CH 25

MAID ARC ⑮ -IRENE-SAN’S SECRET PLAN AND THE STORY FROM NOW ON-

I was called by Claude-san to come down to the guest room. At the room, both Claude-san and Irene-san were intensely awaiting my arrival. They were staring daggers at one another.

｢I am dearly sorry. It appears that I have been somewhat late …… right?｣

I was told to come after finishing dinner so I stuffed dinner down my stomach as fast as I could and race-walked my way to the room and still, I was late? The aura that loomed around the room was petrifying.

｢Nope, you were early, Ryou. Please sit here.｣

Up till now, Claude-san had been making a slightly angry expression but upon seeing me, the gentleness in his face returned and he prompted me to take the seat beside him. I was charmed by his kind offer and sat right next to him.

｢Ryou, I have asked this of you many times over but, do you really not have any clue about the man who has been searching for you?｣

Ah, this issue again.

Recently, there has talk about this mysterious man who has been prying into my background and had gone around the neighbourhood to seek out information on me. Moreover, for some reason, this enigmatic man covers his head with a jute bag to hide his identity and no matter how much others asked for his name, he wouldn’t give a reply. And when we tried to capture him, he managed to escape without a trace.

｢Yes,  I do not think this person is an acquaintance of mine. I do not have any knowledge about a person who hides his identity like that.｣

In response to my reply, Claude-san said, I see and started mumbling to himself while casting his sight downwards.

｢As I have feared, it could be an aristocrat from another domain, or a person from the royalty. Either possibilities means that someone has set their sights on you.｣ He grumbled without a hint of emotion.

Don’t say that with a blank face! That’s so ominous!

The mysterious man that was looking for me knew that I was the one who played an integral part in developing the new tools. The theory that this man, who has been snooping around for my information, is a spy from another domain seems the most plausible among others.

｢Well, Onii-sama, I can understand the possibility of the spy being sent by another aristocrat but there is no way the royalty would go so low as to secretly send a spy?｣

｢No, there are things that Irene don’t know…… The royalty is terrifying. Under the worst circumstances, Ryou could just vanish…...｣

Hold up, saying that I would just disappear…… Am I really in such a dangerous position? I don't recall coming up with a tool that merit such treatment…... This is too disturbing.

｢No way, Onii-sama is exaggerating things. There's no way such things can happen right? However, there is a possibility that the other aristocrats have taken notice of the tools that we have put up on market. They must have dispatched people to investigate on it.｣

「The fact that Ryou was the one who initiated the development of these tools should have been concealed…... Still, in either case……」as Claude-san said so, he placed his arm over my shoulders, triggering Irene-san to stare penetratingly at him.

「Ryou is my property, I have no intention of handing her over to anyone!」

Claude-san was giving an unusually serious look at Irene-san for some reason. The aura of the room that was momentarily peaceful ever since I came in became tense again.

｢No! Ryou is mine! Didn’t you say the other time that you bought her for me?!｣

Irene-san was putting up a fight against the stern-looking Claude-san. Somehow, the both of them have been fighting over for this merchandise (me).

Good grief, I wish I wasn’t left out from this discussion. Annual income, welfare, job scope, location of work-place and work-place environment…… Please examine all this before coming to a conclusion! Such were the rights that I do not possess.

H-mm, Irene-san and Claude-san, which one shall I pick. Or more like, will my job scope change? Whichever way I choose would be the same won’t it?

｢No, I’m not selling her! Ryou will stay by my side. I had purchased her originally for 1 gold coin ya know!｣

Claude-san jacked up the price in a nonchalant manner. Wasn’t it just 3 silver coins? This person is really shrewd.

｢If that’s the case, I willing to fork out 2 gold coins!｣

｢No way I’m selling her! She will be my maid!｣

｢How about platinum coins?｣

｢Platinum coins!? N-no, it’s still a no. No matter how much you offer, I won’t sell her!｣

Claude-san wavered for a second there.

｢Why, Onii-sama! Didn’t you promise me from the start that if I take a liking to her, you would sell her to me?｣

｢That was the case but I have also taken a liking to her beyond my imaginations. So I decided to have her as my maid. Hence, when Cardin-dono returns, I would be taking Ryou to my company!｣

Eh? What did you just say?

｢“Cardin-sama” is, if I am correct, Irene-okusama’s husband? Is he returning back?｣

I couldn’t help but interrupt the auction.

｢Yes, that’s right, Ryou. Unfortunately, Otou-sama has to stay in the capitial but he managed to reach a point where he can take a break and would be coming back.｣  said Irene-san in elation.

This means Cain-bouchama and Alan’s father is coming back. Heh, this is a good thing.

However, if I remember correctly, the reason for Claude-san staying at this residence is because the head of the household was absent.

I see, that’s why he is going back to his company. From their conversation, Claude-san’s company is headquartered not too far away but even then, movement still requires the use of coaches, and that going back cannot be done on the spur of the moment.

If I became Claude-san’s maid, I would have to be separated from this place…… I have gotten along well with everyone here and gotten used to my work, if it was possible, I really, really, don’t want a change in work-place. Staying behind and working under Irene-san seems to be the better option.

Alright, let’s support Irene-san! Go for it, Irene-san!

｢Irene, why are you so eager to have her by your side? Even Alan has become more tamed as of late, and that there shouldn’t be any work that specifically requires the help of Ryou? Furthermore, there is this dodgy person investigating on Ryou too, and it would be much safer for her to be at my company.｣

｢That may be true but…… I, truthfully, need Ryou’s help.｣ said Irene-san as she fidgeted restlessly.

Eh, what could it be? Apart from the things I have been today already, is there anything else? ……Could be this be a new startup? There is always a lack of personnel in black start-up companies.

｢What is it? If that’s the case, can’t we have her complete it before joining me at the company?｣

｢However, this is, something she cannot do now! This is a request that can be done only after a few years have passed.｣

｢A few years later……? Specifically, what do you want?｣

Immediately, Irene-san turn to meet my eyes, it feels as though she wanted to say something and that after being slightly troubled by it, she said it out straight.

｢I want her to conduct sex education for my sons!｣

Eh?

What did you just say?

You said sex-ed? ……Is that the so called thing? Or do you mean something like health and physical education? No, I could have misheard it. There’s no way it’s that.

However, the Claude-san beside me began to panic. From his flustered expression, I felt that it was more likely to be sex-ed (real intercourse).

｢W-what are you saying, Irene! That is something for the older…… and more experienced to handle isn’t it!?｣

Exactly! Totally! Claude-san! That kind of thing should, indeed, would be best guided by a veteran!

｢But, back in my time, my partner was Gouda-ojiisan! Compared to boys, girls’ sex education doesn’t go all the way but, when I was first shown it, the thing I felt was Gouda-ojiisan’s!? I still have nightmares on it now! That’s why I won’t allow the same thing to happen to my sons! Alan and Cain-bouchama both fancy Ryou too, so isn’t that a good arrangement!｣

｢W-w-w-w-what are you saying, Irene! That’s no good! Firstly, Ryou is far too young! She obviously doesn’t have any experience? Such a partner wouldn’t be appropriate! We need to get someone who is experienced!｣

That’s right, you said it right! Claude-san! I was inexperienced even during my previous lifetime. I’m still very pure!

I was initially hoping to join Irene’s faction in my job search, and now, in a complete reversal, I pinned my hopes on Claude-san instead.

｢If we did it that way, it would be the same as Onii-sama – Mary would have to do it won’t she!｣

Eh, Mary? The lady that was washing the clothes…… she had a kind nature and had a good physique, but just a bit older Mary-san? Ah, that’s what it is, Claude-san’s first and most important experience was taken care of by …, I see.

…… Ah, whoops, I was kinda picturing it.

｢There’s nothing particularly bad about Mary!｣

｢No good! Even you are still single at this age Onii-sama, because your first with a female was with Mary who was past her prime! As of such, I’m sure she wasn’t very good at it, and that you’ve lost interest in girls! Having a young partner, especially one that is on close terms would definitely be a better choice! There won’t be any bad memories!｣

｢Wha! There’s no way that I have no interest in females! Moreover, Mary wasn’t that particularly bad. She was extremely …… g-gentle to me.｣ Claude-san started to blush.

Please, I beg you, stop describing your memories of that. I would subconsciously playback how gentle Mary-san was in the back of my mind, so please, stop.

『A Mature Maid’s Coaching on Cleaning ~The First Hole I Scrubbed~』

Ah, oh no. I even came up with the title. My brain, reboot! Even after erasing my mind of these extraneous thoughts, I couldn’t shake off the image of an ero mature lady! Ah, it’s not working, I couldn’t reboot my brain at all.

｢F-furthermore, don’t we have many young and beautiful maids?! For example, wouldn’t Stella be great?｣

Ugh! Stop Claude-san! Stella-san or anyone else……! Please don’t add new characters!

｢No way, she is a clean freak. In addition, other than Ryou or Mary, there are no other maids that are not of an aristocrat’s lineage or kin. I can’t make such a request to them.｣

Looking at how Irene-san spoke about it while scowling, Claude-san shoulders drooped and he sighed.

Ehh, don’t give up Claude-san! Keep at it! I was thinking about this when the day’s second firm expression was made.

Irene-san winced for a brief moment.

｢That being so, we need to hurry up and bring a professional from the town! No matter what is done, Ryou would stay with me so that proposal is a no-go. Ryou wouldn’t be bothered by that right?｣

｢Yes! I’ll be in your care!｣

I shook off all the wild delusions in my head and gave a reply to Claude-san that was much better than when I first came to the residence.

Irene-san pouted. The way her cheeks puffed up was cute. Anyways, she appeared to have given up.

That was close. Although I was just 6-years-old, my chastity had been threatened. Good job, Claude-san!

Translated by yAmi on yamitranslations.blogspot.com

Translated by yAmi on yamitranslations.blogspot.com

And after that, I, Claude-san and Irene-san –who was sulking— continued on discussing about plans for my future.

Going to the company with Claude-san would have to wait for the return of the person called Cardin-san, hence, there is still some time left.

Next, surprisingly, Claude-san said he wanted to adopt me in sometime in the future, when I am 10-years-old and would be of age to enter a royal school. In this country, only the super elite get to enter school.

In other words, the country’s education system is solely represented by this sole school which only accepts royalty and aristocrats.

Previously, I had discussed with Claude-san that it would be beneficial if there was a place to educate children in this domain on at least, language and arithmetic. I was informed that regarding the education system, the king held full control over the reins over it and no one could build schools without his permission.

The home tutor assigned to this residence also came through the good offices of the royalty machinery.

This means that attending school was impossible for someone like me with rural origins. Claude-san gave exceedingly high praises to me and that made me happy but, to the extent that he was willing to adopt me……

The reason behind becoming Claude-san’s foster daughter was because the royal school only allowed sons and daughters of aristocrats to enter. It seems that Claude-san held a considerably low level of peerage known as Merchant Lord. His reason for adopting me was pretty clear and I understood that it was a necessity.

However, to become his foster daughter would mean becoming Claude-san’s family and that very thought depresses me.

Honestly, I am very bad at being family. I have had my fill of bad experiences up till now.

It’s just that, judging from the circumstances of Claude-san, I knew exactly that this didn’t mean he wished for me to be family. Well, considering this to be simply a contract, I accepted the plans about becoming his adopted daughter.

While I am at it, I strongly insisted that there is no way I would call him Father! Claude-san did not originally plan for that anyway, and that he didn’t mind it being just the way it is now.

I have more opinions on this matter but becoming his adopted daughter is a concern for the future.

Before entering the school, I would be adopted and after graduation, I wonder if I would be helping Claude-san at his company? I am not sure of what Claude-san plans for me to do after that but, it doesn’t seem like it is going to be a terrible life.

Still, living as per planned would make me feel somewhat guilty, as I would be entering the nation’s one and only school. I am sure there are more people who need to enter such an educational facility.