The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 40

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 40

It was Theo, standing quietly beside Janet, who nudged her out of her awkward reverie.
“Why?”
I turned my head with a soft reply, and he smiled back at me.
“Have you considered selling that recipe?”
“Selling that recipe?”
“Most people don’t realize it, but there are quite a few who can’t tolerate milk. Wouldn’t it help people like that?”
“Ah, you’re right…. Children like Jeron must suffer even more.”
Beyond the money, I liked the idea of being able to help someone.
Especially in this world, where milk goes into most foods.
As I nodded in agreement, the others chimed in as well.
“It seems like a splendid idea. It’s better to sell something this ingenious for profit.”
“I agree with you, ma’am.”
“Yes, young lady. Let’s do that.”
Oscar raised his hand dramatically and waved it about with a flourish.
“If you need help, I can lend a hand.”
“Really? You, Oscar?”
“Yes, me.”
Oscar rested his chin on his waving hand and grinned widely.
“Don’t you think it’s a good idea, Doctor?”

***

“Why did you reject Oscar’s proposal?”
The moment we stepped outside, Theo asked me the question.
“Establishing a connection with the First Prince would bring considerable advantages in many ways.”
“That’s true enough.”
At my straightforward agreement, Theo’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“Yet you understand that…”
“But if I’m going to join hands with someone and accomplish something, I wanted it to be with you.”
“…”
At my words, Theo fell silent, his lips pressed firmly together.
“After all, we work quite well together, don’t we?”
“That’s certainly true. Business ventures succeed when you work with someone compatible.”
“Yes. I think so too.”
Watching me answer with a faint smile, Theo’s lips curved upward as well.
However.
“Ah, Theo.”
“What is it?”
“I won’t be able to study together for a while.”
The corners of his mouth, which had risen so high, plummeted in an instant.
“Did I perhaps hinder your studies?”
“No, that’s not it. Joanna agreed to help me study.”
“Joanna?”
“Yes.”
Ah, so that’s how it is.
Already knowing her background, I quickly grasped the situation.
“That would certainly be helpful.”
“Yes. So… um. I’m sorry. We had planned to study together.”
“It’s fine. What matters is passing the exam.”
At Theo’s response, I nodded.
“Instead, I’ll bring you any helpful information I find. There might be practice problems and such.”
“Yes. I’d appreciate that.”
Though I didn’t truly need it, I nodded, unwilling to disappoint Janet’s expectations.
“Then, see you later.”
I stood quietly in place, watching Janet’s retreating figure as she left with a brief farewell.
The fact that her parting words were “see you later” rather than “see you soon” bothered me more than it should have.
‘…Why?’
It was just a matter of seeing her next time.
Bewildered by the strange feeling, Kendrick shrugged and ran a hand across his face.
And.
“What is it?”
“…”
“I’m asking why you’ve been following me.”
At my second question, the figure hiding behind the tree slowly emerged from the shadows.
“Ha ha. Caught after all, am I?”
Oscar.
Kendrick narrowed his eyes and glared at him.

“Seems like a good idea, doesn’t it, Doctor?”

It was likely the same reason he’d been needling me in front of others earlier.
I considered ignoring him and leaving as if I hadn’t noticed, but if he kept following me, it would become troublesome, so I decided to speak up.
“Tsk. I really did my best not to be spotted. I suppose I simply lack talent when it comes to physical work.”
Oscar brushed the dirt from his outer coat as he spoke.
“I haven’t received an answer yet.”
At my cold tone, Oscar blinked.
“Geez, you’re impatient as always.”
He chuckled softly, and after brushing off his coat, he deliberately leaned his back against the wall and dropped himself onto the ground.
“You were much cuter when you were younger.”
Younger?
…Surely not.
And that suspicion turned out to be correct.
“So when did you end your seclusion, Kendrick?”
“….”
“Or are you still in a state of ‘publicly secluded’?”
Oscar asked with wide eyes, adding the remark casually.
“It’s not a problem that I recognized you, is it?”
Why would he ask such a thing?
Of course it was a problem.
As I deliberated over what to say first, the first response that escaped my lips was—
“Sigh.”
A deep exhale.

The two of them sat leaning against the wall of Jeron’s Annex, side by side.
“How many years has it been since we’ve seen each other face to face? After you returned, we’ve only met a handful of times, so it must be nearly three years?”
“….”
Kendrick remained silent, watching Oscar chatter away without pause.
In truth, I had briefly considered it.
Whether I should deny being Kendrick and stick to it—
But doing so would only pique Oscar’s curiosity further. No matter how I thought about it, that option was a hundred times more troublesome.
Besides, Oscar didn’t seem like the type to be easily deceived.
“Does Julietta Ludwig know? Or does she not? Does she still think you’re in seclusion?”
“She doesn’t know, so don’t tell her.”
The silence I had maintained shattered at the mention of Julietta Ludwig.
Oscar’s eyes widened even further, as if he had been aiming for this from the start.
He responded with delight in his tone.
“Sure, sure. By the way, it looks like you two still haven’t made up. Your quarrel has lasted quite long. Ah, wait—it’s not a quarrel, is it? You’re the one getting beaten one-sidedly?”
“Haven’t you heard that you talk too much?”
“Come on. I’m just excited, so I’m talking more. Usually it’s not this bad. Haha. Ken—, ahem. My younger brother worrying about me like this, I’m so moved.”
It seemed his avoidance of mentioning my name was a kind of consideration.
…How absurd.
What good does it do to hide the name?
Everything he’s saying is directed at ‘Kendrick’ anyway.
‘Why did it have to be Oscar of all people.’
However, that thought was fleeting.
Upon further reflection, I concluded that being discovered by Oscar was actually the best outcome.
The Second Prince and First Princess held no affection for me whatsoever.
Julietta Ludwig was out of the question—far too complicated.
And Jeron….
I didn’t want Jeron to see me like this.
The hero that child admired wouldn’t be a coward like me.
“Does the maid know? That you’re Kendrick?”
“No. She doesn’t. So absolutely don’t tell Janet either.”
“Alright. I understand.”
“But how did you recognize me?”
“How else? I recognized you through my blessing.”
The verse of the blessing bestowed upon Oscar Ludwig was—

「O Piercer of Truth, wisdom shall dwell in thy choice.」

was the case.
Of course, I couldn’t perceive every truth. I couldn’t always discern someone’s lies.
But there were moments when my power manifested with such overwhelming clarity.
Like today, when I recognized Kendrick instantly despite his disguise as a Doctor.
“Why are you smiling so unpleasantly?”
“Hm? I naturally smile a lot.”
….
Faced with such shameless candor, Kendrick lost the will to respond.

“Did you alter your appearance with magical artifacts? Is there a perception-resistance spell layered over it? Will I not recognize you by tomorrow? Ah, no—it seems my blessing doesn’t work on you anyway?”
“Is your seclusion because of Julietta Ludwig? Are you afraid she’ll be hurt again if you venture out and move about?”
“Actually, I thought about playing the older brother role for Julietta Ludwig while you were away. You remember, don’t you? How terribly she despised me. But the closer I tried to get, the more it backfired.”
“Still, I’m glad to see your face like this. I was genuinely worried you were suffering from severe war trauma and had locked yourself away in that Annex.”
“Ah, then should I pull out all those overgrown weeds in the courtyard for you? Hmm? You don’t need it? Right! You’re still in seclusion after all.”
“So, when are you planning to end this public seclusion? Julietta Ludwig seems to be doing quite well lately—shouldn’t you come out soon? At this rate, you’ll really drift apart forever.”

Kendrick marveled purely at Oscar’s talkativeness.
Kendrick’s responses consisted mostly of silence or brief utterances: “Yeah,” “No,” “Don’t know,” “No need to know.”
Yet Oscar, as if utterly indifferent to such half-hearted replies, continued speaking without pause.
The sky I’d been gazing at blankly had gradually turned to twilight, and now darkness was beginning to settle in.
This couldn’t go on any longer.
With a soft pat, I brushed myself off and stood, prompting Oscar to lift his head and look up at me.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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