“Hey, Amelia.”

“Yeah?”

The promised day. The day to head to the sea had arrived.

On the way to Arte’s house.

Unable to endure the boredom, Dorothy fell asleep.

Taking this chance, Siwoo spoke to Amelia, who was sitting comfortably.

He had more than a couple of things he wanted to ask her, who was grinning from ear to ear.

That huge pile of luggage was one thing, but her joy made him anxious.

Whenever Amelia was happy, strange events always occurred.

However, more than that, he wanted answers to the questions that suddenly came to mind.

“Why is Arte going on a trip with us?”

“…What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Amelia narrowed her eyes and looked at Siwoo as if asking what nonsense he was spouting.

…Was it too out of the blue? No, but what can he do when it comes to mind?

“Wasn’t Arte’s goal to steal the artifact in the secret room?”

“Ah… Was it…? I think it was, but…?”

‘Did you forget?’

Finding it absurd, it was Siwoo’s turn to stare intently at Amelia.

She must have found it absurd as she smiled and tried to brush off the topic.

“Th-That’s right! So? What about it?”

“…Sigh.”

Should he let it slide this time?

It seems like she remembered, even if belatedly.

Now, a more important question had to be asked.

“No, hasn’t the goal already been achieved? Can’t she drop out now?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you mention before? The secret room was exposed, and they decided to rebuild the academy completely.”

“Huh? What?”

“Then haven’t the artifacts already been brought out? Have you heard anything about what was in the secret room?”

“…No, I haven’t.”

Right, that’s how it was.

There was no need for Arte to stay in school.

The night before the trip, those thoughts suddenly crossed his mind.

Arte is a member of Arachne. Her purpose for infiltrating the school was to find the artifacts inside the secret room.

I’m not sure if she wanted them for herself or just wanted to bring them out… But one thing was certain.

Arte’s objective now lies outside the academy.

He was about to say those words out loud but swallowed them back down along with his saliva.

…He was afraid that if he said that, Arte would suddenly disappear.

At first, he was scared, and even now, he had no idea what she was thinking.

But Arte was a friend now.

Even if she entered the academy with an ulterior motive, the fact that they became friends doesn’t change.

A friend who helps when times are tough and sets you straight when you stray.

But if she stops coming to the academy…

“You were speaking so seriously that I thought it was something else. Of course, there’s a reason for her to stay.”

“…There is?”

“Yes, there is. You’re at the academy, aren’t you?”

“I’m being serious right now…!”

“Listen well, Siwoo.”

Unlike earlier, Amelia spoke with the playfulness gone from her smile.

“I know what you’re worried about, too. You’re worried about Arte, aren’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

Siwoo was worried about Arte.

He didn’t know why, but Arte’s mental state was unstable.

Siwoo had briefly glimpsed Arte’s inner thoughts inside that Ferris wheel.

The image of her speaking incomprehensible things about dolls and puppet shows came to mind.

That highly unstable appearance.

That momentary change in her demeanor, as if she had suffered a setback, was probably her true self.

Even if she always appears composed and belongs to a secret organization, she is still human.

She can’t always be strong.

When times are tough, someone needs to help her.

“I don’t really know what you saw or why you’re worried about Arte. And it doesn’t seem like you’ll tell me.”

“About that… I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. There’s nothing more unsightly than hearing about someone’s weaknesses from another person’s mouth.”

She might have given better advice if he had told Amelia that he had seen Arte’s vulnerable side.

But he didn’t say it.

Because that’s something between Arte and Siwoo.

“But you’re worrying for nothing. We just need to give Arte a reason to stay with us.”

“We? You again…”

“Even if it’s not love, just being friends is enough. Not wanting to be apart from us. If she develops those feelings, that’s good enough.”

‘Are you going on about love again? I’m being serious right now.’

Amelia’s words left him unable to say it.

Because her response was more serious than he had expected.

“…Is that so.”

“Yeah, so get rid of those unnecessary thoughts and get ready. We’re almost there. As for Dorothy… Well, it’s fine to let her sleep.”

Amelia ended the conversation and looked out the window.

A large country house.

It wasn’t as big as Amelia’s house, which they had seen on the way here, but it was quite large.

So this is Arte’s house.

After ringing the doorbell and waiting for a moment, someone quickly came out.

“Yes, who is it?”

“…Amelia, subjugate her!”

“Got it.”

“Eek?! Wh-What is it! Th-Thief?! Master! Help me!?”

Of course, they thought Arte would come out, but Siwoo was puzzled by the unfamiliar voice.

…However, the moment they saw the person who opened the door.

Amelia and Siwoo swiftly subdued the villain who came out of the house.

“…Why is this woman at Arte’s house?! Could it be!”

“I heard a few remnants had escaped…”

A woman with a snake’s tail instead of legs.

No doubt about it. She’s a remnant of Übermensch.

Why is she here?

This is Arte’s house. They only found out the address recently.

Siwoo didn’t think Arte would easily leak her home address to others.

Then there’s only one answer.

Revenge.

“Urk, ugh. Kuh.”

“You, what did you do to Arte? Talk!”

“Kuh, kuh… Th-Throat, please… Y-You’re telling me to talk, but my th-throat… I’ll talk, so th-throat…!”

“… What’s the commotion?”

“Arte?! You’re safe?!”

What?

He lifted his head while still restraining the struggling villain.

Arte was looking at us unharmed, unlike what he imagined.

“Th-Thank goodness! You’re safe!”

“Of course I am. It’s my house, after all.”

Arte sighed in exasperation and spoke.

“What is happening here though?”

“It’s a remnant of Übermensch! Be careful, Arte. Your address…”

“… She’s my maid.”

“What?”

“Kuh, kuh… L-Let go, please. I-I was wrong…”

At Arte’s words, the strength in his hand pressing on the snake demi-human’s throat loosened.

He looked at the villain, who was coughing incessantly and steadying herself. As Arte said, she was indeed wearing a maid uniform.

…Huh? Is she really a maid?

“M-Maid? But she’s a villain?”

“Ah. Well, you see… She left the villain organization and came to me saying she couldn’t survive. Right?”

Arte sought agreement from the maid.

Then the maid hastily nodded, stroking her throat with a tearful expression.

“Y-Yes, yes! O-Of course! Thanks to you, Master, I’m happy!”

“…”

No matter how he looks at it, it’s suspicious.

Like it was made up on the spot.

That maid’s reaction also seemed like an overreaction.

“By the way, where’s Dorothy? Are we going to Dorothy’s place now?”

“No, you’re the last one. Dorothy is sleeping.”

“Aha… Have you eaten yet? The timing seems a bit awkward.”

“No, not yet.”

“Then it works out well. Shall we bring her too? Since you’ve come here, let’s have a meal before you go.”

No matter how he looked at it, she seemed to be trying to change the subject.

Why would Übermensch, who hates villains, spare a remnant of Übermensch and employ her as a maid?

There were several questions, but he decided not to ask.

Arte probably wouldn’t answer anyway.

“…Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”

In a different way than they expected, the three entered Arte’s house for the first time.

***

“…Hide yourself.”

I whispered softly into the air.

It was close to me mouthing it, but Lyla should hear it.

She has four ears, after all.

Irritation surged within me.

You’re the one who knows best that your lower body is a snake, so why did you go outside and create trouble?

You should have just stayed still.

I made up a random story to change the subject, and now I must serve them something.

Should I punish her later? I should make her drink snake alcohol.

“Yawn…”

“It’s smaller than I thought?”

“…Small? This?”

Amelia and Siwoo were commenting on the house, and Dorothy was walking unsteadily in a half-asleep state.

[…Small?! That’s unacceptable! Reader-nim, let’s move!]

Move? No way.

This is big enough already.

What would other houses be like if a country house with a swimming pool were small?

Amelia is being weird, just like a rich young lady.

“Do you like steak?”

“I absolutely love it!”

“…Well, I don’t dislike it.”

As for Dorothy… Well, she’s nodding off, so even if I ask, I probably won’t get a proper answer.

Shall I show off my skills after a long time?

“Then please wait. I’ll make you a delicious steak.”

Thud!

Spira, banging her head on the floor, slipped again, making a loud noise.

“…”

“Eek! I-I’m sorry! Master!”

“You can do it well, right?”

“Y-Yes, yes!”

The fact that she slips easily because of her snake tail is none of my business.

If you make a mistake, you should be punished.

Stay like that until we eat.

Author’s Notes

I thought I would be able to write my research over the weekend, but I had no luck.

When people rest, they write less…