A Maid's Resolve
Is that it for today's training?
Yeah. We've already done more than enough.
I see. Then I'll start my personal training.
You can go now, Captain.
With that, Ceres took up a sword in each hand.
Apparently, she wouldn't be satisfied until she'd pushed herself to the brink of collapse.
I wish she'd take it a little easier...
Hey, Ceres.
What is it, Captain?
After the West is reclaimed...
...I don't know.
Nothing at all? Not even eating a ton of desserts?
W-what are you talking about, Captain?!
Even if we reclaim the West, a soldier's duty doesn't end there!
There's still too much to do for me to sit around eating desserts and getting soft!
Like what?
...I'm sure there'll be plenty.
So she really haven't thought about it, huh?
Well, maybe it's time you started.
Why now?
Because with you here, we'll definitely take back the West.
Hmph. Of course we will.
True. We won't be stuck west of Raven Wall forever.
Yes, you're right, Captain. I should probably think about what I want to do after that.
Well, given my background...
I probably won't fit in easily with other young ladies.
So I'd like someone I can talk to without worrying about slipping military jargon into the conversation.
...I know a maid at Candle Square who fits that description.
And I have no intention of giving up the sword.
It'd be nice to have someone to spar with now and then.
Uh... I think there's a maid at Candle Square like that too.
Really?! What a coincidence.
And I'd like to visit somewhere I can mourn those who died fighting to reclaim the West.
Even better if I could help maintain a place where people can pay their respects.
...There is a maid who skips her actual cleaning duties to polish gravestones.
Don't tell me she's also—
...A maid at Candle Square.
Unbelievable! Captain!
I think I've figured it out. I want to become a maid at Candle Square!
Uh... is that really the conclusion we're going with?
So this was the dream I never knew I had!
What's on the schedule this afternoon?
We're patrolling the forest where those Raiders showed up...
I see! Then it's settled. I'll try being a Candle Square maid for the day.
Meet me in the forest this afternoon, Captain!
Ceres hurried off somewhere. At least I'd stopped her from pushing herself too hard, but what exactly was she planning?
That question was answered when I reunited with Ceres in the forest that afternoon.
Ah, Captain. You're late.
???
For some reason, Ceres was waiting for me in a maid outfit.
Captain. What's with that look?
Ceres, your outfit...
Didn't I tell you? I'm trying out being a maid.
So I made sure to dress the part!
I'm surprised you managed to find a maid outfit.
I asked Besta what I should do if I wanted to try being a maid.
And amazingly, she already had an outfit on hand!
That's Adjutant Besta for you. You can always count on her to come prepared.
Why did she have one in the first place? No, better not to ask. It's Besta. Of course she'd have a bunny suit or maid outfit or two lying around.
You're really going to patrol in that?
Of course. I'm here to experience a maid's duties firsthand.
Stay close to me, Captain. I'm on maid duty, after all.
What exactly do you think a maid's duties are?
Hmph. That's an easy question. Wiping out my master's enemies, of course.
No, fighting isn't really part of a maid's—
But doesn't Candle Square choose its senior maids based on combat ability?
Well, yes, but...
If I'm going to do this, I should aim to be the very best maid.
And the best maid is the strongest maid!
I wanted to correct her, but thinking about Candle Square's senior maids made it difficult to argue.
All right, then. Let's start the patrol!
I wasn't entirely convinced, but we started the patrol, figuring nothing would actually happen.
A little while later...
Hmm. No enemies in sight?
We did have a pretty big fight here not long ago.
...This won't do.
What won't do? Isn't it a good thing that the forest is safe now?
How am I supposed to get any maid experience like this?!
Grr... I need to wipe out my master's enemies!
Captain! Search carefully! Our foes could be hiding anywhere!
O-okay.
But the Raiders Ceres had thoroughly beaten before seemed unwilling to come anywhere near the forest.
No matter how much we searched, there wasn't a single sign of them.
The only thing we found was... a half-finished trap.
It was a crude trap barely covered with leaves.
No one would ever fall for something like this. Just as I was about to walk past it—
Captain! Look out!
Ceres jumped straight into the trap!
With a snap, the trap activated and hoisted Ceres upside down.
Ceres!
I shouted her name in alarm, but unlike me, Ceres looked strangely pleased to be caught in the trap.
Hmph. Captain. You failed to notice a trap right in front of you.
But fortunately, I completed my mission of protecting my master!
Perhaps I have more talent as a maid than I thought.
But Ceres...
What is it, Captain?
Shouldn't you be a little embarrassed?
Why? I took care of the trap for you.
I completed my mission. What is there to be embarrassed about?
...Stepping on a trap doesn't usually count as disarmed.
Ceres had become strangely brazen the moment she put on a maid outfit.
Still, it was nice to see Ceres, who was always pushing herself so hard, looking genuinely proud of what she'd accomplished.
Even if it was a little ridiculous, this would probably become a meaningful memory for her.
At my praise, Ceres gave me a thumbs-up.
So... how about I get you down now?
Mm! Please do, Captain!