her necessary shopping without any problems.
Once Noein realized this and sent Matilda on errands to the beastman district in the western part of Laden's city center, she was able to purchase necessary items without any further issues.
Even at shops for beastmen, unless one sought extremely rare items, most things could be obtained. Thanks to Matilda's errands, Noein was able to acquire a wide range of daily necessities, consumables, and luxury goods, allowing him to create an even more comfortable living environment than before.
And Matilda also benefited from this.
"Matilda, that smells nice. And it's glossy and beautiful."
"...Thank you, Noein-sama."
As they sat side-by-side on the bed, Noein brought his face close to Matilda's hair, inhaled her scent, and looked into her eyes as he spoke. Matilda answered. Her expression didn't change much, but her cheeks were faintly red.
What Noein had praised was the scented oil Matilda had thinly applied to her hair after getting out of the bath. The oil, which Noein had bought for her with his own allowance, had a faint, refreshing citrus scent.
When Noein stroked Matilda's hair, her glossy black strands slipped through his fingers with a silky texture.
Over half a year ago, when she first met Noein, Matilda's hair was damaged, and bruises and swellings from beatings were prominent on her skin.
But now, her hair had regained its luster, and her skin had become beautiful. This was evidence that her nutritional and sanitary conditions had improved from eating the same meals as Noein and bathing regularly, and above all, that she had found mental peace.
And there was another change in Matilda.
"Matilda, your breasts have gotten a bit bigger again."
"Yes, Noein-sama."
Where Noein's gaze was directed, slightly below Matilda's face, her chest, now a size fuller than before, pushed against her clothes.
As a racial characteristic, rabbit-eared women tend to have large breasts. Considering that, Matilda's chest had been rather modest in size until now.
However, even though she was an adult, she was still fifteen and had room to grow, and perhaps because the quality of the food she ate had drastically improved, Matilda's chest was clearly developing. It would likely continue to change until it reached a size befitting her race.
"...Noein-sama, do you dislike large breasts?"
Matilda asked Noein, who was looking at her with a curious gaze. A hint of unease was mixed into her voice.
"Not at all. Actually, I might prefer them bigger. It feels nice."
"I see... I'm glad."
Hearing Noein's answer, Matilda's face relaxed into a smile.
Recently, Matilda often showed such relieved expressions. The fear and wariness she showed at the beginning had all but disappeared, and she had started to act in ways that confirmed whether Noein liked her and then felt relieved, just like this.
That made Noein happy too. It pleased him to think that she was responding in this way to his efforts to cherish her as much as possible and be as kind to her as possible.
"...Hey, Matilda. Is it okay? The usual?"
"Of course, Noein-sama. Please go ahead."
When Noein spoke with a spoiled expression, Matilda answered and spread her arms. Noein straddled her lap, facing her, and hugged her.
When Noein, who was small for his age, hugged Matilda like this, who was tall for a woman, it put him in a position where his face was buried in her chest. Matilda also wrapped her arms around Noein's back and pulled him close.
Feeling Matilda's body heat, her scent, the softness of her skin, and her breathing like this, he was enveloped in a very strange feeling. His heart became calm, and the core of his body grew warm.
Noein loved this sensation beyond reason, and now, even aside from when he slept at night, he often hugged her. Matilda never made a displeased face; rather, she accepted him happily.
Sometimes, he wouldn't just bury his face in her chest over her clothes, but would unbutton Matilda's clothes and suckle on her bare chest. Noein also liked how Matilda's arms would tighten and her breath would become even warmer at those times. He felt an indescribable peace and satisfaction in this contact, being enveloped by Matilda in body and soul.
"...Matilda."
"...Noein-sama."
Today as well, Noein reached for the buttons on Matilda's clothes. To obtain peace and satisfaction.
.....
At the time they first met, Matilda found Noein to be an incomprehensible being.
Despite being the son of the head of the family, he lived confined in a small detached building, with only herself, a beastman slave, as his caretaker. Despite being only nine years old, he was strangely mature, carrying an air of resignation and detachment. A distorted boy. That was Noein.
Contrary to his distorted nature as a person, Noein was kind to Matilda, so unlike the son of that violent and cold head of the family.
At first, that scared her. She thought it was some kind of trap or a whim of his. When would he turn his hand and subject her to terrible violence? She was thinking such things.
After a few weeks had passed, she began to think that this was apparently her misunderstanding.
Noein was simply kind. He cherished her endlessly. He gave her good food, gave her things, gave her peaceful time, and gave her knowledge. He stroked her head and held her close.
Compared to about a year ago, when she had just met Noein, everything about Matilda had changed. Her skin and hair became beautiful, the clothes she wore became beautiful, her physical development improved, she was able to naturally smile, and she became smarter.
Now she understood. Just how much money the one thousand Rebro Noein paid his father to improve her meals was. Just how luxurious the soap and scented oil Noein gave her were. Just how valuable the knowledge of reading, writing, and arithmetic, the wisdom to read sentences, that Noein gave her was for living in this world.
He, who had just turned ten, was such a great and merciful person. How fortunate and happy she was to be able to take care of and stay by the side of a person like him.
Thinking such things, Matilda lived her days. Filled with a sense of fulfillment she hadn't known a year ago. Wrapped in a peace she hadn't known a year ago.
"...Hey, Matilda."
"Yes, Noein-sama."
As he sometimes did, Noein showed a spoiled expression to Matilda today as well. Matilda responded with a smile and an embrace.
Even though he was only ten, Noein was a man, and she was an adult woman. She understood that. Even so, Matilda didn't find hugging Noein like this unpleasant in the slightest. Quite the opposite. She felt nothing but immense joy.
There was no one greater than Noein. If so, there was no man greater than Noein. Even at ten years old, he was this wonderful. Then, there could be no man greater than him in this world, now or ever. Matilda thought this and didn't doubt her own thoughts in the slightest.
Noein, undoubtedly the most wonderful person in the world, showed her his unguarded expression and sought contact with her. For Matilda, this was so joyful it made her body and soul tremble.
That was why Matilda felt an indescribable joy in these moments of contact. As his attendant who served him. As one woman who stayed by his side.
Holding an affection bordering on worship, yet not voicing it due to her position as a slave, Matilda held Noein close.
The cover design for the first volume of the book, to be released on April 25th, has been unveiled.
This breathtakingly beautiful illustration was created by Shoa Takashima-sama. Adorning the forefront are Noein, and Matilda, who nestles close to him. Please take a long, careful look.
Also, pre-orders have begun at bookstores and various sales sites. It would be our greatest joy if you would place a pre-order.