Chapter 26: The Story

About three weeks had passed since my business trip to Western Diorseon.

To be honest, I was so busy I hadn’t even noticed the time passing.

I only realized how much time had passed when I belatedly noticed that my large wound had almost healed.

Anyway, around three weeks had passed, and another rumor was circulating in Norndeasel.

“I heard the saintess candidate hired a maid.”
“A maid? That’s a little strange.”
“You think so too?”

The maids in the laundry room were gossiping.

The laundry room and dining hall were also resting spots for maids tired from work… but.

No, this neighborhood is a little strange.

Plastic still hasn’t been developed, but they have washing machines, and even a coin laundry that eats copper coins was installed at the school like it was completely normal.

It’s hard to adapt.

No—no!
It was actually easy to adapt because it’s convenient!

“If she’s a saintess candidate, she’s part of the Mehrenia Order, right? Shouldn’t a deacon be helping her?”
“Right, right. I actually saw her deacon in the dining hall once. He seemed pretty decent. So why’d she suddenly hire a maid from the secular world?”
“Our young master said there was a child the saintess candidate couldn’t heal. Just one so far.”

Something smells fishy.
I felt like I knew who that one person was.

Since I wasn’t very close with them—who would like a maid with a sword—I stood a few steps away, listening with one ear and letting it out the other.
But at this rate, I had no choice but to open my ears a little wider.

I quietly shifted my position a bit closer without being noticed.
It was a bit embarrassing, but gathering information came first.

“In the end, the saintess candidate took that child in. Seems she’s going to keep the child by her side until she gets better.”
“So that child is the new maid under the saintess candidate?”
“She’s not in good health. Far from doing proper maid duties, she’ll probably just be a burden…”
“Really. What do they think our job is?”

What do you mean, what?
Just a maid.
It sounds a bit fancier because it’s called a maid.

“After the sword-wielding b*tch, now a cripple. They’re really something else.”
“Alicia. Your words are harsh. What if she hears you?”
“Hmph. I’m saying it so she hears.”

This neighborhood really is a little scary.
Of course, I’m not the type to lose to gloomy bullying.

Speaking of bullying, there was a time when I woke up with a bad feeling and found 1741, who used the corner bed, straddling me and about to swing a small blade.

Hmm.
Is this a little different from bullying?

At the facility, they used to conduct what they called culling work among the children.

It wasn’t a process where children with bad grades were simply disposed of, but where they were made to overdose on additional drugs.

However, the drug was quite strong and caused immense pain.

Whether it didn’t suit their bodies or the pain was too much to endure, quite a few children died.

It wasn’t a simple disposal—

All the children tried not to be culled.

1741, who had bad grades in many areas, must’ve been in danger of being culled.

So she must’ve decided, in a brief moment of desperation, to kill her next sparring partner before she herself was culled.

And that partner was me.

Ring-ring, ring.
The washing machine stopped spinning.

I took out the white blanket and put it in the basket.
Putting it in the dryer isn’t bad, but the weather outside was good.

When you dry it in the sun, it smells nice.
A warm smell.

…This neighborhood even has a dryer.
But it seems they haven’t figured out how to combine the washer and dryer yet.

“Look at her tucking her tail between her legs without saying a word.”
“Ahaha. Alicia, really.”
“Hey, Martina. What’s wrong with Alicia? She said it well.”

She has no problem talking like that to someone with a sword.
If it were me, I’d be too scared to say anything.

I wish people wouldn’t keep provoking someone who’s trying not to be barbaric.

“Truly a servant befitting her master.”

Ah, is that so?

I left the laundry room, leaving those words behind.
It was quiet outside.

As I said before, the weather was very clear, and just looking up at it made me feel at ease.
I put my hand on the laundry room’s door knob.

“The color to be re-engraved is gray. Freeze more deeply than the blue sky.”

Frost formed on the doorknob, spreading slowly and freezing the internal mechanism.
Then I gave the doorknob a try.

Click.
It won’t open.

Well.
It’s such a clear day.
It’ll melt soon.

“Huh? Huh? Wh-what? The door won’t open!”
“Hmm? What’s…”
“Is-is the door broken? It won’t budge at all.”

I heard them panicking as I walked toward the clothesline.

Oh, how fun.
Hehe.

If I broke it, I’d get scolded for property damage.
Better to wait patiently.

Of course, those girls probably know basic magic.
Even with simple flame magic, if they held it near the doorknob, they could melt it easily.
But at this rate, I wonder if they’ll realize that before it melts naturally.

Well, I do feel a little sorry for that girl, Martina—

“I’m back.”

I hung the blanket on the clothesline and quickly returned to the room.
Therese was reading a book, wearing glasses.

“Nothing happened, right?”
“Pardon? Ah. Oh. Yes. Nothing.”
“…Really?”

I hesitated answering because I felt a little guilty, and Therese narrowed her eyes at me.

I used to think glasses were a sin, but after seeing Therese, I’ve changed my mind.

A beautiful girl in glasses is the best.

…Of course, it’s refreshing because she only wears them occasionally.

If Therese wore glasses all the time, I’d probably consider them a sin again.

“It’s just that, well. I had a disagreement with the maids.”
“Is that so?”
“It was really nothing.”
“If you killed someone, you have to tell me right away. So I can bury them quickly.”
“Pardon?”

What does this young lady think I am?

Sure, I tend to draw my sword when I lose my temper a little, but I haven’t killed anyone.

At least not since Therese entered the school…

“I didn’t kill anyone.”
“That’s a relief. You didn’t break or cut anything, did you?”
“…No.”

Well, when I was kidnapped, I did turn someone into pulp.
Hmm.
Self-defense?
Something like that.

“It seems you don’t trust your maid, my lady.”
“Of course I trust you, Cornelia. Why would Cornelia say such things to upset her master?”
“There’s no way I’d bury someone without your permission, my lady.”
“…Did you bury them? Those maids, I mean.”

This little kid.

But she’s smiling playfully, so she looks just like an angel.

Let’s, let it slide.

“I should’ve buried them for you, my lady. Please look forward to it next time.”
“Cultivate your patience, Cornelia.”

“Yes. And there’s a rumor spreading among the maids.”
“A rumor? What is it? Tell me.”
“It seems that friend who cut me has become the saintess candidate’s maid and enrolled at this school.”
“…141, you said?”
“Yes.”

Therese, who had been holding her book throughout our conversation, finally set it down.
She also took off her glasses.
A stunning beauty.

She neatly organized what she’d set down on the desk and looked at me.

“Can you win if you fight again?”
“At my best, maybe fifty-fifty.”
“That’s a subtle win rate.”

Last time, I was caught off guard by her face.

If I faced her seriously, recognizing her as an enemy, I wouldn’t lose so pathetically.

“For your sake, it would be good to go back to the main house for a few days.”
“Pardon? Suddenly?”
“Didn’t you say you missed Gloria?”
“B-but. This is a bit sudden.”
“If it were me, I’d never let an injured enemy recover.”

Right. Because she’s an enemy.

But at that moment, there was a knock at the door. A soundproofing barrier was placed inside the room.

Although the room was already soundproofed, we had to be cautious of eavesdroppers. So our words definitely hadn’t leaked.

“It seems we’re one step too late.”
“Should I send them away?”
“They won’t go back. Let them in.”
“…Yes.”

I placed my hand on my sword’s hilt and slowly approached the door. As expected, standing there was the saintess candidate, Cecilia.

“Hello. We meet again.”
“Miss Dublin. How have you been?”
“Actually, I haven’t been very well. Why do you think that is?”
“…I heard the rumors. That you were attacked by an assailant.”
“Hmm. Let’s not talk about such gruesome things. Today, as your maid suggested last time, I’ve come to greet Miss Jurden personally.”
“Cornelia.”
“Aha. So your name is Cornelia.”

Therese’s voice called me from inside. I opened the door wide, stepped aside, and gestured for her to enter.

I even curtsied, holding the ends of my skirt, as Cecilia passed by. But only Cecilia entered. 141—Eileen—did not. She was alone.

Neither Edwin nor the boys who usually followed her were present.

“This is the first time we’ve formally greeted each other in private, right? My name is Cecilia Dublin.”
“I’m Therese Jurden. It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”
“I’ll prepare some tea. Is there any beverage you’d like, Miss Dublin?”
“Do you have coffee?”
“Then I’ll have coffee too.”
“…I understand.”

I headed to the pantry. I ground a decent amount of coffee beans in the grinder, put them into the coffee press, and poured in the hot water.

It was a very expensive, top-quality coffee bean. Preserved with magic, so it wouldn’t go rancid. Pressing it is the best method.

I quickly brewed the coffee and returned with some snacks.

Normally, I would have spent ten to fifteen minutes on it, but today I only put in the minimum effort.

Cecilia was one thing, but I was sure Therese would understand.

“It’s okay if you don’t apologize. I’m fine.”
“But you were badly hurt then… and I couldn’t even be of help, being a saintess candidate and all…”
“I’m all better now.”
“Tea is served.”

The atmosphere was surprisingly good.
Did she really come to apologize?

“It’s not bad. It’s delicious.”
“……”

Though Cecilia praised it, Therese took a sip and glared at me.
I might have rushed a little, so it was probably rough on the throat.
I thought she’d understand…

“They say some saintesses can see the future.”

Out of nowhere, Cecilia said that.

“The future?”
“I’ve seen something similar. I remember it clearly—four or five times.”
“……”
“It was a future where you and I were fighting, Miss Jurden.”
“That’s… interesting. Who won?”
“I was killed by you, Miss Jurden. About four out of five times.”
“You tried hard.”

Therese replied indifferently. I started to move my hand toward the hilt of my sword, but before I could, I saw Cecilia break out in cold sweat—so I let it go.

“If I ask how I killed you in those futures, would it be rude?”
“The most memorable one was… hmm… the ending where you sent mercenaries to my and Prince Edwin’s wedding, slaughtered everyone, and while you were at it, destroyed the Eclisian Kingdom and founded the Jurdenkilaina Kingdom.
You imprisoned Prince Edwin, who barely survived as a sinner of a fallen kingdom, and in front of him, you brutally murdered me, who had been captured as a prisoner, and recited these lines to the prince:
‘Your world has now collapsed along with that child. Now, within my world, you only have to look at me. You only have to love me.'”

“That’s not something to say as a joke.”
“You’re really too much. We’re both human, after all. To kill someone like that…”
“……Alright. Then how did you kill me?”
“Me? I didn’t kill you. You were put on trial for various crimes, but you were acquitted, and on your way back… you were blown up along with your carriage.”

Blown up.
No matter how I hear it, it sounds like she’s seen through our identity.

Cecilia took another sip of her coffee.

“It tastes bad now that I’ve said something unpleasant.”
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
“Actually, I’m scared of you, Miss Jurden. Just as much as you fear the world, I fear you.”
“So?”
“I don’t want to fight with you, Miss Jurden. I’d rather die like a human than be slaughtered like a pig. I’m too much of a coward to bet on a 20% chance.”
“Then stay away from Edwin. I think that should be enough.”
“……Edwin is for Eclisia. He’s now trying to dig into the black mud himself, outside of my hands.”
“It’s your fault, isn’t it?”

Therese said, revealing emotion for the first time in a while.
Cecilia continued, sounding self-deprecating.

“The me before I saw the dream is different from the me after I saw the dream.”
“Get to the point.”
“Please stop what you are doing now. If you do, I’ll become your friend, Miss Jurden, and help you in every way I can.”

A declaration of war.

A suggestion disguised as mercy, telling her to surrender.

“Miss Dublin. Why don’t you finish your drink and go back?”
“……It sounds strange, doesn’t it?”
“I’ll consider it. So please go back now.”