Miss Demon Maid

Chapter 21: Tea Party

Since morning today, weve been making preparations to go to a tea party.

Who would have a tea party with such a loner queen as lady Sharon? is probably what some of you people out there might be foolishly thinking, but milady has indeed received an invitation. Everyone still remember, right? Hmmhm, of course I still do. Right up until I dont.

L-Letty, is this good enough?

Of course. You look wonderful in them, milady.

The invitation came from her schoolmate, a young lady of a viscount family. This would be miladys first time going to a tea party.

Miladys ensemble today is a simple dress, albeit one with plenty of room in the chest area in order to bring out all of miladys charm. I had wanted to get her in all sorts of cute clothes, but milady is unfortunately overly gifted in a particular department. Its difficult to find ready-made clothes that fit her.

To give you an idea of miladys size, it is large enough that the employee of the clothing store we went to had clicked her tongue when she looked at milady.

Letty, you just had another unflattering thought, didnt you?

I was just thinking about the innate inequality between people, milady.

My, Letty, that sounds like a grand topic.

The grandest in the world, I would say.

Welcome, lady Sharon. I am most grateful that you have accepted my invitation. The viscounts young lady turns to me, It is good to have you here as well, miss Fleurety.

O-of course, youre welcome, come back anytime!

Milady outdoes herself once again with her stranger anxiety. Shes panicking so much her response doesnt even make sense. But thats what makes her beautiful.

Come, come, lets go.

umm, ah, yes.

I had to give the viscounts young lady a nudge to jolt her out of her temporary blue-screen. After her reboot, she gets back to guiding us to our destination.

The young lady was born to the Liniello viscount, and her name is Clarice. She is in the same study group as me in class. Weve received her invitation since before miladys homecoming trip, but I still havent been able to discern her intentions.

Hey there, miss Sharon, miss Fleurety.

Hello, lady Sharon Kamishiro.

The whole terrace has been reserved. There, we find two people already seated and enjoying their tea.

Salutations, instructor Marsaw, lady Chieri Milady says.

The same two we met before. Instructor Marsaw looks to be in a good mood, but miss Chieri doesnt seem to be in very good cheer. I can see her frowning a little.

Milady takes her seat. I move to my usual spot behind her.

miss Fleurety, please feel free to sit down. Lady Clarice says, a hint of dismay on her face as she glances at the empty seat.

My apologies. I am lady Sharons maid, and as such, I should not be seated at the same table. I say, bowing my head.

Strangely enough, milady seems rather sad as she turns her eyes up at me.

Letty please. Its a request from me, too.

But

Then I wont ask you to. Im ordering you. Take the same seat as me.

Milady

Of course, I know that despite saying its an order, its really just her looking out for her humble servant.

Then, allow me.

As she has asked me to take the same seat, I climb on lady Sharon to sit on her lap, facing her.

You know thats not what I meant!

*thwack!*

Its been quite a while since she took out the slipper again.

Speaking of which, miss Sharon, I heard youve picked up theurgy?

ah, yes, sir, but Ive only just started.

Indeed, with age comes wisdom. While everyone else is still gaping at me as I sit down on the seat next to milady as though nothing had happened, only instructor Marsaw makes conversation, looking as calm as ever.

As Ive mentioned in class before, theurgy is quite good for training your magic control. Keep at it, miss Sharon.

Y-yes, sir.

Teacher, Ive also learned Purify, Chieri suddenly cut in, leaning forward and sounding like a cute honor student whos asking her teacher for some personal tutoring, And I think Im getting the hang of Barrier now but Im nervous, doing this alone. If you wouldnt mind, teacher, would you

My, has something happened?

This time, it is lady Clarice who interrupts Chieri with a smile on her face. Chieris lips twitch.

The Church has requested miss Chieris expertise in theurgy. Instructor Marsaw answers, smiling kindly and seemingly oblivious to the current atmosphere.

My, is that why she has learned Barrier? Has something happened at the Church? Lady Clarice says, her eyes faintly narrowing.

Chieri lightly brushes instructor Marsaw on the arm and chuckles. Thats a secret, right, teacher?

I can practically feel the sparks flying. Meanwhile, milady cowers in fear, unable to face the carnage with her lacking skills in womanly combat.

Well, it doesnt really have anything to do with me anyway. In place of the viscount houses maid whos frozen in place, I begin to prepare for milady a cup of veeeery sweet caramel milk tea.

Oh yes, which reminds me, I saw Elias talking to miss Fleurety here at the Church. I was honestly surprised, you know? He rarely shows interest in women. Instructor Marsaw changes the subject. I have no idea if this is him reading the mood, or not reading the mood.

Chieris shoulders move in an almost unnoticeable shake.

That day, the silver-armor-wearing knight had continued to be quite insistent in trying to talk to me. A gift of roses then arrived for me a few days later. I immediately made them into rose jam.

Hes not interested in women? Does that mean hes interested in men, then? I ask instructor Marsaw.

No, thats not what I meant.

And youre friends with him, teacher or are you friends with him?

Please stop.

Strangely enough, instructor Marsaws face rapidly pales. On the other hand, lady Clarice blushes, looking as though shes discovered something that she likes very much.

Its not that, hes

My, my, what an intriguing conversation.

I really have to wonder if the people of this world are culturally inclined to interrupt others. Despite the terrace being reserved for the tea party, the doors are now open, and a very good-looking lady who looks to be in her early twenties strides toward us. Her hair is a scarlet red.

lady Camilla. Instructor Reese!

Lady Clarice and miss Chieris voices overlap.

Oh, yes, of course I remember her. Like instructor Marsaw, she is also a teacher at the magic academy. Camilla de Reese, the young lady of a dukes family.

Clarice. Why have you called Marsaw but not me?

My apologies!

Clarice hurriedly bows, intimidated by the lady instructors aggression.

Instructor Reese, dont be so harsh

As instructor Marsaw tries to mediate, lady Camilla coquettishly leans on him, fingertips caressing his leg.

Come on, Marsaw, arent we coworkers? I told you, just call me Camilla. She purrs.

Indeed, she makes miss Chieri look like a kid in comparison. While lady Camilla is the third daughter of a duke as well as an instructor of the academy, it doesnt change the fact that instructor Marsaw is still her senior. A rather saucy woman she is, to be acting so familiar with him.

You over there. Are you acquainted with Elias?

Lady Camilla throws out her chest and ask me, condescension in her voice. How disappointing. Milady is far more impressively endowed.

Instructor Camilla, your ringlets are truly luxurious.

My, is that your attempt at deflection?

Despite saying that, she still seems quite pleased. Her lips faintly twitches in a smile, while her fingers brush through her scarlet curls.

Right, right. My hands meet each other in a gesture of realization, and I turn to milady.

Letty?

Milady, todays snack will be chocolate cornets.

What were you looking at to get that idea?!

***

The words had offended Camillas sensibilities and signaled the end of the tea party. Chieri waited until no one was looking at her and quietly sighed.

Todays tea party had been extremely stressful. Not only was the viscount young lady the main heroine there, but also two of the villainesses.

There were three villainesses in this game. Sharon was a character that showed up in all routes to annoy and harass you, but never really doing more. On the other hand, Camilla only appeared if you proceeded with the adults routes, but she made for a truly terrifying villain.

Chieri had seen her in the game many, many times. Nevertheless, when it came time to face her in the flesh and not through a two-dimensional screen, Chieri found her to be an even more intense woman than she had expected.

Thinking that today was a game event, Chieri had pestered Marsaw to take her along to the tea party, but then she found out the main heroine had also invited Sharon. She had no idea what the viscount young lady had been thinking.

At first, she thought she would have to make enemies out of all of them at the same time, a headache-inducing prospect if there ever was one. But then her mind changed tack. Maybe the real problem was Kamishiro, after all.

The presence Camilla displayed had been crushing, yet the girl still had the nerve to ignore the woman without even blinking an eye. If it had been Chieri, she was sure she wouldnt have been able to do it.

I guess I really have to deal with her first

Instructor Reese may I have a bit of your time? I would like to consult you on a matter

***

Hey, Letty, where is this?

Today, milady and I are on a shopping trip downtown. I take a look at the memo she shows me, and my eyebrows slightly furrow.

This store is located in a back alley. I shall go and make the purchase, milady.

You cant. Instructor Camilla has asked me to do this, and so I will.

At school, there may be times when an instructor requests their students to run an errand for them.

Rather than being a personal chore that the teacher needs doing, its more meant to serve as a sort of practical lesson for the noble boys and girls who havent had much contact with the common people.

All the same, as milady is a marquis daughter, there hasnt been many teachers who have sent her for errands. Lady Camilla was the one to have asked her this time, however, so milady couldnt refuse.

My apologies. I have overstepped my bounds.

Dont mind it, Letty. Besides, umm I still want you to stay with me.

Milady is already somewhat blushing by the end, her voice shrunken into an embarrassed whisper. How cute.

Hey there young ladies, brave of you to come here without bodyguar

A man appears before us right after we enter the back alley and starts running his mouth, so I let him have a taste of my spiked club.

Nice shot.

Letty?! Milady sounds shocked.

Quite a ruffian he was, to have scared milady so.

Thats not what Im talking about! What are you doing so suddenly?

What do you mean, milady?

Anyone who would say something so clich in this sort of place would inevitably meet the same fate.

Oh yes, do you mean we should have tied him up and interrogate him? My apologies, I have been hasty.

No, thats not what I meant either

I have held back as much as I could on him, but the man is still twitching on the ground with hands between his legs. He does not seem to be available for questioning.

But there is no need to worry. He hasnt been alone. The few men behind him are already taking out bladed weapons, see? Though I can see some fear mixing in with the anger theyre showing on the faces.

Damn this bitch, she thinks shes hot shit?!

Dont bother kidnapping them! Just fuck em up!

So, kidnapping, is it. Simply to take a ransom? Or perhaps theyre working for someone?

I ready my Orc Killer EX in an actual stance. Seeing me, milady tugs on my sleeves.

You can take them down, but, umm, dont do that Nice Shot thing again, okay?

Hmm.

How kind of milady. I understand, her face is flipping between a pale pallor and a bright blush, after all. Besides, if I do the upswing with my full strength, I dont think theyd be in any condition to talk.

Understood.

I approach the group. One of the men runs at me with his weapon. I trip him with my spiked club and once he lies on the ground, I make a putt with Orc Killer EX.

*splat*

Birdie.

Urflp

My gentle strike hasnt been enough to make him faint. It only turns his face ashen pale and sodden with cold sweat while his body shivers.

Come on, be grateful for miladys kindness. One more hit

No, thats not it!

Dont worry, milady. There are still plenty of balls left to hit. Lets see what they know about their backer.

A/N: It was very kind of the maid and her mistress to have allowed them to stay conscious.