Inside a gloomy room, where various herbs and potions were kept safe, Young Maid stood before a small cauldron.

  Her small hand slowly restlessly stirring its content.

  *Blup…Blup…*

  “…”

  Watching the cauldron like a wild beast staring its prey. Showing her great amount of concentration.

  The small maid, Raina, focusing all her attention on it, not realizing the change of her surroundings.

  *Blup……Blup……*

  Now!

  Immediately, she poured the mixed herb she’d prepared into cauldron, then continue to stir slowly.

  After some time, amazing phenomena was happening inside the cauldron.

  The purple liquid inside slowly turning glowing beautiful emerald.

  Raina didn’t give slightest reaction to the phenomena before her as it already been happened many times.

  Her hand keeps working in circle until golden sparkle begun to release on liquid surface.

  Skillfully, she turns down the fire and put the last ingredient without release her hand from the ladle.

  The liquid turned emerald gold, indicated her potion was finished.

  Raina put liquid into a large container and sealed it tightly.

  Her work mostly finished.

  She only needing to distributed the potion she made into small bottles to finish her work.

  Just as she about moves to take the bottles, it suddenly presented before her.

  “Here.”

  “M-Master!?”

  “How many times a said stop calling me master…”

  Arc sighed.

  “Master, since when?”

  “Since you lit up the fire.”

  “!!”

  ‘Isn’t it from beginning!?’

  Raina wondering how she didn’t sense his approach and why he didn’t call her.

  As though reading her mind, Arc explained.

  “Well, I just didn’t want to disturb since you look so serious, so I came quietly. Everyone here too.”

  Arc pointed the girls on corner.

  “Hi Raina. Seems like you almost finished.”

  “…Um… We’re just watching here…”

  “!!”

  ‘How the hell I missed them!?’

  Now, Raina seriously begun to doubt with her sense.

  “Really, Raina. You normally sharp as beast, but you truly unguarded whenever you focusing on something.”

  “!!”

  “It’s my negligence, Young Lady!”

  “Haa~ no need so tense all of sudden. Why you always like this?”

  Misha sighed at Raina never change stiffness.

  They have been together for so long, but Raina never changes her attitude toward them.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  She always wondering why Raina was so fixated being a maid when she’d no longer being one since the calamity.

  Whenever she asked, she always said:

  “Because I’m a maid.”

  “…Whatever.”

  Misha drops shoulder in defeat.

  Hearing her fixed answer somewhat exasperating.

  Swallow all her urge to sigh, she turned to vials on table.

  “Let’s help you finish this.”

  “That…”

  Raina tried to reject her, but stopped by Arc.

  “Master?”

  “Don’t reject. Considering this order. It her wish to do this.”

  “That’s right.”

  Raina her hem was tugged. It’s the youngest white-haired girl.

  “Um… Just let us help you… it’s lonely without everyone together…”

  Tenderness spread in her heart after hearing Herlin’s word. Raina smile gently toward her family.

  “Sorry for rudeness. Please help me, Master, Young Lady.”

  “You still stiff.”

  Misha commented.

  Raina, alongside Arc, Misha and Herlin resumed the work.

  With helping hand from her family, Raina finished her work rather quickly today.

  *****

  ***

  *

  “By the way, what kind potion you made this time?”

  Misha asked as their usual group exited medicine house.

  Among their group, Raina was surprisingly had talent in medicine. According to Mrs. Rona, Raina’s physician master and the village sole doctor, Raina sense of smell and her knack for plant was the deciding factor for her to take Raina as apprentice. Her nose was sharp she’d easily distinguishing medicine and poison. She also could wildly sense which safe and poisoning plants.

  Misha and Arc nodding understandably when they heard that. Before Raina become maid and meet them, she had been living alone in wild. That’s where she got her ability in sensing poison which important ability to survive in wild.

  It seems Mrs. Rona didn’t only teach her to make potion. She intent to teach Raina all-kind knowledge she had, intending to turning her into full-fledge physician. Misha heard Mrs. Rona often taking Raina to help her with patients.

  Unfortunately, Raina never acknowledges that because she is a maid.

  Thank of that, Mrs. Rona always giving annoyed look whenever she heard ‘maid’.

  Enough for digressing–

  –Returning when they exited Mrs. Rona’s medicine house.

  Raina silently bowing her head for a while before she replied.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Huh?”

  Misha dumbly raised her voice.

  “You don’t know?”

  “What?”

  “…Uh?”

  Misha, Arc, Herlin turned at her with disturbed expression.

  “Yes.”

  “““……”””

  Silence.

  Arc look down on vial in his hand.

  Whenever Raina successful creating potion, Rona always gave her a small vial of potion she created as reward for her success. It’d good thing to be rewarded for her hard work, except the reward not at all necessary a good thing.

  Arc who was carrying it, suddenly felt the vial in his hand was very hot.

  “Um, Misha, would you?”

  “No way! Rather, got that thing away from us!”

  As Arc thrust the potion to Misha, she quickly leaping away. Herlin and Raina expressionlessly following her, evading Arc, or rather the potion in his hand, as though they evading disgusting insect.

  Arc’s lips twitched.

  ‘Again!?’

  “Raina, why you made unknown potion again!?”

  “Teacher instruction.”

  “Mrs. Rona!”

  Arc’s scream resounding through the village.

  Some villagers stopped their feet when they heard his scream, but quickly squired away when they saw the vial in his hand.

  Arc sighed helplessly as he saw the situation.

  He can’t blame their behavior because the potion in his hand just that ridiculous.

  Mrs. Rona was renowned and trusted physician in village. Her fame for her skill and potion was well-spread, along her infamy as eccentric. She infamous for creating unknown potion and using the villagers as guinea pig. The potion never poisoning so it’s safe. Only, its effect was ridiculous.

  Everyone that have tried Mrs. Rona’s unknown potion suffered greatly, including Arc and girls.

  Arc can’t forget the time he turned to monkey for entire day because of it!

  *Sigh*

  A black box appears from nowhere before his feet. Arc put the potion in it and the box vanished as though it never been there.

  “Another dangerous good secured.”

  “Good, Arc”

  Misha and others clapping hand as Arc secured the dangerous potion.

  “I trembling whatever horror it’d unleash if someone take it.”

  Imagining what kind ridiculous effect that potion might have made Misha shudder.

  “It’s good thing learn, but it wasn’t good to create something unknow and dangerous and bring it home.”

  “…………You tell her, Arc……”

  Misha and others shot Arc cold looks. Someone that occasionally bringing and feeding his family equally dangerous goods.

  Arc threw his face to side, pretending not aware that.

  *****

  ***

  *

  As the group continuing their walk.

  From behind, without anyone knowing, Raina was smiling.

  She happily watching as Arc and Misha starting to quarrel while Herlin trying to placate them. Just doing usual behavior.

  It’s been so long.

  A first, it’s only a whim she following Master and Young Lady from that forest. Also, because the warm they provided.

  After so much happened, she determined to follow them as their maid, even though they accepted her as family. It’s her way to return their kindness and doing things.

  “…”

  Raina quietly watching over Crestia with profound feeling.

  This peaceful live they gained after the calamity four years ago really filling her with warm and happiness.

  When they first arrive here, they’re devastated by wound and loss, especially Misha and Herlin. Gradually, their wound healed as they living peacefully in this village.

  Everyone in village was kind. Sometimes, it’s gentle. Sometimes, it’s harsh. The villagers helping and treating lost children like them with kindness, teaching them various things, as though they were their relative.

  They making new friends, found new family, creating new bonds.

  Arc, Misha, Herlin and herself, Raina happily living in Crestia for four years.

  Sadly…

  Everyone.

  Even herself can feel it.

  The time for this peaceful life over was approaching.

  Raina following her family from behind as they tried to make best the time they had.

  Even so–

  From the depth of heart, there profound gladness.

  She glad.

  While this peaceful life might be ended, she also found that.

  Found a family that will never abandon her again.