第７７４堀：メイド騎士の祝日？ (Part1)
**Chapter 774: A Maid Knight’s Holiday?**
**Side: Sasari**
"Mmm! This is the life. A morning where I can wake up at my own pace! Simply wonderful!"
I stand in my room, gazing at the morning landscape as the sun begins to rise, and stretch my limbs.
"I don't even have to help with breakfast! Well, most of the meal prep is handled by Master or Kirue-sama and the others anyway, so my role is strictly limited to serving."
Muttering to myself, I change out of my nightclothes and into my maid uniform. It’s such a luxury to be able to dress at a leisurely pace like this.
I am currently in Baide, part of the Weed territory on the New Continent. This is my first time working a full-fledged assignment out in the field.
Man, Master is truly generous. Maid work is usually strictly behind-the-scenes, but when I asked, he brought me all the way out to the New Continent. As expected of the man who captured Samantha-ojousama’s heart.
A mere maid like me is now serving the high-ranking officials of Weed, whose names are known across the world. My peers back in Roday look at me with nothing but envy. Plus, the benefits are amazing—three meals a day and actual time off. My status as a maid hasn't changed, but I get to enjoy all the cutting-edge technology Weed has to offer. It’s like, "Yahoo!"
"Hmm. Though, there are some drawbacks, I suppose."
I look at the full-length mirror in front of me and offer a wry smile. The reflection shows a woman with a decent figure, but there are faint marks from yesterday’s combat training.
"And this is a maiden’s skin, too. My senior is absolutely merciless."
The drawback is that they demand an incredibly high level of combat technique and fundamental education. Well, considering the excellent treatment I receive, I suppose it’s unavoidable. Especially when you consider the position Master and the others hold. It’s shocking to think they are working for the sake of the world, but it’s the truth.
"Sigh, I fell asleep before I could properly treat these yesterday."
To be honest, it’s not that I’ve gotten rusty; it’s just that everyone around me is at such a high level. After all, I’ve reached a point where I can be considered a significant combat asset on my own. And I’m just a washed-up knight turned maid!
Well, enough complaining. Let’s get these wounds healed. Thanks to Lilishe-sama’s blessing, I’ve become capable of using mid-level recovery magic. With that, I’ll quickly patch myself up and head out for breakfast!
Feeling upbeat, I step outside, only to find...
"You were slow, Sasari."
"Gah!? Senior!?"
Standing there was the perfect, flawless maid.
"W-wait, today was supposed to be a day off, right? Was there breakfast prep to do?"
"There is no need to be so on guard. I acknowledge your ability as a maid. And your loyalty to your master, Samantha-sama, as well."
"Oh. Well, thank you."
*Phew.* Looks like I’m not in trouble. The standards for maid work that Senior demands are incredibly high. It’s a completely different level from when I served Samantha-ojousama. I guess there’s just a fundamental difference between a maid serving the royal palace and one serving a duke’s daughter.
"So, why are you here?"
"I was instructed by Samantha-sama to keep a close eye on you."
"..."
*What are you doing, Ojousama...* You told me you’d stay home and look after the children with everyone else, which is why I forgave you for treating me so roughly yesterday...
"Your silence is proof enough."
"Ugh."
"When Samantha-sama came all the way to Baide to check on you yesterday, she saw you being pushed to your limits by me. She is simply worried."
Well, I suppose that makes sense. If I were getting beaten to a pulp, she’d naturally worry about whether I could keep up.
"However, I shouldn't have held back. You were pulling your punches yesterday, weren't you? You stopped your strikes just before they could become fatal."
"Ah, you noticed? Well, of course. It was just training, and I didn't think it was necessary to go that far."
"I see. I apologize for yesterday. I let myself get too carried away."
"Oh, no. I should have spoken up more clearly, too."
At the time, Senior was trying to shake off the fact that she’d lost to me, and I didn't feel like pushing the issue.
"Regardless, this isn't the safe environment of Weed, so please, be careful..."
"Ah, that won't be a problem."
I say this and pull out a knife, moving to point it at her, but she instantly pins my hand.
"I see. I truly said something rude to you, Sasari. You certainly haven't gotten rusty."
"I'm glad you're convinced. But really, Senior, aren't you the strange one? I used to be a knight, you know. Please don't stop my attacks so easily!"
"If you had been serious, I don't know if I could have stopped it, but you had no intention of doing so. Besides, a maid is the final shield protecting her master; being able to do at least this much is a given."
"Yeah, that sounds right, but I feel like it's also wrong somehow."
If there were maids that skilled, I’d think it would be more practical to just promote them to knights. Or rather, if the maids are stronger than the knights, don't we not need knights anymore?
Well, Senior has sworn her loyalty to Shera-sama, so she wouldn't have become a knight even if asked. I guess Kirue-senpai is just special.
Anyway, putting that aside...
"So, Senior, did you just come here to check on me?"
"No. I was planning to wake you if you were still asleep and have breakfast together."
"Ah, I see."
So, a meal together. Just like our usual family dining table.
"Wait? Come to think of it, have Master and the others already gone ahead?"
"You're still half-asleep. No matter where they are working, Master and the others basically sleep and wake up at home. We are just here using Doppelgangers."
"Ah, right. I forgot."
We were sent here as body doubles.
"That said, the Doppelgangers cannot function without food. I cannot have them burdened by your laziness. We are going to have a proper breakfast."
"Understood."
Even though they're Doppelgangers, they feel no different from my own body, so it didn't feel strange at all. Now I understood why Senior came here. She was reminding me not to forget the basics.
After making such a rookie mistake, we finished our breakfast and had some spare time before Master and the others arrived.
"To be honest, the food around here was quite bland, wasn't it?"
"Even so, Aslin-sama and the others say it has improved significantly."
"Whoa. Was it even worse before?"
"If you're going to say that, the same could be said for your hometown of Roday."
"Well, I suppose you're right. The food back home was either too salty or had no flavor at all."
It was extreme, looking back on it now. That’s why the dignitaries from various countries who come to Weed learn the true meaning of flavor. They learn how important ingredients, seasonings, and cooking methods truly are. His Majesty was extreme, too. But I support the establishment of the ramen shop. Please, do your best to spread it throughout the If Continent. I’ll be cheering for you from the sidelines.
As we were talking about this, the dining room door opened and someone entered.
"Kirue-sama, Sasari-sama, good morning. How was your first night here in Baide?"
Entering with those words was the capable woman serving as the lord of Baide: Catherine-sama. She was the one who became an ally to Master and the young ladies here on the New Continent.