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“Wha…”

Nonna was left gaping.

“What did you just say? Vulgar? Did you just call it vulgar?”
“Yes, exactly the word I said. Ordering more dresses than necessary, abandoning your duties as a member of the ducal family to selfishly ‘live for beauty’—I see no trace of refinement in that. It’s foolish and contemptible behavior.”
“Wha—wha… what an insolent thing to say!”

Her eyes flared as she shouted.

“If Her Highness, Lady Alexandra, were here, she would have ordered you whipped as punishment! Those words are nothing less than an insult to Her Highness herself!”
“Oh my, how frightening. I’m quite glad Grandmother isn’t here, then.”

Though she laughed through her nose, Ekaterina’s smile twisted slightly—because a nasty thought crossed her mind. Surely that old hag didn’t *actually* have Onii-sama whipped when he was a child… did she?
If she did, even in death I’ll kill her again.

“Grandmother is no longer with us. With both her and Mother gone, *I* am now the mistress of House Jurnova. My brother, as the current duke, has said as much. I decide what is and isn’t proper conduct for a lady of Jurnova. I have no need of your instruction.”

Nonna began trembling all over.

“Th-that is the authority of the Imperial Princess…the authority of the Imperial Household that you speak lightly of. You cannot possibly consider yourself above Her Highness…”
“I’ll repeat myself; Grandmother is gone. And in case you’ve somehow forgotten, she ceased to be the Imperial Princess the day she married into our house. More importantly, you’re not the princess yourself. So tell me, who exactly are you to act as if you’re above the mistress of Jurnova? —Ah, that’s right, you’re a servant of this house, aren’t you? Now that you mention it, didn’t you just criticize how I treat the servants? Tell me, should I have presumptuous ones like *you* whipped?”

Ekaterina had let herself get carried away, and seeing Nonna’s face now, she felt a twinge of regret. The veins on the woman’s forehead were bulging to a disturbing degree.
Maybe she’s actually about to attack me? I’ve never been in a physical fight, but you’re in your sixties, lady—I’m not losing to you.

Just then, Mina silently stepped between them.
She shielded Ekaterina with her body, fixing Nonna with a piercing stare—gazing right at her throat, as if calculating just how tightly she’d have to squeeze to make her stop breathing.
To Ekaterina’s surprise, Nonna instantly blanched. Her face went pale as she stumbled backward.

“T-to think you would keep such a foul creature at your side! Lady Alexandra would never have permitted this! Begone from me, monster!”

…Huh?
Ekaterina involuntarily summoned that one famous martial artist in her mind:
*“What the hell are you talking about?”*

“How many times must I say the same thing? Grandmother is gone. And you, a mere servant, have no right to speak about my attendant. Mina is far more refined and kind-hearted than you could ever hope to be. Thank you for showing us around. I’m returning now—you need not follow. Mina, let’s go.”

With that, Ekaterina turned sharply on her heel.

(*Ughhh, that old hag is even worse than I’d been warned!*)

The month I’d spent in the ducal residence in the capital had been devoted entirely to studying for academy entrance exams, and I’d only really interacted with Mina, who’d been newly hired as my personal maid.that I failed to realize until now that there were some unbecoming characters amongst the staff here—the remnants of that rotten hag’s old clique, probably.
Maybe we couldn’t fire them all at once without leaving the house short-staffed, so we had been phasing them out little by little. Still, some must be clinging on, refusing to hand over their duties.

“My lady, shall I take care of her?”
“…”

Mina asked in her usual flat tone.
Ekaterina didn’t know how to answer that.

“No. We’ll need all the help we can get until the imperial family’s visit is over. Even someone like her—if she’s gone too soon, it might trouble the butler. Once it’s done, I’ll discuss it with my brother and let him decide.”

“Understood. —Also, my lady, I’m not a magical beast.”

Mina said this just as evenly as before, and Ekaterina smiled.

“Of course not, Mina.”
“But my maternal grandfather was.”
“…”

Again, Ekaterina didn’t know what to say—but inwardly, she found herself oddly convinced.

(*So that’s it—Mina must have magical beast blood.*)

No wonder she could carry me in her arms like I weighed nothing. In this world, there are humanoid monsters who can even bear children with humans, huh.
Then again, when the Demon Dragon King himself can turn into a human and become a romance target, relationships between monsters and humans aren’t that strange after all.

“I see. I didn’t know that. If you’d told me before and I simply forgot, then I must apologize.”
“I don’t think I ever mentioned it. When you first came to the capital, you suddenly collapsed, so I never had the chance to properly introduce myself.”
“Ah, that’s right.”

Well, that was when my past-life memories came back, and I had two sets of memories and personalities in my head at once. My head would constantly ache, and whenever I tried to move, my body would lock up and my consciousness would fade. Those few days were rough—but I managed to stabilize after about three days. Thank goodness.

“I’m not a monster, but I do have monster blood. Like just now, there are always people who’ll have something to say about it. Even among the ducal houses, Jurmagna apparently never hires anyone like me. Does that bother you, my lady?”
“Does it?”

Hmm. I don’t know. I don’t feel bothered by Mina at all.
Maybe it’s because in my previous life, I read so many manga and novels with non-human characters? In those stories, the one who gets all uncomfortable about it is usually the lame one.
I mean, sure—if it were some random stranger who turned out to be a monster, I’d be a little cautious. But Mina’s been helping me with everything—meals, dressing, everything—for two months now. It’s a little late to start caring that her grandfather wasn’t human.

“Oh, I just remembered. When my brother wasn’t around, I got so thirsty I couldn’t move, and I was struggling in bed. You were the one who sat me up, weren’t you? You helped me sit up and gave me water to drink. Your touch was so gentle and comforting that I still remember it. I was a little surprised when you later spoke so bluntly, but your hands were kind, so it didn’t bother me. —I don’t think I could ever dislike you, Mina.”

The usually expressionless Mina smiled softly at that.

“I remember that too. After I helped you drink, you said ‘thank you.’ You always say thank you, even for the smallest things, even to the servants. That surprised me at first.”
“Isn’t that normal?”

Tilting her head, Ekaterina suddenly widened her eyes.

“Mina, are you perhaps also acting as my bodyguard?”
“I am.”

Mina confirmed it easily.

“Are you strong?”
“I’m strong.”

She answered that just as simply—and Ekaterina was struck dumb.
So that means, Mina is—

A *battle maid*!
She can handle housework *and* fight—and on top of that, she’s a beauty who looks amazing in a maid uniform! I thought such creatures only existed in fiction!

Ah, crap!—I must confirm something!

“Mina! Are you being paid enough?”
“..Huh?”
“Because being a maid alone is hard work from morning till night. But if you’re also serving as a bodyguard, you should be paid double!”

Proper pay for proper labor!
No to unpaid overtime!

“I’m paid plenty. The Jurnova house isn’t stingy. His Grace spends generously where it’s needed.”
“I see. That’s good, then.”

Relieved, Ekaterina smiled—and for the first time, Mina broke into a genuine grin.

“You’re strange, my lady.”
“Oh my, it’s been a while since you told me that.”
“If you don’t mind having me around, I’ll keep serving as your maid.”
“Please do.”

Thanks to that pleasant exchange, Ekaterina nearly forgot all the unpleasantness from her conversation with Nonna.
But unbeknownst to her, Nonna was, at that very moment, spectacularly self-destructing.