Interlude – Summer Holidays
Posted on December 25, 2016 by crazypumkin
Editor: Poor_Hero
TN: Working on Christmas cause I promised you guys 1 extra chapter today.
My master’s ‘that’ was small. What’s ‘that’? ‘That’ was ‘that’. His age. But other than that everything else was huge. His heart, his strength, his kindness , his angel-like cuteness.
My master, the one who save the me who was a Shadow ―――― Will-sama was 8 years old. As the Duke-in-line, he did not act all high and mighty and treated the Beastmen me equally. But that’s not all. He removed the [Collar of Slavery] on me and saved me from the pit of darkness when I had given up.
When I first got here, I wanted to die. Instead of comforting me, Will-sama scolded me instead. But his scolding was kind and gentle… Ahhh…. Just thinking about it made my heart beat.
Because I was hugged and stroked. Not just my ears, but my tail as well….. erm…
Any, anyway!
Will-sama was amazing. At 4 years old, he completed his studies and was even stronger than me… He also knew many things that others didn’t. As expected of Gion-sama… Old Master’s son. Not really. Somehow, Will-sama was too out of the norm that Old Master just didn’t seem all that special anymore.
It’s Will-sama so it’s inevitable.
I had decided that no matter what happened, I wouldn’t be surprised anymore. Because if I don’t, I don’t think I can hold up. Because it’s Will-sama.
Even so, I still really like Will-sama. My gratitude for being saved was included as well but it’s not just that. After being taught by Will-sama and playing with him, I came to realize it.
Will-sama was really strong and kind. Not his strength, but something like his heart. I am older by 9 years old but he knew a lot more than me, was a lot more mature than me. It’s an irony to know that I was the one being taken care of instead.
I don’t think I am committing a crime. Others would think the taste I had was quite dangerous but no, Will-sama is not a child. He was really an amazing person. What was he, really?
And by the time I noticed, I came to like him a lot. My heart pounded whenever he looked at me with his kind and gentle eyes. I like him? No, I really really like him. Or maybe I even love him. Or rather, that smile of his was foul play.
Yes. That’s why, I am only under the pretext of returning the favor. I’ll become his attendant and stay by his side always.
That’s my dream.
When I told Will-sama that, he had a happy yet troubled expression. Tilting his head, he looked straight at me and said.
” Chiffon is free you know? You don’t have to worry about repaying and stuff like that. ”
He was too kind. Will-sama will always be Will-sama. Or rather, Will-sama was too clever. There were times I had even forgotten the fact that he was a child. But you see, he was too thickheaded. I came to know that even if he was normally a genius, he was cursed with being really thickheaded in terms of feelings.
Will-sama discussed with Old Master and my days of learning started. Mary-san was really strict. But she did not discriminate against me just because I am of Beastmen race and always looked upon me warmly. Besides, Will-sama was in charge of all my studies. I had fun everyday.
But fun only lasted for a short while. The cursed time (compulsory education) finally came. Will-sama had skipped ahead and entered school. As expected of Will-sama. I can’t be willful but I really want the time we spend together to last longer.
But it seemed like he could skip and skip and skip grades and it would only take 3 years before he completed High Academy. Was this good or bad? Either way, it’s amazing.
Which brought us to now, right in the mid of summer. The summer holidays that I had been waiting for had finally come.
◆
” Lalalalala~ ♪ ”
Chiffon, in an extremely good mood, waved her dust cloth about. If the window pane that she was cleaning had emotions, it would be in fear of when it would break under Chiffon’s force. Usually, this was where Mary-san would lay her iron-fist down but as she knew about the circumstances, she just looked on with a wry smile. Just to say, Mary-san was as happy as Chiffon that she could hardly hide it as well.
” Lalala~ ♪ ”
The reason why Chiffon was happily humming to herself was known to everyone in the mansion. Or rather, everyone was behaving the same way.
” Today’s the day~ Will-sama~ is~ ♪ ”
Yes, today’s the day Will was coming back for the Summer Holiday. The owner of this house, Gion, got information about it through the communication tool about a week ago. He was in high spirits after hearing about it that he missed a step down the stairs, did a turn in the air and landed beautifully on the ground. He was so unusually clumsy than usual that you knew immediately how happy he was.
Will would also bring along 2 of his friends from school along.
Which was why Will’s personal maid, Chiffon, was tasked with preparing the Head Maid’s room. While she could not deny the bad feeling she had when she heard Will’s ‘friends’, the truth was that Will was coming home. The tail behind her swished furiously.
Leaving the absent-minded Chiffon aside, Mary, as expected of a veteran, had already finished preparing the 2nd room. Of course, veteran means having worked as a maid for a long period of time and had gained the experience throughout working….the next was something that could never be said. Talking about the age was a taboo for a maiden.
All the housework were done by all the maids who gave their all and all that remained was waiting. After being chided by Mary, Chiffon finally took her position. Her tail wagged ferociously as she started thinking of the topics she wanted to chat with Will. Her thinking was seen though immediately, as exposed by the wagging of her tail. Looking at her, Mary smiled.
◆
It took 5 hours on the rocking carriage. Although it was said to be a 4 hours trip if they hurried but as it was not urgent, they took their time traveling, putting breaks in between and had fun along the way.
Selphy and Zen, who boarded the Beryl’s personal carriage was nervous at first, but slowly got used to it and had fun looking at the scenery outside and chatting within themselves. It was then. As the streets that could rival the ones in the capital slowly came into view, Selphy and Zen cheered.
” Amazing!!!! ”
” I heard rumors but this is amazing! ”
At their words, Will smiled.
” Ah, uh. ”
He won’t deny it. Hearing them praised his father made him as happy as though he was the one being praised. As the carriage cannot run through the streets, it went into a side road as it continued on. And in front, a small grassy hill could be seen. A building stood on top of it.
Zen and Selphy looked at each other.
” Could it be….. ? ”
Selphy looked at Will who grinned and nodded.
” Yep. That’s my house. ”
◆
“” Welcome home, Will-sama! “”
Once the carriage that Will, Zen and Selphy was in came into the grounds and started heading towards the mansion, everyone came out and gathered at the entryway. As it had been 4 months since he had last met them, Will’s face break into a smile.
” Welcome home, Will. ”
Gion ran over to Will happily. Having a bad feeling, Will tried to run but failed. The captured Will got his usual face rubbed by Gion.
As for Zen and Selphy, they were frozen on the spot. By the size of the mansion, the number of maids. In a word, they were taken aback. To add on, the national hero, Gion-sama appeared. They were bewildered by the attitude shown as Gion ran and caught Will happily as opposed to the image they knew of him.
” Ah, sorry about that. I lost myself for a bit. ”
Gion said, embarrassed as he looked at the both of them. The frozen 2 jumped a bit, surprised.
” Welcome, Zen, Selphy. Take your time and enjoy your stay here. ”
Look at Gion’s usual smiling face, Zen and Selphy somehow got their balance back.
But somehow, Selphy thought as she tilted her head, she had been feeling a strong gaze for a while now. Especially from the entryway. Of course, the maids were all looking at Will’s girl friend. As they were escorted by Gion into the house, their luggage were carried by the maids as they felt sorry at troubling them.
The luggage, which had a weight to them, was carried easily, single-handedly by the maids. Zen and Selphy were amazed by it. Everyone in the Beryl house seemed to be above average.
Stepping into the house, their feet landed onto the soft carpet which made them instantly recoiled it back. Zen and Selphy hesitated, wondering if it was okay to step on it and then they saw Will walking normally ahead of them. They are Will’s friends. They need to have guts.
But once they entered into the guest room, they were wowed by Gion’s dignified aura that they shrank back again. Will looked at Gion, who smiled.
” Well then, I still have some work left so I will leave you kids to have fun. There won’t be any nosy parents about so there’s no need to hold back. ”
‘I’ll excuse myself then.’ Gion said as he left and all strength left both Zen and Selphy.
” ……He is definitely Will’s father. ”
Zen said, causing Chiffon and Mary to laugh. Not the national Hero Gion-sama but Will’s father. It seemed like Will’s out-of-the-norm status infliction stretched all the way to the Academy as well. Leaving the one who was tilting his head, everyone in the room was strangely unified together.
What what what? Will totally didn’t understand but as the conversation can’t continue like this, he gave it up. Yes, I am not in the wrong here. He thought to himself, trying to accept it.
” Eh, these 2 are my friends, this is Zen, my roommate. This is Selphy, we are in the same class. Ah, same dorm too. ”
At Will’s words, Zen and Selphy hurriedly gave a bow. They had not expected to be introduced.
“” I will be in your care! “”
What a perfect harmony, Will thought as a weird smile appeared on Chiffon’s face. As predicted. Reading through her, Mary gently smile and nodded.
” And this is our Head Maid, Mary-san. ”
” I had used to change Young Master diapers. ”
Mary said, grinning.
Will froze in an instant and within minutes, he went red. Will was usually the one doing the teasing so Selphy was very interested at this new reaction from Will that she hadn’t seen before. Chiffon’s bad feeling was a strike.
” This is Chiffon, my personal maid. She is also my friend so I hope you all would get along well. ”
At Will’s introduction, Chiffon grinned.
” (At 4) We slept together, (at 4) hugged together, and was bound by a promise (as an attendant). ”
Chiffon said, embarrassed.
” Wha…!! ”
Selphy exclaimed, face reddening. Her head looked like it was about to boil.
What Chiffon said was the truth. As for Will, he froze at the sudden attack. During this time, Chiffon continued.
” Will-sama had taught the useless me a lot of things. ”
The reddened Selphy. The Zen who understood where this was going. And Will, who could only laugh at this already chaotic beginning of the summer holiday.
◆◆◆
AN: As I wrote, something seems to be missing.
Hmm…..ah.
John-Sensei, I’m sorry.
TN: That took me 3 hours. I’m off to finish off the entire gingerbread house now. And ice cream. Loads and loads of ice cream. I’m going for a winter wonderland in my stomach.
By the way, I’m on Team Chiffon. There’s something special about those fluffy ears and fluffy tail.