Chapter 4:

Eres woke to the warmth of something enveloping her. She wiggled, pushing a weight from her shoulder. Her eyes fluttered open to the gorgeous face of the head maid. Ah. Not bad.

She sat up, looking around. It was the head maid’s room. Had she fallen asleep after dinner? She glanced at the window. It was barely glowing with the pale embrace of the morning sun. She stepped off the bed, falling a bit from her height, only to shiver as the cold wooden floor touched her feet. Eres grimaced, holding in a curse as she tiptoed to the door. She looked back at Lana, who was still sleeping, before slipping out of the room. 

The hall was mostly empty, but for the occasional maid performing cleaning duties. Well, that’d be her soon. It would be better to get used to waking up early. She nodded in approval at the uniform. It was a great relief that it was made for function not form. 

Eres wandered around the mansion for a while aimlessly, before a familiar figure entered her sight. 

Leo, hair still misshapen from sleep, wandered like a zombie towards the dining room. She sped up, matching his pace at his side. Had he not noticed her? What kind of sleepwalking was this? Eres’s eyes widened in admiration. This must be the final form of a home security guard.

She smiled. Coffee? Who needs that? She reached over and flicked his earlobe. 

“Ahh!?”

Leo flew away, hitting his back against a nearby wall. He looked at her, startled.

“Pffft, young master, so energetic, are you a morning person after all?”

“E-Eres…” 

His face flushed with embarrassment before his lips twisted in anger. 

“Are you so eager to die?”

“Hmm? Does someone with supplementary lessons from the head maid have so much power?”

His face paled. His lips trembled as he whispered. “Y-you don’t understand. But you will.”

Eres tilted her head. So ominous? She shrugged. Lana was such a sweet lady, how could Leo be acting like this?

“Hey, is there coffee?”

Leo snapped from his daydream. “Yeah. I was getting some.”

“Let’s go.”

“Who asked you to come?”

“Who asked you to ask who?”

“…What?”

Eres shrugged. 

Leo looked at her. “I keep forgetting you haven’t been here the entire time like I have. How long has it been again?”

“Like a month?”

“A month…” Leo sagged. “Ah, I miss TV. I miss anime.”

Eres blinked at him, stunned. “You really are an otaku through and through.”

“My collection is probably gone…”

“Why are you so depressed about it now? Haven’t you had like, five years to adapt?”

“Well, yeah,” He said, “But after meeting you it’s like all the old memories are rushing back. Talking about it again…”

He slouched.

Eres giggled. “Man, you’re pathetic.”

“Should you be saying that to your young master?”

Leo crossed his arms and glared at her again. 

“Aren’t you a noble? Why are you getting so defensive from the words of a penniless orphan?”

“Tch.”

“Tsk.”

They looked away from each other, not speaking until they reached the dining room. Leo smirked at her. 

“They only have to do as I ask. I could drink coffee right in front of you.”

“Y-you wouldn’t.”

“Hmm~ apologize and maybe I’ll change my mind.”

Eres kneeled immediately. “Oh great and glorious Young Master, this unworthy woman beseeches your kindness.”

Leo nodded. “Very well, you may rise.”

He gestured towards a nearby servant who stood off silently. Eres flinched. When had he gotten there?! Were his attendants ninjas? 

The man walked stiffly into the kitchen. Eres eyed him as she sat back in her chair. 

“What’s with them?”

“My father assigned them to me. They double as servants and body guards.”

“They?”

Eres looked behind herself. Her blood ran cold when she saw two more servants who had been standing just out of her sightline. 

She raised an eyebrow at Leo. “What, are you made of porcelain? The Porcelain Prince?”

“The only son of the ducal house is a hot commodity.” Leo puffed his chest.

“At least your self-confidence is still intact. A shame about your ego.”

Leo pointed at her. “Those words could get your tongue cut out, young miss.”

Eres looked at him in disgust. “Are you playing a character?”

“…”

“…”

The servant who scurried away earlier brought out two cups, setting them before the children. Eres ignored the porcelain prick and drank her coffee. Ahhhh, perfection. They had set cream on the table, but Eres was thankful her tastebuds were still cultured. 

She glanced over at Leo, her face curling in disgust when she saw him adding cream and sugar. He froze, looking up at her. His face became stormy.

“Don’t say it.”

Eres clenched her lips shut, but the smirk couldn’t be hidden before he saw it. She couldn’t take it anymore.

“Well, you are a child after all.”

“…”

Leo stood, grabbed the creamer, and poured it into her coffee.

“Ahhh! NO!”

Eres flinched. She glared at Leo. He smirked, then sat down, before sipping at his drink. 

“Hmm? Nothing to say, little girl? Who’s the child?”

Leo gloated, belatedly noticing the stiff expression that crossed her face as she glanced up. He saw Eres’s face pale all too late.

“Huh...?”

He looked behind his chair.

The head maid floated behind him like the ghost of a wronged mother. Her face curled into a twisted smile.

“Hmm,” Lana said, “It seems like the young master still needs his etiquette lessons.”

“No, wait!” Leo pleaded.

She pinched his ear and dragged him to the door while Eres watched, sweating. His screams slowly quieted before eventually being extinguished. 

“…”

Had she been so fearsome all this time? She shivered. There was no way she’d let herself be handled like that. It was probably only the fact she’d been in the house less than a day that she escaped retribution. 

Eres resolved to act like a proper lady before Lana’s fiery vengeance could find her. Manly pride? What was that? Could you eat it?

She sipped at her coffee. Hmm. She sipped again. Actually…

Pretty good. 

Eres and Leo ate dinner in silence. Each time their eyes met, they looked away. Eres noticed that Leo was hovering over his chair more than sitting in it. That head maid…she was no joke.

“Leo.”

“Hm?”

“The coffee. It was good.”

“Ah.”

Was that a smile? It disappeared as quick as it came. Eres suppressed her own. 

“Can you pass me the potatoes?”

“Sure.” Leo reached over and handed her the platter.