Side story 2: Working as the Claes family head maid
I was born as the third of three girls to a merchant family, and I began working for the Claes family as a maid when I turned 16.
Both my older sisters had good personalities, and were cute and lovely, with many offers of marriage received. And so, my oldest sister eventually got married, and my second sister got married as well after that. However, compared to my sisters, I’m not as attractive as they are, and I’m also bad at getting along with others.
I had rather sharp features, and talking is hard for me, I couldn’t even make any friends, much less get a lover.
And so, I graduated from school without having made any friends, and I remained in the house, without receiving marriage offers like my sisters. If I keep staying in the house like this, before long, it’ll surely trouble my family, so I went to work for the Claes family which has had a long relationship with our family business.
I already realized a long time ago that I wouldn’t be able to get happily married like other women, so for the time being I just worked as hard as I could.
And so, I worked harder and more seriously than anyone else, ten years later, before I realized it I’ve already become the head maid. It’s just that, the previous head maid just happened to retire, so I got the position unexpectedly. After I became the head maid, so that I wouldn’t be looked down upon for being so young for the position, I devoted myself even more to my work and became stricter.
And so, despite my hard work and effort, because of my sharp features, because I’m bad at communicating with others, and because I became even stricter so that people won’t look down on me for my age, I had turned into a person that all the other servants avoided before I realized it.
But even so, in order to “live on by myself,” I dedicated myself to my work even more furiously.
My hobbies were that I liked cute things, and to make sweet candies. Fluttery cute dresses, adorable stuffed animals, fairy tales about princesses, and sweet candies are what I love.
But since my hobbies didn’t suit the way I look and act, I’ve always been teased about it ever since I was young, so I started hiding my hobbies so that people around me wouldn’t find out anymore.
Since eating sweet candies doesn’t fit my image, even when everyone else is having some I would always say “I don’t eat sweet things.” Because of that, even though one of my hobbies is to make sweet candies, I can only eat them secretly by myself when I’m not busy……
A couple of years ago, when I was still a regular maid, I was sitting in a corner of the garden by myself and eating sweets secretly in between work.
A few days ago, one of my fellow maids had gotten married, and left the mansion. After sending off this coworker of mine that had worked with me for so long, I couldn’t think of anything to do other than stare blankly at the bushes in front of me. I’m not personable, I don’t have anyone that I like and I know that it’s impossible for me to get married, but…… Even so…… I’m envious of how happy my coworkers seem to be……
In a fairy tale I once read as a child, right now, a magician should appear from the bushes in front of me, and change me into a wonderful princess, and it’ll be great if I can be carried off by a prince — as I was letting my imagination run wild like a child again, that’s when it happened.
From within the bushes, I heard a rustling sound, and a girl that was covered in leaves appeared. And so, the girl that had appeared from the bushes was…… the daughter of Duke Claes. She was staring at the sweets that I was eating and her stomach was growling loudly.
“……Do you want some?”
Since she was staring so intently, I offered her some by reflex.
“Is that okay!?”
The ojou-sama was so pleased that she immediately flew over here.
And so, after ojou-sama ate the sweets I made…… For some reason, she was quite enamored with my sweets, even though it’s just the work of an amateur, and from then on she would always come to me begging for sweets.
All my coworkers were scared of me and avoided me, but only ojou-sama was different, and she had gotten used to me. Whenever I’m with ojou-sama, I feel really calm as well.
However, ojou-sama was about to turn 15 soon, and she’ll be entering magic school. Her personal maid Anne seems to be going with her.
Honestly, I want ojou-sama to take me too, but I can’t considering that I’m the head maid here, so I’ll endure these very lonely feelings, and send off the ojou-sama.
And so, a few days after ojou-sama left for magic school.
“Um, excuse me.”
When I was about to eat some candy alone in the corner of the garden as always, I suddenly heard a voice. Up until now, ojou-sama was the only one that would ever come here. But, ojou-sama has already left for school…… Who on earth could it be?
When I looked back in surprise, standing there was a young man that’s been working here in the Claes family as a gardener for several years. He’s really tall, he’s serious and sincere and is quite popular among the maids, and the maids often gossip about him…… As for me personally, I don’t participate in gossiping.
“……Yes?”
I asked him while being quite shaken.
“……Uh, actually, I really love sweet candies, and ojou-sama happened to share your sweet candies with me several times…… And so, I’m a big fan of your sweet candies…… If it’s not too much trouble, could you share some with me from now on?”
“……S, sure…”
Seeing how completely red his face was, my face turned bright red as well, and I nodded. And so, by reflex, I gave some candies to the young man as well, and he laughed so happily.
A while later, even though I had once given up on ever getting married, I was able to start my own family, but that’s a story for another time.
And so, I’ll always believe this. That day, the person that emerged from those bushes — was actually — a magician that granted me happiness.