CH 1.7

17:

The「Royal Maid」is Dispatched To The Magician’s House

TL: Krrizis

Editors: Shirani & Me3

First Published on Ainushi

「It’s ready~」

「nn」

「Dinner~」

Ah, well, hearing Sidsan’s

delighted voice from the living room, it should be fine. If

it wasn’t, I’m sure Leonardsama

would inform me about it.

And so, when I was carrying my share of it out, I saw Jill sitting on a chair meant for

children that wasn’t there before.

「Where did this chair come from?」

Surprised, I asked and Leonardsama

responded with slight elation.

「I made it」

「Er, um, I made some easy to eat dishes for Jill」

I see, so Jill didn’t come by the kitchen because Leonardsama

had made a chair

and given it to her.

Jill was comparatively more relaxed than she was earlier with him. It looks like their

relationship has greatly improved, even Leonardsama

seemed overjoyed when he

saw Jill was pleased.

Oh well, I’m going to thoroughly lecture Leonardsama

after this though. We have

yet to settle the incident where he had tied her up and confined her.

「Let’s eat before it cools down~」

「Nn」

After Sidsan

spoke, everyone gathered around the dining table and started

eating dinner together. I wondered if a maid should be seated on the same table as

her employer but Leonardsama

wanted me to be Jill’s mother.

If we’re a family, then naturally, we should eat together.

「It’s delicious~!」

Jill looked really pleased as she ate her dinner heartily. Although Leonardsama

ate

in silence, he ate it with much vigor.

Because I had made a fairly good amount, I had expected leftovers but contrary to

my expectations, everything was devoured. It was worth cooking up a storm for

them.

Once I was done putting away the washed dishes, I brewed not a pot of coffee but

a pot of black tea which smelled heavenly. Personally I like coffee but it was an

expensive import in this country and hard to obtain.

As I was worried that she wouldn’t be able to sleep, I poured Jill a cup of warm milk

with some honey drizzled into it.

「Swee~t」

Jill laughed happily after she drank the milk. Seeing her childish, innocent smiling

face, I ended up smiling too.

「Are you full?」

「Full~」

「Then, I’ll be lecturing Leonardsama

now. If I’m scary, please cling onto Sidsan

」

Yup, I’m doing this again but we can’t just leave things up in the air. Until now, the

only topic he hasn’t been lectured about is making Jill his priority. Moreover, I’ll

make him explain why he did those things and apologize to Jill.

Therefore—

「Leonardsama,

it’s time for your lecture」

「… nn」

Leonardsama

placed the cup of black tea that he had been drinking down,

listening attentively. That was surprisingly obedient of him, wasn’t it? This fellow.

Though usually, it’s not normal for a maid to scold her employer.

Well, even I’m reflecting on it.

「I’ll start first. I don’t know how Jill was brought up or the details of how Leonardsama

came to pick her up」

「nn」

「For that reason, I will only lecture you on the things I’ve witnessed so far. Is that

fine?」

「I understand」

As I deliberately spoke in a scolding manner, Leonardsama

nodded his head

without taking any offense to it. However without relaxing my authority, I continued

speaking.

「I don’t have any knowledge about magic, so I don’t know the reason as to why

you don’t want Jill to escape from the magic circle. Even if it’s natural for a magic

user to conduct themselves in that manner, I can’t understand it」

「… nn」

「Therefore, I will lecture Leonardsama

about the actions you did towards this

child alone」

When we were in the basement, I saw Jill in a terrified state. While recalling that, I

sternly pointed my finger at him.

「Child confinement is an undeniable offense」

After all, there was no way for me to describe that situation in any other way.

「Do you understand? First of all, it’s wrong of you to lock a young child in a

gloomy basement alone. What would you do if Jill was traumatized by it?」

「… nn」

「In addition to that, you gagged her and tied her up? I felt nothing else other than

malice!」

When I said that, Leonardsama

hung his head dejected. However, he didn’t deny it

or make any excuses.

I knew it, even he thought he was at fault. Yup, he was completely the villain just by

looking at the situation.

「Moreover, why wasn’t it explained to Jill if it was that necessary? Why did you

take such selfish actions?」

「… I’m sorry」

「I’m not the one you should be apologizing to」

When I prompted him, Leonardsama

turned to face Jill who had been tightly

clinging onto Sidsan.

「I’m sorry. I wanted to protect your power」

Hearing the word ‘power’, Jill’s expression stiffen. But I continued watching

without intervening.

Thereupon, Leonardsama

gently touched Jill’s cheek—

「It must have been difficult for you … 」

— spilling those words.

I didn’t understand what he was referring to when he said ‘difficult’. But it seems Jill

understood, drops of tears spilling from her large eyes.

「… Uu, waaaaaaaa!」

Stretching out his hands to embrace that small body, Leonardsama

hugged her

tightly.

Gently, he stroked Jill’s back as she was sobbing, whispering that everything was

going to be alright. Despite looking at Jill gently, even he looked like he could burst

into tears at any time.

Surely, both of them were carrying sentiments that they probably couldn’t share with

me. That made me feel just a little bit lonely.

At least as her mother, I’ll have to consider it after she’s done crying. I’ll make a

warm cup of lemonade and give her a hug too.

With those thoughts, I headed towards the kitchen to work on it and for some

reason, Sidsan

ran after me.

「What’s the matter?」

「I thought she would be thirsty if she was crying that much」

「I see」

Sidsan

watched me for a while as I mixed the squeezed lemon juice and honey

together into a thickened paste, before slowly speaking.

「… If a child is unable to control their magic powers well, there’s a risk that

everything around them will be destroyed due to it running out of control. To prevent

that, master sealed the kid’s powers with the magic circle in the basement」

「Well, I guessed it the moment I saw the situation」

「… But you still were mad?」

「Yes」

By dissolving a spoonful of the thickened paste with hot water, the lemonade was

ready. Probably by the time Jill has stopped crying, it’ll be at the right temperature.

Sidsan

marvelled as I didn’t stop working whilst replying him.

「Aren’t you afraid of the kid? She might lose control」

Not understanding what Sidsan

had said, I tilted my head in confusion.

「What do you mean by afraid?」

「If that kid loses control, people’s lives could be easily taken away and you’ll be

the closest one beside her」

「… And what is so scary about that?」

Placing four portions of lemonade on top of the tray, I tried to carry it when Sidsan

snatched it from the side.

「Thank you very much」

「No worries… 」

「Continuing our previous conversation, I would be afraid if someone personally

intended to harm me. But that’s not the same for Jill. The person who is truly

frightened is her. So there isn’t a need for me to be afraid」

I mean, even I am aware of the tragedy that comes from cases of magic running

rampant. It’s not surprising that children who possess powerful magic are feared.

But in my previous life, I had the experience of being regarded as a pitiful child in a

motherless home so I don’t want to hold any prejudices, at least towards Jill.

Oh, yes! I have no intentions of telling anyone that I have the memories from my

past life. I’ve been brought up lovingly in this world by my parents and my elder

brother.

*prick* I held my hand against my aching heart. The throbbing in my palms is surely

proof that I exist here nevertheless, my heart keeps briefly turning towards the past.

『―――, I love you』

Suddenly, I recalled that dear voice. That soft gentle voice that lovingly called out

my name as I quietly breath my last.

Even so, I can’t answer him. The existence he’s calling for no longer exists.

Because I’m now Lily.

「Jouchan

… ?」

I could only smile a little at the curious expression that Sidsan

had.

「It’s nothing. Come, let’s take the lemonade out before it cools」

「Oh, Okay」

When I urged him cheerfully, Sidsan

began to carry the tray out whilst looking

confused.

「Ah」

When I returned to the living room, Jill who had stopped crying and was completely

held up in Leonardsama’s

arms, gave a small cry when she saw me. I smiled at

the state of Jill who seemed shy whilst looking relieved.

「You must be thirsty? That’s why I made some lemonade」

「Ah, Thank you … 」

Despite saying thanks, Jill did not take the lemonade, looking at me intently.

「What’s wrong?」

「Uh, um, I heard from Leonard Otousan…

」

When did she start calling him that?

As I opened my eyes wide in surprise, Jill hesitated to speak for a while but

eventually resolving herself, she continued her words.

「Ccan

I call you Okaasan?

」

Jill closed her eyes tightly and her face was bright red. Unexpectedly meeting his

gaze, Leonardsama

had lowered Jill and nodded his head in agreement. If that’s

the case, my answer was decided.

「Of course, I’ll be delighted」

「uu, Okaasan!

」

That small figure jumped, clinging on to me, and when I tightly returned her

embrace, Jill gave a happy laugh.

Yes, if this tiny, complicated existence wishes for me this much, then I definitely

won’t regret becoming her mother.