14. Maid Second Opening

Maid Second Opening

"Oh wow, so this is the magical beast the butler talked about? It's much smaller than I imagined!"

Subaru shouted loudly as he looked at the rabbit inside the cage.

"Yes, the swift rabbit is known as the most delicious meat among rabbits.

It lives deep in the forests northwest of the Astrea territory. Because it has the 'Wind's Divine Protection,' it's an extremely difficult magical beast to catch."

"I know that, but we placed the order ten days ago. It seems there are fewer than 300 here, which is a full quarter less than what the contract requires."

"The Astrea family's orders are naturally something we try our best to fulfill, but since it was a secret commission, only trustworthy mid-tier adventurers were involved.

It should have been manageable, but starting two days ago, the habitat of the magical beasts in the northwest forest suddenly became very chaotic. We are still investigating."

The plump merchant wiped his forehead with a cloth.

"Then cancel the secret commission and make a public call to all adventurers: 'To help Lord Otto's birthday, the Astrea family will pay four times the price for live swift rabbits for the next two days. Deliver them directly to the Astrea family.'"

"Won't Lord Otto find out about this?"

"He already knows due to some other matter yesterday. Please have those you've already caught delivered as well. Here's the deposit."

The old butler said, placing a heavy money pouch on the table. The merchant passed it directly to the secretary standing behind him.

"Subaru, I have some personal matters to take care of. Feel free to wander around. This money is your wage. We'll meet later by the statue in the city center."

--- Touring the City ---

After visiting the Adventurer's Guild and buying a gift for Otto, Subaru still arrived an hour early at the agreed meeting place.

He approached the only vacant chair, where a girl with red eyes, beautiful features, shoulder-length pink hair, and wearing a maid outfit was seated.

"May I sit here?"

"Although Ram doesn't want a dirty servant who smells slightly bad sitting next to her, this is public property, so just don't get close to Ram."

The girl fixed Subaru with her uncovered right eye and then said,

"So what is a maid, who smells nice and wears beautiful clothes, doing here?"

"That's quite a sexually harassing statement, but Ram can understand her own cuteness. Sorry, Ram already has someone she likes."

"Was I so casually dumped the first time!?"

"Ram is waiting for her sister to finish buying ingredients."

"Don't change the subject. I already have someone I like too. Anyway, aren't you supposed to help since you're the older sister?"

"Rem is my pride and joy. She basically does all the housework better than me."

"Then what's the point of the older sister's existence!? Do you even work?"

"Ram has worked for twelve years. Ram's job is to stay cute. Being cute is enough."

"Then don't frown. The most important thing, cuteness, is gone. If you have worries, you can talk to me. I don't have a phone to waste time on anyway. I won't tell anyone."

"Is everyone in the Astrea family this nice? But whatever. Ram is wondering if she'll survive tomorrow, and whether her decision is really the right one."

"That sounds serious. Even if you're not as good as your sister in every way, you shouldn't take your own life."

"It's not exactly suicide—well, maybe it is in a way—after all..."

"Big sister, who is this?"

Their conversation was interrupted by another maid who looked exactly like Ram except for her hair color, eye color, and ribbon color.

"Well then, goodbye."

Waving to the two maids who were saying goodbye, Subaru waited a few more minutes before the old butler appeared.

Together, they boarded the dragon carriage and returned to the mansion.

.

.

.

That night, Subaru collapsed on his bed at seven o'clock.

Today was definitely the busiest day Subaru had experienced since crossing over to this other world.

The servants, knowing they couldn't surprise Otto, put all their energy into preparing for tomorrow's birthday.

Part of the reason for the hectic day was because Heinkel, who was still at the mansion that morning, kept causing trouble.

But after Heinkel left at noon, the work went more smoothly, and by the end of the day, most preparations were finished.

"The rest depends on whether the guards can catch enough magical beast ingredients."

Subaru thought as he noticed that even the swift rabbits delivered today were still insufficient.

The adventurer leader hurried over, and Subaru, fresh out of the bath, saw the guards sneaking out, probably to take matters into their own hands.

But thinking about the drunken guards made Subaru worried again.

After Heinkel left at noon, everyone drank straight through lunch, even Subaru, who normally never drinks, had a cup.

The servants didn't drink much during work in the afternoon, but the royal guards had been drinking heavily all noon.

Subaru worried about whether this was okay, but Leander said men couldn't go their whole lives without drinking, so the last day of every week was designated as a drinking day.

As for why they drank the day before the big training exercise—well, it used to be that they drank after the big training ended.

But the training was nearly perfect now, so the guards wanted to get into a negative state before the big training.

Gradually, the big training was arranged to be after the drinking day.

The result was that even though they drank heavily at noon, most of the knight squad still left in stable formation.

With all these thoughts, Subaru's eyelids grew heavier, and he finally fell asleep.

The night passed without incident. The next day—

His eyes felt like they were burning in the sunlight.

He propped up his still lazy body, head heavy, probably from accumulated fatigue or maybe the aftereffects of drinking for the first time.

But today was not a day for weakness.

"That's right, today I have to finish the remaining work!"

Certain that today would be a busy but happy day, Subaru threw off the covers and sat up. But—

"——"

Looking at Subaru's surprised face smiling victoriously was Felix, with flaxen hair and cat ears.

"Why are you in my room? Wait, isn't this the guest room from the first day? And the cut on my hand is gone?!"

"I probably don't know you, right? Of course, the wound is gone, nya, since I treated it. But you never had a knife wound on your hand, only a slight bone crack in your arm. You must have confused your memory, nya."

"What's the date today?"

"Today is the 17th, nya. You know…"

Faced with the situation, Subaru could only accept reality.

Although Felix kept talking on and on, Subaru felt like he couldn't hear a thing.

He felt heat welling up deep in his eyes, and tears slid down his cheeks, dripping onto the bed.

"Why… did I come back!?"

The first day at the Astrea mansion, starting again.