episode_0109

With one servant and three passengers on board, the carriage maintained a harmonious atmosphere as it made its way towards the academy.

The scenery seemed somewhat familiar, perhaps because they had traveled this route once a week ago.

Maybe the road itself had become quite familiar a while back. After all, it was a path they often passed through when returning to the academy while playing “Luminor Academy.”

…Even that memory was fading away little by little, from a few years ago.

Well, it wasn’t so bad, considering how accustomed I had become to the atmosphere of this world. After all, the world I would be living in for the foreseeable future was the current Argentia Empire, not the past Korea.

Passing by the landscape filled with the fresh atmosphere of early spring, the carriage moved forward.

Isabel, unable to contain her excitement, spoke to me with a gleeful expression, unlike her usual self.

“Lilith, Lilith. This is the first time I’ve ever come this far out riding a carriage!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! While I’ve often traveled to and from the village in Blackwood Territory for work, this is the first time I’ve come this far riding a carriage.”

Well, Isabel, whose life revolved around the Blackwood Territory, was bound to be excited.

I didn’t ask her about her hometown or the parents she used to live with. It was a common courtesy among maid servants.

In this world, maid servants living in noble households were mostly disconnected from their original homes and families for various reasons.

There was no need to dig up facts that would likely make her uncomfortable. Isabel probably wouldn’t want to hear that my father sold me as a maid to pay off his gambling debts.

Instead, it was a better choice to liven up the mood with pleasant stories right in front of us.

“You’ll probably be even more amazed when we arrive at Luminor Academy. The island where the academy is located is connected to the mainland by an incredibly long bridge over a large lake.”

“An island in the middle of a lake… It must be so beautiful…”

“It is. On a clear day, the sky reflects on the lake, making it look like the island is floating in the sky.”

“Wow…”

After briefly explaining the upcoming destination, Isabel’s eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Although there were some twists and turns initially, it turned out to be a good decision for Isabel to accompany me to the academy.

With Isabel by my side, I felt that there would be no dull or gloomy moments during my time at the academy.

Indeed, Isabel’s positive energy had a subtle charm that spread to those around her.

“A maid who is usually expressionless smiles well when she’s with her friends.”

“…Was it too noisy, Lord Ethan?”

“No, it’s just that it’s nice to see a maid enjoying herself. They don’t usually show such joyful faces.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Although I had smiled a lot recently due to some good news, I realized that most of my smiles in this world were when I was talking with Isabel or Katarina.

Other than that, it was mostly on special occasions like leveling up or gaining the title of Junior Viscount, where I would quietly celebrate alone in my room.

Apart from the forced smile during our first meeting, it was probably one of the first times I had shown a smiling face in front of Ethan.

…Although there seemed to be quite a few moments of embarrassment shown besides smiling.

“Is it better for me to smile more often?”

“Huh?”

“You said it’s nice to see me enjoying myself. If needed, I will try to approach my duties with a smiling face as much as possible from now on.”

“You don’t need to do that…! You’re fine as you are, Isabel.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So, there’s no need for you to force yourself to manage your expression because of me. …I want to be the one to make the maid smile.”

“What?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

…Bland.

It was a relief that I never demanded expression management from her.

Looking back, in the game “Luminor Academy,” I had forced Lilith, my exclusive maid, to smile all the time, trying to hide the fact of my abuse by making her look presentable.

In this mundane conversation, I could distinguish the clear difference between Ethan and the abuser.

Well, maybe attending the same academy with Ethan for four years wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“…Hmm.”

“Isabel?”

“Yes?”

“…Why are you suddenly looking at me with that strange smile?”

“Huh? When did I~?”

“…You’re still doing it right now.”

“It’s nothing, hehe.”

Isabel, why is she suddenly looking at me and Edan with that strange expression?

Come to think of it, Isabel has changed a bit compared to the Isabel in the game.

For example, in the game, Isabel always had a thoughtful expression as if she had a lot on her mind.

Sometimes, in cutscenes, after Edan and Relis passed by her, she would look at their backs with a cold gaze.

Not like now, with a subtle smile.

Well, no matter how much Isabel’s personality has changed, Edan has changed just as much.

Thinking this, as we were discussing the unfinished academy story, Edan’s voice calling me from across the table quietly reached my ears.

“Hey, maid.”

“Yes?”

“Oh, no. I was calling the maid over there.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, it happens. Just try not to get confused next time.”

Edan apologized to Isabel, who answered almost simultaneously with me.

From our conversation so far, you can probably infer that when he used the title of maid, he was mostly referring to me, his exclusive maid.

And when he called other maids like Isabel or Katarina, he usually used their names or surnames.

It wasn’t uncomfortable. After all, Edan only called me the maid, and most of the maids working in the mansion knew that.

Maybe Isabel was so excited about going to the academy that she made a mistake. That sudden thought crossed my mind.

But today, Isabel was apologizing to Edan and adding a word.

“However, sir. Do you plan to continue using the title of maid when you enter the academy to refer to Relis?”

“…Sorry, but I plan to continue using it.”

“But, sir, isn’t the academy a place where many nobles gather for education, not just Edan and Relis? There may be many noble children and exclusive maids in the academy besides Edan and Relis…”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m just expressing my personal opinion that it might be less problematic to call me by my name rather than the title of maid within the academy, sir.”

“…”

“…”

Edan fell silent for a moment at Isabel’s bold statement.

It was unexpectedly serious, a part that he hadn’t thought about before.

After hearing Isabel’s words, I also thought it was an important issue.

Once I entered the academy, there would be countless other noble exclusive maids or maids hired by the academy.

Continuing to call me a maid there would only lead to misunderstandings several times a day.

Inside the mansion, besides me, Edan was the only one who called someone a maid. Except for new maids, there was no one else who could be confused, but the academy was outside the mansion.

Before entering the academy, it was necessary to clarify the titles.

“Indeed, I think Isabel’s opinion has merit.”

“…Maid?”

“For the sake of avoiding confusion, it seems necessary for you to call me by my name from now on, sir Edan.”

“…”

“Sir?”

Edan seemed awkward at the idea of calling me by my name, avoiding my gaze.

Why was he reacting like that when other maids called him by his name without any problem?

For some reason, his inexplicable attitude made me slightly uncomfortable.

I pushed my head slightly towards Edan’s avoiding gaze and asked him.

“Sir Edan.”

“Ah, um. Maid…”

“It’s not maid, it’s Relis.”

“…”

“Sir Edan?”

“…Alright, Relis.”

Why was he so awkward about calling me by my name?

Anyway, it’s strange how he feels embarrassed about such trivial things.

“…”

“…”

Geez, just being conscious of it makes me feel awkward too.

Come to think of it, Edan hasn’t called me by my name that often.

Except for when he pretended to be engaged during the palace attack incident about a year ago, it was practically the first time.

Feeling embarrassed by his awkward reaction, I turned my gaze quietly out the window, avoiding Edan’s gaze across from me.

“Hmm~.”

“…What’s wrong, Isabel?”

“Oh, it’s nothing~. Hehe.”

What’s with that look?

Seriously.