Clumsy Maid (2)
Speaking frankly, “-----…!” Witnessing that scene was no coincidence.
“Some kind of scream from the kitchen…”
It was just another ordinary day as I adapted to this other world.
“Is something wrong?”
It was still a bit early for dinner.
“Hmm…”
While walking through the mansion, I accidentally overheard a voice—something like a desperate scream mixed with extreme agitation.
“I should go check it out?”
If it was the former, someone might need help.
“……”
With that faint worry in mind, I hurriedly headed toward the source of the sound.
“Caught…-!”
The voice grew clearer with every step.
“……”
This was definitely an angry shout.
And the direction matched what I'd vaguely sensed: the kitchen.
“Shall I take a look?”
Now that I was here, I wanted to know what was going on.
“Why's she so furious…”
At first, it was pure curiosity.
And if things were serious, I figured I'd mediate.
“Are you out of your mind?!”
Stepping into the kitchen revealed the scene:
“No matter how hungry you are, do you even know whose meal you're messing with?!”
The head chef yelling with bloodshot eyes, and
“Eek! I'm sorry! I mean, this is…!”
Eily, bending at the waist nonstop as she got an earful from him.
“Head chef, what's going on here?”
For reference, our mansion's head chef took immense pride in his cooking philosophy.
He didn't care much about taste critiques, but he was hypersensitive to recipe screw-ups or schedule disruptions.
“Did an accident happen?”
“Ah, Young Master…?”
But the moment he spotted me, his booming voice shrank to a pathetic crawl.
“Well, it's not anything else, but…”
He pointed accusingly at the sniffling Eily and pleaded his case.
“I came to prep dinner, and this maid was caught stealing baguettes…”
“Freshly baked ones meant for tonight's meal, no less…!”
“If I hadn't noticed, the whole menu would've been ruined…”
His explanation pieced the situation together in my head.
In short: Eily tried swiping bread and got busted by the head chef.
“Stealing food is a serious crime—I don't think she should be forgiven…!”
And of all people, she got nabbed by the prideful chef.
“Eily.”
“Y-yes…? Yes…!!”
“Is everything he said true?”
To confirm the facts, I turned a cold gaze on her.
“Th-that's…”
For the first time, I questioned her sternly to get the truth.
“Sniff… sob sob… I-I'm sorry… Young Master…”
Under my icy interrogation, Eily finally burst into the tears she'd been holding back.
As if everything exposed, she poured out her pent-up emotions.
“Yes… it's true, just like the head chef said… I stole the bread……”
So Eily really did steal food?
“……Alright?”
If so, I had to admit—I was a little disappointed.
I'd always seen her as innocently kind, even if she lacked street smarts.
But today, she'd shattered that image.
“You…-”
Just as I geared up for a stern lecture,
“But I was shocked seeing the bread still warm! I never imagined it'd be for tonight's dinner!!”
Eily wailed on.
“So… right when I tried putting it back, I got caught! At first, I thought it was leftovers!”
She spilled her side in a lengthy final plea, but
“……”
Honestly, it all sounded like excuses.
Even if true, theft isn't justifiable.
And even if it was real leftovers, she had no right to take them without asking.
“Still… I know I was wrong. I'm sorry! Really sorry, Young Master! I messed up trying to help my hungry sibling!”
But.
“What? Sibling?”
Those words flipped my thinking on a dime.
“Young Master! No need to hear more…! She's a thief!”
The chef still demanded punishment—her theft attempt didn't change.
“Hold on. Let me hear her out.”
But now I was hooked on the backstory.
“Young Master…? But this maid…”
He voiced his resentment, puzzled.
“What did I just say?”
I shot him a sharp glare.
“Ah, got it…”
This was probably a trick only Arnold could pull.
The face that worked thanks to his infamous “extreme villain” rep.
“……”
Intimidated by my annoyed expression, the chef bit his lip reluctantly.
“Hmm… so?”
I felt bad—he was the wronged one—but he was too riled up. No other way to hear Eily out.
Sorry, Head Chef…
“Eily, go on.”
Anyway, she seemed to have more, so I gave her another shot.
“Um… well… my family's in dire straits…”
“Mother and I work here… but it's still hard for everyone to even eat.”
“Especially my sibling at home, bedridden and sick—they're starving worse…”
“Already frail, I couldn't watch them waste away, so I did something stupid.”
Ah, so that's it.
“Hmm…”
Her story clicked the puzzle pieces into place.
“Of course…! Doesn't make what I did right…!”
“But I swear, I thought it was scraps from last meal, headed for the trash!”
So yes, Eily screwed up—but not from greed. For her struggling family?
“I've heard enough.”
“Master…! I'm sorry!”
Cold judgment: her guilt was clear.
“Young Master….! She's still a thief!”
Normally, no letting it slide.
“So that's what happened, Eily.”
However—
“In other words, she was on my errand and got misunderstood, right?”
A cheeky idea bubbled up.
“Yes…?”
“Yes?!”
My unexpected words left Eily and the chef wide-eyed.
“Young Master… what do you—”
“Young Master? Errand…?”
Both stared blankly, like it'd never happened.
“No wonder you said you'd be late, Eily? Didn't I tell you to grab leftover bread from the kitchen? I'm hungry.”
I bulldozed ahead, cool as ice.
“Y-yes…?”
Eily floundered, clueless.
“Think back. I ordered you: kitchen, leftover bread if any.”
“Dinner's early yet—I wanted a snack for the hunger.”
I kept my cool, pressing on.
“Why mess up something that simple, making me come find you?”
Bluntly: I was bluffing hard.
“Young Master… what're you—”
“Just what I said. I sent her on an errand—looks like a mix-up.”
Pure power play tantrum.
But…
“So, Head Chef? Basket all the leftovers. Butter, jam too if you've got 'em.”
“Yes…? Ugh… yes, sir…”
Did it land?
“H-here. Disposal-bound anyway—eat today.”
Dissatisfied glare to the end, but power won. He obeyed.
“Good. I'll enjoy it.”
“…Yes.”
Poker face held till I grabbed the basket and exited.
“C'mon, Eily.”
Inside? Total opposite…
“Uh… yes…”
What if it flops?
“……….”
Heart hammering despite the calm front.
“Phew…”
Glad it worked…
“…….”
Deep sigh swept the anxiety away.
“Eily.”
“Yes…?”
Finally out with Eily, I handed her the basket.
“Here—feed your starving sibling plenty today.”
As I turned to leave with bland comfort,
“Young Master, this…!”
Eily finally got it?
Thud—!
“Hm?”
Sound of collapse—I turned.
“Young Master!!”
Eily, prostrating and calling me.
“Thank you… really thank you…!!”
“I can't thank you enough this time…!!”
“Thank you for covering for a maid like me!!”
Her voice cracked like a prayer to the heavens.
“Honestly, I'm curious!”
“Why do you always… care for this worthless maid?”
Resolute, determined tone now.
“I'm… a pathetic maid! Always causing trouble, even touching your meal—a wretched thief!”
“Why… always so forgiving to someone like me…?”
Why help her?
“Hmm… well…”
But this… kinda kills the vibe.
If I spilled “Be good from now or I die later!”—who'd buy it?
Stealing for family? Wrong, but no scolding needed.
“Eily?”
So, usual head pat.
“Yes…”
“I forgive little stuff easy. And honestly… hate seeing a cute kid like you suffer?”
Plausible dodge.
“Y-yes?! Wh-what, wha-wha…. C-c-cute?! M-m-m-meee?!”
Her face flushed apple-red instantly.
“Huh? Yeah…”
That big a deal? Adult calling kid cute.
Ah… right. Adult mind, boy body.
“N-no way!! A lowly maid like me, cute…?”
Words out—no takebacks.
“Nah, you're plenty beautiful in my eyes. Gain some confidence.”
Spilled milk—double down.
“Ah… beau…. Uuuh……”
Her face burned hotter with each word.
“Eeh… um…”
Eyes spinning, full-face crimson—like steam rising from her head.
“Head back? Oh, today's a secret, got it?”
Weird reaction… but ended well?
“Y-yes…. Y-yees…!!”
Aftermath(?), though.
“Y-you called me… cute…”
That day, Eily glitched hard.