Chapter 16

Tending to the garden wasn’t all that different from how it was done in the human world, so even I could understand the method.

"By the way, Mill-senpai."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Um... have you heard about how Albert-sama and I first met?"

I figured I should at least ask. I was curious about how Albert-sama had explained it.

"Hmm, if I remember correctly, it was you, Yuka-sama, who saved Albert-sama when he collapsed in the human world, right?"

"Well, yes, that's right."

Up to that point, so far so good. The problem was what came after.

"And then, didn’t Albert-sama shout, 'Why is it a guy?!' and turn you into a woman, then made you his maid? Is that right?"

"So even that part got passed around..."

Hearing it like that, he just sounds like a total maniac.

"Albert-sama doesn't like to lie. He usually tells things exactly how they happened, unless there’s a specific reason he can't."

"Ah, I see."

Come to think of it, Albert-sama is the straightforward type. It’s only been a few days since we met, but for better or worse, he’s always direct.

"That said... he can be a bit selfish and stubborn, so it was pretty rough at the beginning."

Mill-senpai gave a wry smile. It sounded like she really went through a lot.

"Are you alright, Yuka-sama? I mean, getting made into his Wife out of the blue must be tough."

"It is tough, but... I’m used to being dragged around by others."

Mostly thanks to my previous job.

"Yuka-sama, you’ve really got it rough too... By the way, what do you think of Albert-sama?"

"What do I think...? Hmm."

"This is just between us, I won’t tell anyone. I was just curious how you felt."

"I see."

Albert-sama, huh... how do I even put it.

"Well, it’s just an impression from the past few days."

"That’s fine. Please, go ahead."

"At first, it was just... 'What the hell is this guy even saying?'"

"Ahh, yeah, I get that."

"I mean, he rejected my gender, turned me into a woman, made me his maid—"

"Oof. That’s pretty hard to defend."

"On top of that, he made me his Wife, too. He skipped way too many steps, and seriously, that's not something you do to someone you just met."

"Yeah... he really did rush a lot of things."

"And on top of that, he acts all high and mighty—well, maybe he is actually important—but he doesn’t listen to anything I say. Honestly, I wasn’t a fan at first."

"Wow... sorry about all that."

"But, I know it sounds contradictory... I don't dislike him."

"...Huh?"

"I wonder why. He's stubborn and selfish, but... he doesn't lie, and whether for better or worse, he's straightforward. Watching that, somehow, it feels refreshing. Maybe that's why. I find him hard to deal with, but I don't dislike him."

It’s something you come to realize when living in society. Living honestly is hard. You learn that lying is easier. But Albert-sama doesn’t have that in him. He faces things head-on. And that kind of honesty... feels dazzling.

"Besides, he has some unexpectedly cute sides too."

Thinking back to when he collapsed... when he half-asleep, clung to me like that, it was, if I'm being honest, more like a puppy or a small child. It was adorable. I wish he was like that all the time, but... well, let’s just say he’s a tsundere. It’s more charming that way. After all, I’ve been an otaku who's been in love with tsunderes for over a decade now.

"Well, there’s still a lot I don’t know about him, but that’s fine. I can learn as we go. Whatever I felt at the beginning, I don't feel like running away anymore."

I'll keep quiet about the fact that I did try to escape at first. Knowing Albert-sama, he’s probably already told everyone anyway.

"...Yuka-sama, you're kind of... unusual, aren't you?"

"I get that a lot."

"...Maybe that's why you could become Albert-sama's wife."

"Maybe so."

"Yuka-sama."

Mill-senpai looked me straight in the eyes.

"We'll probably cause you a lot of trouble. Albert-sama will likely keep dragging you around too. But—"

"If you're willing, would you stay by Albert-sama’s side... and support him?"