The idea of being helped into one's clothes by a beauty so radiant that not even the most dazzling celebrities of my previous life could compare-and a proper, bona fide maid at that-was quite frankly beyond the pale!
I had every intention of declining, yet I quickly discovered that the attire of a young noble was far too labyrinthine for my modern mind to grasp. I felt for all the world like a porcelain doll being fussed over.
Once the ordeal of dressing was mercifully(?) concluded, I prepared myself for a trek to the infirmary, only to learn that the healer would be coming directly to me. One had to admire the efficiency of the Duke house¹; it was the very pinnacle of VIP treatment.
While awaiting the healer's arrival, I sat in my room with the lovely maid as she brewed tea. Being alone with such a striking woman made me terribly jittery; I couldn't taste a single note of the tea. I was as stiff as a board!
Having undergone a spiritual fusion between the nine-year-old Kraut and my previous self, my mental age was far beyond that of a mere child.
However, the sensations of nine years spent as a pampered son of the Duke house remained. It was thanks to this that I, a former shut-in with the social skills of a teaspoon, could speak to older servants without breaking into a cold sweat.
But a beauty of this calibre? That was quite another matter!
My immunity to the opposite sex, having spent my entire previous life in a state of perpetual bachelorhood, was not merely zero-it was in the negatives. Even the thick skin of nine-year-old Kraut was no match for her.
"Please, have another cup of tea," the maid said.
"Ah, yes..." I muttered.
I stole a glance at her as she poured the second cup. She wasn't wearing one of those scandalous mini-skirts, but a proper Victorian ensemble with a long, flowing dress. Truly excellent.
Upon closer inspection, she seemed familiar. She was one of the subordinates who had fought alongside Kraut during his mid-boss battle in the game. Even as a maid, she had been frighteningly powerful.
Heliotrope-in the game, she was nothing more than a footnote attached to the mid-boss, but with Kraut's memories, I knew a bit more.
She was Kraut's exclusive maid, fifteen years of age, which made her six years my senior. With black hair that cascaded down to her waist and a cool, sharp beauty, it was a genuine mystery why she hadn't been a main heroine.
Instead, she was destined to fall right alongside Kraut in that wretched battle... I'll never forgive the developers. They should watch their backs on moonless nights.
But I digress.
It seemed she was originally a noble daughter from another land. She had lived a peaceful life in a distant northern kingdom until a neighboring country invaded and brought it to ruin a few years ago. Her family was scattered, and she was sold to a slave trader.
Then, Kraut-that is to say, me-took a liking to her at first sight and bought her. Ha ha ha, what a wretched little brat.
Her father had apparently been a Knight Order Commander², and her mother a knight as well. No wonder she was so formidable.
In this medieval fantasy world, slavery was a grim reality.
Slaves were fitted with collars that looked like simple chokers, etched with magic that enforced 'absolute obedience' and 'prevention of harm toward the master.' If one dared to disobey, the collar would give a nasty little squeeze.
It was a common enough trope in fiction, but seeing it in the flesh was a real dampener. If her neck were to be squeezed before my eyes, I think my own heart would do the same.
In any case, Heliotrope-the beauty slave battle maid-was in a position where she could never defy me.
...Not that I have any intention of giving her strange orders, mind you!
Besides, I am currently a nine-year-old child. Even if I wanted to do something... well, never mind.
Just as she was pouring a third cup, the healer arrived, looking as though he had run a marathon to get here. The diagnosis was nothing more than a simple bruise. I felt a pang of guilt seeing him so drenched in sweat.
To be safe, he performed healing magic³. A pleasant warmth spread through the area, and the pain vanished in a heartbeat. Incredible-so this was magic!
The healer departed immediately after finishing. He had been there for less than eight minutes. I made a mental note to tell Sebastian to pay the man extra for the trouble.
After he left, I sank deep into the sofa. Or rather, the cushions were so plush that my own weight caused me to vanish into them. I felt as though I might become part of the furniture.
As I drifted in a daze, I noticed Heliotrope preparing to replace the tea that had gone cold.
"Oh, that's fine as it is. It would be a waste otherwise," I said.
"..." Heliotrope remained silent.
I felt as though she were looking at me like I was some sort of rare, confusing beast, but I couldn't be bothered. Having been reincarnated as Kraut, I had far more pressing matters to consider.
The villainous Kraut was destined to stand as a mid-boss regardless of the route the protagonist took, only to be inevitably struck down.
Whether he was being used by another country or simply nursing a petty grudge, the end was always the same: a one-way ticket to the afterlife.
But now that I was in his shoes, I had no desire to be a sacrificial lamb. This humble servant has no wish to die, indeed.
Avoiding a confrontation with the protagonist would be ideal, but in a game world, forced events were always a possibility.
Even if I didn't make an enemy of the protagonist, there was no guarantee other enemies wouldn't appear. After all, Kraut was universally loathed.
I wanted to free Heliotrope from her slavery, but she seemed to hate me so much it was terrifying.
In the years she had served as Kraut's maid... well, it was grim. Far from earning her trust, Kraut had betrayed her, kicked her, and practically spat on her. Do you see the problem here?
To free her, I would first need to mend our relationship. Otherwise, she would likely throttle me more easily than a common goblin the moment she was free.
...Was there anyone at all who didn't despise me?
My parents doted on me to a fault, but beyond them, the outlook was bleak. The heroines hated me like a nest of vipers... especially the younger sister I had tormented.
...My sister?
I tried to bolt upright from the sofa, but found myself flailing about, still swallowed by the cushions. Not this again!
I had to roll to the very edge and use the armrest for leverage to finally stand. My own weight had certainly dampened my grand exit, but that didn't matter now.
"Is something the matter?" Heliotrope asked.
"That's it! My sister!" I cried.
"Pardon...?" Heliotrope replied.
I could feel the icy, bewildered gaze of my beauty slave battle maid as if she thought I had finally lost my marbles, but I ignored it.
"That's right! Kraut's sister was my absolute favorite character in my previous life! Having the ideal 'little sister' heroine as my actual sister is the best thing ever!" I shouted.
To be in the front-row seat, watching my favorite character from the closest possible distance... could there be a more glorious position? No, there could not!
...Somehow, my own death flags didn't seem quite so important anymore.
Summary:
Kraut finishes dressing with the help of his beautiful maid, Heliotrope, and realizes she is a powerful warrior and former noble sold into slavery. After a quick visit from a healer for his minor injuries, Kraut reflects on his doomed future as a game villain. He realizes that mending his relationship with Heliotrope is vital for his survival. Finally, he remembers his 'ideal' younger sister from the game and becomes excited about seeing her.
Character Insight:
Kraut is experiencing a clash between his former 'otaku' personality and the 'noble' instincts of his current body. While he lacks confidence with women, his status allows him to act more boldly than he ever could have in his past life. His shift from fear of death to excitement over his 'favorite character' (his sister) shows a typical fan's detachment, which might either save him or lead to more trouble.
Behind the Scene:
The author leans heavily into the 'battle maid' and 'slave noble' tropes, which are staples of the 'Narou' style of web novels, to establish Heliotrope as a high-value character early on.
T/L:
1 ↩ Duke house: Referring to the household of a Duke, the highest rank of nobility below the royalty.
2 ↩ Knight Order Commander: The leader of a specific division of knights, usually a position of high military and social prestige.
3 ↩ healing magic: A standard fantasy trope where wounds are closed or pain is removed through magical energy.
Notes:
• Kraut - The eldest son of a Duke's family. He has blue eyes, a straight nose, and short silver hair. Despite his handsome facial features, he is notably obese. He was previously arrogant and selfish before regaining memories of a past life.
• Heliotrope - Kraut's exclusive maid, fifteen years old (six years older than Kraut). She has long black hair reaching her waist and a cool, beautiful face. She is a 'slave battle maid' who was formerly a noble lady from a fallen northern country. She wears a Victorian-style long-dress maid outfit.
• Sebastian - An elderly butler serving the Weltheim household.