Chapter 4: The Maid Stays by Her Master’s Side

The Maritsuji family still maintains its main residence in Kyoto even now.

While most noble families migrated to Tokyo during the Meiji Restoration, the Maritsuji alone refused to abandon the thousand-year capital. That said, they couldn’t completely defy the flow of the times. According to Maritsuji tradition, the heir to the family head comes to Tokyo to handle business affairs and social obligations.

The Maritsuji Family Kantō Estate was built during the Meiji era and miraculously escaped major damage from natural disasters and wartime bombings, preserving its original form to this day.

“It’s been a while since I came here, but it’s huge. How is this just an estate?”

It’s a splendid wooden single-story mansion, and even the gate alone is overwhelmingly imposing. It could appear as-is in a period drama as a noble’s residence.

“That’s amazing, isn’t it? It’s bigger than the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor.”

“…Sayaka, you really didn’t have to force yourself to come along.”

Two days after the study session at the cafe, on Sunday, I found myself standing in front of the Maritsuji residence. Sayaka was beside me. Just in case, as proper student attire, we were both in uniform even though it was Sunday.

“You got the cold shoulder from the Maritsuji family in the past, right? This time, they might try to poison you. As a servant, I have to prevent any crisis to my master beforehand.”

“What benefit would the Maritsuji family get from poisoning me?”

“There’s no particular benefit, which is exactly why they might get away with poisoning you without suspicion, you know.”

“You seem determined to see the Maritsuji as some den of evil no matter what.”

What a deeply suspicious maid. I think you’re the suspicious one here, as my maid. You aren’t still hiding some secrets, are you?

“I mean, no law-abiding person could live in such a grand house. It looks like the headquarters of some criminal organization, doesn’t it? Like some thugs with knives might come barging in for a raid.”

“Sayaka, you watch yakuza movies?”

I’ve never even seen those kinds of films myself.

“Speaking of which, this mansion was apparently partially relocated from the Maritsuji main residence in Kyoto.”

“From Kyoto to Tokyo? That must have cost quite a bit. I thought the Maritsuji family didn’t have much in assets?”

“They do run modest businesses, but… apparently the Kiyomiya and Toyohara families covered the costs. These three families are of equal standing, but there’s talk that the Maritsuji has favors owed from the other two.”

“Huh, noble families seem complicated. Good thing I’m a commoner, right?”

Damn it, Sayaka, are you planning to pretend you weren’t born into the Kiyomiya family?

That might be fine for you, but it makes me feel guilty, like I’m taking over a rich family’s house.

But it’s hard to say that straight to her face.

For now, I moved away from the main gate and headed to the side.

“Eh, we’re not entering from here?”

“This big gate is decorative. They basically don’t open or close it. You enter from the side service gate, but in my position, I can’t use that either, so we go around to the back entrance. However, going straight to the back is also rude, so first we show our faces at the front, then go to the back.”

“…Is that some common etiquette rule?”

“No, more than half of it is unique to the Maritsuji family.”

I’ve visited other noble families’ homes several times, but none are as complicated as the Maritsuji’s. For now, I followed my memory and headed toward the back entrance.

“Oh, the back entrance. There it is, there it is. Last time I came was around early elementary school, but I surprisingly remember it.”

“There was a cute Ojou-sama here, so that’s why you remember it so well, isn’t it?”

“There’s even a doorbell with a camera. The Maritsuji family isn’t stuck in the Meiji era after all, huh?”

“……”

When I ignored Sayaka’s sarcasm, she glared at me, but I pretended not to notice. Indeed, Maritsuji Anri has been cute since long ago. The young Anri was truly like a doll. Well… I quickly realized she wasn’t just cute.

When I pressed the doorbell, there was an immediate response.

“Ah, welcome, Kiyomiya-san and… the maid.”

“I’m the maid, hello. I came empty-handed.”

“Well, well, don’t worry about it. We didn’t need souvenirs or Kiyomiya-san’s extra anyway, but since you’re here, it can’t be helped, right?”

“……”

As soon as the back door opened, Maritsuji popped out, and sparks immediately flew between them. Couldn’t we use this repulsive energy between these two for power generation or something useful?

Maritsuji was wearing a simple yet elegant outfit: a neat white blouse and a navy blue long skirt.

“Sayaka, Maritsuji, before we enter the house, I have something to say.”

“What is it?”

“What?”

The one using polite language was my acquaintance, the one using casual speech was the maid.

“Today, both of you get along. I don’t want to complain when I’m the one being taught, but if you two fight, the studying won’t progress.”

“I wouldn’t do something as barbaric as fighting… well, that’s right. Today I’ll maintain my composure to the end, okay?”

“I’m a maid, so if it’s Keiji-kun’s order, I can’t refuse, alright?”

“……”

These two aren’t entirely reliable, but they’re basically serious girls. If I said this much, they’d focus on studying.

“Then, please allow me to guide you inside. There really aren’t any difficult protocols, so please make yourselves comfortable. Think of it as visiting an ordinary home.”

Maritsuji took the lead through the back entrance, proceeded a little along a small path, pulled open the building’s door, and entered the mansion.

“Even Maritsuji recognizes that this isn’t an ordinary home.”

“She said that, but is it really okay? I’m not bragging, but I only learned a bit of etiquette at the Reizen family, you know?”

“It’s fine. Once inside the house, it’s really not fussy,” I responded to Sayaka, who had whispered in my ear.

Noble families are all strict about etiquette, and each has unique customs that make it troublesome. However──

“The Maritsuji family emphasizes ‘natural behavior’ in their family style. It might be related to being the ‘house of poetry’.”

Rigid behavior alone won’t give rise to elegance, perhaps. I don’t have the delicate sensibility to compose waka, so I don’t get that part.

“Don’t step on the tatami edges, don’t make footsteps, open and close fusuma while seated──as long as you follow basic common sense like that, it’s fine.”

“Things like that aren’t common sense for kids these days.”

“…Maybe not.”

After all, Japanese-style rooms themselves are decreasing, so ordinary people might not know how to behave in a traditional Japanese house.

“Well, just copy me.”

“As expected of my master. To give such a humiliating order.”

“Copying me is that bad!?”

She always has a comeback, this maid!

“Yes, this way. Embarrassingly, this is my room.”

Maritsuji opened the fusuma and entered inside. Sayaka and I followed. Sayaka, who entered last, sat down and closed the fusuma in what seemed like imitation.

“Um, you can open and close the fusuma normally without sitting?”

“…My master made me look foolish.”

“Maritsuji, isn’t that a bit too casual?”

That said, nowadays unless you’re staff at an inn or restaurant, people probably don’t follow such etiquette. No, more importantly──

“Maritsuji’s room, huh…”

“Yes, I’m sorry it’s so barren.”

Indeed, there were few things. It was a spacious Japanese-style room of about twenty tatami mats, with a writing desk, chest of drawers, dressing table, and a bookshelf crammed with old-looking books──that was about it. Rather than barren, it felt like an old person’s room…

“Kiyomiya-san, something wrong?”

“Nothing.”

I shook my head with a smile.

Dangerous, I mustn’t think rude things about a young maiden.

“Keiji-kun…”

“What is it, Sayaka?”

“I’m quitting as maid at the Kiyomiya Old Manor and becoming a child of this house.”

“Sudden betrayal!?”

Before I knew it, Sayaka was stuck to the bookshelf. Her eyes weren’t looking this way at all.

“Oh, Hisaka-san. Did the books there catch your fancy? I don’t read much, and I’ve only glanced through those books…”

“What a waste. They’re old but all masterpieces. Moreover, unlike what I’d expect from the Maritsuji family, it’s all bestsellers from the last few decades, isn’t it?”

“Decades?”

Certainly, for a Maritsuji family bookshelf, you’d expect older books from before the war or something. A teenage girl collecting books from decades ago is a bit unusual, isn’t it?

“Besides, the novels here are just a small part. Our house has a ‘library,’ so most are stored there.”

“Maritsuji-san, we’re friends, right?”

“Since when?”

Sayaka turned around with a smile, and Maritsuji responded with a grin. You two, your smiles are scary despite being cute.

“If you like books that much, feel free. There are no particularly valuable ones in my room, and I won’t reread them, so take whatever you like, okay?”

“What generosity. Good thing I have a luggage carrier…!”

“I’m the master, right?”

I don’t mind carrying luggage, but how many dozens of books are you planning to take?

“Hisaka-san, feel free to read the books. I’ll prepare tea, so Kiyomiya-san, please get ready for studying.”

“Ah, don’t mind us.”

Maritsuji left the room, and I sat at the low table in the center, taking out textbooks and notebooks from my backpack.

“Sayaka, you really like books that much.”

“They’re a cheap form of entertainment. Also, in this compliance-obsessed era, it’s great that tons of people can die and no one complains, you know.”

“That’s too brutal.”

Come to think of it, she likes mysteries.

“But, it’s strange.”

“Hm?”

“The Maritsuji family has such a large mansion, so they must have servants, right? Yet I don’t see anyone, and Maritsuji-san went to brew tea herself.”

“Ah… I think there are servants. But since I’m disliked, maybe she instructed the servants not to approach her room?”

“That’s strange too.”

“Now what?”

“Maritsuji-san invited you to her home knowing you’re disliked? Knowing you’d feel uncomfortable?”

“Hey, don’t say uncomfortable. I don’t care what faces the Maritsuji people make at me.”

“Liar.”

Sayaka took out a hardcover book and opened it, turning toward me.

“No one is fine with being made unpleasant faces by others. I’m lacking in emotions, but right after entering Sōshūkan, when people gave me looks like ‘this commoner trash’ or ‘this lowly peasant,’ I wasn’t fine at all.”

“They probably didn’t think as far as lowly peasant… Also, I don’t think you’re lacking in emotions…”

“You’re dismissing my opinions one after another.”

“Well, yeah. It’s never pleasant to be looked down on by others. I’m just used to it so it’s a bit better, but I do care a little.”

When she said it that clearly, I had no choice but to admit it.

“Even so, you came to Maritsuji-san’s house? What’s the purpose?”

“Studying. Don’t talk about me like some schemer.”

Seriously, studying was the main goal──I wasn’t using the Maritsuji family for some plot. If I had any plan, my position was too fragile to execute it. First, get acknowledged within Sōshūkan Academy──for that, clear results like test scores were necessary.

“Well, to pull Maritsuji to my side, I do need to get closer to the Maritsuji family itself somehow.”

“…Making a faction, right.”

“It’s still completely in the preparation stage. I’m thinking various things.”

For example, even if making a faction, the top wouldn’t be me but Maritsuji. A Maritsuji faction could immediately rival the largest force, the Fujikawa Group. Me as top with Maritsuji as a member would be far less realistic. But Maritsuji herself seemed not the least bit interested in factions…

“Hm?”

The room’s fusuma slid open smoothly.

“Ah, sorry, Maritsuji. I’m already ready──”

“Maritsuji…? Calling me without honorifics, Kiyomiya Keiji-san?”

“……!”

The one who entered the room wasn’t Maritsuji Anri──

Long black hair in braids hanging down in front. Casual outfit with long-sleeved white blouse sleeves rolled up and tight jeans.

“Ma-Maritsuji Rina…”

“Oh…? Calling a person twenty years your senior without honorifics──what kind of upbringing do they have in the Kiyomiya family?”

“S-Sorry! Maritsuji-san!”

I immediately sat properly and bowed deeply.

“Sayaka, you too, bow! This is the wife of the next head of the Maritsuji family, Maritsuji Anri’s mother, the forty-one-year-old Maritsuji Rina-san!”

“Don’t reveal a woman’s age, you brat.”

Maritsuji’s mother glared at me sharply.

“Oh, this person has a foul mouth.”

“She also sheds her mask pretty quickly. Anyway, just bow your head.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Sayaka bowed her head as if it were a bother. As expected of Kiyomiya blood──even without proper etiquette training, her casual bow looked proper.

“Hmm, that one is a Kiyomiya family servant? Anri-san invited guests without consulting me, and even some unknown servant──servant?”

Maritsuji’s mother walked briskly──without making any footsteps, of course without stepping on the tatami edges──approaching Sayaka.

“May I ask just one thing, servant child?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“You──do you know the name Wakura Honoka?”