As the day started to become night Wina was putting away some linens that were just cleaned.

'Jeez! The great Assassin Wina Daz is folding clothes! I'm so proud of myself! I can't believe how powerful I am!' Wina thought in a mocking manner.

But it wasn't as though she was terrible at cleaning or anything, she hated this kind of work.

'I don't mind cooking or fighting monsters but doing household chores gives me a headache.' Wina thought as she put away a set of sheets. 'Well, I must do this until I can get some alone time with the kid... Sigh... It's going to be a long three months if I'm lucky.'

Meanwhile, Mathew was still in the same spot he was standing when Wina went to check on Quinus. He had been watching the whole time but he didn't feel comfortable enough to approach Wina yet.

Then the door opened to Miss Rose coming in with the nighttime maids.

"Alright, everyone. You're shift is done and you all can have supper now," said Miss Rose as she laid out the schedule.

"Yes, ma'am!" the girls exclaimed.

'Finally! I can rest for a bit,' Wina thought.

"Wina, would you like to come and join us for supper?" Asked one of the maids who was about Wina's age.

"Eh? I guess I can join you." Wina replied with surprise.

She didn't talk much to the other maids and was surprised by their offer to join them.

'I guess I'll give it a try... Maybe I can make a few friends here. It will make the time go by quicker.' Wina thought.

And so the two walked to the dining hall together as the other maids followed behind them.

"Hey Sir Mathew, why aren't you joining us?" Another maid asked.

"My shift ends when Sir Williams comes back from his patrol. So I'll just wait around until then before I can join you," he answered her with a smile.

'He better not be trying to back out of his punishment!' Wina thought.

"Okay! See you later!" Waved the maid as she left.

'I wonder what I should say next... What would be polite?' Wina thought anxiously.

"You're a funny one Miss Wina? I never expected to see Sir Mathew so flustered before. How did you accomplish that? You're really a strange girl," complimented the older maid.

Wina blushed at the comment, "I-I didn't do anything! And I'm not the strange one! If anything he's the strange one, Ingrid! Don't you think so too?" Wina defended herself as she continued to walk down the hallway.

'Why do they think I'm so strange? Do I have something on my face?' Wina thought nervously.

"See? I told you Miss Wina is in denial. She has to be the strange one! No way could Sir Mathew be acting so flustered around a girl he doesn't know!" the maid whispered to another one of the maids.

"Hey! I heard that! And so what if he's interested in me? I never asked to be in that position and neither did he. Who says we even got a future together?!" Wina said sternly as she entered the dining room.

"You don't get it Miss Wina... Us maids can't flirt with anyone that works in the place, let alone have a relationship unless one of the persons decides to quit their job," Ingrid explained.

"Yeah! But you are not a lifer here in the palace. Once the prince is old enough. You can fully commit to Sir Mathew!" Said one of the younger maids who goes by the name of Anne.

Wina froze as she looked around to see all the maids smiling at her.

"Ummm... Wh-What are you saying?" Wina asked in confusion.

"We just want to live vicariously through you, Miss Wina... You caught the eye of the strongest Knight of all Fiafyr and you keep getting to feed and change the prince! It's only natural to get jealous," explained Ingrid.

"But I don't have feelings for Sir Mathew," Wina protested.

All the maids laughed at Wina's comment, "Hahahahaha! Oh, Miss Wina! You don't have to lie to us! We're not that dense. But we do understand the predicament you're in. You accidentally let your mask slip in front of Sir Mathew and you're embarrassed by that fact. So now you are putting up some stupid barrier to get back some, what? Pride?" Ingrid said while grabbing a loaf of bread and butter.

"I am not!" Wina replied angrily.

She can't help but feel like Ingrid struck a chord that she wanted to deny.

'I scream Mathew's name one time and everyone thinks I just want to open my legs to the man! Do they think of me as some harlot!?' Wina thought with embarrassment and anger.

The maids were already eating their dinner and looked at Wina with pity.

"It looks like she has a lot to think about... But if I were her, I'd try and get along with Sir Mathew as soon as possible..." Anne whispered to her friend.

Wina glared before Ingrid walked over to her, "Hey! Calm down! We're not mad at you. You just remind us of a young girl that we once knew. She had an opportunity with another knight and she self-sabotaged it. She regretted it once he passed during a mission to rid the forest of Orcs... Anyways, do you think Sir Mathew will back out of his punishment?"

"Oh, he has another thing coming if he tries to back out of his punishment. I am one who doesn't let things slide so easily, Ingrid," thought Wina as she took her own seat.

She grabbed her plate and started to eat.

"Oh? Then there's still hope for you yet, Miss Wina..." said Ingrid with a smile as the other maids nodded.

Wina felt conflicted as she ate her dinner and was uncertain about the situation she put herself in and felt like she was stuck in a dark box with no way out. It's been only one day and she had more friends than she ever had in her life and had a man that she couldn't help but find pleasing to the eyes. But she was hired to do a job and that's what she'll do. No matter how much it hurts her heart.

***

After they finished dinner Wina said goodnight to the other maids and went to her room.

As soon as she entered her room Wina's thoughts turned to Mathew.

'He better not be thinking about backing out of his punishment... He needs to take me seriously. I will not take being laughed at by anyone, ever! If he does try and back out. I will make sure he gets his just deserts!' thought Wina with a scowl on her face.

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She went to her wardrobe and pulled out her nightgown and placed it on her bed.

Then just as she was about to take a bath she heard a knock coming from her door.

"Who is it?" She asked while getting her towel.

"It's Sir Mathew. May I come in?" He asked with a nervous voice.

'HE CAME!? B-But I thought he would back out of his punishment! Does he want his punishment administered here? In my room?' thought Wina in panic.

"M-May you come in!? H-How can I be sure you won't try anything!?" Wina asked in a shaky voice.

"Please! I promise I will only get close to the door," said Mathew while shaking from his nerves.

Wina couldn't help but feel guilty at Mathew's obvious state of panic. Usually, this was a thing she reveled in, when she would get her target's main protection to fall for her but something inside her wasn't happy that she made Mathew like this.

She sighed before opening the door and letting Mathew into her room.

He looked at her with his bright green eyes and a nervous expression.

"I'm just here to tell you that my shift is done and I'll be heading off to my room. I'll wait there for you to give me your punishment so I can get this over with as quickly as possible," he explained with a bow before turning to leave.

'Jeez! I can't believe how scared of me he is! It makes me wonder how he acts on the battlefield!' thought Wina in surprise.

She felt bad for making Mathew act like this but he needed to understand that he shouldn't sneak into her room and see her naked without her permission.

"Wait! I'll come right now!" She said as she chased after him.

"Oh? Umm... Okay, my room's right here," Mathew replied with relief as he stopped and waited for Wina to catch up to him.

As Wina walked up to Mathew she couldn't help but feel that there was something she missed about him.

'What is it? It's just like Ingrid and the other maids said. That I have feelings for him?' thought Wina while looking at Mathew.

"Well, it's time for me to face the music... Or should I say punishment," Mathew joked.

Wina felt her heart skip a beat and a warm feeling in her chest.

"Ha...ha...ha... Y-Yeah. You brought this on yourself, Mathew. I can't believe you were stupid enough to sneak into my room," Wina replied with a forced laugh.

Mathew stopped smiling and turned to her with a severe expression, "I'm sorry, Wina. That wasn't my intention, but I wasn't thinking with my head. So, I'll let you see me naked so we are even."

"I thought you would try to worm your way out of your punishment!" Wina admitted in relief.

"Nope. I've been thinking of it all day. And it's the right thing to do," Mathew said as he walked to his door.

Wina gulped as she stood there. She was getting excited to get even with Sir Mathew. But at the same time, she was nervous about what she might do.

Ever since she drank the maternal elixir she hasn't been acting like the usual professional assassin that she was.

'Will he make fun of me or does he really think I'm that interesting to be around?' Wina thought with nervous anticipation.

Mathew opened the door and walked into his room.

"I'm ready when you are Wina." He said as he turned to face her.

She nodded as she closed the door behind her.

As Wina faced Mathew she felt that she had to tell him what happened before he took off his armor and underclothes.

"Umm... Mathew? Something happened the day I arrived... It made me say your name by mistake... And I just want to make things professional between us," she confessed with a red face.

Mathew had just finished removing his armor and underclothes. As soon as he took his armor off Wina saw his whole upper body and it made her gasp.

Mathew's upper body was covered in thick hard muscle with no excess fat on his body. And from what she saw from the entrance she could tell his legs were equally strong with no excess fat or muscle on them as she waited for him to take off his pants.

She's seen many men and women naked before. Some look better than most but Mathew stood out more than anyone. And it was then that she noticed that Mathew was untying the drawstring to his pants.

As soon as he undid the drawstring Mathew's pants fell revealing his body underneath. Wina couldn't help but stare at him in awe.

He had a well-groomed trail of black hair that started just above his crotch and went to his navel. It looked like he shaved a part of it off for it to grow back into a well-groomed thin line.

She also noticed a tattoo of the Fiafyrian royal crest on his left pec.

She had never seen a man like this before but something inside her stirred as she looked at Mathew's body.

'H-How is he so pleasing to look at? It's like he's been sculpted from stone...' thought Wina as she looked at Mathew with a hungry look in her eyes.

If Wina could see herself right now she wouldn't recognize her own self anymore. Instead of being her usual shrewd self, she acted like a love-struck teen. She has never had such a look in her eye before.

Mathew realized Wina was staring at him and looked down at his body.

He noticed that Wina was looking at him with a hungry gaze.

"Um... I don't know how long you wish to see me like thi-" Mathew said before being cut off.

"Shhhh! No talking!" Wina commanded in a soft voice.

She walked closer to him as Mathew stared at her in shock.

'W-Wina?' Mathew thought as she continued to walk closer.

She found him so hypnotizing and sexy. She couldn't help herself but move closer to him.

'This isn't me!' Wina thought with shock and denial.

She felt her nipples getting hard from excitement and arousal. Mathew noticed that the thin fabric of her dress was not able to hide the hardness of her nipples as they poked through the thin fabric.

He started to relax after noticing Wina's hungry stare.

Mathew smiled at Wina, as he realized she was interested in him but he didn't want to disturb her and let her stare as much as she wanted. Plus this was his punishment and he was willing to serve out his sentence.

Wina felt something stirring inside her. She knew that it wasn't just her body wanting Mathew.

'It can't be! I-I am not interested in Mathew! I'm just trying to know my enemy... Yup! That's all there is to it!' She thought as she continued to stare at Mathew.

Something compelled her to caress his six-pack. Her hands shook as she reached out to touch his abs.

'Jeez! I can't believe how hot he is...' thought Wina as she stared at his body in awe.

Mathew grinned and shook his head.

She noticed this and immediately stopped. She was confused as to why he did that.

"Don't worry, Wina. I don't mind you looking at my body," Mathew said in a soft voice.

"I-I'm sorry! I want too far. I'll just-" Wina said before she was interrupted.

"Wina! Don't worry. It's alright if you want to touch me. I don't mind," Mathew said with a grin.

Wina froze as Mathew's words sunk in.

"I-Is that so?" Wina asked with a flirtatious tone in her voice.

She gently ran her hand over his abs again. Her eyes widened as she felt how firm he was.

Mathew chuckled as she started to rub his body. He stood still and let her explore him to her heart's content.

'I can't believe I'm doing this! But he's so sexy!' Wina thought with a grin as she stared at Mathew.

"So, you like my body that much, huh?" Mathew asked with a cocky grin.

It was when she saw his cocky grin that she snapped out of her stupor and realized what she was doing.

"Ummm... I-I'm sorry! I think you've served your punishment, Sir Mathew! I hope this was a lesson to you not to do that again," Wina exclaimed as she took a step back from Mathew.

Mathew still had a cocky grin, "Yes, my Lady-"

"Wina! Not my Lady!" Said as she kept walking backwards so she could keep an eye on him.

"Sorry, Wina. I didn't mean to offend you," Mathew said as he stood there like a soldier.

She blushed as she saw how Mathew stared at her seriously. She continued to walk backwards while gazing at him.

"T-That's alright! We all make mistakes from time to- Ow!" Wina said before bumping into the wall. She was totally unaware of her surroundings which was rare for her.

Mathew heard her bump into the wall and looked at her with a worried expression.

"Are you okay, Wina? You didn't get hurt, did you?" Mathew asked with a concerned voice.

Wina blushed with embarrassment.

"I-I'm fine! Just a little humiliated from bumping into the wall like that! I-I'll see you later, Mathew! And you don't do anything silly again otherwise you'll have to be disciplined!" Wina said in a shaky voice while trying to sound confident while reaching for the door handle.

"I'll keep that in mind, Wina. I hope you have pleasant dreams," Mathew said with a warm smile.

Wina was already by the door handle but she couldn't help but blush as Mathew smiled at her.

"I-I hope you do too, Mathew," she said as she opened the door and entered the hallway.

Mathew stood there naked for a few seconds before he heard Wina run down the hallway towards her room.

He smiled while picking up his clothing.

"So, she dropped the 'Sir' part for me, huh? Wina, you're a bold woman," He thought with a grin.

He put away his dirty clothes.

"I think I'm going to marry her someday..." he muttered as he got ready for bed.

***