My Maid is Cute Chapter 28 : Omen (Patreon)

Sister.

I heard the voice I loved so dearly.

Sister, Sister, big sister Heidi!

The person more important to me than anyone else came running toward me.

My other half.

My everything.

Just being called "Sister" was enough to make me happy.

Look! Flowers were blooming in the garden. Isn't it pretty?

Yes, it’s beautiful, I laughed, and that child laughed too.

Ah, what a beautiful smile.

As long as I could be with you, I didn't need anything else.

Hey, let's take these to Mother. I'm sure she'll be happy.

I wanted to protect this smile.

More than anything in the world, I wanted to protect it.

Sister.

My younger sister, more precious than anyone—

I got a job. The village chief recommended me. The pay is very good. I'm sure it will help Mother, too.

I'm going to work at the Earl of Cordwell's estate.

***

When Rebecca opened her eyes, Wendy was sleeping next to her. This had become such a daily occurrence that she was no longer surprised. However...

"——No... ngh, no..."

"Milady?"

Wendy was groaning in distress. Rebecca called out to her, but she showed no signs of waking up.

"Milady! Milady!"

She called out a little louder while shaking her body. Finally, Wendy jolted awake with a start.

"Milady, are you alright?"

When Rebecca spoke, Wendy immediately threw herself at her.

"Milady?"

"I-It was scary... I had a dream."

Trembling violently, Wendy spoke in a small voice.

"Was it... a dream of that woman again?"

When Rebecca asked, Wendy shook her head vigorously.

"N-No. I don't really know, but... it was a dream so sad I wanted to cry, and so scary..."

Wendy continued to sob while clinging to Rebecca.

"...Becca... Becca..."

Rebecca quietly held Wendy close and continued to stroke her head.

***

After Christopher left for the academy, time flowed by like a gentle breeze. However, ominous signs began to gradually reveal themselves within the Cordwell household, and Rebecca began to feel a ripple of unease in her chest.

The bruises on Wendy's body were gradually turning darker in color. At the same time, Wendy began to fall ill occasionally.

"Somehow... sometimes, my chest hurts... and I feel really, really heavy..."

Complaining of this, there were days when she spent the entire day sleeping in her room.

They called a doctor to examine her, but the diagnosis was the same as before: "No particular abnormalities."

"Milady, are you feeling okay?"

When Rebecca asked, Wendy smiled weakly from her bed.

"Yeah... I'm surely just... a little tired."

Despite saying that, Wendy's complexion was clearly poor.

"Becca, hold my hand."

"Yes."

When Rebecca gently held Wendy's hand, Wendy smiled happily. Rebecca felt frustrated that this was the only thing she could do, and she desperately held back the urge to cry.

Once Wendy falls asleep, I will write a letter to Lord Christopher immediately to report this. Thinking this, Rebecca continued to hold Wendy's hand.

***

Around the same time, in a salon at the Magic Academy, Christopher was quietly reading a book on curses by himself.

"Hey there, Chris."

Evan arrived, leading several women with him. Christopher glanced at Evan, who greeted him cheerfully, but immediately returned his gaze to his book.

"Do you need something? I'm busy."

"No, no, I just thought maybe you could help me with an assignment..."

"I'll consider it once you stop womanizing."

When Christopher declared this flatly, Evan let out a dramatic sigh and addressed the women around him.

"Sorry, everyone. That's all for today. Let's play again later."

He smiled brightly at the women, and though they looked dissatisfied, they walked away.

Evan sat on the sofa facing Christopher and continued speaking.

"Actually, it's not just about the assignment. I have a favor to ask you, Chris—"

"Who is it this time? Someone's wife again?"

"I said no!! I won't make a mistake like that again! Are you still holding a grudge over that...?"

When Christopher glared at him, Evan laughed to gloss over it and continued.

"Look, there's a girl I want to introduce to you..."

"I refuse."

"I haven't even told you what kind of girl she is yet!"

"If you intend to set me up with a woman, our friendship ends here. Goodbye, Evan."

"No, no, no! Don't be so hasty! It's not like that!! She says she desperately wants to talk to you!"

Just as Evan shouted loudly...

"Um, I apologize for interrupting your conversation. Excuse me..."

Saying this, someone entered. Christopher turned around and widened his eyes.

Standing there was a petite female student wearing large glasses.

"You are..."

As Christopher murmured, Evan, seeming to regain his composure, stood next to her and spoke.

"Let me introduce you. Her name is—"

"No, I know her."

Christopher interrupted Evan, extending his hand toward the female student.

"There's no way I wouldn't know the girl called a genius since the founding of the academy. It is a pleasure to meet you... True Bell."

The girl called True Bell gave a small laugh and shook hands with Christopher.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Christopher. I have heard rumors about you for some time. Today, I came here on Evan's introduction. Thank you for sparing your precious time."

"Rumors about me?"

Christopher tilted his head as he gestured for True to take a seat on the sofa. True sat down, smiling, and nodded.

"Yes. That you are a very excellent and serious person... Also, I read the thesis you wrote last year. I was very impressed."

At those words, Christopher smiled wryly and shook his head.

"No, my thesis is nothing compared to you. I know you well. The beloved daughter of Baron Aaron Bell, the famous magical tool researcher. An honor student who smashed records with an unprecedented score during the magic measurement and excels in numerous fields. You're a genius who works as a researcher at the Magic Research Institute while still being a student, aren't you?"

"O-Oh, not me!"

True shook her head in a panic, looking away from Christopher shyly.

"I'm not a formal researcher, just an apprentice... I am still inexperienced, and... besides, there are people with higher magic power than me..."

"Eh, is that so?"

When Christopher widened his eyes, True nodded vigorously.

"Huh? Chris, you didn't know?"

Evan turned his face toward Christopher, looking a little surprised. Christopher nodded.

"Yeah. I was certain I heard that she had achieved the highest value recorded to date..."

At those words, True shook her head forcefully.

"No, that's not right. Actually, there is someone of my generation who recorded a higher measurement than I did."

True looked upward as if recalling, and added:

"If I recall... it is the daughter of Viscount Lionfall, Carol Lionfall."

Christopher furrowed his brows and spoke.

"I've never heard that name... Is there a student like that here?"

"No, there isn't, Chris. That girl didn't enroll here."

As Evan said this while drinking tea, Christopher turned his face toward him in surprise.

"Ha? Didn't enroll?"

"Yeah. She's missing."

"Missing?"

When Christopher asked back in shock, Evan gave a wry smile.

"What's this? It was quite a big rumor, didn't you know, Chris? Carol Lionfall suddenly disappeared a few years ago. There was a large-scale search, but she still hasn't been found. There were no witnesses... and apparently, the search was called off pretty quickly."

True let out a voice of regret.

"As a researcher, I am very interested in her magic power. I would have loved to meet her..."

Evan nodded slightly and added.

"Yeah. Apparently, she had such high magic power that it was said she might change the country's history... It's kind of a waste, isn't it?"

Hearing those words, Christopher tilted his head again.

"Evan, you're strangely knowledgeable about this."

"Ah, that's because—"

Evan started to say something, then suddenly shut his mouth.

"No, well, that doesn't really matter, does it? True came here because she has business with you, so please listen to her."

Saying that, he took a sip of tea to cover his tracks.

Christopher looked suspicious but turned back to face True.

"So? What business do you have with me?"

True looked hesitant but opened her mouth to speak.

"Um... I heard a rumor. That your younger sister, Lord Christopher... is suffering from a mysterious 'curse'."

"...Yes."

Christopher grimaced slightly and looked away from True.

"What about it?"

"...Um, that 'curse'... it manifests as bruises, doesn't it?"

True asked as if to confirm, and Christopher nodded, looking confused.

"Yeah, that's right, but..."

"Are they red bruises... spreading over the whole body?"

"...Yes. Strange, red bruises. But not the whole body yet. They are spreading steadily from her limbs..."

Hearing that, True looked down as if thinking about something.

"...Is something wrong?"

When Christopher called out to her in confusion, True finally looked up.

"Um. It's possible that I might know what those bruises are—"

***

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