NOVEL WEB Chapter 206
“Unfortunately, I could only pretend to be the perfect maid until I stepped into my own room, where I don’t actually need to be one.”
No matter how much of a maid I was, I really didn’t want to put on that act in a place where it wasn’t necessary.
If you’re wondering why it’s my room and not Rapis’s, it’s because the kids are visiting me. The second reason is that Harane specifically told me to talk in my room.
The third reason is that Harane actually said she’d pretend not to hear anything that was discussed in my room.
So, there was no reason not to go.
Of course, I could try to score some points by saying, “Oh, how could you say that? I’m living such a wonderful life here!” but honestly, I’m not that patient.
I’m a human too, you know? If something bothers me, I want to shout it out loud. I’ve got feelings bottled up, after all.
Harane probably knows that and is nudging me to hang out with my friends to release some of that pent-up frustration.
Otherwise, it’d be a trap. If it’s the former, I appreciate the kindness; if it’s the latter… well, I don’t know. Let’s just figure it out after it happens.
Better a bit of a chill than my heart rotting away with all that excess goo.
Anyway, Altera seems to have a decent opinion of me now, and above all, I have Rapis.
No matter how much Harane dislikes me, she can’t block Rapis’s affection.
Thus, I entered my room, which is modest by this household’s standards but feels luxurious compared to the outside world.
“This… is your room? I think it’s nicer than my bedroom…? Not talking about my home bedroom, but the one I got in Heros city…”
“You know how much money Rapis’s family has. So, is it surprising? They say they didn’t spend much, yet here we are.”
“I’m not envious or anything… but this is on a whole other level. I’ve heard it often, but seeing it in person feels like a palace. So that’s why Rapis’s sense of economics was a bit weird?”
“Well… I can’t say it didn’t have any influence…”
Ageha looked at Rapis as if she finally understood why she spends money so freely, but Rapis didn’t exactly deny it.
After all, the money spent with friends outside would probably just be pocket change to Rapis. It would only matter if we talked about real estate.
“Thank goodness. At least it seems like you’re being treated decently. But with a house this big, just cleaning must take an eternity. Can Miss Blanca handle it all by herself?”
“I was curious about that too. Is being a maid manageable?”
Minho chimed in right after Ageha asked. I was wondering when someone would ask that. If you ask if it’s manageable…
“Sort of? It’s not like they prevent me from using my abilities, and the owners keep everything quite clean. It’s not physically exhausting; it’s the mental part that’s tough.”
“Mental…? Are you perhaps being bullied?”
Minho asked worriedly, but I quickly clarified that it wasn’t like that, instead of letting Rapis defend her family.
“The owners don’t like me as much as they do Rapis. Especially her mother. It seems she still holds a grudge over what I did to Rapis. It’s Karma, really.”
Hearing that, the kids looked at me with a “Ah” expression, as if that was unavoidable.
But just then…
“Well, that can’t be helped. It’s Miss Blanca’s fault, after all.”
Seolhwa, who had been snacking on frozen fruits, delivered the final blow.
Hmm. As much as it’s true, must you say it like that, Seolhwa?
“Miss Blanca, I didn’t know you could be so well-behaved…”
The mood turned tense, but thankfully, Yeonhwa stepped in to lighten things up.
“Right? I never would’ve thought Miss Blanca was capable of being so obedient to someone.”
Once Jinhyeon joined in, the others quickly followed suit.
“Exactly. Who would’ve thought that the fiery Miss Blanca could be so docile?”
“I figured it was just some other person who looked similar to her.”
As I listened to the teasing, I felt a strange annoyance rise within me.
“…I could totally pretend to be well-behaved if I wanted to, you know? I know very well when I should hold my pride and when I shouldn’t. What do you think I am?”
“A grumpy cat.”
“Hey.”
“Honestly, that sounds about right, doesn’t it? Miss Blanca’s personality… heh, it’s not easy to view it positively.”
“At the start of the term, you all seemed ready to bite and eat each other. Right, Seolhwa?”
“Yeah. Looking back, I think I understand why that was. It wasn’t really friendship, it was more like playful…”
The moment they brought that topic up, I realized I had no choice but to throw up my hands in surrender.
“Ah, I give up, I give up.”
“Victory!”
Looks like Seolhwa got a bit weirder in the meantime.
“Just kidding, Blanca.”
Minho didn’t intend to pry further and cut off the questioning, but the tension wasn’t going away.
Because I had done something wrong.
“You guys can joke about it, but I still get rattled every time I hear it.”
While they’ve healed enough to joke about it, every time I hear about it, I still get chills down my spine.
My guilt hasn’t disappeared.
It still remained deep in my heart.
And it likely would forever.
That’s how it has to be.
If I’m human.
“So, Blanca! How about telling everyone what kind of work you do? I think they’d be curious!”
“Yeah, yeah. What exactly does a maid do?”
With Rapis’s suggestion, Yeonhwa backed her up. The ground had been laid for me to escape, and I had no reason to run away.
“Best to just explain in order. First, I wake up the earliest in the morning to wake Rapis up and pack her school bag…”
The kids seemed interested, not asking any questions, but attentively listening. So, I started detailing my daily routine.
Wake up at 6:30 AM. Wake Rapis and pack her school bag. Wake others while Rapis washes up. Prepare breakfast based on Altera’s guidance. Clean up after breakfast.
After Rapis leaves, I start cleaning the house. Once cleaning’s done, laundry, take out the trash, manage the lawn, and a quick lunch. If there’s someone around, prepare something for them too.
At 3, go to the Styling Academy for classes until 6. Then Harane picks me up, and I go back home for a short break.
By the time Rapis returns—if she’s already back, there’s no break—I organize Rapis’s room and help with her homework while preparing a simple dinner.
After dinner and washing up, I tidy up the room and take care of any requests from the household. I stay a little awake just in case, then sleep when it seems alright.
“…If there aren’t special circumstances, that’s about it?”
The kids listened, fascinated, but when I finished, they tilted their heads, looking puzzled. The first to speak was Minho.
“So, outside of tutoring, you really don’t have time to leave the house?”
“Yeah. I guess not being trusted fully after not even a month here plays a part, plus for my own safety, it’s best not to.”
Who knows what may happen if I step outside? I might get picked on by random citizens or, worse yet, the Heros Company might come to snag me back.
Saying this, Minho simply sighed a short, “Ah,” as if he understood.
“Well, is there anything weirder?”
“Miss Blanca, doesn’t that mean you don’t get to sleep much? Is that alright?”
“It’s fine.”
Being an abilities user doesn’t mean I can skip sleep, but this has been my experience. Especially after merging with Slime, I don’t need to sleep as long.
“Well, it might seem different to you guys, but for me, it’s very comfortable, so don’t worry too much. I’m doing okay here. Just a bit bored.”
Especially because I can’t see any blood, it makes things even more boring.
Thinking about how I can no longer feel the crushing of flesh and breaking of bones makes it hard to breathe.
I’m enduring for now, but I wonder what will happen if it gets unbearable down the line.
I wasn’t trying to, but I ended up making a gloomy face.
“…Really? Then there’s no choice. For your sake, we have to come visit often!”
Yeonhwa said that with a laugh as if we had to visit more often.
I’ve truly met some wonderful friends.
How did I end up with such friends in this lifetime?
“If you really do, I’m grateful. I’ll graciously accept it, guys.”
I replied, saying I’d look forward to it.
— — —
“It’s finally time…”
Two days after my friends came to visit, while I was making breakfast with Altera like any ordinary morning, she suddenly said that.
I couldn’t quite tell if she was talking to me or just thinking out loud, but after a moment of stillness, Altera looked at me and confirmed that it was indeed meant for me.
“You can’t act as if you didn’t hear that after overhearing everything.”
“I thought it was a monologue. So, may I ask when that is?”
“I was about to tell you. Since you’re part of the family now, you’d eventually need to know…”
Altera said that, hesitated a bit, cleared her throat, and stated that she was likely to lay eggs within two days.
“…Huh?”
What did I just hear?