112 – Shuri’s worries
After Yulken headed to Whitewood, most of the work in the castle was taken over by Ariel.
Since she still lacks experience, some important reviews were resolved with the help of her trustworthy vassals, but even taking this into account, there was no doubt that it was a sure task.
Thanks to that, recently, Ariel has been doing more things in her office than in her room.
Edgar also came to be by her side, so naturally, the two of them were alone in the office all day.
In a way, it is like experiencing something that needs to be done sooner rather than later.
As for Edgar, although it was still quite a burden for him to take on, he thought it would not be something he could not do.
“Okay… ! It’s hard. Does your father do these things every day?”
“So it is. I think I know Lord Elfelt’s hard work.”
Ariel felt like she was replacing Yulken and Edgar was replacing Elfelt, so I realized anew the hard work of those who had been doing their respective jobs.
Even when Ariel was with Elfelt the other day, even though she had superficially supervised Yulken’s work, she was acutely aware that it was on a different level than back then.
At that time, Elfelt was considerate of her and deliberately handed over only things that were easy and convenient for her.
Ariel, who thought she could do it easily, was particularly shocked by it.
After all, is reality not always easy?
“Ed, what’s for dinner tonight?”
Ariel, who was stretching lightly and looking out the window, which had become dark before I knew it, asked for the dinner menu.
In the past, this kind of question was rarely asked, but it was a habit that I had recently developed because I had no time to listen to outside conversations as more and more work was being done in the office.
“I didn’t ask the kitchen. Is there anything you want to eat?”
“It’s not like that… … .”
Ariel tends to eat fairly well without covering the food.
It’s just that the food I want to eat is clearly different depending on my mood that day.
Edgar was also well aware of this, so if he had any requests from her, he quietly asked for a doctor in order to convey them to the kitchen, but the answer was very vague.
“If you are tired, take a rest. You’ve been holding on to papers all day.”
“Because I still have work to do. You can go in and rest.”
“Hey, I have shame too. How can you rest alone when you’re working?”
When Edgar scolded her for not saying something that didn’t sound like a word, Ariel put down the pen quietly, saying that she knew that.
“Okay, you can rest. Because you are also honest in a very strange place.”
“Isn’t it natural for an aide to serve the person who will soon become the owner of the grand duke’s family?”
“Eww, I shouldn’t talk.”
Ariel, who raised both hands and declared surrender at Edgar’s smirk, eventually rose from her seat.
There shouldn’t be any problem even if you catch your breath because you’ve already done the urgent work anyway.
Besides, the weather was gloomy today, so I was in a good mood, so I couldn’t get my hands on work.
The more times like this, the more it would be right to go back, and I decided to finish my work at this point.
“By the way, where did Shuri go?”
“Since you didn’t talk to me so much, you left saying you were going to do something else.”
“… Oh, that’s right.”
After Ariel came to live in the office, Shuri’s work decreased dramatically.
Edgar was able to do simple chores, and most of the time was empty because he only took care of preparing tea when he took a breather.
Besides, there was no reason for her to stay by Ariel’s side in the office, unless she would know when going to and from other places.
Edgar was quicker than she was when it came to public affairs, and there was little he could do to help.
Thanks to that, Shuri recently got permission from Ariel, and during her spare time, she was wandering around looking for something else to do.
“You just want to be by my side, but I don’t know why.”
“That can’t be said like that.”
“Why?”
Edgar laughed bitterly at Ariel’s nonsense and tousled her hair.
In a master-servant relationship, it is more difficult for the master to understand the position of the servant than for the servant to understand the position of the master, so we cannot blame her, but Edgar tends to understand Shuri’s position to some extent.
“Tch, he doesn’t even answer properly and always evades things.”
Ariel grumbled at the lover’s response, stood up, and suddenly grabbed the doorknob of the office.
There was still some time left before dinner was finished, but Edgar questioned where he was going.
“Where are you going?”
“I’ll go to my room in a minute. My hair is annoying and I want to tie it up.”
“Is there a hair tie here?”
“That is not pretty. I’m waiting anyway Don’t just follow me.”
It’s only a hair tie, so I wonder what the hell she cares about, but Edgar didn’t bother pointing it out and decided to wait alone after letting Ariel go.
smart.
– This is Shuri. Is it okay if I come in?
“Oh, come in.”
And soon after Ariel left, Shuri returned.
Edgar laughed as he wondered how they could cross paths like this, even if their paths crossed, but he welcomed her as soon as he opened the door and came in.
“You look a little dark. Is something going on?”
“Oh, actually… I came to see my mother for a while.”
“Sheppy?”
He said he met Shappy. But, what does that have to do with his dark complexion?
Edgar asked what was going on, and Shuri hesitated and then carefully opened her mouth.
“I feel like I don’t have much to do these days.”
It was a strangely bitter tone, but Edgar responded without notice.
“Isn’t that nice?”
“It is not necessarily so. There is no meaning in existence unless the servant receives orders from the master.”
At Edgar’s question, Shuri shook her head with a bitter smile.
I don’t know if it was something she did simply for money, but Shuri was also a woman who, along with Sheppy, had served the Robeheim family for generations.
Of course, it was not a subordinate family at all like the Bilhark family to which Edgar belonged, but the previous generation was greatly favored by the Loveheim family and was in the current position.
Thanks to that, Shuri was also feeling proud of the job she was entrusted with, but thinking that she couldn’t do it properly, she had mixed feelings.
“You don’t have to think too complicated. Or maybe Ariel said you were useless?”
When Edgar asked a naughty question, Shuri hurriedly waved her hand.
The gesture was so swift that Edgar’s eyes could see an afterimage for a moment.
“Please. Even though she has a bit of a mischievous side, she doesn’t say things like that openly.”
“That’s it. Or what, even if you can’t honestly say it, you know you’ll think that way on the inside?”
“… … .”
Edgar said it half-jokingly, but Shuri seemed to really think that way, so she kept her mouth shut and lowered her head.
In that subtle air, Edgar didn’t think it was something to be talked about lightly, so he sat down for a while and tried to listen to her concerns seriously.
“I don’t think you’re in the mood for a joke. Would you like to sit down for a minute?”
“Oh, no. I went straight to another job… … .”
Shuri, who seemed to know what he was trying to do to arrange a place, hurriedly left the room, even though her schedule was empty afterwards.
It was because Edgar treated him so comfortably, and he was definitely the man she would serve as the lover of her master.
Because there was no way I could bring up a story that seemed to guess the owner’s feelings to such a person.
However, he did not easily let go of Shuri.
Originally, this kind of burden in the heart should be cut off before it sprouts so that it is comfortable for each other.
Besides, I wouldn’t know if Shuri was an ordinary servant, but I didn’t want to treat her lightly as she was someone who would have to serve Ariel from now on.
“Don’t make excuses that won’t work. This kind of thing is hard to take out even your lover. It’s a long time ago, so tell me.”
“Ha, but young master… … .”
Despite Edgar’s invitation, Shuri hesitated and could hardly sit down.
In the end, he thought that a little precipitation would change her mind, and pretended to get up from her seat and spoke skillfully.
“I don’t have a car, so if you want to talk, I’ll bring you a drink. What would you like to drink?”
“Oh, no… ! I will bring it, so please stay at your seat!”
Shuri, who stopped him, hurriedly headed for the cupboard, hoping that he would wake up.
Anyway, most of the tea leaves are provided in the office, and there are also tea utensils to brew tea.
In the end, Shuri sat down with the tea for the two of them, and Edgar and I met face to face.
I had never felt uncomfortable with him until now, but I felt that way clearly at this point.
“there… Bocchan, are you not angry?”
“Do I have any reason to be angry?”
“That’s because it’s strictly forbidden as a servant to speculate on the state of mind of the host.”
“What is the strict limit? As people live, they become curious about other people’s hearts. There is no difference between a master and servant relationship.”
Edgar snorted and shrugged, then let go of the sofa and leaned halfway forward.
Then, while making eye contact with Shuri, he started talking in earnest.
“Is it because I am there?”
“Oh, no. that… … !”
“You can be honest. I promise I won’t tell Ariel.”
‘Is it even a little finger like a child?’ Edgar asked playfully, and Shuri nodded cautiously, realizing that he was not the kind of person who would do that.
Of course, he didn’t nod at the idea of putting his finger on him, it meant that his presence felt a bit burdensome.
“In fact… In the past, there were things I had to do as a lady-in-waiting, and it’s no different now, but I suddenly thought of that.”
“Yes, keep talking.”
Edgar smiled softly and shook his head.
To some extent, this is expected, but it’s best to hear it from your own mouth.
“The young lady helps me with the official duties, and when I’m in the office, he does most of the chores even when I’m not there. Of course, I know it’s something I’m grateful for, but for me… … .”
“Did you think your presence would disappear?”
“… sorry.”
Edgar lightly shook his head at the sight of Shuri lowering her head and cupping her hands on her thighs.
It’s a good enough thing.
Of course, he thought that this was more comfortable for both of them, so he continued, and even Ariel accepted it warmly, so he judged that there was no problem.
However, looking back from Shuri’s point of view, Edgar reduced her work, and it was not strange to feel that her place to stand was reduced because of it.
In fact, all Shuri has been doing lately is waking Ariel up in the morning, helping her groom herself, and occasionally taking care of her bath.
Someone might ask if it’s better to be comfortable at work, but as I mentioned earlier, she doesn’t just see it as a job.
That’s why you worry so much.
I wondered if it was really okay for me to stay here without doing anything.
“I can do that enough so far. But what I’m curious about is what I said earlier.”
“Some part… Are you talking?”
“That Ariel thinks you don’t have to. Because you really think so.”
“… Yes, to be honest, I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately.”
Edgar drooled at Shuri’s candid answer and asked her opinion again.
“Do you want to quit?”
“no. In my mind, I want to continue. However, I was afraid that continuing to be in a place where I was not needed would be rather troublesome to the lady… … .”
“Hmm.”
In other words, as much pride in this job is strong, it means that the opposite effect occurs.
A word that can be said because it is a seed that truly cares for its owner.
However, in such a case, it was harder to hold on to his heart later on, so he had to take special measures.
‘I’m sure I’ll need a drastic prescription.’
It is not easy to understand these concerns simply by giving verbal advice, but it is necessary to have something more intense to wake up.
Thinking that it was time to come soon, he passed the time in silence and looked sideways at the door of the office.
rattle.
“What, were you alone drinking tea while I was gone?”
Eventually, when the person he had been waiting for appeared, Edgar smiled lightly and moved away from Ariel without expressing himself as much as possible.
“Wait, Shuri said she has something to tell you. Would you like a drink too?”
“yes. But what are you talking about?”
“Ah, that… … .”
Edgar, who had swallowed his backbiting, deliberately looked in Shuri’s direction and noticed her.
Upon hearing this, Shuri made gestures out of Ariel’s line of sight and expressed her opinion as if asking her to never say anything, and soon a mischievous smile appeared on his lips.
And soon,
“Shuri said she was thinking of quitting being a maid because she doesn’t seem to be of any help to you?”
“… what?”
“Do, Bocchan!?”
Fire and oil were poured into the calm air of the office.