I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince-Chapter 503: Misconceptions (1)

Three months had passed since Lilith had gone into hiding in Strawberry Town, and Ethan had prepared thoroughly for her capture.

He set up a secure means of “transportation” to safely bring her back to his estate whenever he found her. He even sat in on academy classes to learn counterspells to counter her magic if she resisted or tried to escape.

Most helpful of all, though, was the “Whispering Leaf” he had managed to acquire, originally in the possession of the hero, that led him to Lilith’s location within just a week.

‘Explain to me why you are holding that, Hero!!’

‘Miss Rosewood gave it to me! Would you just put down the sword and let me explain!?’

...That ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ misunderstanding had resulted in a small skirmish, but it was a thing of the past now.

Confirming that the leaf was pointing directly at a particular house, Ethan quietly knocked on the door, and it wasn’t long before the one he had been waiting for—Lilith—appeared.

“It’s been a while, Lilith.”

“...Huh?”

Lilith looked at him, her expression one of utter surprise, as if she hadn’t expected him to find her here.

Without a word, Ethan placed the “Chain of Obedience” around her neck—the same one he had used on her before.

-Click.

“A-ah!!”

“......”

As expected, it locked into place perfectly.

When Ethan had first acquired this item, he hadn’t thought he’d use it so often. After all, the Chain of Obedience only worked if the person wearing it harbored some desire to be bound or had given mutual consent.

He’d even tested it on her friend Isabel, who had consented to try it out, but the lock hadn’t engaged. So it wasn’t a fault with the item.

It only confirmed that deep down, she wanted this—both then and now.

‘I should have realized sooner. If I’d known from the start that she wanted this, I would never have let her go.’

With that thought, he tightened his grip on the other end of the chain and forcibly pulled her inside.

-Clink.

“W-wait, young master Ethan...!!”

“We’re going back to the estate, so gather your things quickly.”

“At least... can you take off this collar first?”

“Think about everything you’ve done up to now, Lilith. I’m already being lenient here.”

Lilith looked away, as if unable to deny her actions, and a strange mix of emotions filled Ethan.

She knew what she had done, yet she was brazenly asking him to remove her collar.

-Clink.

“Ah!”

“Hurry up and pack. If you don’t have anything to bring, I’ll just take you as you are.”

“Just a moment... then, let me at least get my clothes from the bedroom, and... and the box of gold...”

“Bring anything you think you’ll need. You’re never coming back to this place again.”

“...Alright.”

Lilith nodded, understanding what it meant to be collared. However, Ethan wasn’t about to let his guard down. Twice before, he had been fooled by her innocent expressions and lost her.

He wasn’t letting her go this time. He tightened his grip on the chain.

“This is everything, young master Ethan...”

“Why are you calling me ‘young master Ethan’?”

“Well... I mean...”

“You decided on your own to leave your position as my personal maid. You’re not my maid anymore, are you?”

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“......”

“Just grab your things and follow me.”

“...Yes, Lord Blackwood.”

The use of the formal title added a new distance between them, a distance both Lilith and Ethan felt.

But he knew that if he didn’t make her understand this shift in their relationship, they would remain stuck in the same dynamic of master and personal maid.

Until she fully accepted that she would be his only wife, he had to put aside the relationship of young master and maid.

-Creak.

“Did you find Miss Lilith?”

“Yes. She was here all along. Not that I doubted the artifact.”

“I’ll carry your things for you, Miss Lilith.”

“Oh, no, I... I can carry them myself...”

“As you wish, then.”

Eyeing Dietmeyer, who offered his help, Lilith hugged her bundle to her chest, wary.

With a tug on the chain around her neck, Ethan guided her to the back of the carriage.

-Clank.

“Get in.”

“...Isn’t this... a prisoner transport carriage...?”

“I said get in, Lilith.”

“...Are you... planning to send me to Silverwood? Or the mines of Redwood...?”

“We’re going to Blackwood, so just get in.”

“......”

Unsure if she was being taken away to pay for her “crimes,” Lilith gave him a worried look before finally climbing into the barred compartment.

-Click.

Ethan followed her inside and locked the door from the inside.

“...Y-young mas... I mean, Lord Blackwood?”

“I’m not leaving you alone. You might try to break the chain and escape. Until we return to Blackwood estate, I’ll be watching you.”

“In here... a prisoner transport...”

“Don’t even think about escaping. The more you behave now, the less ‘reeducation’ will be necessary.”

“...Alright.”

“Let’s head out, young master.”

“Take the quickest route, please.”

After covering the bars with a cloth to conceal the interior, they set off toward Blackwood Estate.

In the cramped, uncomfortable carriage, Lilith clutched her bundle tightly against her chest.

“......”

She held it close, ensuring that the slight bulge under her clothes remained hidden from Ethan.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“We’ve arrived, young master.”

Half a day of travel brought them to Blackwood estate, arriving late at night. After the twelve-hour journey, both Ethan and Lilith were noticeably exhausted.

“Send the servants away and prepare the bath. Keep it hot.”

“Understood, young master.”

“Lilith, wake up. We have a lot to discuss, but first, let’s get you cleaned up.”

“...Yes.”

Unlocking the carriage and opening the door, Ethan stepped out, followed closely by Lilith.

She had worried about being taken to Silverwood to be a slave or something even worse, but seeing the familiar Blackwood estate brought a measure of relief.

Yet, the collar was still fastened around her neck, and Ethan was pulling her toward the mansion by its chain.

“L-Lord Blackwood... if anyone sees you like this, it could ruin your reputation...”

“Just follow me quietly. Unless you’d prefer I tie your hands and carry you in?”

“......”

Though his voice was calm, Lilith sensed he was angrier than she’d ever seen him before, so she followed him silently.

All the while, she wondered how she could keep him from noticing she was carrying his child.

-Step, step.

“......”

The sound of their footsteps echoed in the empty mansion, now silent thanks to Dietmeyer having dismissed all the servants. Only Ethan and Lilith remained as he led her to the bath, gripping the chain tightly.

Once they reached the familiar bath they had used many times together, Ethan kept hold of the chain and started undressing her.

-Swish.

“W-wait... the temporary arrangement is over, so we don’t have to...”

“Who said it’s over? Do you think you can just end things after starting them on your own?”

“......”

“I said I’m just helping you bathe. But if I leave you here, you’ll just try to escape again, so I’ll be staying with you.”

“I... I won’t run away! Please... let’s bathe separately...”

“Sorry, but I’m not taking your word for it anymore. Just take off your clothes.”

“B-but... no...”

“......”

Lilith clutched her bundle to her chest, frantically glancing around while Ethan watched.

She had been the one sneaking into the bath with him before, so her sudden change in behavior was almost laughable.

It felt like she was trying to draw a line between them, as if everything they had before was over—as if she no longer felt anything for him.

“Stop with the nonsense and undress already!!”

-Rip!

“Kyahhh!!”

He tore her loose-fitting dress in frustration.

“......Huh?”

With her clothes torn, there was no mistaking it.

What he saw, plain as day, was a small, round bump on her otherwise flat stomach.

“......”

“......”

A moment of silence passed.

Ethan stared at her stomach, stunned, while Lilith looked down, unsure of what to say.

“Whose child is that?”

The first to break the silence was Ethan, his voice ice-cold, his fury reaching a level that chilled him to the core.