<h4>Chapter 125: A Minimum of Three Years, a Maximum of the Death Penalty~</h4>


    Trantor: imperfectluck Editor: vb24


    Seiji was racking his brains on how to deal with Shika Kagura acting so spoiled.


    Even though this was merely a corner of the school garden, for a high school boy to be seen hugging a middle school girl was still…


    Hey hey, there was something wrong about the important part!


    He should have been thinking of how to refuse her; why was he thinking about dealing with the aftermath!?


    His selfmentary helped him to regain his senses.


    That was dangerous. He was almost seduced by her cuteness.


    Seiji firmed his resolve and was about to strictly reject the amnesiac girl’s request to hug, but at this moment she already had her arms opened to him, with a face filled with expectation as her eyes sparkled in an innocent and cute manner.


    ‘…Hugging her wouldn’t be that big of a deal, would it?’


    "Seiji," Chiaki started, "although I don’t want to say this, but…"


    Seiji looked at the tomboy and saw that she was smiling like a convenience store clerk.


    "A minimum of three years, a maximum of the death penalty~"


    Seiji’s face twitched.


    ‘Hey, don’t say something so terrifying in such a fake tone of voice! It sounds like you’re in the service industry!’


    "I… I won’t be like that!"


    "Eh, you knew what I was talking about?"


    ‘Shouldn’t you have beenmenting about what I meant first?’ was what Chiaki’s grin seemed to say.


    Seiji broke out into a cold sweat.


    "I… of course I know! I’ve seen this on the inte!"


    "Which website did you see it on?"


    "I don’t remember! At any rate, I’ve seen it. Does it really matter where!?"


    Seiji forcefully injected spirit into his answer, but he averted his gaze from Chiaki.


    "Brother~" Shika was still waiting expectantly for him.


    Chiaki was watching this while grinning widely.


    Mika… her aura seemed a little terrifying!


    As Seiji looked around everywhere in search of a solution, he finally reached out hisrge hand… and patted Shika Kagura’s head.


    "I just hugged you earlier. Hold on for a little longer."


    Pat~ Pat~~


    "Mmm… Mew…"


    Shika didn’t get the hug she wanted, but the head pats were effective as well. She was content like a kitten.


    Chiaki’s smile seemed to lose some darkness.


    Mika’s aura also softened somewhat.


    Peace returned to this scene for the time being.


    The bell signaling the beginning of ss finally rang.


    "You two should go back to ss. I need to apany her today, so I won’t be going," Seiji informed the duo.


    Chiaki nodded.


    "During lunch break… will youe by?" Mika asked.


    "I’ll have lunch together with her at the president’s home… could it be that you’ve prepared a lunchbox for me?"


    Mika nodded.


    Seiji felt a twinge of guilt.


    To be honest, he wanted to eat lunch together with Mika and Chiaki. But Shika was sticking so closely to him, and she was the ‘Reaper’s Curse…’


    Just a short meeting should be fine, but if they ate lunch together, he didn’t know whether cmities would befall Chiaki and Mika.


    Seiji didn’t want them to undergo mysterious catastrophes.


    For the first time, he felt what Shika Kagura must have felt in the past when she rejected other people.


    He was forced to reject other peoples’ kindness and good intentions and remain distant from them.


    "Thank you… during lunch break, I’lle over and take it."


    "But I thought you needed to apany her…"


    Seiji grinned. "The president’s residence is quite close to school, so it won’t take much time."


    Mika blinked in surprise as she also smiled and nodded.


    And so, the four of them separated.


    Mika and Chiaki walked back to the school building. After walking a few steps, they couldn’t help looking back at Seiji and Shika.


    What they saw was the tall boy holding on to the petite girl’s hand as they walked off into the distance.


    …


    Seiji stayed by Shika’s side for the entire morning.


    They watched TV together, surfed the inte, yed hide-and-seek, read manga, yed Monopoly, and yed some other card games…


    The maid Mai Houjou brought everything they watched, read, and yed to them, includingptops, manga, cards, and so on.


    Yes, the maid-senpai was also unable to attend sses.


    ording to her, serving herdy’s guests was much more important than attending ss.


    ‘Senpai, you’re a third-year high schooler; is this really alright?’


    She didn’t seem to mind, so… it was fine?


    Seiji found it easy to forget about his senpai’s presence while he was having fun with Shika, but whenever he needed something, he noticed her immediately.


    Her skills as a maid were extraordinary.


    Seiji came to the conclusion that she was definitely not an ordinary person!


    She said she was here to serve him and Shika, but perhaps… she was actually putting them under surveince?


    Well, either way, it didn’t matter.


    Seiji was merely apanying a girl… who’d developed amnesia which caused her mental age to regress. They were only ying normally.


    Dusk.


    The tall boy was sitting in the hallway and observing the scenery in the backyard.


    The petite girl used hisp as a pillow, and her head was resting on his thighs. She had fallen asleep while clutching onto one of hisrge hands.


    The maid appeared at the end of the hallway with a tray in her hand as she silently walked over.


    Walking next to the boy, she crouched, ced down the tray, arranged the teacups, and slowly began pouring tea.


    None of her movements created any sound, and there was an indescribable elegance to her actions!


    Considering the fact that she aplished all this in ck-and-white maid attire, it further increased the difficulty of soundlessly performing everything.


    Seiji’s eyes sparkled with admiration.


    The maid-senpai didn’t say anything as she smiled gently and ced one cup of tea by his hand. She then took another cup of tea for herself.


    And so, they quietly sipped tea together.


    Shika’s body moved slightly as she seemed to mutter something. There was a light smile on her sleeping face.


    Seiji observed her for a few moments and also smiled faintly.


    He finished his tea and ced down the teacup.


    "Thank you for your efforts today, Harano… Haruta-san," Mai said in a soft voice while refilling Seiji’s empty teacup.


    Seiji blinked in surprise at this.


    "It wasn’t all that much of a big deal… Senpai, I thought you would constantly remain silent."


    The maid threw him a sidelong nce. "I’m not mute. Everyone has times when they want tomunicate."


    Since she was still smiling as she done this, this sidelong nce actually seemed rather cute.


    Seiji almost chuckled out loud at the sight.


    "Okay then, just that Senpai… you seem so professional… too professional."


    "I’m being paid a sry to do this job. Of course I need to be serious about it."


    "What about what you’re doing right now?’


    "Even when working seriously, there are times when people need to rx a little~"


    "Mmm… you seem to be right about that."


    "Of course I am."


    They exchanged nces as they bothughed soundlessly.


    "I’ve been constantly watching you today." Mai’s tone of voice suddenly turned more serious as she continued, "I’ve been observing you, to see what type of person you are.


    "And now, I understand… why it was that Mdy was willing to invite you into her home, as well as why… this amnesiac girl relies on you so much."


    Seiji scratched his face awkwardly. "Er… should I interpret that as praise?"


    "It is praise. I haven’t praised many boys before, so you should be proud of yourself."


    "Heh, you’re just a maid~"


    "I have another identity, and it’ll scare you upon hearing it~"


    "I already know about it: you’re the former student council president, right?" Seiji looked at her with a mock disdain. "But now you’re nothing more than a maid."


    Mai puffed out her cheeks slightly. "Hmph… you need to fix your attitude, junior!"


    "Since you view me as your junior, then there’s no need for honorifics. Don’t call me something like Harano or Haruta-san; it sounds quite strange."


    Mai paused for a moment at hearing this, before she broke out intoughter. The pout from earlier was nowhere to be seen.


    "Okay then, you… you win, junior Haruta."


    "What did I win? Is there a prize, Houjou-senpai?" Seiji blinked his eyes innocently.


    "I’m just a maid; what prize would I even have to give you?" Mai grinned as she sipped her tea.


    "But," Seiji started, "ording to legend, maids can provide some ‘special’ services…"


    Seeing Mai smile as she mockingly raised the tea kettle to chuck at him, Seiji hurriedly put a stop to his clown act.


    "Of course they’re all fake! Please forget I said anything!"


    That smile was still stered on Mai’s face as she tilted the tea kettle… and poured more tea for herself.


    Seiji also lowered his head and sipped some more tea.


    "By the way, Senpai…"


    "Hmm?"


    "If… If I didn’t pass your inspection… er, observation, what would have happened?"


    Mai slowly revealed the most brilliant smile she had ever shown him.


    "Did you know, junior Haruta? The most important job of a maid isn’t to take care of her master’s basic living needs. It’s to exterminate all pests around her master~"


    Seiji was rendered speechless by this.