—And then, a week had passed.

Big Sis Neria continued to work hard today as well.

However, she was no longer enduring in silence.

Whenever other trainees asked her to do something, she’d check directly with the instructor.

She also took notes of all these reports and instructions. She even got them to sign them.

There was a risk that she’d be treated rudely and disliked, but I was there to support her from behind. Thus, Big Sis became even firmer.

This was probably what they meant when they spoke about children growing up.

Thus, the royal castle became so much easier to work at.

I was also increasingly being assigned work based on my aptitude.

So, today, I was washing some blankets by myself. I was supposed to hang them to dry after this. Maybe I should just throw them away.

“Whoops!”

I felt like I was being made to do things I definitely didn’t have to.

It wasn’t like I was unmotivated but… I was about to fall over backwards under the weight of the wet blanket.

“Hey, pretty maid over there? Could I possibly trouble you?”

“Eivind?”

I looked up and saw the face of a handsome man I hadn’t seen in a while.

He had apperantly supported my back. A small bag hung from his elbow.

“Oh, is that a gift?”

“Maybe you should start by expressing gratitude for being helped? Or how moved you are to see me after so long?”

As he said this, he took something out of the bag and popped it into my mouth.

It was a cool, cold treat… a bite-sized ice cream!

“I want it!”

“That’s a gift from Ms. Helge to you. She made it between her research because it’s been so hot recently. She said she wanted you to try it too, so I came to deliver it.”

As expected of Anita, my friend was so cute even when we were apart.

After savoring that adorableness, I asked Eivind.

“If she has time to make snacks, does that mean her research is going well?”

“Hmm…”

Oh, he’s reluctant to reply. Well, it is what it is.

“Did Anita give up?”

“I don’t think so. She made this ice cream because I told her, ‘If you’re stuck, why don’t you try something to take your mind off it?’”

“In that case, I’m going to give a little advice as a thank you for her gift—”

Then, he put a second piece ice cream into my mouth.

When I groaned, Eivind frowned.

“Even if you do, it won’t affect her evaluation in any way.”

“Twhen I whon’t bwother.”

In the end, it seemed that I had no choice but to sulk.

Hmm, such a cruel world. The sky is blue, yet I’m such a helpless friend.

As I was sulking, Eivind said, “More importantly,” and he took my laundry.

“How is your progress? Your maid duty doesn’t seem to be going well.”

“Doesn’t the maid outfit look good on me?”

I grabbed the hem of my skirt and twirled around. Eivind hung the blanket for me with a wry smile.

“That’s really cute, but… What’s with all those injuries? It seems that you aren’t healing them on purpose?”

“Did you know that the treatment from my sister doubles my recovery rate?”

“Such a wonderful magic…”

From the conversation, he easily understood that I’d been treated by my sister.

But what he really wanted to know wasn’t why I was covered in injuries, and even less why I was working alone in a corner like this.

After all, we were in cahoots.

“The other one is going extremely well, isn’t it? I think I’ll be receiving a summon from the main castle soon—”

“Cecily Travasta, there’s something I’d like you to help me with!”

“Of course~”

I turned around and smiled back at him with a very affable smile.

“Thanks for your help. Tell Anita that I’ll be doing the usual in the castle.”

“Won’t she get angry?”

As I shrugged and went to leave, Eivind grabbed my hand.

“Any change to the date and time of the mission?”

“Nope. Still midnight on the final day.”

I smiled back at the question he whispered into my ear and let go.

But then Eivind asked me in an unusually loud voice.

“We can swap roles!”

“I think this is a bit too much for you. Leave it to the elders.”

He smiled sadly.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.” He said, waving his hand.

I don’t push myself too hard. I just give it my all, always.

[Even Eivind has fallen for a villainess.]

Recently, Cecily has been saying that a lot.

Even though Cecily was bitter inside, Eivind had approached me after learning that I was the Incorrigible Villainess.

I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Well, I’ll make him think that it was a good thing I sucked up to him.

While we were talking, my next task was to carry some documents.

These were very old books. I thought they were going to be taken to a disposal site, but I was told to take the documents to the center of the castle. I got some prickly looks from passing nobles.

“Thanks.”

With my hands full, I greeted them with a smile.  Then, I reached my destination.

“Oh, wait, how am I supposed to open the door?”

How should I open a door when I couldn’t even touch it with my hands?

I was at a loss, pretending to be flustered.

“Please come in, pretty maid?”

“Oh my, thank you, handsome king.”

The gentleman who opened the door from the inside was His Majesty Sveinn Von Nouwen.

With a smile, I accepted the gentleman’s escort and entered the room.

The play was about to begin.

---

Read 8 weeks ahead and support Faux on Patreon for $2~

***T/N: The only thign missing from thsi whole arc is probably the tension.

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