Chapter 16: The Birth of a Maid

“Oh, tonight’s dinner looks like it’s gonna be crazy delicious, huh?”

“What, are you implying my cooking wasn’t delicious before?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant at all!”

“Just kidding. You complimented me so earnestly, I couldn’t resist pushing back a bit.”

“Is that really how a maid ought to behave?”

Sayaka brushed off my retort with her usual effortless grace. With practiced ease, she arranged the dining table, setting out a fragrant beef stew, a crisp salad, and a crusty baguette sourced from Teijou Imai’s bakery.

“Sayaka, join me for dinner, yeah?”

“You don’t need to keep asking. I know the drill.”

Her reply was curt, but she slid into the seat across from me without hesitation. My eyes couldn’t help but linger on her maid outfit. “You know, you could just wear normal clothes.”

“I’ve told you before—this is a symbol of my resolve.” She tilted her head, her gaze sharpening. “And speaking of attire, what’s with you tonight, Kiyomiya-kun? A suit, of all things?”

“I’m still a rich young master, you know. I’ve got a suit or two in my arsenal.”

Indeed, tonight I was clad in a sharp navy-blue suit, my hair meticulously styled, my tie knotted with almost obsessive precision.

“Anyway, I’m starving. Let’s eat while it’s hot. Itadakimasu!”

“It’s nagging at me, but… fine. Itadakimasu.”

For a moment, we both fell silent, savoring the steaming beef stew.

“Mmm, this is incredible,” I said between bites. “The flavor’s so rich, the meat practically melts, and the vegetables are cooked to perfection.”

“Thanks.” Sayaka’s tone softened, though her eyes glinted with amusement. “You’re eating that stew with such elegance, Kiyomiya-kun.”

“Well, I was drilled on manners since I was a kid, you know.”

Even as the black sheep of the family, growing up in the Kiyomiya Family Main Residence meant mastering proper etiquette. In high society, poor manners were a sin—you’re not even allowed to exist.

“You’re not half bad yourself, Sayaka. The way you handle your spoon and tear the baguette—it’s got a certain elegance.”

“My manners are just a thin layer I picked up at the Reizen household. Nothing like you natural-born young masters and ladies. It’s a cheap polish, at best.”

“As long as you’re not crude, no one’s going to point and laugh. From where I’m sitting, you hold your own just fine.”

“If Kiyomiya-kun says so, I suppose I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Being put on a pedestal like that doesn’t sit quite right with me, but I let it slide.

“My manners aren’t anything extraordinary, but I could share a few pointers if you’d like, Sayaka.”

“Huh?”

Our light, playful banter carries on until we finish our meal. That’s when I decide to shift the conversation.

“If you’re going to continue as a student at Sōshūkan, it wouldn’t hurt to refine your etiquette. You’ve already got the basics down, Sayaka, and you’re sharp—quick to learn. It’ll come to you easily.”

“Hold on, Kiyomiya-kun. What exactly are you getting at?”

“Sayaka, I need to ask you something first.” I pause, meeting her gaze. “Do you still want to keep attending Sōshūkan?”

“…”

Her expression flickers with a moment of hesitation, a shadow of doubt crossing her face. I know it’s a bit unfair to put her on the spot like this, but I can’t afford to be gentle with my approach.

It doesn’t take long before she gives a small, resolute nod. “I didn’t choose a prestigious school like Sōshūkan on a whim. I want to stay.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.”

I reach into the inner pocket of my suit and pull out a thick envelope, sliding it across the table toward her.

“What’s this?”

“Take a look for yourself.”

“…”

Sayaka’s sharp enough to have already pieced together what it might be, but her cautious nature demands she confirm it. She takes the envelope, her fingers steady, and carefully slides out its contents.

“There’s… a hundred of these?”

“Unless the bank miscounted.” My reply comes out rougher than I intend.

“I’m still a girl, you know.”

“Huh?”

“Believe it or not, I’ve got my own dreams of V●ton, Chan●l, or Gu●ci.”

“This isn’t for splurging on luxury brands!”

“I know, a million yen wouldn’t even scratch the surface. This amount’s only good for cheaper labels, right?”

“Just how much designer stuff do you want?!”

“Kidding, kidding.”

“Don’t joke about that!” What are we even talking about?

“Anyway—” I take a breath, steadying myself. “I know tossing money around like this is crass. But I wanted to make my point clear, to show you something tangible.”

“It’s almost like you’re trying to buy me.”

“In a way, maybe I am. This million yen is for your tuition this year. In exchange—”

Ugh, once I say it, there’s no turning back. Am I really going through with this?

I have to. The moment I handed her that envelope, I crossed the line.

“Hisaka Sayaka, work for me as my maid in this mansion.”

“…Explain more.”

“Greedy, aren’t you, Sayaka?”

I poured everything into that declaration, and it’s still not enough?

“This money comes from the operating budget of the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor. To be precise, it’s part of the labor budget. Like you said before, Sayaka, this place is way too big for me to maintain alone. My father told me to hire staff.”

“You haven’t hired anyone, though.”

“What high school guy wouldn’t jump at the chance to live alone, free from anyone hovering?”

Exactly. I was fine with a bit of hassle if it meant having my own space. I never could’ve imagined a classmate—a girl, no less—would show up at my doorstep, let alone offer to work as my maid.

And besides—

“I’m the kid the Kiyomiya family doesn’t acknowledge. So, yeah, I hesitated to touch the Kiyomiya fortune. At school, I kept my head down, stayed out of the spotlight, brushed off the mockery, and planned to avoid high society entirely.”

“You’re too hard on yourself, always dwelling on your mother’s background.”

“You’re right.”

That single thread of difference, the one marking me as an “outsider” in my social circle, was enough to knot my thoughts into overdrive.

“Sayaka, I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

“I could’ve tapped into this money anytime I wanted, but I was so caught up in my background that I took the long way around.”

“That’s…”

Sayaka falters, her usual sharp tongue stilled. Even she wouldn’t lash out with something like, “Yeah, exactly, hurry up and help me already.”

But the apology spills out of me anyway. And one more thing—

“I’m done being a loser.”

The words sound pathetic, even to me, but I need to say them to move forward. This is where it begins.

“Even if it wasn’t about you, Sayaka, I’d probably have stumbled into something like this eventually. This whole mess was a good wake-up call.”

“So, you’re using me as an excuse to dive into the high-society lifestyle?” Her tone carries a playful edge, but her eyes search mine.

“No, not dive into it.”

I rise from my chair, plant my hands on the table, and lean toward her, resolve steady in my voice. “I’m going to remake it. Starting with you, Hisaka Sayaka—be my maid.”

“I’ve got one condition.”

“Oh?”

The one being hired is setting terms when I’m the one with the money. Bold as ever, but she’s right—money alone doesn’t seal a deal like this.

“Alright, lay it on me.”

“I’ll become a maid who offers you my body, my heart, even my future. Will you accept that?”

“Your future!?” I stammer, caught off guard. “T-that’s a bit heavy, isn’t it!?”

“You’re paying a fortune to make me your maid and have me work for you. I want you to take responsibility.”

“O-okay, I get it.”

Sayaka’s condition hangs in the air, pressing me to decide whether I’ll accept her terms—whether we’re truly forging this contract.

There’s no turning back now.

I give a firm nod, resolve steadying my voice. “I’ll take on your life, Hisaka Sayaka. Think of this million yen as just the contract fee. I’ll calculate and pay your salary properly. I’m dead serious about storming into this rotten high-society world. Sayaka, I need you to back me up as I crush its injustices.”

“Got it.”

Sayaka says, and a bright smile blooms across her face, radiant and unyielding.

“I look forward to serving you, Master.”

She rises from her chair, steps back, and gracefully lifts the hem of her maid outfit, executing a flawless curtsy.

I straighten my back instinctively, adjusting the collar of my suit as if to match her poise.

With that, the contract is sealed.

Hisaka Sayaka can now continue attending Sōshūkan. As a genuine, true maid, she will serve Kiyomiya Keiji.

No longer bound by childish games, Kiyomiya Keiji and Hisaka Sayaka are now tied by a contract and the weight of money.