#17
While Elysia was being helplessly subjected to Ariel's charm, the voice of the savior came from afar.
- Miss Ariel! Miss Ariel!
It was Ariel's maid, Roa. Dark brown hair tied tightly back swished back and forth like an animal's tail in accordance with Roa's movement.
Roa's voice, calling Ariel in a row, mingled with raspy breathing. As the distance drew closer, Elysia, to whom the clear breathing did nothing wrong, regretted without reason. On the other hand, Ariel, the person who made Roa suffer, got fed up with not seeing Elysia and had to chase her persistently.
-- Miss! Soon... Oh my god. Class is starting. Oh, my... Huh? Huck! Oh, Miss Elysia!
Roa, who stumbled and reached the spot where the two stood, stiffened as she saw Elysia clear herself.
Then she bowed with fearful strength.
- Oh my lady! Hello!
- Yes. Hello.
Knowing Roa, who is frightened every time she is seen, she was greeted with an indifferent voice, unsurprised by her actions. It was none other than herself who made a terrifying impression on Roa, so I understood her why she did that.
- Ariel, don't give Roa a hard time and go to class.
- Oh, no. Miss! It's been a while since I've exercised, it's so refreshing, I feel like I've gained strength!
It wasn't believable to talk on shaky legs. Far from increasing her physical strength, it was fortunate that her life was not shortened.
Looking at Roa, he felt Ariel's physical strength, which ended with a little sweat,
- I'll have to take a class right after I come in.
She took off her clothes and put them over Ariel's shoulder and said:
- It was out of concern that you might catch a cold because of the cold sweat. You'll catch a cold if you get cold, so put this on at least.
A friendly consideration landed on Ariel's shoulder. Even she couldn't complain that she no longer wanted to take the class when Elysia was doing this.
Ariel, worried that the clothes around the narrow shoulder would fall off, put her hand on her shoulder and nodded.
- Yes...
As a result, Ariel was dressed with three layers only on top.
- Roa, you too, be careful not to catch a cold.
-Thank you for your consideration. Miss!
Contrary to the vigorous voice, the waist was still bent. At Roa's amused appearance, Elysia spat out a ticklish smile and waved her hand.
She wanted the two of them to leave.
***
Elysia, who even confirmed that Ariel and Roa entered the mansion, looked around.
It was to check if there was another person.
Fortunately, there didn't seem to be anyone around; that's why Elysia is going to see Eden at this time. Especially at that time, there were few people walking around the garden.
This was the moment when Elysia could go comfortably, moving at her halting pace she stepped between the thin trees.
She lost her coat unexpectedly, but I didn't care much. It was thanks to the thought of the outerwear I forgot to leave in the detached house yesterday.
(I should wear that when I get back.)
There are some places to believe, and by Elysia's standards, it wasn't too cold, so she didn't mind too much.
The problem wasn't the cold.
The real problem was that all the candy they had brought Eden was in her coat pocket.
Elysia felt her pelvis for no reason.
The candy couldn't have gotten out.
- Ambiguous to go back...
Although she worried that Eden would be disappointed, Elysia didn't turn away. She relied on the judgment that it would be better to forgo the candy and go quickly rather than be late and keep Eden waiting.
***
- Eh-eh...
Ariel, meanwhile, smiled contentedly as she put her arm on Elysia's sleeve.
Looking at Ariel, who was soaking in her sister's kindness and even smiling with her eyes, Roa asked with an expression that couldn't stop her.
-Do you like it that much?
- Yes!
That's what you used to wear!
Roa laughed as if she was in trouble because of Ariel, who said things reluctantly with an innocent face.
Don't younger members hate inheriting the label?
No, it was wrong to discuss the rule with Ariel in the first place.
(Miss Elysia is scary, but Miss Ariel ....)
After Isabella's death, all the newcomers were afraid of Elysia. It was a different fear than the fear of the existing servants, she was meant to be scary. It was because of what she said after calling new servants.
- Don't ignore a person with the surname Partin. If you keep that, you can work for as much money as the Imperial Palace.
It sounded like he had been ignored.
Roa was basically a coward; she was as witty as she was scary.
Roa the coward took note of Elysia's words. Other maids slipped away from Elysia and Ariel when they were scorned.
Roah the coward saved herself as much as she could.
She didn't do it for nothing. However, the reason was that she often saw Elysia dismissing other servants with a cold face.
So she was more careful.
Such actions of Roah, contrary to his intentions, resulted in a notorious result from Elysia.
[-You are Ariel's exclusive maid as of today.]
What? Me? Me?
Why did I...?
Could she ask?
Roa chose not to.
A little... except for being unfeminine, it's all about playing alongside her.
Ha, but I had just arrived and... And she was very inexperienced...
Roa brought all sorts of reasons to reject Elysia's offer.
Lady-in-waiting to the Duke was by far a good title. But it was just an unnecessary seat for Roa. From her point of view, it's enough to get it, it's enough not to get it.
To be honest, she came close to not wanting to receive it.
She wasn't rich, but she wasn't needy either.
Up until now, Roa had been working with the idea that it would be nice if she made a mistake and didn't.... She didn't dare imagine that the result would be to return to the position of Ariel's exclusive servant.
She really doesn't mind the duration, and she didn't think she was immature.
- Oh...
Roa emitted a faint voice as if she had been praised by an unexpected person.
- Don't you like it?
Elysia rolled her eyes, looked at Roa and asked. While raising her eyes with a cold face, the frightened Roa took a step back and replied.
It's... it doesn't suit me no matter how much I think about it. I don't think it's a good opportunity....
I don't want to get involved.
Roa, following the advice Elysia gave her on the first day, tried not to get involved with someone with the last name Partin. It was a contradictory idea for her, who works for the Duke of Partin, but she meant it.
- ... Yes.
The blunt voice had exhausted itself before she realized it.
Just like that?
When Elysia showed signs of quitting, Roa felt embarrassed rather than relieved.
- You were the only one she could ask.....
Instead of doubting whether this really came out of Elysia's mouth, whom she knew, Roa had other questions first.
What...?
What do you mean she was the only one?
How many maidservants work in the mansion.
Roa, who did not immediately grasp the meaning of what Elysia was saying, seemed to have no common sense, unlike usual.
- The other maids... They don't like us....
- Yes, she doesn't like... Oh, no, she's not at all. Why do you think that? No way!
What do you mean?
Roa knew.
All the servants who came in before her didn't like Elysia and Ariel; the servant girls who came in around the same time she did were afraid of Elysia.
She knew it, but Roa desperately denied it.
- No, they don't like us. I know that too.
At first glance, Elysia's eyes contained loneliness.
Roa had a soft heart.
In other words, I could say nice.
In Roa's eyes, Elysia, who looked sad and humiliated by the adults, was seen as a victim beyond the weak. At that moment, the terrifying image of Elysia was erased from Roa's head.
- I know I'm bad. I've been hard on you all the time, so you don't have to....
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no....
At this point, her heart ached.
Roa shook her head unconsciously, clutching her stomach.
It wasn't just Elysia's fault if she had to do it. The servants made a mistake first and she pointed it out.
- But... Ariel, Ariel is a good and noble girl. She may want to get out of a stuffy mansion, but she doesn't complain word for word. She is a good girl.
Elysia and Ariel could not leave the house.
The Selendid estate, where they grew up, was not suitable for children to roam. Moreover, the lords were hostile to the Duke of Partin, who did not take proper care of the territory. Therefore, they could have been the victim of an indeterminate number of resentments if she went out alone with an unescorted maid.
So Elysia did not go out as much as she could.
The same was true of Ariel, who has no friends because she doesn't have many opportunities to interact with other nobles.
- I mean, I wanted to give you a maid....
- Well that's...
Tears welled up in Roa's eyes.
But Elysia's eyes are dry, it was boring because she couldn't do it.
Roa, who had been covering her mouth before realizing it, cried out, unable to distinguish between the two.
-I will do it! I will. My lady!
Unfortunately, Roa's sense of humor didn't work this time. It was because her good heart clouded her eyes to see the truth.
~TRANSLATION: YUKI~
