After the fun date with Kuro, it would have been great if we went back
to the Central Tower together but… As she was the one who was
running the event, Kuro seemed to be busy, so we decided to part ways
at the Central Plaza where we had first met.
Maybe because tomorrow is finally the last day of the Six Kings Festival,
and there are preparations they need to make for the party that is going
to be held in the Central Tower.
Anyway, after seeing Kuro off with a wave, I didn't go back to the
Central Tower… and started walking towards the stalls.
Unnn, how should I say this… I've eaten nothing but baby castellas for
almost the whole day, so I wanted to eat something else. Dinner time is
near so I'm going to try not to eat too much, but I want to eat some
skewers or something.
As I was walking towards the area lined with stalls, I suddenly saw a
familiar figure ahead of me… someone who shouldn't have been here.
[…Illness-san?]
[Oyaaa? If it isn't Kaito-samaaaa, good evening~~ What a
coincidenceeee, meeting you here.]
[Ah, yes. Good evening.]
When I called out to her… Illness-san, a maid at Lilia-san's mansion,
turned around and replied with her peculiar tone.
Illness-san is a maid under Lilia-san's service, and she's the one who
cleans my room and changes the sheets on my bed.
At about 120cm tall, she's the smallest person I've ever met except for
Raz-san, and with her dark gray-colored hair that is moderately long
she had the image of a youthful beauty.
However, as one would have expected in this world, where appearances
couldn't always describe what a person is, and despite her petite
stature, Illness-san seems to be the oldest of the servants in the
mansion.
And there are two… no, three major characteristics that could describe
Illness-san.
The first is her peculiar way of speaking. The second is her unfocused
black eyes… as if she was always staring at the empty skies.
And the third…
[Kuhiii, kuhihihihi… Even though it may be a coincidenceeee~~ I'm
glaaaad to have met Kaito-samaaaa.]
—is her very creepy smile that looks more like a grin rather than a
smile.
Her peculiar way of speaking, unfocused eyes and creepy laugh… If one
only looks at these, how should I say this… although it may be rude to
say this, they would think that she's a creepy person.
In fact, when I first met her… I actually got really scared of her.
[Oyaaa? Kaito-samaaaa, do you mind crouching for a biiiiit?]
[Eh? Ah, yes.]
The sight of Illness-san urging me to crouch down with a smile on her
face, the corners of her lips turned up so high that I can see her teeth,
makes it look as if she's going to play a prank on me.
Following Illness-san's words… Illness-san took a comb out of nowhere
and started combing my hair.
[…There~~ You look greaaaat.]
[Thank you.]
[No, noooo~~]
Unnn, well, how should I say this… I thought Illness-san was very
creepy when I first met her, but she was actually… a very "caring and
gentle person".
In the beginning, when I first came to this world, I was the only man in
a mansion filled with women, so I was feeling ashamed, but it was
Illness-san who stepped forward to be my exclusive maid, and I have
been under her care ever since I came to this world.
The room she cleans is always spotless, the bed is very comfortable, and
the clothes she washes are wrinkle-free.
Anyway, she is very talented and Lilia-san said that she's indebted to
Illness-san. Of course, I'm also indebted to her.
Furthermore, not only was she a skilled maid, she was also a top-notch
leader, and this is something I just heard but… it seems that it was
actually Illness-san who instructed Anima in miscellaneous tasks such
as letter processing, and Eta and Theta in the basic tasks of being a
maid.
On top of that, she's even taking care of Bell and Lynn while Sieg-san
and I are away…
But well, even though she's an amazing person, according to her, she
doesn't like standing out, so she basically stays behind the scenes.
In addition to Eta and Theta, she has also given Anima some advice and
handed over some jobs related to me if she wants them, and the three
of them are quite fond of Illness-san.
For me personally, she has been very helpful in many ways. She cleans
my room, brings me tea and sweet butter cookies when I'm tired, and
arranges my hair when visiting the royal castle.
[…H- Hmmm. It will beee a bit chillllllly from now oooooon~~ So it
might be gooooood to let it grow longer for a biiiiiit.]
[Ah, yes. Errr… Can I entrust them to you again?]
[Yeeeees~~ You can count on meeeeee.]
[Thank you as always.]
Incidentally, the person who had cut my hair when it grew longer is also
Illness-san.
And well, although Illness-san has an unusual way of speaking and
laughing… She is motherly, kind, a touch-notch maid and leader, and
yet, she is not conceited at all, and was humble and incredibly nice.
She had a different type of motherliness from Kuro who was just like
the sun, pulling you in and wrapping you up in her warmth with a
smile. Illness-san was just like the moon, gently supporting behind my
back, advising me on the path I should take even in the darkest of times.
[…Speaking of which, I'm changing the subject, how come Illness-san is
here?]
[I'm here to deliveeeeeer~~ a document to My Lady that requires her
urgent confirmation. I've just finished thaaaaaaat~~ and I'm heading
back to the mansiooooooon.]
Illness-san didn't participate in the Six Kings Festival. Well, I invited her
and I don't know if she doesn't like going to noisy places or not, but she
refused and stayed at the mansion.
[…Errr, are you in a hurry to go back?]
[Hmmm. I'm not really in a hurrrrrry, so is something the matter?]
[Well, ummm… I was just about to go check out the stalls… and I've
always been indebted to Illness-san, so I thought I could treat you to
something if you'd like… but Illness-san did mention that you don't like
noisy places, right?]
[Nooo~~ It's not that I don't like iiiiiit, I also like things when things are
livelyyyyy. Let's seeeee, please waiiiit for a bit, okaaaaay?]
When I suggested that I wanted to repay Illness-san for all the help she
has always given me, she took out a small pocket watch from the pocket
of her maid uniform.
Then, after looking at the time for a bit, she turned to me and let out her
usual smile.
[Kuhihi… If it's for two hoursssssss, it should be alriiiiiiiiight. Well
theeeeen, since you've invited meeeeee, I'd be happy to join youuuuuu.]
[T- Thank you. I'm sorry for the bother…]
[No, noooooo~~ I'm very happyyyy that Kaito-sama is thinking well of
meeeeee. Kuhihi.]
Even though it was a sudden invitation, Illness-san readily agreed to my
invitation.
Dear Mom, Dad—— Depending on who listens to it, it may sound like
I'm asking her out on a date but… I don't have any ulterior motive at all,
and I was only thanking her for all the help she has done for me. N- No, I
guess that would be a bit of an exaggeration. Although the main
purpose really is to thank her, having to walk around stalls with a
beautiful girl like Illness-san, as a man——- I'd be lying if I said I wasn't
happy.