My Maid is Cute Chapter 51 : Awakening (Patreon)

I felt like someone called my name.

At the same time, I felt a strange shock.

"Come now, wake up. Slowly."

I hear a voice. Who is it?

I slowly open my eyelids. I can't see anything.

No, that's not right. I can faintly see a silhouette. Someone is in front of me.

"It's okay, you're okay."

Gentle hands touch my back. They help me sit up.

I tried to sit up myself, but I couldn't move my body. Not even a finger. It felt unbearably heavy. Just as I wondered why, my vision finally cleared.

In front of me was a woman. She was wearing clothes that looked like a gray robe. Her long hair was white as snow. A beautiful woman with a fantastical aura. She turned her sea-blue eyes toward me.

—Eyes I feel like I've seen somewhere.

"Are you all right? Can you speak?"

The voice leaking from her lips was also transparently beautiful.

Since she spoke to me, I opened my lips to answer. However...

"...Uh."

No voice came out. I desperately tried to speak again and again, moving my lips and throat.

"Speak slowly. There is no need to rush."

Encouraged by her words, I continued to move my mouth. Eventually, a voice leaked out.

"...Ugh... ah."

The woman smiled in relief and nodded.

"Yes. Just like that. Try saying your name."

Being told that, I furrowed my brows.

My name? ...Huh? My name. Name?

What was it...?

I'm confused and don't understand anything. I feel dizzy.

At that moment, someone's voice echoed in my head.

“Becca.”

Whose voice is that? It's a very cute voice. A voice sweet as spun sugar that I want to listen to forever—

At that moment, I felt a sensation as if my mind cleared up a little.

Slowly, I opened my lips.

"...Be, Becca... Rebecca..."

A rasping, small voice came out of my mouth. The woman in front of me smiled in relief and nodded.

"Yes. Good morning, Rebecca."

At those words, Rebecca let out a huge sigh and closed her eyes.

Huh? Who is this beautiful woman?

She thought about it, but her body was so sluggish that her thoughts wouldn't come together. Before an answer to her question could emerge, Rebecca's consciousness sank into darkness once again.

***

When her consciousness returned next, the first thing she saw was, as expected, that beautiful woman. Noticing Rebecca had opened her eyes, she smiled.

"You've been sleeping too much, Rebecca."

It seemed the woman was giving her a lap pillow. Rebecca frowned and tried to sit up, but...

"Ugh, ooh..."

Her body was still heavy, and she could hardly move it. Her whole body hurt.

"Don't push yourself. You're still recovering."

The woman stroked Rebecca's forehead as if to reassure her. Then, she slowly helped Rebecca sit up and produced a cup of water from somewhere.

"Water. Do you want to drink?"

The moment the cup was offered, she realized her throat was dry. With the woman's help, she desperately gulped down the water. Once her thirst subsided, she let out a small breath.

"You seem a little more settled."

The woman said with a wry smile. Turning her gaze to her, Rebecca tilted her head slightly. Who is this person?

As if answering Rebecca's gaze, the woman wore a dignified smile.

"Do you not recognize me? Small child of man."

Being told that, Rebecca furrowed her brow. A few seconds later, she realized the woman's true identity and opened her eyes wide.

"...Riesie?"

The woman nodded largely, looking satisfied.

"Good. It seems your memory is intact as well."

Listening to Rieserago's words, Rebecca tilted her head again.

—Huh? Why has Riesie taken a form like this?

—Wait, why am I with Riesie in the first place?

"Do you remember what happened when you were injured?"

Asked by Rieserago, Rebecca was confused.

—Injured? What injury?

She searched her memories as if slowly pulling a thread.

"Hmm...?"

When she groaned involuntarily, Rieserago laughed cheerfully.

"You seem quite confused. Well, it's no wonder, but..."

Desperately digging up her memories, she voiced them.

"Umm... I was, surely... working... called for dinner... a feast...? ...Ah."

In the next instant, all memories came flooding back.

The Caldwell house, being a maid, abduction, confinement, her brother and sisters, and the Young Lady—!

"Aaah!!"

The moment she sat up vigorously with her own strength, she felt pain throughout her body. Grimacing at the pain, Rebecca clung to Rieserago who was nearby.

"W-What happened back then!?"

"Calm down, Rebecca. I'll explain one by one... Here, drink a little more water."

Being told that, she was handed the cup of water again.

While drinking it, Rebecca looked around. She could only see brown walls all around. It was a very narrow and small place, like a cave. It was wrapped in cool, humid air. A little distance away, she could see a hole that looked like an exit, but because Rieserago's body was in the way, she couldn't see the outside world well.

Next, she looked at her own body. Before she knew it, she was wearing a white one-piece dress. Just as she wondered when she had changed, her own hand holding the cup caught her eye. At that moment, Rebecca felt a strange sense of discomfort.

—Huh? Was my hand like this? It feels somehow different...

At that moment, her own hair brushed smoothly against her face. Seeing that hair, Rebecca was startled.

"Hu-huh?"

She grabbed a lock of hair. Her hair was originally chestnut brown, and she was supposed to have dyed it black with magic. That hair had turned pure white. The same hair color as Rieserago in front of her. While Rebecca was bewildered, Rieserago lightly patted her head.

"It's the effect of my magic. Don't worry, I'll dye it for you later."

"M-Magic..."

Interrupting her words, Rieserago spoke to her again.

"Rebecca, how much do you remember?"

Asked that, Rebecca answered slowly while tracing her memories.

"U-Umm, surely, I was hit hard on the head with something... kicked... and fell down the stairs. After that, I immediately called for your help... Huh? Come to think of it, I feel like something was burning...?"

Rieserago nodded a few times and opened her mouth.

"...It seems you were quite resented by those people. Your head injury was quite severe. Plus, you had wounds all over your body... What on earth happened with them?"

At those words, Rebecca grimaced again.

"...A lot happened. A lot... More importantly, please tell me. What on earth happened back then...?"

Rieserago shrugged and continued.

"—That day, from the human world, I heard your voice. Realizing it was calling my name, I tried to rush over immediately. But I couldn't. Some foreign, troublesome magic was interfering with the power of my magic stone... Your voice was too small, and I couldn't pinpoint your location. I searched for quite a while, but..."

"...Ah."

At Rieserago's words, she remembered the magic-sealing collar put on her by her brother and sister. When she told her about it, Rieserago nodded in understanding.

"Presumably, it was a type of magic tool... A tool of the same lineage as the cursed ring that was placed on me. To think such magic tools still exist in the human world..."

Rieserago clicked her tongue lightly. Crossing her arms, she added more words.

"Around the time the human world was greeting dawn, I heard your voice again. This time it was a clear voice. With that, I could pinpoint your location and rushed over. I was surprised when I arrived. You were on the verge of death, and there were some strange, idiotic-looking guys around you..."

Hearing her brother and sisters called idiotic-looking, Rebecca had mixed feelings. Regardless, Rieserago continued.

"When I showed myself, they screamed and tried to run away in fear... I thought it probably wouldn't be good to let them escape, so I casually took them down."

"T-Took them down...? Um, that means..."

When Rebecca's face stiffened, Rieserago shook her head with a wry smile.

"Relax. I just blew them away a bit. They fainted, and might be injured, but not seriously... probably."

At the word "probably," Rebecca's lips twitched.

"In the momentum of blowing them away, a... candlestick? A tool like that in the house fell over. The candle fell on the floor, and after that, it burned up all at once."

"...Wow."

While Rebecca wondered if that warehouse at the Lionfall estate was alright, ignoring her concern, Rieserago added more words.

"Because your injuries were quite severe, I tried to treat you on the spot. But immediately, I sensed the presence of many humans rushing over. Presumably, they noticed the house was burning. It would be quite troublesome if many people saw me, so I took you and escaped. Before escaping, I hastily tampered with the memories of the humans there other than you, erasing memories related to me, but..."

"And after that?"

"I brought you here immediately and treated your injuries."

"Here is..."

Rieserago shifted her body slightly so the exit could be seen.

"Can you see?"

Rebecca tottered a little closer to the exit.

"...It's my dwelling. I invited you before, didn't I?"

Beyond the exit spread a green forest that went on forever. Above, she could see a bright light blue sky with no clouds or sun.

"Here, no one can enter. Without being disturbed by anyone, I could heal your body slowly."

Rieserago smiled. Rebecca looked at her and opened her mouth.

"Come to think of it, that form of yours—"

"Ah."

Rieserago stood up on the spot and twirled around.

"That form is inconvenient for talking with you. It's too big, and I thought I'd scare you, so I changed my body into a human shape. This form is beautiful, and easier to talk to, right?"

"...Your previous form was beautiful too."

When Rebecca said that, Rieserago looked surprised. Immediately, she laughed happily.

"Is that so."

"Yes."

Exhaling a large breath, Rebecca slowly bowed her head toward Rieserago.

"...Thank you very much. Riesie. You truly saved me."

"Don't mention it. I'm glad you're safe."

Rieserago laughed, and Rebecca smiled back.

Then she turned her gaze to the outside world again. Gazing at the scenery absently.

It feels like so many things happened at once, my thoughts are jumbled. Anyway, I'm tired. Really tired. I need to rest a bit, and once my body recovers, I have to go back.

Surely the Young Lady is worried—

Thinking that, Rebecca remembered something and gasped.

"R-Riesie!"

"Hm?"

Turning to Rieserago who replied lightly, Rebecca added words with a trembling voice.

"C-Come to think of it, you said before that the flow of time here is different from the outside world, didn't you...?"

"Ah—, that's right."

"T-Then..."

Rebecca swallowed hard and asked.

"How much time has passed over there...?"

"..."

"..."

Rieserago tilted her head cutely.

"Who knows?"

"Don't give me 'Who knows?'!!"

Raising her voice, Rebecca grabbed Rieserago's clothes.

"Since you brought me here, how much time has passed here!?"

"Umm, treating your injuries took time, and you wouldn't wake up easily so... a few days? No, a few weeks?"

At those words, Rebecca held her head in her hands, stunned.

"N-No way..."

How much time had passed in the outside world? Just thinking about it made her dizzy.

Watching Rebecca like that, Rieserago scratched her cheek with a finger. Then, she spoke in a voice that sounded very reluctant.

"Ah—, Rebecca. There is one more thing I must tell you..."

"...What is it?"

When Rebecca looked at Rieserago with a reproachful gaze, she averted her face as if escaping that gaze.

"Ah—, well..."

"Don't tell me it's something even worse than this?"

"Umm, well..."

For some reason, Rieserago mumbled awkwardly.

"Please say it clearly. I won't be surprised by anything anymore."

At Rebecca's words, Rieserago began to speak haltingly in a small voice while looking away.

"...Umm, when healing your injuries, I used magic. You know, the wounds were deep, and the bleeding was severe, so..."

"...And?"

"W-What I used was a very old magic. It's so-called 'Time' magic that humans can never use... I tried to revert your body to its best state. And it went well. No, it went too well..."

"...? If it went well, isn't that fine?"

"..."

Rieserago fell silent. Not understanding the reason, Rebecca became increasingly confused. After a while, Rieserago took out a small hand mirror from inside her clothes.

"I'm sorry, Rebecca."

"Huh?"

Rieserago turned the mirror toward her. Her own reflection was shown there.

"...Eh."

Her mind refused to comprehend the figure in the mirror, and Rebecca's thoughts stopped for a moment. However, she recognized it immediately.

"W-...Wha...!"

Her hair reflected in the mirror was pure white.

No, that's not it. That's not the problem—well, it is a problem, but a bigger problem than that is—

"Whaaaat is thiiiiiiiiis!?"

Reflected in the mirror was, no matter how you looked at it, the figure of a young girl around 7 or 8 years old.