After that…
Following the fulfilling lunch break and afternoon classes, I returned home with Sia. While working on assignments from the academy in the great hall, I said:
“Sia? You’re doing that thing again where your right hand and right foot move at the same time. It’s kinda hard to walk like that, you know?”
“Oh! I-I’m so sorry!”
I was pointing out something that rarely ever happens in one’s lifetime, while she was working no less.
(Haah… I really should have stopped Elena back then… When I had the chance.)
How many times have I regretted that now? And each time I do, I remember:
[Byleth, I properly told Sia how much you respect her. She turned beet red and was overjoyed, you know?]
[Try not to worry too much if she’s acting weird after school today.]
[I wonder if that girl can properly sleep tonight… She was so happy earlier, and she’s the type to keep grinning whenever she remembers something that makes her happy, right?]
Along with Elena’s grinning face as she giggled while telling me that.
When classes ended for the day and I headed home with Sia, she had been acting strange the whole time.
Fidgeting, being awkward, glancing at me, staring blankly…
“Well, it’s not like you’re doing anything wrong, so that walking style is fine… Just be careful not to trip.”
“Y-Yes!!”
“And focus on cleaning when you clean. Don’t look at me while doing it.”
“Eep!”
The moment I cautioned her, her eyes went wide like saucers. She shook her yellow-white hair done up in pigtails vigorously, clearly surprised.
(Huh? N-No way. She thought I wouldn’t notice…? If you clean while obviously looking at me, of course I’m gonna realize it.)
She must have thought I didn’t react earlier, so she assumed I was unaware.
“I-I’m truly sorry! I-I wasn’t trying to disturb Master Byleth’s studies or anything…!”
“Calm down, calm down. I know that already.”
If a maid tried to disturb her master, she’d be fired on the spot. That’s why Sia was desperately trying not to be misunderstood. But I know she’s not the type of person to cause trouble.
──And the reason her behavior had become strange as well.
(At this rate, she’s not gonna go back to normal… I have to do something.)
Sensing that, I stopped working on my assignment and decided to converse with her in order to restore our distance.
“Hey Sia, sorry to ask while you’re cleaning but…”
“Y-Yes!?”
“When do you usually finish the assignments from the academy? They give us a pretty large workload, don’t they?”
It was an abrupt change of topic, but natural to segue into since I was doing my own assignment.
“Um, well… As a maid class student, I don’t get as much homework as Master Byleth and the others.”
“Meaning…?”
“A servant’s top priority should be supporting their master, not academics.”
“I see…”
If focusing on studies causes her work to suffer or creates issues, that would be putting the cart before the horse.
To prevent that, her class probably has intentionally fewer assignments.
A rare example of “studies are not the priority” even among students.
“But even if you say it’s less, you still get assignments right? I was wondering when and where you finish them since I never see you working on any.”
“Um, I basically finish them at the academy if I can. If I don’t, then after Master Byleth has gone to sleep…”
“Huh? You don’t mean when I enter my bedroom, but after I’m asleep?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
She nodded slightly in confirmation.
“Uh, why do you have to wait until after I fall asleep? Doesn’t that cause lots of inconveniences?”
“W-well, this is just normal for a maid like myself…”
“Normal, huh…”
(Byleth doesn’t have any memories about it, so he must not have cared at all about Sia’s well-being…she stays up later and wakes earlier than me every day, living such a difficult life and she’s only 16.)
What she’s doing is truly amazing.
“So in other words, Sia only gets free time after I fall asleep?”
“Yes, unless there’s a special circumstance, that’s the lifestyle I’m tasked with maintaining.”
“I see…”
Presumably to maximize supporting the one she serves.
While a logically sound reason within this world’s norms, it seems restricting from my reincarnated perspective.
“Then I’m making two changes starting today.”
“C-changes…?”
“Yeah. First, any school assignments take priority over maid duties if they’re unfinished.”
“Eh?! But that means-“
“And lastly, as soon as I enter my room for the night, your free time starts. Don’t wait around for me to fall asleep, do what you please.”
Honestly I want to say she shouldn’t have to work daily, but that would remove her maid position. This is the compromise.
“Ah, if I understand correctly then based on what you said, my schooling would take precedence over assisting you, Byleth-sama…and my time serving you would be reduced?”
“That’s fine.”
“……”
“Oh! I don’t mean I no longer need you, Sia.”
One preface to avoid misunderstandings.
“It’s just, I think that as a student, you should prioritize your studies for your future’s sake, and make the most of this opportunity since some servants don’t get to attend the academy. You’ve already splendidly grown as a maid, Sia.”
“Master Byleth…”
“Because Sia has supported me all this time, I want to care for Sia well in return.
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It seems that feeling got through.”
“Well…with this policy in place, Sia work hours may be reduced and some inconveniences could arise…but in those cases I want Sia to make up for it slightly the next day, similar to when Sia gets sick. It’s silly of me to say this so late, but Sia, as a student please follow this request. No, this is an order.”
“I-I understand!!”
If I had gone with “[please]” instead of “request,” Sia may have resisted. That may have been better, but as her position it would have been difficult for her to obey sincerely. I think this was a good modification on my part.
“Anyway… I know this will inconvenience you for a while, so sorry about that.”
“N-No…! For someone like me… thank you so much for this, truly!”
“Hrmm. I don’t think the Sia I respect should be saying [someone like me] though, right?”
“Eep!! I-I mean, th-thank you so much!! Ooh…”
“Ahaha!”
Did she get fired up?
Sia’s face went as red as could be.
“So yeah, one other thing I wanted to ask. You don’t have any assignments left today, right?”
“No! I finished all of today’s at the academy!”
“Oh!”
“Ah…”
“Hm?”
She answered proudly with a grin, and I reacted by saying [Amazing!]. But I heard it.
Likely the small [Ah…] of her recalling another assignment she had forgotten about.
“Th-There’s no problem at all! I properly finished my assignments!”
“……”
Panic showed through. Her eyes were wandering. She was definitely lying.
(After confidently saying [I finished them!], it’s harder for her to say [Oops, there actually was one more]… I totally get it.)
I fully understood her feelings, but that would make everything I just said pointless.
“I’ll ask again, what about assignments today? If you lie again, it’ll be five hundred push-ups and five hundred sit-ups.”
“F-Five hundred…”
“Totaling one thousand.”
“One thousand…?”
Sia looked up with a noncommittal expression, but soon her face filled with anguish.
(Yeah… She’s definitely thinking about it. Whether she can do that many if she lies… There’s no way she can at her level though.)
I could clearly see what she was thinking.
“Oh wait, change of plans. If you lie again, it’ll be one thousand of each.”
“……”
A shadow of despair fell over Sia’s face.
Two thousand total reps. That’s what it finally took to make her give up.
“I-I’m sorry. There is one assignment I remembered…”
“I see. Then stop cleaning for now and bring your assignment. We’ll do it together.”
“Is it really alright…?”
“Of course. Ask me if you get stuck on any problems.”
“Ah, thank you so much! I’ll go get it!”
Leaving those words behind, Sia briskly put away her cleaning supplies and came back smiling with her assignment in hand.
(She looks happy for some reason… Oh, this might be our first time doing homework together.)
Despite having annoying assignments ahead, she had a pleasant expression.
My cute servant was becoming even cuter before my eyes.
Just getting to see her face like this made me strongly feel that choosing this approach was the right decision.
(Well now, I can’t fall behind Sia…)
A competitive spirit sprouted within me, but like Sia, I was also looking forward to this.
I’d get to see her work hard on her assignment while going [Mmm!].
“Th-Then, I’ll work on my assignment too.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
──But I really was a fool to think that.
Because Sia finished her assignment in less than 5 minutes…!
“Then, I will return to cleaning! It was an honor to work on assignments together with you, Master Byleth!!”
“Ah, y-yeah… Sure.”
Sia blew through the problems at a fiery pace. She deeply bowed her head and resumed cleaning.
(Huh? W-Wha…? Th-That solving speed, something’s definitely off… C-Could Sia be more skilled than I thought…?)
My offer to [ask me if you get stuck on any problems] was suddenly embarrassing.
If Elena had been here, she might have retorted “Know your place!” or something.
(And finishing assignments so quickly then immediately returning to work… She’s too amazing… I mean, she should relax and slack off a little…)
Once I recalled what I was like at sixteen, I was lost in thought for a while.
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[Byleth, I properly taught Sia how much you respect her. She turned beet red and was overjoyed, you know?]
Isn’t it suppose to be “told” instead of taught? Sounds like she “whip” her into shape. Hahahah.
fixed, thanks