"So, you got hurt after helping someone, my daughter… and you have nowhere to live because your parents passed away?" said Sayuri Sawamura, Eriri's mother, resting her hand gently on her cheek as she repeated the explanation Eriri had given her. Her tone was calm and kind, but her eyes carried a sharp intuition while looking at me.
Just like in the anime and novel, Sayuri looked far younger than a mother should—refined, graceful, and radiating the composed aura of a noblewoman. Her silky black hair was tied into twin tails, mirroring Eriri's hairstyle, though hers had a more mature and traditional charm or maybe more like Yamato Nadeshiko.
Her brown eyes were soft yet observant, and her gentle smile could both comfort and sharpness. She wore a beautifully embroidered kimono, its subtle floral pattern glowing under the warm lights of the dining room.
Honestly, she looked exactly as I had imagined her: an elegant and graceful version of Eriri, one who exuded both warmth and quiet authority. Even sitting across the dinner table, I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous under her gaze. There was a kind of quiet dignity in the air, the kind you only found in people who lived surrounded by refinement and old money.
The Sawamura residence itself radiated that aura—an elegant Western-style mansion with high ceilings, chandeliers, and polished wooden floors that reflected the soft glow of the evening lights. The long dining table was adorned with fine china, silver utensils, and freshly cut flowers, giving the atmosphere an almost aristocratic touch.
Which only made me more nervous. The elegant atmosphere of this mansion, with its chandelier lighting and perfectly polished dining table, didn't help either. Still, thanks to my skills, I managed to keep my composure and talk normally.
"Ah... yes. We won't just part ways like that..." I said with a faint, sad smile. Deep down, I wasn't lying. After all, in my previous life, I had already lost my parents, and now, in this world, they didn't exist at all. That emptiness was something I didn't have to fake.
"Hm, what a poor boy..." Sayuri murmured softly, her voice full of motherly sympathy as she dabbed her eyes with a lace handkerchief.
"In the end, I also told her that I wasn't a girl," I thought to myself, recalling the awkward moment earlier. "Better to clear that up now than deal with misunderstandings later."
"Well," Sayuri said after taking a sip of tea, "not only did you lose your home, but your ID as well. Don't worry—we'll help you sort that out."
"Ah, thank you so much," I replied sincerely, bowing my head. The warmth and generosity from the Sawamura family were almost overwhelming.
Sayuri smiled gently. "Really, I never thought my daughter would go so far to help someone—especially a boy. She's never been the type to care about any boy other than that one person. Letting you stay here until you find a place to live... she must truly care about you."
"Mom!" Eriri protested, her face instantly turning red as she looked away.
Sayuri chuckled softly before turning her gaze back to me, her eyes glimmering with interest. "By the way, how old are you, Adi-kun?"
"I'm eighteen years old..." I replied calmly. Of course, I couldn't use my real age from my past life—my current body looked a bit younger than I used to be. Still, I didn't want to claim the same age as Eriri either; the last thing I needed was to be dragged back into high school life. So, eighteen felt like the safest answer.
"Oh? I thought you were younger. But it turns out you're actually older—how surprising." Sayuri smiled knowingly, her tone playfully teasing as she cast a glance at her daughter.
Eriri's face immediately turned pink. "M-Mom! It's not what you think!" she protested, nearly choking on her food as she waved her hands defensively.
Sayuri laughed softly at her daughter's flustered reaction, clearly enjoying how cute Eriri looked when embarrassed.
"Well then, Adi-kun," she said with a gentle smile, folding her hands gracefully beneath her chin, "what do you plan to do from now on?"
"Hm? Well, after I get my ID, maybe I'll try to find a part-time job or something," I said, giving the safest answer possible.
But in truth, my mind was already racing with ideas. If I was really in Eriri's world—the world of anime and light novels—then maybe, just maybe, I could make something big here. Why bother with part-time work when I could create stories from the countless worlds I remembered? If I could get close to Utaha and Eriri, I could make something legendary—a visual novel that could rival Fate/Stay Night or even Muv-Luv.
The thought alone made me grin slightly, though I quickly hid it by pretending to sip my tea.
Sayuri tilted her head, noticing the faint smile. "Ara… you seem quite confident, Adi-kun. You must have something in mind already."
"Ah, well… something like that," I replied, scratching my cheek awkwardly.
"Fufu... how interesting," Sayuri said with a mysterious smile, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "Although I'm happy to help you, Adi-kun, you know the saying—those who don't work, don't eat. So, how about this? While you're staying here, I'll give you an easy job."
"Huh... what kind of job?" I asked, half-heartedly. To be honest, I wasn't really interested, but since it came from the owner of the house, I couldn't exactly refuse.
Sayuri clasped her hands together, her grin widening. "It's simple. While you're here... you'll work as a maid for Eriri!" she declared with an almost theatrical level of excitement.
"M-Mom! What are you even saying!?" Eriri shouted, her face turning red in an instant. She slammed her chopsticks onto the table, glaring at her mother.
My jaw dropped. "W-wait! A maid!? Me!?" I blurted out, completely stunned. Just a second ago, I thought Sayuri was this elegant, refined woman—but what was this chaotic suggestion!?
Sayuri just laughed softly, covering her mouth with a fan she seemed to have produced out of nowhere. "Oh, come now, don't look so shocked. You'd look adorable in a maid outfit, you know? With that cute face of yours, I'm sure you'd pull it off perfectly~"
"Fufufu~ I mean, don't you think so too, Eriri? Wouldn't Adi-kun look cute wearing one of those frilly maid uniforms?" Sayuri turned to her daughter, her tone teasing but strangely genuine.
Eriri froze, her expression caught between embarrassment and disbelief. Her lips parted as if to object... but no sound came out. Instead, she just looked away, cheeks still pink, muttering under her breath, "...I-I mean... maybe..."
"See?" Sayuri said triumphantly, clearly enjoying every moment. "It's settled then!"
"W-what the hell is with this Sawamura family...!?" I muttered under my breath, still in shock, as Sayuri smiled like she'd just created a new chapter of her favorite anime trope.
[author]
Each chapter is about 1,000-1,200 words,
Monday to Saturday, every 5.00 AM in my country and maybe 3:00 PM in UTC since my reader lot from US. Thanks for reading!!! I hope all of you bless by luck when pulling in any gacha games.
[/author]