The Maid’s Tour and a New Challenge

“Aww~ Thank you so much~”

After leaving the guidance office, Calu held her head and thanked us boisterously.

“Aww~ I thought I’d get scolded, but the dean is magnanimous. He just said a few words and let it go. Mostly he was just worried about us~”

‘With a maid like you, how could anyone not worry?’

I silently complained in my mind.

“I must also thank you both.”

Teresa expressed her gratitude.

With Calu as a foil, Teresa’s thanks appeared even more dignified and precise.

Moreover, this time she took our advice to heart—her gestures were limited to a nod, free of cumbersome formalities. It was more natural and pure, making her thanks easier to accept.

“It was nothing.”

Elizabeth, standing beside me, nodded in agreement… Although she couldn’t achieve the same level of complete communication with a single glance like Margaret, we had spent enough time together that even if she couldn’t hear my words, a simple mutual understanding was still there.

“But… I think you should seriously memorize the school map.”

“I’ve got it! …Sort of!”

‘Got it? I highly doubt that.’

“Then let me test you… How do you get from here to Teaching Building No. 2?”

“Uh…”

Calu started scratching her head again… This one definitely hadn’t memorized it.

“First go west for two hundred meters, then head straight north. The first building you see is Teaching Building No. 2! Remember that properly!”

“Uh… Which direction is west and which is north?”

“Haah…? You can’t even tell directions apart?”

How did this girl become a personal maid in the first place!

“Ehehe…”

Sticking out her tongue, Calu tried to charm her way out.

All I could do was sympathize with Margaret, feeling such a headache that I had to support my forehead.

“But still! I remember the way from the lab to here! First walk left for fifty steps, then take the road with the tree that looks like a hook and walk one hundred twenty steps…”

“Stop, stop, stop! What kind of messy memorization method is that!”

You’re making me lose my sense of direction!

“Forget it… From the looks of it, you can remember paths you’ve walked before, right?”

Even if the way you remember is rather abstract…

“Yes!”

“Then today we’ll first take you on a tour of the whole campus. Make sure to remember it well.”

“Mm-hmm!”

Calu nodded heavily. Who knew if she actually intended to seriously memorize it…

“This is the cafeteria. Usually people eat here, but since there are many noble children, most find their own places to eat homemade lunches. The convenience store next to the cafeteria also sells things like bread to fill your stomach.”

“But Calu here can’t cook! Looks like I’ll only be eating at the cafeteria from now on! Wah!”

“It’s fine. When I’m not busy, I can cook occasionally.”

“Eh! Does that mean I get another chance to eat Miss Teresa’s cooking? Great! I haven’t had it since the head sister scolded me!”

‘How can there be a master-servant pair where the master cooks…’

“This is the courtyard. It’s designed as a place for students to relax. But the students here prefer the training grounds or the sports field… Or if not that, club activity rooms. So it’s usually very quiet.”

“How beautiful… Fewer people also means it’s more serene—more poetic.”

“Really? I can’t feel it at all! But since Miss Teresa says so, it must be true!”

“This is the student dormitory. Your room is…”

“Room 404!”

‘Right next to the young lady’s room… What a coincidence. This is your room.”

“Oh my—”

“Wow! Such a big room!”

“Indeed, it’s quite grand.”

“After all, this school was originally for nobles. The dorm decor had to be high-class. But on the flip side, cleaning is more troublesome.”

“Aha! That’s right! I, Calu, am great at cleaning!”

“…Really? What specifically are you good at cleaning?”

“Cleaning up broken plates!”

“…I’m guessing those broken plates were your doing, weren’t they?”

“Huh? Amazing—Eileen, how did you know? Do you have mind-reading powers?”

“Sigh… Let us help you settle your luggage.”

…

“Sigh…”

On the way back to the servants’ dormitory, I let out a deep sigh.

So tired… But not physically—mentally.

That green-haired maid with twin tails standing beside me… She’s completely unsuitable to be a maid!

On the contrary, her demure mistress has maxed out her homemaking skills… Is there really a need to bring this maid along?

If someone like her can become a maid to a noble, then what were all my efforts to become the young lady’s personal maid for?

On the road, my maid soul was shattered.

Elizabeth could only pat my shoulder with a bitter smile, relieving my stress.

But the road of torture was almost over. The servants’ dormitory was the last stop on this trip.

Once I send her to her room, my guiding mission would be complete.

After that, quickly prepare dinner and go find the young lady to heal my wounded heart!

“By the way, which room in the servants’ dormitory is yours?”

“Well…”

Tapping her chin with a finger, Calu looked up, pondered seriously for a moment, then flashed a cheerful smile.

I suddenly had a bad feeling.

“Oh! I forgot!”

‘I knew it!’

This one is unreliable in every way!

It’s not that she’s missing a screw—she’s missing all the screws!

“Now we have to go back to the classroom and ask the dean.”

But if we turn back now, dinner preparation time would be delayed.

As a maid, letting my master go hungry is a major sin!

If I bought from the cafeteria, I could still make it in time, but unfortunately the young lady only eats food I cook with my own hands. She won’t even glance at cafeteria food…

Even if I lied, she would somehow know—without even tasting it, she could tell with just one look.

According to her, my cooking contains ‘Eileen elements,’ so she can see it… But to this day, I still don’t know what that so-called ‘Eileen element’ is!

I originally thought she was joking, but now it seems maybe the young lady can really see those elements…

“Hmm… So now we have to go back?”

Calu’s voice pulled me back to reality.

‘Not good, not good. I was thinking too far ahead and spaced out.’

But the current situation was somewhat troublesome… I wanted to consider the young lady’s feelings, yet I couldn’t easily extricate myself…

Or should I ask Elizabeth to lead her there?

But I had already agreed. Leaving before seeing her to the room would be a breach of etiquette.

As a maid of the ducal house, bringing shame to the duke is also a major sin!

Just as I was hesitating…

“Hmm? Isn’t this Eileen?”

A somewhat familiar voice, one I felt I hadn’t heard in a long time, sounded.

“Lord Claude?”

An unexpected man appeared before me, as if sent by a savior.