…

The next day, Liza was doing her usual chores around the kitchen which included sweeping, wiping the cooking implements, and polishing everything until it shined. As unrealistic as it may have sounded, she was usually able to fulfill this requirement, however, something seemed to be distracting her…

 

-...What could it be?

 

One of the female servants who happened to be in the kitchen thought as she stared at Liza doing her duties. She had seen her perform excellently in the time she had been there, never having to be told what she needed to do after the first day.

 

-Yet she’s merely leaning over her broom without a care in the world! Her eyelashes continue to flutter, face turned red, and a polite smile has been stuck on her face all morning!

 

Indeed, this morning Liza had been slack in her duties and was only halfway done with the kitchen floor despite it having been more than half an hour. Her body kept presenting odd signs like occasionally swaying, her face turned red, and her smile didn’t seem to be her usual childish one either.

 

Despite her being so attentive while she performed her tasks, the other maids knew of her nature to smile idiotically and attempt pranks on her seniors, yet they always let it slip since she always got her work done. 

 

-We rely on her to make the kitchen and the tools within sparkle so much that the cooks are in stupor every time they use them...We’ve always left it to young Liza since she arrived, but today it looks like we’ll have no choice but to do it ourselves!

 

The senior maid walked over to Liza, yet Liza showed no signs of stirring or recognition of her presence whatsoever. Instead of disturbing her, the senior maid watched her wearily stroke the floor with her broom and followed her gaze when she stared off into space.

 

Finally, when she had observed her for long enough, the senior maid decided to act. She patted Liza on the shoulder from behind, making her suddenly drop her broom and turn around in a panic!

 

Liza: “Oh, Miss Alicia! I’m so sorry, but I just feel…!”

 

-Oh, you poor child…

 

She placed one hand on Liza’s shoulder and lowered herself onto her knees to meet her gaze, then used her other hand to place a finger over Liza’s mouth.

 

This made Liza’s eyes quiver and she seemed to start preparing to bow her head to the floor, however, the senior maid stopped her from doing so and merely gave her a gentle smile.

 

‘Alicia:’ “Child, still yourself, I merely seek to ask you some questions and...maybe I can help you with whatever you seem to be struggling with.”

 

Liza’s face immediately brightened and she put on her grin that truly exuded childishness and exemplified her age, despite how mature she would usually try to act.

 

Liza: “Really! You’ll help me?”

 

The senior maid’s face brightened and smile, widened at this immature response as if she was a plant that had just met the sunshine. 

 

‘Alicia:’ “Of course, you may have never asked for help for fear of troubling us before, but we are always ready to aid our own in whatever plight they face!”

 

The senior maid pumped her chest out with pride at her own words, while Liza giddily jumped up and down.

 

Liza: “Thank you so much! Oh, though you probably want me to answer your questions first, right?~”

 

-So cute!~ The way she always acts mature and inquisitive, even while she’s sporting that ridiculously sized grin is so pure! It’s hard to believe that she was looking so...out of sorts earlier.

 

‘Alicia:’ “Now, are you feeling sick? Are you cold? Do you feel more tired than usual?”

 

Liza: “I don’t think I feel any of those things...I just feel a bit tired, but quite less than how I would feel if I overdid it!”

 

-I suppose if she answers so honestly about that...could it be?!~

Alicia, now disregarding her appearance as the maid of a noble, allowed her grin to stretch across her entire face like an excited child, similar to Liza’s smile. At the moment, she looked like the spitting image of an inquisitive mother. 

 

Alicia: “Does your chest feel tight?! Do you feel like you’ve been breathing harder?! Are you...thinking about someone more than you think you should…?~”

 

Liza: “How did you know?! I told you not to watch meee!”

 

Liza rapidly shook Alicia’s shoulders, but Alicia seemed to be having the time of her life. She was still grinning ear to ear, but now her eyes seemed to be practically sparkling.

 

-I knew it! It’s a boy, she’s got her first childhood crush! Who could it be though? The young boys that pass through the manor haven’t seemed to have...sat right with her, however, the only other one I could think of is…!

 

Alicia’s eyes shook in glee, while her hands seemed to be trying to lock her arms to her sides so they wouldn’t flail around.

 

-She... has feelings for young master Atlas?! She shouldn’t have even seen him...unless she somehow saw him during her duties and fell head over heels for him! It’s a forbidden romance and a one-sided one, but I’ll cheer her on!~

 

Alicia: “Well...when you’re thinking of that someone, just make sure that they like you back...I’ll be encouraging you from afar!~”

 

Liza’s struggling ceased for a moment, but Alicia suddenly had one more question that she had failed to bring up over her assignment. Her smile instantly faded as she asked…

 

Alicia: “How is your assignment of watching over...ugh...that diseased spawn...? Has he mistreated you…”

 

It could have been her imagination playing tricks on her, but she could swear that for a moment that Liza’s cheeks blushed. However, since it was only a moment, she couldn’t truly determine what caused it, but she just passed it off as her thinking of Atlas.

 

-I suppose her feelings towards him are no surprise, at least right now they’re not. His temper seems to have drastically improved and he’s even begun refining his magic! If he keeps up such a pace then all the other noble houses will be jealous of ours...as long as the knowledge of the filth is swept under the rug that is…

 

Alicia’s smile returned and she ran out of the room, leaving a seemingly refreshed Liza to her duties in the kitchen. However, during the next few days, she was spotted observing the area around Atlas, which aroused suspicion and confusion from the other maids.