Chapter 25
The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide
Episode 25: Concerns of the Maid
My name is Miria. As a commoner, I don’t have a family name.
Both my parents serve the House of Valentine as a butler and a maid, and I have been cherished and raised by them.
Since I was a child, I admired my mother, who worked as a maid. When I was eight, I insisted on working as a maid apprentice in the duke’s household.
Although I was young and learned only the basics, I had plenty to remember: cleaning, laundry, manners, and the principles of serving others.
There were times when it was tough and I wanted to quit, but I still aimed to be like my beloved mother, so I persevered.
Moreover, I had another reason I couldn’t quit.
That reason was Louis-sama, the duke’s heir and three years younger than me.
Because we were close in age, I often played with him as his playmate.
At that time, I wasn’t well-versed in etiquette or the differences in social standings, so I doted on Louis-sama as if he were my little brother.
Louis-sama also looked up to me like an older sister, and we truly had a wonderful time together.
We would chat, play tag, and sometimes Louis-sama would make me a flower crown as we wandered the beautiful garden filled with flowers.
However, as we both grew older and began to learn about social standings and the proper distance to keep, we gradually started to drift apart.
No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I started to put distance between us.
I’m a maid, and Louis-sama is the next duke. I couldn’t keep treating him like a sibling forever.
At first, I felt lonely about it, but as time went on, I got used to it, and a few years later, it felt completely normal.
One day when I turned fifteen, there was a sudden change in Louis-sama.
Until then, although he possessed remarkable talents in martial arts and magic, he disliked training and seldom practiced.
But that day, when I went to wake him as usual, Louis-sama sat up and created a cushion made of water magic.
The first thing you learn in water magic is a simple water sphere, which is merely turning magic power into water and launching it.
However, Louis-sama’s water cushion had just the right amount of elasticity and was maintained by precise magic control, not disappearing immediately.
I was so stunned that I could only gaze at the scene, dumbfounded.
Then…
“Hey, could you hurry it up? How long are you going to make me wait?”
Louis-sama called out to me, exuding a slightly lazy vibe.
“I-I’m terribly sorry!”
It’s not good for a maid to keep her master waiting, so I straightened my expression and apologized.
After that, Louis-sama got ready, but once he was done, he just floated on the water cushion again.
“Um, you really should walk properly.”
“Why?”
I thought it was inappropriate to visit his fiancée like this, but for some reason, Louis-sama shot back with a question.
“Well, since it’s a first meeting with your fiancée, I thought it would be better to be composed.”
I conveyed that much, but Louis-sama showed no signs of getting off the water cushion, heading closer to the reception room instead.
“I don’t really care.”
Louis-sama said this with such disinterest, creating an atmosphere that told me not to speak any further.
(What on earth happened to him?)
Having been by his side for a long time, this was my first time seeing Louis-sama like this, and my confusion only deepened.
Afterward, once the face-to-face meeting ended, Louis-sama and his fiancée, Iris-sama, were taken on a stroll through the garden as the dukes wanted to speak with them.
A few knights and maids, including myself, accompanied them at a distance, but there wasn’t a single shred of conversation between the two.
(Will they be okay? I’m really worried.)
Watching over Louis-sama with the concern of an older sister for her younger brother, Iris-sama finally spoke to him.
She asked if he disliked being engaged to her, but Louis-sama simply replied that he had no interest.
There was no hint of deceit in Louis-sama’s expression; it was clear that he truly wasn’t interested.
Once their conversation ended, Louis-sama walked further into the garden, with Iris-sama following closely behind.
After the garden chat, Iris-sama spoke to Louis-sama several times, but he would only respond with a few words, and their conversation never progressed.
Eventually, the two of them didn’t get any closer, and Iris-sama ended up returning to her own territory.
It had been six months since their engagement was decided. Over these six months, Louis-sama hadn’t studied or practiced manners at all; he had only been lounging in his room or training with the knights.
While I was happy to see Louis-sama finally training of his own accord, I couldn’t help but worry—wasn’t he supposed to study too?
One day, I was told by the duke that Iris-sama would be coming in three weeks, and I was to inform Louis-sama.
So, while assisting Louis-sama with his morning preparations, I conveyed the message.
“In three weeks, it seems Iris-sama will be visiting this mansion.”
Upon hearing that, Louis-sama made a face full of dislike and sank into the water cushion.
(Why does he dislike it so much?)
Iris-sama is a truly beautiful lady, even from the perspective of another woman, and the fact that she frequently sends him letters shows she cares about him.
Louis-sama asked about the reason for Iris-sama’s visit, but after that, he fell silent, lazily floating on the water cushion.
Before long, three weeks flew by, and finally, Iris-sama arrived at the duke’s mansion.
I guided Louis-sama to the reception room and prepared tea for the two of them, but for some reason, I felt that Iris-sama seemed angry.
(Did something happen on her way here?)
Although she should have been smiling, I felt a strange pressure coming from her.
I continued to keep an eye on the two, and during that time, a woman named Fiera came up in conversation.
However, since Louis-sama hardly ever leaves this mansion, there was no way he could know such a lady.
Just like that, I finally understood why Iris-sama was in a bad mood.
It seemed she suspected that something was going on between Louis-sama and this Fiera lady.
(Who could she be? I’m a bit curious.)
As I contemplated this, Louis-sama declared that he was tired and headed back to his room.
Since her arrival at the duke’s mansion, Iris-sama had been actively helping the duke and his wife.
Perhaps because of that, both of them had come to like Iris-sama, treating her as if she were their own daughter.
(It looks like they are really trying to win her over.)
One day, Louis-sama and Iris-sama decided to go out together to the town.
At first, I advised them to take some guards, but Louis-sama said, “I’m the strongest, so I don’t need them,” and in the end, they left together without anyone else.
As the sun began to set, Louis-sama and Iris-sama returned to the mansion.
Louis-sama looked somewhat tired, while Iris-sama wore an expression like she was about to engage in an important battle.
(What on earth happened?)
I was curious about their behaviors, but as just a maid, there was no way for me to ask, so I simply followed behind them.
Time passed without incident, and soon it was the day Iris-sama had to leave.
After saying her goodbyes to Louis-sama and the others, Iris-sama stepped into her carriage, returning to her territory.