Maid qualities? What "maid qualities"?
She was once a young lady herself, and it wasn't as if her family hadn't employed maids, yet she had never heard of such a thing.
Hearing Kamijou Mutsuki's words, Sakiko-sensei silently placed a question mark in her mind. However, she soon understood exactly what Kamijou Mutsuki was talking about.
"So..."
Sakiko-sensei was still the same Sakiko-sensei, but her clothes had changed from her Haneoka school uniform to a black-and-white maid outfit.
The pure white over-the-knee socks created a slight "indentation" on her thighs that looked incredibly enticing.
Of course, the most important part was the snowy-white Absolute Territory between the white silk and the short maid skirt. Combined with the girl's flushed cheeks, the sight was a total visual feast.
The era of Customer Service Saki was over; it was now the era of Maid Saki!
"This is what you call 'maid qualities'?" the girl said, practically grinding her teeth.
"Since you're a maid, wearing a maid uniform should be perfectly normal, shouldn't it?" Kamijou Mutsuki replied with a face that screamed "common sense."
"What kind of maid uniform is this?!" The blushing Sakiko couldn't help but raise her voice. "This is entirely to satisfy your own personal fetishes, isn't it?"
What Sakiko was wearing was closer to a cosplay prop than a serious maid uniform. At the very least, in her eyes, it was worlds apart from what the maids in her former home used to wear.
Of course, it wasn't exactly "revealing"—it just fit the stereotypical image of a maid uniform in the eyes of the general public.
However, for this former young lady, this outfit pushed her sense of shame to its absolute limit.
"Is that not allowed?"
Facing the indignant girl, Kamijou Mutsuki replied with total confidence.
"Besides, the most important thing about a maid uniform is that it should be cute, right? Isn't it cute?" Mutsuki asked, turning to the "Wood-head" Mutsumi beside him.
"Mm... Sakiko... is indeed very cute."
Even the "Wood-head" had to admit that Sakiko-sensei in her maid form looked stunning. Moreover, even as her childhood friend, she had never seen Sakiko-sensei make such a cute expression.
One could only say it was lucky Soyo wasn't here, or she would have surely fainted from excitement.
However...
'So Kamijou Mutsuki likes this type?'
The girl stole a glance at Mutsuki, her eyes tinged with a hint of resentment.
If it was this kind of maid uniform... she could do it too!
Furthermore, her childhood friend's current behavior reminded her of certain "unwholesome" scenarios.
For example, the fallen aristocrat Togawa Sakiko...
Wait, what was she thinking?
Mutsumi-chan's face flushed slightly as she banished those messy thoughts from her mind.
"Mutsumi!"
Hearing Mutsumi's evaluation, the expression on Sakiko's face shifted from shyness to sheer embarrassment.
After all, compared to Kamijou Mutsuki, who was barely a friend, showing such a side of herself in front of her childhood friend was far more humiliating.
"This maid uniform really does look good," Kamijou Mutsuki remarked, stroking his chin as he sized up "Maid Saki."
"Now that the outfit is settled, the next issue is the form of address..."
"The address?!"
Sakiko-sensei, who had already been repressing her emotions, was on the verge of losing it. She had already summoned a massive amount of resolve just to put on this maid uniform; what more did he want?
"You don't have to say it," Kamijou Mutsuki said, appearing completely indifferent in the face of the scowling, wide-eyed maid girl. "That goes for the uniform too. I'm just saying these are the rules of my house."
"..."
However, hearing Mutsuki's "generous" words, the girl—who had been so agitated just a moment ago—suddenly fell silent.
It was exactly as he said. She could choose not to wear the uniform, or even stay here without doing a single thing. In fact, she could have stayed with the Togawa family from the very beginning and continued to be their "Young Lady."
After all, unlike that man who was merely a son-in-law, she had Togawa blood in her veins.
The girl named Sakiko Togawa always had a way out, but she would absolutely never take that exit!
Since she had agreed to be Kamijou Mutsuki's maid, she would do the job properly.
To take advantage of Mutsuki's kindness to get special treatment—how would that be any different from living off him for free? This was something the girl's pride could never accept.
And so, Kamijou Mutsuki watched as the girl stood in silence for a long while before finally raising her head.
The lights cast a subtle shadow over the girl's face. She looked down at Kamijou Mutsuki, her cold expression flashing with a look of disdain as if she were staring at a common insect.
"Understood... Master!"
'Oh no, I'm getting a reaction!'
Since when was Sakiko-sensei this good at it? She truly has the "Innate Maid Constitution."
Kamijou Mutsuki realized that a maid uniform really did suit the girl in front of him far better than a customer service headset ever could. Unable to resist such a magnificent sight, he whipped out his phone and snapped a photo.
"Wait! What are you doing?!"
The high-and-mighty maid persona shattered instantly. Sakiko's face turned bright red as she lunged forward, trying to snatch the phone from his hand.
"Delete that right now!"
Wearing this in front of Mutsuki and Mutsumi was one thing, but if anyone else saw this, she would literally die of shame!
"Don't be like that! It would be such a tragedy if such a precious image disappeared forever!"
Kamijou Mutsuki held the phone high over his head, dodging the maid as she hopped up and down, desperately trying to grab it.
"Alright, alright! I'll only use this photo for myself. I won't show it to anyone else, okay?"
Seeing that Sakiko-sensei wouldn't rest until the photo was gone, Mutsuki could only offer that promise.
'Use it for yourself? How exactly do you plan on 'using' it?!'
Though his wording felt incredibly suspicious, Sakiko stopped her struggling. She knew how difficult it was to actually force him to delete something; getting a promise was likely the best she was going to get.
Beside them, the "Wood-head" Mutsumi's gaze shifted as she heard this.
Mutsumi-chan: Use mine too!
"If there is nothing else, I will begin my work... Master."
After pulling her emotions back together, the girl reverted to her "High-Cold Maid" mode. Because Kamijou Mutsuki had given her a heads-up, Mutsumi hadn't started on dinner yet—that was now Sakiko's job.
Watching her rush off to work on her own accord, a true capitalist would be overjoyed.
"I'll help, too," Mutsumi added, following along after her.
Although Sakiko-sensei had the "dark history" of hiding in Kamijou Mutsuki's wardrobe, after subsequent explanations, Mutsumi understood it was just a misunderstanding.
At least from the "Wood-head's" perspective, Sakiko didn't seem to have any special feelings toward Mutsuki—she was "safe."
Therefore, she was genuinely delighted by her childhood friend's arrival. After all, do you even understand the sheer weight of being "soul halves"?
Furthermore, while she wasn't entirely sure of the specifics, she knew that with Kamijou Mutsuki's intervention, Sakiko probably wouldn't have to be as awkward and twisted as she was before. Just like Mutsumi herself.
-----------------------------------
PS: I really want to be stepped on by Maid Saki while she looks at me like I'm absolute trash. Just thinking about that scene makes me feel incredibly "high"!
...................