Volume 2, Chapter 17 – A Morning Kiss

“Camilla, I’m going out.”

After descending the stairs, Yisi greeted Camilla, who was busy cleaning. Not wanting to dirty her clothes, Camilla wore a plain, flaxen apron over her outfit. Paired with the broom in her hand, the sight made Yisi pause for a moment to take it in.

“Onee-sama, have I done something to please you?”

“Huh?”

“You seem happy.”

By the time Yisi snapped back to reality, Camilla had already set aside the broom and walked up to her.

“Mmm, I was just imagining what you’d look like in a maid outfit.”

In her original world, such a remark might have been considered sexual harassment. But in this fantasy world, there was no need for such concerns. Here, maid uniforms were standardized—ankle-length, paired with a white frilled cap, and made from sturdy, warm fabric. They prioritized practicality over aesthetics, even if the black dress with a white apron lacked visual appeal.

Of course, a modern maid outfit adorned with excessive ribbons and other decorative frills would be equally impractical for daily life.

As Yisi expected, Camilla showed no sign of disgust.

“A maid outfit… I don’t have one in my storage magic. Do you, Onee-sama?”

“No. The maid outfit I’m talking about is different from what you’re imagining. When we have time later, I’ll have a tailor make one tailored to your measurements.”

Yisi’ gaze unconsciously drifted to Camilla’s chest. For Yisi herself, being called flat-chested or the like wouldn’t bother her—whether she had curves or not made little difference. But for most girls, this seemed to be a sensitive topic.

And Camilla’s chest was entirely padded. So, when ordering the maid outfit, what measurements should be used? A perfectly fitted dress might be taken as mockery, but a looser one could also be interpreted the same way.

“Ah, Camilla, on second thought, I’ll leave this matter to you. The maid outfit I’m imagining just has a shorter skirt, a large ribbon tied at the back, and frills decorating the apron.”

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Even if her vague description might result in something different from what she envisioned, it was better to let Camilla handle it herself. If the result wasn’t satisfactory, they could always pay the tailor to adjust it. Since purchasing the tavern had cost only a tenth of what she’d expected, she still had plenty of disposable income.

Camilla averted her gaze slightly, looking hesitant.

“I can do that, but…”

“But?”

“Onee-sama… I don’t have any money.”

“Ah.”

Yisi froze. Because Camilla had never asked for anything during their time in the Niru Diocese, and because Yisi had provided everything without question, she hadn’t even considered this issue. Now that Camilla mentioned it, Yisi realized she had never given her any allowance.

I’m supposed to be Camilla’s guardian now… How could I overlook something so basic?

Yisi couldn’t help but think of children who could only gaze longingly through shop windows, unable to afford what they wanted. Surely Camilla had things she wished to buy too. She felt terrible for not noticing sooner.

Filled with guilt, Yisi solemnly led Camilla to the counter, placed a pouch of gold coins on it with a soft thud, and took out ten coins. Then, she handed the pouch to Camilla.

“Starting today, this is your allowance.”

“…Allowance?”

As if unfamiliar with the concept, Camilla tilted her head.

“You don’t need my permission to spend it, nor do you have to tell me what you buy.”

“But isn’t everything I have already yours, Onee-sama?”

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“That’s one thing, this is another. They can’t be mixed up. Whether you choose to share what you buy is entirely up to you, but that has nothing to do with me giving you an allowance.”

So, it’s like entrusting me with managing my own money?

Camilla nodded, though not entirely understanding, then placed the heavy pouch back on the counter. For her, a bag containing hundreds of gold coins was a bit too much to carry.

Seeing Camilla accept the pouch, Yisi felt her guilt ease slightly, and her expression softened.

“I’m heading out now.”

“I’ll come too.”

“No, stay at the tavern. Mary can walk now, but just in case, it’s better to have someone here. She trusted me enough to share her secret, so I should respond in kind.”

“But compared to you, she’s insignificant.”

“That’s your opinion. Think of it as a personal favor—please look after Mary for me. Her circumstances are tragic, and if possible, I’d like to help her return to a normal life, just as I did for you.”

Hearing this, Camilla pouted in dissatisfaction.

“Onee-sama, that’s unfair.”

“You’re the one who’s too clingy.”

Stunned for a moment by how adorable Camilla’s pout was, Yisi coughed lightly to mask her embarrassment.

“Is there anything you’d like me to bring back for you?”

“Anything?”

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“As long as it’s obtainable.”

“Then—I want Onee-sama’s… No, could you turn around first?”

Is she too shy to say what she wants and needs to gather her courage?

Finding this thought utterly endearing, Yisi obliged and turned her back to Camilla.

Then, the sweet fragrance of a girl filled her nose, and before Yisi could turn back out of curiosity, she felt a warm touch on her cheek.

When she turned around, she saw Camilla covering her lips slightly with her fingers, her face flushed red, yet her gaze remained fixed on Yisi.

So, it was a kiss.

Understanding what had just happened, Yisi also felt a wave of shyness.

“Um, Camilla—”

“I know. I can only do this when we’re alone.”

That’s not what I was going to say!

Yisi felt a headache coming on. Just as she was about to explain that kisses were something you only shared with someone you loved, she suddenly remembered—Camilla did love her.

This is… way too blissful.

Unconsciously, Yisi began to feel that this wasn’t so bad. But she wasn’t Camilla’s older brother—she was the eldest daughter of a count. Otherwise, this sisterly affection might have transformed into something as sweet and sticky as honeyed romance.

Still, no matter what, there was one thing she absolutely had to say.

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Camilla is so cute.

“Onee-sama… do you not like it?”

Noticing Yisi’s prolonged silence, Camilla looked at her with tentative eyes.

“Of course not. In fact, I’d love it if you did this every day.”

It was a statement that might invite envy, but Yisi had an ulterior motive for saying it.

“Then I’ll do it every—”

“But if you do it every day, it’ll lose its specialness. Over time, it won’t feel precious anymore. So, it should only happen occasionally.”

“Ah, I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Watching Camilla nod in agreement, Yisi sighed in relief. Her initial response had been a setup—to draw out Camilla’s next words so she could counter with a reasonable argument, preventing Camilla from making this a daily habit without upsetting her. Of course, this wasn’t because Yisi disliked Camilla. Rather, Camilla’s true age was only fifteen, and every time she acted affectionately, Yisi couldn’t help feeling like a criminal.

If Camilla were just a little older, I probably wouldn’t be able to resist this kind of charm—more like temptation—in her clumsy displays of affection.

Yisi truly believed that.

“Alright, I’m off now.”

“Mm. Leave Mary to me, Onee-sama.”

With that promise, Camilla watched as Yisi left.