My Uncle and I Choose the Life That Will Not Be Ruined

Chapter 4 : Being Scolded by Oji-sama

The next morning, it's time for the people in the mansion to start moving in earnest.

Miriella's father, who is the head of the family, went to work in the study with his butler, and her mother met with a tailor and a fabric merchant to choose clothes for the tea party, which was an overcrowded schedule. A large number of servants suitable for a large mansion begin to work on their respective jobs.

Miriella decided to visit her uncle's room immediately.

Leon's room is at the eastern end of the large mansion, so even when he shouted strangely, the head couple didn't hear it.

Miriella accompanied by her maid, Melisa, to that room, which was quite far from her own room. She was dazzled by the morning sun coming in from the hallway, and it made her think that today would be another fine day.

"Oji-sama, it's Miriella."

"Go ahead."

Leon's maid opens the door. She was prompted to enter and saw Leon looking at the bookshelves. He is tall and slender and looks like a picture.

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Miriella first decided to explain [the Duke of Fowders and Leon until now].

The Duke of Fowders is one of the five dukes who have power next to the royal family in the Kingdom of Lendalhas.

Miriella's grandfather, the former head of the family, decided to adopt a child after worrying about the fact that there was only one successor to the traditional Duke of Fowders. There, Leon was welcomed by a distantly related baron.

Since he was positioned as a "spare" of the heir, he seems to have received a considerable Spartan education with tutors in various fields. However, when Miriella's father, the legitimate heir, had a son soon after getting married, Leon's significance as a "spare" diminished. A few years later, his daughter Miriella was born, and Leon's whereabouts were pushed into the corners of this mansion.

Meanwhile, the grandfather who adopted Leon dies. The new head of the family gave his brother-in-law Leon a room on the east end and didn't mind it. Perhaps because Leon wasn't familiar with the Fowders family for a long time, he started living like a shut-in.

"So far, I've heard about it from my father and mother before. After that, I don't really understand. The uncle I know always shut himself up in this room and didn't try to see us. It seems like he has been doing this for nearly three years."

"I see."

The young Miriella's story didn't come together, but Leon nodded with a satisfied face.

When they started talking, Leon's maid made a cup of tea.

They then had a long story, but Miriella was annoyed that Leon's maid still hadn't turned up to serve the tea.

You can't use this Oji-sama's maid if she haven't prepared sweets even though I'm coming. I have to tell the butler about this and get him fired.

ーーEven though she knew I'm coming, she haven't prepared any sweet treats. This Oji-sama's maid is useless. I have to tell the butler about this and get her fired.

As Miriella thought so, Leon approached Miriella and slowly looked into her face.

"Miriela. What were you thinking just now? You looked mean just now you know."

Miriella stared blankly at Leon's face.

"It's not a big deal. My Oji-sama's maid is a useless maid who can't prepare sweets for tea, so I was thinking of getting her fired."

[TL note: The tea was served but the sweets didn't.]

Blink.

The air in the room, which was warm in the morning sunlight, froze for a moment. Leon's maid turned pale and hardened, and Milliela's maid Melisa was dripping sweat all over her body even though it wasn't about her.

Leon stared at Miriella's calm face.

"Miriella. Do you know that it's selfish for you to fire a person in a lower position like that?"

"What's wrong with firing a maid of our house who's making me upset?"

"She didn't want to offend you on purpose. And if you wanted sweets, you should have said so yourself."

"Why should I bother?"

Miriella's speech gradually became rougher, and her body leaned forward. On the contrary, Leon relaxed his back to the backrest of the sofa.

"Is my Oji-sama great enough person to preach to me?"

"Whether or not I'm great doesn't matter now. I'm scolding Miriella like this because she's wrong."

"Are you saying I'm wrong?!"

Miriella's scarlet eyes begin to burn with anger. Leon's maid, who was not accustomed to her temper tantrums, was about to faint.

"You want to be like the heroine 'Panko'!"

Miriella twitched with a twitch.

"Panko is a girl who is kind and loved by all. She doesn't get mad at or dismiss a maid who just makes a little mistake. It's a mean Komugi girl that does that."

"...."

"At this rate, you'll only be a girl like Komugi."

And what awaits her is a cold prison life.

Miriella looked down while trembling. Faced with Leon, he beckoned the maids who were about to fall down by the wall.

"Miriella, look at their faces."

Miriella, whose complexion turned white, looked up at the two maids. They are all pale and trembling together, their eyes fixed on their toes.

"They'll turn blue and tremble. They are just as scared as you are now. They are terrified of getting fired, just like Miriella is terrified of being thrown in jail."

"The same..."

"Don't be a girl who willingly does things that people don't like or are scared of. Miriella."

Miriella quietly stood up and stood in front of Leon's maid. The maid hastily lowers her head, trembling.

"I-I deeply apologize, Ojou-sama!"

"Nee, you. What's your name?"

"My name is Maille..."

Leon's maid Maille replied with a face that said it was the end of the world. Miriella gently touched Maille's hand and looked up at her face.

"How old is Maille?"

"I-I'm seventeen."

"What about Melisa?"

"I'm fifteen."

Miriella's maid, Melisa, responded with an inside-out voice because she was suddenly spoken to. Seeing the faces of her two maids, Miriella suddenly lowered her head with a look of helplessness on her face.

“Maille, have you ever read a romance novel?”

"I-I have."

"What about Melisa?"

"I have too. I'm a big fan."

Miriella lowered her eyes to think for a while, then muttered.

"I'm going back to my room..."

Without Leon's reply, Miriella headed for the door, opened it by herself, and left. Leon and the maids were stunned, but Melisa hurriedly bowed to Leon and left after Miriella.

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After returning to her room, Miriella quietly sat down on the sofa and pursed her small shoulders even smaller. Melisa, who caught up with her in a trot, began to prepare a tea set for Miriella while holding back her rough breathing.

"Nee, Melissa."

"Y-Yes!"

Miriella let out a sigh while looking at Melisa who raised her shoulders. Then she muttered like she was talking to herself.

"My maid always quits too soon."

"Ojou-sama"

"I wonder how long Melissa has been with me. You've been my maid the longest."

Looking at her small-like master muttering dejectedly, for the first time, Melisa felt pity for this girl.

She has never seen a human being scolding Miriella for her outrageousness. Miriella was fond of both her father and her mother, but it seemed hard to say that they are giving her affection properly. She won't say Miriella isn't bad at all. But it's not only her fault that she's turned into a little tyrant.

There were no adults around to look after her properly.

"Melisa, do you think you want to quit being my maid?"

Melissa swallowed.

If she affirm this question, others might be told that she's fired by a fury Miriella.

No matter how meek her master is right now, she might get yelled at if the angry energy reignites. That's how capricious and scary Miriella is.

However, now that Leon has scolded her, isn't she in need of an elder or a senior, an adult who can reach out to Miriella? Isn't this the turning point for this little lady?

"I thought many times that I wanted to quit being a lady's maid." [Tl note: a female version of Valet.]

Miriella dyes her white cheeks red in an instant.

"But! Isn't Ojou-sama trying to change?"

"Melisa?"

Kneeling at the feet of her master, who rounded her shoulders slightly, Melisa gently placed her hands on her master hands, both of which were trembling with anxiety.

"If you want to change, I will do my best to help you. I will be on your side."

"Melisa... I, I, I want to change."

"Then let's talk with me a lot. And let's aim to be a gentle and wonderful lady."

Miriella, with tears in her scarlet eyes, nodded slightly. Her unreliable master, Miriella was lovely, and even though such thinking was at a time like this, Melisa was fascinated for a while.

"Melisa. Starting today, I'm aiming to be a girl loved by everyone."

"Yes, Ojou-sama."

"So if I'm selfish or mean, please warn me?"

Melisa's face froze with a smile.

"Please, Melisa."

The young lady whispering with wet eyes was beautiful like an angel, but to Melisa she looked like a creature that could not be distinguished between an angel and a devil.