Girls(?) Talk (2)

Since Head Maid Melissa had already given permission, the subsequent process proceeded quickly without any delays.

All that remained was to convey my request to Katarina during our next day off – to take me on a stroll through Blackwood Territory’s downtown area.

Since we worked in the same team anyway, there were countless opportunities to meet Katarina and talk with her.

“Katarina sunbaenim.”

“Ah, yes, yes! Lady Lillith!”

“I told you to just call me Lillith.”

“B-but when it’s just the two of us, shouldn’t I address you as ‘lady’…?”

“I never gave such an order. Whether we’re alone or with others, just call me Lillith casually like you would any junior.”

“Uh, uhh… A-alright…”

This wasn’t some comedy skit we were performing every time.

It seemed it would take considerable time to remove the reflexive “Lady Lillith” that kept slipping from Katarina’s mouth.

Anyway, taking advantage of a moment when Isabelle briefly stepped away, I naturally made my planned request to Katarina.

The proposal was for our next day off – to go out together to Blackwood Territory’s downtown area and have her show me around various places.

“Y-you want to go see Blackwood Territory’s downtown?”

“Yes, Katarina sunbaenim. I’ve only been working at Blackwood Mansion for about a year, so I thought you’d know a bit more about the area than I do.”

“Ah, okay! I-I don’t know that much either, but, um, if Lady Lillith… I mean, if Lillith wants, I’ll help!”

Katarina nodded enthusiastically with genuine happiness at my proposal.

So far, Isabelle’s plan seemed to be progressing quite well.

“Th-thanks to Lillith, I got out of being a debt maid… S-so if Lillith wants, I can guide you outside the mansion too…”

“…That’s good to hear.”

Though I was still a debt maid myself and couldn’t leave without permission.

Come to think of it, since I was the one who found Tanathia’s necklace, shouldn’t they reduce my debt somewhat?

Of course I couldn’t shamelessly ask for complete forgiveness, but it would be nice if they shortened my contract by 1-2 years.

It seemed escaping the Blackwood family early still wouldn’t be that easy.

“Ah, and Katarina sunbaenim.”

“Hmm?”

“Would it be alright if Isabelle came along with us on our next day off?”

“Huh? Isabelle too?”

“Since we’re making a special trip out, I’d feel bad going just the two of us while leaving Isabelle behind. And now the three of us – you, me and Isabelle – are all in the same team.”

For reference, this suggestion wasn’t Isabelle’s idea but mine.

Since we were making a special trip to town, I’d feel guilty about leaving Isabelle behind while we went out to have fun.

And three people wandering around would probably be less awkward than just two.

Besides, someone like Katarina probably wouldn’t refuse my request.

She clearly had favorable feelings toward me, and had no reason to dislike Isabelle.

“Ah, okay! O-of course that’s fine! I-it’s Lillith asking after all… O-of course I should agree…”

“There’s no ‘should’ about it. Stop giving me special treatment like that.”

“Uhh…”

Really, if only they hadn’t found out I could use magic, the misunderstanding about me being nobility or something would have been cleared up long ago.

But since the secret was already out, I had no choice but to maintain this lie.

Objectively speaking, revealing myself as a “commoner who can use magic” would be far more dangerous for me.

I didn’t think Katarina’s mouth was loose enough to blab my secret anywhere, but what really made me anxious was her unpredictable slip-ups and timid personality.

If something’s hard to control, it’s better to give it as little information as possible.

“Anyway, Katarina sunbaenim.”

“Yes! …Ah, I mean, okay…!”

“Since you’re doing me this favor of guiding Isabelle and me around town this time, after this you won’t keep trying to take over my work by saying you need to repay some debt to me, right?”

“…Huh, okay?”

“Not ‘huh okay.’ You can’t keep living just worrying about my feelings forever, sunbaenim.”

“…I-I… I wouldn’t mind continuing like this…”

“No more of that, okay? Understood?”

“…Uhh, alright…”

It was a bit forceful, but I managed to conclude the conversation by drawing a clear line.

…After going this far, I hope she doesn’t come up with some other excuse later.

I could only quietly hope it wouldn’t come to that.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Then, three days later.

Arriving at the commercial district of Blackwood Territory’s downtown, we disembarked from the carriage one by one.

As soon as I got off, I stretched my stiff body, letting out a natural groan.

“Uuuuunngh…!!”

Sitting still in the carriage for nearly 30 minutes had left me feeling antsy in various ways.

In my previous life, I could ride in a car for two or three hours without feeling this fatigued.

For one, compared to passenger cars, the carriage’s hard seats were infinitely more uncomfortable.

And the second reason my shoulders ached was these breasts of Lillith’s bouncing up and down with the carriage’s considerable vibrations.

‘I really want to just cut them off. They’re nothing but trouble, attracting weird stares.’

While men might find this body endlessly attractive and beautiful, after nearly two weeks in Lillith’s body, I still couldn’t get used to these breasts.

The fatigue from their unnecessary weight straining my shoulders and back muscles, and the blatant stares from men whenever they became noticeable.

Like that carriage driver who kept sneaking glances at my chest while pretending not to.

“…Ahem, hmm.”

Well, thanks to this uncle being distracted by my chest, we did get to ride comfortably to town.

In normal circumstances, a pretty face definitely had its advantages.

It seemed the Blackwood family also had some items to bring back from town, so when I asked if he could take me and the other two along on his trip, we cut what would have been an hour’s walk down to half the time – and seated comfortably at that.

Of course, we’d probably have to squeeze in more tightly for the return trip with additional cargo.

“…Well then, ladies, enjoy your outing! I’ll be back to depart in half a day, so be sure to wait here! The carriage leaves on time, so don’t be late.”

“Yes~!”

“Y-yes…”

“Drive safely, sir.”

“Right, right.”

The carriage driver quickly averted his gaze when he realized I’d noticed, pretending nothing happened.

Being perceptive, I didn’t mention his sneak peek at my chest.

What good would come of making an issue of something that would just embarrass us both? Better to let it go.

Honestly, as someone who’d been male in my past life, making a big fuss about someone seeing a bit of cleavage would be pretty ridiculous.

‘Though I wish I could at least wear more decent clothes.’

As a debt maid, Lillith naturally had no proper outing clothes, and even if she did, Head Maid Melissa would never have allowed it.

She’d say things like “Even on days off, you’re still a Blackwood family maid” and “You must maintain proper servant decorum at all times.”

Then again, even if I did have other clothes, they’d probably just be frilly skirts or dresses, so maybe the familiar maid uniform was slightly better.

In this world, a woman wearing pants required considerable courage and risk-taking.

‘Considering the stares I’d get, it might actually draw more attention than the maid uniform.’

While I was thinking this, the carriage that brought us had already entered deeper into the commercial district.

The three maids remaining at the town entrance looked at each other in turn.

“S-s-so where should we go first? Any shops you want to visit, or things you’d like to eat?”

“Not sure. Since we don’t know the area well, please guide us, Katarina sunbaenim.”

“I’ll just follow wherever Katarina sunbaenim and Lillith go, so don’t worry about me.”

“O-okay… Then l-let’s start by looking around the market…?”

“”Sure~.””

Katarina guided Isabelle and me with an oddly confident expression.

I’d only ever seen her looking dejected before, but now that she was in her element guiding juniors, she seemed much brighter.

Seeing her like this, asking her to show us around town did seem like a good choice.

…At that time, we had no idea.

That this casual outing to change our moods would soon lead to a minor incident.