Chapter 17: 8 Year Old Mana Lives As Young Lady’s Friend

After eating the milk crepe, I went for a walk with the young lady.

Of course, holding hands tightly with the young lady.

“Why does Mana always wear a maid’s uniform? You must have a lot of pretty clothes like this.”

“Because I’m a maid. It’s natural for a maid to wear her own clothes.”

“Hmm… Can’t Mana wear pretty clothes too? I like this better!”

Ah, no matter what, that’s.

“It’s against etiquette, you know? Servants should be servants. Masters should be masters.”

“I see…”

“Yes, and I’m proud of being a maid, you know?”

“Pride?”

“Hmm.. I’m proud of my job and think it’s wonderful. I like being a maid.”

At least, it’s much better than when I was first transmigrated into this world, sold as a s*ave, and ran away. Being recognized as a member now is better.

“Because I’m a maid, I can meet you, Young Lady~ and I can prepare your meals, bathe you, and do things like this every day, you know?”

“That’s right! I’m so glad Mana is a maid!”

“Mmm, someday the young lady will become a wonderful adult and have a wonderful job!”

“Really??”

“Of course~ I’ll guarantee it!”

Her magical talent is outstanding… and her other artistic talents are outstanding.

I’m sure she can make a living doing something, right?

Squish squish squish squish…

The young lady keeps squeezing my hand.

“I like Mana’s small hands!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I can hold it like this! When Mana becomes an adult, I can’t hold it like this!”

Well.. it’s a little difficult to hold hands like we are now.

“Ah, but when will I return to being an adult?”

“…Does Mana want to return to being an adult?”

“Um… of course, right? There are more things I can do as an adult than as a child. And it’s more convenient.”

“…I wish Mana was a child just like me…”

Oh my.

…The young lady is really.

“Do you want me to stay the same age as you, Young Lady?”

“Yes… I wish you would. I think it would be nice.”

“Why??”

“Because then I can hold Mana’s hand, hug Mana, and play with Mana like now.”

“But then I can’t hug you when you sleep, you know? And you can’t sit on my lap in the bathroom.”

“I, I want to do that too…”

Our young lady is greedy.

But I like that she’s so honest.

“What should we do~ We have to give up one of them~”

“Ugh… I don’t want to…”

The young lady worrying is cute.

Oh, my…

I hold the hand of the young lady who is lost in thought for a long time and take a light walk in the open space in front of the house.

And magic is bound to be released someday.

Why does the young lady want me to stay 8 years old?

Hmm.. is it because she needs a peer?

I, a 16-year-old maid, feel more like a guardian than a friend.

So, wasn’t it her first magic that she wanted me to be her friend?

It’s not unheard of for a maid and a young lady to be friends.

“Young Lady.”

“Mana.”

Huh?

We spoke at the same time.

“Yes, please speak first, Young Lady.”

“Ah, no! Mana, you go first!”

“It’s okay. You can speak first.”

“Ugh… I’m sorry.”

Hmm?

“What are you sorry for?”

“Because I fell.. Mana became a whipped cream maid…”

“Pfft, that’s okay. I had fun too. And in the first place, I, as a maid, should have done such a thing. I’m sorry. Because of me, your precious body was impacted, you know?”

“Ah, no! That’s only because I!”

“That’s also a maid’s job.”

I look into the young lady’s red eyes and speak softly.

..So you don’t have to be sorry. Rather, I also played happily enough today.”

“If that’s the case, I’m glad… Hehe.”

Oh, she’s so cute.

Even though our heights are similar, it’s obvious that I’m the adult.

I have to hug our young lady~

Hug~~

“Hehe… I like Mana.”

“I like you very much too, Young Lady.”

“No, I like Mana more!”

…As a maid, I’m so happy that I could die.

To be loved this much by the young lady I serve.

The soft, squishy, warm, and fragrant young lady.

I can’t help but want to hug her more.

“Hehe… I like Mana whether she’s small or big!”

“Thank you for liking both. Shall we walk a little more?”

“Yes!”

Hmm…

I should just stay like this for a while.

Because the young lady seems to need friends.

It’s not like I can’t live with this body.

…And it’s more comfortable because I don’t have menstruation.

While thinking about various things, I look at the stars and moon with the young lady.

“That’s pretty, Young Lady!”

“Yes! It’s so pretty!”

Yes, memories like this are also necessary.

After the night walk, I go to the bathroom with the young lady.

“Mana! I’ll wash you!”

“Huh??”

“I want to wash Mana!”

“Um…”

…I’ve never heard of a young lady washing a maid in my life.

“Because Mana is small! I can wash you too! I’ll do it!”

“Th, then please..?”

“Yes!”

…This kind of day happens rarely in life.

I sit on the bath chair and wait for the young lady to wash me.

“I’ll shampoo your hair first!”

“Yes, please, Young Lady.”

The young lady presses the shampoo once, twice, and starts to carefully rub it into my hair.

“How is it?”

“It feels good~”

The young lady’s small hands come between my hair…

I feel like I’m being served, and it feels good.

“Hehe… Because Mana always does this for me! I wanted to do it for you at least once!”

“…Thank you, Young Lady.”

I get to enjoy this kind of luxury.

..Living with the young lady, I seem to experience many things that ordinary maids don’t.

I don’t dislike it, I like it.

“Now I’ll rinse the shampoo!”

“Yes, please.”

Sigh… it’s refreshing.

“How is it? How is it?”

“It’s good~ You’re very good, Young Lady~”

“Really?! Then I’ll keep doing it for you! Leave Mana’s hair care to me!”

“Hahaha… But you shouldn’t do that because you’re a young lady. If you take all the maid’s work, I’ll be unemployed, you know?”

“Unemployed?”

“If I can’t work as a maid, I might get kicked out of this house.”

“Th, that can’t happen…”

…She’s so pure.

“So it’s only for today, okay?”

“Yes! I’ll do my best today!”

The young lady puts body wash on my body.

Huh?

“Pfft..! Young Lady, it tickles!”

“No! Stay still! It tickled me too, but Mana told me not to move!”

“St, stop! Young Lady, just the sides..! Hahaha! Eek!! I surrender! I surrender!!”

“No, no! Stay still!”

Is, is a child’s body this ticklish?!

Heeeek..!

The young lady and I enter the bath together and sit blankly.

“It feels good~”

“It feels good~”

…This is a complete hot spring.

The bathroom was always very spacious, but is it because I’m smaller?

It definitely feels bigger than usual.

“Young Lady.. shall I stay like this for a while?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t think it’s bad to live as an 8-year-old.”

“…Really?”

“Yes, of course, I’ll have to go back to being 16 when I go to the village or when it’s necessary.”

‘…You said it was uncomfortable to be 8 years old…”

Ah, you remembered that.

“Because I’m an elite maid, you know? As an elite, I can work as a maid even if I’m 8 years old?”

“…I would like it if Mana stayed small.”

“Why?”

“…Friend.”

The young lady holds my hand tightly.

“…I like it because it feels like I have a friend.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes…”

..As expected, the young lady was thirsty for friends.

“Then, may I, a humble servant, be your friend, Young Lady?”

“…Is it okay?”

“Huh? What is?”

“…Mana is a maid, you know. Is it okay for a maid to be friends with her master?”

“Strictly speaking, my master is the Count… Oh, being friends with the Count is a bit much. But it’s not uncommon for a young lady and a maid to be friends. I have a lot of colleagues, but I’ve never had a friend.”

Yes.. all the maids in the earldom are older than me…

Well, there were some my age, but it felt more like they were colleagues.

“So if you wish, Young Lady. Different status doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

‘…Do you want to be friends with me?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I.. I have white hair. And red eyes… I need a lot of care, I’m weak… I usually sleep during the day…”

“If you say that, my eyes are half green and half blue, and my hair is brown, you know?”

“That’s just…”

“It’s just the same for you, Young Lady. It’s just different. That’s not a reason not to be friends.”

The young lady holds my hand even tighter…

You’re very nervous, Young Lady.

“Young Lady, do you want to be friends with me?”

“Yes… I do,”

“Then we’re friends from now on, Young Lady?”

“Okay~”

“Yes..! Friends..!”

Oh my?

The young lady hugs me.

“I… have a friend.”

“…Of course. I’m your friend from today.”

“…I’m happy.”

The young lady is really…

Your voice is trembling, you know?

“If you need a friend so much, you just have to say so.”

“But… Mana is bigger than me.. and older…”

“That doesn’t mean we can’t be friends! Anyway, we’re friends!”

“Yes…”

Our young lady is a crybaby.

“…Thank you.. for being my friend.. sniffle..”

“I’m honored, Young Lady.”

Pat pat…

Hmm, it’s good to be 8 years old.

I can hug the young lady equally.

I can hear the sound of the young lady’s heart beating.

…It’s a good feeling.

“Shall we sleep together now, Young Lady?”

“Yes…”

The young lady wipes her face with her hands and smiles bashfully.

…She’s so cute.

“I’m going to sleep with my friend!”

“Yes, yes~ Let’s sleep together!”

Friend.

That sounds very good.