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"Keiya... you’re so cute... Mm, hehe♪"

"...Nn. Haa..."

I woke up in pitch-black darkness—or so I thought. My face was buried in a soft, yielding sensation that made it hard to believe I was in reality. The feeling of my hands kneading that warmth was always so comforting, granting me unconditional happiness. I wanted to touch her like this forever—

"It would be lovely to dote on you for eternity, but it’s time to wake up. Ah, no... you can’t suck on those... unless we’re in the bath. I won’t be able to hold back, you know?"

"...Ei, na..."

A natural fragrance tickled my nose. My hazy consciousness led me to open my mouth and nibble on it—only to realize a moment later it was hair. Hair isn't food. Normally, the gag reflex would have snapped me awake, but because I buried my face in her scent so often, it didn't even register. However, Eina—feeling mischievous—began to tickle my face with the tips of her hair like a brush, finally drawing me back to the world of the living.

"...Eina?"

"Good morning, sleepyhead. Making love while we can't see each other is exquisite, but I want to talk, so I'm turning on the light."

As Eina flicked the switch for the ambient lighting, our faces and the surrounding room were bathed in a faint glow. Right in front of me was Eina, both shoulder straps of her gown slipped down, her body barely concealed by the duvet.

"Today is a holiday. You don't have to go to school. Being a student is so taxing, isn't it? Having to go and study five days a week. But you're safe today. Let's soothe all that exhaustion from the past five days so you can do your best again later."

"...I wonder when people in sports clubs ever get to rest."

"Who knows? That has nothing to do with you, dear. Now, let's go have breakfast. Oh, but before that... you need to dress me, don't you?"

The true meaning behind those words was a demand. On holidays, Eina usually became twice as clingy, which was a handful. She was prepared to wait as long as it took for me to change her clothes, all while keeping her suggestive, defenseless form directed right at me.

"Ufufu, your body is certainly honest."

"N-No. This is just... a morning thing... I-I get it. Fine. I can't have you wandering the mansion in that state anyway."

"I wouldn't mind if that's what you desired?"

"A-Are you sure? You're technically my master... the one with the right to give orders."

"If we're talking about that, then it is my prerogative to serve the one I love, isn't it? Besides, those girls only wear maid outfits because of my personal taste; there's no need to be fussy about clothing. I'll wear whatever you wish... though, please don't make unreasonable demands of anyone but me. I'm fine living without clothes, but it would be a pity for the other girls."

"I'd never give an order like that! If I did, I'd be a total pervert! Eina, is that really how you think of me?"

"What do you mean? Like a 'pervert' who gets excited just by seeing me naked in the bath and doesn't even try to hide it? Or the kind of 'pervert' who acts like a gentleman but snaps the moment I let him touch my body?"

"Waaaaagh!"

There was no winning this conversation. To cut the teasing short, I changed Eina from her nightdress into a lounge dress. I made sure to change myself properly, too. If I stayed under the spell of her words any longer, I’d never get out of bed.

"A-Anyway, let's go!"

I took Eina by the hand and led her out of the room, where we ran into Hijiri cleaning the second-floor hallway.

"E-Eina-sama. Good morning. You seem to be in a... very good mood."

"Well, Keiya is just so adorable."

"Drop it already! Sorry, Hijiri-san, we’re in your way. We're heading downstairs, so please carry on."

"Y-Yes!"

Though their clothes were Eina’s hobby, their education as maids was flawless. Her reflexive curtsy carried a faint trace of the terror she felt for her master. Eina was indeed in a good mood, so there was no need to be afraid, but I wondered if something had happened. If I had time later, I should probably check in on her.

We went to the basement to finish our morning preparations. Even on a holiday, skipping washing your face or brushing your teeth was a no-go. It’s not that I’m particularly vain, but when I’m surrounded by so many girls... I can't help but want to look my best. I didn't want them to think I was a slob. Especially for Eina's sake.

I checked myself in the mirror and didn't see any issues, then turned to Eina to confirm.

"...I'll be in your care again today, my Keiya."

"Yeah, you too."

We shared the kiss I’d forgotten in my post-sleep haze (though usually, I'm the first one awake). Because of our height difference, it was important to bend my knees slightly to bring our faces level. If I didn't, the kiss would turn into something fierce and overwhelming where she’d sweep me off my feet. At the very least, that was the kind of kiss Eina loved most. As my idle hands found their way to Eina's breasts, she let out a sweet sigh and tilted her head happily.

"What's this? You're quite aggressive today."

"...I don't know. I'm not sure why myself."

"I see. If it's what you want, I won't stop you. Let's head up."

When we returned to the Great Hall from the basement, Yatsuka-san was there to greet us.

"Good morning, Eina-sama. Breakfast is prepared... You took your time rising this morning."

"Fufu, many things required my attention. Start the service immediately, please. We'll be waiting in the breakfast room."

"As you wish. Also, Shion suggested that you spend the afternoon in the sunroom. The weather is fine, and the sunlight should be perfect today. It would be an ideal spot to spend time with Keiya-sama."

"Oh, is that so?"

"That sounds great. It’s not exactly sunbathing, but soaking up the rays feels so good. I might even doze off."

"...Then the breakfast will be even more enjoyable. I'm glad the weather held up. We wouldn't want anything to happen to Keiya, so make sure it's cleaned. We'll be using it for a while."

"I shall have those with free hands attend to it. If you'll excuse me. Ayaka will be on standby shortly; please address any further needs to her."

With a respectful bow, Yatsuka-san vanished without a sound. We were always short-handed. For a mansion this size, the number of bought humans was clearly insufficient. One could say we only managed because of the superhuman processing power of the high-value maids.

"It’s rare for Ayaka-san to be running late."

"These things happen. There’s no need to be angry. Oh, look, Keiya. The light in the breakfast room is lovely, too."

This was a space just for the two of us to eat. Unlike the dining hall, it was a special place the maids couldn't use. As we sat across from each other at the table, I could strangely hear the hustle and bustle of the mansion. It might be a holiday for us, but it wasn't for the maids. Everyone was working so hard. Eina only forbade me from helping so that I wouldn't have to shoulder their burden. Comparing their work to a school club was almost insulting.

"Good morning, Eina-sama, Sagiri-kun! Ah, my mistake—Keiya-sama! Sorry, I was handling some late-stage processing, so I’m a bit behind~!"

"What’s for breakfast?"

"Since Keiya-sama requested Japanese food previously, I’ve put my heart and soul into a traditional Japanese set! Here it is!"

The dishes were served from the wagon and placed before us. I don't know if there's a specific way to arrange them, but even before eating, I felt a sense of refinement. There was miso soup, dashimaki omelets, boiled greens, and a generous portion of Saikyo-yaki salmon. The salmon was incredibly tender and completely deboned—likely because I’d complained about bones once before.

"Wow, it looks delicious!"

"...By the way, how many requests can you handle?"

"I can meet any request within the realm of Japanese cuisine! If it deviates too far from that, I’ll need a little more time."

"Eina, do you not like it?"

"Hardly. My dream was to eat the same food as you and live seeing the same sights. I was just asking. Thank you, Ayaka. Order the girl who delayed you to prepare coffee and bring it here. You stay here."

"Oh, an opportunity for redemption? How merciful of you~! I shall relay the message. Enjoy your meal~!"

After Ayaka-san left, Eina murmured softly.

"It looks like today will be another wonderful day."

◇

After breakfast, we spent time relaxing in the sunroom as planned. Eina had a book she was in the middle of reading, so, having nothing to do, I called Hijiri over to chat. Even though we were doing different things, being in the same space felt comfortable.

Eina seemed relaxed as she turned her pages.

"This mansion is so huge, there’s got to be at least one scary story, right?"

"A scary story... you mean, like ghosts?"

"Exactly. I don't know how long ago you were bought, Hijiri-san, but you've been here longer than me. Have you ever run into anything? It would be interesting to know if ghosts are actually real and nearby."

"I haven't heard anything in particular... Do you like horror, Keiya-sama?"

"...It’s not that. It’s just... before I was bought by Eina, I never had anything to do with strange things. I'm interested in unusual situations or phenomena. Life here has been one surprise after another, but I've gotten used to it. I want to experience more 'special' things like that."

"In that case, Yurie-san would be better suited than me. Shall I call her?"

"No, that’s okay. I’ll ask her directly if I have time. Actually, I'm more curious about what Yurie-san does all day."

"Eh?"

Yurie-san was one of the maids, so of course she cleaned the house and tended the garden, but her specific primary duty was unclear.

I just hadn't paid enough attention to notice—or rather, since Eina had ordered that 'no secrets are allowed from Keiya except for life before being bought,' it was my own negligence that I didn't know.

Wait... if I don't know that, why do I know her three-sizes?

Hijiri tilted her head and put a hand to her chin.

"...What is she doing?"

"Wait, even you don't know, Hijiri-san?"

"No. Whenever I see her, she's always slacking off... ah, no. She tells me she's just finished her work and is taking a short break."

"She isn't helping with the laundry, is she? I don't remember hearing that from the girls over there."

"No. I-I'm so sorry I couldn't meet your expectations! Perhaps my sister would know... someone like me is just..."

"You don't have to be so formal! It's okay! Really!"

I caught Hijiri as she tried to flee with a face on the verge of tears and gave her a tight hug from behind. Perhaps because Eina was nearby, she became as still as a frightened kitten.

"Hyu...!"

"You always take such good care of me. I wouldn't get mad over something like this. I can't thank you enough for what you do every day, so please, try to be more confident."

"............"

Though, it was a bit rich coming from me, given how little confidence I had. When I released her, Hijiri spun around, grabbed both of my hands, and knelt on the spot.

"U-Um! Keiya-sama! In the bath tonight... p-please let me serve you. I will obey any command...!"

"Eh? No, wait. I... uh. E-Eina! W-What should I do!?"

I looked toward the chair. There, looking back at me, was—

"If you want to steal even a little bit of Keiya’s heart from me, I’ll take you on. After all, I am... merciful."

It was the smile of a master burning with a childish competitive streak—or perhaps, it was the smile of absolute confidence.