Chapter 12: CH 11

The lectures ends in the morning, from afternoon there’s free time.

Unlike Japanese schools, the schedule here is quite lax.

There’s no evil custom of homework, those who wish to study can do so of their own volition, those who don’t can pass the time as they please.

How they spend the free time is different from person to person, but generally, aristocratic internal students work hard on socializing, while external admission students who are commoners devote themselves to studying.

As for me, while I’m an external admission student, right now I’m Claire-sama’s maid.

As I’m following wherever Claire-sama goes, it’s inevitable what I do is up to Claire-sama.

As Claire-sama is a person who greatly likes socializing, there are always many people gathered around her.

With fierce personality, she’s a person greatly skilled at aristocratic socializing.

“Claire-sama, have you heard about the new Blume’s confection?”

“Of course I have. Have you tried it already? It is truly what you would expect of Blume. This time it is chocolate, a mysterious confection with sweet taste and fragrance, with a hint of bitterness”

“My! You have already tried it. As expected of Claire-sama”

“Because I have brought some to the academy, if you are interested I will have it delivered to your room afterwards”

“It is unfair if only Loretta-sama receives it. Please share some with me as well”

“Please also with me”

Today’s ladies’ topic  seems to be sweets.

In this world sugar is still a valuable commodity, only nobles can eat it.

Therefore, sweet confections are luxury goods.

“You have it good, don’t you. Being attached to Claire-sama, you can eat it as charity, right?”

“Ohohoho. Do not be joking, Pipi. This person is only a maid. Such affection is unnecessary”

“Ara, so that’s how it is”

By becoming a maid I made them more aware of my status as a commoner, her followers have started interfering with me a little more often.

But――.

“Even if I don’t have sweets, just taking off Claire-sama’s blouse is equivalent to three cups of rice”

“Disgusting!?”

Because there’s not even a slightest sign that I’m just enduring, she’s gradually losing vigor.

Incidentally, the staple food in this world is bread, rice is a fairly luxury item.

“Claire-sama… Um, with her like that, are you alright with her on your side?”

One of her followers asked worriedly.

“I have no choice… Although I declared I find her disagreeable, she won over my father with a talk”

Claire-sama huffed pretending to be depressed to try to gather compassion of her followers.

Indeed, certainly,

“I sympathize with you”

“You are telling me that!?”

I tried expressing worry, yet she got angry.

Your angry face is also wonderful, yes.

“Rei-chan really likes Clair-sama, huh”

Laughing cheerfully, Lene joined us after the lecture finished.

With appearance of being familiar with it, she’s preparing tea for the ladies.

“No, I don’t like her”

“Eh?”

Hearing my answer, not only Lene or the followers, even Claire-sama had a surprised expression.

“Ara? Claire-sama, just now, did you make a lonesome face? You did, right? Is it dere? Has the time for dere come?”

“It has not! In the first place, what is dere”

How strange.

For an instant, her face looked like that.

“I don’t like Claire-sama. I like her very much. Rather, I love her”

“Hii…!”

“Ara ara”

While Claire-sama and her followers drew back, only Lene remained composed.

This person is also quite unusual.

“Commoner”

“I’m Rei. Claire-sama”

“If you do what I say now, I might think about calling you with your name”

Claire-sama laughed fufun.

“What is it?”

“Stop spouting nonsense like ‘I like you’ or ‘I love you’

“No”

“An immediate reply!?”

Because, I truly like her.

“In the first place, not a lot time has passed since you have met me”

“Ah, that’s true for Claire-sama”

“Are you any different?”

“I’ve been learning about you from morning to night”

Not only game’s setting collection, on top of that I’ve run out of derivative works by fellow fans to read.

“… Even despite being treated with disdain like this, I am impressed you keep going”

“Ah, I’m aware”

“You are annoying!”

“But that’s your best point, Claire-sama. Please abuse me more”

“… You, I think there’s something really wrong with you…”

There’s no such thing.

I just admire Claire-sama.

When socialization ended in the evening, we returned to the dormitory.

Same as in the morning and evening, dinner is eaten in the dining hall.

And――.

“This is wonderful”

“Who are you talking to?”

The voice of Claire-sama, who now had her hair up, echoed on the walls.

Because the area is full of steam, Claire-sama’s perfect proportions aren’t visible much.

As you may have already understood, we’re in a bath.

There’s a bath in the academy dormitory.

Because it’s hard to heat a large amount of water, there are not many houses of nobles, not to mention commoners, that have baths.

The academy has a bath because there’s volcanic zone a little away from the royal capital.

That is to say, rather than a bath, it’s a hot spring.

“What a luxury”

“Fufu, that is right. It is too much for a commoner”

“Claire-sama and Rei-chan, aren’t you cold?”

Claire-sama found a fault in my brief comment.

Then, because us two were standing naked like that, Lene was watching us from the washing place with exasperation.

“Achoo. You are right. Let’s wash our bodies quickly. Lene”

“Certainly”

Lene lathered soap on a sponge and went to wash Claire-sama’s back.

“Could Rei-chan wash the hair?”

“If you do anything strange I will slap you, alright?”

I’m not trusted at all.

I picked up the soap and lathered it.

As I said before, soap here is a little different from soap on Earth, the way it foams and its fragrance are wonderful.

“Claire-sama, excuse me”

“…”

After she silently nodded, I carefully washed Claire-sama’s hair that’s like golden threads.

“… Ara, aren’t you skilled?”

Claire-sama seems surprised.

I didn’t just wash her hair, I also mixed in scalp massage, she seems unexpectedly pleased with it.

“Are you familiar with it?”

“Yeah, well”

In this life I’m an only child, but in the previous one I had a much younger brother.

I used to take baths with him, so I’ve grasped the trick to washing hair well.

Using shampoo hat is for amateurs.

After becoming experienced, you can wash hair without spilling foam.

The soap in this world might be foamy.

But none of it got in Claire-sama’s eyes.

“Yees, then should I rinse it?”

When I guessed she’d have closed her eyes, I poured hot water from above.

Bubbles were neatly rinsed off, the result is a sparkling young lady.

I looked at her when she changed clothes, but she really is a beautiful person.

Even setting my sexual orientation aside, it’s a beautiful sight for the same sex.

Because it lacks sexual appeal it might be unsatisfactory for men, but it’s clearly an ideal figure of a model.

“… Your gaze, it is somehow indecent”

“It’s your imagination”

It’s not her imagination though.

After her body was washed and she soaked in the bath, Claire-sama breathed out “Fuu”

“Claire-sama, you’re acting like an old lady”

“R, rude! I just let out slightly larger than normal breath”

“Let’s leave it at that”

“… This…!”

“My my, Claire-sama. Let’s relax in the bath”

After Claire-sama became sullen from my teasing, Lene soothed her.

I feel this routine will continue from now on.

Following changing clothes after bath, it’s time to go to bed.

Lene returned to the maid dormitory and Claire-sama entered her bed.

By the way, the lady who is Claire-sama’s roommate is on the top bunk.

Claire-sama has a fear of heights.

“Well then, good night, Claire-sama”

“Yes yes”

“Can I get a goodnight kiss?”

“Do you think such a thing is allowed for a maid!?”

“No, I just asked”

“… Really, this commoner is… Please go to bed quickly”

“Yes, good night”

I decided to always watch Claire-sama fall asleep before returning to my room.

Silence fell for a while.

“Are you still here?”

I wonder if five minutes passed.

Claire-sama opened her mouth.

“Yeah”

“… I see…”

Saying that, Claire-sama fell silent.

When I was thinking what happened.

“Why do you keep saying you like me?”

What a thing to ask about.

“Eh? Because, isn’t Claire-sama pretty”

“Are you saying you’ve taken a liking to my appearance?”

“No, I also love your personality”

“…”

When I answered following my instincts, Claire-sama sank into silence again.

I wondered if I should follow up somehow, but Claire-sama opened her mouth again.

“Even though I know myself”

I felt there was a hint of self-derision mixed in her voice.

“I’m not a person with a likeable personality”

“Such a thing――”

“Thanks for flattery. But, I would like to know your true aim”

Claire-sama’s voice is serious.

She’s really under an impression that she’s not likable.

“Claire-sama. I’m at Claire-sama’s side because I like you. There are no other intentions”

“… You will stubbornly feign ignorance, will you not”

I’m worried by her voice oozing with despair.

“You are unable to believe me?”

“Yeah”

“Then, I’ll do my best to make you believe me”

“…”

Claire-sama hasn’t responded for a while.

Wondering whether she fell asleep, I tried to leave the room.

“… Please like me”

The voice that resounded in the darkness as I left sounded awfully lonely.