The carriage carrying one coachman and three passengers moved towards the academy, maintaining a rather cheerful atmosphere.

The scenery seemed somewhat familiar, probably because we had traveled this road once just a week ago.

Perhaps the road itself had become familiar quite a while ago. After all, it was a path I often traveled when returning to the academy while playing Luminor Academy.

…Even though those memories from several years ago are starting to become a bit hazy.

Well, it wasn’t so bad since I had become accustomed to the atmosphere of this world to that extent. After all, the world I would have to live in for longer was not Korea, from my past, but rather the Argentian Empire. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

The carriage moved forward, brushing past scenery that exuded the fresh atmosphere of early spring.

Isabel, unlike her usual self, couldn’t hide her slightly excited emotions and spoke to me as if thrilled.

 

“Lilith, Lilith. This is the first time I’ve come this far by carriage!”

“Really?”

“Yes! I’ve often gone back and forth to the villages in the Blackwood Estate for work, but this is the first time I’ve come this far by carriage.”

 

Well, Isabel, whose living area had been within the Blackwood Estate, had reason to be excited.

I deliberately didn’t ask questions about her hometown or her parents whom she used to live with. That was also the general courtesy among maids.

In this world, most live-in maids in noble houses had, for one reason or another, been cut off from their original hometown or family.

There’s no need to dig into facts that are likely to be uncomfortable if heard. Isabel probably wouldn’t want to hear about how my father sold me as a debt maid due to gambling debts, either.

Instead, it was a much better choice in many ways to liven up the mood with the pleasant conversation right in front of us.

 

“You’ll probably be even more surprised when we arrive at Luminor Academy. The Island of Knowledge, where the academy is located, is a piece of land in the middle of a large lake connected by an incredibly long bridge.”

“An island in the middle of a lake… It sounds so beautiful…”

“It is beautiful. On clear days, the sky is reflected in the lake, making it look like an island floating in the sky.”

“Wow…”

 

Isabel’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as soon as I briefly explained the place we were heading to.

Although there were initially some twists and turns in her accompanying me to the academy as my exclusive maid, thinking about it now, I believe it was a good thing that we’re going together.

Anyway, with Isabel around, it seemed unlikely that there would be any boring or depressing times while attending the academy.

Certainly, Isabel’s positive energy had a strange charm that spread to those around her.

 

“The usually expressionless Maid smiles well when she’s with her friend.”

“…Were we noisy, Young Master Ethan?”

“No. I just like seeing you looking happy, Maid. You don’t usually show such a happily smiling face.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes. That’s all.”

 

Still, I think I’ve smiled often lately because there’s been a lot of good news.

Come to think of it, most of the times I’ve smiled in this world were when talking with Isabel or Catherine. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

Other than that, it was just me grinning alone in my room on special days like when I leveled up or when I gained the status of a quasi-viscount noble.

I thought it might have been the first time I’d shown a smiling expression in front of Ethan, except for the fake smile at our first meeting.

…Also, I seem to have shown embarrassed expressions more often.

 

“Would you prefer if I smiled more often?”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you say you liked seeing me looking happy? If you need it, I’ll try to work while smiling as much as possible from now on.”

“Th-there’s no need for that…! You’re fine just as you are now, Maid.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So you don’t need to forcibly manage your expressions because of me. …I want to make you smile myself.”

“Pardon?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

 

…How silly.

Should I be grateful that he at least didn’t demand that I should control my expressions in front of me?

Come to think of it, in Luminor Academy, this disgusting guy always forcibly demanded that Lilith, his exclusive maid, maintain a smiling expression. He did so to hide his abuse of her by making Lilith appear normal on the outside.

It was a moment when I could distinguish the clear difference between the disgusting guy and the current Ethan, even in such casual everyday conversations.

Well, attending the same academy with this Ethan for four years might not be so bad.

…No, thinking about it seriously, it might even be a bit enjoyable.

 

“Hmm~.”

“Isabel?”

“Yes?”

“…Why are you suddenly looking at us with such a strange smile?”

“Hm? When did I~?”

“…You’re doing it right now.”

“It’s nothing, hehe.”

 

…Why is Isabel suddenly looking back and forth between me and Ethan with such a strange feeling?

Come to think of it, Isabel has also changed a bit compared to Isabel in the game.

To give the most obvious example, Isabel in the game always had a worried expression, as if she had a lot on her mind.

Sometimes, in cutscenes, when Ethan and Lilith passed by her, she would look at their backs with a really cold gaze. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

She wasn’t looking with this strangely content smile like she is now.

Well, no matter how much Isabel’s personality has changed, it can’t be as drastic as Ethan’s.

While I was thinking that and continuing the conversation about the academy that we couldn’t finish earlier with her, I heard Ethan calling me quietly from across again.

 

“Um, maid.”

“”Yes?””

“Ah, no. I was calling the Maid.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, it can happen. Just don’t get confused next time.”

 

Ethan briefly apologized to Isabel, who had answered almost simultaneously with me.

As you can probably infer from our conversations so far, when he uses the title “Maid,” it’s mostly when calling me, his exclusive maid.

When calling other maids like Isabel or Catherine, he usually calls them by their name or surname.

It wasn’t particularly uncomfortable. Anyway, I was the only one Ethan called “Maid.” Most of the maids working in the mansion knew that fact.

I thought for a moment that Isabel might have made a mistake because she was too excited about going to the academy.

But for some reason, today’s Isabel added something while apologizing to Ethan.

 

“But, young master… Do you intend to keep using ‘Maid’ to call Lilith even after entering the academy?”

“…I’m sorry, but I intend to keep using it.”

“But isn’t the academy an educational facility where many nobles gather, not just Young Master Ethan and Lilith? I think there will probably be many noble children and exclusive maids at the academy besides Young Master Ethan and Lilith…”

“…What are you trying to say?”

“I’m just offering my personal opinion that it might cause fewer problems if you called her Lilith instead of ‘Maid,’ at least within the academy.”

“……”

“……”

 

Ethan fell silent for a moment at Isabel’s rather bold, direct statement.

He seemed to be contemplating quite seriously as if this was something he hadn’t thought about at all until now. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

After hearing Isabel’s words, I also realized it certainly was an important topic.

Once we enter the academy, there will be countless exclusive maids of other nobles or maids employed by the academy itself walking around.

If he continued to call me “Maid” there, it would inevitably lead to misunderstandings several times a day.

Inside the mansion, I was the only person Ethan called “Maid,” so except for new maids, there was no one who got confused. Obviously, however, the academy is outside the mansion.

It seemed necessary to sort out the titles before we entered the academy.

 

“Certainly, I think Isabel’s opinion has merit.”

“…Maid?”

“It seems necessary for you to call me by my name from now on, Young Master Ethan, if only to avoid confusion when needed.”

“……”

“Young master?”

 

Ethan awkwardly avoided my gaze, strangely uncomfortable with the suggestion to call me by name.

Why is he reacting like this only when it comes to calling my name when he easily calls other maids by their names?

His incomprehensible and ridiculous attitude made me feel slightly unpleasant for some reason.

I deliberately leaned my head slightly towards Ethan’s averted gaze and asked him again.

 

“Young Master Ethan.”

“Ah, y-yes, Maid…”

“Not Maid, but Lilith.”

“……”

“Young Master Ethan?”

“…Alright, Lilith.”

 

I don’t understand why he’s reacting so awkwardly just to call me by name.

Men always seem to get strangely shy about the oddest things.

 

“……”

“……”

 

Ugh, now that I’m conscious of it, I feel a bit awkward too.

Come to think of it, I don’t think Ethan has called me directly by name very often.

That was practically the first time, except for when I pretended to be his fiancée during the monster invasion at the Imperial Palace about a year ago. [GalaxyTL/Axiomatic]

His exaggerated reaction made me feel self-conscious and embarrassed, too, as if by illusion.

I deliberately avoided eye contact with Ethan sitting across from me and quietly turned my gaze out the window.

 

“Hmm~.”

“…What’s wrong, Isabel?”

“Nothing~. It’s nothing, hehehe.”

 

No, really, what is it?

What’s with that look?