My Maid is Cute Chapter 74 : Precious Person (Patreon)

Precious Person

To Milady,

Are you in good health? I’ve grown accustomed to the days without you, Milady, but the loneliness continues on and on. Last night, I dreamed of you. It was a dream where I was taking a walk with you. Even though it was a dream, I was very happy to see you. But every day, I wish to see you directly, as soon as possible.

Reading books in your library has recently become my daily joy. Being surrounded by various books every day makes me feel very fortunate. Lately, I have a favorite book, and I’m debating whether to buy a copy for myself—

In her dormitory room, Wendy sat before her desk and spread out the letter that had arrived from Rebecca. She read the letter, written in small characters, over and over again. No emotion surfaced on her beautiful face.

Eventually, Wendy slowly raised her head and stood up. A strong will, as if she had decided something, dwelt in her eyes.

In a classroom at the Magic Academy.

All classes for the day had ended, and the buzz of students filled the room. Amidst this, Nicholas organized his textbooks and stood up from his seat. Just as he was thinking of returning quickly to the dormitory to finish the thesis he was writing, he was interrupted.

“Corin.”

Someone called out to him. There was only one person who called him by this name. When Nicholas turned his face toward the voice, just as he expected, Wendy stood there with a stiff face.

“Hey. What’s up?”

When Nicholas answered, Wendy spoke, keeping her expression rigid.

“Do you have a moment? I want to talk.”

“Hmm? Talk about what?”

“…About the other day… you know, during lunch.”

At those words, Nicholas nodded, saying, “Ah.”

“…Shall we talk in the garden?”

“Yes.”

Wendy nodded at Nicholas’s suggestion. The two of them headed together toward the academy garden.

Students who witnessed this whispered amongst themselves.

“They look really close…”

“Those two really make a picture together, don’t they?”

“I wonder what they’re talking about?”

“I’m curious. Are they getting engaged after all?”

Rumors were spreading little by little, but steadily.

Wendy and Nicholas walked in mutual silence, stepping into the garden. They sat down side-by-side on a small bench placed there.

“Wendy, how was the quiz the other day?”

“…Whatever. Same as always. How about you?”

“I think I did decent. It was pretty difficult, though…”

For a while, they exchanged sporadic, trivial conversation.

Eventually, Wendy looked around, took a deep breath, and cast a soundproofing spell so that their conversation wouldn’t be heard by anyone nearby.

“…About the engagement.”

When Wendy broached the subject, Nicholas nodded lightly with a serious expression.

“Yeah.”

Wendy stared at Nicholas as if glaring at him.

“I thought about various things. Really.”

“Yeah.”

“…I don’t dislike you.”

“That’s an honor.”

“You’re a good person, Corin. If it’s with you, I think I can probably get along fine.”

At those words, Nicholas smiled.

“I think so too, Wendy. As ‘marriage partners’… as a ‘married couple,’ we can surely get along well.”

At those words, Wendy bit her lip and looked down. She immediately raised her face and continued.

“I suppose so. That might be true. That would surely be a wise choice… and that path would surely be blessed by many people…”

Then, Wendy stared straight into Nicholas’s eyes. Moving her lips, she said,

“I—”

There was a person secretly watching Wendy and Nicholas, who were conversing with serious faces, from the shadows.

Seeing the figures of Wendy and Nicholas, who looked intimate no matter how you viewed them, the person made a bitter face. Then, clicking their tongue loudly, they quietly left the scene.

Meanwhile, in the library of the Caldwell residence, Rebecca was reading a book during her break from work. On the installed sofa, she followed the text with her eyes, engrossed.

Just as she thought that her break would be over soon and she had to start her next task, there was a knock on the library door.

Hurriedly closing the book, Rebecca stood up.

“Yees.”

When she opened the door, Christopher was standing there.

“Hi, Rebecca.”

“Lord Christopher! Good afternoon.”

“Do you have a moment?”

“Ah, yes.”

When Rebecca moved aside, Christopher slowly stepped into the library.

“Sorry. Were you working?”

Rebecca shook her head vigorously.

“No, I was just taking a break and reading a book. So, it’s fine.”

At Rebecca’s words, Christopher asked with interest.

“What were you reading?”

“Ah, um…”

Rebecca picked up the book she had been reading until moments ago and showed the cover to Christopher. Seeing the title, Christopher said,

“Ah…”

He made a somewhat complicated expression.

“‘Love Smiles in the Night Sky’ by Lenatore C. Ward, huh…”

“Yes. It’s a favorite of mine.”

Rebecca smiled brightly while hugging the book.

“I’ve read all of this author’s books… but I like this one the best, and I read it over and over… This is a book from the library, but I’m thinking of buying a copy for myself.”

Christopher replied with a vague smile.

“I’ve read that book too… It was certainly an interesting book. …But, it’s a little unexpected.”

“Eh?”

“No, just, I thought it was unexpected that you would like it… It doesn’t have very cheerful content, does it? The ending is also… a bad end.”

“Ah… that’s true…”

‘Love Smiles in the Night Sky’ is a romance novel with a strange style, featuring a mechanical doll as the protagonist. The mechanical doll, unable to understand human emotions, goes on a journey to find the missing scientist who created her. The content of the book depicts the interactions between the protagonist mechanical doll and the people she meets on her journey, as well as her romance with the scientist.

“If it’s the same author, I prefer the ‘Sword of Elan’ series,” Christopher said.

At Christopher’s words, Rebecca tilted her head as if thinking a little, then spoke.

“Um, I can’t say it well, but… this book was very dark and had a sad ending… but it really stayed in my heart… Um, even though it’s a bad end, I think the protagonist is definitely not unhappy. Because she was able to meet the person she loved very much, she was able to take a step forward and grow… So, I think it was good that she was able to meet the person she liked. Surely, she definitely has no regrets, so…”

As Rebecca mumbled this, Christopher tilted his head for a while, and then smiled gently.

“That… is a very lovely way of thinking.”

Rebecca readjusted her hold on the book, smiled back at Christopher, and nodded.

“By the way, Lord Christopher, why did you come here?”

“Ah.”

At Rebecca’s words, Christopher raised his voice as if remembering.

“You already know, don’t you, Rebecca? About Lisette…”

“Ah, yes. I heard from Lady Lisette!”

Rebecca nodded hurriedly and continued.

“Lord Christopher, congratulations!”

“Yeah. Thank you.”

Christopher wore a smile of heartfelt happiness.

“Can you believe it? I’m going to be a father.”

“I’m looking forward to it. They will definitely be a beauty! Whether it’s a boy or a girl.”

“I hope for a child who resembles Lisette… but Lisette says she wants a child who resembles me.”

Seeing Christopher unusually bouncy and excited made Rebecca feel warm inside. While chatting with smiles, suddenly Christopher made a face as if recalling something.

“Ah, so, about that… I have a favor to ask you, Rebecca.”

“A favor?”

When Rebecca tilted her head, Christopher asked a certain favor with a slightly troubled face.

Rebecca laughed and nodded greatly.

“That’s fine, if it’s just that…”

“Is it really okay?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Sorry. Putting a burden on you too, Rebecca.”

“No, calling it a burden is out of the question. More importantly, please prioritize Lady Lisette and the baby above all else.”

At Rebecca’s words, Christopher nodded firmly.

“Lord Christopher looked so happy…”

The next day, as Rebecca muttered this while cleaning, the head maid called out to her.

“Rebecca, could you deliver this to Lady Lisette?”

“Yes?”

What the head maid held out was a small package.

“What is this…?”

When Rebecca asked while receiving it, the head maid told her immediately.

“It seems to be a package delivered from Lady Lisette’s family home. Sorry, but could you take it to her room?”

At the head maid’s words, Rebecca nodded.

“Certainly.”

Saying that, Rebecca directed her steps toward Lisette’s room.

Perhaps due to the pregnancy, Lisette had been feeling unwell often recently and seemed to spend most of her time in her private room. Thinking, Is she okay? and worrying about Lisette’s condition, Rebecca headed to the room she had visited before.

Arriving at Lisette’s room, she knocked on the door immediately.

“Yes.”

A gentle voice was heard, and the door opened soon after.

“E-Excuse me.”

Rebecca entered the room, feeling a little nervous.

Inside the room, Lisette was sitting on a large sofa. Beside the sofa, her personal maid stood watching over her. Lisette seemed to be doing something like handicraft, and while moving her fingers, she turned her face toward Rebecca.

“Um, I was told this is a delivery for you.”

When Rebecca said that, Lisette smiled cheerfully.

“Thank you.”

Lisette’s personal maid approached Rebecca. Rebecca handed the package to the maid while glancing at Lisette. Lisette seemed to be creating something by braiding thin threads.

What is she doing? Just as she muttered in her heart, Lisette looked up as if she had heard Rebecca’s inner voice. Meeting Rebecca’s eyes, Lisette smiled and spoke to her.

“Are you curious, Rebecca?”

“Ah, I’m sorry…”

When Rebecca apologized instinctively, Lisette chuckled.

“I’m making a gift for the baby.”

“A gift?”

“Yes. It’s a bracelet.”

Lisette nodded and continued.

“My mother is from a distant country, you see… It seems to be a custom from her homeland… You give a bracelet imbued with your own magic to a precious person. Because my mother gave one to me when I was born… I decided I would definitely give one too if I had a baby.”

Saying that, Lisette moved her fingers, carefully braiding the threads. Staring at that scene, Rebecca muttered,

“That is very lovely…”

Lisette looked up again and gazed at Rebecca. Then, she spoke.

“Would you like to make one too, Rebecca?”

“Eh.”

Rebecca let out a bewildered voice.

“Uh, um, me?”

“If you’d like, shall I teach you? It’s surprisingly easy to do.”

Saying that, she happily held out some thread. She then taught Rebecca how to make it, braiding the thread right in front of her eyes.

“You braid the threads like this, see. Tie it here… and finally, imbue it with a little magic, and it’s done. See? Not difficult, right?”

“Y-Yes…”

Just as Lisette said, it wasn’t surprisingly complex, and it looked like Rebecca could make one well enough.

“You should make one for your precious person too, Rebecca.”

At Lisette’s words, Rebecca stared at the thread, perplexed.

“Precious… person… is it?”

“Yes! …Ah, if you’d like, I’ll give you some thread too. I have plenty left over.”

Saying that, Lisette gave Rebecca lots of thread in various colors.

Holding the threads she received from Lisette, Rebecca thanked her and left the room.

“…Maybe I’ll try making one.”

Thinking of Wendy’s face, Rebecca muttered softly. Then, she started walking.

Around that time, at the Magic Academy.

Classes for the day had ended, and Jeanne greeted Wendy as she returned to the dormitory.

“Welcome back, Milady.”

“Yeah.”

Wendy gave a curt reply and immediately handed her bag to Jeanne. Just as she was about to change clothes, Jeanne spoke up.

“Um, Milady.”

“What?”

“I have something to tell you…”

Wendy directed a languid gaze at Jeanne and spoke.

“Keep it brief, please.”

Jeanne continued, looking as if it were difficult to say.

“Um, actually, a letter addressed to you, Milady—”

Wendy shot her head up and spoke quickly.

“From Becca!?”

At those words, Jeanne shook her head in a panic.

“No, um, it’s not. It is not from Rebecca.”

At those words, Wendy looked away from Jeanne as if she had lost interest.

“Then what? Is it from that person, by any chance?”

“That person” referred to Christopher. However, Jeanne shook her head at that as well.

“No, it’s not. Um… well, the sender isn’t written on it.”

“Hah?”

When Wendy furrowed her brows, Jeanne nervously held out a white envelope.

“It’s this, but…”

Wendy took it. She immediately opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside.

Reading the letter, Wendy opened her eyes wide. Then, she immediately grimaced.

“Milady…?”

Jeanne called out with a worried expression.

Briefly scrawled in the letter with messy handwriting was:

Don’t get close to Nicholas Lambert, you cursed monster.

Background Info

• ’Love Smiles in the Night Sky’

A novel by Lenatore C. Ward. It is Rebecca’s absolute favorite.

It is a romance novel between a scientist and a mechanical doll devoid of emotion. It is a work aimed at adults, charming for its delicate, beautiful, and sorrowful psychological depictions. However, due to its dark style and bad ending, opinions are clearly divided. With this novel, the author, Ward, won a famous literary prize.