It's the school festival day, and I can't help but sigh at everything going on.

Despite having weeks to prepare for their classroom's cafe opening, Vert's classmates don't look the least bit composed enough to take on mass amounts of orders.

It was starting to make me doubt my teachings.

"Don't think they're gonna make it through the day?" Neptune asked from behind me, glancing at the panicking and prancing classroom at the same time as me.

"Not in the slightest." I bluntly responded, "If they're this worked up, your class might as well have ran something else."

Neptune lighted slapped me on the back and giggled, "We'll be fine, that's part of the charm of the school festival! Trust me! Also, where's Vert?"

I shook my head, "She said she had something to do on this day. But that she would help out before then. Do you know anything about it, Miss Neptune?"

A pause…

…

…

…

There was this look in her eyes that seemed like she knew something, but wouldn't necessarily give any details. But I couldn't press her on it. After all, her response was…

"I have no idea. She hasn't told me anything either." she replied with a smile, "Why? Worried for her?"

"Of course. Vert is the sole Mistress I serve after all."

Neptune was about to respond, but someone shouted from behind. "Hey! Neptune! If you have time to be talking to that brown-haired chick, you have time to help with preparing!"

"Aww~ but Noire! We're preparing nicely even without Blanc and I!"

"I don't care what her name is." said the black-haired Madonna as she approached us, "You're just using her as an excuse to do no work."

I cleared my throat to bring her attention to myself. "If I may interject, Miss Noire. If you take a look at the sight in front of us, things are in fact, going as smoothly as planned, with everyone nervous, let's give them some time to calm their nerves before opening time. Also some of them brought their breakfast with them. . So perhaps you should not butt into our private conversation?"

Noire clicked her tongue and folded her arms. "Have it your way, Neptune…" she mumbled, storming off, "What do you even see in a lowly servant anyway?"

Neptune giggled sadly, "I hope you don't mind the animosity…"

"You and Vert mentioned her before. Compared to someone I know, she's pretty easy to deal with."

"When did I mention her?" Neptune asked quizzically.

"A couple weeks before this. When you asked me to play video games with you?"

"Oh right... I did mention her."

I gave a curt nod, "Indeed. Now what did she mention about seeing something in m—"

"ALRIGHT EVERYONE!" a long haired brunette shouted from the middle of the classroom, "It's almost time to open the cafe! Double check everything, and we'll swing into business! Let's give it our all!"

A few fist pumps in the air and some shouts later, the high school cafe opened for business and the customers started to flow in.

I could only hope this didn't fall apart almost immediately…

It… surprisingly didn't fall apart in record time. In fact, Mistress' class surprised me with how professional they were with everything.

It was more cutesy than I'd like, but that's a difference of me being a maid by profession, rather than a one off thing like what's happening right now.

One glance to the door later, and I find someone waiting there that hadn't been serviced yet.

"Hello!" I greeted nicely, "Welcome to our cafe. Table for one?"

"Is this the maid cafe that everyone's been talking about?" A skinny-looking man asked, trying to peer inside, "I haven't seen you in any classes before."

Getting a better look at him, he seemed to be around Mistress' age, wearing the standard Leanbox National Academy uniform. He had black hair and fair skin, features common to Loweeans. What was odd was his blue eyes. I hadn't seen those in any Loweean before.

"Has word been going around?" I asked, standing my ground and doing a maidly bow, "I am not from your school, yes. I am Vert's personal maid. She asked me to participate in her stead."

"So the real de-...! Hey! Buzz off Tanya!" the man swatted away another hand trying to cover his mouth from behind and turned around angrily.

Which the woman, seemingly, from behind, flicked her finger in front of him and sighed. "Don't run off then, Landon. Are you really trying to avoid me?"

"Ow! No! Its just that this maid cafe has been the only talk of the entire festival! How could I not get curious?!"

The woman sighed and stepped to the side to show herself. "Sorry, I'm Tanya. I'm this guy's cousin, and we've been going around the festival together."

She too was wearing the standard uniform. Having fiery red, long, hair and blue eyes as well… It seemed to be something genetic to the family I suppose. She had a more fair build, but still slender, and also had a fair complexion.

She looked healthy in a sense, compared to Landon who did not.

"Table for two, Master and Mistress?"

Tanya blinked, "Who's she?"

Landon sighed and nodded at me in the meanwhile, "Vert's maid. And yes, table for two. Sorry for holding you up."

I smiled and shook my head, standing aside to let both into the 'cafs', "It is fine. The cafe isn't busy at this time, so it is excusable. But had it been busy, I might have had to reprimand you."

"Woah… she's actually the real deal!" Tanya commented as she entered

"That's the other reason I wanted to come. I heard rumours that there was an actual maid here in the school. Guess it really wasn't a rumour after all."

Landon and Tanya seated themselves shortly after conversing with each other, and I handed them the menus after.

"The omurice is our specialty dish today." I explained, pointing to said item on both of their menus, "However, as I am a real, working maid, I will not be doing anything cutesy like as is done in maid cafes in Akiba. You may ask another maid to do so for you, but I will not be providing such service."

I gave them a maidly bow and handed them a bell. "Ring this, and call my name when you are ready to order. Unless you are ready to order now?"

Both people shook their heads and I nodded, "My name is Blanc. Do not inquire about my relationship with Vert, and I will be taking my leave now."

I headed to the back and sighed, grabbing a random water bottle that had been left out in the open, and airing the liquid down my throat.

"Still not used to talking a lot?" Noire called out from behind me. "I thought you seemed fine when you were teaching the class…"

"I thought you hated my guts?"

"I can be professional too, Miss Maid." she said in retort.

I sighed and nodded, "In my normal day to day with Vert, I stay quiet until shs asks for my action or opinion. Otherwise, I am performing my duties silently."

"Isn't that boring?"

"Not quite, no."

"How so?"

"Vert gives me a degree of personal freedom, in contrast to the other maids in the house. She likes to be independent and not rely on me too much, contrary to what you'd think." I explained, "The life of a maid is also the only thing I have ever known since birth. Apart from home schooling, my life has only been to serve Vert dutifully."

Noire sat down next to me and sighed, "That doesn't sound right to me." she said, "Having your life decided at birth already… I couldn't see myself standing for it."

"It is a matter of perspective I suppose.." I hummed, "Miss Neptune also asks for my opinion on things surprisingly, so it is not that boring…"

"And that's okay with Vert?"

"You are her classmate. You should know the answer to that question yourself, Miss Noire."

"... Right."

It was pure silence from thereon. I didn't get called from Landon and Tanya in the end, as they ran the bell, but didn't call my name. So Noire took the task instead.

In the end… I took people in, but didn't get called upon much. Everyone else handled things smoothly, and the maid cafe ended without a hitch.

As I was helping the class tidy up the classroom and take down the decorations, I couldn't help but notice the conversation happening in the farthest corner from me.

It was between Noire and Neptune and it seemed to be escalating slowly. As both could be heard slightly raising their voices as the conversation went on.

"... special about a maid, Neptune? She's the lowest of the low. Why not have someone of equal footing or more?"

"You don't get it. Its not about the status."

"Then what is it?! Please don't tell me its because of her personality, because talking to her, her personality and growth are stunted."

"That's what you think."

"Then explain it to me."

"Blanc is a maid that cares deeply about Vert. Indoctrination at birth or not, she genuinely cares. She is devoted, and will always go the extra mile to try and accommodate her needs. Even when she doesn't want her to. She's a hard worker and doesnt complain. Even when being given more freedom than other maids, shd doesnt take it for granted. Thats what I see."

"But she's been conditioned to-"

"I've seen the other maids, Noire. Their situations aren't anything like Blanc's. In fact, its worse because they're not treated like human beings."

"As they should-...!"

"I'M NOT HAVING IT! BLANC IS HER OWN PERSON TOO, AND I LOVE THAT SIDE OF HER. SHE IS A WONDERFUL PERSON, AND YOU SHOULD BE TAKING NOTES FROM HER!"

A pause to catch her breath I would have to guess

"Fix your personality, Noire. Otherwise you're not beating out a 'lowly maid' in my eyes. Not that my sights had been set on you to begin with. I've been telling you this."

"You little…!"

Thankfully for Neptune, I quickly moved to catch Noire's attempted punch and smiled darkly at the raven-haired woman.

"Now, now, Miss Noire. We don't want to cause even more of a stir now do we? Nor get on the bad side of my Mistress? Because I am sure that if she heard you slandering her best friend, she would waste no time in destroying you socially and economically."

"Did they teach you combat as well?!"

"It is part of our curriculum, yes."

Noire grit her teeth and let go of her punch, "You fucker…! You're the one that's been getting in the way of my romance with Neptune!"

I quickly scoped up Neptune in a princess carry and jumped away to avoid Noire's straight punch. Putting her down safely after landing.

"She's like a cartoon villain, huh, Blanc?"

"Indeed. This should only be a moment. I will deal with the consequences from the Leanbox Royal Family after…"

As I left, I thought I could briefly hear Neptune say, "Not if Vert has anything to say about it.."

The 'fight' wasn't much of a fight. It seemed that straight was a fluke, as she tried wailing punches at me for a little bit, but couldn't keep up the stamina.

One light chop to a pressure point later to make her fall unconscious, and Noire was out like a log. Resting peacefully unlike her earlier demeanor.

Silence befell the room. The others had been watching the moment the argument escalated and stopped doing cleanup. I could tell they were slightly afraid of me, because I had to show my combat prowess, to protect my Mistress' friend when she was in need.

"Get back to cleaning!" I needed them to move on from the events that had transpired. Mistress wouldn't like that I had brought so much attention to myself after all.

"Y-Yes ma'am!"

I sighed, "What a mess. How am I going to explain this one to Vert?"

As I'd later find out, it wasn't going to be me to explain.

"You know… you were cool back there, Blanc."

"Nonsense. I was just doing my job as a maid for my Mistress' friend. Had Vert made more friends, I would've done the same."

Neptune frowned at that statement, "I suppose so…" she sighed, "Even when I publicly announced my feelings for you…"

Neptune and I were walking back home. To whose house I am not certain, but she had pulled me aside the moment she had packed up everything on her side. Telling me something along the lines of "I need to get away from Noire after what happened" or something like that.

I think she had a different motive, but that's fairly obvious isn't it?

"Tell me all you want, Miss Neptune. I can not reciprocate the feelings you harbor for me." I closed my eyes and stood still for a moment, "Though, if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't want to be the object of affection of someone like Miss Noire."

Neptune chuckled sadly, "At least I can get your sympathy."

I nodded and resumed walking, "It is not an envious position."

"Do you ever wish you weren't a maid, Blanc?"

"What's with this sudden question? Miss Noire brought up something similar during one of my extended downtimes."

"I just…" Neptune hummed sadly, "With how robotic you can be at times, and not understanding romance. I wish you had been raised 'normally' and not as a maid y'know? Understand the joys of high school, romance, and so on. I think you'd be a much livelier person."

"How can you be so sure that would be the case?"

Neptune shrugged, "Just a feeling."

I hummed inquisitively, "That is quite a thought experiment you have."

"You never know." Neptune said with a chuckle, "But that's all just hypotheticals anyway. Let's just get back home in one piece. Forget I ever brought this up, alright?"

"Makes me wonder why you even brought up the topic to begin with, Miss Neptune."

She remained silent for the rest of the walk to the mansion after.

small timeskip

"Oh, welcome back, Blanc, Neptune." Mistress greeted simply as we entered her room, typing away something on her keyboard. "I heard that there was a fight at school?"

"I wouldn't call it a fight honestly." Neptune said, speaking up first as she sat herself on Mistress' bed. "Noire just threw random punches everywhere, and Blanc hit her on a pressure point to knock her out after waiting for her to tire herself out."

"If I may ask."

Mistress nodded, "Why was I not stopped upon entering the mansion? Surely news would have spread quickly among the Royal Family that I had gotten into a kerfuffle. Normally I would've been questioned by now."

"Because I violently put an end to that whole fiasco before it could even start." Mistress explained, "It was a lot of shouting, but I finally got it through my parents' thick skull that the situation was out of your control, and you were only protecting a friend."

"Even though your parents hate my guts."

Mistress smirked, "Damn right they do. But I'm their only child, so they have to respect my wishes no matter how much they object."

"Vert truly is the devil…" I mumbled

"I heard that!"

I bowed apologetically, "Apologies if I've hurt your feelings, Vert."

Neptune leaned back into Mistress' bed and sighed contently, "Get this though, Vert." she started, "Noire was trying to argue that maids shouldn't be treated fairly and more as disposable tools. Acting as if being a maid meant that you had a lower social standing than being a commoner. Can you believe that?"

Mistress raised an eyebrow, "That's certainly news for me. What right does she have to decide arbitrarily if maids or butlers are considered less than the common folk?"

"And that's why it got heated. I was standing my ground against her, and she was being so stubborn. It almost escalated to where she would've punched my loveable face! How disgraceful!"

Mistress closed the document she was typing into and giggled, "I don't know. Sometimes I do want to punch you as well, Neptune. Watch what you say."

She shifted her gaze to me, "I assume this is when you jumped in?"

I nodded. "I caught the punch easily, and when she tried to throw another, I grabbed Neptune in a princess carry and jumped away without effort."

Neptune blushed visibly and hid her face for some reason, "It was so embarrassing actually, Vert! I swear I could've died of embarrassment right then and there!" then she frowned, "Had I not been scared out of my wits…"

"Understandable. Do you want Blanc to make some tea to calm your nerves if you're still feeling uneasy?"

"That'd help for sure."

I gave a maidly bow and made my way out of the room, "I'll excuse myself then."

"...plan of yours?"

I wonder what they're talking about?

Alright so we're finally updating this since now stats and emails work. Thought this website was gonna die off honestly.

Will dual update along with AO3 again. Stay tuned for more, reviews are appreciated thanks!