Chapter 18: Maid and the Young Lady

“…So, how did it go, Sayaka?”

The door to the chairman’s office swung open, revealing Sayaka and Reizen-sensei stepping out side by side.

For a fleeting moment, I glimpsed Chairman Toyohara inside the room. His sharp glare pierced through me, carrying an emotion I couldn’t quite pin down—was it irritation, as if I were some meddling pest, or perhaps a challenge, urging me to prove myself if I dared?

Either way—

“Yeah, it all wrapped up smoothly.”

“That’s great news, Hisaka-san,” Reizen-sensei said warmly, her maternal aura—Mama-sensei, as I sometimes thought of her—radiating as she gave Sayaka’s shoulder a gentle pat. “There are still a few formalities to sort out, but you can rest easy now.”

Sayaka had approached the school about covering her tuition, and the chairman himself had summoned her directly. I’d come during the break to check on her, and just then, the two emerged from the office.

“Good to know it went well. The chairman’s a bit pushy, huh? Making you skip a class for a meeting like that.”

“Kiyomiya-kun, the chairman is a very busy man. He’s not always at the school, so being a bit forceful is unavoidable. He even allowed me to sit in, so it was handled quite amicably.”

“Amicably, huh…” I muttered, unconvinced. The chairman had abruptly stripped Sayaka of her scholarship status, so calling it amicable felt like a stretch. I’d been bracing for him to throw another curveball during this meeting.

Sayaka adjusted her black-rimmed glasses with a small tug. “Still, it seems the chairman knew the money was coming from Keiji-kun.”

“It might be wise for Hisaka-san to disclose to the school that she’s staying at the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor. It’s better to explain upfront than to have someone find out later. After all, Kiyomiya hired Saya as a maid through proper channels. My Saya, that is!” Her voice spiked with enthusiasm, a glimpse of her true self slipping through.

“Sensei, if you’re going to let your real personality show, maybe keep your voice down a bit?”

“Oh, shut it, I know,” Reizen-sensei huffed, waving a hand dismissively. “I’ve got it under control, Kiyomiya-kun.”

I sighed, shaking my head. Could she not switch personalities mid-sentence?

I’d already told Reizen-sensei about hiring Sayaka. According to Sayaka, keeping it a secret would only make things messier later, so we’d had no choice but to come clean. Since Reizen-sensei had accepted it after our explanation, maybe it’d be fine to tell the school too.

Reizen-sensei gave a brisk nod. “Alright, I need to get back to the staff room. You two, hurry back to class as well. Well then, Hisaka-san, good work today.”

“Yes, thank you so much, Reizen-sensei,” Sayaka replied, bowing politely.

Mama-mode Reizen-sensei strode down the hallway with her usual quick pace. Teachers must be swamped, even outside December’s rush, but I bet she’s still keeping an eye out for Sayaka.

“Let’s head back to class.”

“Hold on, one sec,” I held her off, stopping her. “Sayaka, did the chairman say anything else?”

“Nothing major. Just the usual ‘keep up with your studies’ stuff. For a middle-aged guy, he didn’t give me any creepy looks, surprisingly.”

“What kind of observations are you making?!”

“I mean, I’ve never met a middle-aged man who didn’t look at me that way… Guess that’s the head of a prestigious family for you.”

“What do you take middle-aged guys for?” Not that I had any reason to defend them, but come on—it’s gotta be near impossible for any guy to ignore a stunning high school girl like Sayaka. That Toyohara old man, for better or worse, isn’t your average human.

“Anyway, is the chairman planning to pull anything else?”

“From the way he talked, it didn’t feel like he was the one behind scrapping the scholarship in the first place.”

“Yeah, his tone did give off that vibe,” I agreed. “Still, we can’t let our guard down.”

Chairman Toyohara held ultimate authority at this school. He could toy with me or Sayaka on a whim—especially me, since he seemed to have me marked in a bad way. I had to make sure Sayaka didn’t get caught up in whatever he might be planning.

“Oh, Sayaka, one more thing—”

“I’m just glad Hisaka-san didn’t get expelled.” a voice interrupted.

“Yeah, as long as the money’s paid, no one can complain—wait, Maritsuji-chan?!”

I spun around to find Maritsuji Anri standing behind us, her presence as sudden as it was graceful.

She gave a playful tsk. “Oh my, you can’t just call me Maritsuji-chan out here.”

“S-sorry, Maritsuji-sa—Maritsuji. What are you doing here?”

Maritsuji’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “I’m the one who arranged for Kiyomiya-san to meet with the chairman. Naturally, I’m curious about how it turned out.”

“R-right. Thanks, Maritsuji. It all worked out because of you.”

Sayaka stepped forward, nudging past me to face Maritsuji. “Yes, it seems Keiji-kun decided to help me out thanks to some advice from the chairman. So, in a way, it’s all thanks to Maritsuji-san. Thank you, Maritsuji-san.”

Whoa—the school’s two biggest beauties standing face-to-face. This had to be a rare sight, right?

“This is my first time properly talking with you, Hisaka-san. Allow me to introduce myself: I’m Maritsuji Anri. I’ve known Kiyomiya-san since we were children.”

“I’m Hisaka Sayaka. I’ve been getting pretty close with Keiji-kun lately.”

The air stilled for a moment.

Was it just my imagination, or were sparks flying between Sayaka and Maritsuji?

“Close, you say? Pardon my bluntness, but what kind of relationship do you have?”

“Seeing is believing, right? Maritsuji-san, are you free today?”

“That depends on the occasion,” Maritsuji replied smoothly, her refined smile unwavering. “But if it’s an invitation from Hisaka-san and Kiyomiya-san, I have no reason to decline.”

Sayaka, unusually, mirrored her with a smile of her own—sharp, almost challenging.

Why did that smile feel so… terrifying?

After school that day, Sayaka headed home first, as usual, while I followed shortly after. I changed into casual clothes, and Sayaka slipped into her maid outfit before we gathered in the drawing room of the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor.

“Hrm, is it really okay to just blurt out that Sayaka’s my maid? Reizen-sensei’s one thing, but other people…”

“I’ve got nothing to hide. I’d be fine announcing it in the classroom.”

“No, let’s not do that, please!” I yelped, my words tumbling out in a panicked jumble.

A guy and a girl our age living under the same roof—master and maid, no less. Asking people not to let their imaginations run wild was practically begging for trouble. If this were someone else’s situation, even I’d be spinning all kinds of wild fantasies—

“Whoa, the doorbell?! She’s here already?!”

“That was quick. I’ll go greet her. Keiji-kun, wait here.”

“H-hey…” I mumbled, but Sayaka was already striding out of the drawing room, leaving no room for protest.

A few minutes passed, and my nerves only grew worse. What kind of conversation was happening at the front door right now? Part of me was dying to eavesdrop, but the other part screamed to stay blissfully ignorant.

“This way, please.”

“Gah!” I flinched as the drawing room door swung open without so much as a footstep’s warning.

Sayaka entered with her usual poise, followed closely by Maritsuji, who stepped into the room with an air of quiet curiosity.

“Oh, what a lovely drawing room,” Maritsuji remarked, her eyes sweeping across the space with genuine interest. “Elegant and calming. My family’s home is entirely traditional Japanese, so a Western-style parlor feels quite refreshing.”

“W-welcome, Maritsuji,” I said, trying to steady my voice. “I bet the daughter of the Maritsuji family is super busy. Is it really okay for you to just drop by like this?”

“Normally, a Maritsuji daughter needs permission to go anywhere. But I’m still a student, and this is just a little detour on my way home from school. No formal arrangements, just a quick stop—nobody will scold me for that.”

“Sounds like a hassle…” The Maritsuji family seemed weighed down by some seriously troublesome traditions.

“But I’m glad I came,” Maritsuji continued, her gaze settling on Sayaka. “I was shocked to learn Hisaka-san is a maid for the Kiyomiya family.”

“Y-yeah, surprising, right? But it’s just a formal employment arrangement, nothing weird—”

“Obviously,” Maritsuji cut in, her Kyoto-accented smile sharp enough to make me flinch. “If it was something weird, I’d have to call the whole thing off to feel satisfied.”

That smile was downright terrifying.

“Calling it off is a bit dramatic… Oh, have a seat.”

“Thank you, I will,” Maritsuji replied, gliding onto the sofa with movements so graceful they seemed almost otherworldly. Truly, the daughter of an elite family—every gesture was breathtakingly elegant.

Sayaka, who had slipped out of the room unnoticed, returned with a tray. “The tea’s ready. Here you go.”

She placed two teacups on the table and poured tea from a pot with practiced ease. “I’m still a novice maid,” she said modestly. “I apologize for any clumsiness.”

“No, thank you,” Maritsuji said, lifting the cup to her lips with refined poise. She took a sip, her eyes softening. “Oh, it’s delicious. This is no playful maid act, at least. I heard you’re connected to the Reizen family—did they train you?”

“My mother was a maid herself,” Sayaka replied simply.

“I see, so you were taught by a professional servant. Even at the Maritsuji household, this level of tea would only be served in the servants’ break room.”

Sayaka met Maritsuji’s calm words with a silent smile, her expression unreadable.

Why did every exchange between them feel so charged…?

“Your hospitality as a maid is passable. Hisaka-san, please, have a seat as well.”

“This is my house, you know.”

“Pardon me.”

“…!”

Before I could say more, Sayaka slid onto the seat right beside me—pressed so close our shoulders nearly fused together.

“How nice to see you two so close,” Maritsuji remarked, covering her mouth with a delicate hand, her elegant smile somehow radiating menace.

“Why does that sound so loaded?!”

Maritsuji’s elegant smile lingered, her hand delicately covering her mouth, but the intensity in her eyes was unnerving. “Oh, pay it no mind. But… Hisaka-san, your manners are quite refined. I almost mistook you for a lady of some noble house. Did your mother teach you that as well?”

Sayaka’s expression remained composed. “No, not at all. I was only taught how to behave as a servant.”

“Is that so? To my eyes, you seem—well, perhaps I’m overthinking it.”

Was something troubling her that deeply?

“Well, no matter. I’ll acknowledge Hisaka-san as the maid of the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor.”

I retorted, caught off guard. “Who are you to decide that?”

“Being recognized by the Maritsuji family’s daughter is a big deal. I need to solidify my position too.”

“Why do I feel like I’m slowly being cornered here?” I muttered, a sinking feeling settling in. Were these two making major decisions without me?

“I’ll leave the life at the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor in your hands, Hisaka-san. Please take care of Kiyomiya-san’s daily needs.”

“He’s apparently trying to stop being a slacker. As the top student in our grade, I’ll make sure to support him in that too.”

“I’m only around the top thirty, so academically, I’m no match for Hisaka-san.”

I bit back a scoff. That was a total lie. Maritsuji had no interest in scrabbling for the top spot—she found obsessing over grades and rankings tacky. Yet, she effortlessly landed in the upper ranks every test. If Maritsuji ever got serious, she could probably go toe-to-toe with Sayaka for first place.

“Let’s get along, Hisaka Sayaka-san,” Maritsuji said warmly, rising to her feet. “I look forward to it.”

“Likewise, Maritsuji Anri-san,” Sayaka replied, standing in sync.

They extended their hands, clasping them in a handshake, both smiling—yet the air crackled with unspoken tension. I couldn’t shake the sense that their grip was tight enough to crush stone.

Why were these two so intense with each other?

The scholarship issue had just been resolved, and my stomach’s already hurting again.