CHAPTER 1
A REASON TO BRING YOU
1
The trip from Pristella to Roswaal Manor was approximately ten days.
Going to the Water Gate City took about the same time, so it had been nearly a month since they first set off. There had not been any jobs that kept them away from the mansion that long before, so it was actually a bit emotional for Subaru.
“Subaru!”
“Oh, Petra—gh, whoa!”
Getting down from the carriage, Subaru thanked the driver as a girl in a maid outfit came running from the mansion and wrapped him in a flying hug. Struggling to catch her, he breathed a sigh of relief as he patted her on the head.
“Don’t scare me like that, Petra. It’s been a month, but I see you’re in a good mood.”
“It’s been so long. I’m just really happy… I’m sure it was difficult for you, Master Subaru. I was worried after the letter came. You aren’t just pretending to be okay when you’re actually hurt, are you?”
“That tickles.”
Petra’s reddish-brown hair bobbed this way and that as she checked Subaru’s body for injuries. Subaru grimaced a bit as everyone else left the carriage, too.
“Come on, Petra. It’s time for work, before Ram gets mad at you.”
“…Okaaay. Tell me everything later.”
With that, Petra pulled away, but that look of suspicion never left her eyes. She didn’t seem to trust Subaru at all. To be fair, their original plan was to find some magic crystals, and instead they ended up fighting the Witch Cult in a massive battle that swept through the entire city.
Even if Subaru pleaded his innocence in the matter, it wasn’t surprising that she refused to believe him. While he was thinking that, Petra greeted the guests with a practiced speech.
“Welcome, honored guests. I am a maid serving the Roswaal Manor, Petra Leyte. Please allow me to show you into the mansion after your long journey.”
Julius was helping Anastasia down from the carriage, and they both looked impressed by the gracefulness of her introduction. Emilia and Beatrice looked almost proud of her.
“Well now, what a dignified little darling. I almost want to hire her myself.”
“Indeed. It’s almost like an entirely different person from the girl who leaped onto Subaru.”
“…Apologies for that shameful display.”
Petra’s cheeks reddened as Anastasia and Julius smiled. Observing that reaction, Julius nodded.
“I see. I understand why people have taken to calling you the little girl tamer.”
“Just to be clear, Petra isn’t that young, and even if I let that misclassification slide, Beako is the only one, so don’t get the wrong idea.”
“Betty doesn’t just listen to everything Subaru says. No one has tamed Betty.” Subaru met Julius’s banter with a biting response, only to be sharply corrected by Beatrice. “Besides, there’s not even that much difference between Betty and Pet… Wait. P-Petra has grown a little, I suppose? And her hair’s a bit longer, too…!”
“A full month has gone by, after all. I’m a growing girl. I’m getting taller, and if I don’t cut my hair, of course it will get longer. But you’re still this small.”
“H-how could this be…?!”
Beatrice was trembling as Petra smiled and hugged her. Enjoying Beatrice’s pouting face, Petra changed topics.
“I should show you in before Ms. Ram gets upset…”
“—If you wanted to avoid that, you should have tried a little harder.”
“Eep!”
Petra’s face paled when a familiar voice came from behind her. A second maid emerged from the mansion, making the younger maid shudder in fear—it was Ram.
Her pink eyes pinned Petra in place for several long moments before she slowly turned her gaze to Subaru and the others.
“Just when I was thinking your work had been improving and maybe you deserved some acknowledgment… How disappointing.”
“I—I’m sorry… Um, but what was that about my work…?”
“Yes. I was going to say that you have gotten better at cooking and more careful with cleaning and better at washing the laundry, and you get up earlier than I do.”
“Maybe you should take a look at your own work!”
How much could a veteran maid be outdone by a girl who had been a maid for barely a year? Even considering how fast Petra could pick up new things, if the bar was that low, clearing it didn’t mean much.
Ram snorted at Subaru’s outburst.
“What’s the point of doubting oneself? I have nothing but self-confidence and the highest of expectations for myself.”
“That is the one thing about you that I really, truly respect.”
Subaru was astonished at how bluntly she announced that.
Emilia tapped Petra’s frozen shoulder as she said, “Thanks for coming to meet us, Ram. Has anything happened in the manor while we were away?”
“There have been no issues. I am sure you all have much news to share. Did Garf and Otto die?”
“Don’t go killing them off! What a thing to say with such a serious look on your face!”
“It’s easy to see through a man with no composure. In your case, it’s so clear that there’s practically a hole and your insides are leaking out, so you should be careful. Being shallow and empty is just the worst.”
“You’re gonna seriously hurt my feelings, so could you stop? And besides, you got our letter, right?”
Ram shrugged as Subaru whispered to her.
They had sent a letter in advance of their departure from Pristella. If the contents had been shared with Ram, then she should know why they had come back to the manor.
Ram held up her finger.
“Relax. I heard the story from Master Roswaal. You have business with the sleeping beauty and the mansion’s jail. Though…” Ram’s eyes narrowed mysteriously. “The preparations for both were Frederica’s and Petra’s jobs, not mine.”
“Why do you look smug about that?”
Even after a month apart, Ram was the same as ever.
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