Shy Claire

“Tch… I destroyed an entire goblin nest and killed a couple hundred of them, all for a measly thirty-five hundred Star Coins.”

Staring at the new balance on his card, Ren Daozhen sighed softly; this paltry sum was nowhere near enough for the auction.

“There’s no need to be discouraged. For a new adventurer like you, earning thirty-five hundred Star Coins on your first mission is quite impressive.”

Ciel approached with a gentle stride, her voice soft and consoling.

“So? Did it go well? Did you collect the bounty?”

“Ah, yes. The undead knight had evolved, you see. The difficulty of defeating it increased, so the bounty was raised from three hundred million to five hundred million.”

Ciel brandished her Star Card. When Ren Daozhen saw the staggering nine-figure number displayed on it, he was utterly dumbfounded.

“How about it? Interested? Just draw a few more design sketches for me, and there’s plenty more where that came from.”

A triumphant smile played on Ciel’s lips.

“No problem, Head Maid!”

‘I worked myself to the bone for a mere thirty-five hundred, yet I could make a fortune just by being a copyist. Ciel wasn’t just an exceptional maid; she was also a trustworthy sugar mommy. In the end, there’s nothing sweeter than living off a wealthy woman.’

After leaving the Adventurer’s Guild, the two headed straight back to the maid cafe.

As they approached, they saw a young woman with short, golden hair pacing by the entrance. It was Claire.

“Head Maid? You’re back.”

The girl hurried over to greet Ciel, asking anxiously,

“The shop has been closed all morning, and the owner didn’t say we’d have the day off yesterday. I was worried something might have happened to you.”

“I’m sorry to have worried you. I had some business to attend to. I’ll open up right away.”

Ciel gently ruffled Claire’s hair, and the girl purred like a kitten, clearly enjoying the affectionate gesture.

“And this is… the customer from before?”

Just then, Claire noticed Ren Daozhen standing beside them.

“Yo, hello there. I’m Ren Daozhen, the Head Maid’s personal clothing designer!”

‘A confident smile spread across Ren Daozhen’s face. A cute, shy girl who was easily flustered—a timeless moe trope in the world of ACG.’

‘An image instantly formed in his mind: this girl in a miniskirt-style maid outfit, her face flushed crimson as she clutched at her hem. Her white-stockinged legs would be pressed tightly together as she fought back her embarrassment, trembling as she stammered, “Welcome home, Master.”’

‘What a beautiful sight that would be!’

“Aah! Sir, your gaze… it’s so lecherous!”

As if sensing his thoughts, Claire shuddered and quickly hid behind Ciel.

“Huh? Was it that obvious?! Don’t get the wrong idea! I just wanted to design a special maid outfit just for you. Because you’re just so incredibly cute.”

“Thank you for the compliment, but I’ll pass. You’re a nice person.”

“Did I just get the ‘nice guy’ card?”

“Well now, Mr. Ren. Please understand, my Claire is a bit timid around strangers. But since you’ve offered to design a maid outfit for her, I’ll accept on her behalf. I trust you’ll create something that will satisfy us both.”

“R-Right… I… I understand…”

Feeling the pressure emanating from Ciel’s gaze, Ren Daozhen broke into a cold sweat and nodded.

“Would you like to come inside for lunch?”

“No, thank you. I’ll eat back at my inn. I’ll bring the design sketches over this afternoon. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

With that, Ren Daozhen turned and left without a backward glance, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

“Claire, did you sense something just now?”

“Oh? Um, just now… I saw a wisp of pink gas rising from that man… My teacher taught me that it’s the gas of ‘Lust’.”

“Oh?”

Ciel was slightly surprised. When one mastered holy magic, they gained the ability to perceive the malice in others’ hearts—malice that primarily manifested as the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’.

For Claire to be able to perceive such malice at her young age was a testament to her immense talent in the holy arts. This child was destined to become a renowned grand holy mage, and perhaps even had the potential to ascend into an angel.

“Don’t be alarmed. It’s only natural to appreciate beauty. Trust me, that man may be a bit of a pervert, but he’s not a bad person.”

“Ah, I understand that, but… how do I put this… It’s the first time I’ve ever felt someone direct their lust toward me…”

Claire lowered her head bashfully, poking her index fingers together in front of her chest.

“Growing up, all the other kids in my village were afraid of me because I was so strong. They all called me ‘Big Sis’.”

“I’d often see boys giving little flowers to girls, and they’d look so close, but I never received anything like that.”

“After I grew up and came to the city, I never made any friends. Everyone called me a country bumpkin.”

“Not a single boy ever felt any ‘Lust’ for me.”

“Ah, Head Maid, please don’t misunderstand! I’m not saying I’m some kind of wanton, frustrated woman… it’s just… I’ve always wanted to know what it feels like to be in love…”

“That man… he’s the first one to ever have thoughts of ‘Lust’ about me. He called me cute and even offered to design a maid outfit just for me. He’s such a nice person… Was I acting too shy just now…?”

“…”

Seeing Claire cover her blushing cheeks and squirm with the bashfulness of a girl falling in love for the first time, Ciel was struck silent.

‘This girl,’ Ciel thought, ‘was the type to be easily coaxed, the type who would help count the money after being sold. If she ever ran into a scumbag, she’d undoubtedly be sweet-talked into getting her belly swollen.’

‘Come to think of it… Ciel recalled that holy magic users automatically emitted a sacred aura that purified impure thoughts. Normal people exposed to it would immediately enter a state of enlightened calm, and some with exceptional talent were born with this trait.’

‘Could that be why this child has never had any suitors?’

‘But why was that Ren Daozhen immune to its effects? Was it a coincidence?’

“Never mind. Let’s not just stand out here. Let’s go inside. Also, the shop will be closed this Friday, so you can take the day to relax.”

“Oh, is the owner going out on business again on Friday?”

“Yes. I’m going to an auction, and while I’m at it… I’ll be recruiting a few more staff members.”

Waiting for applicants to show up was no longer a viable option. She couldn’t let Claire handle the shop all by herself, yet Ciel was unwilling to lower her standards for a maid’s quality of service and etiquette.

Under these circumstances, the most suitable solution was, of course, to purchase a few slaves and train them properly.

And they couldn’t be ordinary slaves, either. It would be best if they possessed some degree of combat prowess. Considering she only had her full power at night, this would prevent her from being caught helpless should an emergency arise or someone cause trouble in the cafe.

Moreover, Ren Daozhen’s design sketches had given Ciel an idea. She could incorporate other elements into the basic maid concept, making them even more appealing than a standard maid.