As the four maids continued their quiet breakfast, a familiar presence peeked in from the dining room doorway—head tilted, and that annoying yet endearing grin stretched across his face.
"You both already finish breakfast?" Javier asked casually, leaning into the fra as if he weren't the Young Master of the house.
"Ah—not yet, Young Master!" Liana instantly sat up straighter, her hands moving to shovel food a bit too quickly.
"Slow down, Liana."
Javier chuckled and walked in at his own pace, hands in his coat pockets, eyes half-lidded with that relaxed smugness. He stepped beside her seat, leaned down a little, and said,
"Don't rush. It's not like I'm going to starve if you chew slower."
Liana's ears twitched slightly in embarrassnt as she looked away, a faint blush creeping onto her face, trying to maintain her composure. Gloria, surprisingly quiet, continued eating at her usual pace—though the way she straightened her posture gave her away.
From across the table, ira gave a playful grin and raised a hand in greeting.
"Morning, Young Master!"
Javier smirked imdiately.
"Morning to you too, my soon-to-be sister-in-law… the betrayer!"
"Huh!?" ira blinked, her tail flicking in confusion.
"Back when I was a toddler," Javier said, placing a dramatic hand over his chest,
"you were my personal maid. You and Lithia both! And now look at you—running off to Cedric and Marcellus."
Lithia flinched slightly, lowering her teacup with a faint blush.
"I-It was Lord Garius who reassigned us…"
ira laughed.
"It's not betrayal if Lord Garius made the decision!"
"Still betrayal in my heart!" Javier pointed accusingly, then smirked.
"My own personal maids, stolen away before I even learned how to tie my shoes properly."
"You didn't wear shoes back then," Gloria muttered behind her cup, her expression flat.
"Exactly." Javier grinned.
The table burst into light laughter—even Lithia, usually quiet, covered her mouth with a faint chuckle.
Just as the laughter started to settle, a familiar, smug voice echoed from the entrance of the maid dining room.
"Oi! Flirting with my girls again?"
Javier froze mid-smirk, turning slowly as he recognized that cocky tone.
"Huh? I'm not!" he shot back.
"I have Liana and Gloria. Why would I need to add more?"
From the doorway, Marcellus strolled in, arms crossed, a ridiculous grin plastered on his face.
"Tch. Still sounds like flirting to ."
He walked over casually, grabbing a chair with one hand, and gave Javier a playful shoulder shove as he passed.
"Shoo shoo, brat. Go bother soone else."
Javier staggered slightly, feigning a frown.
"Damn you, Marcellus…"
Marcellus didn't even look at him as he reached over and picked one of the fruits off Lithia's plate, taking a big bite—completely unbothered.
"Mmm. Good choice, Lithia."
The dark elf maid blinked, glancing down at her now-missing fruit before looking back at Marcellus. She said nothing—just gave him a silent stare, her usual soft blush adorning her cheeks.
ira grinned.
"Your brother sure knows how to make an entrance."
"He was dropped as a baby," Javier muttered, dusting off his sleeve.
"Multiple tis."
"At least I didn't cry when I got my first sword training," Marcellus shot back, sitting down next to Lithia.
Javier huffed.
"That was a practice sword made of iron! And I was four!"
"Still cried."
Gloria leaned toward Liana and whispered quietly,
"Should we stop them?"
Liana sighed.
"Let them. They'll burn out their energy eventually."
Marcellus leaned back in his chair, casually chewing on the fruit he had just stolen, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"By the way, ira."
"Hmm?" ira responded, her mouth half-full as she munched on her seasoned at without a care in the world.
Marcellus's grin widened like a wolf about to cause trouble.
"I saw Zania earlier."
The room went quiet for a second.
ira blinked.
"Zania?"
Marcellus leaned in, clearly enjoying himself.
"Mhm. She was clinging to Cedric. Real tight. Practically lting into his side." He gestured lazily.
"Y'know, hands on his chest, calling him 'darling' or sothing."
CLANK.
ira's fork dropped onto her plate. Her ears twitched, her tail stood up like a spear, and her pupils narrowed into slits.
"That damn bitch!!" ira shot up so fast her chair nearly flipped, flas of pure fury burning in her eyes.
"I TOLD HER TO BACK OFF!!"
Gloria blinked.
"Oh dear."
Liana calmly reached for her tea.
"And here we go."
Lithia quietly slid her plate a little further away from ira, just in case.
Javier, anwhile, had taken a step back.
"Yep. Totally not getting involved in this one."
ira growled, pacing like a tiger.
"Doesn't matter if she's a princess—I'm his personal maid! I've been with him since he was ten! She can keep her amazarak royal pride in her own bedchamber!"
Marcellus, still grinning ear to ear, added,
"Well, she looked very proud when she kissed his cheek."
"MASTER CEDRIC!!!"
The walls shook with ira's furious shout as she stord out of the maid dining room, her tail flicking violently behind her like a battle banner. The door swung open with a loud BANG and then slowly creaked shut on its own after she vanished down the hallway like a missile.
A heavy silence followed her departure.
Javier blinked, still holding his tea.
"…Should we be worried?"
Marcellus, utterly unbothered, leaned back in his chair, opening his mouth slightly as Lithia prepared to feed him another bite.
But before she could deliver the next spoonful—
"Young Master. Master Marcellus."
Liana's voice cut through the air with polite firmness. She stood beside the table, arms folded behind her back, her posture crisp and composed—though her brow twitched ever so slightly.
"Nobles aren't permitted to remain inside the maid dining room for too long. Especially not when als are still ongoing."
Gloria nodded beside her, adjusting her glasses in agreent.
"It's against estate protocol. ira being chaotic is one thing. But you two?"
Lithia froze mid-feed, the spoon hovering in the air between her and Marcellus. Her cheeks flushed slightly, but she quickly lowered her arm with a faint, "...Understood."
Marcellus gave a long, exaggerated sigh.
"Tch. And I was just starting to enjoy myself." He stood slowly and stretched, ruffling Javier's hair with his hand as he passed.
"C'mon, brat. Let's go. Wouldn't want to get lectured by Mrs. Erinette next."
Javier pouted, brushing his hair back.
"You started it."
"You finished it with your face."
Liana and Gloria stepped to the side and bowed slightly as both young masters exited the room.
As soon as they left—
Lithia exhaled quietly.
"...That was embarrassing."
Liana gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder.
"He clearly enjoyed it."
( End of Chapter )
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