Not a Villainess but a Maid

#008 Concert Below

As someone called her name, a familiar voice, Diamond, appeared in the crowd.

“Congratulations, Ruby.”

“…Diamond.”

As the two from renowned families faced each other, the surrounding nobles instinctively stepped back.

“It was a splendid performance. Shall we say it was truly Ruby-esque?”

Despite losing to Ruby, Diamond wore a satisfied expression.

“…Aren’t you disappointed, Diamond?”

“I am, but I enjoyed it. It was a chance to compete with Ruby’s skills properly.”

Smiling at her, Diamond looked around and remarked, “…It seems others also want to converse with Ruby.”

As Diamond gracefully stepped aside, Ruby found herself surrounded by nobles once again.

I watched her from a distance, swirling the drink in my wine glass.

“I’m relieved. Nothing happened to Ruby.”

It seemed that Ruby had managed to avoid any accidents thanks to her awakened abilities, as the winner of the concert had been switched.

As I emptied the remaining glass, Dia approached me.

“Nice to see you again, Amber.”

“Ah, hello. Dia.”

It was our first conversation since she visited the mansion last time.

“Thank you for telling me to compete honestly with Ruby.”

“What?”

I had made a thoughtless comment in anger, but luckily she brushed it off, saying she was fine.

“I was just being arrogant.”

Dia said.

She had been so focused on avoiding competition with Ruby that she had arrogantly judged her potential.

“No… It was my fault for being rude.”

There was no reason for Dia to apologize to me.

She had also acted in her own way, considering Ruby.

It was just that our approaches were different.

“…As expected, Amber, you’re very kind.”

“Do you think so?”

“I’m really grateful that you were there in that moment. For Ruby and for me.”

I stood beside Dia, silently gazing at the empty wine glass I had just emptied.

– Clink.

Hearing the sound of something glass-like shattering, I turned around to see Ruby leaning against the table, swaying.

Nobles around her expressed concern.

“Are you alright, Lady Ruby?”

“···I’m sorry. Please leave me alone for a moment.”

Despite the lack of heat in the room, she was sweating and breathing heavily.

“Miss, are you okay···.”

I was about to approach her, worried about her condition.

– Whoosh.

In an instant, a massive flame erupted from Ruby, who had suddenly crouched on the floor, rapidly spreading around.

‘Awakening of abilities···!’

“Miss···!”

I tried to call out to her and approach, but I was blocked by the soaring flames.

“Ahh!”

“It’s a fire···!”

Nobles inside the hall panicked and fled their seats.

Unfortunately, the interior was filled with flammable materials like large carpets and tablecloths, causing the flames to spread rapidly.

‘I let my guard down···.’

After Ruby claimed victory at the concert, I had assumed she successfully avoided awakening her powers.

After leaving the concert hall, I was relieved, feeling no particular signs of tension. However, it happened with a time lag.

No one dared to approach Ruby recklessly.

The bucket of water had been confiscated by the guards upon entering the banquet hall, and I needed to find a way to rescue her.

My mind was blank.

I tried to resist the instinct that stiffens the body when under tension.

-Sizzle.

But as the fearful sight of Ruby through the flames was revealed, all such thoughts vanished cleanly.

I was the only one who knew the outcome of this incident and the only one who could save her.

‘Right now, Ruby has only me.’

I discovered a huge beverage container on the intact table. It was the same container I had just drunk from.

Though it contained a considerable amount of liquid, it seemed impossible to extinguish the fire with just this.

I grabbed the container and turned it over, pouring its contents over my body.

Drenched all over, I closed my eyes and jumped towards the flames where Ruby stood in fear. As I entered the flames, I saw Ruby standing there, terrified. She noticed me and shouted,

“Don’t come this way! Amber will be in danger too!”

Just waving her hand caused a massive flame to erupt.

A large amount of mana that had been accumulated and almost ready to burst uncontrollably was now spewing out.

In this event, she would lose control of her power, leaving horrific burn marks on her face, and eventually collapse unconscious.

Ignoring her plea not to come closer, I approached steadily.

As I got close to Ruby, just about a face’s distance away, I could see her trembling and crying.

“Don’t come near···. I’ll hurt you···.”

“···It’s okay.”

I cautiously held both of her wrists in my hands.

“···!”

At that moment, flames surged momentarily, but I didn’t let go of her wrists.

“This is the power Miss Ruby possesses. Surely, you can control it yourself.”

Casting magic and calming it down ultimately depended on the user’s will.

“Think differently. Try to calm down as much as possible.”

Ruby, who barely regained her breath at my words, closed her eyes tightly and said,

“···I’ll try.”

She struggled to restrain herself, but the flames showed no intention of subsiding.

“···No. Even if you try to stop thinking, it continues···.”

“···.”

Thinking differently in front of a deadly flame was a challenging task.

“Am I also a monster···? Why is this happening···.”

In the original game, Ruby was known as the Witch of Fire.

It was a title given to her due to her nature of burning everything that hindered her.

Once angered, she wouldn’t stop until everything burned away.

Ruby Sarca, an emotional and vengeful entity expressing anger through magic, unable to learn how to control her emotions.

But that was just the distorted Ruby in the game, not the one standing in front of me.

“···Miss can’t be a monster.”

Saying that, he held Ruby in his arms.

She, suddenly embraced, spoke with a trembling voice.

“Amber, I···.”

“Close your eyes and focus on me only.”

Only the sound of a heartbeat echoed quietly.

Hair that almost touched the shoulder, a scent of soap, a temperature that felt close enough to be sensed.

To make her unable to think of anything else, I made her strongly aware of only me.

“···It’s natural to be nervous, to turn pale and tremble.”

Humans create fear for themselves and are creatures who fear arbitrarily.

Once you realize that you are the one creating that fear, you can run away with all your might.

“When that happens, don’t put anything in your mind, just think of what you like, Miss.”

I wanted to tell Ruby what I had learned in my own way.

She held onto the hem of my clothes tightly and replied.

“···Yes. I will do that.”

The blazing fire lost its strength as if it were a lie.

The fire that had risen through mana concealed its traces as if it had never happened, leaving only a faint smudge.

When Ruby opened her eyes, the soaring flames had completely disappeared.

Ruby, who seemed a bit calmer, said to me,

“I couldn’t control the magic at all…”

“It’s not your fault, Miss.”

Her inexperience in handling magic and having much more mana than others weren’t her fault.

Ruby was just born slightly different from others.

Those who excel at everything from the beginning can’t understand those who can’t.

From tying shoelaces to actions that people might take for granted, everything was always difficult for me.

Because I had lived such a life, I wanted to make it clear that it wasn’t Ruby’s fault.

“Miss, now let’s go home…”

-Splash!

“…”

A sudden downpour of water poured on Ruby and me.

“Ruby, Amber! Are you okay!?”

With a bucket of water in her hand, Dia asked us where she had brought the water from. She calmly looked around, and only now did it seem like she realized the situation.

“Oh? The fire…”

“…was just put out.”

“I’m sorry. I did something unnecessary…”

“…No, you were trying to help.”

Ruby replied to Dia, drenched.

“It’s cold…”

Dia seemed flustered, as if feeling sorry for her.

“Just a moment, I’ll bring something to wipe it with…”

In the end, Ruby did not experience any mishaps during the concert, nor did she acquire any trauma from her awakened abilities.

Although both Ruby and I caught a cold upon returning to the mansion, damp with sweat, it was nothing compared to what I mentioned earlier.

Above all, I was most relieved that she was safe.

***

While riding in the carriage on our way back to the mansion, Ruby spoke to me.

“Thank you, Amber. If it weren’t for you, I would have…by now.”

She couldn’t continue her sentence, her expression filled with guilt.

“Don’t mention it. It’s just what I should do as a maid.”

“No, I can’t let it go like this. I want to express my gratitude to you in my own way…”

Ruby, who had been deep in thought, opened her mouth.

“Alright. I’ll grant you a wish.”

“A wish?”

“Yes. Anything within my power…to grant.”

As she said that, her face slightly reddened.

“I wonder what would be a good wish…”

“First of all, I’ll say this, but nothing too embarrassing yet…”

“Then, please buy me some meat.”

When I coolly replied, Ruby retorted.

“What?”

“Please get me some meat. I haven’t had any in a while.”

“… “

Upon hearing my response, Ruby turned her head and muttered something in Moore.

“… Idiot.”

“Pardon?”

From then on, she didn’t spare me a glance until we arrived at the mansion.