Chapter 8: The Maid Wants to Reward Her Master

“I’ve done it again.”

“You really messed up.”

The Kiyomiya Family Old Manor, Living Room──

After school ended, I came home and settled onto the sofa to scroll through my phone when Sayaka appeared. Already changed into her maid uniform, naturally.

“Your reputation has hit rock bottom, Keiji-kun.”

“You’re the one who tanked it, Sayaka.” I set my phone aside. “Well, not that I care. No matter what people think of me, I’ll shut them all up with results. That’s what I’m aiming for.”

“Isn’t that what they call dictatorship? Or authoritarianism?”

“I’ve only just started applying myself to my studies, so I don’t know any difficult words like that.”

“You’re a liar too, Keiji-kun.”

Sayaka sighed as she placed a teacup on the table in front of the sofa with a deliberate clatter.

She’s still holding a grudge about me calling her a liar, huh?

“Thanks, I’ll have some.” I took a sip. “Mm, Sayaka, you’re getting better at making tea.”

“If a single cup of tea can make up for today’s disaster, then it’s a small price to pay.”

“I never said it would make up for it…”

Sayaka’s screw-up today actually dealt some serious damage.

“But on a more serious note, 20th place was better than I expected.”

“You really didn’t have much faith in me, did you?”

“Top 10 wasn’t realistic, you know? You seemed to be studying diligently enough, but you were also busy having your little study dates with Maritsuji-san.”

“You thought that was us having study dates?”

That phrasing is so old-fashioned.

The study session at the Maritsuji residence proceeded as if nothing had happened after my encounter with Maritsuji’s mother, Rina-san. Anri-chan’s teaching proved invaluable. After we finished studying, Anri-chan and Sayaka bathed together…

I’m not wondering what two beautiful girls looked like in the bath together──

I’m quite curious about what they talked about, but Sayaka shows no intention of telling me.

“Maritsuji-san is──”

“Hm?”

“She’s definitely sandbagging, isn’t she?”

“I wonder if that’s the right way to put it. Well, there’s no doubt Maritsuji isn’t showing her full capability on the tests.”

Having her teach me made me fully understand just how brilliant Maritsuji truly is. It’s not just natural intelligence—she’s exceptionally skilled at studying, on a level far beyond most people. As if peering directly into my mind, Maritsuji pinpointed my weak areas with uncanny precision and gave me exactly the right advice to deepen my understanding. That’s something only possible with an intellect far superior to my own.

“Maritsuji-san might not just be top of the class—she could probably rank high in national mock exams.”

“I doubt she has any intention of ranking high. In fact, as the daughter of the Maritsuji family, I don’t think she’d do anything that would be seen as showing off her abilities.”

“In a way, she’s quite the sarcastic person. As expected of someone from Kyoto.”

“Try not to encourage stereotypes about people from Kyoto.”

I wonder when the image of Kyoto people using elegant words to make roundabout sarcastic remarks was formed.

Though I can’t talk, since I have that same impression of them.

“Just so you know, we’ll be going to Kyoto eventually. The Kiyomiya family was originally from there, so many of the Buddhist services and festivals are held in Kyoto.”

“How troublesome.”

“Don’t just dismiss it in one word. You’re going too, Sayaka.”

“Why?”

“Don’t make your reply so curt. Listen, you’re the one who inherited the Kiyomiya blood. I’m telling you this again right now.”

“…”

Sayaka looked down at me, her expression unreadable. Those thin lips showed no sign of opening.

“Now you’re giving me the silent treatment?”

It seems Sayaka has no intention whatsoever of acting as the young lady of the Kiyomiya family. Even after such a monumental secret about her birth was revealed, she’s already back to business as usual…

I let out a sigh.

“In any case, if I’m going to attend a formal event like a Buddhist service, I’ll need an attendant. Important people are supposed to walk around with an entourage to look impressive.”

“If you command me as your servant, I will of course accompany you. Because I am your maid.”

“…So you’ll agree to that.”

If I frame it as a master ordering his maid, will Sayaka do anything I ask?

No, she probably would, but I’m also getting the feeling she’s testing me to see what I’ll command.

I’d better be careful not to get carried away…

“Ah, it’s about time to start preparing dinner. Is there anything you want to eat, Keiji-kun?”

“Meat.”

“Simple and to the point.” Sayaka nodded. “Just you wait, I’ll satisfy your carnal appetite.”

“That’s not what ‘carnal’ means!”

Sayaka heartlessly ignored my retort and left the living room.

“Perfect timing, isn’t it? Why not have the maid satisfy your carnal appetites?”

“What do you mean, ‘perfect’?”

Without surprise, I glanced toward the living room door. There stood Maki in her school uniform, pointing her smartphone at me.

Right, this one’s living here too…

“Maki, how long are you planning to stay here?”

“Well, Maki-chan’s family is basically just my mother, and she’s pretty hands-off.”

“Basically…? So there’s an ‘applied’ version with a father?”

“Who knows?”

This girl really won’t say anything about her family.

“I told my mother that I’m staying at the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor to learn proper manners.”

“That’s the first I’m hearing of it.” I raised an eyebrow. “What, if you want to learn etiquette, I’ll teach you. Right, I was going to teach Sayaka too but forgot. Now that the tests are over, I might as well teach both you and Sayaka at the same time.”

“Maki-chan is a free-spirited gyaru-ojousama. If I learn manners, it’ll ruin my character.”

“You just don’t like feeling constrained… but wait.” I paused. “I almost let it slide, but… is it really just you and your mother at home, Maki?”

“My father exists, but he’s not at the Sogano house. Haven’t I mentioned it?”

Maki tilted her head innocently.

I don’t remember hearing that before, and knowing Maki, I’m sure she intentionally never said anything… But I can’t just ignore the fact that her father isn’t around. The Sogano family is supposed to be part of the upper class… so it’s far too unusual for a family to consist of only a mother and daughter. Among the aristocracy, it’s standard for both the father and mother to be present, unless something extreme happens. In cases of divorce or death, remarriage often occurs within a few years. In particular, the nobles of Kyoto still maintain a patriarchal society in this age of gender equality, so the absence of a husband is quite rare.

“What, are you trying to hit on my mom? Are you a madam killer?”

“As if!”

There’s no way I’d hit on my friend’s mother whom I’ve never even met.

I wouldn’t hit on her even if I had met her.

“My mom’s a looker, you know. You can think of her as a mature version of Maki-chan.”

“Don’t use ‘mature’ to describe your own mother.”

That’s your own mother you’re talking about.

“Come to think of it, I’ve never properly heard about your family, Maki.”

“Ooh, finally interested in Maki-chan? It’s nice for a master to nibble on his maid, but a gyaru classmate looks delicious too, doesn’t she?”

“Who said anything about wanting to nibble?”

“That’s right. I haven’t been nibbled on yet.”

“What’s with this ‘nibble’ talk…”

Sayaka had returned to the living room.

“Oh, is dinner ready already?”

“Of course not. In this house, we serve the master elaborate meals every day.” She turned to Maki. “Maki-san, you like café lattes from chain stores, right? They sell them at the convenience store, so will that do?”

“The vast difference in treatment between the master and a guest is concerning. Shouldn’t you treat guests with more respect?”

“I’ve learned that being a guest doesn’t guarantee you’ll be entertained.”

“…”

My maid is learning some bad habits.

Sure, the way I was treated at the Maritsuji residence wasn’t exactly praiseworthy, but that was a special case.

If anything, the Maritsuji family is one that would normally entertain guests with excessive courtesy.

“Kuh, I knew it! I should have forced my way into the Maritsuji visit! I bet I could’ve gotten some interesting pictures—what a missed opportunity!”

“You weren’t invited, Maki. Sayaka was permitted to come as my attendant.”

In the upper class, it’s normal for formal invitations to include an attendant—or an “escort” in the old days. A student might be permitted to go alone, but… in my case, people already look down on me. If I don’t follow proper etiquette, they’ll look down on me even more.

“Anyway, Sayaka, you’re in the middle of cooking, right? Did you need something?”

“Ah, that’s right. I just remembered something important. Maki-san, take out your phone.”

“Eh? Are you mugging me?”

“Even if I’m poor, I won’t resort to crime. I just want to hold on to Maki-san’s smartphone for a bit.”

“Why?”

“Don’t ask for a reason. It’s fine, I won’t look inside. I’ll just turn it off and hide it. Even for me, I can’t get past someone’s phone lock.”

“…”

Sayaka does have a prior conviction for rummaging through my room, so I feel like she might look through the phone…

But she probably wouldn’t go that far.

“Hmm, if I refuse, you’ll probably kick me out. The maid is the most powerful person in this house, after all.”

Maki grumbled as she took out her smartphone and handed it to Sayaka.

“Thank you. Now, the other one too.”

“Geh, how did you know!?”

“There is nothing in this mansion that I do not know.”

The maid in my house is seriously scary.

Maki, looking somewhat frightened, took out a foldable smartphone from somewhere.

“You had two phones?”

“I’m an info broker. A smartphone is essential for gathering information these days. It’s only natural to have a backup, right?”

“You’re scary too.”

A high school girl info broker sounds like child’s play, but in Maki’s case, she might actually be seriously engaged in collecting and selling information.

“Maki-san, the third one is…”

“I don’t have three! Seriously! I’m not that thorough!”

If you ask me, I feel like Maki is exactly the type of person to be that thorough. However, she is one of my few friends, so I must not doubt her.

“Sayaka, I don’t know the circumstances, but please go easy on her.”

“Understood, Master.”

“You go easy on me too.”

Even though I know she’s just joking, being called “Master” doesn’t feel half bad, which is exactly why I want her to stop.

“Well then, I’ll go make dinner. Please wait for about three hours.”

“Th-three hours? Cup noodles only take three minutes, you know?”

“But today is a special day to commemorate Keiji-kun taking 20th place, right? What’s the point if I don’t make a celebratory feast?”

“I’m getting a feast just for my grades improving?”

It’s like I’m happy to be praised, but at the same time, it feels like they really looked down on me before.

“Sorry, Keiji. I forgot to buy a cake to celebrate your 20th place.”

“Hey, you’re terrible too, Maki.”

My maid and my friend have neither loyalty nor friendship.

I’m surrounded by traitors.

“Well then, please look forward to it. I’m going to cook now.”

Sayaka once again briskly walked away. Then Maki let out a sigh.

“Ahh… I wonder how many minutes I can maintain my sanity without my phone.”

“You’re too addicted to your phone.”

I don’t know what Sayaka’s intentions are, but I do feel sorry for Maki having her phone taken away.

“Well, this looks like it could lead to something interesting, so I guess it’s fine!”

“You’re way too positive!”

“For now, it looks like I’ll get to eat a feast thanks to Keiji’s leftovers.”

“…Is my 20th place really such a big deal?”

That said, I’m starting to feel that 20th place isn’t so bad after all. At the very least, I’ve made some progress.

Dinner, while not a full course, consisted of a delicious and hearty spread of meat and fish dishes. It seems Sayaka doesn’t know how to hold back, and the amount was once again outrageous… In particular, for the meat dish I requested, she served three types: beef, pork, and chicken.

I said meat, but I didn’t ask for all three common types.

Thanks to Maki, who surprisingly eats a lot, and me, who doesn’t leave food on my plate, we were barely able to empty the dishes.

“Ugh, I think I can finally move…”

About an hour after returning to my room following dessert and after-dinner tea, my stomach, which felt like it was about to burst, has finally settled down.

“Keiji-kun.”

“Whoa!”

Suddenly, the door opened and Sayaka entered the room. Still in her maid uniform, of course.

“Y-you scared me.”

“I did knock, you know. Didn’t you notice?”

“Ah, yeah. I guess I’m still a bit dazed from being so full.”

“Aren’t you always dazed?”

“…I’ve been trying to be more focused lately.”

Even before, I was just pretending to be dazed while paying attention to my surroundings.

“I see. By the way, this room is getting a bit messy.”

“Ah, you might be right.”

For the past few days, Sayaka hasn’t cleaned my room—to be precise, she only vacuums the floor and wipes the desk and tables. Normally, that level of cleaning would be sufficient, but as a maid, it seems it’s standard for her to also tidy up and organize.

“Is it alright if I tidy up and such?”

“…Yeah, no problem at all.”

Sayaka used to organize even the bookshelves and drawers in my room. And not just organizing—she was searching for a picture of my mother… no, Sayaka’s biological mother, Wakura Honoka. In short, my room was being rummaged through by my maid, but I don’t care about that anymore.

“I’ve been so focused on studying lately that I’ve been neglecting things. It would be a great help if you could organize for me.”

“Studying and making a mess are two different things. Get your act together.”

“If I get my act together, you’ll be out of a job, Sayaka.”

“No, my salary isn’t commission-based, so I’m happier with less work.”

“Even if you think that, don’t say it!”

Is the maid dissatisfied with her treatment…?

Should I give her more money?

The operating expenses for the old manor that my father—the head of the Kiyomiya family—gives me are enough to easily hire four or five servants. Sayaka is maintaining this large mansion all by herself, so maybe I should pay her a little more… Maki has started living here, Reizen-sensei drops by unannounced, and things have gotten more troublesome, after all.

“What are you thinking so hard about? More importantly, I’ve finished cleaning up after the meal and have drawn a bath.”

“Oh, thanks. I’ll go after Maki.”

“You want to savor Maki-san’s leftover bathwater…?”

“I don’t have that kind of fetish!”

Sayaka always takes a bath last, but who goes first between me and Maki varies from day to day. We decide without any particular reason, so I wish she wouldn’t make such weird retorts.

“I peeked into Maki-san’s room just now, and she was asleep. Without her phone, she has nothing to do. I witnessed the tragedy of a modern person.”

“You’re the one who made her tragic, Sayaka. Well, I guess I’ll go first then.”

Maki doesn’t mind at all taking a bath after a guy.

“I’ve prepared some expensive bath salts tonight, so take your time and relax. It’s been a noisy day one way or another, and you must be tired from the exams. Go and heal yourself.”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Since Maki is asleep and Sayaka, as a servant, won’t bathe before her master, I suppose I can take a long soak. I take a towel and a change of clothes from Sayaka and head to the bathroom.

The Kiyomiya Family Old Manor was built 120 years ago, but it has been renovated and repaired many times, and the bathroom has also been remodeled. Apparently, it used to have a clawfoot bathtub like in foreign movies, but since it was unfamiliar and inconvenient for Japanese people, it was remodeled into a large, round bathtub.

“This bath is too big. Though it’s helpful that it’s spacious and easy to use.”

I say to myself as I open the door to the bathroom. The bath at the Kiyomiya Family Main Residence was also large, but the old manor’s is just as impressive. Both the bathtub and the washing area are spacious enough for three or four people to bathe at the same time. Being this spacious allows me to stretch out when washing my body and soaking in the tub, so maybe this size isn’t a waste after all.

The bath at the Maritsuji residence was probably big too, but ours is no slouch either.

“No, cleaning must be a pain. When I lived alone, I only took showers, and I only cleaned the bath once every three days. Sayaka coming here has been a real lifesaver.”

“Oh, how delightful. I wish you’d say things like that in front of me.”

“Even if I did, you’d just say something like, ‘I’m getting paid, so it’s only natural,’ Sayaka──wait, hey!”

“Kyaa!”

When I turn around, there she is—Sayaka. Of course, since I’m bathing alone, I’m not wearing a towel around my waist.

“Wh-what are you showing me!? You’re being obscene!”

“I’m being obscene!?”

She’s called me perverted and lecherous before, but this is a new one!

“T-to have something like that just hanging there…!”

“Don’t say ‘hanging there’!”

It’s not like I attached it by choice!

Thinking this, I crouch down on the spot to hide the sensitive part.

“I can’t get married anymore…”

“There you go with your old-fashioned values again.”

Sayaka is covering her face with both hands, and surprisingly, she doesn’t seem to be joking. She’s usually so cool and unfazed, but she can be such a maiden about the weirdest things.

“I-it’s alright, I am a capable maid. I have made arrangements to hide my master’s… master.”

“What’s this about my ‘master’!?”

As I retort, Sayaka hands me a towel. The situation is almost too ridiculous to comprehend, but first, I need to cover up what needs to be covered. Even in a mansion with a maid, there’s no chance of any lewd developments. I hastily wrap the towel around my waist──

“Phew… I’m good now.”

“No… Keiji-kun, even just your upper body is too indecent.”

“What do you want me to do!?”

Cover my chest with a towel too!?

That would just make me look like more of a pervert!

“Besides, didn’t you take off my shirt once before, Sayaka?”

“That was a medical procedure.”

Was it…?

Right, that was when Sayaka was worried that I might have been beaten up by that nasty guy from my class, Iwakura.

Having my clothes suddenly stripped off was bad for my heart.

“So, what’s this all about…?”

“Service. Isn’t it obvious? I’ll wash your back for you.”

Sayaka says this and lifts her knee-length skirt, tying the hem in a knot. Her dazzlingly white thighs are exposed──

“W-wait. I can wash my own back…!”

“No, your back is wide open.”

“I haven’t lived a life where I have to watch my back──actually, maybe I have.”

“You have. Just in the past few days, how many times have you been accosted by delinquents?”

“…O-only twice so far.”

“And you are the young master of the Kiyomiya family. It wouldn’t be strange if you were stabbed from behind at any moment, would it?”

“Do you think the Kiyomiya family is some kind of criminal organization?”

Don’t forget, you’re the real child of the Kiyomiya family, you know?

You wouldn’t want your real family to be criminals, would you!

“Anyway, just think of this service as a reward for your improved grades.”

“Isn’t this service a little too extreme…?”

“You should be grateful to have a girl wash your back for you. It’s fine, there’s no risk of Maki-san taking incriminating photos of you receiving service from your maid.”

“So that’s why you took her phone!”

What a roundabout foreshadowing.

Even with my newly awakened intellect, I couldn’t have predicted this development in a million years.

“Now, let’s begin. Sit on that stool.”

“…Alright.”

In any case, if it’s a reward from Sayaka, there’s no problem in accepting it. If she had shown up naked, I might have run away, but Sayaka is at least wearing her maid uniform.

After a light rinse with the shower, she scrubs my back with a soft towel, as if caressing it. They say it’s better to wash your body with body soap on your hands, but I don’t feel clean unless I use a towel.

“Keiji-kun, your body really is toned. Your trapezius, latissimus dorsi, and erector spinae muscles in your back are subtly defined.”

“I didn’t even know the name of the last one.”

I’ve been learning how to brawl from a former Self-Defense Force member—a former Airborne Ranger—who is in charge of security at the Kiyomiya Family Main Residence. As part of my basic training, I also do some strength training, but──

“I’ve only been doing light workouts on my own for the past year or so, so I might be getting a bit flabby.”

“You’ve studied martial arts, haven’t you, Keiji-kun?”

“It’s nothing that grand. But basic physical strength is necessary, so I used to do some serious strength training before.”

“I’ve never seen you working out, though?”

“I just do some light push-ups and sit-ups in my room.”

She looked at me with suspicion, so I gave her a brief explanation.

“Lately, I’ve been busy with a classmate moving in, being pressured to hire a maid, and then another classmate moving in.”

“Maki-san is quite the handful, isn’t she?”

“Don’t just pick up on the last part.”

Most of my recent troubles have been because of Sayaka.

“Alright, all clean. I’ll rinse you off with the shower.”

Sayaka picks up the showerhead and starts rinsing my back with a gentle stream.

Ooh, the water is just the right temperature and feels good…

What’s more, Sayaka is rubbing my back with her hands as she rinses it.

The touch of a girl’s hands feels even better…

“That’s bad.”

“Huh?”

“Y-you want me to wash your back with my chest, don’t you? I’m not a kid, so I know about that kind of play.”

“Don’t call it ‘play’! As if I’d ask for that!”

“Kyaa!”

When I turn around with force, Sayaka is so surprised that she throws her hands up in the air, still holding the showerhead. Naturally, the water from the still-spraying shower douses Sayaka from head to toe──

“…”

“…”

A soaking wet maid and a master with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

What is this situation?

“As expected, Keiji-kun. The moment you see an opening, you get your maid soaking wet just to enjoy her see-through uniform.”

“Like I could calculate a situation like this.”

Besides, isn’t this all because Sayaka made a baseless accusation against me?

“Well, since I’m already this wet, maybe I’ll just join you in the bath.”

“At least take your clothes off!”

“…’Take them off’ is quite a bold command. You’ve finally shown your true colors, Master.”

“Wait, that was just in the heat of the moment.”

I just meant it’s not good for her to stay like a drowned rat, so she should take them off.

“Ugh, even my bra is soaked…”

“…!”

Sayaka unties the ribbon at the collar of her maid uniform and unbuttons her black one-piece to check inside her clothes. I can almost see the cleavage of her breasts—wait, I shouldn’t be seeing her cleavage!

“If I don’t undress here, the changing room will get soaked.”

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, wait, wait, wait, wait!”

“You don’t have to get so excited.”

“Don’t be ridiculous when a girl is starting to undress right in front of me!”

Sayaka removes her apron and boldly takes off her black one-piece dress.

“It’s fine, I’m wearing the sporty type of underwear today. It’s not that sexy, is it?”

“…”

The top is more like a short tank top than a bra. The bottoms are more like short shorts than panties. Even so──

“No, no, it’s still underwear! Don’t show it to me!”

“Huh, are you really getting excited from this? Oh my, you perv…”

“You’re the one who took it off!”

“You ordered me to take it off, didn’t you, Keiji-kun…? So it’s finally come for sexual service…”

“What do you mean ‘finally’!?”

Any further arguing would be bad.

I quickly exit the bathroom, go to the changing room, grab a larger towel, and return to the bathroom.

“Here, cover yourself with this!”

“Ah, Keiji-kun, you didn’t even dry your body properly. In the end, the changing room got soaked, and my work has increased…”

“I’ll help! I’ll help, so!”

“No, it’s my job.”

Sayaka takes the towel from me and uses it to cover the front of her body. Incidentally, her maid uniform has fallen to the bathroom floor and is now completely soaked.

“How strange, I honestly came here to reward you, Keiji-kun.”

“Please reward me in some other way…”

I’m living under the same roof with a female classmate.

To be honest, I’m trying to be careful not to create a weird atmosphere, so it’s a problem when Sayaka does something so bold.

“I understand. I’ll think of a non-sexual service for next time.”

“Don’t say ‘sexual.’ Though the ‘non-sexual’ part is important.”

I am the master, Sayaka is the maid. We must not cross that line—it must not turn into some kind of erotic rom-com.

Today’s fatigue isn’t something a bath can wash away…