Happy Days of the All-around Maid and the Duke - Chapter 7

?Organizing the study room??

?Yes. I need your help. ?

Ririka’s eyes fluttered when Wilgia finished bathing.

While she was working in the garden, she heard a tremendous noise in the study room and ran over to see what happened. She was so surprised by what had happened that I asked him to take a hot bath anyway, and when he came out, he asked me to help him organize the study room.

?But I’m not supposed to go into the study room?

?Until now, but when I saw how you worked, I changed my mind. I would like to ask you for a favor?

Wilgia’s expression is still invisible because of his bangs, but his voice is serious.

Did he think that he was impressed with my work so much that he gave me permission to enter his study room?

If so, it would be worth all the hard work I put into polishing the mansion. Grandma’s words come back to my mind.

?A servant is a person who is dependent on his master. They may ask you to clean a room that no one is allowed to enter normally, or share a secret that can’t be told to anyone else. It would be a great honor to be a servant?

I heard that my grandmother used to work at the castle, so she must have been dependent on the royal family and shared their secrets with her.

I was very happy to think that I could be someone Wilgia could open up to even a little bit. Lilika smiled and replied.

?Yes, with pleasure?

Wilgia’s study room was in a terrible state.

The Ink that splattered under the desk created black stains and a large number of books and papers were cluttered on the floor, on the chair and on the desk leaving almost no room to step on them.

This place, which had not been cleaned for many years, was still used by Wilgia and there were signs of people, and because of this, it was more cluttered with paper shavings and dust than any other room.

Wilgia excuses herself, perhaps seeing Ririka’s dismay as she stands in the room.

?I’ve been meaning to clean up, but I just haven’t found the time…?

?Let’s just move all the books to another place and clean the room?

?Yeah, let’s do that?

We pulled more and more books from the bookshelf and carried them into the next room. The two of us worked hard to get the books out into the next empty room. Once the room was empty, Ririka showed her true colors. Since there was no way she was going to let Wilgia clean the room, she quickly started cleaning while the books were being sorted in the other room by Wilgia.

She dusts the ceiling, wipes the ink off the carpet, collects dirt, washes the curtains and wipes down the windows. The room itself is small, so it was light work compared to cleaning the entire mansion.

?Wilgia-sama, your study has been cleaned.?

?Thank you. Then, will you help me organize my books??

Wilgia, took a book in his hand and began to give me more and more instructions.

?Arrange the books in chronological order. They are arranged by dynasty, starting with the creation history. The dynasties are listed here, so I want you to look at them while arranging them. Right now I’m still compiling the Averian period, it has not been bound to this period, but will you sort out the previous period??

?………………?

Ririka stiffened as the instructions came in rapid succession.

I was thinking of what to do.

As a servant, She must act promptly and precisely in response to her master’s instructions, and she must produce results that exceed his expectations. However, at this moment, Ririka is not able to respond to her master’s orders with a simple?Yes?or?No?. But that doesn’t mean she can refuse. Pinch. The biggest pinch of Ririka’s life as a live-in servant has arrived.

Ririka was standing there, dripping with cold sweat, unable to say?yes?or ?no?She thought it was strange, but she was not sure what to say. Wilgia, who thought it was strange, asked her.

?What’s the matter??

That’s it. There would be no way to cover it up.

Ririka knelt down on the spot, bowed her head, and spoke out a vigorous apology.

?…I’m terribly sorry, Wilgia-sama!?Actually, I… can’t read or write?

?What…?

Wilgia unexpectedly dropped down the book he was holding.

 ???

When She told me that she could not read or write,  I couldn’t catch up.

Of course, I’ve heard that most of the people living on the streets can’t read properly. After all, even though I was forced to renounce my right to the throne, he was a member of the royal family and for me, who lived surrounded by upper class people since I was a child, this was only a?rumor?to me and I heard it like a story from another world.

So, even though Ririka was a servant who came to work for me. For some reason, I took it for granted that she could read. There was no doubt about it.

I had no idea that Ririka could not read or write.

Looking at all the work she has done so far, this servant, who has done everything in a way that exceeds my expectations, is illiterate.

Wilgia could not help but be puzzled by this fact.

Wilgia’s silence made Ririka look up and look at his reaction.

?I am truly sorry … If I’m going to live-in worker for the historian Wilgia-sama, then it’s only natural that such skills are required, or rather essential. It is my negligence that I did not notice. I have no excuse if I am fired?

?No, no, no, It’s not true?

In the first place, Wilgia did not write?reading and writing required?in the terms and conditions of employment for servants. This is not surprising, since he would never have asked for such a thing.

Wilgia wondered what to do, and suddenly came up with a solution.

?Then, how about I teach you how to read and write??

?What…?

?You seem to be a quick learner, so it would be worthwhile?

?But I can’t bother Wilgia-sama for my sake… If you give me three days, I’ll master it in the royal capital and come back?

I kind of hated to accept that suggestion.

Ririka is so talented that I am sure she would do as I said and master it in three days and come back to me.

But why did I think that if she was going to study anyway, I might just teach her myself?

?All right, I’ll teach you?

?But…?

?It would be faster than going to the capital. Besides…?

Besides, I feel kind of lonely when Ririka disappears from the mansion.

When I tried to say it, I was embarrassed and shut my mouth.

In the end, the words didn’t come out of my mouth, but were muffled and swallowed back into my stomach.

Ririka tilted her head and waited for Wilgia’s words, but then she clapped her hands together in agreement.

?Ah, my absence will cause a delay in the personal care of the mansion, won’t it??

?That’s not true, though. but it takes courage to say why it’s not?

?Wilgia gave a small nod, and Ririka stood up and bowed?

?Then, I am a scandalous person, but I would be grateful for your guidance and encouragement?