Chapter 72: Breakfast Banter ( 72 )
In the cozy maid dining hall, Liana sat gracefully, her movements as fluid and composed as one would expect of a maid serving a noble house. Her breakfast, simple but well-prepared, was eaten with an air of elegance that came naturally to her.
As she delicately picked at her food, her mind wandered. "I started working here when I was just 15," she thought. "I was just another household maid then, nothing special."
She smiled faintly, remembering the moment her life changed. "When I turned 18, Madam Francesca assigned me as the young master's personal maid. It felt like an honor... and now, here I am. Young Master is 11 now. That makes it 14 years of service."
A quiet chuckle escaped her lips. "Still, I'm only 29. Barely a teenager by elven standards." She shook her head lightly, amused by the passage of time,
"Haaa… I wonder how everyone is doing back at the village."
Her thoughts were interrupted when Lithia, the dark elf maid, entered the room. Lithia picked up her breakfast from the serving table and sat across from Liana.
Lithia raised an eyebrow. "Hmm? Liana? What's on your mind?."
Liana blinked, startled from her thoughts, and smiled. "Oh, nothing much. I was just thinking about the village. It's been so long since we've gone back."
Lithia nodded, a wistful smile gracing her lips. "yeah.."
Liana leaned forward. "I heard your older brother is getting married this year,"
Lithia rolled her eyes playfully. "Yeah, finally. He's already 102. Took him long enough."
Both maids chuckled, sharing a light moment in the midst of their busy morning. The warmth of their bond, formed through years of shared service and common roots, was evident.
Lithia leaned back in her chair. "You know, we should plan a visit back to the village one of these days."
Liana nodded. "Maybe after the young master's next blessing ceremony."
Their laughter echoed softly in the room as they shared stories of home, temporarily transported back to their roots while enjoying a rare moment of peace.
"So, Lithia," Liana began with a teasing smile, "you and Meira serve Master Cedric and Master Marcellus, right?"
Lithia groaned, rolling her eyes. "Yeah, and let me tell you, it's not easy. Lucky you, Liana, serving someone who isn't strict or overly serious."
Liana raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk forming on her lips. "Not strict, but cheeky and mischievous. Believe me, it's not as 'lucky' as you think. Wanna trade?"
Lithia's face turned pale at the suggestion. She shook her head vigorously. "No way! I still remember the day he flipped my skirt and—" she paused, shuddering dramatically, "he hid under it!"
Liana couldn't help but burst out laughing, covering her mouth with her hand. "That does sound like him,But you have to admit, you'd never get bored with him around."
Lithia groaned again, burying her face in her hands. "Bored? No. Traumatized? Maybe. And you're actually fine with that?"
Liana's smile softened as she leaned back. "He can be mischievous, sure, but he's kind and caring in his own way. Besides, I know how to handle him."
Lithia peeked through her fingers, skeptical. "Handle him? Or spoil him?"
Liana shrugged, her cheeks tinting slightly. "Maybe a little of both."
Lithia leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as she stared at Liana with wide, curious eyes. "Liana, you're so lucky, you know that?"
Liana raised an eyebrow, taking another graceful bite of her breakfast. "Why is that?"
"He bought you a Pekko! Do you even realize how much those things cost? Nearly 20 gold coins each! And 5 gold coins is already more than what we personal maids make in an entire year." Lithia's voice was a mix of envy and disbelief.
Liana nodded, her expression calm but with a flicker of pride. "Yeah, I know. Household maids only earn around 5 to 7 silver coins a month. The difference is pretty big."
Lithia leaned in closer, lowering her voice as though about to reveal a great secret. "Do you know how he managed to get that much money? I mean, he's just 11! It's not like he can own a business."
Liana froze for a moment but quickly composed herself, giving a nonchalant shrug. "Hmm? Better not know about it, Lithia."
Lithia blinked in surprise. "Wait, you do know, don't you?"
"I said, better not know. Just enjoy the fact that our young master is generous and leave it at that."
Lithia pouted, clearly not satisfied but unwilling to push further. "Fine, fine. But still, lucky you."
Liana allowed herself a small smile, her thoughts wandering briefly to her young master's secret trips to the forest and the hard work he put in to support not just himself but the people around him. "It's not about luck," she murmured softly, mostly to herself. "He's just... special."
Lithia noticed the fond tone but decided not to comment, instead digging back into her meal. "If you say so."
Meira strolled into the dining area, her tail swaying lazily as she grabbed her plate of food. When she noticed Liana and Lithia chatting, she perked up and walked over to join them, a playful glint in her eyes.
"Oh! Here comes young master Javier's 'second mama,'" Lithia teased as Meira sat down. "Before you were reassigned to serve Master Cedric, of course."
Meira's ears twitched, and her cheeks flushed. "Nya! Liana, tell her to stop teasing me!" she whined, her tail flicking in irritation.
Liana chuckled, her composure unwavering. "Remember, Meira? You breastfed young master Javier when he was a baby, even though you didn't have milk."
Meira's blush deepened as she fumbled for a response. "Um... you know it was Lady Francesca's order because young master Javier was so fussy back then..."
Lithia laughed heartily, clearly enjoying the banter. "But Liana, after Meira and I were reassigned, you became his 'mama.' And let's not forget—you kept letting him breastfeed until he was five years old!"
Liana smiled softly, a nostalgic gleam in her eyes. "Yes, I remember. He was so persistent, even when I told him there was no milk."
Meira tilted her head curiously. "He kept breastfeeding even when there was nothing? That's a bit unusual, nya."
Liana's smile grew fonder. "Young master always said I had what he called 'sweet nectar.' He claimed it tasted better than anything else. I didn't understand what he meant, but he was so content whenever he latched on that I couldn't bring myself to stop him."
Lithia raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Sweet nectar? That's strange... Do you think it's an elf thing?"
Liana shrugged gracefully. "I don't know. If it is, it's not something I've ever heard of. None of the other elves I've spoken to have mentioned such a thing."
Meira's ears twitched,"Well, whatever it was, it's clear he's always been attached to you, Liana. Maybe too attached, nya."
Liana let out a soft sigh, her smile turning amused. "Yes, attached indeed."
Gloria, the head maid, entered the dining area with her usual air of elegance. She picked up her breakfast plate and spotted Liana, Lithia, and Meira laughing together. Smirking to herself, she walked straight over and joined them.
"Here comes the 'beautiful and hot' maid," Lithia teased, her tone dripping with playful sarcasm. "You know, the one young master flipped her skirt, and got away with it. Oh, and the one who saves him from Marita."
Gloria raised an eyebrow and sipped her tea calmly. "Ara, are you three jealous?" she teased, her voice lilting with amusement.
Liana crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "And you let him kiss you, didn't you?."
Gloria chuckled softly, her cheeks faintly pink. "Yes, well... it's harmless, right? A kiss on the lips is hardly scandalous." She turned to Liana, her smile growing sly. "But you, Liana—you started this. You let him kiss you every day."
Meira's tail flicked, and she stifled a giggle. "Not to mention, young master kisses all the maids he fancies—well, the ones who don't have spouses or boyfriends, nya."
Lithia chimed in, smirking. "You've set a precedent, Liana. Now everyone's wondering if young master Javier's affection is part of the job description."
Liana sighed, placing her hand on her temple. "I didn't exactly start anything. He's just... persistent. Besides, I'm his personal maid. It's different."
Gloria leaned back, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Different or not, it seems like he's getting more kisses from the staff than a prince at a ball. Maybe we should start keeping a tally. Liana, you're probably in the lead."
The four maids burst into laughter, their teasing jabs lighthearted. Despite the chaos young master Javier brought into their lives, moments like these reminded them of the camaraderie they shared, even under his mischievous reign.
( End of Chapter )