My Maid is Cute Chapter 84 : The Secret Contract (Patreon)

*The Secret Contract*

Triggered by that event, the distance between Nicholas and Wendy shrank even further.

"Would you mind calling me by my name?"

Some time after they had begun eating lunch together, Wendy furrowed her brows at Nicholas's request.

"Your name?"

"Yeah. I just thought it felt a bit distant..."

Nicholas nodded, looking slightly troubled.

From the time they met until now, Wendy had addressed Nicholas as "Lord Lambert." Feeling a twinge of loneliness at that, Nicholas proposed using first names, but Wendy made a complicated expression.

"...I've never called a classmate by their name before."

Nicholas couldn't help but smile wryly at her words. Given that Wendy disliked people and had almost no friends, that was only natural.

"If you're reluctant to use my name, a nickname would be fine too."

At that suggestion, Wendy tilted her head.

"It's not that I'm reluctant, exactly... But a nickname, hmm... Since it's Nicholas, maybe 'Nick'... 'Nico'... or perhaps 'Colin'?"

Hearing that last nickname, Nicholas unintentionally burst out laughing. He had been called "Nick" by friends several times, but "Colin" was a first.

"'Colin,' huh? It sounds somewhat cute... I wonder if it suits me?"

"Oh, don't say that."

Wendy shrugged and replied gently.

"It's nice. 'Colin.' It feels like you."

"...You think so?"

"Yes."

Somehow, being called "Colin" by Wendy gave him a strange, ticklish sensation. Nicholas chuckled softly. Wendy watched him quietly as he laughed.

***

The people around them reacted sensitively to Nicholas and Wendy spending time together.

"Do you have a special relationship with Lady Caldwell?"

One day, a friend asked him this abruptly, surprising Nicholas.

"What do you mean by that...?"

"Huh? Is that not it?"

His friend continued with a puzzled look.

"There's been a rumor lately. That Nicholas and Lady Caldwell are in an intimate relationship..."

At those words, Nicholas was momentarily left speechless.

It was true that they had been spending a lot of time together recently. However, it was by no means an intimate relationship in that sense. To Nicholas, Wendy was a good female friend—perhaps the first he'd ever really had—and there were no romantic feelings involved. Most likely, Wendy also thought of Nicholas as nothing more than a friend she talked to often. As proof, throughout their interactions so far, there had never been even a hint of such an atmosphere.

"I mean, that Lady Caldwell, who is cold to everyone, talks often only with you, Nicholas... And you, despite being popular with girls, rarely try to interact with them, right? So, I just assumed it must have turned into that kind of relationship..."

"No, there is no truth to that. She is just a friend..."

Hearing this, Nicholas's friend grinned mischievously.

"There's plenty of possibility for friends to become lovers from here on out, right?"

"...No way, something like that—"

"Don't you like Lady Caldwell, Nick?"

"...No."

The moment he heard the word "like," Nicholas's face twitched violently.

"...No, I... regarding her... I don't..."

He tried to gloss over it somehow, but it didn't go well, and he stumbled over his words. Words like "lover" and "like" swirled around in his head, and he felt his heart pounding loudly. But Nicholas knew. This wasn't the special emotion known as love.

—It was terror.

If he and Wendy were to become lovers... Just imagining it, Nicholas felt his spine freeze. Cold sweat ran down his back, and it became hard to breathe. He felt a sensation as if the blood in his entire body was flowing backward.

"N-Nick? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

His friend called out in surprise, seeing Nicholas's face turn deadly pale. Nicholas hurriedly waved his hand in dismissal.

"Sorry, I'm fine... I just felt a little sick. I'm going to the infirmary."

Refusing his concerned friend's offer to accompany him, Nicholas hurriedly fled the classroom.

He walked alone, but instead of the infirmary, he stepped into a salon. Sitting down on a sofa, he slowly exhaled. He stared blankly at the ceiling.

Love really is impossible for me, he realized once again. Just imagining the existence of a "lover" filled him with fear. His mother's voice echoed in his head, and his body reacted on its own.

“Nicholas, I love you...”

A voice he never wanted to remember again.

Shuddering, Nicholas covered his ears with his hands as if to block it out.

***

The following week, upon hearing news that his sister Estelle had fallen ill, Nicholas obtained permission from the academy and returned home temporarily.

"Oh my, Nicholas, did you come to visit me?"

When Nicholas showed his face, his sister on the bed smiled happily.

"Sister, how is your condition?"

He asked as he sat down on the chair beside the bed.

"Just the usual cold. I'll be better soon."

Nicholas lightly grasped the hand of Estelle, who wore an elegant smile. The siblings exchanged gentle words.

"I'm truly happy you came. Since graduating from the academy, it's been somewhat lonely..."

"I was lonely too."

At Nicholas's words, Estelle smiled even more happily. It was a dazzling smile without a hint of shadow. He even thought it might be the most beautiful thing in this world. Unchanged since childhood, his sister's radiant smile.

—The thing Nicholas wanted to protect most.

"Hey, Nicholas, come to think of it, there's something I want to talk about."

Since Estelle spoke up, Nicholas tilted his head and opened his mouth.

"What is it?"

Estelle turned her sparkling eyes toward Nicholas and continued.

"Say, isn't it about time you started thinking about the future too?"

"The future?"

Estelle nodded greatly.

"About your marriage."

At that word, Nicholas gasped for a second. He knew the smile had vanished from his face, but he couldn't stop it. Estelle, seemingly unaware, put her hands together while smiling.

"You have to start thinking about it soon too. My engagement to Brooks looks like it will be officially decided soon..."

Estelle continued, looking somewhat excited.

"Hey, I heard a rumor. There's someone you're close with recently, isn't there? If I recall, a daughter of the Caldwell house... Are you dating? Is there talk of an engagement? If so, I was thinking I'd really like you to introduce her to me—"

"Engagement..."

Nicholas raised his voice to interrupt Estelle's story.

"...I think it's still too early to think about marriage."

When Nicholas said that, Estelle shook her head as if to say nonsense.

"It's not early. If anything, it's late, isn't it? You are the heir to this house... Father must be worried too."

"There is no way that man would worry about such a thing!!"

At Nicholas unintentionally raising his voice, Estelle went rigid with surprise. Realizing what he had done, Nicholas hurriedly forced a smile and spoke again.

"Um, there's no engagement or anything... At least not right now... I don't want to think about that."

"Nicholas..."

Estelle tried to say something, but Nicholas cut in.

"Sorry, but it's about time, so I'll be heading back. Take care of yourself."

Saying that quickly, he stood up from the chair and left the room.

***

Back at school, Nicholas walked around the school building, pressing a hand to his aching head. It was currently lunch break. he didn't want to enter the dining hall or classrooms where many students were bustling about. As he walked looking for a place to be alone, he heard a familiar voice.

"Please stop."

Nicholas's feet stopped dead. He immediately turned toward the voice. Walking briskly, his gaze settled on a sparsely populated corridor. Seeing Wendy and a tall male student talking, Nicholas furrowed his brows. The male student was gripping Wendy's hand.

"Come on, it's fine. We're just going to have a fun meal."

Apparently, the male student was inviting Wendy to eat.

"I refuse. I will not go. Please let go."

Wendy stared at the male student with her usual cold eyes, flatly refusing him.

"Just humor me for a bit. I've been interested in you for a long time."

"You are truly being a nuisance. I do not want to go. Please let go immediately."

Wendy was refusing clearly, but the male student was quite persistent. Nicholas grimaced and quickly approached the two. He grabbed the male student's hand and spoke.

"Let go of her hand."

Wendy's eyes widened in surprise.

"Colin..."

Ignoring Wendy's voice, Nicholas glared sharply at the male student and declared firmly.

"I'm the one she's with. So, she won't be going out with you. You should give up."

The male student stood dumbfounded, mouth agape at those words. Then, he hurriedly left the scene.

"...Thank you."

Wendy said in a small voice. He felt like her voice was trembling slightly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes... No matter how many times I refused, he was persistent, and I was in trouble. You really saved me, Colin."

Relieved that he could help Wendy, Nicholas smiled. However...

"But, what you just did might be a bit problematic..."

He tilted his head at Wendy's words.

"What is?"

Seeing Nicholas looking blank, Wendy covered her mouth with a very complicated expression.

"You haven't realized...? That phrasing just now was... a bit..."

At those words, Nicholas finally recalled his own statement from moments ago and gasped.

"Oh no!"

Those words he had said in the spur of the moment—"I'm the one she's with"—it was practically saying they were lovers. Nicholas's face went pale.

"...It seems a foolish rumor is going to spread immediately."

Hearing Wendy's voice sound fed up, Nicholas spoke in a panic.

"S-Sorry... I didn't mean it like that... Oh, crap, w-what should I do..."

As if to reassure the flustered Nicholas, Wendy waved her hand dismissively.

"I'll deny it properly, so it's fine..."

Then she muttered under her breath.

"Well, honestly, it would be convenient if the rumor kept circulating."

"Eh?"

Nicholas voiced his shock.

"What does that mean?"

Wendy shrugged and answered.

"Since I started talking to you often, the number of men approaching me has decreased significantly."

"Oh, ah, I see..."

Nicholas nodded in understanding. It was the same for him. As the rumor that he had a special relationship with Wendy spread little by little, the number of female students approaching him had decreased recently.

"Until I became friends with you, I was troubled by many invitations to go out or eat together... Some of them, like just now, were persistent and followed me around."

"Yeah, I understand."

Nicholas nodded in heartfelt agreement. Wendy lowered her face slightly and spun her words clearly.

"I have someone I like. So, you really helped me."

At those words, Nicholas was startled.

"Eh... Wendy, y-y-you have someone you like?"

His voice cracked, and he stuttered. To Nicholas's question, Wendy replied,

"Yes."

She nodded and placed a hand on her chest.

"A person I like very, very much. My one and only, my everything. Forever and ever... I really love them. From the bottom of my heart..."

Seeing uncharacteristic words come from Wendy's mouth, Nicholas opened his eyes wide. He had thought her a calm and quiet woman. However, from Wendy's voice just now, he felt a heat unimaginable from her usual demeanor.

Suddenly, he remembered. Wendy's words he had heard a while ago.

“...There is something I want to do after I graduate... I'm saving money for that. Because I don't want to rely on my broth—on that man...”

Wendy had said she would search for a precious person after graduation. Was that person she was searching for the one Wendy was in love with?

"...Honestly, it helps me too."

Nicholas spoke in a mutter.

"Since becoming friends with you... the number of girls calling out to me has decreased too. I'm grateful they invite me to things, but... well, I don't really have much interest in that sort of thing..."

Wendy watched silently as Nicholas spoke evasively. Then, tilting her head, she asked in a small voice.

"I've thought this for a while, but... are you bad with women?"

At those words, Nicholas peeled his eyes open in shock.

"W-W-Why!?"

He had been careful not to let anyone catch on as much as possible. He never let his discomfort show, and he intended to respond with a smile to the women who spoke to him. Wendy replied while making a contemplative sound.

"When you talk to me or get spoken to by other female students, I feel like you blink a lot more. You try to look away immediately, and also, you speak a little too fast... But when you're talking to male students, it's the complete opposite; you have a very calm expression..."

Nicholas was speechless at her words and shook his head.

"Amazing observational skills..."

As expected of a bestselling author. She had a sharp eye for people. Nicholas gave up on hiding it, dropped his shoulders in defeat, and nodded.

"Yeah... Actually, I might be a little bad with them..."

"Just a little?"

"...Honestly, I'm extremely bad with them. With girls... No, rather than girls themselves, it's their eyes, and their words..."

Hearing that, Wendy made a puzzled face and asked again.

"Does that mean it's painful to talk to me right now too?"

"No, that's—"

Nicholas hurriedly shook his head.

"It's fine. I'm used to talking to you now... Besides, you..."

You don't look at me with those kinds of eyes. Almost continuing with that, Nicholas clamped his mouth shut in a panic. Then, grimacing, he looked down. Wendy watched him with curiosity, but eventually exhaled a short breath and spoke again.

"Hey, class is starting soon, but... want to talk a little longer?"

"Eh?"

"Come over here."

Wendy said this plainly and started walking. Nicholas froze for a moment, but eventually chased after Wendy in a hurry.

Wendy headed to a small empty classroom.

"At this time, no one uses this room."

Saying that, Wendy sat down on a chair. Nicholas looked around restlessly and spoke.

"But class is..."

"It's fine. I'll smooth it over with the teacher later."

He smiled wryly at Wendy's words. Nicholas sat down opposite Wendy.

"This is the first time I've ever skipped class without permission..."

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

To Wendy's comment, Nicholas replied while clasping his hands on the desk.

"I was the Student Council President's brother, after all."

"...Ah, come to think of it, your sister was the Student Council President."

"Yeah."

"I never spoke to her... but she looks just like you, a very beautiful person. She was incredibly popular... always surrounded by many people."

Nicholas smiled and nodded at Wendy's words.

"Yeah. My sister is truly a wonderful person. Excellent at everything, bright, pure, and kind... If anyone was in trouble, she would always reach out a hand..."

Truly, Estelle was that kind of person. Gentle, warm-hearted, and kind to everyone. To Nicholas, she was the most precious person in the world.

To that precious sister, Nicholas was lying, living his life while hiding things. Remembering that, Nicholas's face darkened.

He kept his condition a secret all this time. He felt suffocated by self-loathing and felt like vomiting. He knew he should tell Estelle the truth honestly. But he just couldn't do it. That incident with their mother was a huge emotional scar for Estelle too. Even now, Estelle blamed herself for not being able to stop their mother. To burden such a sister further, to make her sad—

"What's wrong?"

When he realized it, Wendy was looking at him with concern.

"Are you okay? Your face is deadly pale."

Nicholas hurriedly forced a smile.

"I'm okay. Just thinking about a few things..."

Wendy looked straight at him. Then she layered her words in a gentle voice.

"If it's painful, you don't have to force yourself to smile."

Then, after making a slightly thoughtful expression, she continued slowly.

"You seem like you're forcing a smile remarkably often... I don't know your circumstances... and honestly, I'm not that interested. But, even so... I am worried. Because you said we were friends..."

Wendy looked away from Nicholas with a complicated expression. Then, crossing her arms, she continued.

"Because I also... think of you as, um, a f-friend."

Because unexpected words flew from Wendy's mouth, Nicholas inadvertently opened his mouth in a daze.

"...As a friend, I'm worried about you. If you keep pushing yourself like that, your heart will surely get tired, and eventually, it will break. You are working hard. Your effort shows your strength... but please consider resting a little. Cherish your own heart. ...If it's just listening to you talk, I can do that."

At Wendy's words, Nicholas felt a sensation like his chest was tightening. His heart warmed, and the words soaked in little by little. It was the first time he had ever felt like this.

"...Sorry. I can only say things like this. ...It's my first time having a conversation like this with a friend... so I don't know what to say."

Wendy looked awkward and stood up.

"I'll go."

She probably thought she should leave Nicholas alone. However, Nicholas called out to Wendy as she tried to leave.

"Wendy."

"Hm?"

To Wendy, who turned her face toward him, Nicholas called out with a smile that looked like he was about to cry.

"...If you don't mind, will you listen to my story? It might be long, though."

At those words, Wendy shrugged and sat back down on the chair.

"Sure. If it's just listening."

She turned her mirror-clear green eyes toward Nicholas. Facing her, Nicholas looked down and closed his eyes for a moment. Then, looking up as if he had made up his mind, he met Wendy's gaze straight on and opened his mouth.

"I... cannot fall in love—"

Nicholas began to tell his story. He told Wendy about his mother, the incident in his childhood, his trauma, and his peculiar condition.

It was the first time he had spoken so honestly about himself to another person. He didn't really know why he decided to confess his secret to Wendy. But, he simply thought he wanted her to hear it. He wanted to talk. Perhaps, the suffocation of not being able to tell anyone, not even his sister, had pushed him to his limit, Nicholas thought.

As Nicholas expected, Wendy didn't interrupt at all; expressionless, with almost no reaction, she listened to Nicholas's story.

Having finished telling everything, Nicholas let out a large breath. Watching him quietly, Wendy finally opened her mouth.

"Colin."

"Yeah?"

Because he had spoken for quite a long time, he felt his voice was a little hoarse. When Nicholas looked back at Wendy while holding his throat, Wendy spoke with a calm face.

"Colin, you did well."

"...Eh?"

"You did nothing wrong. All this time, you protected your own heart, and your sister's heart. You really worked hard."

At those words, Nicholas felt like crying for real this time.

"You think so...?"

"Yeah."

At Wendy's short reply, Nicholas couldn't endure it anymore and covered his face with his hands. He tried to stop the overflowing tears, but it didn't work. To such a Nicholas, Wendy held out a handkerchief. Accepting it, Nicholas smiled slightly.

He thought from the bottom of his heart that he was glad the first person he told was Wendy.

***

A few days later.

Just as Nicholas and Wendy had imagined, the rumor that the two were lovers spread throughout the academy. Originally, it was a small rumor whispered secretly. However, baseless gossip claiming they were close to engagement or would marry immediately after graduation expanded at a tremendous speed. While Nicholas was worrying about how to deny it, Wendy made an unexpected proposal.

"Why don't you use me as a woman-repellent?"

"Eh!?"

Nicholas opened his eyes wide at Wendy's words.

"I get called out to by men often at the academy. But since the rumor spread that I'm your lover, that has decreased. It's the same for you, isn't it?"

"Well, yes, but..."

Just as Wendy said, he used to be looked at with romantic gazes and called out to often by female students, but since the rumors with Wendy spread, that had almost disappeared. Honestly, it was quite helpful.

"I have someone I like. So, I have no intention of getting a lover. And you also want to avoid romance."

Wendy stared at Nicholas with serious eyes.

"You should just use me to ward off women. I will use you to ward off men. If we do that, surely, school life will become easier for both of us. Don't you agree?"

"T-That's true, but..."

"We don't have to announce it grandly. We won't confirm the rumors, nor deny them; we'll just gloss over it, and then, just like before, spend time together occasionally and pretend to have an intimate relationship. The people around us will just misunderstand on their own."

At those words, Nicholas put a hand to his mouth, thinking.

"I don't think it's bad... But won't it be trouble for you later? You have someone you like, right? If it becomes a problem when you get married in the future..."

"That sort of thing will be fine."

Wendy said firmly and shook her head.

"...If that happens, I'll manage it myself. I take responsibility for myself."

Wendy crossed her arms and looked at Nicholas with calm eyes.

"If you don't want to, I won't force you. But, if you accept my proposal... I will serve as your partner with all my might."

At those straightforward words, Nicholas finally made up his mind.

"...Understood. I'm counting on you, Wendy."

Nicholas held out his hand. Wendy also reached out her hand and spoke.

"This is a secret contract between you and me, Colin. I look forward to working with you."

"Yeah."

The two of them gripped each other's hands tightly.