My Maid is Cute Chapter 12 : The Butler's Story (Patreon)

On the day following her birthday, Christopher seemed to be busy with something and was absent. Rebecca entered Wendy's room for work. The moment she entered, she was startled by a strange clack, clack metallic sound. On the desk, Wendy was slowly operating a small machine.

"Milady, is that...?"

When I called out in surprise at the unfamiliar machine, Wendy answered without taking her eyes off it.

"A typewritah!"

"Type... Ah, a typewriter."

"That's it! A birthday present from Brother."

Even while answering, Wendy continued to move her hands with a serious expression. Rebecca peeked at her hands and continued speaking.

"It looks rather difficult to use."

"Yeah. But once I get used to it, I think I can type faster."

"Are you going to write letters with this?"

"Y-Yeeeaaah, I suppose..."

Wendy gave a somewhat vague answer and stopped her hands. Then, she let out a big breath and turned her gaze toward Rebecca.

"Becca, tie my hair."

At that order, Rebecca replied loudly with a smile.

"Yes."

Wendy held out the lace ribbon.

"Put the ribbon on, too."

"Certainly."

Rebecca took the lace ribbon she had given her and smiled.

Moving behind Wendy, she combed through her soft blond hair.

"I've thought this for a while, but you have beautiful hair."

"Ehehe."

While chatting, I carefully braided her hair and tied the ribbon at the end. Suddenly, my gaze stopped at her small shoulder visible through the gap in her dress, and my eyes widened in shock.

"M-Milady..."

"What is it?"

"Has the mark... spread?"

Originally, Wendy's red marks were seen all over her limbs, but the mark on her arm had clearly spread toward her shoulder.

"Yeah, that's right."

Because Wendy nodded lightly and said it so casually, I was taken aback. Wendy turned a puzzled face toward Rebecca.

"You didn't know? This mark is spreading more and more."

"Eh... I-Is that so?"

"Yeah. ...Since I was little, it's been spreading across my body little by little."

Shocked by this fact I was learning for the first time, I froze.

"I-I see..."

Not knowing how to answer, I barely managed to squeeze out a voice.

Wendy looked away from Rebecca, checked her hairstyle in the mirror, and then faced the typewriter again.

"Becca, can you pour me some tea?"

Asked to do so, I replied in a panic.

"Y-Yes. Certainly."

Standing up as if to hide my darkened expression, I began preparing the tea. Wendy was inputting characters on the typewriter with an emotionless face. I couldn't tell what she was thinking from that expression.

***

The next day, Rebecca was walking down the hallway alone to go out to the garden. Her work for the day would be finished once she delivered Wendy's dinner. She was heading to the garden to get some new flowers to decorate Wendy's room when she brought the meal.

"......"

Yesterday, I had become visibly shaken regarding the mark in front of Wendy, and I might have made her feel uncomfortable. Walking down the hallway, I bit my lip and frowned. Even if I regretted it, it was too late. Anyway, I'll decorate her room with cute flowers to try and cheer her up even a little, I was thinking, when someone called out to me.

"Good afternoon."

Startled, I turned around. Standing there was a tall young man. He was dressed in a black butler's uniform and wore glasses. He had a somewhat cold atmosphere about him. It was a face I recognized. Who was he again? I furrowed my brows for a second, then immediately remembered.

"Ah, Master Christopher's..."

"Yes. I serve as his personal butler. My name is Reed."

The butler who introduced himself as Reed greeted me and bowed lightly. Rebecca hurriedly spoke up as well.

"H-Hello. My name is Rebecca Leon."

I returned the greeting and glanced at his face. He was the personal butler who seemed to follow Christopher around and take care of his personal needs. He often stood behind Christopher, and whenever we dined in Wendy's room, he was always central in preparing the meal.

"Um, do you need something?"

When I asked, confused as to why he spoke to me, Reed looked at me and spoke.

"I apologize, but..."

"Yes?"

"I need to go to the supply room to retrieve some items. Could I ask you to help me?"

Requested to do so, Rebecca nodded hurriedly.

"Understood."

Reed nodded lightly, then turned on his heel and headed toward the supply room. Rebecca followed behind him.

He seems like a cold and scary person somehow, I thought vaguely as I walked, when Reed spoke up.

"——Regarding Lady Wendy."

"Y-Yes?"

Because Wendy's name came up suddenly, I raised my voice in surprise. Reed glanced back at Rebecca, turned his face forward, and continued.

"It must be difficult taking care of Lady Wendy."

"......No."

"It is a record."

At those words, Rebecca looked blank.

"Excuse me?"

"As Lady Wendy's caretaker, it is the longest record. Most people are afraid of that mark and dislike getting close to her. Most don't last even half a year. Therefore, you are the first person to continue as a caretaker for this long."

"......"

Not understanding what Reed wanted to say, Rebecca stared back at him silently. Reed glanced at Rebecca again and spoke.

"The Young Master seems to have taken a liking to you as well."

"......Young Master?"

Hearing an unfamiliar term, I was confused for a moment, but immediately realized "Young Master" referred to Christopher. Not knowing how to react, I just spoke for the time being.

"Um... I am honored."

"......"

Reed turned his gaze toward me again. What on earth does he want to say? I tilted my head again. Then, Reed suddenly stopped walking. He turned to face Rebecca directly and spoke.

"——Even if you continue to care for Lady Wendy, you will not get any closer to the Young Master, nor will he take an interest in you."

At those words, Rebecca stood there, dumbfounded.

"——Eh?"

"Therefore, the Young Master views you only as Lady Wendy's caretaker. If your goal is to draw the Young Master's attention, I think it would be best to give up quickly."

For a moment, I didn't understand the meaning and was confused.

Then, immediately, I realized I was being misunderstood by Reed. It seemed he thought I was taking care of Wendy in order to get close to Christopher.

"——What a pain."

My inner voice slipped out in a mutter, and Reed made a shocked face.

"Huh?"

Rebecca hurriedly bowed her head.

"Excuse me."

Then, raising her head, she spoke.

"Umm... Lady Wendy is truly adorable, and... it is a joy to be allowed to care for her by her side. However, um, regarding Master Christopher... uh, I am always indebted to him, but, well... honestly, I have no interest."

"......No interest?"

"Ah, um, to put it clearly... uh, I really don't care."

"......You don't care?"

"No."

Rebecca looked straight at Reed and added more words.

"I wanted to be by Lady Wendy's side. I wanted to protect her. I wanted to be close to her. The reason I am serving as her caretaker is—that alone."

Reed opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it immediately as if overwhelmed.

"......"

"......"

Silence continued for a while in the middle of the hallway. Reed kept staring at me with cold eyes, making me want to look away. What should I do? Just as I was worrying, Reed finally moved.

"I have been terribly rude."

He bowed deeply and apologized.

"Ah, umm."

Rebecca was bewildered and flustered.

"I am truly sorry. Please forgive my disrespect. It seems... it was my misunderstanding."

"Ah, um, I don't really mind. Please raise your head!"

When Rebecca said that, Reed slowly raised his head. Then, looking at Rebecca, he smiled softly.

"——You are a kind person. Just as Lady Wendy said."

"Eh, um, Milady said that about me?"

"Yes. Apparently, it was written in a letter to Master Christopher. That you are a kind and warm person."

At those words, my cheeks relaxed involuntarily. Watching Rebecca react like that, Reed continued.

"I apologize. ——There have been several servants who tried to get close to Lady Wendy with the Young Master as their target."

"Ah... is that so?"

"However, every servant was frightened by that mark and the rumors of the curse, and they ran away immediately."

Reed began walking again, and Rebecca walked alongside him while listening.

"I should have been happy. That Lady Wendy was able to meet someone she could trust other than the Young Master."

"......"

"However, ——I couldn't help but worry. If your goal happened to be Master Christopher, thinking of how greatly Lady Wendy would be hurt..."

"Mr. Reed, you cherish Master Christopher and Lady Wendy very much, don't you?"

When I interjected involuntarily, Reed nodded lightly.

"I have served this household for a long time... I know the two of them well."

We arrived at the supply room, and Reed continued speaking even while carrying the items.

"Originally, I worked at this mansion as an attendant, but Master Christopher asked me to go to the academy with him as his personal butler."

"Then, do you usually live at the academy?"

"Yes. I am a caretaker, same as you, Ms. Rebecca."

Reed said with a smile. His impression is quite different when he laughs, I thought as we walked down the hallway together and finished transporting the items.

Just as I was about to speak to Reed to head back to the garden, Reed spoke with a serious face.

"Ms. Rebecca. Master Christopher is making every possible effort to break Lady Wendy's curse."

At those words, Rebecca widened her eyes and asked fearfully.

"......Can Milady's curse be broken?"

Reed lowered his eyes and answered in a small voice.

"I do not know. However, Master Christopher will absolutely never give up."

Then he bowed his head deeply.

"Please, support Lady Wendy. She is a very, very... supremely unfortunate person."

Hearing Reed's words, Rebecca asked the question she hadn't been able to ask anyone for a long time.

"......Um, what exactly is the curse in the first place?"

"......"

Reed grimaced for a moment, but then looked down again and shook his head.

"......I cannot answer that from my own mouth."

And again, he bowed deeply.

"I am sorry."

I understood that Reed likely knew something, but he had absolutely no intention of answering. Rebecca also looked down and spoke.

"......No. I am the one who should apologize. For asking something like this so suddenly..."

Rebecca left the spot with a gloomy expression. Reed quietly watched her retreating figure.