episode_0085

“Are you serious, Maid?”

Ethan asked with wide eyes, questioning my decision to extend my contract as his exclusive maid.

I nodded in response, meeting his gaze.

“Yes. I am serious, Master Ethan.”

“…Maid, you might not fully understand why noble ladies shouldn’t serve as a male’s exclusive maid. While it is common for the sake of family ties to send them as ordinary servants…”

“No. I am aware that noble ladies typically do not serve as a male’s exclusive maid, Master Ethan.”

“It seems like you don’t fully understand…”

Considering my actions in front of Ethan so far, it was understandable for him to have doubts, but this time, I was sure.

For me, being Ethan’s exclusive maid was not an issue at all, despite his concerns.

However, Ethan continued to provide additional explanations regarding the complexity of the situation for the maid.

“It’s a bit complicated, and this is also for the maid’s benefit.”

“…”

“Currently, it may not matter, but if it is revealed that a maid served as my exclusive maid even as a noble, there is a possibility of the maid facing difficulties in the future.”

Well, that was to be expected.

Being a noble’s exclusive maid often involved ‘nightly services,’ which could lead to misunderstandings.

Of course, it was a mutually agreed upon relationship and different from assault, and such customs were nearly extinct in this era.

Nevertheless, it was common for those in such positions to face judgment for potentially engaging with other men before marriage.

However, there had been no such incidents between Ethan and me, and I had always made efforts to avoid such situations.

Though it might not appear so to others.

Ethan might have been considerate in his own way, but honestly, it was unnecessary for me.

“It’s okay.”

“…What?”

“It doesn’t bother me at all if serving as your exclusive maid closes off other paths for me, Master.”

“I genuinely hope that the maid won’t face any difficulties because of me.”

“I am genuinely considering it.”

Because, I had no intentions of marriage in the first place.

What did it matter if serving as Ethan’s exclusive maid closed off other paths for me?

If it could prevent unwanted advances from nobles due to my power, wasn’t it beneficial?

While commoners might not place much importance on noble etiquette, the ‘junior viscount noble status’ created by Ethan and Seraphine could resolve such issues.

And there were hardly any commoners foolish enough to risk their lives by challenging a noble.

“I would like to continue serving as Ethan’s exclusive maid even after receiving the status of a junior viscount’s consort. Especially during the four years at the academy.”

It was also the only way for a lowly junior viscount’s consort like me to survive.

While I was a decent enough mage to use Mana Blast, I could still get entangled in troublesome matters with other noble students at the academy.

Especially as a low-ranking noble, entering the academy without any influential connections would surely attract those who sought to undermine me.

In the midst of it all, there were bound to be people who pretended to help me but actually tried to take advantage of me.

Rather than that, it was the most stable way to survive by continuing to work as Edan’s exclusive maid and always being active with him.

Whether I liked being a full-time maid or not, I had to stick to most of my academy life and, above all, make sure that other students were aware that I belonged to the Blackwood family.

…And even if a situation arose where I was being used by someone, it seemed better to be used by Edan rather than by someone I didn’t know at all.

Taking all these situations into consideration, I requested Edan to extend my position as his exclusive maid.

However, the response that came from Edan’s mouth was a rather vague expression of refusal.

“…For now, I’ll think about it slowly.”

“Yes?”

“I’m really glad that the maid wants to continue as my exclusive maid, but this is a serious issue that I need to think about.”

“Yes….”

“…It’s just that I’m not mentally prepared yet, so please wait a little longer.”

…Mentally prepared?

Suddenly, what kind of mental preparation? Isn’t it enough to just maintain the position as an exclusive maid as I have done so far?

Despite feeling uneasy about Edan’s response, I brushed it off somewhat because there was a happier fact.

After all, the fact that I could now enter the Academy of Magic as a release was much more important to me.

***

A carriage passing through the borders of the Blackwood territory, surrounded by several horses and soldiers.

Inside the luxurious carriage, surrounded by several guards as if escorting her, Princess Seraphine silently gazed out the window at the passing scenery.

Seated beside her was her bodyguard, Luke Cruella.

The Blackwood territory gradually receded from view as they passed the boundary marking the castle gate of the Blackwood territory.

Taking one last look at the Blackwood mansion that was now visible as a dot, Seraphine offered a small apology in her heart.

‘I’m sorry, Lily.’

Unable to reward her for defeating King Serpent in the palace and ending the monster wave, she was only given the title of Viscount and sent to the academy.

With a sense of guilt, Seraphine could only stare out the window in a daze until they left the Blackwood territory.

Observing the change in Seraphine’s usual expression, Luke cautiously asked a question.

“Princess Seraphine.”

“Why do you say that, Luke?”

“If you have any concerns, would you not consult with me?”

“If you trust me and confide in me, I will not disclose it even if a knife is held to my neck, Your Highness.”

Requesting a consultation on her concerns while asserting his loyalty to her, Luke was not someone whom Seraphine could easily confide in with secrets.

Regardless, Seraphine could not bring herself to confide in Luke about the secret she held in her heart.

If Seraphine’s concern was simply her own secret, just confiding in her heavy-hearted bodyguard would have eased her mind to some extent.

But what weighed heavily on Seraphine’s mind was not her own concern, but rather her concern about a woman named Lillies Rosewood, a servant of the Blackwood family.

The moment she spoke about her concern, it would inevitably lead to revealing Lily’s secret as well.

It was far from Seraphine’s nature to casually reveal someone else’s secrets, even if Luke, her most trustworthy and tight-lipped guard, asked.

“I’m sorry. It’s not something I can discuss with Luke.”

“….”

“It’s a personal issue, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Are you worried about the conversation that took place at the Blackwood Manor?”

At Luke’s piercing question, Seraphine’s expression momentarily faltered.

As someone who had served her for a long time, Luke could see the change in Seraphine’s expression in an instant.

“Even if Princess mentions discord with the Blackwood family, I will protect Princess Seraphine with my life until the end.”

“No, it’s not such a dangerous issue.”

“Is it about the maid from the Blackwood family? The one who eavesdropped on the conversation in the reception room without leaving until the end…”

“Luke.”

“Yes.”

“I specifically ordered you to leave the reception room.”

“Yes.”

“Then, please do not make hasty assumptions about what happened inside. Is my command so unclear?”

“I-I apologize!”

Realizing her mistake, Seraphine immediately prostrated herself on the floor to apologize, but she received no acknowledgment from the person she was apologizing to. Instead, she silently gazed outside, focusing only on the scenery passing by.

In her heart, she continued to apologize to Lillis, whom she had promised to admit to the academy.

“Lillis, you must be delighted to know that you can enroll in the Luminoir Academy’s Magic Department. But I know. As a junior noble without any status, the trouble you will face upon entering the academy.”

Even though Lillis excelled in magical education, the relentless attention from so many people would be hard to handle.

Especially in the Magic Department, where only nobles could enroll, there were no commoner students lower in rank than her.

It was not difficult to imagine that she would become a ‘target’ for the magic students in many ways.

Cruelly, Seraphine’s plan included making Lillis that ‘target.’

“In six months… or perhaps even sooner, you may tire out. The Magic Department of the academy is a place where a junior noble like you cannot easily withstand.”

“If I were to offer you a helping hand while you were being tormented by other nobles, would you be able to refuse? If I demanded that you become my exclusive maid in exchange for my protection, could you refuse? You probably couldn’t. Because I will only extend my hand when you are in a situation where you cannot refuse.”

“I’m sorry for only thinking of using you in this way. I will apologize for all the sins I commit to you in this life or the next…”

One day, Seraphine realized that in order to prevent the future she had seen from becoming a reality, she needed to keep the strongest confidants close to her.

In her right hand, she had the bodyguard Luke, and in her left hand, the exclusive maid Relis.

In her mind, the most powerful pawns she could manipulate were none other than these two individuals, so enrolling Relis in the Academy of Magic was the first step in Seraphine’s process of gaining control over her.

Thus, Seraphine’s plan to secure the strongest and most capable second confidant seemed to be progressing smoothly, just like her other strategies, without any major obstacles.

Unfortunately, there was one unforeseen flaw in Seraphine’s plan this time, even she did not anticipate it.

The situation where Relis insisted on serving as a noble lady’s exclusive maid was a future that even Seraphine had not predicted.