Aozaki residence.
In the early morning, Roy sat in the corridor, leisurely drinking tea.
Everyone else was attending to their duties, giving the moment a sense of peaceful time.
However, Roy didn't agree with such sentimental notions. Peaceful times were an illusion—just a fleeting moment of calm after two consecutive incidents last night. There were surely harsher battles waiting for him ahead.
He had already resolved to stake his life on this Holy Grail War. No matter what kind of danger he faced, even if there wasn't the slightest chance of victory, he would struggle to the end.
"Ai, how about coming over and sitting here?"
Footsteps sounded behind him. Roy turned his head to see Hayasaka in an apron. He waved his hand and smiled at her, signalling for her to come over.
"But, breakfast…"
Hayasaka showed a slightly troubled expression.
"Is there no one in the kitchen?"
"Lady Rin is still there."
"Then it's fine. Don't be fooled by Rin being a young lady—she's actually a great cook. It's totally fine to leave breakfast to her."
Since he'd said so, Hayasaka had no choice.
She reluctantly agreed, took off her apron, and came to the corridor, sitting down two seats away from Roy.
A bit of distance that gave a slight feeling of detachment, but still within a normal range.
"How are you finding your stay here, Ai?"
"Of course, very well."
"Is there anything you're unhappy with?"
"No. As a refugee, being able to live here is already a very fortunate situation. Other refugees don't even have the chance to stay here."
Hayasaka answered very reasonably.
She also gave Roy a bit of praise along the way.
A very tactful response.
"Do you really mean it?"
"Of course, I mean it."
Hayasaka nodded firmly.
"I see…"
Roy muttered softly after hearing her answer.
He took a sip of tea, his head lowered in a way that Hayasaka couldn't read his expression.
"I was actually going to say, if you feel pressured staying with me, once the Holy Grail War is over, I'd let you leave with Rin…"
"…Ah."
Hayasaka opened her mouth, but only managed to squeeze out a subtle syllable from her throat.
Her face was full of unexpected confusion.
Mixed with a hint of regret.
"What's wrong?"
Roy looked up, puzzled.
"…Nothing, really."
Hayasaka forced a smile in response to Roy.
But in her mind, she was cursing herself up and down.
That was clearly a good opportunity just now, but she missed it by instinctively playing the obedient girl!
"Hahahaha!"
Seeing her conflicted expression, Roy couldn't help but burst out laughing.
When she saw Roy laughing heartily, Hayasaka froze for a moment, then suddenly realized something.
She covered her cheeks in embarrassment, feeling like she was sitting on pins and needles.
"Lord Roy… you weren't toying with me, were you?"
"Yup!"
Roy admitted it quite straightforwardly.
Although the bespectacled Roy was easy to talk to, that didn't mean he was a completely nice guy. He could tease and prank people—he hadn't split his personality, just his demeanor.
"Ah, Ai, you've experienced a magician's observational skills before, right? Though Aoko is top-tier, whether it's me, Illya, or even Rin—it's not hard for us to see through your inner thoughts!"
"Haah… I give up…"
Hayasaka let out a long sigh, somewhat distressed as she held her forehead with a candid gesture.
At that moment, she appeared more human than before.
Previously, Hayasaka had been like a machine—meticulously completing her tasks, doing whatever was asked without the slightest complaint. On the surface, she seemed very obedient and endearing.
But in reality, her expressions and inner thoughts were completely different.
Outwardly, she showed respect toward Roy, but deep down, she both respected and feared him. On the surface, she praised life at the Aozaki residence, but in truth, she couldn't wait to leave.
"Not pretending anymore?"
Roy smiled as he asked her.
"Since I've been seen through, there's no point. Continuing to pretend would just be laughable."
Hayasaka, sitting there, finally let her previously rigid back relax.
Her facial expression didn't change much, but it was as if a psychological shackle had been unlocked.
Just like when she would return to her room after serving Lady Kaguya, soaking in those rare moments of freedom—she now looked relaxed.
Hayasaka had been pretending to be obedient.
Although she and Utaha were around the same age, they were two completely different types of people.
Utaha was more like a normal girl—her emotions showed on her face. To put it nicely, she lacked shrewdness. Of course, to people of average intelligence, she already seemed quite smart. But compared to real elites, she was still too green.
And it was precisely because she had little shrewdness that she quickly grew close to Roy, dared to make requests of him, and even dared to show affection.
Hayasaka was the complete opposite.
She was too shrewd.
So shrewd that she knew when to wear a protective disguise to guard herself. So shrewd that she drew a clear line between herself and Roy, never allowing herself to make a single mistake, never allowing herself to make Roy angry.
If she were in familiar territory, of course, she wouldn't need such a disguise.
But this was an entirely foreign world, filled with terrifying magical beasts in the wild, and twisted magi in the city who didn't even value human life. To protect herself, she had no choice but to put on a facade of obedience.
But in reality—
The more shrewd a person was, the more easily they became distant from others.
While Utaha, being straightforward, had become very close with Roy.
Yes, Roy had the special ability to turn people into magi—but Hayasaka was confident that, so long as she worked diligently under Rin, she could easily obtain citizenship, rise in the ranks, and make a name for herself. Becoming a magus wasn't something she was willing to sell herself for.
The only thing she had to consider was to keep a low profile and not get targeted by magi that even Rin couldn't afford to offend.
Of course, building a good relationship with Roy was also part of her plan. That's why she was never disrespectful toward him, nor had she ever angered him.
But now, she understood.
All those little calculations in her heart—there was no hiding them from a magus like Roy.
So she simply gave up the act. That way, she could even score some points for being candid.
"Don't worry, what I said earlier still holds."
Roy smiled as he spoke.
That smile was full of reassurance, and unknowingly eased Hayasaka's anxiety after being exposed.
"Lord Roy really willing to let go of your all-purpose maid?"
Hayasaka deliberately spoke in a playful, smug tone. Though there was a hint of probing, it wasn't unpleasant.
"If you want to leave, of course you can. What, do I seem like the kind of tyrant who can't bear to let someone else's maid go?"
Roy saw right through her probing and didn't mind—he just kept reassuring her with a smile.
But then, he suddenly changed the tone.
"But… what will you do if Rin moves into my house?"
The heart that Hayasaka had just managed to settle instantly jumped again.
As soon as that question entered her mind—she was numb.
Oh no.
If even Rin moved into Roy's place, what would she do?
Although it was technically just a temporary stay, the fact that she had so easily persuaded Rin to go to Roy's room last night made it clear—Rin really might hand herself over to Roy completely!
Damn it. She'd outsmarted herself—she never should've nudged Rin like that!
She pushed herself right into a pit!
***
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