Not a Villainess but a Maid

#032 It’s not a slumber party. It’s a training camp.

The library on a sunny afternoon.

Ruby Sarka, head of the Freedom Activities Department, stood in front of the members and spoke with a serious expression.

“There is a lack of unity.”

“Yes?”

When I answered with a puzzled look, Ruby turned behind her and explained her thoughts.

“It’s good to be free, as the name of the club suggests, but I think there’s something missing as it is.”

Should we say that our club has no sense of purpose?

I gradually felt the need for group activities.

“Then, do you have any special activities in mind?”

“···.”

Ruby, who was deep in thought while supporting her chin, looked at us and declared.

“Let’s have a club camp today.”

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at Ruby.

‘Train camp? Suddenly···?’

She continued her words steadfastly, ignoring our puzzled looks.

“If you think about it, there is no day with more perfect conditions than today. “Tomorrow is the weekend, so don’t worry if you sleep late.”

Usually, things like this are announced about a week in advance.

Since most of them are nobles, they probably have their own schedules.

Ruby spoke to us.

“It is not compulsory. “I hope that only those who can participate will apply.”

First of all, it is a foregone conclusion that I will participate in the training camp.

As I was observing the other people, Amethyst spoke with a troubled expression.

“Sorry, Ruby. “I really want to participate, but there is a royal meeting on the weekend.”

“It’s okay. “Then what about Diamond?”

Dia, who was asked a question by Ruby, smiled awkwardly and apologized.

“I also have a meal plan with my adoptive parents on the weekend. Sorry.”

“Looks like you both are a bit busy this weekend. Okay.”

After finishing her question, Ruby’s eyes naturally turned to Clara’s group.

“What do you guys do? Are you going to participate?”

Most of them had excited faces.

Just by looking at their facial expressions, you can tell that they really want to participate.

“Of course…!”

When one of them had finished speaking, Clara whispered something quietly behind them.

“···Momo, be careful.”

The woman who was called Momo flinched for a moment, then continued in tears.

“Of course, this week is impossible… Ugh…”

“Really? “It’s a shame…”

Unexpectedly, many people did not attend.

Ruby sat down again and composed her thoughts.

“Then who is left? Me, Amber, and Coral?”

“Yes. “There are three of us.”

Coral smiled and said with excitement, her eyes sparkling.

“After looking back, I see that they are members of the book discussion club. “For the first time in a long time, we discuss vigorously until dawn.”

‘I don’t think it’s an ordinary book discussion group.’

After hearing her words, Ruby nodded her head cheerfully.

“It’s a shame there are only three of us, but this might still be fun. “Then, Coral, please take the things you need for bed and come to the library by evening.”

“Yes, I will. “Ruby.”

Coral said and closed her book.

‘Huh?’

My eyes naturally fell on Coral’s book, and I noticed something pink sticking out between her pages.

“Coral. “What is that you are using as a bookmark?”

It was a unique bookmark in bright pink.

“This? “Ruby gave it to me last time.”

“You gave it to me last time…?”

Suddenly, a memory passed through my head, and something I had forgotten came to mind.

“···Could it be an Amber rental voucher or something?”

“Yes. I’m cherishing it so I don’t lose it. Ehehehehe…”

“Well, I see…”

The sight of Coral hugging the bookmark carefully felt a little scary.

***

Club activities were over and I returned to the room with Ruby.

But my hands were still moving busily.

‘If you’re going to chat all night, you probably need some snacks, right?’

I was kneading the dough hard to give it color.

I was following the cookie recipe I learned from Dia, but I was having a lot of trouble.

It seems that flour should be used instead of all-purpose flour, and more than anything, the habits I have had so far are ingrained in me, so I had a hard time adapting to the new recipe.

As I was looking at the cookies that had just come out of the oven, Ruby slowly came up behind me and asked.

“You smell good, Amber. “Is the black thing here a chocolate cookie?”

“It was just burnt.”

“Ah.”

Ruby realized she had made a mistake and quickly apologized to me.

“···Sorry.”

“No. Could you please give me a taste of that? “I ate so much that it tastes just like that now.”

Among the cookies she took out of the oven, I picked the one with the best color and gave it to her.

Ruby picked it up with a serious expression, put it in her mouth and chewed it slowly.

“How do you feel?”

Following a series of events, Ruby seemed to be trying to be more cautious in expressing her taste.

“···I have to be honest, right, Amber?”

“Yes. “I’m ready to accept it.”

Ruby looked like she was thinking for a moment, then opened her mouth.

“It doesn’t taste anything.”

“It doesn’t taste like anything?”

“I don’t feel anything sweet or salty at all…”

The story was that it literally had no taste.

‘Should I have added more butter and sugar? “That or eggs?”

I put the bowl down on the table again and spoke to Ruby.

“Thank you. “Thank you for your honest evaluation.”

It wasn’t anyone’s fault that my cookies tasted like filth, so maybe the blame was passed on to each other.

As we tried to be considerate of each other, we ended up losing our honesty.

So just the fact that Ruby honestly expressed her taste today was a huge step forward for us.

Ruby glanced around her kitchen, then turned around and said,

“Don’t overdo it too late. “I guess I’ll have to pack my bags and go soon.”

“Yes, lady.”

I stood quietly staring at the remaining cookies.

First of all, at least I’m free from filth-flavored cookies, so I guess I’ve taken a step forward.

Feeling a little proud, I put a cookie into my mouth.

-Odeudeuk.

“···?”

The tooth did not go in.

It’s so hard that it’s hard to believe it’s a cookie.

It happened because it was baked too long.

‘Did the lady just chew on this rock like this?’

I felt like we needed to be a little more honest with each other.

***

Several lanterns were placed in a dark library.

It reminded me of the study where Ruby taught me how to read in the past, and I felt a sense of nostalgia.

Coral and I arrived at the library first, spread out the blankets, and were waiting for Lady Ruby to arrive.

Coral, wearing yellow pajama pajamas, lay down on the blanket next to me and said.

“Ruby is a little late. “Maybe something happened?”

“That can’t be possible. “I guess she just has some work to do.”

The thought of her walking through the academy alone at night made her worry, but it was better not to worry about her.

“Anyway, the pajamas Amber is wearing are very cute. “It’s pink, the same color as your hair.”

Coral showed interest in the pajamas I was wearing, and she secretly played with the sleeves.

As she got closer, I could smell her unique scent, something like her fragrant paper scent.

“Really? “I always wear it to sleep.”

“The fabric is also very good. It must be very expensive. “These clothes?”

“Huh, really?”

Listening to what she said, it seemed like the clothes I was wearing were precious fabrics usually used for the clothes of nobles.

“I didn’t know. “She only wore what the young lady always bought her.”

“It seems like Ruby cares about Amber that much. hehehe.”

Coral opened her eyes and looked at me.

“···.”

When I was scratching her face out of embarrassment, I heard someone coming in from her door.

– Rustle.

It seems that Ruby, who was said to come later, has arrived.

“Coral is sitting. “I’ll come pick you up.”

I quickly got up from her seat and walked over to greet her.

“Miss, you have come…”

The moment I was about to say that, I was speechless.

Standing before her eyes was Lady Ruby wearing black rabbit animal pajamas.

Once again, it was animal pajamas.

That’s cute too.

Ruby casually took off the hood of her bunny pajamas and spoke to me.

“I was a little late looking for clothes. “Have you waited long?”

“No. More than that…Those clothes…”

“Huh?”

She didn’t seem to notice the discomfort the clothes she was wearing gave her at all.

“···It’s nothing. “Come inside, girl.”

Last weekend, she went out alone to buy her own clothes. Is that what she was trying to buy?

Even though we had been together for four years, she was still a person with many unknowns.

Coral greeted her as she entered with her Ruby.

“Wow, these are very cute pajamas. Ruby!”

Surprisingly, it was Coral who calmly accepted her outfit.

Am I really strange…?

Coral, who was interested in Ruby’s clothes, asked.

“What animal is it? “Is it a rabbit?”

“No. “This is Sasquatch.”

“···Yes? Sasquatch?”

“It’s a suit modeled after the monster Sasquatch. “One day, it appeared in a small village and ate all the villagers in one night.”

“Well, I see…”

No matter where we looked, it only looked like a rabbit, but Coral and I didn’t bother to say it out loud.

The three of us naturally faced each other with the lantern in the middle.

Coral, looking around her with curious eyes, began her story.

“When I think of monsters, scary stories come to mind. Would you like to take turns telling scary stories?”

I responded with interest to what she said.

“I think that would be fun. “How are you?”

“I like it too.”

Ruby nodded her head in agreement, and Coral began to talk with a solemn expression while covering the lamp.

“This is a story handed down within this academy…”

The night of the training camp was just getting deeper.