Chapter Three: The Sky Salon

Since Kirara had explained all kinds of details about the academy, I felt a little more prepared to face it. Still, I wasn’t quite ready for how different Amanotsuka Academy was from other schools.

The Domestic Arts students were aiming to become maids, and this meant we’d hardly be taking any normal classes at all. Apparently, we’d have three hours of general education in the morning, like English and math, but the rest of the day would be dedicated to honing our service skills.

I learned that although “maid” is a pretty all-encompassing term, it can be divided into all kinds of different fields. Kitchen maids, nursemaids, parlormaids, laundry maids, housemaids... The list goes on.

Here, being a lady’s maid was seemingly the most desirable. This particular profession involved attending to the everyday needs of a fine noble lady. In particular, I had a lot of classmates who were eager to serve one of the young ladies from the Societal Arts program.

Being a Seraph truly meant something to them; they all longed desperately to become one. In turn, this made them pretty envious of me.

At this point, the title honestly just feels like a weight around my neck. I sighed just as the bell rang to announce that fourth period was over.

Today was our first day of class, so it ended before lunch. We hadn’t had any real classes anyway. It was all just introductory stuff—a tour of the campus, an explanation of how the course was structured, and so on.

After that, the plan would have been to go back to the dorm, eat lunch, and get to know my roommates better, but I had somewhere else to be. Himeko had told me to go to the elevator hall. That wasn’t such a bad thing, anyway; I had a lot of questions for her, and I still needed to thank her properly for helping me.

Before heading out, I said to Kirara, “Well, see you later!”

“Yup. I can’t wait to hear all about it!”

Kirara saw me off with a wave, and I went on my way.

✤

“Is this the right place?”

After climbing up a chilly stone staircase near the entrance of the auditorium, I had reached a room two floors up that looked to be the right place. On the polished marble floor sat an antique sofa with a red back, and in front of that was an elevator that looked just as old. With a door that looked almost like a portcullis, it was an imposing sight.

It wasn’t out of place in this castle-like building, but it didn’t feel like it belonged to the modern day. I began to feel strangely as if I’d stumbled back in time to the Middle Ages.

This is such a weird school.

“I guess it’s okay if I sit down, right?” I said to myself. It didn’t look like Himeko was there yet, so I decided to take a seat on the expensive-looking sofa.

Not that I can really relax.

Across from me was a half-moon window next to the elevator, and through that I could see the main school building. Calling it that made it sound like an ordinary square structure, but like the building I was in now, it more so resembled a castle.

I stood up from the sofa and walked over to the window. Seeing it from here really does make it look like something out of the Middle Ages.

I’d been told that the building with the auditorium used to be the main school building, but about ten years ago, when the Domestic Arts program was founded, there had been such a huge increase in students that they had had to build a new one.

To be honest, it didn’t come across as something they’d been forced to build because they had a hundred extra students to accommodate.

Apparently, the auditorium building had been modeled after St. Vitus Cathedral. In any case, it was huge. It seemed like a waste that they only used it for special events, like the entrance ceremony, and for a few specialized classrooms.

The new building, meanwhile, had been modeled after the Château de Chambord, and was an even more ridiculous size.

Along with it, the dorms that housed both the Societal Arts and Domestic Arts students had been newly built as well. The costs of all this had been covered by donations from the Societal Arts students’ families.

It all made me want to shout, “Three cheers for the class divide!”

I could easily believe what Kirara had told me about the Societal Arts students being so high up on the totem pole of society that they basically lived in another world.

“And Himeko is the deputy chairman of a school filled with people like that,” I mused. I was reminded once again of just what a remarkable person she was.

I heaved a sigh and stared idly into the distance for a moment.

Just then...

“Oh, fancy seeing a lost little kitten here!” came two voices at once.

The exact same words from both sides of me, as though played through stereo headphones. I was suddenly grabbed from behind.

“Huh?!” It didn’t sound like Himeko. “Who are you?”

In a mild panic, I tried to turn around, but I was held in place by the hands grabbing me from the left and right. Two of them?!

As I struggled in vain, the stereo voices spoke again. “Teeheehee! You look so cute when you’re desperate!”

“Um, who are you? Tell me!”

I used all my strength to wriggle out of their grip, and finally, they let go.

“It’s tough to wrangle a stray cat,” said one.

“Oh, but she can’t be a stray. Look, she has a collar.”

Wha? I found myself looking back and forth between the two girls. They’re twins!

There before me were two people who looked identical down to the last detail, apart from the ribbons they wore in their hair. They both had long, straight hair with shorter sidelocks, but one had a ribbon on top of her head with a music-note pattern, while the other wore a ribbon above each ear with a pattern depicting white roses.

Their uniforms were black, just like mine, which meant they had to be Domestic Arts students, but I had a feeling there was something a little different about the design. The ribbons on their chests are red, which tells me they’re second years. Is that all, though?

It felt like more than that. They had an air about them that was somehow distinct from all the other Domestic Arts students. You’d never look at them and think they’d be anyone’s servant. If not for the uniforms, I’d have guessed they belonged to the Societal Arts program.

Those are definitely Domestic Arts uniforms, though. How strange!

Looking closely, I could see that both of them wore shining golden school badges just like mine. They were Seraphs too.

Either way, they were older students, so I had to be polite. I chose my words carefully. “Um, what can I do for you?”

They turned to one another.

“That’s a good question,” said one of the twins. “Maybe we can do something for her instead.”

“This must be her,” said the other. “Looks like she doesn’t know how to work the elevator, though. We’d better take her with us!”

“You’re so right! If it really is her, she’ll have to come with us!”

After coming to some agreement about something, they both turned to me and nodded. “You’re Misaki Hotaru, right?” they asked, their voices in perfect harmony.

Wow. Their synchronization is really impressive.

“That’s me. I have to stay here, though. I’m supposed to be meeting someone.” It sounded like they were going to drag me away somewhere if I didn’t speak up.

My attempt to thwart them was futile, however.

“We thought so. We’d better get going, then!” They grabbed me from both sides and forcibly pushed me onto the elevator with them.

“I told you, I’m meeting someone here!” Why won’t they listen?

“It’s all right! No need to be scared,” said one of the sisters.

“We’ll take good care of you, lost little kitten.”

“I’m not lost!”

All my protests fell on deaf ears. I didn’t even have time to ask how they knew my name before the elevator started to quietly ascend.

✤

“Is Misaki here by any chance?”

When I finally heard that familiar voice, now speaking in a faintly panicked tone, I’d been the twins’ captive for around ten minutes.

“Himeko!”

When Himeko arrived at last, I rushed over to her. I’m saved!

They’d taken me to what appeared to be the “Sky Salon” I’d heard all about from Kirara. The twins reacted to my escape as if I were a toy they couldn’t play with anymore.

“Oh, what a pity!”

“She ran away!”

The room wasn’t all that big, but all the assorted plants gave it a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere. There was a large table in the center, with a few smaller tables peppered around it, half hidden by greenery.

It had sort of a mystical quality about it. I’d heard it was sometimes described as a garden in the sky, and I could see why.

There were a number of other students in the Sky Salon. All of them had smiled pleasantly after the twins dragged me in, but they had kept their distance and shown no sign of stepping in to lend a hand. Maybe they were worried they’d be the next victims if they didn’t tread carefully. What’s with these twins? I know they’re Domestic Arts students, but they really don’t come across that way.

“Thank goodness,” said Himeko. “You weren’t in the elevator hall, so I thought I’d been stood up.”

“I wouldn’t be that cold. I had to come and thank you for helping me.”

“Hehe, that is true. I made you my Seraph, didn’t I?” She smiled gleefully.

“Oh, about that! I’ve been thinking about it a lot. But first of all—what’s up with these two?! They had their hands all over my body! That’s sexual harassment, you know!”

I had to say it. Even if they did seem different from the others, they were still Domestic Arts students, right? If they got a stern lecture from a Societal Arts student like Himeko, they’d surely rethink their behavior.

Or not!

“Oh, really? It looks to me like the Ayakas helped you out quite a bit. How nice of them!”

That was not the reaction I’d expected from Himeko. She wasn’t angry in the slightest.

“That’s absurd! Why’re you making it sound like they’ve done me a favor?!”

“What do you think of my little Misaki, then? Don’t you think she seems promising?”

Now she was treating me like some adorable pet. My little Misakikins is my pride and joy!

“She’s just like you said, Lady Himeko. She acts kind of like a stray cat.”

“She kept glaring at us and being all cold and aloof. It was pretty refreshing!”

In response to the twins, Himeko clapped her hands in front of her chest. She beamed with joy. “Right? That’s just what I like about her.”

It sounded like Himeko had told a lot of people about me in the space of a single day.

“Come on, Himeko! Don’t just act all buddy-buddy with them! They sexually harassed me! That shouldn’t get a free pass!”

“How regrettable that you see it that way,” said both twins at once, cocking their heads to the side in perfect unison.

“We just wanted to take care of a lost little kitten,” said one.

“All we did was give you food and milk so you would be comfortable until your owner turned up,” said the other.

“Comfortable?! You were groping me! You even tried to take my clothes off. If I took you to court, I’d win for sure!”

I didn’t even want to know what would have happened if Himeko hadn’t arrived when she did.

“Honestly, it’s not that big of a deal,” said Himeko. “Those two just enjoy bonding with other girls. That just happens to involve physical intimacy!”

It seemed like she was going to take the twins’ side no matter what. She did only meet me yesterday, I guess. I’m at a disadvantage compared to these two, whom she’s probably known for a long time.

“More importantly, I wanted to introduce you to everyone, but it looks like Kagura’s not here yet, right?”

Himeko looked around the room.

“I’m here!”

The elevator opened and a student came out. Based on her white uniform, she was another Societal Arts student. She walked with graceful steps, brushing her fingers through her soft blonde curls. Her bangs were a little long and tended to cover her left eye in a way that made her seem quite mysterious. On her head was a sparkling tiara. She was absolutely gorgeous, like a rose in full bloom. The ribbon on her chest was purple, marking her as a third year.

After she and Himeko said hello to each other, she came over and stood in front of me. “So, is this the one?”

“That’s right. She’s my Seraph.”

At first she replied to Himeko with nothing but a vague sound of curiosity. Then, she inspected me all over. “Yes, I see,” she said last. Then she clapped her hands together quite forcefully. “Gather ’round, everyone. Himeko would like to introduce the girl we’ve all heard so much about.”

On her signal, the girls who had been scattered about the room enjoying tea and chitchat all gathered around the large table in the middle. There were a dozen or so students there in total, with roughly half in black uniforms and half in white. All the Domestic Arts students were wearing gold badges, so each of them must have been someone’s Seraph.

One more thing stood out: all the Domestic Arts students were wearing white aprons and ruffled headpieces. They looked like proper maids. Right, I get it now. When you add an apron over top, the Domestic Arts uniform turns into a maid’s outfit. I’d actually been given an apron as part of my school uniform, but I hadn’t worn it yet. I decided I’d have to try it on as soon as I got back to the dorm.

As I mulled over this, Himeko and I sat down at the head of the table, where you’d expect the guests of honor to sit.

“Feel free to start, Himeko,” urged the girl with the long blonde hair.

Himeko stood with a proud smile. “Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to be here. Today, I’d like you all to meet Misaki, the girl I’ve been telling you about.”

She gently put her hand on my back. Does she want me to stand up?

Himeko continued, “I know I’ve made you all worry because I went so long without a Seraph, but I finally found a girl who meets all my needs. I hope you’ll all welcome her as a new member of this salon.”

She bowed her head, so I did the same. A quiet yet warm round of applause broke out, and several of the Societal Arts students expressed their thoughts.

“I’m so happy for you, Himeko. It must have been pretty tough. You wouldn’t even let anyone in to clean your room!”

“I was starting to think no one would turn up who satisfied you, but you found someone after all!”

“Now you don’t have to sneak into the salon, afraid of what people think when they see you!”

The Domestic Arts students, meanwhile, kept completely silent and maintained gracious smiles. Maybe they’re not allowed to interrupt their mistresses.

I remembered what Kirara had said—that the Sky Salon was sacred territory, where no one could enter except for a chosen few.

　The ladies here were a rung or two above even the other Societal Arts students at the academy. They were probably at the very top of the food chain. Naturally, the Seraphs serving them would all be the best of the best as well.

This made me feel very out of place, of course. I had the feeling that a person with no intention of being a maid really didn’t belong here.

But Himeko just continued chatting pleasantly with the others, looking very happy indeed.

✤

After talking to the others for a while, Himeko brought the conversation to a close.

“Misaki, let’s move to a different table.” She took my hand and stood up. “I’m so glad you all got to meet Misaki. I hope you’ll all be kind to her!”

Isn’t she getting a little ahead of herself? It’s one thing to help out someone in need, but for a major choice like this, shouldn’t she put more thought into it? Now that I knew what a Seraph was, it was pretty clear that you weren’t supposed to casually choose someone you had just met.

“Misaki, this way.” Totally oblivious to my unease, Himeko took me by the hand and led me over to a table by a window. It was separated from the rest of the room by a wooden lattice with pink roses climbing through it. “This is where you get the best view.”

“Wow!”

Standing and looking at the scene beyond the glass, I felt blown away. The view that stretched out before me really was like looking down from the heavens. I could see the whole academy.

The red brick path that led to the entrance of the main school building reached all the way down to the front gate, with well-tended gardens expanding out on both sides. If I squinted, I could see students sprinkled throughout the gardens, drinking tea just like us.

Man, the front gate’s really far away. If I’d just kept running, it would have taken me ages to get there. At least another twenty minutes.

When I looked to the left, I could see my dorm, along with three other buildings that were probably the Societal Arts students’ dorms. There were some other large buildings as well, presumably for the middle school.

It was highlighted for me again just how vast the academy’s grounds were. The top of the hill was covered with Amanotsuka Academy buildings.

If the girls here had exclusive access to this view, I could see why they were called “celestials.”

As I stared out the window, I suddenly heard the twins’ voices again.

“You don’t have to look all dopey like that.”

“Your upbringing is showing!”

I turned to look. They placed two cups of tea on the table along with a box that looked like it probably contained some tasty treats.

“Today you’re being treated like a guest, but don’t get used to it.”

“Starting tomorrow, you’re going to learn how to serve!”

I guess these two really do want to be maids, no matter how frivolous they seem.

“Thank you very much,” I murmured.

“Thanks,” said Himeko, her calmness striking a contrast to my flustered reply. It hardly came as a surprise, though; given Himeko’s position, she was probably used to being waited on.

“You’re welcome,” they said in unison.

When they were gone, Himeko said, “Go on, sit down.”

I did so, following the twins with my eyes as they walked off. I decided to ask Himeko about them. “Um, about those two sisters. Are they really Seraphs?”

“Absolutely. They’re Kagura’s Seraphs.”

“And Kagura is...?”

“The third-year student who arrived just after I did.”

“The one with long blonde hair who looks really glamorous?”

“That’s the one. Her name is Kagura Mikage. Her grandfather is the head of the Mikage Group. As for the twins, they’re both named Ayaka Kokonoe.”

“They have the same name?”

“Yes, but written with different kanji.” She drew in the air as she explained. “The one with music notes on her hair ribbon is spelled with the kanji for ‘song,’ and the one with flowers on her hair ribbons is spelled with the kanji for ‘flower.’ Given their backgrounds, they’d actually fit in better in the Societal Arts program, but for a number of reasons, they’re in the Domestic Arts program and attending to Kagura.”

I knew they were no ordinary Seraphs.

“Oh, also, the Sky Salon is under Kagura’s control right now. That’s what the tiara signifies.”

“Right, that shiny thing on her head.”

“Exactly. There are plenty of other salons, and the people in charge of them all have tiaras. It shows they’re the queen of that particular salon.”

“So you’re not in charge of the Sky Salon?”

“Nope. I’m just here as a freeloader.” Her smile held a vague hint of sadness. “Anyway, let’s have some tea. Oh, and I ordered these especially for you.” She gestured to the box on the table.

“I’m glad you thought of me, but before that, there’s something I want to ask you. Is that okay?”

“Whatever could it be?” She took a single sip of her tea, then set down the cup again.

“About all this Seraph business... When we first met, I told you I had no intention of becoming a maid.”

“You did, indeed.”

“So why did you make me your Seraph?”

“I made you my Seraph because you don’t want to be a maid.”

“You’ve lost me. Is this some kind of bullying tactic?”

“Not at all. The truth is, I don’t really want a Seraph.”

“Huh?” This made even less sense.

“I don’t want one, but not having one causes all kinds of problems for someone in my position. Not having a Seraph means I get endless, and I mean endless demands from Domestic Arts students who want to be my Seraph. I hardly have to say two words to them before they start to think I might actually agree to it.”

“Why don’t you just tell them you don’t want a Seraph at all?”

“If I do that, they’ll inevitably ask why, right? And I really don’t want to tell anyone the reason.”

“Oh. What might that be?”

“I’m not telling you.” Himeko grinned as she firmly shut down my question. “Anyway, you’re effectively a kind of stand-in.”

“A stand-in?”

“You don’t actually want to be my maid, so it’s fine if I don’t hire you after you graduate. We can have a temporary contract that only lasts while we’re at the academy.”

In other words, she just wants me to pretend to be a Seraph. I paused to consider my next words. “Himeko, I understand you’re in a pretty tough position, but so am I. I told you why I came to this school, right? My plans haven’t changed.”

“Study as hard as you can, get into a good college, and get a job at a good company. It was along those lines, right?”

“That’s right. I’m afraid I don’t have time to be attending to your needs. Given how little time they spend on normal classes here, I’ll have to make extra-good use of all my time after school.”

“True, the Domestic Arts classes alone aren’t going to cut it. Either way, though, being a Domestic Arts student isn’t going to leave you with all that much free time.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Domestic Arts students are responsible for keeping the Societal Arts students’ rooms in order. After school, you’ll be told to clean people’s rooms, help out with their shopping, and so on.”

“I’ll just say no.”

“You can’t. It’s part of how the school is set up—for the students’ own benefit. The students from the two courses are paired together differently for room duties every single month. That way, both sets of students get plenty of chances to see new faces and potentially meet someone they get along well with.”

“Oh. I see.”

“It must be pretty tough having to take care of a different person every month. You have to change your approach to suit their individual preferences and personality quirks. It means you get to meet more of the young ladies, but in your case, I think it would only increase your burden. It’s a little different for Seraphs and Exousias, though. They have an exclusive contract, so naturally, they only ever have to serve their own mistress. Once you get used to it, that’s got to be way easier.”

I was momentarily lost for words.

“I’ll do absolutely everything I can to keep your situation in mind. Doesn’t that sound good?” She smiled and tilted her head to the side in a cutesy fashion.

I couldn’t exactly deny what she was saying. Having to clean up after a different person each month sounded like a real pain. “By the way, what’s an Exousia?”

Kirara had used that word as well, but she still hadn’t told me what it meant. I could surmise that it was something along the lines of a Seraph, but that was about it.

“Exousias are maids who enter into a contract one level lower than the Golden Contract, known as the Silver Contract. If a Societal Arts student isn’t sure yet if they really want to hire someone after graduation, they can give them a silver school badge to show that they want that maid to serve them exclusively while they’re still at the academy. Then the maid is their Exousia. Although, to be honest, it’s pretty common for Exousias to get hired after graduation anyway.”

“Huh. That doesn’t sound any easier than being a Seraph.”

“Nope.”

Ugh. Seems like there’s really no escape for me.

With me lost and defeated, Himeko was ready to deliver the finishing blow. “By the way, Misaki, why is it that you want to get a job at a good company? Is it to earn money by any chance?”

“That’s it in a nutshell.”

“Then why wouldn’t you want to earn money while you’re still at school?”

“Well, I’d love to if I could. I was thinking of getting a part-time job.” If I didn’t, I’d never be able to buy any daily necessities.

A devilish smile appeared on Himeko’s face. “Is that right? Then you’re definitely better off being my Seraph than not.”

“Why’s that?”

“Reason number one is that Seraphs get a special allowance.”

“What? Really?”

“Yup. The Domestic Arts students’ role is halfway between a student and an employee, so they all get paid a small amount. Seraphs and Exousias receive an extra allowance on top of that due to the nature of their exclusive contracts. You’ll earn roughly double what a normal student gets.”

“Wow!” It was my first time hearing about this, but it was music to my ears.

“Reason number two is that being my Seraph grants you entry to the Sky Salon. That’s something you can really use to your advantage.”

“I can?”

“Even you must have a rough idea of the special status this place holds. The Sky Salon is highly exclusive even compared to the academy as a whole.”

“True, it does seem like even being a Societal Arts student isn’t enough to be allowed in.”

“Exactly. It might be a bit uncomfortable to say it myself, but the only ones who can come here are a chosen few—and any guests they invite, of course. It shouldn’t come as a big surprise, but that also includes some young ladies whose families own the kinds of “good companies” you want to work for. If you show them your hospitality, they’ll remember your face and you’ll be making connections. If you like, I can even introduce you to them with helpful oblique hints. If you work at the Sky Salon, they’ll see you as the cream of the crop. That’ll come in very handy for your future, don’t you think?”

“You’re talking about networking?”

“I don’t like that word, but yes, basically. Whatever you call it, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking full advantage of the chances and circumstances you’re given.”

“I suppose.”

Her tone didn’t leave any room for opposition. In her mind, it was all decided. Admittedly, it pretty much sounds like it all works in my favor.

She opened the box, took out something from inside and put it on her own plate. “By the way, I thought you might like these.”

When I saw what it was, I jumped in my seat. “Yes! I love them!”

The pleasant aroma tickled my nostrils. The faint scent of chocolate and strawberry immediately transported me into a world of pleasure.

I hadn’t had lunch yet, so seeing it with an empty stomach had me drooling. I couldn’t even help myself.

“Oh, good. I got the idea from your scrunchies. I figured you’d like them. It seems I made the right choice.”

Yep, what Himeko produced from the box was, unmistakably, a donut. My absolute favorite food!

The mouthwatering treat that I could never buy unless they were on sale. The special dessert that I always wanted to get my hands on after persevering through the main course! I loved donuts a little too much, maybe! That was why I had a collection of donut-shaped scrunchies.

Wow. It looks so incredible.

“Hehe, looks like you want some.”

Himeko picked up a knife and fork and cut the chocolate donut neatly into pieces as if she were eating fine French cuisine.

I was in awe of her. Now that’s a ladylike way to eat a donut. I never knew there was another method besides just grabbing them with your hands.

“If you’re my Seraph, you’ll be able to eat high-quality donuts like these every single day.” After going to all the effort of cutting it with a knife and fork, for some reason she then just grabbed a piece with her hands and held it up in front of my face. “Here. Take a bite.”

I let out a moan. Himeko waved the donut from side to side before my eyes.

If I eat this, that means I’ve agreed to become her Seraph.

“Are you feeding me scraps from the table like an animal?”

“What a scandalous thing to say! I’m generously serving food to a hungry first-year student with my own hands.” She brought the piece of donut closer to my mouth. “How about this. Taking your circumstances into account, what if we say you’ll be my Seraph for one year?”

“A year? That’s all?”

“Yes. After a year’s gone by, the situation might have changed. I might not even need a Seraph anymore. And for you, a year’s not going to make that big a difference to your studies, right? Besides, I saved you from being expelled. I think you owe me for that.”

That cinched it. I owed Himeko a massive debt; I couldn’t just turn her down. I should have realized that from the start.

I steeled my nerves and opened my mouth. “Fair enough. I’ll be your—mmph!”

The sweet sensation filled my whole mouth. The donut Himeko fed me was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted in my life.