“Sooo… where exactly are we going?”
“You will find out momentarily.”
We walked through the castle’s hallways once again. *Sigh* I’m starting to sound like a broken record at this point. How many times had I mentioned these hallways already? Anyway, I followed Astress, trying my best not to get distracted by what was around me. Something about the way she was acting felt different, though. She was keeping her distance from me. She had barely said a word since we left, and she tried her hardest to avoid my gaze. Maybe I was overthinking it, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was deliberately avoiding me.
“Um… Astress?”
“Yes, Mister Ikitayashi?”
“Do you hate me?”
She stopped walking and turned towards me.
“Why the sudden question?”
“Well…” I hesitated, trying to find the right words. “It’s just the way you’ve been acting. You’ve barely said a word to me since we left.”
Astress stayed silent for a moment.
“I see.”
She resumed walking, and I followed.
“Hate is a rather strong word,” she said. “I would prefer to say that I am cautious of you.”
“Cautious?”
“Yes.”
She glanced at me briefly, then looked ahead again.
“Lady Kia found you under rather unusual circumstances. You claimed to have lost your memories. Yet, despite knowing so little about your own circumstances, you were bold enough to approach His Majesty and request permission to work here.”
She paused.
“Given the circumstances, it is only reasonable that I would have some reservations about you.”
I had nothing to say to that. She was right. To her, my being here didn't make sense—and perhaps she was right. My arrival had completely come out of the blue. Given how Kia was acting around me, as she said, it was only logical that she would doubt me. What could I do to win her trust?
“Listen, Astress.” I took a deep breath, but before I could say anything, she told me: “That is Mistress Belluvi to you.”
I sighed in annoyance.
“Mistress Belluvi, you’re not the only one who wishes things could’ve gone differently. I’m sure that when my memories return—”
I didn’t know what to say after that. Pretending to have amnesia was harder than I thought. I wanted to tell Astress the truth, but I knew it’d only cause more problems. I had to carefully decide what to say and what to keep quiet, even though I wanted to be honest with her.
“I meant, when my memories return, I will go back to my previous life.”
She shot me a glare and replied:
“
If
they return.”
Apparently, there’s no pleasing her. We kept walking until we reached a pair of fancy wooden doors. Astress opened them and invited me inside.
“Welcome to the ballroom.”
The room was huge, and its polished marble floor caught the light from the grand chandelier above. Tall windows lined the walls, their curtains nearly touching the floor. Elegant pillars held up the high ceiling. Large paintings and golden decorations lined the walls, making the whole place almost unreal in its grandeur.
“Wow!”
I followed Astress as she walked slowly to the other side of the room, where a cart with several items was placed. She stopped and turned to face me, holding a pointer stick.
“When working for the Diablo family, you must present yourself appropriately for the position. Good posture, proper manners, and precise coordination are essential. A servant’s appearance and conduct reflect not only upon themselves, but also upon the house they serve.”
She grabbed a plate from the cart and handed it to me.
“First, we shall correct your posture.” I barely had any time to wonder what she meant before she tapped me several times with her stick. “Straighten your back, relax your shoulders, keep your legs firm, and raise your chin.”
I did as she told me. She examined me for a moment, then gave a small nod.
“Better. A servant should always appear confident and composed. Slouching, fidgeting, or carrying yourself carelessly gives the impression that you are inattentive.”
I glanced down at the plate in my hands.
“I’m starting to think this is going to be harder than I expected.”
“It will be, if you continue to complain.”
“…Right.”
I quickly straightened my back again.
“Next, walk to the other side of the room and return while holding this plate. Please maintain proper posture throughout the exercise.”
Holding the plate carefully, I did as she asked. When I came back, she stared at me quietly for a moment before tapping me firmly with her stick.
“Awful! Awful! Awful! Do you think this is a joke?”
“But I did as you—”
She threw me a look as if she wanted to kill me, so I quickly stopped talking.
“Frankly, your posture is simply lamentable. When I accepted My Lady’s request to instruct you, I did not anticipate such a lack of competence.”
“You don’t have to be so harsh about it.”
“Well, I certainly do. As members of this household’s staff, we demand nothing short of perfection. Allowing someone in your present condition to work here would undermine the standards upheld by the other servants.”
“Still, can’t you be a bit more… supportive?”
She stepped closer until I could feel her breath on my skin. I instinctively leaned back, but her stern gaze kept me rooted in place.
“Kind words only help the helpless, Mister Ikitayashi.”
I stared at her, unsure whether I should feel insulted or intimidated.
“…You know, most people would just tell me to stand up straight.”
“Then perhaps you should consider yourself fortunate that I am taking the time to teach you properly.”
Fortunate? Was that what she called this? I straightened my back at once.
“Good,” she said, stepping away. “It appears you are capable of learning after all.”
I had a feeling this would be a very long day.
…
Once my training ended, the sun started to set. My entire body ached, and I was so exhausted that I could barely stand up straight—pretty ironic, considering how much time I’d spent being taught to do exactly that. And posture was only the beginning. Astress had also taught me how to carry things with grace, speak more formally, and behave around people of different ranks. Apparently, the Diablo household had a proper way to do just about everything. Even the way I walked seemed to be a problem. Naturally, every mistake earned me a sharp tap from her little wooden stick. And believe me, I made
plenty
of mistakes. I could still feel it striking my back every time I thought about it. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if I started getting nightmares about it. Who could’ve guessed that becoming a servant could be so terrifying? Oh, you knew? Then why didn’t you tell me then?!
“That concludes our training for the day.”
I was still catching my breath.
“That’s… it?” I managed to ask between breaths.
Astress raised an eyebrow.
“Were you hoping for more?”
“No! Absolutely not!” I straightened my back out of reflex, wincing as my aching muscles protested. “I mean, not that I’m complaining or anything. Today’s been great. Really. I’ve learned so much.”
I was quite sure that my smile came across as more of a frown. Astress analyzed me for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.
“You have much to learn, Mister Ikitayashi. However, I suppose it would be unreasonable to expect you to master everything in a single day.”
Oh, thank goodness. She actually understands.
“Tomorrow, we shall continue with your lessons. I expect you to remember what I have taught you today.”
And there goes my relief.
“Of course,” I replied, trying my best to sound confident. “I’ll do my best.”
“You would be wise to do so.”
She turned toward the cart and began putting away the items we had used during our lesson. Meanwhile, I took the opportunity to stretch my arms, only to discover that even that hurt. Seriously, what had I gotten myself into? I glanced at Astress, who was already tidying everything away as though she hadn’t spent the entire afternoon putting me through the wringer.
“Hey, Astress?”
“Yes, Mister Ikitayashi?”
“Do you ever get tired?”
She stopped for a moment and looked at me.
“Of course. Why do you ask?”
“Because you look like you could do this all over again without breaking a sweat.”
“I assure you, I am quite capable of becoming tired.”
“Could’ve fooled me.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Nothing!”
I quickly looked away.
Great. I've survived being killed, only to end up getting myself killed by a maid with a wooden stick.
At this rate, I wasn’t sure which was more terrifying.
