Chapter 212

* * *

Hello, I’m Lilac.

“Uuungh…!”

I’m here to guide you through my first task of the morning.

I wake up with the early morning air.

It’s a habit of mine to get out of bed, stretch my arms out wide, and do a big stretch.

It’s good for your health, you know.

“Ah, be careful, be careful.”

What am I being careful about?

My pajamas.

The purple winter pajamas my Master bought for me!

That’s why I have to be careful.

If they get damaged, my Master would say it’s fine, but I wouldn’t be fine.

I take off my pajamas, wash my body clean, and put on my maid uniform.

“Heeheeheung~.”

The very first thing I do is prepare Master’s bath.

In the old days, I had to heat the water with firewood, but in our new house, hot water comes out with just a few simple button presses.

Isn’t that amazing?

Ah, I have to be quiet from now on.

“…”

Master’s room has a private bathroom attached.

So I have to go through Master’s room to get to the bathroom.

When I enter the room… as expected, Master is still sleeping.

He’s a heavy sleeper in the mornings, so he doesn't wake up easily.

Oh, and Sebastian is sleeping under the bed!

“…”

Every time I see Master’s sleeping face, my heart pounds and my steps become heavy, but… I can consider this a part of the salary I receive as a maid, right…?

“Today, I’ll use this one.”

Now I’m in the bathroom.

There are over ten types of bath salts for Master to use!

Extravagant, you say?

That’s right….

Perhaps it’s because it’s become a habit to prepare generously when it comes to anything for my Master…?

Besides… I bought them all, but he only uses one.

The lilac-scented bath bomb.

It’s… my selfish desire.

I worry that Master might be getting tired of it, but… my not-so-pure selfishness leads me to dissolve the lilac-scented bath bomb once again.

“Heave-ho!”

After preparing Master’s bath, it’s time to prepare a meal!

Master will be waking up soon.

Today, I plan to prepare Ricotta Cheese Salad, Gorgonzola Thin Pizza, and Tomato Pasta, which Master loves.

“Be delicious, be delicious~.”

Do I talk to myself a lot?

Uh… it’s a habit.

A bad habit that comes from working alone, I suppose….

I was caught by Master once in the past, and, well….

No, it’s fine.

I won’t say any more.

“Hello, Lilac.”

“Did you sleep well, Savo?”

As expected, the diligent Savo woke up first.

Savo picks up the dishes and sets them on the table.

“Hwaaaam, Lilac~”

“Good morning, Bianca.”

Bianca is also half-asleep.

Bianca’s twintails are a little crooked.

I should tell her later.

I’m worried about her sleeping late these days anyway.

I wonder if she’s dozing off at the Academy….

“Lilac, thank you every morning.”

“Ah, welcome. Nerjin.”

The cause of Bianca’s sleep deprivation is Nerjin himself.

He stays up all night every night for his celestial alchemy training.

Of course, I know it’s important and that both Nerjin and Bianca enjoy it.

But seeing them juggle the cafe, Peacemaker duties, and all that, I can’t help but worry….

“Has President Martin woken up yet?”

“I was just… about to go see if he’s coughed yet.”

Now, it’s my favorite time.

Master is a heavy sleeper in the mornings.

So when he doesn’t wake up on his own, I have to wake him up slowly.

First, I knock,

“Master, it’s Lilac. May I come in?”

Then I wait five seconds before entering.

It’s proper etiquette, you know.

In front of the door, Sebastian is sitting blankly with sleepy eyes.

Oh my, when did he wake up?

“Sebastian. Did you sleep well?”

[Whine….]

Perhaps because he takes after Master, Sebastian is also not a morning person.

He looks weak as he walks to the kitchen.

I should give him the special treat I made yesterday.

More importantly, Master is… ah, he’s still sleeping, as expected.

First… I’ll start by opening the curtains, but….

‘Am I… being greedy.’

Lately, I have to admit that I’ve been forgetting my duties.

‘Master.’

Listening to the sound of my pounding heart, I slowly walk to the bed and stand beside my Master.

The desire to lie down right next to him and sleep together boils within me, but I endure it.

The urge to press my lips against his closed eyes, I somehow suppress it.

‘I’m sorry.’

But just one thing.

Master’s hand, resting outside the blanket.

I gently press a kiss to the tip of his finger.

For some reason, I feel a rush of heat to my face, huaah…!

‘I must be a bad girl.’

Now, now!

Nothing happened!

Right?!

I’ll open the curtains first!

Then I’ll open the window!

Some people may dislike the cold air, but Master enjoys feeling the cold breeze while under the warm blanket.

The cold wind blows in, and my face feels a bit chilly.

But that’s okay.

Because Master… likes this side of me the most.

“…Lilac…?”

“Yes, Master.”

Your Lilac is right here.

* * *

“I’ll eat well, Lilac.”

“Yes, Master. Please enjoy your meal.”

Lilac smiled brightly.

There was probably no other child in the world as pure as her.

‘Sigh.’

Just looking at Lilac made my heart beat faster, so I quickly turned my attention to the food.

I was the only bad one here.

Lilac probably didn't even know the first thing about romance.

- Know-It-All (Master) says it has a lot to say but will refrain.

- Wild Instinct (Master) just sighs.

‘Ah, what is it.’

These skills were at it again, having their own conversations behind their master’s back.

- Firearm Master (Lv 1) laments that while he’s great at hitting targets, he’s not so great at other things.

- Movement (Lv 10) also laments that while he’s great at moving his body, he’s not so great at other things.

- Stellar Force (Lv 10) suggests they stay out of it, as it’s something for them to figure out on their own.

I had learned from long experience that ignoring them was the best answer.

“I’m off!”

Bianca was the first to leave.

It was almost time for her to go to the Academy.

Next was me.

Classes at Imperium Academy didn't start until 9 o’clock, so I had plenty of time.

“Then I’ll be off as well.”

“Ah, take care, President Martin.”

“Have a good day, Master.”

Nerjin and Savo bid me farewell, but that rascal Sebastian didn't even look at me, too busy chewing on his rawhide.

Well, whatever.

Lilac saw me off to the door instead.

“Master, take this. It’s fruit tea today.”

“Looks delicious. Thank you.”

After receiving Lilac’s homemade bottle, my preparations for school were complete.

Once I was out of sight of the continuously waving Lilac, I used Flash to head to the underground waterway.

“Hmm.”

On my way to the Academy, I opened the information booklet Bianca had made.

I gave it a quick scan.

‘As expected, there’s not a single word about the raid on the Humanity Preservation Agency.’

It was only natural.

It wasn't something to brag about.

‘Let’s see, what’s next…. Ah, as expected, anti-demon sentiment is on the rise.’

This year alone, three Demon Lords had invaded the imperial capital.

It would be a problem if there wasn't any backlash.

“Oh.”

Public opinion about the Elidore Ducal Family was also heated.

Most of it was positive.

After all, the Elidore family was probably closer to the common people than the Frohadin family.

“Hmm…?”

[Angel Medic]

It was a word recorded on the back page of the information booklet.

[A merchant selling a panacea through back-alley deals is a hot topic. High recognition among young nobles.]

It seemed to be a record of a rumor circulating by word of mouth, rather than an official newspaper article….

‘Hmm.’

Somehow, I felt like I had one more thing to worry about.

I heard a murmuring sound.

Not from the underground waterway, but from the surface.

I stored Bianca’s information booklet in my magic pouch.

I would be arriving at the Academy soon.

‘I’m pretty strange myself.’

People might wonder.

Why was I attending the Academy?

Wasn't there nothing left for me to learn?

…I wouldn't deny it.

There was nothing much for me to learn.

Now that I had mastered Know-It-All, I was practically at a level where I could teach the teachers.

‘The reason I go to the Academy.’

There were plenty of excuses.

To keep an eye on the main characters.

To meet with Anette, Adela, or Luri.

To maintain my alliance with the Academy teachers.

…But that wasn't the real reason.

‘I just… want to go.’

It wasn't efficient or anything, which was really foolish, but I didn't want to give up on the Academy.

Perhaps, like Adela or Anette, I had also grown fond of the school life I had learned late.

‘…That’s a load of crap.’

“Hi, Martin!”

Gilbert greeted me as soon as I arrived in the classroom.

Had that guy’s brain been reset or something?

Acting all like the protagonist.

“Get out of my sight, Gilbert.”

“Okay! I’ll get out!”

Seeing Gilbert, who had stood up with a bright smile, sit right back down, made my stomach churn.

I had clearly won, and I was sure I had inflicted injuries that would take at least three weeks to heal.

How did he heal completely over the weekend?

Ah, right, he was also a Stellar Force user.

“…Hah!”

As I plopped down in my seat with an irritated sigh, Adela and Luri, who were sitting next to me, looked at me with sharp eyes.

“You fought again.”

“They fought again.”

They spoke as if looking at little kids, so I retorted.

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Who said you did? Why didn't you take me with you?”

“That’s right, Martin! You should have taken me too! You went alone again!”

I was dumbfounded by the two of them confidently demanding to have been included.

“No…, how do you know where I went to say you wanted to go?”

“You must have gone somewhere. Hell or some demonic realm.”

“You think we don't know?”

Luri pointed to the back of her left hand with a pout.

There was nothing on it, but I wasn't so dense as to not know what she meant.

‘She knows the Buster Order was activated.’

As expected of the Elidore Ducal Family and the Golden Princess, they seemed to know everything.

Just then.

“A moment, Sir Martin. Do you have time?”

Anette called out to me.

As we jointly managed the administrative organization for the slums, Extra, I couldn't ignore her call.

Hadn't she also helped me at the Humanity Preservation Agency?

“Ah, then let me just…”

Adela and Luri naturally stood up to follow me.

“…Why are you two…”

“Do not question my decision to go.”

“I want to go too!”

Just as I was about to say something.

“Hmm, that’s fine. Let’s go together.”

Anette readily agreed.

In the end, the four of us ended up on the deserted rooftop.

Even before opening the rooftop door, Anette got straight to the point.

“Sir Martin, do you remember? The smuggler we saw at headquarters a while back.”

“Ah, I remember.”

Ben, the drug smuggler and slave trader.

He was one of Martin’s cronies in the Violence Circle, in charge of drugs and human trafficking.

In the process of Martin being taught a lesson by the main characters, he was also kicked out of his family.

After living lazily in the lawless zone with the money he had, he was arrested by Anette when he tried to make a comeback with drugs and slaves after his money ran out.

“About him, uh, well…”

I had clearly said it was okay to kill him, so I assumed they had interrogated him, but conscious of the other two, she deliberately softened her words.

“I had a gentle chat with him.”

I figured that meant she had probably broken two or three of his limbs.

“It seems like something unusual is about to happen on the continent again.”

“Something unusual?”

“In the lawless zone… it seems a guy calling himself the ‘King of the Underworld’ has appeared. The reason the smuggler came to the capital was because the King of the Underworld persuaded him.”

As soon as we opened the iron door and stepped onto the rooftop, a winter wind blew in.

The collars of our Academy uniforms fluttered.

I found a certain peace at the Academy.

I hoped this daily life wouldn't be shattered.

But the Academy, the capital of the Imperium Empire, was a hotbed of incidents.

“Incidents just keep happening, don't they.”

“Tell me about it. As if it’s an unavoidable fate.”