Their conversation broke off abruptly, and before Elena could get her question out, Severina looked at her again.
"All right, little cutie, come inside and let me take your measurements. Big sister will be very gentle~"
She said it with a finger resting against her lips, smiling, looking by any measure like someone about to get up to no good.
That gave Elena pause again. This woman wasn't the same as Lilith, was she?
Thinking that, she stole a glance at Lilith, who showed no reaction at all — so it seemed there was nothing to worry about.
She let out a breath. She had not spent long around Lilith, but she knew how possessive Lilith was of her.
If Severina genuinely intended to do anything strange to her, Lilith would not allow it.
"Ah, all right."
After that brief answer, Elena followed Severina into the back room, leaving Lilith alone outside.
This was an opportunity for her too, as it happened; she was intensely curious about what Severina and Lilith had just been discussing.
If she asked Lilith, she probably would not be told.
So Elena's opening lay with Severina, who also seemed to know a great deal.
Elena followed Severina into the back room, which was even larger than she had imagined — about the size of the warehouse on the estate.
Machinery of every kind filled the entire room to bursting, and countless materials were piled just as densely.
Even so, the whole room was exceptionally orderly. Everything was sorted into categories, every area immaculate, not chaotic in the slightest.
At a rough glance Elena could see sewing machines, a blast furnace, a lathe and more, along with a great many machines she did not recognize.
Combined with the pieces on display in the shop outside — did that mean the weapons, the clothing, even the accessories were all made by Severina personally?
Wasn't that a little too impressive?
She had heard that dwarves were far and away the leaders in smithing and tailoring, but she had never heard of a vampire being capable of this much.
Setting aside the quality, simply being able to do this many things already put her ahead of a great many dwarven craftsmen, surely?
While Elena was still marveling, Severina had already reached another door at the far end of the room.
Realizing Elena had not kept up, she called back softly.
"Little cutie~ Over here. Those lumps of iron aren't worth looking at."
"Ah, oh..."
Severina's prompt brought Elena back to herself, and she caught up and passed through another door.
The room behind it was not much different in size from the last, but it was about as large as a bedroom.
Apart from a large full-length mirror at the front, both sides of the room were lined with wardrobes and clothes racks.
The whole room was like an enormous changing room.
"Right, little cutie, take off your outer layer. Otherwise the measurements won't come out accurate~"
As she spoke, Severina fetched a soft measuring tape out of a nearby wardrobe.
Elena obediently took off the thick outer layer of the maid outfit, keeping only the underlayer against her skin.
"Good girl. Try not to fidget while I measure~"
Severina praised her softly, and then began taking measurements in earnest.
Although Elena was still a little afraid of being shut in a room with her like this, Severina genuinely did nothing at all — she really was only taking measurements.
That let Elena relax somewhat.
After a short pause to settle herself, Elena decided it was time. This place was secluded enough that Lilith should not overhear a few questions.
"Um, Seve..."
Before Elena could get the words out, Severina's index finger came to rest against her lips, and she said with a smile.
"If you want to ask questions, you'll have to be a little more polite, little cutie~"
Severina wanted her to use that form of address, presumably?
The thought left Elena rather speechless. Why did this Severina have the same nasty streak as Lilith!
Both of them were old hags who had lived several centuries, maybe over a thousand years, and here they were acting young!
She could not help complaining inwardly, though of course she did not say it out loud.
When you are under another's roof you bow your head, and since she was the one asking a favor, she would simply have to go through with it.
Elena resigned herself to it, but at least calling someone "big sister" was a good deal easier than calling someone "Master."
"Then — big sister Severina."
"Mm~ That's more like it. Ask away. You must have a great many questions~"
Severina withdrew her hand and went on taking Elena's measurements.
Elena promptly asked her first question.
"Um, big sister, are you really Lilith's sister?"
The words had barely left her before Severina's hands paused.
"Oh my. That's what you ask first?"
She was somewhat surprised — surprised that Elena would ask this of all things.
Elena had not thought about it that hard, in truth; among the several questions she had prepared, she really was curious whether Lilith had a sister.
"But that's all right. The answer to that question is... no~ Lilith is a little younger than me in years, but we aren't blood relations at all~"
"Eh? So that's how it is..."
Elena was rather disappointed. She had thought she had found herself a savior — she had been planning to complain to Severina the next time Lilith punished her!
Although she was not sure Severina would take her side either.
"What, very disappointed?"
Severina noticed her expression and went on with a laugh.
"I may not be Lilith's sister, but if Lilith bullies you, you can still come and tell big sister about it~ Big sister will stand up for you."
"Really?!"
Elena brightened.
"Indeed. Big sister's help does come with a condition, though~"
"What condition?"
Severina did not answer straight away, but came around in front of Elena, and their eyes met.
"The condition is that you treat her well too, little cutie. Lilith isn't a bad sort. She's simply lived alone far too long, and her personality may have gotten a little strange."
Severina's tone was very serious, as though she were entrusting Lilith to Elena.
But that sent Elena into silence again.
She had never once considered such a thing; even living with Lilith now was purely an accident.
And she had no intention of dragging things out with Lilith forever. Even if she never got the chance to kill her, she would find a chance to escape.
She and Lilith were not from the same world to begin with — although over this stretch of time, setting the punishments aside, Lilith really had been good to her.
These past few days had let her relax a great deal, too. No more worrying about food and warmth, and nothing especially exhausting to do.
Never mind. Why think so hard about it? She was hardly a good person; she would just fob her off.
Thinking that, Elena spoke slowly.
"That's... I'll try..."
"Mm. It's a promise, then~ Big sister does so dislike people who break their word."
The words had barely left Severina before a flash of red light crossed those crimson eyes.
Then she straightened up again, moved back behind Elena, and looped the measuring tape once around her waist.
"There. Next question~ Until I've finished measuring, I can answer anything at all~"