Chapter 57 54.1: Sit And Speak

"Good morning... young master..." Lily's voice reached my ears. Like a small rabbit hiding away, she tried to shrink herself as much as she could without stepping out.

She really didn't want to train.

Even though each time we trained together I made massive gains.

She wasn't without benefits either! She was learning how to develop her healing magic which was monstrous. I was planning on raising her well and planting her as a religious leader in the future, how would such a plan work if she wimps out like this every time? I would have tried to convince her, but something else was bothering me more.

"Maria isn't here yet, huh?"

"Ah? Yes! She said she was feeling so sick she didn't even let me visit her. Only the physician goes to her and says she's resting."

Falling sick all of a sudden.

I knew Maria well enough to know she was keeping the physician in line with a knife in her hands and that she wasn't actually sick. No way she was.

I made up my mind after a day of letting her be.

"Lily, guide me to her room. I'll visit Maria."

"Really?" Lily parroted. "You could also come to visit Keith or me like this someday, you know?"

"Are you guys ill?"

"No." Lily shook her head.

"Let's go then."

"Ookay~"

"Wait! Before that," I stopped Lily. "I have to finish my morning workout."

"Haah..."

***

After working up a tough sweat, I followed Lily to the quarters of the servants that was in one of the wings of the castle. Things were going well on the knights' end. We were still in a rush to capture the demon's agent, but the immediate threat was being solved and we had to make sure it was done smoothly, so we were sitting quiet and letting the knights handle it.

Now was the perfect time to talk to her.

"Young master, this is her room," Lily said as we stopped in front of the room at the furthest end of the passageway. There weren't any other rooms close by, so there was no need to worry about any sounds flowing out.

"I'll take it from here."

"Then, I'll leave you be." Lily bowed. "Call me if you need me!"

"I'll call you to bother you."

Lily left after I teased her a bit, and now I was alone in front of Maria's room.

I knocked lightly on the door.

"Excuse me," a muffled sound came from the other side. "I am not well, please find the head maid instead—"

"Maria, it's me."

"..."

The place was silent for a few seconds.

Right after, a loud thud rang out, followed by some screeches and the banging of a few drawers or closets.

I knocked again.

The sounds stopped as Maria rushed over to open the door.

I was hit by a big surprise as Maria opened the door. Her hair was in a complete mess, falling on her black negligee that barely hid her midriff through its nets.

"Y-young master?"

I stopped my eyes from running amok and looked at her face.

"Can I come in?"

Maria opened the door further and moved to the side. As I stepped into the modest yet sizeable room, she slowly closed the door behind me.

Gloomy.

Just as I had expected, the room was a completely clean mess that suited Maria. It was filled with things that were arranged with great precision, though, her chair was knocked over and the drawer with her comb was half open.

Gloomy was the best word that came to mind as the door closed behind me.

I took a glance at the single bed and the cabinet next to it, this place was better than my dorm at the Pantheon.

I turned back to face Maria. She had her head hanging low as she held the rim of her black negligee tight in her hands.

"Young Master I—"

"Let's sit and speak."

I lifted the chair that had fallen and pointed at it. Maria hesitated for a few seconds before sitting down. I ignored her and went to the table in her room, picking up the kettle of water, I prepared some tea for the two of us.

With the two cups in our hands, I sat on Maria's bed facing her.

"Young Master," Maria said. "I will leave the mansion. I will ask the head maid to send someone else with you and then quit as a maid."

I sighed and crossed my legs, taking a sip of the tea.

"Maria."

The girl lowered her head again.

"If you're going to quit as a maid, I should ask sir Marquis to disown me, yes?"

"What—"

"Why?" I asked again.

Maria's head jerked. She tightened her hold on her cup. "After what I did... I am not fitting to be by your side..."

Sighing again, I leaned forward and placed my hand on hers.

"I don't want anyone if it is not you."

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"As your maid?"

"Stupid." I scoffed and brushed away the hair falling on her forehead. "As my Maria."

Her grip tightened even further, her hands almost trembling.

"So tell me, why? Why have you been so sad since we came here? What has made you avoid me? Is it because of my memories, or is it something else? I don't mind what you were doing, Maria, but not like this."

"That..." Maria took in a few deep breaths. Then, she calmed herself down and raised her head, facing me head-on. Her tightened hands loosened as she resolved herself like the same Maria I had known for long.

"Young Master, this servant is an orphan from the beast peaks further north," Maria began speaking.

Her very first sentence brought up many questions, not only was she a person from north, a place toiling with monsters, but also not of the neighboring country let alone this one. I didn't say anything, though, and only listened.

"My entire village was flattened by a behemoth when I was only three with me as the only survivor. And the person who saved me was your mother, lady Charlotte Fonias, or as was her true name... Charlotte Godslayer."