Not the Villainess, but the Maid

Chapter 10: Enrolling in the Academy!

Merilda, the head maid, grabbed the hands of Ruby and me as we were about to board the carriage.

“Both of you must stay healthy even after you get there. Lady Ruby, please take good care of Amber.”

“…Yes.”

Isn’t that the kind of thing you should be telling me, the maid…?

Although that thought crossed my mind, Merilda looked so sorrowful that I simply nodded along quietly.

Once aboard the carriage, I waved to Merilda.

“I’ll make sure to return safely!”

Her figure gradually grew distant as the carriage headed down the open road.

The separate residence where Lady Ruby and I had spent four years together.

As it disappeared from view, it finally started sinking in that I was leaving the estate.

When we arrived at the academy, I unloaded the luggage one by one.

While I was struggling with the heavy baggage, Ruby stepped in to help.

“…I’ll help you.”

“What? My lady, there’s no need for you to—”

“It’s fine. Most of it is mine anyway.”

With her assistance, we managed to drag the luggage down together.

Lately, Ruby had seemed softer—her personality more approachable and slightly more proactive.

Standing before the academy’s grand gate, I held Ruby’s hand tightly.

“My lady. There’s something I must say before you start here.”

“…Uh, what is it?”

“Please be very careful when making friends. I mean it.”

I said it out of concern, afraid that dubious nobles on the first day of school might latch onto her and lead her astray.

Ruby seemed slightly startled by my request but soon nodded in agreement.

“…Alright. I’ll keep that in mind.”

When we stepped into the building, students dressed in white and black uniforms bustled about.

The black uniforms signified nobles, while the white ones denoted commoners.

For the most part, nobles stuck with nobles, and commoners with commoners.

Looking around, it was clear that Lady Ruby and I were among the very few mingling between the two groups.

Feeling tense, I scanned the other nobles carefully.

‘Are any of these people the type to approach Ruby with ulterior motives?’

So far, no one seemed particularly interested in her, but a moment’s lapse could change that in an instant.

However, my vigilance didn’t last long.

Distracted by the academy’s vast structure and ornate decorations, I found myself marveling as I wandered around.

Seeing the inside of the academy—something I had only glimpsed as background illustrations in the game—was awe-inspiring.

-Thud.

While I was absorbed in sightseeing, I bumped shoulders with someone.

The person I had collided with was a noble in a black uniform.

“Oh, I’m so sorry…”

I quickly apologized, but the brown-haired girl frowned at me.

“…To think I would collide with a mere commoner on the first day. Such terrible luck.”

“I’m really sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going…”

“Does apologizing erase what happened? This is why commoners’ thinking is so—what?”

In the middle of her rant, her expression brightened as she noticed Ruby standing beside me.

“Could it be? Are you Lady Ruby of the Sarka family? What an incredible coincidence…”

Ruby responded with a neutral expression.

“…Do we know each other?”

“We met briefly at a recital a year ago. My name is Clara.”

‘Clara…?’

The name rang a bell.

Then it hit me—she was indeed someone I remembered.

Clara was a classic second-in-command villainess who clung to Ruby, essentially manipulating her into committing heinous acts.

She was the top person I needed to ensure stayed far away from Ruby.

I quickly grabbed my lady’s hand, intending to leave the area immediately.

“Clara, I’m sorry, but my lady is quite busy right now.”

I planned to ignore her and make a clean escape, but a group of Clara’s followers blocked our path.

“Urk…”

Perhaps my actions had provoked Clara, as she openly glared at me.

“How dare a commoner interrupt a conversation between nobles? Are you not afraid of the consequences?”

She was known as a strategist, skilled in eloquence, cunning, and maintaining a wide network.

Most students avoided provoking her, knowing this.

If I showed weakness now, I wouldn’t be able to protect Ruby.

‘Don’t back down.’

Though she was a noble, her status didn’t carry as much weight inside the academy.

I mustered the fiercest glare I could and stared Clara down.

“…!”

Her confident demeanor crumbled, and her face turned pale.

‘Did it work?’

Clara and her followers hesitated, taking a step back.

“Well, for today, I’ll let it slide… since it’s for Lady Ruby’s sake.”

They quickly scurried away after making that excuse.

‘Phew, nobles aren’t all that intimidating.’

Pleased with my successful intimidation, I turned to Ruby with a bright smile.

“My lady, I’ll always protect you. Don’t worry.”

“…Thank you, Amber.”

“Now, let’s see. Our first class is Magical Studies. The lecture room is over there.”

I grabbed Ruby’s hand and led her in that direction.

***

Clara and her group hurriedly rounded a corner, breathing heavily.

“That could’ve been disastrous. As expected of the infamous Lady Ruby…”

Clara had attempted to intimidate the pink-haired commoner, but Ruby’s expression had shifted dramatically.

“Her gaze was terrifying. I felt like I’d be devoured…”

When the ebony-haired girl with crimson eyes glared at them, everyone instinctively recoiled in fear.

Clara bit her thumbnail in frustration, her expression darkening.

“Planning to recruit Lady Ruby to our side was foiled by that commoner…”

Ruby seemed to care deeply for that commoner woman.

‘Strange. I heard Lady Ruby always moved alone…’

If her understanding was correct, Ruby was supposed to be thoroughly solitary.

Yet today, there was an unfamiliar commoner by her side.

‘If I’m not careful, someone else might snatch her away.’

She couldn’t fathom what that commoner had done, but she didn’t seem like someone worthy of standing by Ruby.

“I’ll adjust the plan slightly. Directly approaching her seems unfeasible for now.”

Determined to separate Ruby from that commoner, she resolved to try a different method.

When Ruby and I entered the lecture hall, I recognized familiar faces.

“Ame, Dia!”

Though I knew they were also enrolling, it was my first time seeing them within the academy.

I greeted them, and both turned to wave at me.

“Amber! I wondered where you were. You’re with Ruby, huh?”

“You both look great in your uniforms!”

“Thank you!”

It seemed Ruby and I were the last to arrive in the classroom.

There were only two seats left—one next to Ame and the other next to Dia.

Amethyst gestured, pulling out the chair beside her.

“Amber, sit with me! I saved this spot for you!”

I glanced at Ruby with a conflicted expression.

“It seems we’ll have to sit separately, my lady.”

“…Alright. I guess there’s no choice.”

Ruby walked over briskly and, without hesitation, took the seat beside Ame.

Ame smiled awkwardly and said to her, “Lady Ruby, I mentioned this spot was for Amber…”

“Amber is my maid, so this is also my seat, isn’t it?”

“…Oh, so that’s how you want to play it.”

“Is there anything incorrect about my statement?”

I passed by the two, who were bickering, and took the seat next to Dia.

Dia gave me a warm smile and said, “…They seem to get along so well. Those two.”

“Don’t they? I’m so glad Lady Ruby has a friend like Ame now.”

“Haha, I couldn’t agree more.”

While chatting with Dia, a woman who appeared to be the professor entered the lecture hall.

“It looks like the class is about to start, Dia.”

The lesson covered the basics of magic.

It introduced the different attributes of magic and their specific distinctions, filled with technical jargon.

‘I’m so sleepy…!’

I pinched my thigh desperately, trying to stay awake.

Studying was just as unappealing in this world as it was in the other one.

‘Finally, it’s over…’

After class ended, Ruby and I exited the classroom together.

If Dia hadn’t nudged me awake now and then, I might’ve drawn attention for dozing off on the first day.

There were no more classes today, so we could rest in our assigned dormitory.

We leisurely checked the room assignments posted on the dormitory board.

“Dia and Ame are sharing a room. And so are you and I, my lady.”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

The academy must have been informed that I was her maid, which explained the room arrangement.

“That’s a relief. Now we’ll always be together!”

“…Yes.”

Now I could quickly notice if anything unusual happened to Ruby or keep an eye on her friendships.

We would actually spend more time together here than we did at the estate, where we had separate rooms.

When we entered the room, two cozy-looking beds came into view.

“Wow, it’s more spacious than I expected!”

I flopped onto the bed, feeling a wave of drowsiness wash over me.

Was it the effort of adapting to a new environment? The accumulated fatigue hit me all at once.

‘…I feel so sleepy…’

“Amber. You should change your clothes first…”

“…”

“Amber?”

When no response came, Ruby realized Amber had fallen asleep.

Ruby approached her quietly.

“…You’re far too careless.”

Seeing Amber’s shirt ride up to expose her stomach as she slept, Ruby covered her with a blanket.

‘…’

Seated on the edge of her bed, Ruby gazed at Amber and recalled something she had said earlier.

[ I’m so relieved. Now we’ll always be together! ]

‘Always together, huh…’

Ruby marveled at how Amber could say such embarrassing things with a straight face.

Listening to her maid’s soft, rhythmic breathing, Ruby lay down on her bed.

“…Goodnight, Amber.”

Determined to protect Amber with her own hands no matter what happened at the academy, Ruby closed her eyes.