After a fair bit of metaphorical tossing and turning, things had finally settled into a somewhat workable rhythm. I had, through some miracle or perhaps sheer stubbornness, managed to convince Heliotrope to teach me the way of the Sword¹.
Goodness knows, when she had first lunged at me with that knife, I was certain my time was up. I could practically see my late grandfather waving at me from across the Great Divide. Quite why he was haunting the afterlife of another world entirely is a mystery that shall likely remain unsolved, but I suppose the subconscious mind plays strange tricks when one is staring down a sharpened blade.
To be perfectly blunt, given the laundry list of Kraut's past misdeeds, the chance of my being murdered on the spot was uncomfortably high.
Was it fifty-fifty? Perhaps thirty-seventy? Or was it as slim as one-to-nine? I shall leave it to your imagination to decide which side of the ratio favoured my survival.
Nevertheless, I had gone ahead and dissolved her slave contract. I suppose it was that lingering sense of Japanese pride-perhaps even a shred of personal dignity-that had spurred me on. One simply doesn't do slavery. It is, quite firmly, a Very Bad Thing.
It seemed my gamble had paid off, at least in the most incremental of ways. Her trust in me, which had previously been buried deep in the negatives, might have finally clawed its way back to zero. To have to risk one's life just to reach the starting line... truly, the difficulty of this life is set to Inferno².
And so, I had taken my first faltering step toward becoming stronger. There was, however, a small matter that weighed on my mind.
"...Heliotrope," I said.
"Yes, what is it?" she replied.
"I couldn't help but notice... why are you still brewing my tea?"
She paused, the teapot held elegantly in one hand, and tilted her head to the side with an air of mild confusion, as though I were the one speaking nonsense.
"What a peculiar question to ask," Heliotrope said. "Is it not simply because I am your maid?"
With that, the beautiful former slave continued to pour the amber liquid into my cup with practiced grace.
It was a baffling turn of events. Despite being liberated from her bonds, she had made no move to resign from her post.
She had been quite vocal about her dislike for me, yet here she was, maintaining her position as my personal attendant. Mind you, I wasn't about to complain about being looked after by such a stunning woman-I'd be willing to grovel in gratitude at a moment's notice-but the logic escaped me.
Unless... a terrifying thought struck me.
"You're still planning to kill me, aren't you!?" I cried out, my heart racing. "You're only staying so you can find a way to dispose of me without leaving a shred of evidence behind...!"
I let out a strangled yelp. The last time we had faced off, my mind had been a frantic jumble of terror and guilt, but I didn't think my 'tofu-like' mental state could handle a second round while perfectly sober.
As I clutched my head in a fit of trembling anxiety, a soft, melodic sound reached my ears. I looked up to find Heliotrope suppressed a giggle. She was actually laughing-a small, genuine chuckle that transformed her entire countenance.
My heart gave a sudden, violent thump. Seeing that cool, detached exterior break into a smile was like taking a physical blow to the chest. Truly, the smile of a 'cool' older sister type is nothing short of a heart-breaking shot.
I must have been staring, for she noticed my gaze and gave a polite, slightly embarrassed cough.
"I shall do no such thing," Heliotrope said quietly. "It is true that I dislike you. However, you have shown me your resolve. To judge whether that resolve is genuine, my current position as your maid is quite convenient. Besides... my room and board are guaranteed here."
There was a hint of bashfulness in her final words, a detail that only added to her devastating charm.
I've always considered myself a fan of the 'little sister' trope, but I must admit, the 'older sister' archetype certainly has its merits. Yes, I know-I have no self-control. My apologies.
Still, the fact that I could even entertain such trivial thoughts meant I was finally beginning to relax. For a former otaku with the emotional resilience of a wet paper bag, too much pressure was liable to burn a hole right through my stomach.
"...I see. Well then, I suppose it's 'nice to meet you all over again,' then?" I said.
"Yes, indeed," she replied. "Ah, but..."
Heliotrope leaned in, placing a hand on my shoulder. She leaned toward my ear, her breath warm against my skin as she whispered a single, chilling sentence.
"If you ever betray my expectations-you had best be prepared for the consequences, understood?"
I sat there in stunned silence.
She's absolutely terrifying!
Summary:
Kraut reflects on the narrow escape from death after freeing Heliotrope and securing her as his sword instructor. He is surprised to find that she intends to remain his maid despite her vocal dislike of him. Heliotrope reveals she stays to monitor his resolve and for the practical benefits of the job. She shows a rare smile that deeply affects Kraut before ending the conversation with a chilling threat. The chapter establishes a new, tense dynamic between the master and his 'freed' maid.
Character Insight:
In this chapter, we see a shift in Heliotrope's character from a victim of circumstance to an active observer with her own agency. She isn't staying out of lingering servitude, but out of a calculated desire to see if Kraut's 'redemption' is a farce or a fluke. Meanwhile, Kraut's internal monologue highlights his extreme vulnerability; he uses humor and anime-trope classifications (like 'older sister type') as a defense mechanism to cope with the very real fear of the woman who recently held a knife to his throat.
Behind the Scene:
The author uses a lot of meta-commentary on 'isekai' tropes here, particularly the protagonist's awareness of his 'tofu mental' (fragile state of mind) and his reliance on Japanese cultural values to navigate the moral quagmire of a fantasy world.
T/L:
1 ↩ Sword: Referenced here as a formal discipline or skill set Kraut wishes to learn, likely a 'Sword Skill' or combat system in this world.
2 ↩ Inferno: A common gamer/otaku reference to the highest possible difficulty setting in a video game, used here to describe Kraut's life situation.
Notes:
• 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.
• 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.