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It has been a week since Elin started working under Edgar, but he still felt somewhat awkward about the presence of a maid.

It wasn’t that Elin was incompetent or that she found it difficult to interact with him; it was one of the concerns he had when a maid was assigned.

“Master, your clothes…”

As Edgar was getting refreshed and ready to change, Elin suddenly approached him. She urged him to put his arms into the waistcoat she was holding up, and his expression shifted subtly.

“I’m fine with my clothes.”

“B-but…”

Despite Edgar’s objections, Elin was hesitant to back down and looked back and forth between her master and the clothes with uncertainty.

As a maid, it was her duty to assist her master’s attire. She had been drilled on this when learning from Shepi.

However, the problem was that there were no clear guidelines on how to handle situations when the master refused.

After all, it was common knowledge that those in authority had the right to command those below them. They tended to treat those under them more like extensions of their own bodies than as individuals.

But Edgar was different. He preferred to handle what he could himself, and he didn’t particularly like relying on others.

“Instead, could you please check if Ariel is in her room? It’s about that time she should be waking up, but just in case.”

“Yes…! Understood.”

Seeing Elin in a dilemma, Edgar decided to divert her attention by asking her to check something else.

Once Elin quietly closed the door and left, Edgar let out a brief sigh and began changing his clothes.

He knew that if he were to ask for her help, it would make things easier for both of them, but it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

‘Is it because our values are still different?’

Even though he had been living here for almost twenty years, his old concepts hadn’t vanished completely. Additionally, since his family, the Billhark Family, belonged to a minor nobility, he hadn’t had many servants to deal with.

While he had had some encounters after arriving in Hespania, the ambiguity of his position had limited those interactions.

As a result, it was still more comfortable for him to do things himself, drawing him back from handing tasks to Elin.

‘This isn’t good.’

Edgar decided that he needed to come up with a plan, so he buttoned up the shirt he was changing into and sat on the edge of the bed, resting his chin on his hand in thought.

He recalled that he had occasionally helped Shuri in the past, but he knew that was a different matter altogether.

‘This way, we’ll only end up feeling uncomfortable with each other.’

Ultimately, Elin had become his official maid, and there were duties she was expected to fulfill. While he could alleviate some of those duties as a master, indefinitely avoiding tasks wouldn’t be beneficial for either of them.

If it came to that, Elin might forget her position, leading to confusion in the process. Moreover, not doing what needs to be done could only bring unease.

‘Should I ask Ariel for advice?’

As Edgar pondered, he suddenly remembered that someone nearby had been in a position of authority for over twenty years, using subordinates effectively. He perked up at the thought.

Of course, he didn’t think Ariel would understand his concerns about the differences in values, having always commanded people since birth. He simply wanted to ask her opinion on the current situation.

If he could get some advice, that would be even better.

*Knock knock.*

“Uh, come in.”

Thinking that finding Ariel was the priority, Edgar quickly started changing his clothes again when Elin knocked and entered.

“Master, she said the lady is in her room.”

“Oh? Then I should go see her right away.”

Edgar’s face brightened at the good news and he stood up. As he approached the door, Elin watched him with hesitation and then cautiously spoke up.

“Um, can I come along?”

“…Puh.”

Instead of ‘I’ll accompany you,’ she asked, ‘Can I come along?’ It was clear the earlier rejection had affected her, and Edgar barely stifled a laugh.

“You’re the maid, so it’s fine. Let’s go.”

“Y-yes…!”

As Edgar stepped out first, Elin quickly followed him, her movements resembling those of a puppy chasing after its owner.

From the very start of their morning conversation, the topic wasn’t ‘Did you sleep well?’ but rather, ‘I don’t know how to treat a maid.’

Ariel stared at the boyfriend sitting next to her with disbelief, realizing the absurdity.

“Are you some kind of commoner?”

“I’ve lived without a maid for quite a while, it’s possible.”

“That’s pretty foolish. No wonder you got along well with Shuri.”

Since Ariel had commanded both maids to leave their presence, they were free to speak loudly without issue.

Originally, Ariel didn’t really change her tone depending on whether they were around or not, but now, she couldn’t help but throw in a jab.

“Just tell her what you need, and if you don’t, leave her be. Isn’t that simple?”

“So you ask the maid to help you change clothes and bathe you all the time?”

“Yep. Why not?”

“…Ah.”

Edgar realized his mistake when Ariel retorted as if it were nothing, and he let out a quiet sigh.

Sometimes he acted so childish that he forgot Ariel was among the upper echelons of the ruling class, someone who’d never had to even fold her own clothes.

For her, having someone tend to such trivial matters was simply a given.

This was a clear example of the difference in values.

“Don’t you know what a servant’s duty is? They exist to reduce the burdens on their master while they fulfill their own obligations.”

“True, but I can understand it in my head, but it’s not easy for my heart.”

“Seriously. You’ve lived without a servant, but you really are something else.”

At first, Ariel thought it was weird to start talking about such a cloudy topic out of nowhere, but looking at Edgar’s expression, she soon realized it was a serious matter.

“If that’s the case, then don’t ask her to do things.”

“I was considering that, but wouldn’t that make her feel uncomfortable? Other people usually don’t feel that way.”

“How foolish. Why worry about that?”

Ariel finally grasped the root of Edgar’s concerns.

In short, he believed that if a servant had duties towards their master, then the master should have corresponding obligations towards the servant as well.

While that notion was indeed accurate, it also led to a significant misunderstanding.

“After all, it’s probably Elin’s first time working under someone. So it’s only natural for both of you to get used to each other.”

“Getting used to…”

“You’ve only met her a week ago.”

“…That’s true. Time is important.”

Edgar nodded, realizing he hadn’t considered this aspect. Ariel made a fair point, and he had over-complicated his relationship with Elin.

There’s a mutual obligation in the master-servant relationship, but that doesn’t mean he had to strictly adhere to what others did.

Edgar could simply act as he always had, and Elin just needed to get accustomed to him as he was.

They only needed to become slightly more familiar with each other, and he recognized he had been overthinking the situation.

“You once told me that too. Just get used to it, no need to rush. So why are you making it complicated now?”

“True, thanks to you, I’m getting help.”

Edgar never imagined he would receive advice from Ariel due to his relationship with people.

Was this what it felt like to have confidence rooted in experience as someone who had ruled over others?

He chuckled to himself, reflecting how everyone had their own unique strengths.

“She’s younger than me, so I should start treating her like a little sister.”

Edgar thought it might be quite alright if they didn’t have a rigid master-servant relationship as long as they each fulfilled their responsibilities.

After all, Elin didn’t seem like the kind of person who would act presumptuously just because he treated her more casually.

Meanwhile, Ariel raised an eyebrow at Edgar’s comment, displaying an oddly uncomfortable expression.

“But don’t get too close.”

“Why? Are you jealous?”

“…Just imagine whatever you want. You idiot. I don’t want to say it myself.”

After teasing her oblivious boyfriend, Ariel swallowed her words and took a sip of her now cold tea.

From that moment on, Edgar remained by Ariel’s side for the entire day, out of gratitude for her listening to his worries.

Thanks to that, Ariel was able to spend the day with a satisfied smile, pleased with the fair exchange.