Chapter 2: The Maid Can’t Teach

The classroom was the same as always, nothing different.

As usual, cold gazes that saw me as scum were directed my way. Only three people in the classroom looked at me with different meanings in their eyes—one was, of course, Sayaka. Another was my friend, Sogano Maki. And then there was Fujikawa Koutarou, who had an interest in me in all the wrong ways.

“Come to think of it…”

I took out my smartphone and checked the calendar app. I’m not meticulous enough to keep a detailed schedule, but I do note important events.

“Midterms are coming up soon, right, Keiji?”

“Whoa!”

The voice from behind nearly made me jump. Maki was peeking at my smartphone over my shoulder.

“Don’t suddenly appear from behind like that…”

“You’re the only friend I can chat with normally, so don’t whine ’bout something that minor.”

“……”

It’s true, so I can’t argue back.

Maki came around to stand in front of me. Flashy blonde short hair, a grinning but actually well-proportioned face. Pink cardigan with a daringly short miniskirt. She’s quite the rare gyaru at Sōshūkan Academy, a prestigious school attended mostly by children from good families.

“What, Keiji? You ain’t the type to study for tests, are you? Instead, let’s play so hard the kids studying get jealous. C’mon, now that I’m living toge──”

“Aaaah, shut up, shut up!”

I frantically waved my hands to stop Maki’s words. For some reason, this Maki has started freeloading at the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor. For now, she hasn’t changed much from how she is at school, and she doesn’t particularly coordinate her actions with me or Sayaka. She eats meals whenever she wants, takes baths at her preferred times. We barely even see each other at home.

…I hope she’s not house-hunting somewhere without me knowing, right?

Anyway, it’s not good if the class finds out I’m living with Maki, who is a girl after all.

“I’m gonna be the type who studies for tests. Sorry, but I don’t have time to play with you, Maki.”

“Huh? You got a fever or something?”

“Thanks for the clichéd response. I’m perfectly sane. It’s the first regular test since entering high school, after all. It’s not weird to get serious about it.”

There was a proficiency test right after advancing to high school, but that doesn’t affect grades. No need to study in advance for it; as the name suggests, it’s to measure your current ability, so it’s not something you cram for. Well, there are geniuses who easily take the top spot in such tests──

“Keiji getting serious? What happens when you get serious?”

Maki crossed her arms, asking with a grin. It’s quite an attitude, but since we’re friends, it doesn’t bother me.

“What happens when I get serious, I’ll find out in this midterm. Well, my goal is—top 10, I guess.”

“Haa!? Kiyomiya aiming for top 10 in midterms!? You’re killing me here, Kiyomiya!”

“……”

Of course, it wasn’t Maki who suddenly started making a fuss. It was Fujikawa, who had sneaked up near my seat without me noticing. Light brown hair, tall, looks totally frivolous, but he’s got excellent grades and is apparently a promising rookie in the basketball club. He’s been pestering me and harassing me since way back. But recently, it came to light that Fujikawa is actually just a pervert.

“In the final exam of junior high, I was second, and you were—100th, right? You’d have to surpass 90 people?”

“It’s great to have so much room for improvement.”

“You dreaming or something, Kiyomiya?”

Fujikawa has a voice that carries well anyway, but today it’s especially loud. He’s probably broadcasting my presumptuous goal to the classmates. But is this noisiness harassment toward me? Or is he highlighting that I have the potential to surpass 90 people in one go? It’s also come to light that Fujikawa overestimates me a lot. Apparently, he thinks I’m what they call a “lantern in daylight”—someone who hides their light. Maybe he’s trying to let everyone know that I’m the type who performs when it counts. Though I don’t think there’s any benefit to Fujikawa in doing that.

“Fujikawa, I’m gonna break free from being scum.”

Saying that, I stood up. I can’t deal with Maki or Fujikawa any longer. My mental state is still wobbling, after all. I don’t have the leeway to handle these two intense personalities.

“…I’m looking forward to it.”

“……”

As I was about to leave my seat, I heard a murmur from my neighbor—Sayaka—who had been quietly listening. As always at school, she’s in her disguise-like outfit with black-rimmed glasses and braids. Even so, her exceptional beauty isn’t hidden at all. I didn’t reply to the beautiful Sayaka and left the classroom.

“Phew…”

Somehow, just being in the classroom drains my energy. After all, the main culprit shaking me up is right next to me all the time. In fact, the distance to Sayaka is much closer than when we’re at the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor.

“Um, excuse me? Do you have a moment right now?”

“……”

There’s only one person in this school who speaks to me with such ridiculous politeness.

“Hello, Kiyomiya-san.”

“Hey, Maritsuji.”

A beautiful girl with long black hair stood in the hallway, wearing a gentle smile. Pure white skin, petite body probably under 150 cm. Her uniform is worn properly, skirt at knee length. She looks like a middle schooler, but somehow doesn’t feel childish at all, even exuding dignity.

Maritsuji Anri—the young lady of the Maritsuji Family, which stands out even among the upper-class children at Sōshūkan Academy for its high family status. A family continuing since the Heian period, in old terms, one of the kenmon seika. Apparently, children from families not of high enough status are too intimidated to even speak to her.

The Kiyomiya family is supposedly of equal standing to the Maritsuji—but as I’m ostensibly the head’s “illegitimate child,” it’s a bit delicate. Especially now that even my status as an illegitimate child is in doubt──

“Kiyomiya-san, you seem deep in thought about something?”

“Ah, no.”

Maritsuji tilted her head elegantly, and I hastily waved my hand.

“It’s just that midterms are soon. Some issues came up about that.”

“Issues, you say?”

Oops, I ended up saying something unnecessary to Maritsuji, who is now definitely someone of different status, out of intimidation. But I can’t take back my words. For now, we moved to the end of the hallway, and I explained the commotion in the classroom.

“I see… That sounds tough. But you said you’d aim for top 10, right? Isn’t it just that this got known throughout the class?”

“That’s the problem. Everyone’s probably laughing at me for overreaching to aim for top 10.”

“Indeed. Laughing at the Kiyomiya family’s young master—the people in Class B are quite rude.”

“That’s not quite what I meant…”

By the way, I’m in Year 1 Class B, Maritsuji is in Year 1 Class A.

“Both Maritsuji and Kiyomiya are taiga families. Laughing at Kiyomiya is synonymous with laughing at Maritsuji of equal standing.”

“T-Taiga… It’s been a while since I heard that word.”

Taiga is an expression of family rank from when nobles were in Kyoto, meaning at the top of the hierarchy. In the nobility system, you couldn’t become the highest minister unless from a taiga family. That system was abolished over a hundred years ago.

“Rude behavior cannot be tolerated, but our house is the Maritsuji that loves flowers, birds, wind, and moon. We don’t favor barbaric methods.”

“…I’m glad Maritsuji is ladylike.”

Though her surface demeanor is calm, I think her inner self isn’t meek at all.

“It’s just that some heartless folks make up stories ’bout how what Kyoto people say and what they really mean are different, y’know.”

“……!”

There it is, Maritsuji’s Kyoto dialect! Maritsuji was born and raised in Tokyo, but surrounded by many Kyoto people, she occasionally slips into Kyoto dialect. It usually comes out when she’s in a bad mood, so it’s scary.

“A-Anyway. Right now, it’s inevitable that I’m looked down on. Rather, to avoid being looked down on, I’m aiming for the top ranks.”

“Is that so… I understand. Please leave everything to me.”

“Huh? Leave what?”

“Though it may be presumptuous, I, Maritsuji Anri, will teach you studies.”

“Eh!?”

“I consistently rank around 30th, you know. Much higher than your current position, right?”

“…Maritsuji? Teaching me studies?”

I spaced out for a moment, then—

“No, I’ll pass. I’ll study steadily on my own.”

“You’re rejecting me outright!”

“Even if you say that… Just talking to you like this is already a bit problematic.”

Calling her by family name without honorifics is only because she insisted on it. I absolutely couldn’t do it in front of Maritsuji family people.

“Ah, no, excuse me. Raising my voice is unseemly. But I think it’s not a bad offer. What do you think, Hisaka-san?”

“Huh?”

“…You noticed well, Maritsuji-san.”

“Uwah!?”

At the end of the hallway, there’s a staircase nearby. Appearing from near that staircase was Sayaka.

“I’ve already revealed to you that I’m a maid, so I’ll say it: I have a duty to protect my master.”

“Fufu, please don’t speak of me as if I’m a dangerous person.”

Cool Sayaka and smiling Maritsuji. On the surface, it doesn’t look hostile at all—in fact, the atmosphere seems calm, but I can see sparks flying between them. It’s not an illusion, probably…

Why are these two on such bad terms? It’s not like they’re fighting over me or anything.

“Then, let’s get permission from you, the maid. May I teach Kiyomiya-san for the exam?”

“……”

Permission from the maid Sayaka? In a way, placing Sayaka above me is correct.

“Actually, I was thinking of finding someone to teach Kiyomiya-kun studies on my end.”

“Oh, is that so?”

This is news to me.

“Maki-san, I don’t know if she’s good or bad at studying, and Fujikawa might have a chance as a dark horse, but he’s a pervert, so it’d be a crisis for Kiyomiya-kun’s chastity.”

“There are so many things I could tsukkomi here!”

“Oh-ana…? What might ‘wanchan’ mean?”

See, the Ojou-sama who doesn’t know vulgar words is confused. And Sayaka probably used words she doesn’t normally use, knowing that.

“…Wait, anyway, isn’t there you, Sayaka? It’s quickest and surest to be taught by the year’s top student genius, right?”

“Impossible.”

“Why—whoa.”

Sayaka grabbed my uniform sleeve and pulled it firmly. Then brought her lips close to my ear.

“I’m a maid, after all. I can’t strictly teach studies to my master.”

“……”

She whispered quickly, then released my sleeve. So, Sayaka still intends to continue serving as my maid even now.

“I mean, that’s a big lie! Being strict with me is easier for you than breathing!”

“It’s a bit more difficult than breathing.”

“Deny it completely!”

It’s sad that I’m a little relieved it’s harder than breathing.

“But it’s true I’m not suited for the teacher role. I tried helping with your studies a bit before, but it didn’t go well. Miyabi-sa—Reizen-sensei can’t show favoritism, and there are no other suitable people.”

“If that’s the case, then indeed, I’ll teach Kiyomiya-san hand and foot. Let’s aim for top 10 together, like in a three-legged race.”

“I haven’t approved hand and foot.”

“Then, let’s start right after school today. Sounds good, right, Kiyomiya-san?”

“Ah, yeah… Okay. I got it, Maritsuji is definitely better at studies than me, so please.”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

Maritsuji smiled brightly and nodded. Indeed, a beauty on par with Sayaka… Even knowing her mysterious inner self, I’m almost fooled.

“This is fine… I have to believe that, you know.”

“……?”

What was that murmur from Sayaka just now? Could it be that Sayaka doesn’t like me being taught by Maritsuji? Then she shouldn’t have said things to encourage it. Or rather, she could just teach me herself.

After all, since her true identity was revealed, Sayaka’s suspicious actions have increased…