8. Find someone in need
"Hey... is this what a personal maid is supposed to do?"
"Yes, of course. I am your personal maid (sister), after all. I even check the menu for your meals. If I leave you to your own devices, you'll just eat meat all the time, right? Oh, and you mustn't leave the green peppers behind. You need to eat them if you want to grow big and strong."
Arthur was scolded for trying to push away the green peppers he disliked.
"Ugh... fine, I get it..."
This was something that would have been unthinkable in the past. No one had ever scolded Arthur like this before, and even if someone had, they would have been expelled from the castle by his followers the next day for such disrespect—without Arthur even knowing about it.
But the Arthur in front of her, even as he was being reprimanded, seemed somewhat happy.
And her doting wasn't limited to just meals. She helped him change clothes, scolded him when he tried to skip his bath, and did much more.
As a result, Arthur's image in the castle was beginning to change.
"Wait, could it be that Arthur-sama is actually quite approachable...?"
After finishing lunch, Arthur sat in the courtyard, basking in the sunlight, pondering over his "Good Deeds Notebook." As he did, Kei, preparing a calming cup of tea, asked him.
"What's wrong, Arthur-sama? If you have any concerns, don't hesitate to tell me."
"Well, I do have a question. Is it okay to ask?"
"Hehe, leave it to me. I am your personal maid, after all."
"Thank you... So, here's the thing, I want to help people who are in trouble. How should I go about doing that?"
Arthur, eager to earn "Good Deeds Points," decided to seek her wisdom while keeping the notebook a secret. He told her he wanted to do something for which people would thank him.
"Arthur-sama... that's wonderful!! It's what they call 'Noblesse Oblige,' isn't it? You've grown so wonderfully, and as your personal maid (sister), I'm truly happy."
"Ah, uh... thank you."
Well, he didn’t really remember being raised by Kei, but he didn’t mind her praise, so Arthur chose to stay silent. He’d gotten a bit better at reading the mood.
"Yesterday, I asked everyone if they had any problems, but they all said no... It's great that no one is in trouble, but I just want to do something for someone," Arthur said, feeling a bit troubled.
"Ah, now that you mention it, some of my colleagues told me to be careful because Arthur-sama has been doing strange things... So that's what it was about..."
Noticing a hint of recognition, Kei furrowed her brows slightly. Arthur, oblivious to this, proudly looked at her and said,
"That's why, later today, I'm planning to ask the nobles and servants if they have any problems they need help with. Will you join me?"
"Arthur-sama, I wouldn't recommend that. The servants are unlikely to admit they're having any issues, and the nobles are the same. Moreover, there's a chance your good intentions could be taken advantage of."
"Huh? Why?"
Arthur looked genuinely confused, and Kei pondered how to explain this to him. It was common for servants to be swept up by the whims of nobles, and sometimes that could lead to losing their jobs or, in the worst cases, even execution. Because of this, except for personal maids or servants of noble birth, most people would try to avoid getting too involved with the nobles unnecessarily.
This was a consequence of the vast gap between the aristocracy and commoners, and although it was an unspoken understanding that everyone knew, Arthur, being so naive, couldn’t have known any of this.
However, Kei didn’t want Arthur's good intentions to go to waste. She decided to try explaining it in a way he could understand.
"Well... Arthur-sama, you're royalty, and you also possess healing magic, so you occupy a special position. That’s why most people can’t really get too close to you, and they don’t know you very well. If someone they don’t know suddenly acts kind toward them or gives them something, they might wonder why. It’s the same idea. People become wary, thinking they’ll have to repay the kindness somehow."
"Is that so...? But I often receive jewels or specialty products from my territory from nobles I don’t know."
"I see... as expected of you..."
Kei’s explanation proved to be in vain. Arthur’s sense of common sense, shaped by his status, and Kei’s, shaped by her commoner upbringing, were simply too different. Still, as his personal maid (sister), Kei kept trying to find a way to help him understand.
Not noticing her internal struggle, Arthur said apologetically,
"Well, I don’t really understand why it’s a problem, but if you say it’s no good, then I’ll try something else. So, how about we think of a different way together?"
Anyone who knew Arthur from his past life would find it hard to believe such words coming from him. Now, he was trying to understand the feelings of others.
In his previous life, he never thought about such things until he was caught...
"Arthur-sama..."
As Arthur’s serious words were spoken with such sincerity, Kei felt her chest tighten with emotion. Of course, she didn’t know that Arthur was living his second life, but from his words and expression, she could sense his strong trust in her.
And that made her happy as well.
"I understand. Let’s learn together from now on, Arthur-sama."
"Ah, thank you. I might say strange things from time to time, but please teach me."
"Of course. Please rely on me a lot."
Arthur and Kei exchanged smiles, their bond evident in their shared gaze. The scene was undeniably sweet, and Kei’s feelings of affection for Arthur as his sister continued to grow stronger.
"By the way... I don’t have a good idea myself, but I do know a place where there are many people who are in need."
"Really!?"
Arthur exclaimed excitedly, and Kei answered with a smile.
"Yes. In such cases, we should go to 'Avalon.' It’s a place where various information gathers, so we’re sure to find someone in need there."
"That place..."
Arthur’s face suddenly turned sour. This reaction was understandable, as it was home to his arch-nemesis…
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