“No use worrying about it, I suppose,” she said at last. “If the information really did come from Shion, the earliest she’ll tell us is probably after Sakura joins a salon. We’ll have to ask her then.”
“Sounds sensible.”
As I replied, I leaned back against Himeko, acting every bit the adoring servant. My behavior made her chuckle softly.
Since I’d switched off work mode, Himeko also seemed to decide to let that be the end of that topic. The tension left her, and her hands—even as her arms still held me—started to wander. As they brushed the side of my body, I jumped.
“Hey! That tickles!”
“I’m just checking if you’ve gained any weight. You’ve been eating so many sweets lately. I’m worried about you.”
Her demonic hands continued to mercilessly torment my body.
“I haven’t. I’m working so hard, the calories just fall off.”
I was arching my back in a futile effort to avoid her hands, but otherwise I let her have her way. I figure helping my mistress relax is all part of a maid’s job. Right?
“You know, I’ve never really seen you do any exercise,” I pointed out. “Aren’t you worried about your own figure?”
“Oh, not at all. I don’t eat that much, so I can’t have gained any weight.”
“You sure about that? I’ll give you a good feel to make sure!”
“Heh, be my guest. I don’t mind.”
Hot water splashed everywhere as our voices echoed throughout the bathroom. If anyone had been watching, they surely would have warned us it was thoroughly improper, but I didn’t see a problem with it. This was just how comfortable Himeko and I had gotten with each other’s naked bodies. Even as I grew very slightly lightheaded, our game of offense and defense in the bath carried on.
This is kind of a workout in itself, I guess!
✤
After Sara refused Lady Rosalie’s invitation, nothing much happened for a few days. Lady Rosalie hadn’t given up on winning over Lady Sakura, of course, but she didn’t keep trying to hurry things along by going for Sara. From what I heard, she’d told Sara, “I had been hoping to hear a little more about Sakura from you before her arrival, but that’s all right. I understand why you’re cautious. I genuinely want her to join my salon, though, so I’ll invite both of you for tea after she gets here. I do hope to see you then!”
There was no bad blood on Sara’s side. She had replied, “When my mistress is here, I’m quite certain we’ll be glad to accept. I’ll make sure to inform her about it.”
It was still unclear how or why Lady Shion was using Lady Rosalie, or if that was even the case to begin with, but one way or another, it did appear to be a serious effort on Lady Rosalie’s part. There was no doubt on that front, so there was no reason to disparage her. I was sure that if Lady Sakura did go for her salon, she’d have a great time.
Shortly after that, though, Lady Kagura officially announced to the Sky Salon members that she was making plans to invite Lady Sakura to join, so I couldn’t let Lady Rosalie steal her away. I had to give it my all and do what I could to make sure she picked the Sky Salon instead.
✤
Then came July 1st. A clear, blue sky stretched above us without a single cloud. The summer sun’s rays were scorching hot on our skin, but we stood by the school’s front gate without moving an inch.
“She should be here soon, right?” I asked.
“Yes, it shouldn’t be much longer,” Sara replied, looking straight ahead. “I calculated the time it should take from the airport numerous times just to be sure.”
“What if there’s a traffic jam?” Kirara said, attempting to throw cold water on her certainty.
Sara took it in her stride, however. “I included that as a factor.”
There had been no way Sara would wait in her room, of course. She’d woken up bright and early to wait by the gate like a faithful puppy. Kirara and I had decided to join her.
We were purely there as her friends, wanting to meet our friend’s mistress. We didn’t have any plans to start giving her a Sky Salon sales pitch. It was up to Lady Kagura to make the first move, so there was no way we could do anything to spoil her carefully laid plans. To be honest, it wasn’t ideal for us to be there saying hello the second she arrived, but our overeager desire to be the first ones to see Sara’s mistress had won out.
Himeko and Lady Kagura hadn’t told us not to either. In fact, Himeko had said she’d be waiting inside the building ready to show Lady Sakura around. Normally that would have been Lady Angelica’s responsibility, but Himeko had taken the job off her hands.
Suddenly, Sara straightened up. “I can hear a car drawing nearer. It must be my mistress.”
Amanotsuka Academy was at the top of a small hill and surrounded by a tall fence, so the earliest we’d be able to see the car was when it approached the area in front of the gate. That was why all she had to go on was the sound.
She was certain, though. “It’s definitely her. There wouldn’t be external businesspeople arriving at this time on a weekend. There should be no cars driving around this close to the school unless they strayed here by accident or had some very specific reason.”
“Fair enough,” I replied.
It sounded like she’d accounted for absolutely everything in her calculations. Through the fence, I could hear the sound of the car approaching. Then a taxi slowly drove into the turning area in front.
“You were right!” Kirara said, looking quite pleased. Even she was excited to meet Lady Sakura.
The taxi quietly pulled up to the entrance and stopped. My view of the back seat was obscured by the bright glare of the sun, but I was pretty sure I could see a young lady inside.
Sara ran over, recognizing her mistress instantly. “Lady Sakura!”
So much for waiting with dignified poise!
“Sara, wait!” I followed after her, a strained smile on my face. Kirara came with me.
Breathlessly, Sara called her mistress’s name again. “Lady Sakura!”
At the same moment, the car door opened and the girl inside got out. “Honestly, such disgraceful behavior!” she said in perfectly fluent Japanese.
Wait, is she Japanese?
But this thought that flashed into my mind was quickly dispelled. Looking at her, she was clearly different from Himeko, the very picture of Japanese beauty. I could tell right away that she was a Western beauty, dressed in a gown that would have been perfectly suited for a high-class ball. She was the epitome of a fairy-tale princess.
As we’d seen in her profile, she was a little on the short side, but she came across as more mature in person. She exuded the aura of natural-born nobility.
Her blue eyes that were as clear as the ocean took in Sara first of all, then shifted to us, glimmering with curiosity. Her long, narrow, blonde pigtails were tied with pink ribbons, only enhancing how sweet and adorable she looked.
The skin on her slender arms and legs was pale and perfectly clear. I was sure it would be soft and smooth to the touch.
She was beautiful, adorable, and noble. Those were the words that seemed to sum her up. I could see why Sara had ended up suffering from mistress deficiency syndrome. With a mistress as exquisite as this, even being apart from her for a day would have to be painful.