Chapter 7

This is the second update for today.

(This development is far too unexpected...)

Percival maintained a calm exterior while gazing intently at the person before him, his feelings complex.

Standing there somewhat aimlessly was the girl who had become his wife, with platinum hair and peridot eyes.

Perhaps because the magic had been lifted... he could now more clearly feel that her current appearance was her true form. Compared to now, when she acted as Julia, it felt as if she was wearing an infinitely thin veil over her entire body.

(Margaret Wordsworth... that is her real name. I remember Meg was a nickname for Margaret. That's why she didn't react with surprise.)

However, when he finally heard her real name from her lips, he was honestly at a loss due to the unexpected misunderstanding.

Should he immediately correct her misunderstanding?

Or would it be kinder to pretend to be deceived?

Even Percival was unsure how to judge.

"... Sir Percival?"

She must have noticed his silence. She called out to him hesitantly, her face anxious.

This made Percival pause his thoughts and decide to start by resolving another doubt.

After encouraging Margaret, who was still standing, to sit down, he moistened his throat with tea and then spoke again.

"--- Miss Margaret, I have a few questions I'd like you to answer honestly."

"I understand."

"Since you came to check on me out of concern, does that mean you and your sister get along well?"

As he asked, he thought it might have been a somewhat mean question.

He had already deduced the situation and relationship between the sisters of the earl's family. At the very least, Julia must look down on and use her sister.

So, how does the sister—this girl before him—feel about her sister? He wanted to confirm this first.

After a few seconds of hesitation,

"... No."

She answered without lying.

"I don't know how much you know, Sir Percival... but in society, I am evaluated completely opposite to my sister. I doubt she thinks highly of me."

"--- I see."

A clever way of putting it. She was careful not to tarnish her sister's reputation.

"That's why I sneaked into the mansion without being seen by my sister. Normally, such behavior would not be forgiven..."

"You don't need to worry about that anymore. As the master of the house, I formally grant you permission to stay."

"! Thank you...!"

Margaret's face brightened, and Percival couldn't help but chuckle.

Under normal circumstances, even if she were a relative of his wife, this would not be a matter that could be handled discreetly. If her story were true, it would mean she had infiltrated the mansion, bypassing the security. This would require a thorough investigation of the entry route and methods, and a review of the security system. However—

(She has been in the mansion from the beginning... and the method was through her unique magic.)

Percival decided to bury such questions in the dark.

There were other things he wanted to ask.

"By the way, how many days have you been coming and going from this mansion?"

"Um... today is the fourth day."

"--- During that time, did you work as a maid...?"

"Y-Yes, when my sister was taking a nap... for a few hours..."

Her guilty response made Percival's head ache, and he couldn't help but rub his temples.

(In other words, after being injured, she only rested for five days...!)

She seemed meek, but Margaret was unexpectedly bold and proactive. And she had the ability to make it happen. Her competence was commendable, but her tendency to get involved in dangerous situations needed attention.

Actually, she was the type who would easily climb an unstable stepladder in a skirt. He couldn't take his eyes off her.

Still, Percival changed his mindset and asked Margaret,

"Why did you work as a maid?"

"Well, I had some free time..."

"--- I see... Actually, before I called you here, I asked someone else about your work performance."

"!?"

"They said you were very efficient and could handle any task immediately. Where did you learn such skills?"

Margaret, clearly flustered, took a deep breath to calm herself and then said seriously,

"--- Actually, I've always wanted to work as a proper maid...!"

Surprisingly, she didn't seem to be lying.

Percival, caught off guard, blinked, and she continued earnestly.

"I learned the skills on my own. Following my mother's teaching that there's no harm in learning anything, I tried to acquire any skills I could."

"--- So being a maid was one of those skills?"

"Yes. By observing the servants in the mansion, I could figure out what to do. And I practiced a bit at home."

The last part was clearly a lie, but it seemed that most of what she said was true.

"So, I wanted to test whether the skills I had acquired would be useful in a marquess's household... I realize now that it was a terrible thing to do... I have no way to apologize..."

She must have realized how unreasonable it was as she spoke. Her voice grew smaller and smaller, and by the end, she was dejectedly drooping her shoulders.

Seeing her like that, Percival couldn't help but think,

(No, it's fundamentally absurd for an earl's daughter to master the duties of a maid. And she's even known as a socialite's poison woman. Her explanation lacks credibility...)

He inwardly criticized the fundamental aspects.

However, he couldn't bear to scold her like a kitten that had been reprimanded,

"--- Well, it's not something to be praised, but from what I heard from the staff, you were highly regarded as very capable. You would be valuable in any household."

Percival, despite feeling a bit indulgent, steered the conversation in her favor.

As expected,

"R-Really!? That's wonderful...!!"

Margaret's eyes sparkled, and she broke into a smile.

Unable to resist, Percival decided to tease her a bit.

"--- But I don't think you should be happy as an earl's daughter?"

"U-Uh, you're right... I've been quite embarrassed..."

"--- By the way, you seem quite different from when I met you at the earl's house. Is this your true self?"

When he delved deeper into the sensitive topic, Margaret's eyes darted around in panic.

"!?! Y-Yes... maybe...??"

"Why the question form?"

"Um, well... Yes! I sometimes become emotionally unstable! So, when I met you the other day, I might have been a bit off...!"

"--- ... Haha! You are... yeah, you're still honest and amusing."

As he watched her rapidly changing expressions while desperately making excuses, Percival couldn't help but laugh genuinely.

(This must be the effect of her magic being lifted.)

She felt more approachable than when he interacted with her as Julia. It was very comfortable.

He didn't want to break this atmosphere and didn't want to cause her any pain.

So, Percival decided to let Margaret off for today.

"--- Well... Miss Margaret, let's keep this a secret between you and me."

"Yes! I'm truly sorry for the trouble I've caused...!"

"I know you understand, but I hope you won't do such things in the future. If you visit, please send a formal notice."

"I am grateful for your leniency."

Margaret stood up and bowed again.

At this point, Percival remembered something he should have asked in this situation.

"Miss Margaret, what do you plan to do next? It's quite late... do you need a room prepared?"

"No! There's no need to worry about me!"

She shook her head vigorously and gently placed her hand on her chest.

Then, her entire body seemed to be enveloped in a thin veil again. She must have used her unique magic.

To Percival, she still looked like Margaret, but to others, she probably appeared as someone else.

"--- So, that's your unique magic."

"Yes. I apologize for borrowing someone's appearance, but this way, I can go out without looking unnatural."

It seemed she was taking the form of someone who wouldn't look out of place. The magic didn't affect her clothes, so she was probably taking the form of one of the mansion's maids. Natalie, perhaps.

"--- Does your magic have any limitations on who you can transform into?"

"No, as long as it's a human—ah! But the duration and transforming into a man are a bit difficult...!!"

"--- ... Ah, sorry. Asking about your unique magic is a breach of etiquette."

Inquiring about a unique magic, which is tied to one's lineage, can be seen as a form of provocation or hostility.

Unique magic must be registered with the state when it manifests, but only the royal family has the authority to view this information. While some characteristics of unique magic are known outside the family, personal details are generally kept secret. This applies to Percival's unique magic as well.

"--- I'm sorry for detaining you. It's late, so please be careful."

"Yes, I'll take my leave. ... Good night, Sir Percival."

After she left the room, Percival felt a wave of fatigue and sank into the sofa.

She must have undone her magic in the hallway and returned to her private room.

Despite the unexpected and fruitful conversation, he couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

(From the looks of it—her magic might be far more powerful than I imagined. I need to be cautious to avoid forcing her into an unwanted choice... I must avoid that...)

His mind was overwhelmed with too many thoughts.

Percival finished the cold tea left in his teacup and decided to go to bed early today.