Chapter Six: Melancholy Summer
Chapter Six: Melancholy Summer
When I told Himeko about this, she cocked her head. “Saeko’s acting weird, you say?”
“She really is.”
After we left Erisu’s École Kitchen, Lady Saeko had headed off on her own, saying she wanted to go back to her dorm room. Sara and Lady Sakura had exchanged glances and agreed to go back to the Sky Salon for now, where we’d chatted for a little while. It wasn’t long before Himeko arrived after her meeting.
The salon’s newest member and her Seraph changed their plans—their campus exploration adventure could wait until the afternoon. First, it looked like they wanted to join us in trying to figure out the mystery of Lady Saeko’s strange behavior.
The four of us sat down in Himeko’s personal space. After I’d explained everything we’d seen at Erisu’s, Himeko seemed to have no more idea than I did.
“Hmm,” she mused. “If she was trying to make you interfere with Matsuri’s work, could it be that she doesn’t like the fact that her Seraph is working there?”
“That’s not the impression I got. When she saw Matsuri at Erisu’s, it was more like she was worried about her, or proud of her. To be honest, I didn’t get the sense that she didn’t like it.”
“Huh.”
Silence fell for a moment. It was broken by Lady Sakura, who offered, “I couldn’t tell you the reason, but my guess is that she’s trying to do something to Matsuri—and I think I know what.”
“Really? What is it?”
“Most likely, she wants to make her Seraph assume some additional liability.”
After mentally piecing together what this meant, I rephrased it for my own benefit. “Erm, make her take on debt, you mean? I know that Matsuri is in debt to Lady Saeko, but she’s been working so hard to pay it back. Why would her mistress want her to take on even more? Would it just be to earn more interest from her?”
That would definitely work as a benefit for Lady Saeko, but I’d never seen her as someone fixated on money above all else. Rather than someone who’d fuss over getting the most interest she possibly could, she was the kind of person who would support Lady Kagura’s business. In other words, she was the kind of person who was more likely to invest her money; the risks were great, but so were the rewards.
“Wait, I think I know what’s going on.” Himeko appeared to have realized something. “What if she’s trying to prevent Matsuri from fully paying off her debt?”
“Huh? But she’s put in so much work!”
“Yes, but Saeko might not want her to finish returning the money.”
“Why not?”
“Saeko took on all the debt owed by Matsuri’s family and made Matsuri into her Seraph as a kind of security on the loan. That means that if the debt is repaid, Matsuri won’t be able to continue working as her Seraph. It could be that Saeko is talking like this because she doesn’t want to let Matsuri go.”
“Oh, right!”
That did fit with how she’d been acting.
“But surely she could just tell Matsuri, ‘Thanks for all your help so far. From now on, you can stay or go; it’s up to you’? Lady Saeko clearly likes Matsuri a lot, and Matsuri... Well, actually she’s always quaking in fear. She seems to get some pretty harsh punishments too. The reason she’s doing extra work on the side is probably so she can pay off the debt quicker and get away.”
The more I said, the less and less likely it felt that their master-servant relationship could carry on just like it was after the debt was repaid.
Suddenly, the situation made me feel uneasy. Could we really just let their Seraph contract evaporate? If something like that happened while Lady Kagura was away, couldn’t it screw up her future plans somehow?
“What are we going to do?” I asked nervously.
“I don’t think it’s up to us to do anything,” Himeko replied. “It’s between the two of them, and it’s a question of money, which is a sensitive topic at the best of times. We probably shouldn’t butt in, right? Not to mention that if I say anything, Matsuri will practically take it as a command. If things go sour after that, I can’t be the one responsible.”
She closed her eyes and quietly took a sip of tea.
The Domestic Arts students did tend to treat anything the Societal Arts students said as words handed down from on high. For that reason, the Societal Arts students had to be extra careful with whatever they said to anyone in the other program. Also, in cases where students who were already Seraphs or Exousias started getting more acquainted with other Societal Arts students, there was a chance of their own mistress warning the other lady not to step on her turf by ordering her servant around.
What I’d recently learned was that the Societal Arts students acted as though they were overwhelmingly powerful, but this wasn’t really the case. What they generally valued above all else was keeping up appearances.
Lady Sakura interjected with a very practical suggestion. “Either way, if we’re worried, perhaps we should ask Matsuri how she really feels at this stage? If she doesn’t want to leave Saeko anyway, there’s no need to take any action. Saeko’s worries will be completely unfounded.”
“True,” I replied. “That’ll probably give us a clearer picture than asking Lady Saeko. What do we do if she says she does want to stop being a Seraph, though?”
“Hmm,” Himeko said, just as pensively as before. “It would be far from ideal, but there would still be nothing for us to do.”
It sounded like if it came to that, it would be a matter for them to resolve on their own. It wouldn’t be up to third parties like us to interfere.
But it won’t come to that, right? Surely Matsuri will want to keep serving Lady Saeko.
As it turned out, the answer that awaited us proved me both right and wrong.
✤
After Matsuri finished her shift at the restaurant the next day, we cornered her and asked her directly.
With a smile, she replied, “It’s true that I’m working an extra job so I can pay off the debt more quickly, but I’m definitely not thinking of quitting as Lady Saeko’s Seraph.”
“Oh, really? That’s a relief. We were worrying about what we should do if you said you were ready to quit.”
“Oh dear. It looks like I’ve caused a big fuss all because this job is somewhere you can see me doing it. Admittedly, my mistress can be harsh at times, and serving her has its difficulties, but I also owe her a lot, and I wouldn’t want to find a new mistress this late in the game. Also, not to toot my own horn, but I’ve served her for more than two years now. I’m confident that no one else would meet her exact needs.”
As bashful as she sounded while saying that, it was clear that she had faith in herself and that her connection with her mistress was based on mutual trust. No matter how it looked from the outside, their arrangement was successful. It would be one thing to hear Lady Saeko say it, but hearing it from Matsuri left no doubt whatsoever.
“Besides,” she added, “the way I see it, once I pay off the debt, we can finally have a real master-servant relationship. If I’m working for her just to pay off my debts, that’s not exactly decent in the eyes of society. I’d prefer to have an arrangement where she wants me there and I respond in kind.”
“I can see what you mean,” I admitted. “There is something really nice about the idea that you both need each other.”
“Exactly. That’s why your relationship with Lady Himeko looks like the ideal situation to me.”
“Ideal? Really?!”
“You don’t think so?”
“Well, I do when you put it that way. I couldn’t manage without Lady Himeko there, and I’m sure she feels the same way about me.”
Giggling, Matsuri replied, “You see?”
I wasn’t lying. Himeko and I truly needed each other.
Putting that aside, Matsuri got back to the matter at hand. “The truth is, I’ll finish paying off the debt in a few days.”
“Wow, really?”
“Yes. Lady Erisu has been kind enough to pay me very handsomely.” She gave a cute little wink and then giggled again. “I bet my mistress will be really surprised!”
“She sure will.”
“I hope so. For the first time, I’ll be able to face her with my head held high. I can’t wait.”
✤
That night, when Himeko and I were lazing about in bed together, we talked over what Matsuri had said.
Himeko sounded pretty relieved. “I guess there’s nothing to worry about. I suppose serving someone with Saeko’s fierce temperament requires either a submissive maid like Matsuri or the veteran-style confidence of Shion’s Seraph, Aoi. No one else could do it.”
“True. I doubt I could cope, for example.”
With Lady Saeko, it might just about work. Even when she starts getting angry, it doesn’t always feel like she’s totally serious. But Lady Shion? No way!
“Indeed. I think it’s best that you’re with me, Misaki.”
“I agree!”
She giggled, while I laughed nervously in return. We smiled at each other and joined hands. I didn’t know if the sweltering midsummer heat was to blame, but I was in high spirits. I was happy for Himeko to fawn over me even more than usual, and to talk about all kinds of things I didn’t normally feel comfortable discussing. As the night wore on, we spoke about all the places we wanted to go and things we wanted to do during the vacation.
✤
Just two days later, we got word that Matsuri had squared away her entire debt. Actually, she came to us herself and told us about her plan, which was to formally return the last of the money to Lady Saeko and ask for a new contract so she could keep working for her. Beaming, she asked if Lady Sakura, Sara, Himeko, and I could join her to witness it. Hence we all gathered at the Sky Salon.
Even with the AC running, all the windows made the salon kind of like a greenhouse. The air was stiflingly hot. Maybe that was the reason Lady Saeko didn’t look like she was doing so well.
She and Matsuri stood facing each other near the central table while the rest of us watched from some distance away. The contrast between them was striking. Matsuri was positively beaming, while Lady Saeko was gazing down at the table with her arms crossed. I can’t be the only one who thinks she looks uncomfortable, right? What’s the problem, though? Her Seraph is going to repay her debts and then renew their relationship with no ill will at all. That’s a cause for celebration, isn’t it?
The others wore heavy expressions too. It looked like they’d also picked up on this.
Matsuri was the only one smiling as she imagined what was about to happen. It reminded me of gears trying to turn while not being locked together properly. But that’s just my imagination, right?
When Lady Saeko spoke, she sounded more frail than usual. “What’s this about, Matsuri? Don’t you have work to do at the restaurant?”
“My shift doesn’t start until the afternoon today.”
“Oh.”
Apparently not noticing her mistress’s dour mood, Matsuri took a step closer, her cheeks flushed. “I have something quite important to tell you today.”
In perfect sync with her Seraph, Lady Saeko stepped back. “Oh? What is it?”
“First of all, I want to express how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for me and my family. If not for you, we might have been out on the street by now.”
Lady Saeko stared back with a heavy expression.
Continuing, Matsuri said, “I know I’ve been a burden to you all this time, but today I’m finally showing my appreciation. No, that’s not right. Today I’m finally able to repay what I owe you.”
She retrieved an envelope from her pocket.
“This is all the remaining money I owe you. I believe this exactly covers the last of the debt. Please check it and make sure.”
“All right.”
Quietly, Lady Saeko took the envelope and checked its contents. Then she got out a ledger and wrote something down.
“That does indeed clear the entirety of the remaining debt. Congratulations. All your hard work has paid off.”
This was the kindest tone I’d ever heard her use while talking to Matsuri.
Nodding happily, Matsuri replied, “Yes, milady! Thank you!”
Lady Saeko appeared to mentally prepare herself for a moment. Then she drew nearer to Matsuri. A gentle smile on her face, she put a hand on her Seraph’s sleeve. “That means that as of today, you’re free.”
“What? But...”
All of a sudden, Matsuri sounded disoriented, as if sensing that something was off. It took a moment for the rest of us to realize what Lady Saeko was doing as well—but when it became clear, I cried out in shock at the same time as Matsuri.
Lady Saeko reached for the golden badge shining proudly on Matsuri’s chest and pulled it off.
“Huh? Milady, what are you...?”
Her voice was trembling and had grown faint. With a look of fear, she stared at the object in her mistress’s hand. It was the special proof that she was a Seraph—and now she was no longer wearing it.
“You started working for me because I took on your family’s debts. Now that those are cleared, I can’t continue to restrain you. You held up your end of the bargain and paid back the money, which means I have to keep my promise as well.” She turned to Himeko and Lady Sakura. “Isn’t that right?”
Himeko had a pained expression on her face as she nodded. “Yes, I suppose.”
Strictly speaking, there wasn’t anything wrong with what Lady Saeko was saying, but did she have to stick to it so rigidly? After all, she obviously liked Matsuri, and Matsuri actually wanted to keep working for her.
But Lady Sakura agreed, murmuring distractedly, “A contract must be upheld. Otherwise, you might no longer be trusted in these matters.”
“Exactly. Even if other people might see it as an agreement freely made between two students, to me and those close to me, I cannot under any circumstances be seen as someone who plays fast and loose with contractual terms. This is especially true given my promise to help Kagura with her business. You understand, don’t you?”
That last question was directly firmly at Matsuri herself.
Her voice wavering, Matsuri replied, “I don’t recall any terms that required me to stop being your Seraph as soon as I paid off the debt.”
“That would be trying to get by on a technicality. Anyway, aren’t you happy to be free at last?”
Lady Saeko put a hand on her (former) Seraph’s shoulder and slowly turned her around—to face the elevator.
“Thank you for your excellent service. I know you’ll find a new mistress, and she’ll be perfect for you. I hope everything goes well in the future.”
She pushed her all the way to the elevator.
“But milady!”
Ignoring Matsuri’s cries of protest, she put her inside and pressed the button.
Then Matsuri disappeared from the Sky Salon.
When she was gone, Lady Saeko went back to her own personal space. All the rest of us could do was exchange worried glances and sighs.
“What are we going to do?!” I asked, barely holding it together.
Tilting her head, Himeko put a hand on her cheek. “As I said before, I don’t think there’s anything we can do. Nothing that springs to mind right now, anyway.”
“But we can’t just do nothing!” I was shaking so hard that my voice had started to sound like a toy on the verge of breaking.
“I agree, but I think we need to give it some time. Whatever we say to Saeko now, it won’t get through to her. Thankfully, since it’s summer vacation, there are only a handful of people who know about any of this. We have a while before word starts spreading. If we can change her mind before that happens, it’ll be fine.”
This calmed me down a tiny bit, but I still couldn’t stop the shaking in my voice. “Do you think we can?”
Himeko sighed. “I think so, but it’s easier said than done.”
“I have a few ideas,” Lady Sakura interjected in an unassuming manner.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes. They may not be entirely above board, of course. Given how much importance Saeko places on contracts and trust, I don’t think just asking her will be enough to make her agree. It does suggest another solution, however, and that’s forming a new contract.”
“But why would Lady Saeko enter into another contract with Matsuri now that Matsuri is fully paid? Wouldn’t she still see it as trying to keep Matsuri entrapped past the terms of her initial contract?”
“You have a point, yes. From the outside looking in, it seems slightly ridiculous, but her conscientiousness is rather admirable.”
“But you have some way to convince her?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Huh? Wasn’t this plan your idea?”
A mischievous smile formed on Lady Sakura’s face. “It was indeed. I didn’t say it requires convincing Saeko, however.”
“It doesn’t?”
She was presenting it like a riddle, but no matter how hard I thought, I couldn’t figure out the solution.
“You’ve heard some hints already, Misaki.”
“I have? When?”
“The other day at Erisu’s and after that at the Sky Salon.”
“Huh?”
This left me baffled. What had I heard back then? It had to be something Lady Saeko had said herself, right? She’d tried to interfere with Matsuri’s work at the restaurant. Why? So it would take Matsuri longer to repay the debt?
“At the restaurant, she tried to get me to trip Matsuri. If I’d done that, it would have looked like Matsuri had made a mistake—and if anything had gotten broken, I guess that would have added to her debt. Is that what you mean?”
“Precisely.” She lifted a finger. “In other words, all we need to do is get Matsuri in debt again and have Saeko take on the debt.”
“Right, I see! Then they’d be back where they started.”
“Indeed. There’s only one problem.” She whipped around to face the others. “Who’s going to suggest it to Matsuri herself?”
“Does that matter? Won’t Matsuri go along with it no matter whose idea it is?”
“If you’re sure of that, why don’t we leave it in your hands, Misaki?”
“Wait, what?”
In a panic, I looked at Himeko and Sara, but both of them were pretending not to notice me. Nothing came from them but silence.
“This is crazy! I can’t go to someone and say they should take on debt, let alone someone older and more experienced!”
Himeko looked up at the ceiling. “That’s true. It would be especially scandalous for a Societal Arts student, but even a Domestic Arts student would probably end up getting expelled if word got around that they’d made someone do that. It’s not a terrible idea, but we don’t have anyone to carry it out.”
Lady Sakura turned to face us again. “Indeed. I really think putting everything back the way it was is the easiest solution, but if the two of them won’t do it on their own, it falls to onlookers like us to step in—and that brings all kinds of problems with it.”
“Hmm, yeah,” I replied. “With all the hard work Matsuri has put into paying it back, I don’t know if it would really be okay to ask her to take on even more debt.”
“Probably not.”
“Do you have any other ideas?”
“One more. It’ll take some time, but if we can convince the two of them, it should work.”
“Really? Tell me, please!”
“Well, the stumbling block for Saeko is that she wants it to be clear to everyone around her that she honors her contracts. That’s why, from the start of the next term, it will be clearly established that Matsuri has fully repaid the debt, honoring the contract. Saeko will have proven that she’s done the same and made her a free agent for now. Then, once that becomes common knowledge, Matsuri can ask to be Saeko’s Seraph again. That would work, wouldn’t it?”
“Right, I see. I think that’s a great idea!”
All of a sudden, I felt a forceful hand gripping my shoulder. “No, it is far from a great idea.”
It was Lady Saeko, and she did not sound happy at all.
“Huh?” I exclaimed.
“If you’re going to talk about me behind my back, you could at least have the decency not to do it so loudly where I can hear you.”
Furrowing her brow, she bared her teeth threateningly at Lady Sakura and the others.
“Sorry to tell you this, but even if Matsuri said she wanted to be my Seraph, I’d tell her no and that would be the end of it. Also, since you’re still new, Sakura, it makes sense that you’re not familiar with all the rules yet. Normally, if a Domestic Arts student actively asks a lady to let her be her Seraph, that’s a rule violation. I’m not such a good-natured softie that I’d make a girl my Seraph if she was so lacking in decorum. What’s the problem, anyway? Matsuri worked hard to pay off her debts, and she finally did it. Now she’s free.”
“But she told us she wants to keep serving you.”
“Who knows whether she was telling the truth?”
Oof, Lady Saeko is surprisingly obstinate.
“If we confirm that she was telling the truth and does really want that, then will you let her be your Seraph again?”
“No.”
“Why do you have to be so stubborn about this?!” I cried, only realizing a moment later just how rude this was.
Lady Saeko took on a low voice and directed her next words not to me, but to my mistress. “Himeko. I’ve said this all along, but don’t you think you’re a little too lenient with Misaki? As a student who frequents the Sky Salon, she should be expected to have more class. If you don’t make her more careful about her phrasing and her attitude, the Sky Salon will go down in others’ estimation.”
“Perhaps, but I think Misaki has been very careful about that sort of thing lately. For example, she’s been consistently calling me ‘Lady Himeko’ whenever we’re in public, and she’s been showing me plenty of respect in other ways.”
“It’s not nearly enough. If you ask me, you two look like you’re only pretending to be master and servant. You uphold the facade, but you’re really acting more like a lovey-dovey couple.”
“No, that’s not fair!” Then Himeko suddenly put both hands on her face and looked at Lady Saeko, doe-eyed. “Wait, is that how we look?”
“Absolutely.”
After a moment’s pause, Himeko’s face went bright red. Covering it with her hands, she said, “I see. I’ll watch out for that.”
Stepping in front to shield Himeko, I faced Lady Saeko head-on. “Hold on just one minute! If you’re going to tell my mistress that, say it to me directly. It’s not fair to blame her.”
“Not fair? Don’t be ridiculous. If a Seraph messes up, it’s only natural for the mistress to take responsibility. In fact, if I were to address you directly, that would be against the rules. Whatever cautions are needed, you have a mistress, and that makes it her responsibility to deliver them. If you want to avoid getting Himeko into any more embarrassing situations like this, then you might want to be more careful.”
Whimpering, I replied, “I suppose that makes sense, but—”
“Speaking of which, your punishment is that you’re forbidden from entering the Sky Salon for the rest of the day. Now leave and think about what you’ve done.”
“What?! But—”
Just as she had with Matsuri, she started forcibly shoving me toward the elevator.
“Himeko!” I cried out.
“Misaki!”
Like Romeo and Juliet, we reached out our hands to each other, but the distance was too great. Even Himeko couldn’t stand up to Lady Saeko’s will at this moment.
“You two just don’t know when to give up. Do as I say for today, Himeko. You too, Misaki.”
Suddenly, Lady Saeko leaned in and whispered something into my ear. When I heard it, I lost all my power to resist.
✤
After being forced out of the Sky Salon, I went looking for someone.
Naturally, this someone was Matsuri. While pushing me into the elevator, Lady Saeko had told me, “Go and check on Matsuri for me.” I would have gone to find her anyway, but it made me happy to know that Lady Saeko really did care about her (former) Seraph’s feelings.
Whatever she claims, I can tell that she needs Matsuri.
“Now, where would she be?” I wondered aloud. “Wait! She’s right there!”
I’d barely even started looking when I spotted her. She was sitting in a corner of a flower bed near the entrance to the former school building that housed the Sky Salon. She was clutching her legs and staring down at the ground, hidden among the abundant plant life. It almost looked like there was a dark cloud hanging over her.
I rushed over, shocked by just how downcast she was. “Matsuri!”
Weakly, she raised her head and turned toward me. “Oh, Misaki. It’s you.”
The beaming face she’d worn mere minutes ago was nowhere to be seen. She had dark circles under her eyes, and her cheeks looked more hollow and sunken than usual.
“It’s all right,” I said, albeit hesitantly. “Lady Saeko needs you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Uhm, I’m pretty sure.”
I didn’t know what Lady Saeko had in mind, so I didn’t want to say anything too committal. Giving her false hope could definitely be a problem. I sat down beside her, figuring that the most important thing for now was to give her some peace of mind.
“So try to calm down, okay?”
She tightly grasped my hands and looked at me imploringly with tears in her eyes. “What did Lady Saeko say after I left?”
I could feel her trembling. Telling the truth when she was in that state felt like a risky idea. How can I tell her that her mistress has no intention of taking her on as a Seraph again?
“Oh, erm, well...”
While I was panicking over what I could even say, Matsuri put me out of my misery.
“She didn’t say anything at all, did she? She doesn’t need me anymore.”
The floodgates finally opened. She collapsed into my lap, wailing.
“Lady Saeko is worried about you. She asked me specifically to go and check on you. I’m sure that you’re totally important to her. No doubt about it.” She didn’t respond, so I underlined it again. “It’s true! I promise!”
I stroked her head. That much is certain, so why can’t she just be honest about it? I don’t understand the need for all this awkwardness.
If it were me, I’d... Suddenly, I paused. What would I do if it were me? One thing’s for sure: someday, Himeko will tell me she wants to say goodbye. What’ll I do then? Will I be able to keep it together? I mean, it’s what we’ve been planning from the start, so there’s no reason to get upset...right? Why do I feel a painful stirring in my heart all of a sudden?
Matsuri looked up at me from my lap. “Misaki, are you all right?”
“Yes, everything’s fine. There’s nothing for you to worry about. We’ll convince Lady Saeko to take you back for sure. She definitely still needs you. It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out.”
“Don’t trouble yourself, please. I don’t want to cause you and the others all that extra work.”
Wiping away her tears, Matsuri sat up. Her face looked swollen; she was clearly suffering a great deal.
“You’re part of the Sky Salon, just like us. We wouldn’t abandon you. There’s still so much I want to learn from you, Matsuri. It would be more troubling if you suddenly weren’t there anymore.”
“Thank you. That’s nice to hear.”
She forced a smile. I doubt she’s even taking in half of what I’m saying.
“Just to make sure, you do want to keep serving Lady Saeko, right?”
“Of course. Being anyone else’s Seraph is unthinkable.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
That meant Matsuri needed Lady Saeko too. We had to figure this out somehow.
“Matsuri, how would you feel about staying over in my dorm room tonight? Kirara and my other roommates are all gone for the summer, so there’ll be no one else there. It’s a rare opportunity, and then we can chat a bit more. How about it?”
“I wouldn’t mind, but aren’t you staying with Lady Himeko at the moment?”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get her permission. The bigger worry would be leaving you on your own right now.”
She made a whimpering sound. “I’m supposed to be the experienced one with everything under control. What kind of example am I setting if you’re the one fussing over me?”
“It’s all good. I’m sure I’ll be running to you for help again before long.”
To be honest, it felt like I was doing nothing but depending on the other Sky Salon maids. I wasn’t going to pass up this chance to return the favor a little.
“In that case, I’ll take you up on your offer. If I did stay on my own, it’s not like I’d be doing anything important. I can’t go back to Lady Saeko’s room either.”
“It doesn’t have to just be today. You can stay all summer if you need to. Anyway, erm, let’s head there for now.”
I was sensing that negative aura from Matsuri again, so I hurriedly stood up and took her hand.
“Wait, you have a shift at Erisu’s this afternoon, right? Maybe you should take the day off. I can go and tell them if you want.”
Given her current state, I really didn’t think she should be working.
“No, I’ll go to work. I’ve made a commitment, so I need to stick to it. I’d be breaking a promise otherwise. Besides, they don’t know that Lady Saeko has canceled my Seraph contract yet. If I skip my shift, it’ll damage her reputation.”
“Oh. I see.”
Breaking a promise, huh? I can see how it would be important to avoid that.
I just never expected that keeping a promise could cause someone so much pain.
✤
We went back to my room for a little while first. We talked over a cup of tea, and she seemed to relax a bit. She was able to smile, if weakly. The idea of her going to her shift no longer seemed too worrying.
At noon, I said goodbye to Matsuri. Then I decided I’d go and check in with Himeko, and afterward go and buy the things I’d need when Matsuri was staying over.
Since it was better for me not to go up to the Sky Salon right now, I did the same as Matsuri had and waited outside the building. Himeko came down almost instantly; I was amazed, thinking for a moment that we were deeply in sync in some kind of telepathic way.
She soon shattered that illusion. “I saw you coming through the window so I headed down to meet you. Saeko’s still upstairs, so it seemed best not to make you come up.”
“Fair enough,” I replied with a touch of disappointment. “Still, it was nice of you to do that. I was planning to wait here until you happened to be leaving.”
“Either way, let’s not linger here. It’s too hot out.”
She squinted up at the sky and blocked out the sunlight with her hand. There wasn’t a single cloud up there, and the sun’s rays were oppressive. Is it possible for the weather to be so good that it actually makes you feel worse?
Himeko took my hand and started walking. “We probably shouldn’t go to Erisu’s, I suppose. Why don’t we go to one of the other restaurants on campus?”
“Sounds good.”
Grasping her hand in return, I realized just how comforting I found it to have a mistress who held my hand.
✤
Around half of the restaurants were closed over vacation, but there were more than enough open to serve the students still at the academy. For those to be operating as usual when there was so little demand suggested they were probably being subsidized by the academy. There were other students like Matsuri who worked part time at these places over the summer, so that was probably another reason for them to stay open.
Himeko opted for a café that also served lunch.
“Let’s eat while we’re here,” she said.
Originally, we’d been planning to eat lunch at Erisu’s, but that was off the table. It seemed like Himeko wasn’t sure how to approach Matsuri for now.
When we went inside, a waitress spotted Himeko and rushed over. The girl appeared to be a Domestic Arts student working here part time, and she led us to a table with some very nervous glances at Himeko.
Around half of the tables were occupied with other people who had come here for lunch. This included mistresses who had brought their Seraphs. It occurred to me that these had to be the relatively rare cases of Societal Arts students who had Seraphs but had still decided to stay on campus. Maybe they’re trying to squeeze in as much school life as they can, since they’ll be together at home for a long time after graduation.
We sat down and ordered a light lunch of sandwiches accompanied by orange juice. Frowning slightly, Himeko brought up the matter at hand. “How was Matsuri when you spoke to her?”
“It’s tough to say. She seemed pretty upset, but after we chatted in my room for a while, she calmed down a lot. She’s gone to Erisu’s for her afternoon shift, so maybe that’ll take her mind off all this for now.”
Himeko heaved a sigh of relief. “That’s good. I was worried she’d be in complete despair.”
“Ah, that reminds me. I want Matsuri to stay over at my place tonight. Maybe for a few days until she gets back on her feet.”
“Oh. Yes, that does make sense.”
Even if Matsuri was looking slightly better, I still didn’t feel comfortable leaving her on her own. As Himeko had said, she wasn’t in complete despair, but that could only be temporary. What if she started thinking about Lady Saeko in the middle of the night and got really upset?
Himeko reached out and put her right hand over mine. “I thought we’d be able to spend all summer together, but I suppose that was too good to be true.”
Her impish smile made my face start to flush.
“Yeah,” I replied nervously. “That was my plan too.”
She stroked my hand just gingerly enough to make it ticklish. Soon it was too much, so I slipped my hand out, put it on hers instead, and began to return the “favor.” She chuckled and fought back, starting a game of cat and mouse between her right hand and my left.
From a distance, it would have looked like we were still having a friendly chat, but our fingers were entwining and tormenting each other, trying to drive the other to give up. I didn’t get what kind of battle this was supposed to be, but Himeko looked like she was really enjoying it, so I ended up giving it my all.
Just then, the waitress approached our table with a cart. “Erm, please excuse me,” she said, her voice wavering. “I have your order.”
With a nonchalant grin, Himeko pulled her hand away. “Thank you very much.”
The waitress’s face was bright red as she placed our sandwiches and juice onto the table. “Here you go.”
This is too embarrassing for words!
Unlike Himeko’s, my face had grown burning hot. It was one thing for us to act like this in private, but being touched so playfully by Himeko in public—and being caught in the act—was something else entirely. Recently, I’d been putting extra effort into presenting myself as the perfect Seraph, but I felt like summer vacation had made me lax.
“What’s wrong, Misaki?”
“Nothing!” I lightly slapped my cheeks to pull myself together. “Let’s eat our lunch, milady!”
She started to giggle. Either I was just that entertaining or she kept remembering something really funny, because she occasionally broke out into laughter again as we were eating.
After we left the café, we confirmed our plans one last time.
“Well,” Himeko said, “I’ll leave Matsuri in your hands. In the meantime, I’ll try to work on Saeko some more.”
“All right. Hopefully I can cheer Matsuri up a little.”
“Yes. And if I have any progress, I’ll let you know right away.”
She stroked my pigtails as if reluctant to part with them, twirling the tips around her fingers. Part of me felt self-conscious and awkward, but I was just as unwilling to say goodbye to her. Still, we had important things to do. If we didn’t do something to help Matsuri and Lady Saeko, we’d never be able to relax and fully enjoy our vacation.
Then we went our separate ways. Himeko headed back to the Sky Salon, where she’d discuss it with Lady Sakura again and try to talk some sense into Lady Saeko. Meanwhile, I had to get my room ready for Matsuri’s stay before she finished her shift at the restaurant.
I guess the main thing is to make sure she has everything there that she needs. I’ll buy a new towel and toothbrush for her. She’ll need fresh underwear, but maybe she’ll bring that herself. Oh, but what if she normally stays over in Lady Saeko’s room? It’s possible that she keeps all her daily essentials there and can’t go back to get them. I’d better ask Matsuri first and then decide whether to buy some.
I also figured she might not want to eat out, so I decided I should buy ingredients to cook at home. Then, once I was done with all my shopping, I’d clean my room and burn some aromatherapy oils to create a really calming atmosphere.
All right! Now that’s a plan!
First I’d help Matsuri feel better, then we could put our heads together to figure out a plan to get her back into Lady Saeko’s service. With a clear vision in my head, I made my way to the shops.
My only real option for daily goods were the stores in the Domestic Arts dorm. The ones inside the school buildings were mostly geared toward the Societal Arts students, and to put it bluntly, those were really expensive. My paycheck was plenty for me, but it wasn’t enough to maintain a lifestyle of that level.
So, after saying goodbye to Himeko, I set off back to my own dorm. However, on the way back, I suddenly spotted someone moving in the distance.
Whoever it was was running along at high speed among the thick rows of trees. At this school, none of the ladies would ever be seen running outside unless they were part of a sports team, so at first I thought my eyes were deceiving me.
It definitely was a lady and not a maid—I could tell that from her clothes. Even at a distance, I’d never mix up the Societal Arts and Domestic Arts uniforms.
A name popped into my head. “Was that Lady Angelica?”
I didn’t have much to go on, but I was pretty sure already. Lady Angelica had a certain aura about her. Having encountered her quite a few times now, I was confident I wouldn’t mistake her for someone else.
Lady Angelica hadn’t gone home for summer vacation. Where was her home, anyway? She’s a vampire, right? Does that mean she’s from Britain or Romania—somewhere like that?
Either way, if she was running like that, there had to be a reason. Whatever it was, though, I didn’t want to know.
Yup. Nothing happened. I didn’t see a thing.
Lady Angelica seemed to really like this school, and when things went wrong, she found a way to solve them without anyone knowing. At least, that was my impression. It could very well be that this was another one of those cases. If she’d been a normal human, I’d have gone over to ask, but I couldn’t bring myself to move my feet.
If this problem hasn’t found its way to Himeko, it’s probably something too big for ordinary people to handle. It’s probably better to leave it to Lady Angelica. Plus, she’s probably too far away for me to catch up by now anyway.
Telling myself that, I carried on with my plan of going shopping and getting my room ready for Matsuri.
✤
After her shift, Matsuri came straight back to my dorm room. A thought flashed through my mind: She’s basically run away from home without telling anyone, right? But I kept that to myself.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be staying here, but I want you to know once again that I sincerely appreciate your hospitality.”
She was bowing deeply in the doorway, her knees on the floor. Flustered, I urged her to stand back up.
“No need for all that formality! It’s honestly fine.”
“But you’re doing so much for me. You’re letting me stay in your room.”
“That’s really not such a big deal. All this business with Lady Saeko is a surprise, but it’s also a nice chance to talk to you alone, which we haven’t done much before. I’m kind of looking forward to it, actually.”
I took her hands and pulled her up.
“But—”
“No buts. If you keep trying to thank me over and over, it’ll get old pretty fast.”
“Oh. Yes, I suppose. Then I’ll come in, if that’s okay.”
“It’s more than okay!”
Her smile looked forced, but she finally agreed and came into my room.
“Whew. It’s been a while since I’ve stayed in the Domestic Arts dorm.”
“So you do normally stay with Lady Saeko?”
“Yes, for more than a year now. I only go back to my room every once in a while to drop things off.”
“I figured. Lately, I’ve been staying with Lady Himeko a lot too. That must be pretty common for Seraphs.”
“It is. Becoming a Seraph means taking care of your mistress in every facet of her life, so it only makes sense that you’d want to be as physically close to her as possible, doesn’t it?”
“That’s what I thought too.”
I turned to take off my maid uniform. She can talk normally again. It sounds like she’s recovered a lot from earlier.
But when I turned back, she was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees. She let out a heavy sigh, as if she’d shut down completely. I could practically see that dark cloud swirling around her head again.
“Matsuri,” I began hesitantly, “why don’t we have some tea? I’ll make it, so could you clear the table?”
The table still held our empty teacups from earlier, when we’d come here before her shift at the restaurant.
“Oh. Certainly.”
She immediately got up and started working. It occurred to me that she was probably the type of person who felt most at ease when she had some kind of job to do. The best idea is probably to keep her occupied long enough that she can’t start feeling down, but I don’t have that many things I can ask her to do. It would be better if I could lift her spirits by chatting with her.
We both stood in the kitchen. While she tidied and I made the tea, I tried to gauge her mood.
“Did you and Lady Saeko never talk about what would happen when you paid off the debt?”
Part of me was reluctant to bring the topic back to Matsuri’s mistress, but if we were going to fix this, I needed a little more information.
“No, we’ve never discussed it before. The first time I ever met her, she was with someone from the bank. I remember finding it strange to begin with. What was a child doing there? While our parents were talking, I just chatted with Lady Saeko and showed her around the neighborhood, but later I got word that a deal had been made to extend the time we had to pay back our debts. The condition was that I would come to this school and serve as Lady Saeko’s Seraph. Students at Amanotsuka Academy receive wages, after all. To me, it sounded like a very reasonable condition for a payback plan, so I agreed. That’s how it began.”
Once our respective tasks were finished, we moved over to the table and continued our discussion.
Matsuri went on, “At first, she tried to determine whether to make me her Seraph. I never had any objection to doing it, and once she formally made me her Seraph, she was strict, but not unreasonable, and she did everything she could to help me repay my family’s debts. I knew I wanted to serve her for my entire life. That’s why I never thought about what would happen after I paid everything back. I was focused on doing it as quickly as possible, and with Lady Saeko’s help, I finally managed it. All I wanted was to pay her back and say I was looking forward to carrying on working together. But instead, this happened.”
Holding her cup in her hand, Matsuri let out a heavy sigh.
“As far as I can tell, she doesn’t really want to let you go either. She never said that, at least. It’s all about her reputation. If we can find a way to make her comfortable with it, you can go back to normal, I’m sure.”
After a pause, she said, “That would be nice.”
She cast her eyes downward and took a slow sip of her tea. Her expression was unbelievably sad. I could see her lips quivering. There had to be a maelstrom of emotions inside her, with one question at the center of it all: Why?
“I genuinely thought she’d be happy,” she said at last, the words mixed with a deep sigh as tears welled in her eyes again. She’d done her best to keep it together, but thinking too long about Lady Saeko must have made it impossible to hold back.
“I thought she’d praise me. That she’d say ‘Well done’ and ‘You’re my Seraph, so keep working hard.’”
She lowered her head to hide the tears that were falling.
“How can I become her Seraph again? I have no idea. She’s not the kind of person who easily changes her mind, so I don’t think she’ll listen to anything I have to say. So please, if there’s anything you can do, I need your help.”
Still looking down, she turned her body to face me and kneeled down so far that her head touched the floor.
“I’m begging you! Help me be Lady Saeko’s Seraph again. I’ll do anything. Anything!”
“Matsuri, please drop that. You don’t have to beg me—I’m already helping, and so are Himeko and Lady Sakura. You’re the one and only Seraph for Lady Saeko. You know what I’ve realized lately? People who are chosen to be Seraphs are connected by fate to their mistresses somehow. The person the mistress chooses is her perfect match, like puzzle pieces fitting together.”
“Thanks, Misaki. I believe that too. Without being conceited, I don’t think there’s anyone else who could be Lady Saeko’s Seraph.”
Wiping her tears, she raised her head and showed a smile again, even if it was an uneasy one.
Thank goodness. At least she’s calmed down enough to smile again.
After that, we made a modest dinner together, then sat on my bed until late in the night, bragging about our mistresses.