Chapter 566 - Reactions: The Self-Proclaimed Maid
"—To go from irritation to utter bliss in an instant. What sort of magic did you use? As a maid, I must insist you share your secrets."
"Um, well..."
"In terms of affection and reliability, I do not believe I am so inferior to Kasuga-san... but is this perhaps the difference between familial love and... romance?"
"About that..."
"As her guardian, I must warn you: anything beyond a hug is off-limits. Any truly naughty behavior will be met with the maid's punishment, so please be prepared."
"What is the maid's punishment—that's not what I...!"
"However... if you were her official fiancé and lover, I would not intend to be so meddlesome. If you are partners who have pledged your futures to one another, she is of that age, after all—"
"Okay, okay, okay, okay, stop, stop, stop right there, maid!! Seriously, you're too much! Are you invincible?! This maid, seriously, this... maid...!"
"Fufu... When you call me 'maid' over and over again like that, it makes me blush."
"I can't get a read on you at all...!!"
After one thing led to another, I found myself alone with the self-proclaimed maid in a warehouse at the Yotsuya estate.
Several minutes have passed since Natsume-san, with her mesmerizingly skillful words and actions, lured a completely unguarded and foolish me into this confined space.
And by 'one thing led to another,' I mean a lot of things.
Sora-san, who ended up getting her way for not just thirty seconds but for several minutes, was now in a good mood; the now-cheerful Sora-san began enthusiastically preparing dinner; when I tried to help in the kitchen, I was shooed away with the cute remark, "I want to cook for you myself, so if you help, it defeats the whole purpose"; and just as I was pushed out, I was apprehended by the maid, who appointed me as her conversation partner to kill time; then, just as I thought that, I received a sudden request—"By the way, are you confident in your physical strength?"—as if she wanted me to carry some heavy luggage—and I was thoroughly deceived by the maid, which brings us to now.
Seriously, this maid. I mean, seriously.
"Aargh, enough...—You have something to talk about, right? Something you want to tell me!"
"Well, that is true. But deepening my relationship with my future master—or the man who might become him—is also an important matter, you know?"
"Isn't it against the maid code to close in on your master's... er... object of affection with such a mysterious expression?! Yup, any further approach is denied!"
"Ufufu... Kasuga-san, you are, I see. When I drop the formalities and interact with you, you are surprisingly cute and leave a good impression. It is a different kind of 'interesting' from what I usually seek, but I may not personally dislike that side of you."
"Having you personally like me is, frankly, terrifying...!"
"Oh, what a sad thing to say... Now, I apologize for interrupting while your face is so red, but shall we get to the main topic?"
"This maid...!!!"
Is she the epitome of a free spirit? There's no way I can win against her. Somebody, help me.
"First of all... I, too, have seen the 'video' in question. While I know nothing of the virtual world, there are still some things I can surmise."
And then, that switch in tone.
Putting her playfulness aside, Natsume Itsuki's expression turned serious, and she exuded an aura befitting a servant of the 'Yotsuya' family, silencing my flippant remarks.
"You are indeed 'special.' You possess the talent to encourage people, to inspire them, and to draw them in—a hero worthy of being chosen by my young lady. I was honestly, truly impressed."
"..................Th-Thank you. I'm honored by your praise—"
"—And."
And. Ah, and... the invincible maid does not stop.
"—To see such a hero cowering before a merely beautiful and kind maid... My apologies. To see you trembling like a fawn while sizing me up was, from the bottom of my heart, a sight worthy of the utmost disappointment. Truly, a disappointment. I'm disappointed in you, Haru-chan."
"Wh-Agh... ngh..."
Yes, this is the switch I was talking about.
While there were countless things I wanted to retort, starting with how she addressed me at the end, there were so many that my brain froze. The maid gave a refined snort at my state.
"I can understand your concern about my inner thoughts, having witnessed you being friendly with a woman other than my mistress. However, that aside, you need to hold your head high."
"W-Well, about that..."
"To put it bluntly... though I suppose I do not need to say it, as you two understand each other, Sora also noticed your attempts to be considerate of me. I can handle it, but I cannot permit you to show such an unseemly and uncool side to her."
"Ugh..."
"And what does it matter if you were being friendly with another woman in the first place? It is only natural to be sincere and gentlemanly towards those who show you affection. As Sora's partner, a man who cannot even manage that much is not worth talking about."
"Yeah, but..."
"There are no 'buts' about it. If you are already her 'partner' in that virtual world, then show the spirit of a man worthy of my young lady."
"S-Spirit..."
"My young lady—the man who made the cutest, most lovely, beautiful, and precious angel in the world fall in love with him. It is only natural that you would be a man of such caliber as to attract the affection of other women as well."
"............"
"Not just any woman... but wonderful women like those other two, as well."
"............"
She rattled on as if scolding me,
And yet,
"I will say this one more time, and only once—hold your head high."
To have her smile so gently, just like an 'older sister'... that's just unfair.
"For what it's worth, I approve of you, as she has approved of you. And since the day you challenged me, I have found you quite likable for reasons beyond that."
"............"
Because of that, in the end, I couldn't say a single word back.
"Therefore, I know that you, Kasuga-san, are always doing your best for them, even if it means sacrificing a part of yourself. I trust you."
To this maid—this free-spirited, whimsical, invincible embodiment of a person—
"I am on Sora's side, but I have no intention of playing favorites. So please, pay no mind to a mere maid—follow your heart, and have a good romance."
Today, once again, I suffered a complete and utter defeat.
"Do not disappoint me in the same way again, understood?"
...she finished with a perfect wink. Seriously, this maid.
I honestly don't think I'll ever be able to win against her.