CH 15. Bath

Observing the women brought by the village chief, Albert couldn't help but twitch his mouth slightly.

"Damn, did you really think I would choose those hippo over my Gwen?" Albert thought to himself, considering it akin to throwing away a diamond and choosing a piece of shit instead. However, outwardly, he maintained a casual smile and politely rejected the offer from the village chief, fully aware that their notion of beauty differed from his own.

"Are they not to your liking, Sir Noble? I'm certain they can provide much better companionship," the village chief remarked, glancing towards Gwen.

"No need. I already have my own assistant, and she is more than enough for me," Albert replied, his gaze also directed towards Gwen and she seem moved upon hearing that.

The village chief appeared unconvinced and seemed inclined to persuade Albert further. However, upon noticing the displeasure on Albert's face, he decided not to pursue the matter.

"It seems the rumors are true. Nobles always have peculiar tastes, but this particular preference is rather extreme . . ." the village chief thought with a tinge of regret, before departing. The women who had accompanied the village chief wore expressions of disgust mixed with envy towards Gwen, yet they knew better than to openly oppose a noble so they decided to leave without making any trouble.

After seeing off the village chief and his entourage, Albert and his escort decided to have dinner.

"Huh? Why is everyone standing around? Come, have a seat," Albert asked, noticing that everyone was standing near the table.

The group exchanged glances, and Captain Gareth replied, "Young Master, it is generally considered rude for servants to sit and eat at the same table as a noble, so..."

"No need for formalities when you're with me. You're here to protect me, right? This is the least I can do to show my gratitude," Albert interrupted, asserting his desire for a more relaxed atmosphere.

Upon hearing that, their already high impression of their Young Master soared even higher, and they all sat down to enjoy the meal together.

While savoring the food, Albert couldn't help but ask, "How long will it take us to reach our destination?"

"Normally, it would take about a week, but with the use of war horses, we can save a significant amount of time. I would estimate around 3 to 4 days," Captain Gareth replied.

Albert continued to contemplate upon hearing the response.

"It doesn't seem like too long of a journey, and it should be relatively safe within my father's territory. The real danger will likely begin when we reach the Great Forest in the north, which borders Count Spina's territory," Albert thought to himself.

He then tried to recall the location of the item he was seeking.

"The person who posted about it only mentioned the Great Forest without specifying the exact location. They simply said that I will know it when I see it," Albert began to feel a headache coming on, realizing that they would have to search the entire forest with only a vague clue indicating its uniqueness.

Albert also thought of getting other item but all of them are for Valkyrie and their location is rather far and dangerous, not to mention that he must become a talent Gifter first before thinking of getting a Valkyrie. While good looks might help, ultimately, it all came down to talent and potential when it came to making a Valkyrie one's own.

Just as Albert was lost in his thoughts, contemplating the future, Gwen tapped him on the shoulder, bringing him back to the present.

"Young Master, we have finished the meal, so I believe it is time to rest," Gwen gently reminded Albert, breaking his train of thought.

He suddenly realized that the meal had ended without him even noticing.

"Ahem, yes, let's do that," Albert replied, regaining his composure.

Everyone stood up, tidying the table while Albert headed towards his room with Gwen.

As they entered the room, Albert noticed a single bed that was large enough for two people, along with a small private bathroom. When he saw the bathroom, an idea sparked in his mind.

"Gwen, would you mind assisting me with my bath?" Albert asked, trying to sound casual, although inside he was filled with excitement and nervousness. It had always been one of his fantasies to be bathed by a beautiful woman.

Gwen's eyes widened in surprise at his request, but she quickly nodded with enthusiasm.

"If you find it helpful, I am more than happy to accompany you, Young Master," she replied.

As expected, Gwen agreed without much hesitation. Albert began to undress and headed towards the bath first, as he knew it would take Gwen some time to remove her armor. He offered to help, but she politely declined, stating that she couldn't let him do the work.

Since he still going to have that body for himself soon , he just shrugged and head toward the bathroom first. He couldn't help but have a lewd smile while thinking of what to expect from that beautiful blonde knight body.

Inside the bathroom, there wasn't much apart from a bathtub and a stool for sitting, with a large tub of water nearby. Albert had already retrieved the soap from his storage pouch, a provision prepared by his father, and he eagerly waited for Gwen to join him, sitting down on the stool.

After a while, he heard a creaking sound from the door behind him, causing him to instinctively turn his head and look back.

The sight that greeted him almost made his nose bleed.

'Big...' Albert's gaze fixated absently on Gwen, who nervously covered herself with nothing but a towel, fidgeting in her discomfort. Her bun-tied hair had come loose, cascading down to her shoulders, and her ample bosom strained against the confines of the towel, unable to conceal everything. Her fair skin peeked out from the edges of the towel, radiating a flawless, creamy glow under the soft lighting.

Staring at this heavenly scene before him, Albert couldn't help but think, his gaze lingering on Gwen's bosom:

'Never judge a book by its cover, huh...' Even though Gwen's bosom wasn't exaggeratedly large like those depicted in the anime Albert had watched, it was still considered big by his standards.

Meanwhile, Gwen nervously looked towards Albert, worried that he might find her body disgusting and abandon her. Although Albert had already shown that he liked her as a person during their ride, years of receiving ridiculous and disgusted expressions had greatly diminished her confidence in her own body.

But her worries proved futile as Albert excitedly called Gwen over to wash his back.

"  Ahem , come wash my back Gwen and there no need to be nervous as to me you are very beautiful " Albert tried pretend to be a serious and kind master but it poorly fail due to his lewd smile and heat gaze again.

A sense of relief washed over Gwen, and she smiled, obediently approaching Albert.