The Submissive Maid Returns
**啪** – **또각** – **또각** – The night had fallen, and most of the classes in the academy had ended. In the empty streets inside the Academy, only the rhythmic sound of Eloise’s and my shoes echoed. Occasionally we’d pass other students, but they barely glanced our way before vanishing. The dorm building Chloe lived in and the one Eloise and I shared sat a short distance apart, so we had already stepped into the darkened path as evening deepened. There was no real need to separate the buildings, but perhaps there was a reason I didn’t know. Or maybe the map creator had simply thrown the layout together without a second thought. “Hey, suddenly I remembered— this park looks really well made.” “What? Well, sure, students use it, but it’s also the easiest spot for outsiders and guests to reach. It wasn’t built with any special care, obviously.” With that completely ordinary reply, I nodded and kept walking beside her. The park was peaceful, rows of trees planted all around it, and the night air felt crisp and refreshing. In the center of the wide grounds stood a pond filled with crystal-clear water, and at its heart rose statues of unique, striking design—something that would surely draw every visitor’s eye. “Oh. Breasts.” “Hah… just get your head straight, dummy. It’s just statues.” “No, no, but the quality’s actually pretty high, right?” I didn’t know who the statue was meant to represent, but a woman in simple attire carrying a huge jar on her shoulder was enough to catch anyone’s gaze. Thick streams of water kept flowing from the jar in her hands. Scattered around were wide patches of lawn dotted with flowers of every color, their blooms varying by season. The paths were also perfectly maintained, perfect for strolling or just walking around in shoes. As we passed the glowing streetlamps, a cool breeze drifted over us, and the mood felt light. With my mind finally at ease, I noticed things I used to overlook in the past—things that weren’t so bad to see. “Heh, walking on the ground all the time, I feel like I wasted this amazing place.” “Huh…? Are you doing this on purpose now?” “Huh? Oh, oh yeah. Don’t worry, Eloise—I’m forgiving you for everything you did, even if it was half-assed.” I naturally slipped my arm around her shoulders and pressed close. The moment my cold hand touched her, Eloise’s body stiffened, but the second I pressed a quick kiss to her cheek, she jumped like a button had been pushed. With a soft **huh** and a grin, she recovered and playfully smacked my side. I hugged her tight again, calming her down, and kept walking. Before long we reached the dorm building Chloe lived in. “Here we are. Guess this is it?” I stretched my neck side to side with a sharp **crack**, took a deep breath, straightened my messy clothes, and readied my heart. Then I let my mind wander. What came to mind was a demure, obedient maid. After life had gotten easier, I wanted to go back to the image I used to be when I was bullied—only this time the expression on my face was sincere, not afraid of whatever was coming. Unfortunately, I had never actually seen a proper maid inside the Academy, so I pictured the ones noble families used to bring around. Come to think of it, Eloise and Chloe had sometimes brought maids along too. Of course, the Academy rules said no servants for families anymore… but anyway, the image I kept in my head was mostly that kind of maid. Since I was going to play the obedient type, it made sense to stay on the ground. “All right. How do I look, Eloise? Pretty?” I tried to lighten the mood with a smile and looked at her. Eloise’s face showed a slight shock. “Uh… you suddenly started talking like that? Did you used to walk around all beaten up and pretending?” “What? Oh, of course. That’s why you two let it slide.” “What kind of question is that?” Eloise sighed again, as if she still couldn’t believe it. She was probably surprised by how good my acting was, but from my side it just felt like I’d finally said something normal. “I mean, you were way different from the start…” “…Yeah, I guess you’re right.” I gave her shoulder a light tap while she nodded. “Anyway, let’s hurry. Chloe’s probably waiting.” “Oh. Right.” We stepped in front of a more luxurious-looking building and walked inside. Like the dorms we lived in, the one Chloe lived in had a housekeeper on duty. She looked at us when we arrived in the evening, listened to Eloise’s explanation, nodded, and sent us upstairs without a fuss. Honestly, I was curious about what she’d say at the entrance, but it turned out to be way too easy. Eloise moved up the stairs without needing the housekeeper’s help—apparently she had been here before. “Have you ever been to Chloe’s room before, Eloise?” “If we’re talking about actually going, of course we have… but where the hell would I serve?” “Oh, right. I was thinking of a foot massage for her.” “Eep…!” The word “service” coming out of Eloise’s mouth sounded way too lewd. It was probably nothing more than my imagination, but I could picture her licking Chloe’s feet and enjoying some alone time. “Heh, teasing me like that, huh?” Eloise’s tiny fist slammed into my side. I took it lightly, ruffled her hair, and smiled. She let out one sigh and kept guiding me. “Okay, turn here. That’s Chloe-nim’s room. I’ll speak first, so you stay quiet and obedient.” “Got it. Let’s begin.” Following her lead, I returned to the “demure junior” mode. We stopped right in front of Chloe’s door. Eloise took a small breath, prepared herself, and gently knocked on the center of the door. **Knock, knock.** “Chloe-nim, Eloise here. Serina’s brought along. May we come in?” The cheerful voice echoed down the hall, followed by Eloise’s words. A moment later came the sound of a lock turning with a heavy **clank**. Eloise glanced at me, nodded, gripped the handle, and pushed. The door opened. My heart started pounding as I thought about finally touching Chloe—there was a little tension mixed in. To settle myself I swallowed hard and stepped inside. “Good, it’s been a while.” Chloe sat on what looked like a soft chair and watched both of us. *** If I had to describe Chloe’s room, honestly it wasn’t that special. She was the daughter of a duke, so I’d expected something different, but I was wrong. It was luxurious, sure—curtains over the windows, a bed in one corner, things that screamed expensive prices. To buy those on my own would have taken money I could never imagine as a commoner. But I realized it wasn’t special at all. Thinking about it, we were all Academy students—why should everything be so different? Naturally, my eyes kept drifting to Chloe herself. Her softly flowing golden hair, the same color sparkling in her eyes. The gentle, intellectual gaze that made people feel smarter just looking at her, flawless skin without a single blemish, and the chest that swelled so full it looked like it could slip between your fingers if you squeezed. **Gulp**—my throat dried at the sight of that tempting fruit. A second later I realized Chloe’s golden eyes were staring straight at me. “So… you want to serve me?” “Yes. That’s right, Onii-chan. In the end, Onii-chan got exactly what you wanted.” “Hehe. It’s all thanks to Eloise. That little potion too, and tonight.” Chloe gently stroked Eloise’s head like she was petting a puppy, smiled, and stepped in front of me. Because of that strange mask design, Eloise always reacted like a dog. “…So, what’s the plan?” “Huh?” Before I could even blink, Chloe had closed the distance and was asking me right in my face. I froze for a second, heart hammering. We were talking, but right now she was clearly directing the question at me. “What the hell is she asking?” I thought, but she pressed closer without giving me a chance to answer. I backed up until I hit the wall. Chloe’s golden eyes narrowed coldly as she spoke again. “Why did you hold out for a whole year and finally break down? I’m asking you.” She was a much more suspicious young lady than I expected.