*

What's bothering you?

　Suddenly, Cecily stopped shredding the bread when Verna asked her about it.
　The servants' dining room was filled with a murmur.
　Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, but the buzzing seemed distant.
　If I wore earplugs or a couple of colourless cloths, I might feel like this.

'Nothing, sir, nothing.'
'Well, sometimes it's just easier to talk about it. You can always talk to me about it.
Yeah, I appreciate that.

　Oh, Verna scratched her head in embarrassment.
　'How much easier it would be if we could talk about it,' said Cecily, bringing a piece of bread to her mouth.

'What are your plans for the New Year, both of you?
What's going on?

　When Verna asked back, Eyepatch let out a breath through her nose.

''Kuhu, we have a series of holidays during this year's New Year's holiday. You can take this opportunity to go back to your parents' house, or you can spend it lazily, or you can work and get a special allowance for New Year's Eve.
What did I tell you?

　Verna raises an eyebrow dubiously.

'Last year, Crono-sama was busy, too. But this year it's different. Even if you take a day off, you won't have your salary reduced, it's a special leave approved by Master Crono!
Heh.

　Verna crossed her arms as she thought about it.
　Maybe Verna would choose the third one ... work and get a special allowance for New Year's Eve.

Hmmm, I don't have a home to go back to and I don't like lingering around, so I guess I'll have to work to make money. What are you going to do about it?
I'm a homeless person myself, and this year I'm going to linger. Well, I'm in the minority when it comes to going home.
Where's Cecily?
I wouldn't be here if I had to leave.
Okay.

　Verna's eyes sparkled with happiness.
　Cecily looked across at Verna and let out a sigh.
　I wonder what was on the menu last night, Cecily thought.
　She couldn't even remember what was on the menu last night, but she could remember every single word whispered to Crono.
　Cecily shook her head, shaking off the memory that brought up an unnamable ache.
　This was the servants' dining room.
　It would be inappropriate to recall the contents of a dream here, and it was an insincerity unbecoming of a maid.
　Oh, I can't bear to have Verna look at me with contempt, Cecily let out a sigh.
　Verna is verbally abusive and quarrelsome.
　On top of that, she's a criminal.
　But despite being a criminal, Verna has a straightforward nature.

''Come to think of it, Master Crono was worried about you.
....

　His flaw is that he has bad taste in men he's not a good judge of men.
　No, no, no, Crono is a man with something to look at.
　I have my beliefs and I continue to work hard to follow them.
　I protect the people I feel like I love.
　It's easy to say, but how much hard work is required to make it come with results?
　If he is a commoner, a mere lord, it may be possible.
　But he is a commander.
　The path he has chosen is a hopelessly difficult one.
　There are certainly places to look.
　But it is what it is, and this is what it is.
　He's crazy.
　It seems to me that he is out of the ordinary.
　But what should I tell Verna, who thinks such a man is a good person or something?
　If you tell Verna the truth, she won't believe you.
　You can't be sure that you'll be able to find the right one.

'Hey, Cecily?'
I'm fine!
No, it's not.

　Verna waved her hands from side to side in denial with a pat on the back.
　If you look, the number of maids had dwindled.
　The only ones present now are Cecily and Verna, the maids from the night shift.

''Y-yeah, I'll hurry up and eat.

　Cecily tightened her grip and poured the small piece of bread down with the remaining soup.

'You, if you can eat so quickly, you should usually do that.
If you eat like this, they'll question your upbringing. Even this way of eating was something I had to learn in the army.

　Cecily quickly stacked the dishes for herself and Verna for two and headed to the corner of the dining room.
　She placed the dishes for the two of them in a large barrel that was placed there.



　I feel a look.
　It's a lick, a stare that contains evil intent.
　I turned around and met eyes with Crono.
　Immediately, Crono looked down awkwardly.
　Crono's expression was calmer than it was a few days ago.
　However, Cecily knows what Crono is thinking underneath the calm expression.
　Crono must have been indulging in an out-of-the-ordinary fantasy as he watched Cecily cleaning up.
　What a man, Cecily thought, and she felt her core heat up.
　Cecily was being humiliated in Crono's mind.

'What do you want me to say?
Another one of those conversations?

　When Cecily asked, Crono poked his cheekbones in disgust.

''Well if I remember correctly, Cecily should have uttered an apology. It hasn't even been a week since then.
Yes, I apologize for what I've done.

　But," said Cecily, walking up to Crono.
　Glancing at Verna, she was moving a pile of boxes.....items given to her by the dwarves and the city's artisans.
　Apparently Crono would fund the artisans if he deemed it beneficial to the development of the territory.
　As of yet, no artisans have been funded as individuals, but the artisans present their work one after another for another effect.
　That effect is increased visibility.
　According to Eyepatch's story, Crono sold off the contents of his treasure house in a big way when he became a lord.
　He even sold off the vases and sculptures that decorated the hallways, which is very thorough.
　Perhaps he thought the corridors were a bit bleak, but recently, Crono began to put up vases and sculptures in the empty spaces and reception rooms.
　The Marquis' residence is visited by many guests.
　Naturally, those guests ask Crono for details about the works that they suddenly see.
　Crono explains the details of the piece and the craftsman who made it.
　Afterwards, the merchant would visit the artisan himself.
　Be that as it may.

You're humiliating me in your head right now, aren't you?
....

　Cecily whispered in his ear and Crono let out a deep sigh and put his fingers to his temples as if he were trying to hold back a headache.

'Good thing?　If you try to do to me what you whispered in my ear the other day, you'll bite your tongue and die?　Of course, if you try to do the same to Miss Verna,
'If I put my hands on Verna, will Cecily bite her tongue and die?
It means I'll never forgive you.

　'I have to protect Verna-san,' said Cecily, glaring at Crono from a breathless distance.

'I thought we had a good relationship at last.
That's what I thought, too.
Why do you want to make waves?

　Crono smiles thinly.
　Crono is still underestimating us.
　He's not serious.
　If he was serious, he wouldn't be laughing, and Cecily braced herself for that thought.

'Wha, what is it?'
Verna's looking at me like I'm scared.

　Cecily jumped back and looked at Verna.
　Then Verna looked at Cecily with a frustrated expression on her face.

'Don't slack off,'
I know!

　Cecily returned to her original position and resumed her sweep.
　Looking behind her over her shoulder, she saw Crono smiling a thin smile.

*

　The maid's role is to maintain the mansion.
　The standard that Alyssa, the head maid, requires is enough to not embarrass her master, Crono, even if there is an unexpected visitor.
　There's no end to it, but as long as you do your job without incident, you'll be fine.
　. The maid's role is to maintain the mansion, a never-ending waltz of a job.
　A proviso is added to Cecily's realization.
　First, she cleans Crono's office.
　After that, he cleans the bathrooms without incident, cleans the kitchen again without incident, and moves the office trash to the paper workshop in the garden of the Marquis' mansion.
　Finally, the water hauler from hell.
　When Cecily finished carrying the water, Verna was nowhere to be found in her usual spot.
　When I looked around with a heartbeat, I saw Verna happily talking about something with Crono.
　Noticing Cecily, Crono patted Verna's head with a thin smile on his face.
　Verna looks happy, embarrassed, and subtle.
　If the man she loves treated her like a child, she might look like that.
　Crono waves lightly at Verna and moves closer to Cecily.
　Crono smiled thinly and lightly tapped Cecily on the shoulder, as if to rub against her.
　'Are you making fun of me?　Or is there another agenda?　As she was pondering, Verna stood in front of Cecily awkwardly.

'Ha, you were early.'
What have you been talking about?

　Huh?　'Ehehe,' said Verna, laughing deceptively.

'No, we didn't talk about much. They just asked me a lot of questions about how my work was going and how Cecily was doing and all that. Oh, and I got some candy, so I'll do it.
No, thank you. Verna will eat it.
That's bad.

　Verna looks apologetic.
　Cecily was angry at Crono for trying to seduce such an honest, good girl with a single piece of candy.
　You should advise her here, even if she doesn't like it.
　If you do nothing and Verna-san is preyed upon, you won't be able to forgive yourself.

'Mr. Verna, this is my advice to you as a friend, though.
What?
What is it?

　There shouldn't have been any part of her listening back to the dialogue now.
　Unsure of Verna's reaction, Cecily asked.

'Are we friends?'
And friends, friends!　What do you call it if you live in the same room, bickering, hitting each other, making up with each other, and not calling them friends?

　Cecily shouted, pissed off.
　If you don't call this relationship a friend, what do you call a friend?

''A ... colleague?''
It's a big deal!

　After a few moments of silence, Cecily exclaimed loudly as Verna tilted her head unsurely.

'Then we can be friends.'
What's with the annoying tone of voice?　Cha, call me a friend, or I'll cry!
No, you're already in tears.

　Cecily's heart was failing her.

'Assuming we're friends at a hundred paces,'
He's not giving up a step, sir. Not a step!
Okay, ten paces.
You just have to admit it's normal!
No choice. You're my friend.
Why didn't you just say that in the first place?

　The word "it can't be helped" bothered her terribly, but Cecily patted her chest for a moment.
　The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that it's not a bad idea to have a good time.
　It was a brass coin that was received reflexively.

'Get me some bread, my friend,'
You're running errands!

　Verna clapped Cecily on the shoulder.

'Thank God you're in the groove, man.
It makes me want to go home for a while.
So what's your advice?

　'I'm beginning to feel like I can abandon you,' Cecily let out a deep sigh.

'Oh, um, I don't think Master Crono is worthy of Miss Verna.

　'Oh,' nodded Verna.

'Master Crono would you mind lending me your ear for a moment?

　Cecily uttered the words whispered to Crono in Verna's ear.

'Seriously, that's half-assed.'
I know.

　Cecily was relieved this time.
　It wasn't like she wasn't interested in that kind of thing too, and she wondered what she would do if Verna said.



　That night, Cecily enjoyed dinner for the first time in a long time.
　The nightmare would continue, but Cecily was able to protect her friend Verna.
　Cecily lay in bed feeling radiant.
　She looked to her side and saw Verna in her apron dress.
　It's clearly unnatural, even though the situation is that she's just going to bathe in hot water and sleep.

'Verna-san, aren't you going to sleep?'
Nope, Lady Crono needs me.

　Nuh-uh!　And Cecily jumped up.

'W-why, why do they call you?
What?

　Last time you said that you felt threatened by visiting a man's room late at night, and Cecily feels unnatural at Verna's change.
　No, this is ... this ... the man has tricked me. Even though she is leading a harsh life, Verna is a child. If it's Master Crono, he should be able to deceive Verna like twisting a baby's hand. 'I need to say it again with a bang,' said Cecily, standing up with a sense of mission.

'Miss Verna, I'll go.
What?
I'll go.

　Cecily tapped Verna on both of her shoulders.
　She is more full of energy than ever before.
　When one has someone to protect, one has true strength.
　Changing into her apron dress, Cecily headed to Crono's room.

*

Hmm, bathroom?
Oh.

　As Verna exited the servants' bathroom, she was approached by an elf with an eye patch.
　Cecily had called him an eyepatch, so she'd call him an eyepatch as well.

'What about you?'
'I couldn't sleep for a bit, so I'm just walking. Speaking of which, did you see Cecily go upstairs?
I've been through a lot.

　Verna puffed out her chest.
　Lately, Cecily had been acting strangely.
　She would wake up in the middle of the night with strange noises and sometimes mutter feverishly with Master Crono.
　The bed was shaking and ... well, even a fool could see that when he did that.

'Cecily is in love with Lady Crono, isn't she?
Oh, I guess it's a matter of whether you like it or not.
It's a good thing that Crono is also worried about Cecily, so I took a chance on her. I'm sure you're not the only one who is worried about this.

　She must be that obsessed with Crono.

''Heh~, Verna doesn't like Crono-sama?''
I like it. I mean, I don't know, it's just humanly desirable.

　At first, he even thought about being a mistress or something, but then he reflected on it when Princess Tilia told him.
　She said that he should think about what he could do for Crono, not what Crono could do for him.

''But it's hard for Crono-sama too,''
What?
No, I'm just saying.

　Verna remembered the words whispered in her ear, "I never thought Cecily would have that kind of s*xuality.
　Well, she hadn't heard half of it, but she shouldn't have said it for the sake of Cecily's honor.

'Verna's a good guy,'
I'm still Cecily's friend.

　Verna laughed with satisfaction at her friendliness.