The Ruby of Atonement

Chapter Two: Cattleya

Noon, two days after leaving the academy...

Saito and the rest reached the La Vallière territory. However, by the time they would reach the mansion of La Vallière it would already be late at night. Upon hearing the words “late at night”... Saito turned pale. He realized that this “territory” was nothing more than a courtyard.

However, after half a day spent traveling, he could not possibly understand how something this big could be a residence’s garden.

By Japanese standards, Louise’s territory could be called a mid-sized city. A city... Saito had never heard of somebody possessing so much land before. These Upper Nobles were truly intimidating.

Louise’s status as a noble was truly displayed once they entered her territory.

They decided to take a break at an inn…

Once their carriages stopped, Siesta, who arrived just a bit earlier, quickly got out of her carriage. Having been trained as a maid, she went to open the coach's door for Louise.

“Uwaa, I can’t believe Siesta just did that... without any protesting,” thought Saito as he walked towards Louise’s carriage. But before he could get there, he was knocked down by a crowd of villagers running from the inn.

The villagers removed their hats in front of Louise, who had just stepped down.

“Miss Eléonore! Miss Louise!” they cried while deeply bowing down.

The villagers thought that even Saito, who was now lying in the dirt, was a noble. They quickly helped him up apologizing for their terrible manners.

“No, I’m not a noble…” Saito nervously tried to explain.

“Even so, you must be Miss Louise’s or Miss Eléonore’s attendant. And we cannot disrespect that.”

The plain looking farmers said while nodding.

They went on saying things like “Let me carry your sword for you,” and “It must have been a tiring journey to get here, huh?” as they treated Saito with the utmost kindness.

“We will be resting here for a moment. Please inform the family of our arrival,” commanded Eléonore.

A young boy quickly jumped onto a horse and rode off in order to report this.

They walked into the inn. Once Eléonore and Louise approached the table, chairs were immediately pulled out for them to sit on. The two sat down as if it were second nature. Saito tried to sit next to them, only to be given a demeaning glare by Eléonore.

“Saito-san! Saito-san!”

Hearing Siesta call, Saito turned around.

“Commoners are not permitted to sit at the same tables as nobles.”

That reminded Saito. Recently, he had been sitting next to Louise without worrying. Nevertheless, it was a strange thing to do in this world. Come to think, at first, Louise made Saito sit on the floor.

Louise opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off by a glare from Eléonore. Louise could do nothing but sit in her chair like a good girl. Saito stared wide-eyed – it was the first time he saw Louise in such a state. She really looked naturally obedient in front of her older sister. She must be a really scary elder sister to make Louise seem so weak.

“Oh, how Louise has grown!”

“She’s growing more and more beautiful!”

The villagers were chattering around them.

“It seems Miss Eléonore has been engaged, right?” someone muttered.

“SHHH! Don’t talk about that!” someone else scolded.

Eléonore’s eyebrows started to twitch and her expression darkened. The atmosphere in the inn took a plunge. Apparently, the topic of Eléonore’s engagement was definitely something to be avoided.

The commoners, feeling the murderous intent coming from Eléonore, didn’t dare speak another word. Saito and Siesta exchanged glances. Then Siesta quietly got close to Saito and grasped his hand. She was afraid.

Not noticing the change in her elder sister, Louise spoke.

“Eléonore. Eléonore nee-sama...”

“What…”

“Congratulations on your engagement!”

The face of every commoner fell, and a deep sigh escaped from them.

Once again, Louise had completely misread the atmosphere. All of a sudden, Eléonore’s eyebrows shot up as she pinched Louise’s cheek.

“It hwwuuuurrtsss!! Waaahhhhh! Nee-shammaaa!! Whhyy?! It hwurts it hwurts it hwurts!!!”

“You don’t know? You speak of it even though you know you shouldn’t!”

“I won’t whoh wah ur alking awout!!”

“The engagement has been canceled!! C-A-N-C-E-L-E-D!”

“W-why?”

“Who knows? Why don’t you ask Earl Burgandi? He said something about reaching his limit. ...I can’t understand why.”

Saito completely sympathized with this Earl Burgandi. Yes. It was understandable that anybody who listened to her would soon reach their “limit”. Eléonore was much fiercer and abusive than Louise. The Earl must have thought he didn’t have the stamina.

In the end, being unhappy with the marriage cancellation, Eléonore just vented all of her anger on Louise…

And so, the preaching started. She scolded Louise for blowing the roof of the carriage. Louise’s stretched cheek became very red and swollen by then. Naturally, Saito felt sorry for Louise.

However, the reprimanding didn’t last very long, because the door suddenly opened and a flow of pink blew in.

A girl, wearing an elegant dress around her slim waist and a wide rimmed hat with a feather on top, had entered. Under the hat was a flow of silky pink blond hair – exactly the same as Louise’s.

Surprisingly, a lovely face popped up from under the hat.

Although from the first look it was obvious that she was older, she looked very cute. Such a beautiful face was beyond description. Her eye color and the way her eyes sparkled was the same as Louise’s as well. Noticing Eléonore, the girl stared at her with wide eyes.

“Ah! I’m so glad I noticed the strange carriage outside and came over here to take a look. I didn’t think I would meet you! Eléonore nee-sama! You’re back?”

“Cattle...ya...” Eléonore muttered.

Noticing the sudden guest, Louise looked up. Seeing Louise, Cattleya’s face radiated a happiness which was mirrored on Louise’s face as well.

“Big sister!”

“Louise! No way! You are not my Little Louise anymore! You came back as well!”

Louise stood up and launched herself into Cattleya's chest.

“It’s been so long, big sister!”

Unable to control their excitement, the two hugged with a squeal.

It seems like Cattleya was Louise’s sister. She had the same hair color, the same eye color – it was like looking at an older Louise. However, Cattleya’s face seemed to have a more calm and placid look than Louise’s. This aura of complete calmness and tenderness coming from Cattleya made Saito’s heart race.

She was like a matured Louise, with added gentleness. Besides, her beautiful figure and breasts matched Saito’s tastes well.

Cattleya's mouth half opened as she finally noticed Saito.

“Ah, ah, ah , ahah!”

While Saito was wondering what this “Ah” might mean, Cattleya approached him and gazed at his face.

“W-w-what’s wrong?” Saito asked nervously.

Cattleya began to gently stroke Saito’s face. Saito almost fainted from the sensation.

“You are... Louise’s lover, right?”

“Huh?!”

Siesta, who was standing right next to Saito, suddenly turned cold. She stomped down on his foot. Hard. Saito jumped up.

Louise blushed furiously.

“He’s just my familiar! Not my lover!”

“Ah... is that so?”

Cattleya giggled and tilted her head with a sweet smile.

“I’m sorry, I got it wrong. Don’t worry about it.”

Everybody got onto Cattleya’s carriage for the remainder of the ride to the La Vallière household. Eléonore was obviously discontented with having to sit with a commoner and a familiar. But when Cattleya jokingly said, “The more the merrier right?” Eléonore, though still not uttering a single word, reluctantly consented.

However... Saito and the rest weren’t the only passengers in the large carriage.

It was just like a zoo inside the carriage.

In front of the seats, a tiger was lying sprawled on the floor, yawning. Louise sat down next to a bear. Various kinds of dogs and cats were scattered here and there. A huge snake, which was hanging down from the ceiling, appeared right before Siesta’s face, making her faint. While looking after the fainted Siesta, Saito muttered,

“What a wonderful carriage…”

“Big sister loves animals,” said Louise.

Although he thought that this kind of love was taking it too far, Saito did not say a thing.

“I recently picked up a thrush.”

Cattleya said in a happy voice.

“Show me! Show me!” Louise was frolicking like a child.

Eléonore and the others took a collective deep sigh.

This was the life of the three beautiful La Vallière sisters. Saito took a deep sympathetic bow towards Louise’s older sister. 　

Louise and Cattleya continued having a long chat between them.

It seems like the second eldest sister, who was wearing those lovely clothes, was good friends with Louise. When you see two people getting along like this, even a tedious journey like this doesn't feel boring. Siesta was already sleeping peacefully in his lap. On the left of the coach, hills stretched. On the right — cultivated fields extended. As the rye harvest was ending, straw was piled up here and there. When he was looking at such tranquil scenery, it was impossible to believe that a war was going on. Leaning into the window frame, adjusting Derflinger behind his back, Saito took a deep yawn.

In the late night...　

Eléonore took a pocket watch out of her pocket and confirmed the time.

A castle came into the view, right behind the hill. Because there was nothing around it, it actually looked bigger than Tristain‘s royal palace.

“Could that be—” Saito whispered. Louise nodded.

It looked like every castle. Surrounded by high walls and deep canals. Pinnacles were towering above walls. It was indeed a splendid, big, and true castle.

Siesta, who was sleeping up till now, woke up, and noticing the castle, stared at it with wide eyes.

“Wow! Amazing!”

At that moment, a large owl leaped in through the window and landed on Saito’s head.

“Welcome home, Eléonore-sama, Cattleya-sama, Louise-sama.” Owl bowed, greeting them.

“T-t-the o-owl talked and bowed! B-bowed!”. Siesta fainted again. Although he came from a different world, Saito did not seem to be surprised by the talking owl and didn't move. Saito wasn't surprised by such things anymore.

Cattleya smiled.

“And where is Mother?”

“Mistress is waiting for everyone in the dining room.”

“What about Father?”

Louise asked anxiously.

“Master hasn’t returned yet.”

Because the most essential member was missing, Louise frowned in displeasure. Coming here to obtain her father's permission to participate in the war was pointless without him.

One could see gates behind the canal.

When the carriage stopped, the sounds of chains holding the drawbridge being loosened could be heard from both of the gigantic statue-shaped gateposts.

Each stone statue was at least twenty feet tall. Though these golems were created only as gate ornaments, they made the whole drawbridge look spectacular.

Once the drawbridge finished lowering, the carriage began to move again, crossing the drawbridge and advancing into the rampart.

Saito’s surprise about the luxuries of Louise’s family was renewed again. It was a large noble’s castle.

Saito and the others arrived at the dining room which was generously decorated by a lot of luxurious furniture. Though Siesta immediately went to the servant's quarters, Saito, as Louise’s familiar, was allowed to accompany them for dinner.

However, he was forced to wait behind Louise's chair. So Saito stood guard behind Louise, watching the table that was about 30 feet long.

Although it was just four people that sat on seats during this supper, 20 servants were queuing up around the table.

And, in spite of the fact that it was midnight, Louise’s mother, the Duchess of La Vallière, was waiting for her daughters to arrive to the dining table.

The Duchess, who occupied the top seat, looked over at her arriving daughters.

Saito flinched from that power. Even though Eléonore possessed a violent, high-handed aura which pressed Saito, Louise's mother was just as impressive.

And it was just a mother’s hospitality towards her daughters.

She seemed to be around fifty years of age. However, this guessing was made by calculating the eldest sister's age. In reality, she didn’t look over forty. She had a very sharp appearance. Louise and Cattleya’s pink hair color seemed to come from their mother. The duchess had tied her charming pink hair together on the head. This person was wearing a commanding aura around her, Saito felt pressed.

Louise, despite meeting her mother after such a long time, was acting tense. It seems like Louise trusted only Cattleya.

“Mother, we have returned just now.” Eléonore said; Duchess of La Vallière nodded.

When the three sisters seated themselves, waiters carried the appetizers and the dinner started.

For Saito, who was standing behind, time was passing very slowly. No words were uttered. The food being served here far outshone even a formal dinner at the academy. The only sounds coming from the dining room were the sounds of silver forks and knives.

Breaking this silence, Louise said.

“M-mother-sama.”

The duchess did not answer. Eléonore did.

“Mother-sama! Tell Louise! This foolish child said that she wants to go to a war!”

Bam! – Louise stood up, hitting the table.

“I am not a fool! Why am I a fool for applying to Her Majesty’s military forces?”

“Aren’t you a girl?! War is men’s business!”

“That’s a very old-fashioned way of thinking! This is now an age when women and men are given equal positions! If positions were only given to boys in the Academy, even you, older sister, would not be able to become a chief researcher at the Academy!”

Eléonore shook her head in amazement.

“Do you know what kind of place a battlefield is? It is not where woman and children like you should go.”

“But Her Majesty trusts me…”

“You are trusted? You – the ‘Zero’?!”

Louise bit her lip. Henrietta is taking me to the battlefield because I am necessary. I am a “Void” user. However, I can't tell my family that. So Louise was not able to say anything at all and fell silent.

Eléonore tried to continue preaching, but was cut by the duchess who quietly stayed silent up till now. She commanded in a haughty voice,

“Eat, Eléonore.”

“B-but Mother-sama...”

“We’ll talk about Louise tomorrow, when father comes back.”

And so the discussion ended.

Saito, in a room prepared for him, was lying on the bed and looking at the ceiling.

In this storage room, a broom leaned against the wall and a dust cloth was on the bed. Saito learned anew about the difference between his and Louise’s status. Recently, they slept in the same bed, lived in the same attic and they ate from the same table, yet he couldn't feel any difference in their status…

But when he met her family, it all started feeling like groundless fantasies.

Louise is beautiful. Rich. A noble, so to speak.

Also, Saito recalled that they did not speak with Louise once they left school. Louise lost her nerve because of Eléonore and did not talk much. In fact, she took all the preaching of her family, like a servant from their master, without complaining. For some reason, she hid her true self.

He felt pity for her.

He was no one, he had nothing to do with this world's social system.

But... after seeing such a dinner in this castle – you just can’t help but wonder about it, right? He thought.

He felt like he learned the huge difference between his and Louise’s positions.

He was feeling a bit down because of that...

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

Who could be coming to this storage room? He thought while opening the door, only to be greeted by the shy smile of Siesta, who stood there.

“Siesta?”

“W-well… I couldn’t fall asleep, so I came here.”

“Eh? Eeeh?”

While Saito was panicking, Siesta entered the room.

“Even so… how did you know where I was?”

“I asked the servants where Saito-san is staying.”

“Is that so…”

Siesta sat down on his bed, idly swinging her legs. For some reason, her face was red. When Saito tried to pass her, Siesta grabbed his arm and pulled him down to sit next to her. Then, she rested her head against his shoulder, just like in the carriage a while ago.

“Siesta?”

Hearing him ask, Siesta innocently looked up at him.

“This is the first time I've come into such a wonderful castle. This castle is a real maze.”

“It’s great.”

“A friend at the academy kept telling me that the La Vallière family is one of the five most distinguished families in Tristain. To be living in such a castle, with titles, riches and good looks… Miss Vallière can only be envied.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. It’s a very secure life. One can get whatever one wishes for, like…”

Then Siesta looked into Saito’s face.

“…Saito-san.”

“I-I am not her property. I am her familiar…”

“I understand.”

Siesta said slowly.

“Eh?”

“The way Saito-san looks at her, I understand. I do not have a winning chance. She is rich, she is a noble and she is beautiful… and has such a big castle as a home. *Hic*”

Siesta turned her face down, looking lonely. Trying to understand what she just said, Saito became silent as well.

“Hiccup, hiccup.” Siesta sounded like she was sobbing. Was she crying?

While Saito was at a loss what to do, Siesta suddenly stood up.

“Siesta…”

“But...”

“Eh?”

“I have something too.”

“Siesta?”

It looks like the situation changed. With a new resolve that seemed to say “I won’t give up on Saito-san!,” Siesta turned around.

“My b-b-b-breasts definitely beat Miss Vallière’s! Hiccup!”

“S-Siesta?”

Shaking with anger, Siesta continued talking.

“N-n-noble family? So what? I am a maid. A maid! Hiccup!”

“Y-yes, I know.”

Saito noticed that Siesta continued hiccuping many times, over and over again.

“Siesta, could you be… drunk?”

“I made dinner alone. And they didn't even say ‘You had a long journey, thank you, please take some rest.’ Hiccup!”

Not only was her face brightly red, but she also smelled of alcohol. Saito was dumbfounded. It was the first time he saw Siesta drunk.

Indeed, since she had to fulfill her duties as a maid here as well, Siesta had to entertain and serve alcohol in this castle. Drunk, Siesta took out a bottle of wine from the crevice of her shirt.

“W-where did you get the bottle from?”

Siesta brought her face close to Saito.

“Stole it.”

“I, I see.”

Siesta drew out the cork and immediately drank from the bottle. Wide-eyed, Saito stared at her gulping it down.

“Phua!” Siesta separated her mouth from the bottle. Her face became even more red.

“Hey, Saito!”

At last she was calling him informally.

“Y-yes?”

“You also must drink.”

“Cheers.”

He knew that if he disobeyed, her mood would go foul. Saito took the offered wine. He tried to take it down in one gulp, and with a “Buaagh,” quickly spit it out. W-what was wrong with this wine? It was really strong stuff.

“S-siesta. This wine…”

“It was on a kitchen table.”

Seems like Siesta was the type whose mood increased after one glass of wine, and one gulp from the bottle on the table was enough to make theft look okay. Siesta was an indescribably bad drinker.

“Y-you shouldn’t have taken it without permission…”

“Hey! Saito!”

“Y-yes?”

“Whatever. Drink!”

“C-cheers.”

Remembering that the mood might change to a raging one if he refused, Saito reluctantly drank the wine again.

Meanwhile...

In Cattleya’s room, Louise had her hair combed by her older sister.

Cattleya's room was an elegant mix between a botanical garden and zoo. Potted plants were placed all around, a lot of poultry baskets were hanging from the ceiling, and puppies were running around the room.

Cattleya gently combed Louise’s hair.

“Louise, Little Louise. Your hair is so charming, it has such a beautiful color.”

“Big sister, you have the same hair.”

Cattleya laughed happily.

“Oh well. Your hair – I like it.”

Louise pouted and muttered,

“Big sister Eléonore’s blond hair color is the same as father’s, I think.”

“Well, I asked big sister Eléonore about that. She was offended.”

“Right. I don’t think big sister Eléonore matches her fair hair.”

“Huh, why?”

“She is mean. She's a different older sister. Even though it's been a long time, she keeps on bullying me.”

“It’s because you, Louise, are so cute. So cute that it makes one worry. It's her way of caring.”

“That’s not true.”

Cattleya slowly embraced Louise tightly from the back.

“It is true. Everyone in this house loves you, Little Louise.”

“Saying such a thing, big sister...”

Cattleya buried her face in Louise’s hair and closed her eyes.

“But I'm so glad, Louise. I thought that you would become completely depressed…”

“Why?”

“Viscount Wardes. He was a traitor, right? Half a year ago, he was a magical guard leader. Wardes's mansion was attached to our territory. When he betrayed you, weren't you hurt?”

Louise shook her head.

“Not really. I am not a child anymore. Don’t confuse a childish crush for love.”

Cattleya smiled when Louise said so firmly.

“You are reliable. You've grown up, Louise.”

“That's right,” Louise muttered to herself.

“I am not a child anymore, therefore, I want to make decisions for myself.”

“Then, if father were to oppose it, would you go to war without his permission?”

“If it's possible, I want him to agree. I want everyone to understand me.”

“However, I do not feel admiration for the war either.”

“Our mother country is in crisis. And, Princess… no, Her Majesty, needs my powers. Therefore…”

“It is useless to say that to me. It is difficult for me to understand, for your elder sister always shuts herself in the castle.”

Cattleya gently patted Louise's head. Then, she had a strong coughing fit.

“Big sister! Are you all right?”

Louise watched Cattleya with a worried expression. Louise’s second elder sister’s body was weak. She had never taken more than one step out of La Vallière territory.

“Did you call a doctor?”

Cattleya nodded.

“The local doctor was called, and even though he tried to cast powerful ‘Water’ spells many times, magic is useless against this sickness. Nothing is good for such a body. The touch of water flow is useless.”

The cause of Cattleya’s sickness was unknown. Even if you treat the sickened part of her body with medicine or magic, another part would start to degenerate. Eventually, all doctors failed against such a cycle. Her symptoms were currently relieved by various medicines and magics.

Despite all that, Cattleya still smiled. Louise felt pity for her elder sister. Because of her condition, Cattleya could not get into the magic academy, even though she could cast magic. She also cannot marry, despite being so beautiful.

“Hmmm, why such a long face? I lead a rather happy life everyday. Look!”

Cattleya pointed at the bird cage.

There was a bird shut inside. A small bandage was rolled around the wing.

“Look, it is the young bird that I talked about in the carriage a while ago. I picked it up recently.”

“C-cute.”

“This young bird was badly hurt. Her wing was wounded. I was passing by when I heard the pain in this young bird's voice. I stopped the carriage and picked it up.”

It seemed that Cattleya, while she was in the forest, heard the cry of the bird, so she stopped the carriage and picked it up.

“Big sister! It is just a bird!”

“Don’t you feel the same about your familiar?”

Cattleya smiled knowingly. Louise’s cheeks flamed up in an instant. I do not understand what I feel about Saito. Is it because he is a human?

“So you understand me. This young bird is the same.”

Cattleya said, pointing.

“Really?”

“Yes. I’m happy that you've already reached the age of falling in love.”

Even Louise’s ears turned red.

“What are you talking about?! I didn’t fall in love!”

“It is useless to hide it from me. I understand everything.”

“I am not in love. Really!”

Being very embarrassed, Louise shook her head, and was on the verge of tears.

“Don’t make such a fuss. I understand everything. Then, shall we sleep together after such a long time?”

Still blushing, Louise nodded, biting her lips.

On a soft bed, Louise, with her clothes taken off and only in her underwear, drew closer to her elder sister. Cattleya, in her nightclothes as well, embraced Louise tightly like a kitten.

Louise placed her face next to Cattleya's chest and gave out a deep sigh.

“What's wrong, Louise?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me.”

After Cattleya’s words, Louise muttered hesitatingly.

“I wonder if mine will grow as big as big sister’s.”

“Pfft,” Cattleya giggled. Then she started groping Louise’s chest.

“Hyaah!”

Louise yelped. Ignoring her screams, Cattleya kept on touching.

“All right. Don’t worry. It will grow big soon.”

“Really?”

“Yep. I was like you at first too.”

Louise tried to remember. Cattleya is 24 now… so she was sixteen, eight years ago. And I was eight. Did Cattleya look the same as I am at that time? She could not recall clearly, because she was too young then.

Come to think of it, Cattleya always embraced her when they slept, during those old times. I couldn’t stand sleeping by myself and couldn’t fall asleep alone. Carrying her pillow and going to Cattleya’s bed, while listening to elder sister's stories and breathing in her scent… she always calmed down and fell asleep.

In Cattleya’s embrace, her eyes closed by themselves…

Various thoughts started coming to her head.

Henrietta.

War against Albion.

Possible death.

Coming home to ask permission for what may end up being her death. A heavy load on her shoulders.

The cruel and valuable lessons that she learned day by day.

And, when she was thinking about her familiar, for some reason, Louise’s cheeks started to burn. They hardly talked today. Because she was being scolded by Eléonore, they could not talk. But now when she started to think about these things, she could not fall asleep at all.

She started squirming restlessly…

“What’s wrong? Can’t fall asleep?”

“Ye-yes…” she muttered embarrassed.

“Fufufu. You cannot fall asleep next to me already. Who are you thinking about, child?”

“N-no one! Really!”

“Is it the boy that you brought with you a little while ago?”

“Wrong! He’s just a familiar! I don’t love him!”

“Hmmm. I didn’t say that you loved someone.”

Louise hid within the futon.

“I hate you, big sister.”

“Oh dear, now I am hated.”

Cattleya laughed happily.

“But it’s all right. If a child cannot sleep next to the elder sister, then it is not a compliment for the sister. In fact, she should be embarrassed instead.”

“Uuuuuh…” Louise groaned.

“See you soon. Your whereabouts today change.”

Louise, rolled up in a blanket, walked through the corridor. On the way, she asked the servants where Saito was staying. It was at the end of an adjoined corridor behind the guest room, a place where the cleaning tools were stored.

She took a deep breath once she found the storage room. It is not because I want to meet him, She tried to persuade herself. I am a mage. If the familiar is not around, I just become insecure. Really, nothing more. We haven‘t talked all day long today. And if you do not talk even a little, the familiar will feel bad, she thought.

“Really, nothing else.” Louise muttered opening the storage room doors, her face dyed bright red.

However, it was Siesta who sat there on the bed.

“Huh? Miss Vallière.”

Her cheeks were crimson red. And in her hand, she held a bottle of wine.

“W-w-what are you doing in here?”

Confused, Louise asked.

“I came here to have fun.” Siesta answered.

Then she saw Saito behind the bed. He let out a loud “Guah.” It seemed like he got drunk, collapsed and fell asleep.

“Get out of my room.”

Louise said, emanating all her pride.

“This is not Miss Vallière’s room.”

Siesta answered back.

“It is my house.”

Louise indomitably glared at Siesta. They both stared at each other, not backing off. Both ready to burst into a flaming rage.

When drunk, Siesta is very strong-willed and daring. She can snap back even to Louise. Alarmed and agitated, she declared to Louise,

“I am a housemaid employed by the school. I am not employed by Miss Vallière. Besides, we are on vacation anyway. It is up to us on how we use our free time. So please, do not disturb us.”

It was absurd. Louise rudely approached the bed, and tried to drag the sleeping Saito by his ankle. Then Siesta grasped his other foot...

“Let go!”

“You let go!”

“Well excuse me, but this fellow happens to be my familiar. In other words, he is mine.”

Siesta glared at Louise with eyes full of hostility. She wasn’t listening to what Louise said.

“…Are you disobeying a noble?”

Suddenly, the air in the room became tense.

Siesta, with a jerk, drank more wine.

And muttered in a small voice.

“Noblenoblenoble, shut up.”

“Haa? You l-l-lout….”

The moment when Louise shouted…Siesta brought her face next to the young noble.

“It's love, isn’t it? In short, you are just jealous. Despite you being a noble... How ridiculous!”

“Wha-wha…”

In an instant, her resolution was washed away and Louise panicked.

“Have you confessed? Are you just jealous of my love?”

Siesta continued pressing Louise into a corner.

“Ah, auuh... uuh…”

Mumbled Louise, blushing.

“What? You haven’t confessed? Coward.”

“Uuh…”

Strangely powerful now, Siesta made Louise to retreat completely.

“But the most important is Saito-san…”

“Wha-what?! What are you talking about?!”

“He likes girls with big chests.”

This made Louise to stop at once, at a complete loss of words.

“And when you think about it, you don’t have much of a bust.”

Siesta primly poked Louise's chest.

“B-breasts.”

“Let’s call things the way they are – you are flat as a board, a board!”

“Uuh,” Louise let out a strangled cry.

She remembered Saito’s glances. Weren’t that stupid familiar’s glances always aimed at the valley of the breasts?

“Saito-san said it himself. Miss Vallière's breast size is the same as a kid’s.”

With drunken bravery, Siesta declared an unexpected thing.

Firmly biting her lips, Louise dashed out of the room.

After making sure she had left, Siesta laid down next to Saito and fell asleep.

Cattleya was surprised to see Louise coming back to the room in tears. 　

“Oh, what’s wrong, Louise? What happened?”

“Fueh…” Louise threw herself into Cattleya's chest.

“It’s all right... why are you crying?”

However, Louise just kept on sobbing, not saying a word.

“Fuuh,” Cattleya sighed deeply.

Just like during old times, Cattleya kept on patting Louise’s head until she fell asleep.

Saito woke up and was instantly surprised. It was because Siesta had been sleeping next to him.

“Uuhn, uuhn,” she seemed in pain in her sleep. Siesta, why she is next to me… he wondered, but, after seeing a bottle of wine lying on the floor, he remembered.

“Oh no, I got drunk and, after that…”

I was forced to drink a strong, distilled liquor by Siesta and collapsed.

“Siesta, Siesta,” he lightly tapped her cheek.

However, she didn’t wake up.

“Uuh, uguu, mguu.”

It made Saito worried as she was holding her chest as if choking. She was wearing a shirt too small for her. Had she borrowed underwear from someone in the castle? Really, when you wear a shirt whose size doesn't match your body and you also have a hangover, you must feel very bad. Saito loosened a button on Siesta's shirt.

Thereupon Siesta slowly opened her eyes. Saito hastily removed his hand from her shirt.

“Go-*yawn*-good morning…”

Siesta muttered with a still drowsy face, but in a instant it turned into a blush once she noticed her surroundings.

“S-Saito-san, why? That! I!”

Hey hey, weren’t you the one who broke into my room all drunk in the first place? Saito smiled wryly.

“Siesta, last night, you got drunk and…”

Saito said, increasing the blush on Siesta’s face even further.

“Eh? I got drunk?”

“Yes. Look!”

Saito pointed at the bottle of wine lying on the floor.

“You brought it with you.”

“I drank wiiiiine?!”

“Ye-yes…”

“Which reminds me, during dinner, I drank one glass. But it seems like I took more than just one sip. Ahh, what to do…”

Saito was surprised by Siesta’s worry.

“Siesta?”

“I..I really did it, didn't I?”

“Y-yes.”

“I think I drank too much. I’m not very good at drinking wine.”

Averting her face, Siesta muttered awkwardly. Indeed, ‘You drink too’ was it, Saito consented. Seems like this maid inclined to drunken frenzy.

“After drinking all that wine, I don’t have any memories of last night. Was I rude, Saito-san?”

“No, not particularly…”

Saito shook his head.

That moment… a sound of someone running noisily through the corridor could be heard. *Bam* The door opened and one of the castle’s housemaids jumped in.

“W-w-wha-!” Saito shouted.

“No time! Master has arrived! We need to keep the castle sparkling…” she shouted, and with an armful of cleaning tools, she ran out. Soon, another employee came and dashed out with a mop and bucket. It was a storage room after all. Though there were a lot of cleaning tools, they are almost never used. However, it seemed that today was an exception.

Master? Siesta and Saito looked at each other.

In short, Louise's father had returned.