Chapter 49: Devotion
I rushed towards Rika and crouched to see her face better. "What happened to you? Why are you kneeling here?" I asked as I tried to help her get up, but she shook her head with tears coming out of her eyes. "What’s wrong?"
"Your attendant has stolen sothing valuable from lady Tomoe’s room." One of Tomoe’s attendants said. She was the one glaring at
before. "What kind of discipline do you do, lady Noelle? How co your attendant doesn’t have any integrity?"
I raised an eyebrow. "That can’t be. Rika isn’t the type of person to steal sothing from anyone."
Rika started to cry as I pulled her up from the ground. "Stop helping your servant when she’s in complete wrong." Tomoe’s attendant said, making
raise an eyebrow as I looked at her.
"What did she steal then?" The attendant backed away after I asked that.
"I-It’s. I cannot tell the lady as you’ll just make lies."
I can’t believe it. Are they lying to ? There’s no way Rika will steal sothing from them. "She didn’t steal anything, didn’t she?" I pulled Rika from the ground and saw her knees bleeding. "Please, if you’re going to punish my attendant, tell
first."
Tomoe’s attendant scoffed. "Is that the way to treat your teacher’s attendant?" She asked.
I never want to pull this card, but I can’t just let this attendant humiliate . That’s now how my parents raised . "Then, is that your way to treat the next boss’ fiancée?" The attendant flinched.
"Stop it." Tomoe arrived. "You may go now, Noelle." She said as if I needed her permission to go. I don’t need anyone’s permission. I’m not their attendant or servant here. But I ignored it and made my way to the infirmary.
"Y-Young miss? Why aren’t we going to your room?" Rika asked as I pulled her. "T-The miss is still wearing her uniform."
"And your knees are bleeding."
I can’t believe how they treated Rika. Just because they’re high-ranking than Rika, they shouldn’t treat her like that. "Dr. Tricia? I need help." I said as I knocked on the door of the infirmary. It opened without seconds, and Dr. Tricia scanned my whole body quickly. "It’s not , but Rika. Her knees need treatnt."
"Co in."
I pulled Rika into the infirmary. "Is this the result of the commotion outside?" Dr. Tricia asked after sipping coffee from his mug. "Are you alright, Rika?" She asked as she checked Rika’s knees. They’re bruised and still bleeding.
"How long have you been kneeling there?" I asked as I sat beside her, but Rika won’t answer. She suppressed her noises while Dr. Tricia treated her wound. After we were done, Rika and I went to my room. I’m not leaving this topic alone until I get the answers. "What happened? Why did they accuse you of stealing?" That’s the first thing I asked as soon as Rika closed the door of my room.
"Y-You’re not going to ask what I stole?"
My forehead creased. "You didn’t steal anything. I know that much." Tears started falling out of Rika’s eyes as she looked down at the floor. "Tell
what really happened." I patted her back as I gently pulled her towards the bed, and we sat side by side. Rika was not only my attendant. She beca my friend and comfort. There’s no way I can let her suffer like this without any reason.
"Lady Tomoe’s attendants, they’re...." She sniffed. "T-They’re talking bad about the miss. I heard them saying that the miss should be out of this place, and she doesn’t belong here." Rika added with tears keep falling onto her cheeks.
"They even said that the young master doesn’t fancy the young miss at all." That’s the truth, though. "T-That’s why I couldn’t stay still, and I told them that I’ll tell the oyabun that they’re talking about the young miss badly behind your back. They got angry at , but I knew I did nothing wrong. I tried to fight back, and that’s how the other attendant’s necklace broke."
Wasn’t it ultimately those attendants’ fault? "It was a necklace given by lady Tomoe to her attendant. That’s why they called
a thief." Why would they call Rika a thief if the necklace was destroyed primarily because of their actions?
"Don’t mind what happened then. It’s not your fault, and I believe in what you say."
Rika rubbed her eyes while still crying, and I patted her back. "T-They’re talking bad about the miss. E-Even though the miss is the kindest person to ever exist." What’s with her devotion to ? Isn’t it too much to say I’m the kindest person ever? I was not even kind to her the first ti I t her. "They don’t know they’ll receive huge punishnts since the miss will beco the young master’s mistress. And no one should talk bad about the miss at all."
Right, these people don’t know about grandpa Kenta’s plan at all. They don’t know that I’ll leave this place as soon as my problems are resolved.
"But what if, just what if." I took a deep breath. "I leave this place? What will you do? Will you follow ?"
Rika tilted her head. "I must follow the miss as I am your attendant."
"What if it’s not an order from the oyabun?" I didn’t think about it before, but if Rika keeps devoting herself like this to , she’ll beco the center of bullying as soon as I leave this place. I know it will create huge issues inside their group since I can see how much they value their mbers. And if those attendants of Tomoe learned of that, they won’t only bully Rika, they might do sothing even nastier.
"What if I leave here and never co back?"
Rika’s eyes looked at
innocently. "B-But why would the miss leave?" She must still be thinking that I am in love with Night. ’They’re all thinking like that even though I deliberately show them how much I despise their young master with my actions.’ I sighed. "Don’t the miss like it here?"
I actually don’t but saying that will hurt Rika’s feelings. "I want to be with my—" I imdiately halted after realizing that Rika didn’t know about my parents’ actual conditions. All they know is that my parents are dead and I don’t have a place to go back to. "I want to try living independently without the help of others."
I an, I’m not lying about that. I imagined that after high school, I’ll live in my own apartnt near the university I’ll be attending. That’s how I wanted things to go, but I guess not everything will go your way.
"Does the miss want to leave here?"
I sighed as I shook my head. "No, but I want you to stop fighting Tomoe’s attendants."
"I’m not picking a fight. They’re the ones who badmouthed the miss."
I smiled. "I know. But it’ll be better for you to ignore them." Since what they said is half true. Night doesn’t fancy
AT ALL, and that’s fine with . "Those people won’t stop badmouthing
anyway since they hate , and that’s fine with . I’m used to being hated."
Rika pouted as she shook her head. "The miss doesn’t deserve hate." Hearing that makes
feel sowhat comforted, even though Rika’s the one crying in front of . "The miss only deserves the good thing life could offer." See? She’s so devoted to
that even I feel weird about it. No one’s been that loyal to , even my friends, or maybe I just didn’t know.
It made
smile widely. "Thank you for that." I pulled my handkerchief from my pocket and wiped her tears. "Rika deserves only the good things, too, so don’t do anything rash just for , okay?" Rika nodded, and I hugged her. It’s like having a younger sister. It feels great.
After that, Rika stopped crying and brought
so snacks and beverages. Even though she said it was inappropriate for the attendant to eat with their master, I told her not to mind and eat the snacks with .
"B-But young miss."
I smiled. "What’s inappropriate or not, let
be the one to judge that." I sat on my chair and brought out the notes Tomoe made for . Does Tomoe also hate
so much? Is that why her attendants are wary of ?
Before I could even start reading from where I left on, Rika and I heard a knock on the door, so Rika quickly swallowed the macaroons and went to open the door. "Is Noelle there?"
"L-Lady Tomoe."
When I heard that, I turned to the door and saw Tomoe waiting outside. "If I may ask if we could talk for a little?" She said with a gentle tone. ’Her voice’s ek, so it makes
want to think that she’s a kind person.’ Rika seems to be panicking because of Tomoe’s sudden visitation. Does she think that this might be her fault? I passed Rika and patted her shoulder to reassure her.
"Sure, let’s talk."
Tomoe nodded. "Follow
to the garden."
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