My Maid is Cute Chapter 48 : Coco (Patreon)

A frozen silence filled the room. It was as if sound had vanished from the world. How many hours had passed since she was locked in here? It felt like an incredibly long time.

Rebecca sat with her back against the wall, hugging her knees. She felt a hollow exhaustion dominating her entire body. Her body felt as heavy as a stone. She didn't want to think about anything.

Slowly, she buried her face in her knees. A cold wind blew through her heart. It was so cold she wanted to cry. She felt a sense of loneliness so intense she thought she might go mad, and she wanted to weep, but strangely, no tears came. She felt her consciousness gradually loosening.

—Ah, I can't take this anymore.

—I want to disappear. From this world.

Her mind was becoming hazy and muddy. Her emotions and senses seemed on the verge of vanishing. That's enough. She didn't want to think about anything anymore.

Just as Rebecca closed her eyes, for some reason, Wendy's face floated before her.

Becca.

"Yes," she answered, and Wendy smiled.

Becca, bring me milk. Also, give me a lap pillow.

She couldn't follow that order.

Because her body wouldn't move.

Then, Wendy pouted her lips as if sulking, but immediately added more words.

Then, sing me a song.

I'm tone-deaf, so I'd rather not.

It's fine. That's fine. I like Becca's bad singing.

If she begged like that, she couldn't refuse. Ah, I really am soft on the Young Lady...

Thinking such things, Rebecca slowly began to move her lips.

"...Now, let us sleep... gentle night wraps around you..."

It was a lullaby she had often sung to Wendy since long ago.

"The moon and... the stars... are watching over you... until the morning smiles... together forever..."

Visualizing Wendy's face, she desperately spun the song.

At that moment, she sensed someone's presence.

Her consciousness surfaced all at once. Rebecca looked up sharply, and a small figure stood before her. It was the boy who had been called Coco. When had he entered? Holding a small piece of bread and a bottle of water, Coco was staring at Rebecca, tears streaming down his face for some reason.

"Eh... w-what?"

When Rebecca voiced her confusion at his appearance, Coco looked startled. As if panicking, he placed the bread and water on the floor and turned his back. Rebecca stood up quickly and grabbed Coco's hand.

"Wait!"

Coco turned around in a fluster. Without minding Coco's reaction, Rebecca turned her eyes to Coco's slender leg.

"You're hurt, aren't you..."

There was a small wound on Coco's leg. Looking closely, it was bleeding.

"You should treat that. If you leave it, it'll leave a scar..."

At Rebecca's words, Coco averted his eyes, seemingly shaken.

"You're good at magic, aren't you? What about healing magic?"

To that question, Coco mumbled in a small voice.

"...Healing is difficult... I can't do it well..."

Come to think of it, magic related to medicine and healing was quite difficult, Rebecca recalled.

"Hmm... then, at least take this."

As Rebecca said this, she tore off the hem of the apron she was wearing. Ignoring Coco's shocked look, Rebecca lightly wrapped the strip of apron around the leg.

"It's better to at least protect it. Right?"

Rebecca said this while looking at Coco's face. Coco wore a bewildered expression, as if wanting to say he didn't know what to do. Suddenly noticing something, Rebecca looked over Coco's entire body. He was small, and his dark-skinned shoulders and neck were thin. No, too thin. He was thin enough to be called emaciated. There were many small scars here and there. Looking closely, his left cheek was also slightly swollen.

"...Are you perhaps being abused by my sister and brother?"

When Rebecca asked, Coco clearly looked shaken and turned his face away sharply. Rebecca sighed heavily. It seemed she had hit the mark.

"I-I'm going back..."

Rebecca stopped Coco once more as he tried to leave with a trembling voice.

"Wait a second!"

When she grabbed his hand firmly, Coco desperately tried to pull away from Rebecca. Seeing Coco's face then, Rebecca realized.

—This child is a girl!

She had completely mistaken her for a boy. She was dirty and covered in scratches, but looking closely, she had quite a cute face.

"Hey, how many days has it been since you ate?"

At Rebecca's sudden question, Coco looked surprised and stared at Rebecca.

"You haven't been taking meals much, have you?"

Coco didn't answer that question, but instead, a loud sound came from her stomach.

Coco turned bright red. After thinking for a moment, Rebecca grabbed the bread placed on the floor. She held it out towards Coco.

"Eat this. I don't need it."

Coco looked at Rebecca's face with a shocked expression. Staring straight at Coco, Rebecca added words to reassure her.

"I won't tell anyone. I promise. Eat it right here so you won't get caught."

As Rebecca added more words, Coco looked back and forth between the bread and Rebecca's face multiple times in confusion. Eventually, acting as if lost, she timidly took the bread. She glanced at Rebecca's face. When Rebecca nodded silently, Coco finally stuffed the bread into her mouth. She continued eating vigorously. In the blink of an eye, the small bread disappeared. Midway through, when Rebecca handed her the water, Coco accepted it without hesitation this time and gulped it down.

Realizing that her brother and sister apparently weren't feeding this servant girl properly, Rebecca held her head in her hands.

"...Th-Thank you... very much..."

Having finished the bread, Coco mumbled her thanks while fidgeting. Rebecca watched Coco for a while. Eventually, Rebecca slowly sat down on the spot, met Coco's eyes, and spoke.

"Why were you crying earlier?"

To that question, Coco looked surprised, then pursed her lips tightly. She silently averted her face from Rebecca.

"...If you don't want to answer, that's fine."

When Rebecca said that, a small voice leaked from Coco's mouth.

"—The same."

"Hm?"

"...It was the same. The lullaby... my mother used to sing it..."

Rebecca opened her eyes wide. And immediately remembered. Blanca had said this child's mother died of illness. Surely, hearing the lullaby reminded her of her mother, and she cried. Rebecca silently and slowly reached out her hand. She gently patted Coco's head. Coco stared back at Rebecca with her mouth agape.

Looking at Coco, Rebecca opened her mouth.

"Listen... I'm telling you for your own good, get out of here... leave the Lionfall house."

At those words, Coco's eyes wavered greatly.

"You're being treated terribly by my brother and sister, aren't you? It's very painful and hard, isn't it? If this continues, you will be treated like a slave by those people forever and ever. You don't want that, do you?"

As Rebecca continued, Coco cast her eyes down.

"...I can't."

A trembling, small voice echoed in the room.

"My mother and I were indebted to Lady Juliet... a-and besides, I have nowhere else to go."

"That's—"

Before Rebecca could retort, Coco turned her back.

"Ah... wait!"

Rebecca reached out her arm to stop her again, but Coco moved swiftly like the wind and dashed out of the room.

***

Leaving the warehouse, Coco returned straight to the Lionfall mansion. She ran quietly toward Samuel's room. When she knocked on the door...

"...Enter."

A low voice answered. It was Samuel's cold voice.

Holding her breath slightly, Coco opened the door.

At that moment, a small cup flew toward Coco. Before she could dodge, it hit Coco's head. Immediately after feeling a sharp pain...

"You're late! Why were you dawdling!!"

Juliet's scream echoed.

Inside the room, Samuel, Juliet, and Blanca were sitting facing each other. Samuel and Blanca hardly reacted upon seeing Coco. Conversely, Juliet glared at Coco with an irritated look.

Coco hurriedly bowed her head.

"...I-I am terribly sorry."

"Hurry up and brew fresh tea, you imbecile!!"

Raising her head at that order, Coco began to move.

While she cleared the dishes from the table and prepared fresh tea, the three continued their conversation, ignoring Coco's existence.

"So, is the discussion already settled?"

"No, nothing like that is necessary. We just need to bring her along."

"Will it be alright?"

"Yeah, everything will go well. ...As long as we have Carol here."

Hearing that name, Coco's shoulder twitched. The three didn't notice this and continued their conversation. Coco, who was present, could hardly understand the content. However, fearing Juliet's punishment, she focused impassively on her work.

Eventually, the three's conversation ended quietly. Juliet stood up and left the room. Coco also moved quickly, following behind Juliet.

"Coco, tomorrow will be busy."

While walking, Juliet spoke in a whisper. The moment she saw that face, a chill ran down Coco's spine. Juliet was smiling very happily. It was the same terrifying smile she wore when she was punishing Coco.

Coco involuntarily averted her eyes from Juliet and suddenly remembered Rebecca's face, the one who had spoken to her earlier. Even though they were sisters, she thought she didn't resemble Juliet at all. She wasn't a glamorous, flashy woman like Juliet. If anything, she was a plain person.

But she had treated her injury and even patted her head. Being patted on the head was the first time since her mother died.

—It was a very gentle voice. It was a warm hand.

Coco squeezed her eyes shut once. Then, trembling, she opened her eyes and squeezed out her voice.

"...Lady Juliet... what will happen to that person?"

To Coco's trembling question, Juliet glanced at Coco with annoyed eyes and opened her mouth.

"—It has nothing to do with you, Coco. Just shut up and follow orders. You don't want to go without meals, do you?"

At those words, Coco nodded silently.

Suddenly, she stopped and looked out the window. A world of darkness where nothing could be seen spread out, and she felt an air that seemed ready to crush her.

Coco averted her eyes from that scenery and moved her legs.

***

Part two is scheduled to end in one more chapter.

I will update as soon as possible. Thank you for your continued support.