Chapter 699: Lets Have a Housewarming Party ③ (1/2)

When I asked her if she would receive a salary from me, Illness-san surprisingly agreed without hesitation. I was dumbfounded for a while upon her unexpected reaction, but Lilia-san, who was brought back to her senses first, lightly beckoned me.

[……Kaito-san, this way. Please wait there for a moment, Illness-san.]

As I slightly tilted my head, walking to the corner of the room, wondering what it is that Lilia-san wants to talk about, Lilia-san whispered to my ears.

To summarize what she's trying to say…… Lilia-san always wanted to give Illness-san a higher salary than she was currently earning. However, she hasn't been able to do so because Illness-san was refusing it.

But now that Illness-san has agreed to receive a salary from me…… She thought that she shouldn't miss this chance.

In other words, on top of the salary I would be giving to Illness-san, Lilia-san would like to indirectly raise her salary.

As for me, I know that Illness-san has done an overwhelming amount of work, and I know that Lilia-san has often tried to raise Illness-san's salary. Thus, if it's possible, I'd like to help her.

So, after a brief discussion as to how to lead the situation in that direction, Lilia-san and I went back to Illness-san. Thereupon, I took out two white gold coins from my magic box and placed them on the table.

[For the time being, your official salary will be calculated later, which you will start receiving next month…… but for this month, I will give you two white gold coins. You may think that it's a lot, but Illness-san is doing the work of about a hundred maids……]

[Understoooooood, well theeeen, I'll gratefully accept ”one of them”.]

[……Eh?]

Hearing my words, Illness-san softly smiled, before picking up only one of the two coins placed on the table.

[……Errr, Illness-san?]

[I agreeeeeed with the idea of getting a salary from Kaito-samaaaaa. But receiving it ”from My Ladyyyyy” is a different matteeeeer.]

[……Ahh, yes.]

……It was no good. She was able to easily see through that half of the money was Lilia-san's salary for her, which she would pay me back later. No, we certainly were discussing about this, and considering Lilia-san's behavior up to now, even if she didn't hear what we were talking about earlier, it isn't strange if Illness-san had expected something like this.

Well, even if I had given her Lilia-san's share of salary and just discussed it with LIlia-san later, I think Illness-san would still have somehow seen it through……

Glancing to the side, I saw Lilia-san with her shoulders slumped…… Well, it's that…… She was someone Lilia-san couldn't face against, so it might be safer to give up soon.

I mean, I'm already rather surprised that she accepted a salary of one white gold coin……

After settling Illness-san's salary for the time being, I was reading in my room at night. Incidentally, Kuro isn't here tonight…… No, she was here earlier, but there was a little incident, so I asked her to solve it.

This is because Mom, whose pride as a housewife was broken to pieces by Illness-san, is now in a state of shock…… and I even heard her mutter ”Maid-san is amazing~~”…… Well, to put it simply, she was on a rampage.

Mom is also rather straightforward, or rather, she's someone that's rather gullible…… and before I knew it, a certain someone had brainwashed her with the Omnipotent Maid Theory. After I heard her start saying ”If you think about it, there's no way a housewife can compete with a maid. Maids are beings who are the best in every skill after all!”, I asked her guardian to urgently bring the cause of the problem home.

No, she's usually really cool and dependable, but her passion for the idea of a maid is something I can't understand, and don't want to understand.

Well, after such an agonizing time, I guess I've finally caught my breath? The sound of the book being flipped in this quiet somehow feels soothing.

It's just, well…… I'm feeling a little hungry, but I think my appetite is just enough to eat something light. Was there something I could munch on in my magic box?

Just as I was about to close the book I was reading and bring out my magic box, I heard an orderly knock.

[Yes, it's open.]

[Excuse me.]

[Illness-san?]

When I responded, Illness-san came into the room, pushing a cart.

[I brought some wiiiiiine and a light snaaaaack, would you like to have sooooome?]

Her timing was truly superb, or rather, it was quite brilliant. I think this side of her, gently preparing what I wanted when I wanted it, was one of Illness-san's great parts.

The wine was also a nice consideration. I was a little tired after everything that had happened today, so I wanted to have a light drink.

[Thank you very much. I was just a little hungry, so I appreciate it.]

[I'm glaaad if you pleeeeeased.]

Saying that, Illness-san smoothly uncorked the bottle, slightly checked the aroma and handing me a wine glass, she poured a little bit inside.

[Here you gooo.]

[Thank you very much.]

Pouring a little bit at the start is called wine tasting, isn't it? I remembered Lilia-san teaching me a little bit about this at a party once.