The massage from Hayasaka Ai ended, and Uchiha Ryo comfortably got up from the floor.
And then... he found Shinomiya Kaguya sitting outside, dazed.
Uchiha Ryo: "Shinomiya-san? Is something the matter? Or do you want to take a bath?"
Shinomiya Kaguya's mouth fell open. She pointed at Uchiha Ryo in astonishment, and then saw Hayasaka Ai walk out from behind him.
"Hayasaka... you two!"
Hayasaka Ai smiled and stood beside Uchiha Ryo. "Lady Kaguya, has your aikido lesson ended? I remember you have French class this afternoon."
Shinomiya Kaguya forced a smile.
"The French teacher just came to inform me that today's French class is cancelled. And just then, Fujiwara-san called and said....."
As one of Shinomiya Kaguya's few friends, although Fujiwara Chika was a bit of a natural airhead and didn't seem very bright, her observation skills were actually very strong.
Shinomiya Kaguya was slowly changing. Fujiwara Chika knew this, and because of this, she planned to help Kaguya out! To completely break free from her former ice sculpture form.
Hearing Shinomiya Kaguya's account, Hayasaka Ai gradually reverted to her maid form.
"I see. So Miss Fujiwara is planning to bring friends over for a sleepover, which is why she's coming this afternoon, is that right?"
Shinomiya Kaguya nodded, and Hayasaka Ai sighed and turned to Uchiha Ryo with an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, Young Master Ryo. Actually, I have a butler persona in front of Fujiwara-san. It's another layer of identity prepared to prevent my relationship with Lady Kaguya from being exposed."
Hayasaka Ai continued, "Although the gyaru Hayasaka attended the Shinomiya family's banquet and has been here for a study session before, it seems Fujiwara-san is not coming alone this time. So, to avoid arousing suspicion...."
"So you want to disguise yourself as a butler and temporarily shed your identity as my maid?"
Uchiha Ryo narrowed his eyes. "This matter...."
Hayasaka Ai cut in first. "I have already promised Young Master Ryo to be your maid for a day. It's just that due to special circumstances today, we'll change it to another day! Tomorrow, I will still be your maid, is that alright?"
Uchiha Ryo couldn't help but laugh. "Of course. But what I was about to say was..."
[I agree to this. After all, I can't interfere with your normal work.]
"Oh my, since Hayasaka enjoys being my maid so much and is even offering me an extra day, of course I won't refuse."
Uchiha Ryo patted Hayasaka Ai's shoulder, then smiled at Shinomiya Kaguya.
"I'll return Hayasaka to you for now. But Fujiwara-san is coming for a sleepover later, right? Hmm... I think it would be very dangerous with just girls. Why don't I stay over too?"
Just as Shinomiya Kaguya breathed a sigh of relief, she looked at Uchiha Ryo in surprise.
"Uchiha-kun... you want to join the sleepover too?"
Uchiha Ryo said with great righteousness and confidence, "Don't you think? It's so dangerous with just girls at home. If I stay, you won't have to be afraid!"
Shinomiya Kaguya: "It's not like there are no servants in the house...."
Uchiha Ryo waved his hand magnanimously. "It's fine. Don't worry about me getting tired. Hayasaka has already told me that all the security guards on night duty at your Shinomiya residence are female. How dangerous is that!"
Shinomiya Kaguya: "...."
.....
Outside the gates of the Shinomiya residence, Fujiwara Chika happily followed a servant into the inner courtyard. Behind her was a classmate... Yukinoshita Yukino.
"Good afternoon, Fujiwara-san, and Yukinoshita-san."
As the host, Shinomiya Kaguya naturally had to wait in the courtyard for her guests to arrive.
Fujiwara Chika: "Kaguya, I'm here~ I was going to invite Hayasaka-san from our class too, but unfortunately, she had something to do and declined."
Behind her, Yukinoshita Yukino, who had been half-begged and half-forced to come by Fujiwara Chika, also politely greeted Shinomiya Kaguya.
For Yukino, who didn't have many friends, this was her first time experiencing a sleepover with classmates.
But living under the same roof with a classmate... she had experienced it once. Better not to think about it.
And what about Shinomiya Kaguya on the other side? Although because of her family's affairs, many guests often came and went, this was also her first time experiencing a sleepover with many classmates.
Fujiwara Chika held Yukinoshita's hand on one side, and linked her other arm with Shinomiya Kaguya's. The three of them walked into the main hall together.
Fujiwara Chika: "Ah, it's the butler, Herthaka-kun. I didn't see you when I came here for the study session last time."
Hayasaka Ai (in male attire) had wrapped up all her golden hair, then put on a black wig and a pair of glasses.
By binding certain areas with bandages and combining it with Hayasaka's voice-altering technique, she successfully made Fujiwara Chika believe that this was a male butler.
Butler Herthaka: "Because I happened to be called back to the main residence for work last time."
This was the first time Yukinoshita had seen Shinomiya Kaguya's butler. She was a little curious at the moment.
"Your name is Herthaka? You look to be about our age..."
Fujiwara Chika noticed the problem. "That's right, that's right! Where do you go to school, Butler-kun? Does your family know you're working as a butler?"
Herthaka adjusted his glasses. "I'm actually a war orphan and have already graduated from Harvard by skipping grades, so it's no problem."
Fujiwara Chika's mouth dropped open. "Amazing!"
Even Yukinoshita looked at the young butler in surprise. Was there really such a genius in the world?
Shinomiya Kaguya was stunned. She quickly pulled Hayasaka in front of her to her side and whispered.
"What are you talking about... stop adding weird settings for yourself, okay?"
"Lady Kaguya, my settings are all very realistic, and I've already asked the family to prepare the false identity information."
Watching the master and butler whispering, Fujiwara Chika sensed a hint of romance in the air.
"A forbidden relationship between the young lady and the perfect butler, it's like something out of a manga!"
Hayasaka heard Fujiwara Chika's voice, quickly turned her head, and said with an unchanging expression.
"I'm very sorry, Miss Fujiwara, but my relationship with Lady Kaguya is not what you think. I, Herthaka, am only romantically interested in men."
Fujiwara Chika: "Ehh!!!"
Yukinoshita Yukino covered her small mouth. Men... interested in men? So that's why he was hired by the Shinomiya family to be the young lady's butler.
Passing through the main hall of the outer courtyard and arriving at the inner residence, Uchiha Ryo also stood up from the sofa to welcome the arrivals.
"Shinomiya-san, are they also joining the sleepover? Mhm, hello, Fujiwara-san and Yukinoshita-san."
The appearance of Uchiha Ryo clearly surprised Fujiwara Chika, and Yukino was outright startled. Why are you here!
Fujiwara Chika, with her slight love-struck brain, looked at Uchiha Ryo, then at Shinomiya Kaguya.
"Uchiha-kun... were you invited by Shinomiya-san?"
Shinomiya Kaguya: "Of course not! He... uh, he's Herthaka's friend, so he was invited by Herthaka."
Fujiwara Chika smiled. "I see. Uchiha-kun is Herthaka's friend...."
The smile suddenly froze. Fujiwara Chika thought of what the butler Herthaka had just said.
Yukinoshita Yukino looked at Uchiha Ryo in disbelief, her gaze shifting back and forth between Hayasaka (in male attire) and Uchiha Ryo.
Uchiha Ryo, completely unaware of what Hayasaka Ai had said, didn't think much of it and just went along with Shinomiya's words, saying casually.
"Mhm, Herthaka and I are very good friends. We even went to the bath together this morning, right?"
Hayasaka Ai: "Uh... mhm."
Fujiwara Chika began to let her imagination run wild!!!