episode_0003

When I was about to finish my third cup of tea, I thought it was time to start paying attention to Sarah, so I put down the tea cup and told Mel to end tea time.

Mel quietly came over, placed the tea set used during tea time on the moving tray, and then left the room. Sarah stared at Mel’s back and looked at me in surprise at my call.

“Sera.”

“Huh, ah. Yes.”

“You don’t look good. Is there something wrong?”

“… … no. It’s nothing.”

A face that is nothing, a face that desperately hides its emotions while saying it is nothing… … . How can someone be this cute?

Is that how you feel? I wanted to pretend not to know and see her suffer even more, but it wasn’t my intention to ruin Sera too early, so I decided to let her off a bit.

I got up from my seat and hugged Sarah tightly. Sarah was lowering her head without realizing it, and the fact that I was about a hand taller than Sarah made Sarah fit between my breasts.

“Oh, lady?”

“If you said it was nothing with such a sad face, did you think I wouldn’t know?”

“Ah… … .”

“Sera. You are ‘my’ exclusive maid. I’ve been watching it for 4 years now. At first glance, 4 years may not seem like a lot to earn, but you and I spent a lot of time together.”

I let go of the hand that was pressing the back of Sarah’s head and let it fall slightly. The warmth I felt between my breasts disappeared, and I lifted Sarah’s chin, which had a blank face, and made eye contact with her.

“I can tell that you are having a hard time just by looking at your face. So won’t you tell me? What happened.”

“I… … . I am… … ! I was just trying hard… … . Everything I do doesn’t work out… … . I’m so incompetent… … !”

iced coffee… … . I only petted it a little, but it showed so much emotion. It’s already this much ruined.

The face and wounds underneath the poker face I was wearing like a mask after saying it was okay were as festering as this.

Seeing Sarah crying and pouring out words incoherently, my lower abdomen throbbed and I couldn’t help the smile that appeared on my face. I hugged Sarah tightly so she wouldn’t see my face like this.

“Yes, that’s right. My poor Sarah. You must have had a hard time?”

“This time too… … . I failed again… … ! Do what the Duchess told you to do… … . I didn’t do it right… … ! If I had made it red like the young lady said at that time… … !!”

“Yes, yes. Our Sarah was very sad. It’s okay, you can cry as much as you want here. Because there is only you and me here.”

As I said that and stroked her head, Sarah began to cry sadly. Of course, I just whimpered and didn’t make a sound so as not to reach other people’s ears.

The sight was so lovely, so disgusting that it made my stomach churn, so I quietly stroked Sarah’s head.

Sarah, who cried for a long time in my arms, stopped crying when the chest of the dress she was wearing became damp as if it were wet with water.

“Ah… … . Sorry, sob. do… … .”

“Hehe, this is my first time seeing Sarah cry so sadly. You must have been going through a lot of emotional distress?”

Sera blushed and covered her face with both hands, perhaps feeling embarrassed in a different way than before for shedding tears in front of the person serving her.

“Please forget… … .”

“Huh? What are you asking me to forget? I’m not sure?”

“Lady… … .”

He chuckled at Sarah’s whining appearance, took out a handkerchief and wiped away Sarah’s tears.

As I glanced outside the terrace, I could see the garden under dusk, perhaps because the sun was setting.

“I have to go down to the banquet hall soon. Serah?”

“Huh, yes… … .”

“Can you help me change my clothes?”

Sarah closed her eyes and calmed her breathing.

After waiting for a moment, Sarah returned to her normal eyes and looked straight at me and placed her hand on her chest.

“Yes. What color of dress would you like?”

“I’m not the main character today, so light green would be better. As for the accessories… … . Okay, let’s do it with a necklace. Ruby would be a good gemstone.”

“We will prepare it right away.”

When I took off the dress I was wearing with Sarah’s help, Sarah looked at my breasts and blushed, probably because she remembered how she had cried earlier.

I guess it relieved my emotions to some extent… … . Wouldn’t it be okay to bother me a little bit?

“Sera.”

“Ah, yes.”

“The area around my chest is wet, but it’s a problem if the dress gets wet… … . Won’t you wipe it for me?”

“… … Yes?”

I smiled and wiped the moisture off my chest with my fingers. The unpleasant feeling of a slightly sticky feeling mixed with sweat made me smile a little.

“Didn’t you hear?”

“Oh, no. I’ll clean it… … .”

Sarah, whose face was stained red, brought a well-dried towel and wiped my body, and I flinched at the feeling of the soft towel grazing my skin.

Eventually, the wetness I felt disappeared, and I smiled contentedly and stroked Sarah’s head.

“Thank you. Then, will you please change my clothes now? I don’t think I’ll be able to greet the guests if I’m any later.”

“Ah, yes… … !”

I re-tightened the slightly loose corset and changed into the dress I had prepared. I sighed inwardly and looked in the mirror at the feeling of bareness in my legs and shoulders that I could not get used to no matter how many times I tried to return.

A light green dress with bare shoulders and a beautifully crafted ruby necklace. It went well with the red hair, but still stood out moderately.

“This should be fine. Sarah, I will be going to the banquet hall, so come down to the banquet hall when the swelling in your eyes goes down.”

“Yes… … .”

Well, I’ll be crying for a while so I won’t be able to come out until the banquet ends today. I swallowed back my words, smiled brightly, and left the room, leaving Sarah behind.

Swoosh―― Swoosh――

As soon as I came out of the room, I heard a sound that sounded like someone was wiping something, so I turned my head and saw Mel washing the windows in the hallway.

Mel, who must have sensed my gaze, stopped from washing the window and looked in my direction. She folded her hands together politely and bowed.

“Looks like it was still being cleaned?”

“Yes. Cleaning was delayed while cleaning up after tea time.”

“Hmm… … .”

Considering that, not only the window that Mel was currently cleaning, but all the windows in front of it were clean. Moreover, there was no moisture visible at all on Mel’s hands.

Even if you are wiping the remaining water on the window with a dry mop, it is strange that there is no water on your hands at all. That’s the conclusion.

“Were you waiting for me?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Mel was pretending not to notice and was playing it off, but I could see the corners of her mouth twitching because she was still immature.

Funny, that kid. I smiled and turned towards the banquet hall.

“Mel.”

“Yes?”

“Sera is not feeling well today, so she cannot accompany me. However, it is a bit difficult to go without a maid… … .”

When I glanced back and noticed, Mel put a dry mop into her apron pocket and said,

“If you don’t mind, could you give me the honorable opportunity to assist you?”

“Oh my, haven’t you finished cleaning the hallway yet?”

Mel smiled at my words and tilted her head slightly.

“It’s okay. As long as I have your permission… … . And above all, the windows are already clean enough.”

After laughing for a moment at that bold appearance, he turned his head again and walked slowly.

“Follow me. Because I have a lot to do today.”

“Yes, lady.”

What a fun kid. Do you like it. I walked towards the banquet hall, looking at the marble window frames that were so clean that my face was reflected.

My mother was already leading the employees in the banquet hall, and when she saw me coming down the stairs, she nodded with satisfaction.

“You’re welcome here, Charlotte. Guests will be arriving soon, so get ready to greet them.”

“Yes, mother.”

As I was about to adjust my silk gloves and go to the door of the banquet hall, my mother stopped me.

“Ah, Charles?”

“Yes?”

“It’s a soft green that’s moderately elegant but doesn’t take the lead. As expected, you have an excellent eye.”

“Hehe, it’s the insight I learned from my mother. I think we still have a long way to go compared to my mother. The ‘red’ decoration decorating the banquet hall today. Did your mother choose it?”

“Hohoho, you too. okay. Let’s stop chatting now. Ah, one last thing. The dress suits you well.”

He smiled and stood a little away from the door to greet the guest.

Just when my ankles were starting to feel a little stiff from wearing my shoes, I heard the sound of horses’ hooves outside the door, and then the door to the banquet hall opened and a couple came in.

“Welcome, Lord Genea and Lady Genea. Thank you for participating in our Rochelle family banquet.”

“Oh, it’s been a while. Lady Charlotte.”

“This is the first time since I saw you at a banquet four years ago. Hehehe. You have become so much more beautiful.”

“Hehe, Lady Genea is still beautiful.”

“Oh my, I’m so embarrassed about this. Ho ho ho.”

With a mask-like smile on his face, he brought the two into the banquet hall. I’m going to have to do this for over an hour… … .

it’s bothering. To be honest, I wanted to kick it out right away, but I exercised the patience I had gained from a few regressions, held it in and welcomed the next customer.