The gentle wind caressed my cheek.
Flickers of light danced over my eyes, just enough for my consciousness to gradually come to the fore.
“Mn, ….mm.”
I wanted to sleep just a little more.
But the sweet scent carried on the wind beckoned me to wakefulness.
The aroma of baking bread. Someone was making breakfast.
As a guest, I couldn’t be lying in bed like this. I had to at least make it in time for breakfast…
“Hwah–ah. Morning, Leon.”
Lifting my body off the bed, rubbing my eyes, I greeted Leon.
I turned my sleepy eyes toward the wall.
Leon wasn’t there.
“…Huh.”
Missing its master, the chair I’d asked Allie for yesterday sat all by its lonesome next to the wall.
First thing after getting up, I felt a somehow unspeakable loneliness.
The lace curtains swayed in the wind that drifted in through the open windows, rays of morning sunlight dappling the chair.
They were the only things in motion. The freshness of morning, the gentle sunlight — their presence was natural and invigorating. And for that very reason, they served to underline the absence of what should have been there.
“Ah…hmm…”
Just slightly, my throat felt blocked up, and I sighed deeply in an attempt to gloss over it. I scratched my head and gave my cheeks a brisk slap.
And so, doing my best to ignore the chair, I got out of bed. After a round of big stretches, I looked at the open windows.
Drawing closer, I carelessly brushed the swaying curtains aside.
The second floor of the estate.
The view from here was of the white townscape unfurling below. Illuminated by the sun, it seemed to sparkle.
Beyond it stood the castle walls, giving off a strange presence.
Putting together what I’d heard from Leon on the way here, and from Allie after arriving, the city’s strange outer wall predated the founding of the empire. The city had been constructed in what seemed to be a historical ruin.
They weren’t just walls.
Although no one had a clear understanding of what they were, a mysterious power was protecting the entire city. Under its protection, the Empire had ama.s.sed its current territory.
Though I’d frankly just nodded indifferently in the past, now looking at them, I certainly could see that, somehow.
The existence of those walls. The city protected from the world outside.
Just like they were safeguarding the city’s prosperity.
However, just as it was unlikely to know the situation inside from without, it might also be difficult to know the situation outside from within.
It could be rare for people to take the initiative to go outside like Leon had, couldn’t it?
If that was the case, the inhabitants of this city lived in ignorance of the reality outside, in a sense. And maybe, they died that way too.
Is that happiness? Somehow, I had to wonder.
“Huh?”
A sound, just slightly audible over the wind, drew my eyes downward.
Directly below the room was the estate’s courtyard, where Palmira was. And she was wordlessly but wholeheartedly wielding her sword.
a.s.suming a stance that would allow her to aim for the eye, she brought her sword down before her.
That was the posture that Vyde had been teaching her night after night since we left the fortress.
Unlike Rupert, who focused completely on practical combat forms, Vyde’s sword style, which Rupert himself had aptly referred to as ‘the straight sword’, strictly followed some kind of organized system. Even his method of teaching began with bearing.
For having her mentor arbitrarily changed on her without any personal input, Palmira was going along rather obediently. I asked her about it indirectly, but she said, [Rupert decided to leave it in his hands, so there’s probably no mistake], and left it at that. When it came to that stuff, Palmira was awfully deferential.
And even now, she was following through.
Vyde had probably told her it was something she couldn’t slack off on, even for a day.
At any rate, Palmira was earnestly putting in the effort. Since buying the sword, she hadn’t wavered even once.
‘That’s genuinely amazing,’ I thought to myself.
As I absentmindedly looked on, I heard two knocks at the door.
“Yeah?”
For some reason, I was sure it wasn’t Leon, and I answer vaguely.
“Please pardon my intrusion — good morning, my lady.”
It was Allie who opened the door and came inside. Lowering her head deeply, she made a new addition to the end.
“My… lady?”
Who? Me? …Really, me?
Whether I liked it or not, I normally would have been [Lady Chris], like I had been until yesterday. What’s with the change of heart?
“Last night, the Master roughly apprised me of the situation. My lady is an important personage to the Master, I hear. Henceforth, I will address my lady as such instead of ‘Lady Chris’. Once again, I offer you my best regards.”
She was courteous about it, but there was no reluctance or acceptance in her tone. It was a declaration. Completely and utterly set in stone.
…Okay, what’s the deal?
First question on my mind: what has Allie heard from Leon?
What I’m here to do in the first place is to put on an act. Then, if she’s heard, does she know what kind of act it’ll be?
“Just… just checking, but — ”
“Yes.”
“What, uh, am I? To Leon?”
“A special person.”
I’d heard that just now.
I had, but hearing it again, my heart thumped.
No, it’s not like that. It’s not.
“Uh, no, aside from that?”
“Yes. In the near future, he intends for you to meet his parents, so he wants me to teach you etiquette, I was told.”
“I — I see…”
I see.
Cleverly said. Not a single lie.
His goal was to avoid engagement, so sooner or later, I’d have to meet his parents. But Leon probably hadn’t said anything to Allie about whether it was all pretend.
Because of that, when it comes to a ‘special person’ who’s going to ‘meet the parents’, there’s only one conclusion anyone would draw.
Hence, ‘my lady’.
“Uh, so… what about Leon?”
For now, it looked like I still needed to grill him personally.
Steeling my resolve, I asked where he was.
And in a general sense, what he was doing. Since he… wasn’t here this morning.
“Today, the Master was in attendance at the castle to submit his report on the campaign. He had already departed early this morning along with Lord Leopard. I haven’t yet heard whether he will be able to return today.”
Have we — been thrown aside?
…No, well, it’s court service. It’s normal for that to take precedence over keeping us company.
I can understand that. I can, but —
“…That so?”
“For now, please have a change in clothes. Breakfast will be ready momentarily.”
“Ah, okay.”
“Now then.”
My spirits dampened for some reason, I gave her a half-hearted reply. Allie bowed slightly before coming closer.
Absently, I wondered what she was up to, when all of a sudden, her slender hands reached out toward my chest —
“Eh — wait! Wait! I can change by myself! I mean, I can undress by myself, at least!”
I’d gone through the same thing at the Telaberan estate, but undressing — the right to do that by myself was the one thing I would fight to the death to defend.
Truth is, I was planning to dress myself too, but since I didn’t know how, I gave up on that.
In any case, there was no way in h.e.l.l I was going to stand there and let myself by stripped down.
Covering my chest, I put some distance between Allie and myself.
As I did, Allie’s expression grew a bit thoughtful, then turned stern as she stared at me. Under the intensity of her eyes, I quailed slightly.
“My lady. While this may be presumptuous of me, I have been ordered by the Master to instruct my lady in matters of etiquette [and so on]. Therefore, if you refuse adjust, even to this, I will be troubled.”
Her voice was firm. And she was putting a lot of emphasis on that [and so on].
Did she say [and so on] earlier? I couldn’t remember that much…
“No, but — look, that isn’t really related, is it?”
“Certainly, this part does not necessarily impinge upon others. However, etiquette is culture. Therefore, my lady will first master the cultural norms in this area, after which it will be fine to allow my lady to choose what is necessary, I believe.”
It’s fine, so do as I say, you amateur.
In summary, that was basically what she was saying. But it was hard to object. Because what she said was a pretty sound argument.
“Now then, if you’ll pardon me.”
While I was lost in thought, Allie’s hands reached out again and touched the nape of my neck.
“Weh!”
Because I was all tensed up in antic.i.p.ation, the moment she made contact, I was startled into a strange yelp. How completely embarra.s.sing.
“Please do not move. There is no choice but to grow accustomed to it.”
Forcibly, the b.u.t.tons running down my chest were undone.
I have no choice but to get used to it? No. For the time being, all I could do was endure.
–
–
By the time I arrived at the dining table after changing, or more precisely, playing a dress-up doll, I was completely worn out. And no, I don’t care how early in the morning it still was.
Anyway, in the name of changing clothes, Allie touched me. All over.
That already felt so incredibly natural that it was unnatural.
Even I thought I was saying something strange, but anyway, that’s how I felt. ‘That’s Aira’s domain,’ I thought, but if it were to go down the same path, Allie seemed like she’d be a cut or two above.
Anyway, since her expression didn’t change in the slightest, I couldn’t find fault with her at all.
Because she did it as if it were perfectly normal, I was even starting to think that maybe the upper cla.s.ses just did all their changing this way. I didn’t have the faintest idea of how it did work, in fact.
“Please, my lady.”
While I was doubting her, Allie pulled out a chair as if nothing had happened and urged me to take a seat. Sighing, I plopped down.
Before I knew it, the maids were sitting in a line along the large table. Five of them.
First of all, the question ‘Is the dining table shared together with the maids?’ popped up, but since that was other people’s business, I put it from my mind for now. It’s Leon we’re talking about here, so maybe it’s just like that.
But suddenly I realized that it was odd that there were five of them. ‘Cause you see, Allie hadn’t sat down yet. I was sure she said yesterday that there were five maids including herself. But there were six here.
When I took a good look, the maid at the foot of the table — was Aira.
Obviously, she was bundled up in the maid uniform, and she looked even more tired than me.
…Maid training already?
I didn’t realize it, but she must have asked Leon herself. Even so, I didn’t think she’d be doing it the day after our arrival.
Still, even Palmira, who was sitting beside me, had already been working hard since morning. So maybe it was just fine that way. She might look like she was dying right now, but I’d be working hard too, so I wanted us to do our best together.
“Now then, I will give you a simple explanation before the meal is served. Naturally, it would usually be impossible for maids such as us to sit at the same table like this. But at this mansion, we are permitted to eat at the same table by the Master’s will, so please do not misunderstand.”
Taking her seat at the opposite end, Allie answered my unspoken question succinctly.
I’d guessed as much.
However, for some reason, I found myself questioning her a.n.a.l-retentive attention to detail.
“I will take this opportunity to introduce the other five maids to you. In order, Karen, Toa, Miche, Lacreaux. And Aira.”
As they were introduced, the first four lowered their heads simultaneously. Only Aira had a late start. She hurriedly fell in line with the others. Do your best.
“Aira is here as my lady’s friend, but I’d appreciate being allowed to deliberately treat her the same as any maid-in-training. I realize it is discourteous of me, but I ask for your understanding.”
That was inevitable. If the person in question agreed, it wasn’t my place to say anything. Rather, I wanted them to be strict.
“Got it.”
“In addition, in the Master’s absence, the head of this mansion will be my lady. To that end, I have received permission from the Master to treat it as part of your education, so please prepare yourself.”
…She started saying something harsh.
I don’t want you to be that strict with me.
“Ummm, in that case, how about Palmira?”
“We will continue to treat Lady Palmira as a guest.”
Well, that sounds about right.
I looked to the side to see Palmira, who looked a bit proud. Like she hadn’t necessarily expected to have that kind of standing.
Meanwhile, Aira, from her spot at the end, had a shocked look on her face. It can’t be helped, I guess…
“Now, my lady. As the head, we await your grace,”
Allie said, all of a sudden.
…? Grace?
Grace what?
Confused, I glanced around, only to find everyone watching me. Even Palmira, with a docile expression, waited for me to speak.
I don’t get it. What the h.e.l.l am I suppose to say about breakfast —
“Ah…”
Suddenly, it hit me.
Breakfast. Everyone was waiting for me to say the [usual words].
But calling it ‘grace’ was too arrogant.
Why? Because I wasn’t doing anything. I couldn’t do anything. All I did was wake up, get my clothes changed, and sit down here.
Despite not lifting a finger, I had to say it so shamelessly?
I looked at Allie. From the look she was directing at me, it seemed like she was testing me.
“…I offer my thanks to Leon… Let’s eat,”
I said, doing my best to find a compromise with myself.
“We offer our thanks to the Master. Let us eat.”
Everyone repeated the words in succession. And with that, grace was over and done with.
Solemnly, breakfast began. Conflicted, I picked up a piece of bread.
Was it okay with this?
I had some misgivings. Misgivings toward the upper cla.s.s — no, the privileged cla.s.s.
If I were to think of privilege as normal, then most likely, normally, it would’ve been better if I said [Let’s eat]. I didn’t do anything; I couldn’t do anything. But I could make p.r.o.nouncements.
If I were to think of it as normal.
It wasn’t much right now. The breakfast grace. But that was like swooping in from the side and stealing away what someone else had prepared.
The words I heard one day on the battlefield, from the mouth of a n.o.ble from G.o.d-knows-where.
[If you run, you die.]
It didn’t amount to much. At the root, there wasn’t much difference between that and what I just said, was there?
Not to give, but to steal.
If that was the true face of the n.o.bility, I didn’t want to be anything like them.
That was why I deliberately expressed my grat.i.tude toward Leon.
Because at least, Leon was providing for us. So it was normal to offer thanks.
At least, to me, it was more just to do that than to make self-important declarations. Definitely.
“Haa…”
Changing my clothes, eating breakfast.
With just these two things, I was somehow incredibly exhausted.
I had a hunch that today was going to be an awfully long day.
And it sure didn’t seem like today would be the end of it.
I’m not up to this.
I hadn’t even imagined how bitter this was going to be until just now, and boy did I have a bone to pick with that past me.
Author’s Notes
It seems like words said before eating, like “itadakimasu“, aren’t restricted only to j.a.pan. So this chapter contained a scene establishing that “those words exist”.
Thanks to Tal6727 for updating this on r/noveltranslations!
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