Chapter 4: A Morning with a Maid
“Good… morning…”
“Nnh!?”
A girl’s pained voice jolted me upright in bed.
“Nn… you’re awake…?”
Blinking through the haze of sleep, I found a maid at my bedside—or rather, Hisaka Sayaka, dressed as one.
“Hisaka? What are you doing here?”
“Not Hisaka… Sayaka-chan…” she mumbled, her voice barely audible.
“I never asked for the -chan, you know.”
Squinting, I noticed Sayaka swaying, her head bobbing side to side as if struggling to stay upright. Her large eyes were half-lidded, open just a sliver, making me wonder if she could even see me. The neckline of her maid outfit was in disarray, missing its usual ribbon, with a button undone, revealing a hint of cleavage. Her headband sat crookedly, and her hair was a tangled mess, sticking out in every direction.
“…Sayaka, are you bad with mornings?”
“Nnh, no way… I’m a maid… waking my master is an important duty…”
“I haven’t hired you yet. I keep saying this, but seriously, wake yourself up before trying to wake me.”
“Mmm…”
Her response was little more than a drowsy hum.
It had been a few days since Sayaka barged into my mansion, determined to play the part of a maid. She’d been oddly serious about it lately, but this was the first time she’d come to wake me in the morning. I never would’ve guessed she was this hopeless at handling mornings. A maid who could barely function at dawn—wasn’t that a critical flaw?
“Breakfast… isn’t ready yet…”
“Yeah, no surprise there!”
“I’ll make it now, so Kiyomiya-kun, get ready… Need help changing…?”
“First, go splash some water on your face and wake up. In that state, the thought of you near a knife or stove is downright terrifying.”
“Leave it to me…”
Sayaka wobbled out of the room, her steps unsteady.
Is she really going to be okay?
Uneasy, I dragged myself to the bathroom to wash my face. This sprawling mansion had multiple bathrooms—more than I’d bothered to count—each equipped with sinks for washing up. I took my time getting ready in my room, then made my way downstairs to the dining room.
The Kiyomiya Family Old Manor boasted a dedicated dining room, reserved solely for meals.
“Good morning, Kiyomiya-kun. Lovely morning, isn’t it?”
“You’ve done a complete 180!”
In mere minutes, Sayaka’s drowsiness had evaporated. Her headband sat perfectly aligned, the ribbon at her maid outfit’s neckline neatly tied, and her wide eyes sparkled with alertness.
“Kiyomiya-kun, can you wait about an hour? I’ll whip up breakfast.”
“An hour of cooking first thing in the morning!?”
Her energy was practically bursting at the seams.
“Breakfast is crucial. You need a hearty meal to start the day. Also, I wasn’t sure if you prefer rice or bread, so I planned to make both.”
“Bread! Bread’s fine! I mean, bread, please!”
“Your earnestness is charming, but you don’t need to be so formal with a maid.”
“If you start cooking rice from scratch, we’re in for a long wait…”
The kitchen in the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor had been modernized some time ago, fitted with top-tier appliances, but rice still demanded its due time, no matter the equipment.
“Alright, then give me about twenty minutes.”
“…Well, that’s manageable.”
It was just past seven in the morning. The walk to Sōshūkan Academy took roughly twenty minutes. Even if we left at eight, we’d arrive with time to spare.
“~~~ ♪”
I paused, caught off guard. Sayaka, humming? That was a first. At school, no one would ever pin her as the humming type.
“It’s ready.”
“Whoa…”
Before me sat two slices of crisp, buttered toast, ham and eggs, sausages, a fresh salad, and even a bowl of soup.
“Sorry, I was short on time, so the soup’s instant,” Sayaka added, almost apologetically.
“This is way too fancy. Seriously, Sayaka, you can cook…?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” The maid—or rather, the girl in the maid outfit—puffed out her cheeks, clearly miffed.
Sayaka’s cool, aloof demeanor didn’t exactly scream “domestic goddess.”
“I lived with just my mom,” she explained. “You learn to cook whether you want to or not. My mom was a professional maid, after all. Anyway, try it.”
“Pro-level cooking, huh? Let’s dig in.”
The ham and eggs were deceptively simple. The thick ham was seared to perfection, not a hint of char, while the sunny-side-up eggs, seasoned with just salt and pepper, were exactly to my taste. I savored them plain at first, then drizzled on some sauce. I wasn’t strictly a soy sauce or sauce guy—it depended on the meal. Today, with this Western-style spread, sauce felt right.
“Yeah, this is delicious. Could you actually pull off being a maid…?”
“Just how low was your opinion of me?” Sayaka’s tone carried a playful sting.
“No, I mean, kids from high society usually leave housework to others, right? I couldn’t picture a girl my age cooking.”
In this day and age, hiring servants was rare—something for the “ordinary rich.” Most students at Sōshūkan Academy hailed from families with lineages stretching back centuries, their names etched into history. The Kiyomiya family was no exception. Since the Heian period, its members had left their mark on the world stage, weaving their influence through time. For people of that class, delegating housework to servants wasn’t just habit—it was practically a duty.
“Kiyomiya-kun, you should just let me handle the housework.”
“Hmm…”
Until today, I’d only allowed Sayaka to do some light cleaning. We ate separately, and I handled my own laundry. Having a female classmate cook for me? It felt absurd, like I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t. I wasn’t being sarcastic—my sensibilities leaned far more commoner than aristocrat. But realistically, maintaining this sprawling mansion alone was a pipe dream. Did I cook for myself every day? Hardly. I’d been fully prepared to survive on convenience store bentos and delivery.
“Kiyomiya-kun, which do you prefer: a high school girl’s home cooking or convenience store food?”
“Was the ‘high school girl’s’ part necessary?” I groaned. Her phrasing made even the obvious choice sound vaguely inappropriate.
“Besides, you don’t have to be a maid—wait, hold on, Sayaka, you haven’t eaten.”
“A servant doesn’t eat at the same table as their master,” she said primly.
“Come on…”
Sure, a maid wouldn’t dine with the family she served, but this was different. “Just eat with me, Sayaka. Hurry up, or we’ll be late.”
“I’m a light eater. Bread alone is plenty for me.”
“Eat whatever you want, but I feel guilty eating alone.” Having a female classmate cook for me and eating by myself? Honestly, who did I think I was?
“And let me say this again: you don’t need to be a maid. Stay here as long as you need to settle down. I won’t let you go without food, clothes, or a roof.”
My dad provided a living allowance for the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor, and how I used it was my call. Taking in Sayaka posed no issue. Hiring a maid wouldn’t be a problem either, but admitting that out loud felt like crossing a line.
“Hey, can’t you at least ditch the maid outfit?”
“I’m doing the housework either way,” Sayaka replied, unfazed. “The maid outfit is practically work gear—pro-grade equipment. It’s fine if I wear it, right?”
“…Well, I guess it’s up to you what you wear, Sayaka.”
“This maid outfit is more than just clothes. It’s a symbol of my resolve—proof that I’m committed to working for you in this house, Kiyomiya-kun.”
“Hmm… Shouldn’t you be worrying about your own future before dedicating yourself to me, Sayaka?”
“You’re such a noisy master,” she teased, her eyes glinting. “The Kiyomiya family clearly hasn’t trained you properly.”
“Don’t roast me and my family home in one breath!”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll take care of your training from now on.”
“Ha?”
Sayaka leaned forward, her hand gripping my shoulder with surprising firmness.
“I’m the maid, and you’re the master. I’ll make sure that dynamic sticks. I’ll train you to become a splendid master, one who can command me with a single word—”
She leaned in closer, her lips brushing near my ear as she whispered, “I’ll train you.”
“…”
What was that? A chill ran down my spine.
All I had done was take in a classmate who had nowhere else to go. How had it come to this?
