Chapter 1

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Part 1

The Marquises of Urband are a noble family with a long history of high status, but they have always been a low-profile family in social circles.

He was known for his low ambition and good nature, and was also known for not making enemies. There were only two guards at the gate in shifts, and no one else was on guard.

It seemed to symbolize how safe the town was, and there were no incidents to disprove it.

The quiet atmosphere of the Marquis’ mansion was as familiar to the people as a part of their daily lives. The Marquis of Urband was a man who listened to his people with kindness, and was also a wonderful lord who put a lot of effort into charitable activities such as donating to orphanages.

Also, the fact that all the servants employed by the Marquis of Urband were ordinary people who had been picked up by the Marquis himself gave him a good impression.

The Marquis’s guards were also like that, friendly enough to make small talk and greetings, and even make the children laugh. The servants who came in and out of the house were also very friendly, and the people of the estate were able to build friendships with them.

Maria, an orphan, was one of those who were picked up by the Marquis of Urband when she was six years old.

When the Marquise, who was weak due to childbirth, died, Maria was asked to be a servant close in age to the new born daughter, Lilina, to take care of her and talk with her. Since then, Maria had been living in the servant’s quarters on the grounds of the mansion.

※※※

The morning of a servant comes early. The first thing they do is to get ready before the sun rises.

The maids of the Marquis family of Urband are uniformly dressed in custom-made maid’s uniforms based on black. They wear long, fluffy skirts that don’t compromise their feminine loveliness, a tight waistband that doesn’t get in the way when they move, and a special white apron with frills.

However, my maid outfit, as the only teenage maid in the house, was a little different.

The skirt was not long enough to cover all of my legs like an adult woman’s. The length of the skirt was set to cover my knees so that I could move around easily. The apron was custom-designed with modest frills so that it did not emphasize the fullness of my breasts.

Also, I was the only one who did not tie her hair up like a grown woman, but let my long hair flow down my back. I would take some of my hair off to the side and tie it up at the back of her head with a large ribbon.

My face looked young for a sixteen year old, and my overall physique was slender.

I work out every day, so I don’t have any flabby skin, but because of that, I don’t have any feminine fullness or roundness… The older maids in their late twenties to thirties who have the skills to dress up were disappointed.

It doesn’t matter if you have small breasts. They’re still growing.

If you care about it, you lose. No, I’d rather not think about it.

Yes, in my previous life, I also continued to grow in height until I was twenty-two years old. The fact that I used to be a man is not important at this point, but only the fact that I am still growing.

Now that I am a pretty girl, I would like to have breasts that are not inferior to a girl’s sensibility, but this is not a complex.

I’m only 16 years old. I’m still in the middle of my growth period!

「Then you’d better stop choking me right now! Your stupidity is unbelievable!」(Guise)

「Ara, no way. Ohohohoho, It’s like my thoughts are leaking out.」(Maria)

When I arrived at the mansion after getting ready first thing in the morning, I had tightly grabbed Guise’s chest with just one hand. Guise, one of the only two teenage members among the male servants who work at the mansion, was also one of the servants picked up by the Marquis of Urband.

Three years older than me is Guise, who is currently nineteen years old and a lanky apprentice cook.

He let his habitually long hair fly freely, and had dark brown hair and eyes, not uncommon in this country. He is a man with an ordinary face, always lamenting his lack of popularity, and had a talent at getting rejected by several women due to his unpredictable behavior.

He was a long-time friend and servant friend, but I couldn’t help but smile and raise a blue streak, wondering if she could do something about the light talk that ruined her refreshing morning mood.

「What does it mean when the first thing you say to someone in the morning is, ‘Hey, tiny breasts again today?’」(Maria)

「I’m sorry, I phrased it wrong. The women I tried to pick up yesterday all had such big breasts, and when I saw you, I felt so relieved that I just let it slip out… Yeah, I’m really sorry!」(Guise)

「Huh, Guise. I know I’ve said this a lot, but I’m growing up. I’m in the middle of a growth spurt. Every time you accidentally slip up, it makes me want to kill you.」(Maria)

「You’re trying to be cute, but your words and actions are too obvious and disturbing! You’re ruining your cute looks and voice, so let’s just calm down, okay?」(Guise)

Against the backdrop of the deafening scream, I let out a distressed breath, turned my face away and put the remaining hand on my cheek, 「What am I going to do with you?」

Maria, who routinely brushed her long, dag brown hair down her back and set it in a pretty way with ribbons, had a charming and beautiful face that made her look like a young girl.

Even Guise, who had seen many women, acknowledged the fact that Maria, with her young face, would be described as pretty by five out of ten people, even if she was not a very beautiful girl.

Although the parts of her face do not make a strong statement of beauty or ugliness, her small nose, lips, large sky-blue eyes, and troubled expression are all attractive enough to tickle a man’s fancy. Even her long, fluffy hair looks so soft that it makes you want to touch it.

It’s really annoying, but Maria is probably the girl with the cutest gestures of any town girl.

The person in question thinks, 「I’m as pretty as a girl can be. As long as you’re sociable, you can get a bargain!」Since her face and slim figure are not bad, Guise wants to give her a break.

Guise loves bewitching women more than he loves his third meal. He has made no secret of it, and all of his wildest dreams and fantasies are about beautiful, mature women.

That said, I didn’t want her to know that I was sometimes driven by a wicked male instinct, as if I were awakening to something new by the expressions and gestures of Maria, who had tiny breasts.

There was no way I was going to tell her that the first thing that came out of my mouth as an excuse, even if it was inadvertently, was 「Hey, tiny breasts.」

Since they were close in age, Guise and Maria had accumulated more time together than any of their fellow servants. When she looks at me with a completely unconcerned and angry gaze, I am so frightened that I am not even aware that I am looking at a feeble girl in front of me.

Perhaps because of the heartbreak of his failed attempt to pick up a woman, the profile of Maria he saw first thing in the morning gave him an unpleasant delusion, and he hurried to get rid of it.

「What are you guys doing at the entrance?」(Elena)

At that moment, an unconcerned stern voice was heard, and I released Guise as if I had instantly lost interest. I then turned my head towards the direction of the voice and smiled at it in a girlish way.

「Good morning, Head Maid Elena!」(Maria)

「Gah, … Good morning, Elena nee-san.」(Guise)

「Yes, good morning, you two. You both are as lively as ever.」(Elena)

There was Elena, Guise’s sister, the head maid in her late twenties. She had her fingertips perfectly aligned and was looking at me without expression, standing tall and dignified as if she were a mirror of a lady.

Elena was an excellent woman who was also involved in the lady’s education of the now ten-year-old marquise, Lilina. She is a person who seldom shows expressions of joy, anger, sorrow, or sadness, and she has her dark brown hair pulled up neatly in a bun.

As a former noblewoman, Elena had perfect manners, and her beautiful face, which did not resemble that of Guise, caught my attention. Her fleshy body, which exuded femininity, was so wonderful that even me, a member of the same sex, was enchanted by it.

Perhaps, I suspect, this is where Guise’s taste in women comes from.

It would be tough for Guise to seek a woman as good as Elena, as he has neither the sex appeal nor the capacity to be a man.

「Guise, go to the Head Chef. Maria, Margaret and the others are already working upstairs, can you see Forrest-san first?」(Elena)

「Yes, I’ll make sure to say hello and get the job done!」(Maria)

I replied cheerfully, and Elena’s eyes softened slightly.

「I’ll take care of Lilina-sama when the time comes.」(Elena)

「Don’t worry about that. My internal clock is working perfectly!」(Maria)

My body is honest. It tells me how much time has passed and how hungry I am so that I can eat exactly three meals and a snack.

I walked past Lilina’s private chambers after quickly parting ways with Guise. Sally, the young Lilina’s chamberlain, was standing guard at the door, and when our eyes met, gave me a sly smile with a blush.

Sally is a fifteen year old boy with a pretty face like a girl and fluffy honey colored hair. He has the same hair color as Lilina, and when they stand together, they look like sisters.

His eyebrows droop as if he is unsure of himself, and his brown eyes are slightly moist. His fingertips, which occasionally touch the hilt of his sword without meaning to, are much thinner than mine.

Hmm, you’re still as cute as ever today.

Although I didn’t say it because he was concerned about it, I called out to my younger fellow servant, thinking of what all of them must be thinking.

「Sally, good morning」(Maria)

「Hm. Oh, good morning, Maria. I haven’t seen any ‘rats’ lately, so that’s good to know.」(Sally)

「Yes, maybe the Head Chef’s ‘pest control’ worked.」(Maria)

Sally and I had been assigned as Lilina’s personal assistants.

Another maid takes care of Lilina when she wakes up, but we spend most of our other free time together. For me, Sally was also my work partner, so I would always call on him in the morning to exchange information.

Promising Sally that I would see him later, I went to the head butler’s office and knocked on the door.

Hearing a voice from inside the room saying, 「Come in,」 I replied, saying, 「Excuse me,」 and then opened the door to find Forrest, the elderly head butler, dressed in a tailcoat.

His soft gray hair stroked back in a clean look, and a soft smile appeared on his deeply wrinkled face. Forrest kept his back straight, casually tucked the papers in his hand back under his arm, and looked at me.

「Good morning, Head Butler Forrest.」(Maria)

「Good morning, Maria. Actually, some of the curtains were damaged due to ‘pest damage’. I have some business to attend to with the young master, so I’ve asked Mark to take care of the windows, but would you mind seeing if they’ve been repaired?」(Forrest)

「Just when I thought the ‘rats’ were gone, now we have ‘pests’. That’s a problem.」(Maria)

I let out a soft sigh, thinking that we would be meeting to discuss the source of it.

Forrest is an experienced butler who has been in the service of the Marquis since his predecessor. He is trusted by the Marquis of Urband and is an excellent person who manages the mansion while also taking care of the training of the servants and performing his duties as a butler. I was also very much indebted to him during my training period.

Just as I am Lilina’s personal maid, Forrest is also the personal butler to the Marquis of Urband and the future Marquis, who is currently nineteen years old.

The eldest son of the Marquis family belongs to a knightly order, so his mornings are early anyway. It would be bad to make him take up too much time here, so I left the room early.

After confirming that I was not being watched, I ran through the mansion. Before I was spotted and berated for my lack of manners, I went out the back door of the mansion and headed for my destination.

Near the small herb garden, where the back door of the galley is located, there was a man kneeling and observing the windowpanes of the first floor. Donned in comfortable work clothes, that man was Mark, the gardener. His prominent red hair, halfway grown out, swayed in the wind under the gradually whitening sky.

「Mark, good morning」(Maria)

「Hey, Maria-jan. Good morning.」(Mark)

Mark, who will be in his thirties this year, turned his languid, drooping binoculars to me. His slender face, one step into the midlife bracket, was covered with a stubble that hasn’t been touched since yesterday.

「You should at least shave your beard. Mark has such a bad look, and if you show yourself in front of Lilina-sama with that kind of look on your face, she won’t like you. By the way, it looks like the window is fixed now.」(Maria)

「That’s a terrible thing to say. Oh. Well, I guess Forrest-san told me to go check it out. Such a shame, since I’m such a good worker. I promised to finish it perfectly before the young lady woke up, so I guess I deserve this.」(Mark)

「I think they’d trust you if you weren’t such a slacker.」(Maria)

「I don’t know about you, but I’m not very strong and I don’t have the stamina. My work style is to enjoy the flowers and take my time tidying the garden, so I can’t juggle several jobs like you guys!」(Mark)

The Marquises of Urband are a bit unique. The mansion is basically run by the head butler, head maid, head chef, apprentice cook, gardener and a handful of maids.

There are four guards in charge of security at the mansion, but they are not involved in the work that happens around the property. Each of the attendants to the Marquis of Urband and his young daughter may flexibly take part in internal and external work as the occasion demands, but their primary job is to basically guard the premises.

「How many ‘pests’ were there?」(Maria)

「Hmm? Oh, only two, I took care of them quickly. Thanks to that, it saved me the unnecessary stamina of refilling my ammo.」(Mark)

Mark smiled, and I smiled back like a little girl.

I liked my current life. I loved the Marquis and his servants because they were all so warm, like family. That’s why I can smile back from the bottom of my heart. I am sure that the life I live as Maria is fun and enjoyable, and I can’t help it.

No one knows this, but I was indeed living as a man named Albright until 16 years ago.

I will not forget, nor can I forget.

When Albright died, I was reborn as a girl named Maria, without being given time to think or make a choice.

Therefore, I gently put a lid on this mysterious cause and effect.

Part 2

I looked at the blood pouring out of the wound.

Oh, the time has come at last, I thought calmly.

I saw her, my beloved. I touched her with my hand, held her close, said the last words I wanted to say to her, and closed my eyes.

I was twenty-seven years old, and my life as Albright was over.

The next time I opened my eyes, I was there as Maria.

I was surprised that not many days had passed since my death, but I vaguely knew that I was an orphan again. I had no parents in the horrible slums, and in order to survive, I grabbed a sword in the same way, just as I did when I was Albright.

「We have a new born daughter. Would you like to be her friend, to be there for her, to protect her?」(Urband)

When he introduced himself as the Marquis of Urband upon meeting her, the now six year old me couldn’t help but tilt my head.

When I was Albright, I had been in and out of the royal palace and had visited the ballroom enough to recognize the faces of important people, but I did not recognize the face of the large, well-built, gentle man.

When I heard the reason later, I was convinced. So there was no reason for me to be on the stage, I thought.

I was once again impressed by the calculating black-heartedness of His Majesty the King, who was one of my friends not too far apart in age.

I, who was six years old, took the outstretched hand of the Marquis of Urband, as he had nothing to do with her acquaintances from my time as Albright.

Perhaps there was a part of me that was more than a little confused. When I was brought back to his mansion and was touched by the warmth of the Marquis and the others who treated me well, I suddenly burst into tears, and I myself was most surprised.

For some reason, I couldn’t keep my cool and let out a cry typical of a six year old girl, which is now part of my black history.

I am aware that I am Maria, but that doesn’t erase my mental age of twenty-seven. I had never been distraught or cried during my time as Albright, so the embarrassment that came over me after I finished crying nearly killed me in agony.

After a year of training and examinations, I was assigned as the personal maid and bodyguard of the Marquise Lilina.

※※※

I would like to say out loud that Lilina is extremely cute, like an angel, which is unimaginable from the burly Marquis of Urband.

It’s wonderful to be able to take care of a child like that every day.

Very cute, too adorably cute for me.

This was also the moment when I was instantly attached to this life, thinking that I was lucky to be born as Maria. Now I can understand why my superiors and colleagues as Albright cherished their daughters and sisters as the most adorable in the world.

Lilina grew up so pure that it was hard to believe that she was from the family of the Marquis of Urband, and she sincerely asked, 「What is black belly?* Is it an illness that causes the belly to turn black?」.

*TL/N: In context it means black-hearted(腹黒い = haraguroi), but I guess it could also mean black belly if you don’t know any better(腹 = one’s true intentions or belly, 黒い = black)

Her innocent and cute personality is also irresistible.

I was also indulging in my position as a member of the same sex, where she was less catious. For me, Lilina had become the best master to serve and protect. She truly is a treasure.

「But they won’t let me take care of changing her clothes, right? Even though I’m Lilina-sama’s personal maid.」(Maria)

「You know, you’re giving the lady a look that makes me seriously nervous that you’re going to jump over the gender barrier sometimes. Elena nee-san knows this and has excluded you. In fact, when you’re blending in with the male crowd, you’re out of line in a lot of ways, aren’t you?」(Guise)

The servants of the mansion eat in shifts so as not to overlap with the masters’ hours.

Basically, the female servants were in the women-only break room on the second floor. The male servants ate their meals in the storeroom and break room that led to the inner part of the galley because it was too much trouble to move around.

I had decided to take my break in the connecting room of the galley, where the food was always available, so as not to overlap with the other maids. It would save me the trouble of carrying the food, and more importantly, I could eat until I was satisfied.

I was taking a late lunch break because Lilina had dance lessons in the early afternoon and was going straight to her class after changing. Beside me was Guise, who took his break at the same time.

A wooden table with round chairs for eight people was lined with plates of food served in a messy fashion. I exchanged a few words with Guise, and while he was lost in thought, I didn’t hesitate to bring the delicious food to my mouth.

I finished off three pieces of steak and then grabbed a handful of bone-in poultry dishes to bite into.

「I mean, where does all the food go in your tiny body? It’s obvious that you eat way too much. But it’s impossible for three servings of food to disappear in the blink of an eye. In addition, a woman should not grab the food with her bare hands.」(Guise)

「Guise, you’re so finicky… I can’t be chowing down with just a fork and knife.」(Maria)

「Hey, you’re leaking your true feelings. I can hear you very clearly. What kind of feral child are you?」(Guise)

Then a reluctant man’s voice came from the doorway, 「Calm down,」 as if to quiet the agitated Guise.

「That’s good, your appetite is always impressive. As a chef, it’s pretty rewarding to feed you, eh?」(Gaspar)

Sitting in the chair across from Guise and I was Gaspar, the forty-year-old head chef. He sat down with a hunchback and gave a chuckle.

Gaspar is a cook with a sturdy body. His conspicuous auburn hair is cropped for cleanliness, but his cook’s uniform is wrinkled and his sleeves are rolled up haphazardly. He is a healthy middle-aged man with no trace of gray hair, and is the only tobacco user among the servants in the house.

He likes to drink and gamble, has no luck with women, and his personal life is so messy that he is not even worthy of being a role model. However, he keeps careful records of every recipe and takes the time to think about the menu to ensure that it is nutritious.

For me, eating good food had always been the only hobby I had besides my sword.

I’m proud to say that my body is a little fuel efficient, but I can’t help it because no matter how much I eat, I always get hungry. It’s been my motto ever since I was Albright that you can’t fight on an empty stomach.

「If Maria’s here, does that mean that boy Sally is with her?」(Gaspar)

As Gaspar stared at her with amusement, I nodded my head in agreement as I took a bite of chicken.

Guise held his forehead and slowly shook his head from side to side, 「If my sister sees you, she’ll be furious. For sure,」 he sighed deeply. He put down his fork in resignation and turned his attention to Gaspar, who had spread out his notebook to devise a recipe for dinner.

「So, about the matter we were discussing earlier in the kitchen, is it true that the young lady is a candidate for the fourth prince’s fiancée, head chef?」(Maria)

「If Albert-bochan says so, it must be true. If the rumors are correct or not, we’ll just follow the master. Most likely, there’s probably some sort of problem, and they’re in dire need of the power of the Marquis of Urband to protect the fourth prince. If that’s the case, we’ll be instructed shortly.」(Gaspar)

As Gaspar spoke, he added a menu plan to his notebook as if it had just occurred to him. The head butler, Forrest, and the head chef, Gaspar, are the information commanders of the mansion.

I thought as I licked the sauce from the chicken dish off my lips with my tongue.

It has been ten years since they met, and as a noblewoman, Lilina has reached the age where she can have a fiancée. In the event that the Marquis of Urband approves, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands, but what are the intentions of this potential fiancée?

The Marquis of Urband dotes on his daughter, Lilina.

I heard that the brides were carefully selected over the years, but due to the peculiarities of the family, I don’t think they were approached to marry into the royal family. I was also told that what was preferable was a love marriage, and that they would marry her off to a family that was far from all the intrigue.

Either way, they wouldn’t make a wrong decision, so I shouldn’t have to think about it.

If she was really going to be the fourth prince’s fiancée, she would be a little intimidated, but if she was going to be escorted outside, it would not be by a single maid, but by her future guardian knight, Sally the chamberlain. I would not be going to the royal palace.

Still, my friend, His Majesty the King, now has four children?

I felt deeply moved after all these years. I had consciously refused to give any information about anything related to my previous life, so I didn’t know how things had changed since then. He only had two sons during my time as Albright, but his doting love for the queen seemed to be the same as ever.

Stop licking the sauce off your lips, you little brat. Guise glared at me reproachfully. Gaspar lifted his face lazily, 「That’s fine. It’s the same old thing,」 he said with a grin.

「Speaking of which, Guise. Did that Mark fellow get the ‘fields’ in order?」(Gaspar)

「Yeah, everything is ready.」(Guise)

「That’s good. This time, Albert-bochan is on the move. If the master’s more hot-tempered boy is moving, I’m sure he’ll attract the ‘pests’ and crush them quickly.」(Gaspar)

Gaspar told me that he has been stressed out lately because his knightly duties have prevented him from spending time with Lilina.

Guise and I joined hands in our hearts to the “pest” who had been targeted by him.

Part 3

When Lilina came downstairs after her dance lesson and was cleansed by the other maids, Albert came home, unusually in time for dinner.

「My sweet Lilina, I’m home.」(Albert)

「Welcome back, Al nii-sama」(Lilina)

Albert rushed over and quickly picked up Lilina with one arm.

Everyone took their appropriate positions as servants and stood back in front of the sight of a well-trained, slender, beautiful man smiling kindly at his sister in a way that would make a woman blush.

Albert, who turned nineteen this year, is the eldest son of the Marquis of Urband. He is a beautiful young man with honey-colored hair and indigo eyes, just like Lilina, and was appreciated by everyone. His slightly drooping eyes are very gentle, and his face looks just like his late mother’s, whose portrait is decoratively exhibited in the back room.

Albert has been receiving a gifted education since he was a child, as he is the one who will eventually inherit the Marquis house. Recently, he has been busy as the Third Vice-Captain of the Kingsguard, and has received news from a number of ladies who want to marry him, but there are no plans for an engagement yet.

「My little princess, what did you do today? Oh, you smell so good. Did you perhaps take a bath?」(Albert)

「I had dance lessons, Al nii-sama. Would you care to hear a part of the story?」(Lilina)

Lilina, who was very fond of her brother, began to tell him about her day while being held in one arm. Albert looked at her with a debaucherous smile.

They truly are close siblings.

If you’ve seen or heard of Albert in his everyday life, you’ll have no doubt whatsoever about the doting nature of this scene. His love for his sister is not forbidden, and his father has the same high tendency to pick up Lilina, so it can be said that they are a doting pair.

When Lilina told Sally that there was a song that she could dance perfectly to with her rehearsal partner, Albert couldn’t resist rubbing his cheek against hers.

「You’re so cute, my Lilina. I wonder why you are so pretty.」(Albert)

「Al nii-sama, that tickles.」(Lilina)

「Will you dance with me next time?」(Albert)

「Yep, that’s why I’m working so hard.」(Lilina)

Lilina’s innocent smile, without any ulterior motive, is extremely powerful.

As I agonized in my mind over why she wasn’t hugging me right now, Albert slowly clamped his mouth shut. He suddenly hugged her tightly and murmured, 「This must be how you will grow up,」 a line that did not seem possible for a nineteen-year-old.

I can understand why they want to enjoy this kind of contact until she is old enough to be embarrassed by it, but if they make a mistake, they may look like a dangerous siscon or lolicon.

His chamberlain, Matthew, who had returned home with Albert, had a slight wince on his normally calm face.

His gray hair is set out of the way, but his baby face keeps him from looking too masculine even at twenty-three, making Matthew look like a refreshingly nice young man alongside Albert.

「…Albert-sama, I believe the master is waiting for you in his study?」(Matthew)

「Matthew, I’m being healed by a lovely angel right now, okay?」(Albert)

However, Lilina had also just finished her bath. Since it is young Lilina’s routine to take a short break before supper, Albert set her down with a regretful look. He looked to Sally to escort him and let her take his hand.

However, Lilina had also just finished her bath. Since it is young Lilina’s routine to take a short break before supper, Albert set her down with a reluctant look. He looked to Sally to escort her and let him take her by the hand.

When Lilina smiled, 「Thank you, Sally,」 Sally shyly slumped and replied in a faltering voice, 「Yes, my lady.」

As the two lovely people lined up to create an unforgettable scene, I stepped back to prevent her wavering reason from breaking down.

Or rather, Sally, alongside Lilina, seems to look like a young woman already.

Albert, too, was entranced by the scene. When I saw his ecstatic expression, I gently averted my gaze from the young master, my mind chilled by the speculation that he might have had ulterior motives in getting Sally to be her chamberlain.

Forrest, the head butler, who confirmed that the scene had settled down, urged Lilina in a very natural manner.

「Albert-sama has a few business matters to attend to with the master, so if you will follow me, young lady.」(Forrest)

「Grampa, why is Maria still behind you? Isn’t she going with you?」(Lilina)

「Since Albert-sama will be joining us for dinner today, the kitchen is a little hectic. Maria will be helping out in the kitchen, so please understand.」(Forrest)

Lilina hesitated forlornly, but said to me, 「Come back as soon as you’re done, promise?」 and walked with Sally as Forrest urged her.

As soon as I was out of the young lady’s line of sight, I glanced up at Albert’s profile as he saw off Lilina and the others. Although I hadn’t heard of any such plans, I guessed that since Forrest had been with the Marquis just now, perhaps there were some instructions and discussions to be given.

When Lilina and the others were completely out of sight, Albert looked back at me and smiled softly.

I picked up my skirt and took the maid’s courtesy, greeting him first with the usual formalities, 「Welcome back, Albert-sama.」

「Yes, I’m back, Maria. Thank you for all your hard work. Did you get sexually harassed by Guise or anyone else?」(Albert)

「Why does Guise’s name come up in that?」(Maria)

I knew that Guise had a penchant for women, but I trusted him enough to not direct such feelings toward her fellow servants. I turned to Matthew, unsure of Albert’s intentions, but he only smiled awkwardly and affectionately.

It’s okay if you don’t understand, a soft voice said in my ear, and I returned my gaze.

Muttering to himself, Albert combed my hair with his long, strong fingers. One of the tufts he scooped up fell onto my shoulder and made a crisp sound.

It was Albert, my childhood friend, who suggested that I let my hair down.

Apparently he liked the soft touch, he said, and I always let him have his way.

「Maria, I bought you a new ribbon. I hope you like it, and of course it will match with Lilina’s.」(Albert)

「Oh, I see. Thank you very much.」(Maria)

All of my ribbons had been prepared by Albert. It seems that Lilina, who adores me like an older sister, started out by asking her brother to at least give her a matching hair tie if not a dress.

I think Albert’s concept of a ribbon given to a young girl is wonderful.

As for me, I was happy that me and my adorable master were matching. I like it personally because it’s cute, and I plan to wear the same pattern with her every day until Lilina can’t get satisfied with the ribbons anymore.

Satisfied, Albert lowered his hand as they started walking, with me walking alongside Matthew, and Albert following behind.

※※※

I arrived at the Marquis’s room. There, in addition to the Marquis of Urband sitting on the hard chair of his study desk, Mark, the gardener with dirt stains on the hem of his pants, sat hunched over on the sofa.

When Mark noticed me, he raised his eyebrows in a droll, 「Me and you this time?」 He gave Albert a quick, humble smile and then bowed his eyes in a posture that was not typical for a servant.

「It’s Albert-bochan, right? Welcome back. It’s been about three days since you’ve seen me.」(Mark)

「I’m back, Mark」(Albert)

Albert smiled at the gardener with the same warmth he turned to his family, not condemning the servant’s attitude that was too casual to follow.

As is always the case, I walked around behind the couch and lightly smacked Mark on the head.

「Mark, why don’t you at least adjust your attitude a bit?」(Maria)

「Why don’t you stop smacking your senpai’s head in? Who would benefit from a violent, and poorly breasted…」(Mark)

「I could bury you right now.」(Maria)

I immediately clenched my fists, but when I noticed the gaze of the Marquis of Urband, who was staring at me, I mended my words, saying, 「Oh, I slipped up, ohoho.」

No, I’ll be careful not to talk in a tone that is not appropriate for a maid.

The Marquis of Urband, with a troubled smile on his face, uttered, 「I’m glad to see you’re getting along so well today.」 At first glance, he looks like a large-bodied yet harmless civil official or magistrate with a soft air about him.

Unlike Albert, who had achieved high grades at knight school, the Marquis of Urband had graduated from the school for the nobility with average grades. In his short career at the royal court, he achieved average results and took over the title of lord from his predecessor.

There was nothing remarkable about him other than his title as the lord who was trusted more than anyone else, and he was perceived by many as a mild-mannered person who would not talk back even if given a passing glance by a wealthy nobleman.

As we waited for him to say something, the Marquis of Urband smiled at them and tilted his head slightly.

「There’s going to be a surprise attack the night after tomorrow, so I will have you two take care of it. I’ve already got all the information I need to know, so don’t leave a single one of them behind.」(Urband)

He said this without a trace of killing intent and with the same calm expression as always.

As usual, I don’t know what he’s thinking. I do think he is the most troublesome type of person to make enemies with, but Mark and I replied, 「Understood,」 without any sense of fear or danger.

The Marquis of Urband valued his servants as his family, not as employer and employee. He kept only those whom he could trust, and for me and the others, the Marquis of Urband’s family are good friends, allies, and family.

As if taking over his father’s explanation, Albert continued, 「I don’t have much time, so I’ll be brief.」

「There are certain noblemen who have been committing certain ‘injustices’, and they are causing trouble for His Majesty. In addition to wiping them out, we’ll also get rid of their assassination squads in neighboring countries that are also causing more trouble. It’s too much trouble to ‘deal’ with them over there, so we’ll have to do it ourselves.」(Albert)

Albert informs us with a gentle smile that captivates both men and women.

It’s an interesting relationship, I thought again as I listened to the story. The Marquises of Urband, who were thought not to have a strong connection with the royal family and who had a long history, were more deeply connected to His Majesty the King than any other noble family.

[His Majesty the King’s Sword], which moves only for His Majesty the King, becomes a walking poisonous blade for His Majesty the King who is unable to move, and continues to support him from the shadows.

Betraying, deceiving, and executing unneeded organizations and people on behalf of the king was the reality of the Marquises of Urband. The family’s people coordinate the country’s assassination squads, and their servants are combat servants who exist only to protect their masters and their mansion.

Even during the time of war, it was thanks to their dark activities that no disturbing sparks flew in the royal capital.

I had thought that aristocratic society would be troublesome, but apparently it was much more complicated. The fact that there was a ‘front’ and a ‘back’ to national politics was interesting, and it was endlessly fascinating to imagine how many things were going on behind the back of His Majesty the King, our black-hearted friend.

I had been on the front stage as Albright for so long that I didn’t know what the battle in the shadows was like. In this life, I was exposed to a bit of the reality of it, and personally found it both interesting and amusing.

「I’m personally meddling with your targets to make sure they do what you want them to do, so feel free to ‘handle’ them here. My father and I have other people we need to deal with, so we’ll leave them to you, okay?」(Albert)

「… I see」(Maria)

That guy could do it, I thought, unconsciously remembering His Majesty the King, who had the look of a pretentious prince.

He was the kind of guy who loved to be amused, who enjoyed uncovering the secrets of others and watching them pale and tremble. He said,「There is a man who is a pompous prick. I want to break his pride, so help me?」 He once sent Albright to a battlefield outside of his domain, telling him to「Cause a rampage right away.」

Nevertheless, a single servant doesn’t need too many details of information. The role of the servants of the Marquis of Urband is to protect the mansion and Lilina who is there.

Since only the head butler and head chef should be able to figure that out, I thought about getting rid of the pathetic pests that were being driven here for now.

For me, who is not good at intrigue, my current position is as easy to understand and suits me as it was when I was Albright. I prefer to work as an arm and a leg of the organization rather than as its brain.

「Me and Father will be away that night. In place of Forrest, who will be accompanying us, Gaspar and Elena will be in the house, and Sally will be with Lilina.」(Albert)

Albert then looked at them to make sure they were ready.

Mark raised a small hand and questioned the smiling young master.

「I guess it depends on how many people you’re dealing with, but are you sure it’s just going to be me and Maria?」(Mark)

「That will be enough for us. You’ll have no more than twenty targets at most.」(Albert)

「Ah, then it’s no problem to just use the ‘garden tools’」(Mark)

When he saw that Mark was satisfied, Albert smiled and said, 「I wish you the best.」

Part 4

In the middle of the night, when the town was still asleep, there were people passing by as quickly as shadows.

I, who had been taking a nap while sitting on my knees, opened my eyes with a snap when I noticed multiple signs of an imminent attack.

The mansion, with all the lights out, was silent.

Looking up at the moonless lights of the night sky, I let out a single sigh.

Mark and I had been tilling the empty field next to the potato field behind the mansion because we didn’t want to waste the extra time, but when we were done and there were no guests, we just fell asleep while sitting on the grass.

We welcomed the surprise attack, but waiting around like this was a bit tedious and not our style.

「You know, no matter how hidden you are, do you usually sit on your knees in your skirt?」(Mark)

Mark, who had been taking a nap in the same position, turned his half-lidded eyes to me as soon as he woke up, noticing the same killing intent.

Ahead of them was the back fence of the mansion, hidden in the shadows of the night. The back of the house, though lined with tall trees, was easily noticeable.

「This is the kind of view that would make a dreamy-looking man fall cold with love for a hundred years.」(Mark)

「Was there ever such a thing as a dreamy-looking man here?」(Maria)

My head was operating slowly, and I unconsciously rubbed my sleepy eyes as I tried to answer in a straightforward tone.

When Mark saw it, he scratched his hair with one hand as if in distress, 「Oh, jeez.」 He abruptly grabbed my hand and prevented me from doing so, gently squeezing it as if taking care not to leave a mark on my thin arm, and made me stand up.

「Little girls shouldn’t rub their faces. If the master had picked you up a little earlier, then maybe your manner of speaking would have improved somewhat.」(Mark)

I blurted out in my mind, 「I wonder about that.」 In my case, the manner in which I had lived for twenty-seven years as Albright had become ingrained in me.

Sharpening my hearing, I confirmed the sound of twelve people’s footsteps approaching the mansion. According to my internal clock, it was now around three in the morning. In another hour, Gaspar, the earliest riser, would be getting up to do the preparations in the kitchen.

Let’s get it over with and take as many naps as we can in an hour.

Today, on behalf of the Marquis of Urband and Albert, who are unable to return from their work, all the servants have an important appointment to listen to the results of Lilina’s violin practice. Mark and I straightened up.

「Do you know how many there are, Maria?」(Mark)

「Twelve. Looks like they’re in columns of four.」(Maria)

「I see. Nice try for a bullseye. Without the moon, there vision is obscured」(Mark)

Mark stepped as far as he could into the side of the field, and a mechanism went off, and two modified rifles that had been hidden in the dirt flew out and settled in his hands. Of course, they were silenced to keep the noise to a minimum.

The firearms – commonly known as “garden tools” – were basically modified and maintained by Margaret, the maid and seamstress. Only Mark knew the exact type and location of the firearms installed throughout the mansion, and dozens of spares were stored in a single field for firearm types with low bullet counts.

I stomped the dirt under my feet as hard as I could as I searched for signs of the enemy closing in on the fence of the Marquis’ estate. I jumped up and grabbed my rifle in the air, quickly setting it up and looking through the scope.

Although I had mastered the handling of firearms during my year-long training period, the accuracy of unfamiliar weapons would be reduced without a scope. I didn’t have the skill to shoot a target with one hand without the aid of a scope and without a margin of error of one millimeter like Mark did.

「Albert-bochan, you’re as accurate as ever.」(Mark)

Staring at the shadow of the intruder who was about to jump over the fence, Mark whistled and raised his rifle.

「Just so you know, I’m not very strong.」(Mark)

「I know that. Reduce the numbers to a reasonable level and I’ll get involved」(Maria)

Among the servants of the Marquis of Urband, there is no combat servant who can move as agilely as me. Since we had been instructed not to let any of them escape, we were hiding our breathing until the right moment for the twelve assassins to enter the premises.

The assassins all wore black clothes and hid their faces with masks. They threw in the ropes as they were accustomed to do and began to jump over the four meter long fence, four at a time.

The moment the last figure landed on the property, Mark and I pulled the trigger at the same time. As we looked at the intruders, who were shaken and slowed down by the loss of their comrades, we threw away the single-bullet spent rifles, stomped on the soil of the field, and picked up the next pair of rifles.

Immediately, the assassins grasped the situation and began to move.

They seemed to be accustomed to firearm combat, and came straight for the compound, running erratically, swaying from side to side as they kept low.

Watching each other’s second shots miss, Mark grinned as he held the next two rifles in both hands at once.

「Good. Maria, go.」(Mark)

I threw down my rifle, and at the same time, jumped forward like a bullet with such instantaneous force that it gouged the soil under my feet. At the same time, Mark’s bullets, which quickly resumed firing, began to accurately shoot straight through the slow-moving, unsteady enemies.

My black maid’s uniform, with the apron removed, melted well in the darkness of the night.

When I had closed the distance enough for them to see, the five remaining assassins who had passed through the rifle attack finally noticed me and shouted in astonishment, 「Maids?」

Apparently, the assassins were men, and they seemed to be flustered by the fact that my skirt was flared up to the very edge of my thighs as I ran. It is common knowledge in this country that men who are not married will not even be shown knees.

As their movements slowed down, a bullet fired by Mark easily pierced the brain of one of the masked men.

The four of them clicked their tongues as if remembering the situation and held their thin swords at the same time, but me, who had caught up with them, was quicker to hold up the knife I had hidden by one of my thighs.

I reached into the breast pocket of the first man and slit his throat in an instant.

Grabbing the thin sword from the crumbling man with her left hand, I caught the tip of the sword swung down from the right direction with it and threw the knife in my right hand at the other man’s forehead. At the same time as the man whose forehead was pierced straight through by the knife died, a bullet pierced through the temple hair of the man whose sword was caught by me.

The assassins, who were quickly reduced to a single person, stopped completely in his tracks in fear, shaking the sword he held at the ready.

I heard a small voice begging for his life behind the mask, but I didn’t answer anything. He dropped the sword in his hand on the spot, and I quickly walked behind the demoralized man.

I quietly pulled the man closer so that I could hold his abdomen and mask in my hands

The rattling, trembling body couldn’t easily be pried free with my strength. When I turned the head of the tall man back, I saw his Adam’s apple moving up and down.

「Now that you’ve stopped, at least I won’t have to hurt you.」(Maria)

The man’s muscles tensed slightly when I told him to stop. Taking advantage of the moment, I broke his neck, killing him.

Mark, who had just arrived, checked the number of bodies lying around and said, 「Good grief,」 scratching his unkempt redhead haphazardly.

「Hugging at the end, that’s so luxurious. I mean, you should stop that method now. Absolutely stop that method.」(Mark)

「What are you talking about? It’s not your typical chokehold.」(Maria)

It’s an assassination technique that women generally don’t do, but even if you don’t have the strength, you can easily break the neck of an opponent once you get the hang of it. Even when I was Albright, I took care of my frightened opponents and killed them as painlessly as possible.

Mark put his hand on his forehead in distress and shook his head from side to side.

「You, too, should be aware that you’re getting older. It’s just… different, strangely erotic, Oh, no, no, no, nothing. I’m not going to talk about that… at least not in front of Guise…」(Mark)

「What? What’s wrong with Guise?」(Maria)

「…Oh man, Gaspar’s out too. And then there’s Albert-bochan. They’re not like me, they’re straightforward people with no patience, and there’ll be second-hand damage for sure.」(Mark)

「I don’t understand what you mean」(Maria)

He was so lost in thought that he didn’t even seem to hear me.

I looked up at the moonless night sky. Remembering the beautiful person who had reflected the starry sky in her dull eyes, I gently turned away, slightly regretting looking up.

The strongest and most powerful Black Knight died that day without a trace.

Surely no one knows the sad ending of a man who truly loved one woman so much that he chose to die with her.

Chapter 1 is “Done”. I think some of my translations will be off or weird, but you should be able to understand what’s going on. Chapter 2 will be on its way soon, however, after chapter 2, chapters will start to come out more slowly. I would say by now I am halfway done with chapter 2. Chapter 3 will probably take me 2-4 weeks to finish depending if my free time allows it.