Light Seeping Through the Curtains
Light seeped through the gap in the curtains in the morning.
I opened my eyes and stared up at the ceiling.
"...Mm."
My body felt heavy, probably because I'd been poring over my notes late into the night.
I rubbed my eyes, got up, and splashed some water on my face.
For breakfast, I munched on the cookies I'd received as a gift.
"These are pretty good."
Thank goodness this world wasn't one where even sugar was a rarity.
A decent level of sweetness. And free, to boot.
After filling my stomach adequately, I headed downstairs to the first floor and opened the door.
Ding-a-ling—
A cool morning breeze brushed against my skin along with the chime of the bell.
Looking around, there was already a line at the door.
"Teacher! Good morning!"
At the front were Marie and Lize.
Behind them, two maids I'd never seen before.
And then the familiar blonde hair and blue eyes.
"I trust you're well, Teacher."
It was Lady Chloe Levantia.
She tilted her head slightly with a light smile.
I could feel the other maids glancing at her warily.
But since I'd selected her myself, the responsibility was mine now, so they weren't running away.
The result was this ironic sight of maids and a noble lady queued up together.
...She's here.
Seeing Lady Levantia brought back the image of her leaving yesterday.
It had been amusing, but her face had clearly shown disappointment.
Since that was the last I'd seen of her, a strange sense of relief washed over me.
At least she'd come back.
Hang on a second.
Doesn't that mean she came yesterday and today?
Two days in a row?
This is a first.
I had regulars, sure.
But no one had ever lined up two days straight.
At best, every three or four days.
And even then, if they came once frequently, they'd usually space it out for the rest of the week.
Yet here was Lady Levantia, standing naturally among the maids.
Demurely, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Well, whatever. Let's let it slide for now.
I scanned the line and picked today's three.
"The two new maids, and Lady Levantia."
Calling out everyone except Marie and Lize, Marie's mouth fell open with an "Eh?!"
Lize let out a small sigh and dragged the protesting Marie away.
You're useful, Lize. I'll make it up to you next time.
The two maids' sessions went smoothly.
Both first-timers.
One with headaches, the other with stiff shoulders.
Didn't change what I had to do, though.
Just like with anyone else—listen appropriately, then hypnosis.
Knead the shoulders.
Press the back.
At this point, I could do it with my eyes closed.
After sending out the second maid, I opened the door.
"Oh, are you done already?"
What I saw was a pristine white dress.
Lady Levantia, as expected.
Now that I was the one choosing the three, there was no need for her to wait right at the door after being picked.
She just needed to come back before evening.
But this lady hadn't budged.
She'd waited right there at the door until both previous maids were done.
"You could've gone somewhere and come back later."
"Nowhere in particular to go."
"You could've waited in the carriage."
"Hmm."
She glanced out the window once and smiled.
"I wanted some fresh air."
A relaxed attitude.
A face that said it was really no big deal.
...Is she actually that free?
Can nobles afford to be?
I wouldn't know. Got kicked out too fast.
Anyway, Lady Levantia's session began just like that.
The moment she sat on the sofa, her gaze shifted to the desk.
The teacup set she'd gifted me. Next to it, the box of tea leaves she'd also given.
Her azure eyes took in both items for a moment, forming into gentle crescents.
"Did you just use the teacups?"
"Ah, no, I haven't. Since they're from Lady Levantia."
She'd looked so obviously disappointed yesterday.
Fortunately, she seemed to have shaken it off, back to her usual demeanor.
Well, similar to usual. Not exactly the same, but...
I'm weak to that sort of thing.
—Oppa, don't I seem different?
—Yeah! Doesn't seem like it!
I rubbed my cheek, which didn't sting but might as well have from the imaginary slap by my girlfriend from my old life.
Lady Levantia was still smiling.
Clearly something had changed, but it was hard to pinpoint exactly what. An elusive expression.
"There's no such thing as that with gifts. Use them as you like."
"Ah, in that case..."
She didn't seem angry.
So I asked lightly,
"Can I use those tea leaves too?"
"Hmm?"
It was in that instant.
Her eyes narrowed.
The smile stayed.
But her gaze changed.
A coldly cooled gaze.
Probably because my words had missed her expectations dead-on.
"Ah, no weird intentions or anything. I just thought they'd be good for serving guests..."
I hurriedly added an excuse, but she let out a short, hollow laugh instead.
"Haa..."
A laugh that sounded like a sigh, or irritation.
Aigoo.
So the tea leaves were off-limits too.
She took a long breath in, then spoke clearly, eyes never leaving me.
"Teacher. Isn't that a bit much?"
"W-well, shall we start the counseling then? Lady Levantia. What troubles you today..."
I hurriedly shifted the topic to the session.
Planning to gloss over it with hypnosis if things got tricky.
It was an obvious pivot, and she looked at me with exasperated eyes.
"More irritated than troubled. Yeah, irritation."
"Wh-what's irritating you..."
"Haa..."
This time, an outright sigh.
Then her gaze dropped.
Fussing with her nails, an annoyed expression.
Like she didn't even want me in her sight.
"The Levantia family is an old, storied house. You'd know that, right?"
"Yes, of course..."
I'm not the quickest, but even I know that.
I sure as hell couldn't say I didn't right now.
"Then you'd know the significance of a carved box stamped with our house's seal."
"...Yes, of course."
Every time I said "of course," Lady Levantia nodded slightly.
The problem was, those nods didn't look positive at all.
Her brows furrowed a little more with each one.
Oh no.
She's really pissed.
"But you know."
She pulled her gaze from her nails and looked straight at me.
"The lady of the storied Levantia house personally selected those tea leaves, packed them in a box stamped with our seal, and gifted them. And you say you'll use them to serve guests."
"......"
"Do you really not know what that means, Teacher?"
"......I'm sorry."
I apologized immediately.
It was genuine, of course.
I didn't know the exact value and suggested using them for guests—that was my mistake.
"I'm truly sorry. It won't happen again..."
"It's not that I can't forgive you."
"......!"
She continued calmly.
Forgiven?
Just as relief started to set in,
"But as the lady of the storied Levantia house, it's hard for me to do so."
"......Pardon?"
What the hell was that?
She said it's not unforgivable.
But her position makes it hard?
Is she accepting the apology or not?
Anyway, my fault, so apologize again.
"I apologize once more, Lady Levantia. I was short-sighted..."
"That's not it."
Lady Levantia waved her hand dismissively, as if I was being dense.
Her lips twitched.
She had something to say, but I wasn't getting it. That was her expression.
Seeing that, an old memory suddenly surfaced.
Right after transmigrating.
What my half-sister Veronica had said to me in the hallway.
'You must know how uncomfortable your presence here makes so many people, right?'
I didn't know.
Found out the hard way later.
Meaning get the hell out of this house.
"Teacher."
As I got lost in thought, Lady Levantia spoke again.
Her voice was much softer now.
A soothing tone, like she was coaxing me.
"A house's title is meant for formal, public occasions."
She straightened her posture.
Back straight, hands neatly on her knees.
"But if you insist on using such titles even in private settings like this... doesn't that mean you're trying to keep some distance?"
"......"
"When I call you 'Teacher,' it's with respect and intimacy."
Here, her eyes trembled slightly.
Her ear tips flushed red.
She knew she was saying something quite embarrassing right now.
"If you showed a corresponding attitude..."
Her gaze lingered briefly on my lips before flicking back up.
"I could show you the side of me that's not the lady of the Levantia house, but just Chloe as an individual, don't you think?"
A long explanation.
Ending with a soft smile.
A face asking if I'd finally gotten it.
I just looked at her quietly.
Her expectant eyes.
Cheeks subtly flushed.
Gaze that kept drifting back, urging a response.
She was conveying it with her whole body.
Please get it already.
The problem was.
Why do noble ladies always have to talk in such roundabout ways?
Call her casually since it's private.
I get that much.
But what am I supposed to do about it?
Think about it.
If I opened my mouth clumsily here,
Oh, so I can call you casually? Since I'm older, should I drop the honorifics?
Something idiotic like that would come out.
The mood would shatter completely.
No choice here.
There was a way.
I was the only one in this world with a cheat skill, after all.
Just before she could continue her sulky complaint,
I timed it perfectly and activated my ability.
Hypnosis
"Haa, let me say it again—"
She stopped there.
Her gaze wavered.
Her eyes softened gently.
Her tensed shoulders slumped down.
Her parted lips slowly closed.
Silence.
1 second.
2 seconds.
3 seconds.
Zzz—
I immediately stood and moved behind her.
Same routine anyway.
Squish, press.
"Hnnng..."
Her shoulders were the stiffest they'd been lately, like she'd been tense about something.
As I worked them, I pondered hard in my head.
Time to try it properly this time?
One thing I'd confirmed for sure during these sessions:
No memories remain while under hypnosis.
Instead, upon waking, the brain fills in the blanks on its own.
Like 'I had a counseling session.'
And that memory follows the direction of the last words heard before waking.
If it sounds like advice, it becomes right after receiving advice.
If it sounds like wrapping up, it flows that way.
In other words.
They create the process themselves if you just plant the conclusion.
So my job was simple.
Leave the conclusion that she'd forgiven me.
That would suffice.
After loosening her stiff nape last, I gauged the time.
Almost done.
I withdrew my hands, quickly returned to my seat opposite her.
And just before she woke,
"So, you'll forgive me, right?"
Her eyelids fluttered lightly.
Eyes slowly opening.
Gaze wandering the air before settling on me.
One second for focus to return.
Another second to register my words.
Then.
The newly awakened her spoke in a drowsy voice.
"Ah, yes."
Her face was so soft, it was hard to believe she'd been irritated moments ago.
"Of course I should forgive you."
Phew.
A sigh of relief escaped me.
Honestly, I'd been a bit scared.
Having a noble pick apart how oblivious and insensitive I was, point by point, was pretty terrifying.
Of course, what I'd just done wasn't exactly aboveboard.
I'd made her invent a conversation herself.
But she wasn't completely unforgiving, right?
She could forgive, but something was holding her back.
I just tweaked that conclusion a little.
In my favor.
As I quietly celebrated to myself, she lifted the corners of her mouth softly.
Not a childlike smile.
Somehow languid.
Somehow subtly wet.
It was odd.
For someone whose anger had just lifted, her gaze was too intense.
Her azure eyes fixed on me.
Like she wouldn't let go.
"Of course, right?"
"...Yes?"
"Since you said it so clearly."
I froze.
I only just talked about forgiveness, didn't I?
She tilted her head slightly, puzzled by my reaction.
"You said it yourself, Teacher."
She spoke slowly.
As if nailing down what I'd just said to me.
"That I'm your Chloe."
"......Pardon?"