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“Sarah!” I called out to the maid currently cleaning my detached house. “Have tea with me!”
Sarah’s bewildered gaze immediately turned toward the garden terrace where I was sitting.
Oh my. Even though she performs her servant duties flawlessly, she still can’t get used to acting like a friend. Tee hee!
Ever since we’d formed this bond, Sarah had begun coming over to do household chores. I’d originally thought my new life with Michelle, Mars, and Jack would be nothing but liberating and comfortable, but due to my inexperience, the cleanliness of my home was far from acceptable. Now that Sarah was helping, I felt like I could live much healthier than before. I was very grateful to her.
Sarah inched closer to the terrace and whispered, “Um, wouldn’t Michelle be upset if I came closer?”
Apparently her concern extended beyond me simply treating her as a friend.
I thought back to the morning Lady Alice had shown up at my house with Sarah. The trio of kitties had tried to intimidate the two of them into backing off, and if I recalled correctly, Michelle had been the one swiping at Sarah the most. The sight of the tiniest of the three letting out high-pitched yowls as she attacked with all her might had been incredibly endearing to me, but it seemed that Sarah was genuinely afraid of her.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “Just look at how cute she is. There’s nothing to be scared of.”
Michelle was curled up on my lap, fast asleep. She was the youngest of the three cats, and she loved being held.
Tee hee! When I was boss of the strays as Lilybell, I often looked after the kittens. I’ve got that older sister mindset, so I’m great at doting on needy children.
As for the other cats, Mars was lying on the ground at my feet, while Jack had gone out somewhere.
Though Sarah was still hesitant, I persuaded her to sit down at the table. As we were having tea, Lord Leeuwenhoek and Sir Kain came by. The two of them were often away on monster exterminations recently, but apparently, they were free today.
“You’re fraternizing with a servant again?” Lord Leeuwenhoek said with a frown.
Sarah shrank back.
Goodness, don’t you know how much weight your words hold as her employer? I can’t have Sarah be reluctant to join me for tea again!
“Sarah is my friend first and servant second,” I replied. “There’s nothing wrong with this!”
“Friend?” Sarah murmured, stunned.
“Huh? What’s surprising about that?” I asked.
“Noblewomen don’t normally befriend their servants, do they?” Lord Leeuwenhoek replied.
That viewpoint was unacceptable.
“Then I’m not normal,” I said. “But I see. The reason you’re confused is because a noble lady wouldn’t typically treat her servants like friends, yes? However, here in this border region, I am not interacting with anyone in a sociopolitical context. So there’s no need for me to act like a noble, is there?”
“Is that what you think?” he asked.
“I do know when to draw the line, of course. I’ve undergone several years of princess training, so please don’t worry. I know how to conduct myself in situations that call for noble etiquette.”
It wasn’t that I couldn’t act like a noblewoman; it was that I didn’t need to at the moment. But then again, such a situation hadn’t arisen at all in my time here thus far. Lord Leeuwenhoek’s concern over my behavior was justified as he had only seen me in my liberated mode.
I certainly wouldn’t have been conducting myself like this if I hadn’t regained Lilybell’s memories. For better or worse, I would’ve acted like a noble lady at all times, regardless of who was watching me. Thinking about it, my behavior in my prophetic dream had followed a very similar pattern, to an extreme degree. But that was that, and the current me was different.
My values had changed, and there was nothing wrong with that!
By the way, why did Lord Leeuwenhoek, Sarah, and Sir Kain all have worried looks on their faces when I mentioned my princess training?! Do they pity me because they mistakenly believe that I loved Prince Bernard? Surely not.
After some thought, Lord Leeuwenhoek suddenly said, “You said you wished to be friends with me as well, did you not?”
“Yes,” I replied. “Of course, only if you don’t mind.”
I knew he wasn’t fond of me, so I wasn’t going to force him to be my friend.
“Shouldn’t you act more friendly with me too, then?” he asked.
His reply surprised me.
“Huh?”
“You call Sarah and Kain by their first names. Why do you still address me by my surname?”
“Oh my!” I was trying to be polite, but if he wants to do away with etiquette, then I’ll just have to comply! “Allow me to call you Lord Felix, then!”
Much to my surprise, Lord Leeuwenhoek—I mean, Lord Felix—gave a faint smile.
“In that case, I shall call you Lady Lucille,” he said.
“Just Lucille is fine too!”
“I see. Lucille it is, then.”
I realized something at that moment. Noble ladies feared Lord Felix, and I had never heard anyone speak of his social circles. As such, I doubted he had many friends.
Lord Felix wanted friends too!
Even his cheeks were slightly flushed, further proving my theory.
I’m happy too! I mean, it’s not as cozy as me and Grandpa Randy calling each other by nicknames, but dropping the honorific makes us sound like close friends! Plus, “Lord Leeuwenhoek” and “Lady Gustelanola” were both quite the mouthful.
Sir Kain, who had been grinning as he listened to our exchange, chimed in, “I’ll call you Lu, then!”
“That’s perfectly fine with me!” I replied with glee.
Sir Kain is my friend too, after all!
“Whoa, why are you glaring at me like that, Felix?!” Sir Kain exclaimed.
“I am not glaring at you.”
“Man, you don’t even realize it?”
Seeing the two men get along so well put a smile on my face.
Our lighthearted conversation was interrupted by the sudden arrival of another one of my friends, Lady Alice.
“Lucille! I have come!” she announced in an energetic voice. “Oh, if it isn’t Felix!”