The morning after the dance, sunlight slipped through the tall curtains of Amos E. Kyros’s bedroom.
Which was unfortunate.
Because it meant he had woken up.
And when Amos woke up early, terrible things shall fall upon his troublesome maid.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
The black-haired maid stood beside his bed with her usual perfectly straight posture. Not a single wrinkle on her uniform. There wasn’t a hint of fear in her face.
Meanwhile, Amos sat on the edge of the bed with narrowed green eyes.
“You dared to cross me yesterday.”
“Yes.”
“After the dance.”
“Yes.”
“You lied to the princess and caused trouble to your master, and that’s a pretty serious offense.”
“Alright.”
“Aren’t you going to deny any of this? Go on, give it your best shot, even if you know you’re in the wrong, and make it more interesting for me.”
“I refuse.”
“Then don't blame me for what is about to come your way.”
“Alright.”
Amos clicked his tongue.
Everything about yesterday still remains in his.
BLINDING LIGHTS, FAKE SMILES, STARES. THAT DAMN PRINCESS. THIS DAMN MAID. THIS DAMNED WORLD.
Elena, his dear maid, had absolutely, definitely, and certainly enjoyed watching him suffer on the inside.
This is unforgivable offense.
“Therefore,” Amos declared, crossing his arms, “you shall be punished.”
“Yes.”
No hesitation, no fear. Somehow, that only made him more annoyed. Amos squinted even harder.
“You too calm.”
“Yes.”
“Show some resistance. Make it believable, even if it's fake”
“No.”
“This is why I dislike you sometimes.”
“A lie.”
“Cheeky maid.”
“Yes.”
Amos stood up dramatically.
“Your punishment,” he announced, “For the next thirty minutes, you will follow whatever I say without being able to say no.”
“I already do.”
“That sounded sarcastic.”
“It was a fact.”
“Stop that.”
“Refused.”
Amos shot her an accusing look and pointed at her.
“See?! This attitude right here! This is exactly why you are being punished!”
Elena blinked once.
Slowly.
“Understood.”
Her expression stayed perfectly blank.
Amos felt an unexpected wave of nervousness. Why does it seem like I’m the one about to lose, even though I’m the one delivering the punishment? No. That’s impossible.
“Very well,” he said with dignity.
Then—
“Do a spin.”
Silence.
Elena stared at him.
“Young Master.”
“Yes?”
“That is your punishment?”
“I am trying to see if you are accepting your punishment.”
She paused for a moment, then spun around.
Like a well-trained maid executing perfect etiquette, her skirt swayed gently before settling neatly back into place. Well.... she is a trained maid after all even if she is a cheeky one.
And through it all, her face stayed completely blank.
“….”
“….”
Amos didn’t feel the slightest bit satisfied. In fact, it only pissed him off even more.
“Alright, so you're going to accept your punishment.”
“You told me to spin.”
“Well, there’s more to come!”
“I do not understand.”
“That makes it worse!”
Elena tilted her head slightly.
“Would you had preferred a less graceful spin?”
“That’s not the issue!”
Amos grabbed his head.
No.
This wasn’t how it was meant to happen.
This is to make sure she to never cross me again, make her embarrassed.
Think.
He needed something with more punch—something no stone-faced maid could endure without flushing. His gaze grew sharper.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
“Make a cat pose.”
A true gamble.
Even Elena paused for half a second.
Victory was his. She stood there, stunned.
Amos almost cracked a smile.
Aha, he found it. There’s no way she’s getting out of this one.
“Define cat pose,” Elena said calmly.
“You know exactly what I mean.”
“Yes.”
“Then do it.”
Silence.
Then—
The maid slowly raised both hands beside her head.
“…Nya.”
Flat, utterly flat—expressionless and completely deadpan.
Even a baby sheep has more emotion.
But goddammit, it was cute.
Amos’s face twisted.
“WHY ARE YOU ADORABLE?!” he shouted.
“Unknown.”
“You’re supposed to be embarrassed!”
“I am.”
“THEN SHOW IT!”
Elena lowered her hands obediently.
Amos staggered backward like he had just discovered betrayal.
“You expressionless monster”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment!”
The door suddenly creaked open.
Both turned.
Ambrosia stood there silently in her sleepwear, rubbing one eye.
She blinked once.
Then looked toward Elena.
Then toward Amos.
Then—
“Nya?”
Silence consumed the room.
Amos froze.
Elena remained motionless.
Ambrosia tilted her head.
“…Was I interrupting?”
“No,” Elena answered immediately.
“Yes,” Amos answered at the same time.
Ambrosia blinked again.
Then her eyes slowly moved toward Elena.
“…Did Brother Amos forced you do that?”
Elena nodded once.
“Yes.”
“I did not force you to do that nor did I ask you to do that,” Amos said, jabbing his finger angrily.
“AND WAIT—DON’T MAKE IT SOUND WEIRD!”
“It was weird,” Elena replied.
“The only weird thing about it is that you are weirdly good at it”
“Thank you.”
“Once again it is not a compliment!”
“Ambrosia, my dear sister.”
“Yes?”
“This is not what it looks like.”
Another pause.
Then—
“What is it supposed to look like?”
Amos opened his mouth, then shut it, before opening it once more.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
“Help me.”
“No.”
...Hey! Thirty minutes has not passed yet. You weren't supposed to refuse me. Though he thought about this, but he decided to not say it to not make things worse.
“Lord Brother,” Ambrosia said carefully.
Amos immediately straightened.
“Yes?”
“Are you perhaps.”
A pause.
“Into this kind of thing?”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Amos stopped functioning.
“Elena.”
“Yes.”
This is all your fault that she just misunderstands my character again.”
“No.”
“I hate everything.”
“You created this situation yourself.”
Ambrosia lowered her gaze slightly.
“I see.”
“No, you absolutely do not see.”
“So, Lord Brother likes making cute girls do impersonate animal.”
“THAT SOUNDS SO MUCH WORSE WHEN YOU SAY IT OUT LOUD!”
“…I understand now,” Ambrosia whispered softly.
“You absolutely do not.”
“So, this is the kind of relationship Lord Brother prefers.”
“WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP DO YOU THINK THIS IS?!”
“A weird one.”
Amos pointed aggressively toward Elena.
“LOOK WHAT YOU CAUSED.”
“...If Lord Brother wishes...”
Amos suddenly felt danger.
“Wishes what?”
Ambrosia looked away slightly.
“I could do them too.”
Silence.
Even Amos’s brain stopped functioning for a moment.
“What.”
“You make Miss Elena do them.”
“That is because she committed crimes.”
“I see.”
“You clearly don’t.”
Ambrosia fidgeted slightly with her sleeves.
“If it makes Lord Brother happy”
Amos immediately grabbed his head.
“WHY WOULD YOU THINK THIS MAKES ME HAPPY?!”
“It does not?”
“It absolutely—”
He stopped.
make him happy. Yes.
“That is not the issue!”