Chapter 9: How a Maid Spends Her Day Off

“Good morning, Keiji-kun.”

“Nngh…”

The curtains were drawn, and dazzling morning light poured into the room. I somehow managed to open my eyes in bed, only to find──

“Fwah… I can’t take it anymore…”

Sayaka was trying to crawl into my bed.

“Whoa, whoa, what do you think you’re doing all of a sudden!?”

“So sleepy… I’m just so, so sleepy…”

She’d already climbed in and was about to pull the comforter over her head.

“It’s Sunday, my day off as a maid, and yet I just had to go and wake up…”

“You’re not awake. You’re more than half asleep.”

Her eyes were already closed, fully intending to go back to sleep.

Sayaka, despite being a maid, has the fatal flaw of being terrible at mornings. Since she’s officially employed as a maid, she naturally has days off, so she didn’t have to come wake me up today, but──

“It was annoying seeing you sleeping so soundly all by yourself, so I dragged myself out of bed to wake you up.”

“You’d go that far just to harass me? And don’t sleep in my bed!”

My eyes were now wide open. I whipped the comforter off the bed.

“That’s definitely your day-off attire, I see.”

Sayaka wasn’t in her familiar uniform or maid outfit, but in casual clothes—a plain T-shirt and shorts, an outfit that was a bit too casual. Or rather, it was more like loungewear.

“…What are you staring at? Do you prefer the maid outfit after all?”

“Don’t make it sound like I have a thing for maids.”

“I wouldn’t mind wearing the maid outfit on my days off, you know. It’s comfy and easy to move in.”

“Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you in any proper going-out clothes, have I, Sayaka?”

“My school uniform or maid outfit works just fine for going out, right?”

“Don’t wear your maid outfit out.”

Sayaka actually does go out in her maid outfit from time to time for shopping and such. It’s normal for a mansion of this size to have servants, but this classic maid outfit… the neighbors might get the wrong idea and think it’s my hobby.

“…Hm? Wait a minute.”

Suddenly, it clicked. I got out of bed and looked at Sayaka, who was still lazing around.

“Sayaka, do you even have any proper going-out clothes?”

“Why are you repeating the same question?”

“It’s a different question. Never having seen you in proper going-out clothes and you not having any in the first place are two completely different things, right?”

“My, you’ve gotten quite sharp, haven’t you, Keiji-kun?”

“Let’s just say I’ve started using my head.”

No, I’ve always used my brain. I just allocated my mental resources to not standing out and not provoking the children of the nobles’ legal wives. It’s not that I was hiding my abilities, but rather that I was so concerned with trivial matters that I never had the chance to polish my skills.

“Come to think of it, your room was pretty bare, Sayaka…”

I’d been distracted by the notebooks filled with scribbles for her maid job research. Thinking back, she really only had the bare minimum…

“I have clothes… a lot of old ones and ones that don’t fit…”

Sayaka seemed to be getting sleepy again, looking all dazed. Right, this maid had just gathered whatever clothes were already in the mansion. But as one would expect, the style and size of a complete stranger’s clothes didn’t suit her. It’s only natural.

“Sayaka, wake up.”

“No.”

“What do you mean, ‘no’? We’re going out together.”

“Going out…?”

“Today’s your day off as a maid, so this isn’t an order from your master… but an invitation from a classmate.”

“You’re inviting me? You, Keiji-kun, ranked twentieth, are inviting me, the top student?”

“Don’t bring up our grades now!”

I don’t use the Kiyomiya family’s power, yet Sayaka uses her own grades—wait, this is a bit of a tricky subject. Sayaka’s grades are the result of her own effort. My power is just because I was born into the Kiyomiya family, and I’m not even of the Kiyomiya bloodline. I’ve been putting it off, but I need to resolve this issue at some point──

“Fine, I get it. You’re starting to overthink things again, so to stop you from worrying, a beautiful classmate will accompany you on your outing and make your heart race.”

“You make me sound so easy!”

Ah, at this rate, we’ll never even leave this room. Maki probably won’t be up until late on a Sunday anyway, so let’s just head out.

Like typical high school kids, we decided to take the train. It’s not a given that all Sōshūkan students are chauffeured around when they go out. Most teenage boys and girls would probably prefer taking the train by themselves over having an adult tag along. Well, it’s a different story if you’re a true shut-in heiress—like Maritsuji.

Being far from shut-ins, Sayaka and I of course have no qualms about going out by train.

“That really is more like an outfit for a trip to the local convenience store than for going out.”

“I can pull off anything, you know.”

“…Can’t argue with that.”

We got on the train and stood side by side, holding onto the straps. I was in a long-sleeved shirt, slim pants, and sneakers—a pretty standard outfit. Although, as a boy of the Kiyomiya family, the whole coordination actually costs no less than a hundred thousand yen.

As for Sayaka, she was wearing a baggy hoodie and equally baggy sweatpants, with worn-out sneakers on her feet. Her brown hair, presumably for the outing, was in a braid, and she wore black-rimmed glasses.

“I usually wear a cap, too. I’m making my face easier for you to see today, Keiji-kun.”

“Thanks for your consideration…”

I see Sayaka’s face every day to the point I’m tired of it, so I’m not that thrilled.

No, that’s a lie. I’ll never get tired of looking at Sayaka’s face, and she looks cute with glasses on, too. Even with a cap, the change from her usual look would probably have a nice appeal.

“…Don’t stare at my face so much. Ero-miya-kun.”

“Don’t give me a nickname like a grade-schooler!”

Don’t mess with the distinguished Kiyomiya name. Even Fujikawa and Iwakura wouldn’t dare be so disrespectful. Well, in a sense, Kiyomiya is Sayaka’s surname, so it’s not really for me to say—no, don’t think about that. Let’s just focus on shopping for now.

“Where do you usually shop, Keiji-kun? A personal shopper?”

“You know some strange things.”

A personal shopper is a system where department store staff visit a customer’s home or a designated location to sell their goods. It’s a special service for VIPs, so not just anyone can buy from them. With their impeccable lineage and wealth, the Kiyomiya family naturally qualifies for this service.

“I’ve never bought anything from a personal shopper. I often just had the servants buy clothes and daily necessities for me, though.”

“So that’s part of a maid’s job, too… I understand. I’ll pick out some clothes for you, Keiji-kun.”

“Hold on, hold on, the purpose of today isn’t to buy clothes for me, but for you, Sayaka.”

The clothes left in the old manor aren’t even second-hand or hand-me-downs. It’s more fitting to say they were just clothes that hadn’t been thrown away. Not having any proper going-out clothes is a bit concerning for a girl her age.

“I don’t really care what I wear…”

“As someone who serves the Kiyomiya family, you need to be well-dressed at all times.”

“You’ve learned to fortify your arguments with logic now, haven’t you? How cheeky.”

“Cheeky!?”

That’s the first time I’ve heard someone say that in real life! Sayaka says some odd things sometimes, probably because she’s a bookworm…

“But, I understand. You’re right, Keiji-kun. As a servant to a distinguished family, I must always be conscious of being watched.”

“Right, right, so you get it.”

And so we got off the train, left the station, and entered a fashion building──

“First up is underwear, right?”

“You don’t get it at all!”

Sayaka had taken me to a lingerie store.

“I said going-out clothes! Why underwear!?”

“Isn’t it common for couples to buy underwear on a date?”

“What have you been reading, bookworm?”

I thought you were into mysteries, but are you reading light novels or something? Also, don’t casually call this a date. It makes my heart skip a beat.

“Being fashionable is about what’s underneath, too, right?”

“Don’t talk like an expert. No, but you’re right… underwear is necessary too, I guess.”

Her everyday clothes are like that, so it’s unlikely she’s wearing high-end underwear.

“To be honest, most of my underwear is the type I wouldn’t be too embarrassed if someone saw.”

“H-Hey…!”

Sayaka pulled down the collar of her hoodie, exposing the area around her left shoulder. I caught a glimpse of a gray sports bra. It certainly looked like underwear that prioritized functionality… but even if she isn’t embarrassed to be seen, I’m embarrassed to see it!

You call people perverts and lechers, but aren’t you the one whose very existence is perverted and lecherous!?

“Are you thinking something bad about me?”

“If I don’t say it out loud, it’s not an insult, right?”

“True. If it were, I’d be so guilty I’d get arrested.”

“Just how much have you been bad-mouthing me in your head?”

She didn’t say she was bad-mouthing me, but Sayaka hardly interacts with anyone else. She barely even talks to Maki, so I must be the target of her verbal jabs.

“To tell you the truth, I have a serious shortage of underwear. I’m barely managing by doing laundry every single day to keep them in rotation.”

“…You should at least have some spares.”

What if they don’t dry properly, or they rip? Going to school with no bra or panties…? Unthinkable.

“So, what are your preferences in underwear, Keiji-kun?”

“White or pink. I’m actually not a fan of intricate designs or the skimpy, sexy types.”

“…I didn’t expect you to answer so straightforwardly.”

“Something in me just snapped.”

I mean, I do have a one-sided crush on Sayaka. But she barges into the bath, drags me to a lingerie store, and carelessly flashes her bra, so my senses are starting to go numb.

“Okay, but I get it now. I’ll buy something along those lines. Can I get an advance on my salary?”

“It’s a necessary expense. The house will cover it.”

“Keiji-kun, I don’t do nighttime services, you know. Yesterday’s bath was a special treat. You can’t write off kinky underwear as a business expense, you know?”

“Even if there were nighttime services, you can’t expense underwear!”

I blurted out in a loud voice and frantically looked around. Fortunately, there were few customers in the store, and the people who were initially looking at me seemed to have lost interest after seeing us arguing. Do they think we’re just a couple having a lovers’ quarrel?

“Anyway, don’t worry about the money. Buy as much underwear as you want.”

“I’m telling you, women’s underwear is surprisingly expensive, you know?”

“Buy good quality ones. As someone working for the Kiyomiya family, I can’t have you walking around in cheap stuff.”

I stated it firmly. In reality, I can easily afford to buy a few sets of high-end underwear.

“Well, I only came to the lingerie store to tease you, Keiji-kun. I’ll go buy them quickly.”

“If you’re going to tease me, go all the way. Try on the underwear and show it to me.”

“You’ve gotten quite demanding about your ‘services’ now, haven’t you?”

“I’m teasing you back! You know that, right!?”

If she showed me what she looked like trying on underwear in the store, wouldn’t we both get arrested for some kind of public indecency?

I actually came out here feeling a bit like it was a date──but I’m not really in that mood anymore.

“…Hm? Sayaka, you…”

“What is it?”

Sayaka, who was about to walk away, stopped and turned to look at me.

“No, it’s nothing. I’ll just be wandering around here, so take your time choosing.”

“You sure?”

This time, Sayaka went off to choose her underwear for real. Could it be that Sayaka brought me to a lingerie store and fired off a series of risqué jokes just to ruin my date-like mood? Sayaka seems to want to serve me strictly as a maid, after all. She might be on guard to prevent our relationship from changing.

“What do you think of this?”

“That’s a misinterpretation, pick a different outfit.”

“How arrogant… as expected of a rich young master. You’re on another level.”

Sayaka sighed dramatically.

The lingerie shopping was over in a flash, and this time we went to a trendy store for young people to buy her some going-out clothes. Sayaka tried on a combination of a short-hemmed T-shirt, a thin jacket, and a pleated miniskirt.

“That fashion looks more like something Maki would wear than you, Sayaka.”

“Doesn’t Maki-san wear conservative clothes too? She’s an Ojou-sama as well, right?”

“There’s no doubt about that, but she’d rather die than wear ‘Ojou-sama’ fashion.”

I’ve been friends with Maki for several years, but I haven’t seen her in casual clothes that often. Still, I know that Maki wears flashy, revealing clothes regardless of the season.

“……”

“What? Hey, I’d rather you didn’t stare so much…”

Sayaka covered her stomach area, where her navel was slightly visible. You tried on that outfit, and now you’re complaining when I look? No, more importantly──

“Sayaka, wouldn’t more conservative clothes really suit you better? For example, something like what Maritsuji would wear.”

“I’d rather you didn’t bring up other girls’ names today…”

“Sayaka, you don’t seem to get along with Maritsuji, but you don’t have to be so hostile.”

“…That’s not it.”

“Hm?”

“It’s nothing. I’m not an Ojou-sama, so I don’t think clothes like Maritsuji-san’s would suit me.”

“You think so?”

Looking at her again like this—Sayaka is, after all, an exceptionally beautiful girl. Her features are well-defined, she has a large chest, a slim waist, and long, slender legs. Her figure is outstanding, and as she says herself, she would probably look good in anything, but──

“I guess it’s something that just naturally shines through. I think ‘Ojou-sama’ fashion would suit you.”

“…If you didn’t know my background, you wouldn’t have thought that, would you?”

“Not really. Even before your suspicious behavior came to light, I thought you were a bit like an Ojou-sama. Seriously.”

I’d always felt a certain elegance in Sayaka’s actions and words, similar to Maritsuji’s. Thanks to that, I was able to easily accept the story that Sayaka was the true child of the Kiyomiya family.

“Something’s fishy, Keiji-kun.”

“Huh? What’s fishy?”

I’m just giving Sayaka fashion advice.

“Are you trying to groom me into a proper Kiyomiya daughter?”

“N-No, that’s not… I mean, I do think we can’t leave things ambiguous, but… how do I put this?”

I didn’t expect to be digging into this topic here. Needless to say, the fact that I’m the son of a servant and Sayaka is the true child of the Kiyomiya family is far too significant. It’s enough to turn my and Sayaka’s entire world upside down.

But even after Sayaka revealed her true identity, her attitude towards me hasn’t changed at all. At the very least, she doesn’t seem to have a single millimeter of intention to kick me down and take over as the heir of the Kiyomiya family, as she joked about before.

“…Sayaka is such a liar, after all. I can’t tell what she’s really thinking at a glance.”

“Why am I suddenly getting dissed?”

“Ah, no.”

What I was thinking just slipped out.

“I only deceive you, Keiji-kun, so I take offense to being called a liar.”

“If you’re deceiving me, then you’re a full-fledged liar!”

“A full-fledged liar? A liar can’t be ‘full-fledged.’ Don’t say things that are self-contradictory.”

“You do realize you’re the one being scolded here, right?”

Don’t nitpick and try to change the subject.

“Ah, no. That doesn’t matter. Anyway, flashy fashion suits you too, but would you let me choose an outfit for you?”

“I’m not fearless enough to let a boy coordinate my whole outfit.”

“…That probably goes for all high school girls, not just you, Sayaka.”

Maybe I was being too forceful in my desire to see Sayaka dressed up as a young lady.

“But, fine. It does sound kind of interesting. Go ahead, pick out some clothes that you think would suit me.”

With only that said, Sayaka quickly walked away, browsing the clothes in the store. It seems she wants me to pick out some clothes and bring them to her.

You may not know it, but I have already awakened. I’m not the same trashy, lazy Kiyomiya Keiji I used to be.

I spoke to a store clerk who happened to be passing by, and then──

“Maki, I need your help.”

‘What’s this all of a sudden? I was sleeping…’

I quickly called Maki on my phone, and a sleepy voice came through. It’s almost eleven, you were still sleeping?

“I’m out shopping with Sayaka right now.”

‘Guess I’ll have to find Maritsuji-san’s contact info somehow…’

“Don’t you dare snitch to Maritsuji!”

You’re pretty quick-witted for someone who’s half-asleep. It’s not a date, and even if it were, I have nothing to feel guilty about if Maritsuji found out. Right?

‘Just kidding. Fwaah… did you leave some breakfast for me?’

“Nope. Besides, if you’re eating now, it’s lunch. More importantly… I want to get some clothes for Sayaka.”

‘Ahh… Sa-chan doesn’t have many casual clothes, huh? We’re different sizes, so I can’t give her my hand-me-downs. Those boobs, y’know, they’re just too massive.’

“The boob talk isn’t necessary.”

‘You don’t want to talk about boobs? No way, ninety percent of high school boys’ conversations are about boobs!’

“That percentage is way too high! Look, I want to pick out some lady-like clothes for Sayaka, but I have no confidence in my fashion sense. Help me out.”

‘Hmm, so that’s your thing, Keiji? lady-like clothes, huh? Why not just pick out a one-piece dress or a long skirt or something?’

“Don’t be so obviously annoyed. I’m going to turn on the video call and show you the clothes in the store, so pick out something that looks good. I already talked to the clerk and got the okay.”

‘You’re pretty thorough. Fine, leave it to Maki-chan’s sense of style.’

“I’m counting on you.”

I’m not confident in picking out my own clothes, let alone a girl’s. The right thing to do here is to swallow my pride and ask someone who can help. The few times I’ve seen Maki’s casual clothes, they suited her well, and she seemed to have a good sense of style. She’s definitely far more reliable than I am.

Filming with my phone in a women’s clothing store is extremely suspicious, but luckily, there are no other customers in the store. Still, I hurried and picked out the clothes just as Maki told me to──

“Sayaka!”

“Wah, you scared me!”

For once, Sayaka let out a surprised voice. She turned around, looked at me, and gave me an exasperated look.

“Hugging a whole pile of women’s clothes like that… you look like a pervert, you know?”

“You said I could pick, right? Go try them on.”

“…My, you’ve chosen nothing but elegant clothes. Since you’re a boy, why didn’t you pick something with a little more skin showing?”

“You’re a Kiyomiya servant. I need you to look elegant.”

“You’re getting good at talking your way out of things. You’re going to be a bad boy, Keiji-kun.”

Sayaka said so, then took the clothes from me and walked towards the fitting room. Just as I thought she was gone, she stopped and turned around.

“It’s fine for you to buy clothes based on your taste, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll wear them, you know?”

“I can’t exactly dictate what you wear outside of work, I guess.”

“I like my hoodie and sweatpants, you know. They’re easy to move in, and boys don’t stare at me weirdly.”

“I doubt you can avoid boys’ stares. Not when you’re that beautiful.”

“…You’ve really learned how to talk, haven’t you?”

Sayaka gave me a sidelong glance before finally entering the fitting room.

Phew, all this trouble just to pick out some clothes. Well, Maki did most of the choosing, though.

It seems Sayaka has no interest whatsoever in her position as the Ojou-sama of the Kiyomiya family. Even so, I can’t just nod and agree. There’s a saying about starting with the form. If she tries dressing like an Ojou-sama, maybe something inside her will change, even just a little──

Mission ‘Buy Sayaka Going-Out Clothes’ was a success. But unfortunately, Sayaka only tried them on and didn’t even show me.

“Please cut the tags off. I’ll wear this home.”

I had even prepared the line for her to say to the clerk. Dammit.

Maybe Sayaka really is a high-class Ojou-sama after all? That impregnable fortress of hers might even surpass Maritsuji’s.

“And to top it off, she even bought clothes for me…”

I returned to my room in the Kiyomiya family’s old manor and dropped the paper bags onto the floor with a thud.

The store where we bought Sayaka’s clothes also had a men’s section, so I ended up buying a few outfits that Sayaka picked out.

“You had a lot to say about my clothes, but your fashion is too plain.”

That’s what she said, and I couldn’t argue, so I had no choice but to buy them. A wine-red shirt that I would never normally wear, and some ridiculously tight pants. I usually wear plain white or black, or at best, the exact same coordination as a mannequin.

My looks are just average, you know. Even if I wear fashionable clothes, they don’t suit me at all.

“I probably have to wear this, huh. That said, how many chances will I have to go out with Sayaka in the future?”

Honestly, today was kind of fun, feeling like a date. Even picking out Sayaka’s clothes, with Maki’s help, was honestly exciting. It would’ve been perfect if I could have seen Sayaka wearing the clothes I picked out, though.

“Haah… what do I really want to do with Sayaka?”

I still don’t know myself. Should I restore Sayaka to her rightful position as the true child of the Kiyomiya family? Or should I maintain the status quo and have her support me as a maid…?

No, instead of leaving it as a one-sided crush, not as the Kiyomiya family daughter, not as a maid, but confessing and asking her to be my girlfriend──

“…Huh? What’s this?”

The light blue shirt I took out of the paper bag was—ridiculously small. I was sure I checked the size when I bought it, so why is there a shirt that’s about a size S?

“Ah, this must be Sayaka’s blouse.”

No wonder I thought it was such an elegant color. It must have been mistakenly packed into my paper bag. Even though I asked the clerk to put them in separate bags.

“I should give this to Sayaka before I forget.”

I left the room with the elegant blouse that I could never wear in my hand. No matter how big her chest is, a blouse is still small, huh.

With that thought, I walked through the needlessly spacious old manor and entered the separate building at the end of the connecting corridor. In our house, the rooms for the Kiyomiya family and the servants are separate, and Sayaka still lives in the annex.

“I need to do something about her room situation too. I can’t let Sayaka live in the annex forever.”

The servants’ quarters are not spacious by any stretch of the imagination, and the building itself feels cheaper compared to the main building. By the way, Maki brazenly lives in the main building. Sayaka could learn a thing or two from that gyaru’s audacity.

“~♪”

“Hm?”

I think I can hear something like singing. Is Sayaka playing music? No, that’s different… it’s Sayaka’s voice.

“I feel like I’ve heard this before…”

It’s the tune Sayaka was humming before. She was singing it the day she cooked a proper meal for me for the first time, when she was in a really good mood.

“Fufu, this isn’t half bad. I guess this kind of thing suits me too.”

“……”

Just as the humming stopped, I heard her talking to herself. Very conveniently, the door to the maid’s room is wide open. I know I shouldn’t, but my curiosity isn’t weak enough to resist peeking.

Giving a light knock, just in case──

“I thought long skirts were frumpy, but they’re surprisingly not bad. Like this… Thank you for inviting me today—perhaps?”

“……”

Sayaka is in front of the full-length mirror in the corner of her room, lifting her long skirt and curtsying. A long, white one-piece dress, an intricately braided hairstyle, and a refined, elegant greeting in a voice a tone lower than usual──

“Wow, what an Ojou-sama… bloodline has more of an influence than I thought.”

“No, I’ve learned a little bit of etiquette since coming to the Kiyomiya mansion—wait, Keiji-kun!?”

Sayaka jumped away from the mirror and slammed her back against the wall.

“Hey, be careful, you’ll rip that nice dress.”

“…You can rip it if you want. Do as you please.”

“Don’t get so desperate!”

Why are you suddenly so reckless?

“You saw me at an embarrassing moment again… Why do you always come peeking the moment I let my guard down, Keiji-kun?”

“I’m not timing it or anything…”

Isn’t it just that Sayaka is surprisingly careless?

“Besides, you looked so annoyed when I was picking out and buying the clothes.”

“I’m not an honest person.”

“…I know that.”

Far from not being honest, she’s definitely a liar. She’s a maid you can’t let your guard down around, despite her beautiful and pure appearance.

“I don’t want to be an Ojou-sama. I don’t have the slightest desire to become a member of the Kiyomiya family. Of that, I’m certain.”

“Why? Let me ask you this while we’re at it, do you really have no intention of being acknowledged as a daughter of the Kiyomiya family, Sayaka?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“You deny it so readily…”

When she puts it so clearly, I have no choice but to believe she’s serious.

“I don’t dislike this Ojou-sama style, but it doesn’t suit me. What’s perfect for me is──”

“H-Hey!”

Sayaka unbuttoned her one-piece dress and slipped it off right there. The brand-new dress she just bought fell to the floor of the room.

Sayaka must have changed her underwear too, as she was now in a white bra and white panties. The underwear also had an intricate design, and it seemed she was trying on what she bought today. Her two large mounds looked ready to spill out of her bra, and her white skin and soft-looking thighs were exposed.

I was flustered, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her exposed figure.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Sayaka, still in her underwear in front of me, went to her closet and pulled out her maid outfit. She put on the black, above-the-knee one-piece dress, tied a white apron, and then placed a white headband on her head.

“I am Kiyomiya Keiji-kun’s maid, Hisaka Sayaka. I will continue to serve my master with all my heart and soul.”

“……”

Sayaka picked up the hem of her skirt and curtsied politely.

Unfortunately──

“That suits you better than the high-class Ojou-sama style from before.”

“Right? I am your maid in body and soul.”

“B-Body and soul?”

“You were kind to me today. Therefore, I too will serve you more faithfully.”

“…Stop with the polite language.”

“Understood, Keiji-kun.”

Sayaka smiled and walked up to me. This time she knelt, crossed her arms in front of her chest, and bowed her head.

There’s absolutely no need for such a ridiculously formal bow. I just wanted Sayaka to wear some decent clothes, that’s all.

Somehow, it seems I’ve just stimulated Sayaka’s loyalty even more.