The head maid, who had been lying face-down on the floor crying her heart out as if the world were ending, finally managed to calm down around the time I started to worry she might become dehydrated.
“Hngh... I'm sorry, Young Master... *sniffle*...”
Like a child who had just received a Christmas present, the head maid hugged the maid uniform tightly and preciously to her chest, sniffling as she apologized to me.
“These things can happen in life.”
“*Snf*... Thank you...”
Since the head maid hadn't done it deliberately to spite me, and besides the servants' piercing glances, she hadn't caused me any real harm, I brushed it off with a smile.
“So, what made you cry so sadly?”
“It's just...”
The head maid fumbled to pull the maid uniform from her embrace, then held it open so I could see the front.
“It was because of this; I was momentarily overwhelmed...”
Though it was made of silk, the design was the same one-piece dress I had made for Emily. However, an ornate decoration I had never added was embroidered on the chest.
“...The crest?”
“Yes...”
And not my father's or mother's personal crest, but the Count's family crest.
The Count's crest is reserved for what the head of the household deems important.
For example, it is engraved on confidential documents, letters sent to the imperial family, or the swords and armor of retainers who have sworn loyalty to the family.
Such an important emblem was now sewn onto a maid uniform—the combat attire of a maid.
“The moment I saw this, *sniffle*... I finally thought I had been recognized as a retainer of the Count's household...”
“Ah...”
I could understand the head maid's reaction given how important the crest's symbolism was, but the problem was...
“But who had the crest added? I didn't draw anything on the chest.”
“Who else but your father can use the family crest?”
“Ah... ahh...”
I had asked something obvious.
Unless one were insane, no one would dare use the family name's emblem recklessly.
“Isn't this a bit sudden?”
“It was a bit impulsive, but she's worked for the Count's household for decades. Is there any reason she can't be regarded as a retainer like the knights?”
“That's true.”
“Madam...”
The head maid's eyes grew moist once more.
“Ester, if you cry again, I'll confiscate that uniform this instant.”
“Hic...! Yes...”
Startled by Mother's threat, the head maid hiccuped and frantically clutched her clothes.
She was so shocked that her face had gone pale—if the clothes were actually taken away, she might have fainted on the spot.
“But Ester, while it's nice to see you so moved... how long do you plan to sit on the floor? If others saw this, they'd think we treat you like a slave.”
“Ah, ugh... I'm sorry.”
The head maid flushed bright red and sprang to her feet.
Even so, she didn't let go of the clothes for even a moment, keeping them clutched to her chest as she stood.
“Hmm...”
Mother gazed steadily at the head maid, who was disheveled from rolling on the floor, then reached out toward her hair.
And as Mother carefully combed through the head maid's tangled locks, she smirked softly.
“Ester, how happy must you have been to roll around until you became such a mess?”
“Ah, M-Madam, I'll do it myself...”
“Stay still. You're trembling in fright that the clothes might fall for even a moment—what could you possibly do?”
“Yes...”
When her tangled hair was neatly arranged without a single stray lock, Mother removed her hand and patted the head maid's shoulder.
“There, all done.”
“Thank you.”
“If you've calmed down somewhat, you should get back to work now. The others have stopped working, waiting for you.”
“Yes, I'll take my leave.”
“Yes, good work.”
The head maid bowed to me and Mother, then turned and hurried away.
Mother gazed wistfully at the head maid's retreating figure, then murmured softly.
“It's been so long since I last saw Ester show her emotions like that. The last time she barely cried was when I gave birth to Evelyn...”
“She's always been so thorough.”
“If I had known she would be this happy, I should have done it sooner.”
“You did it now, so that's what matters.”
“Yes, I'm glad we did it now.”
_
The head butler, who had been designated to receive the clothes after the head maid, showed a similar reaction the moment he received the garment with the crest.
Unlike the head maid, who had sobbed with plump teardrops streaming down her face, he ended at merely dabbing his eyes with a handkerchief, but the fact that he was moved by the crest-embroidered clothes remained unchanged.
Perhaps pleased by the two's more intense and passionate reactions than expected, Mother and Father gathered all the servants in one place the next day and declared:
“Those who dedicate their loyalty to the family shall be treated equal to the knights.”
[!]
And with that declaration, the plan to engrave the crest only on the head butler's and head maid's uniforms changed to include the personal butlers and maids who attended to us directly.
Thanks to this, the servants' work morale soared so high it seemed it would pierce the heavens.
Seeing everyone happy made me feel good in my own way, but in some ways, it was a bit sad.
How the clothes I made were used was up to Mother and Father, so I didn't have any major complaints, but because of the crest affair that started as Father's surprise gift, there was almost no reaction to the tailcoats and maid uniforms themselves.
I had wanted the maids to giggle at the pretty clothes, not to see them vowing to dedicate their entire lives to the Count's household just to obtain a crest.
It was a shame.
But what was done was done, so it was best not to dwell on it.
There was no point in agonizing over things I couldn't change, so I should focus on the clothes I would make in the future, or the things that would happen going forward.
“Hmm...”
I closed the book I was reading and placed it on the desk.
Then I turned my head slightly to look at Emily, who was sitting quietly nearby.
Sensing my gaze, Emily turned her head slightly to meet my eyes, making a sullen expression as she murmured softly.
“Is there something you wish me to do?”
“No.”
I shook my head gently and shifted my gaze to Emily's chest.
As my personal maid and someone who enjoyed the Countess's favor, Emily had naturally been among the loyal retainers who received the crest.
She was also a very capable and excellent maid—the second among the maids to receive it after the head maid.
I looked at the crest drawn on her maid uniform and chuckled.
“How does it feel to have the crest on your chest?”
“Ugh...”
Emily, who had become a glorious servant equal to a knight just yesterday, furrowed her brow and secretly covered the crest with her apron strap.
And with a sulky expression, she grumbled.
“It's burdensome.”
“Burdensome?”
“The butlers have become even more annoyingly clingy because of this.”
“Ah...”
A pretty maid who had earned the Count's household's favor at nineteen—it was enough to draw attention.
“Hmm...”
I felt pleased, yet not pleased.
It was nice that others thought well of Emily, but I wasn't exactly happy about them showing so much interest in her.
“Shall I speak to Father about it?”
At my light offer, Emily shook her head.
“It's not that serious, and their interest will die down soon, so it's fine.”
“Then that's a relief. But if it gets hard, tell me. I'll help as much as I can.”
“Yes.”
“By the way, the other girls aren't jealous or anything, are they?”
“No one is jealous, but... there are occasionally those who have their eyes on the First Young Master's child.”
“He's getting married soon, so that makes sense.
The remaining positions are all filled, so are they aiming for newly created positions?
Since maids, whether male or female, could secure the position of wet nurse, it was quite a rational thought.
If it's the First Brother's child, their succession right would be higher than mine, so they could hire a famous wet nurse from outside, but there was still a chance for a second or third child.
“And interest in you has increased as well, Young Master.”
“Me? Why me?”
“Because unlike the others, you take only me around with you.”
“Ah... I don't really have any intention of increasing that number, though.”
It was because it was Emily that I didn't mind having her nearby; I didn't particularly like having someone hovering around me all the time, so I had no intention of increasing the number of attendants.
“That was the case before, but these days rumors circulate that you are so attentive to the servants that you even make clothes for them, so everyone is somewhat hopeful.”
“I'd like to tell them to keep dreaming.”
“Please don't. It's because you're strange, Young Master.”
“Ghk...”
I had nothing to say.
As the tailcoats and maid uniforms were gradually distributed to the servants, and I was worrying about new clothes—
“Orabeoni.”
My younger sister by one year, and Mother's daughter.
Heise, who usually treated me without an ounce of respect, came to my room with her maid, Miss Leticia.
It wasn't particularly surprising since my sister often came to my room, but—
“Who are you...?”
It was the first time since she was a little brat that she had called me “Orabeoni” while visiting, so I gulped and stepped back.
“Huh, Orabeoni, did you just say 'who' to your cute little sister?”
“Don't lie. There's no way Heise would call me 'Orabeoni.'”
“What's so strange about calling Orabeoni 'Orabeoni'?”
“Up until now, have you ever called me anything other than 'Hey,' 'You,' and 'Idiot'?”
“...”
Something resembling Heise clenched its teeth, squeezed its eyes shut, and trembled at the shoulders.
And then the Heise-like creature opened its eyes, the corners of its mouth twitching, and muttered in a voice full of annoyance.
“Ha—this bastard... I bother calling you nicely and you make a fuss?”
As the sense of incongruity—as if the world line had twisted—faded and normalized back to the world I knew,
I relaxed and smiled brightly.
“So you really are Heise?”
“I could kill you.”
“So what did you come here for?”
“Ha... I came because there's something I wanted to ask you.”
“A favor?”
Is there something Heise would ask of me?
If it were something I could do, wouldn't it be faster to go to Mother or Father?
As I looked at Heise with a bewildered expression, she lowered her head slightly as if embarrassed and mumbled.
“Oppa, can you make me just one piece of clothing?”
“Oh...”
This was quite a welcome request.