Not the Villainess, but the Maid

Chapter 43: The Dog Chasing the Moon

Coral took me to a dessert café with a surprisingly ordinary ambiance.

Unsure of what to order, I decided to have the same thing as Coral.

Soon, a tall glass filled with colorful ice cream and topped with cookies and fruit was placed before me.

Was this called a parfait? Just looking at it felt sweet enough.

Coral, who took a spoonful of parfait first, smiled and spoke.

"I really wanted to come here with you, Amber. I'm so happy we actually came."

"Yeah, it feels great to go out after a long time."

It wasn’t that I disliked being at the academy.

The academy had various convenient facilities and perks that made it unnecessary to leave.

But the fortune-telling shop we had visited earlier and this overly sweet parfait were experiences the academy couldn’t offer.

Coral, satisfied, set her glass of parfait down and asked.

"So, how was your day, Amber?"

At her question, I hesitated briefly before answering.

"Um... honestly, I didn’t expect you to suggest going out. It was a bit unexpected."

I had been anticipating something more like a library date, not an outing.

Perhaps it was because of her usual image—she often exuded an introverted vibe.

Even in the original story, she was described as having no other human relationships aside from the protagonist.

Hearing my words, Coral gave a slightly bitter smile.

"...Actually, I came here because you agreed to go out with me, Amber."

She spoke while slowly stirring the spoon in her glass.

"In the past, meeting people and going out used to be incredibly scary for me."

"...And now? Are you okay with it?"

"Yeah. Thanks to you, I’ve met so many people and even joined a club. Little by little, the fear started to fade."

"...I’m glad."

Until now, I had thought that Ruby and I were intruding on Coral’s space.

I believed we were forcing ourselves on her, someone who was content being alone, dragging her into group activities.

But hearing her words now, it seemed I had been completely mistaken.

In some ways, Coral seemed to retain the most of her original character out of all the heroines.

However, the original portrayal of her as someone who feared crowds and showed signs of social anxiety seemed to have vanished entirely.

Could meeting me have triggered positive changes in her?

While awkwardly eating the parfait in silence, I glanced at the nearby table.

Four male customers were noisily removing blocks from a precarious wooden block tower.

"Coral, it looks like they have Jenga here. Want to play?"

"Jenga? I’ve only heard of it but never actually played."

It’s a game where you stack small wooden blocks in a crisscross pattern, then take turns removing one at a time until the tower collapses.

"It’s okay. Once you try it, it’s super easy."

I casually borrowed a Jenga set from the counter, poured out the blocks, and began stacking the tower with Coral.

As we stacked the blocks in a crisscross pattern, our hands lightly brushed.

Startled, she spoke softly.

"Uh... you go first, Amber."

"Really? I don’t mind either way."

Once the tower was successfully built, we placed it in the center and exchanged glances.

"Coral, let’s make a bet."

"A bet?"

"Yeah. The loser has to grant the winner a wish."

No game is complete without a little gamble.

Especially with Jenga, where the risk varies greatly with every block you pull, it’s practically a gambling set.

A bit of risk would make the game all the more exciting.

*** (Coral)

The game began.

To be honest, I couldn’t fully concentrate because I kept thinking about how my hand had brushed Amber’s earlier.

It had been just a light touch, but the soft and warm sensation of her hand lingered vividly in my mind.

Why did it leave me feeling so regretful?

Quietly, and with great care, I etched her image in front of me into my memory.

Her bright, healthy skin and the slight blush on her face made my heart race.

As Amber leaned forward to remove a block, a few strands of her lightly curled, pinkish hair fell softly to the nape of her neck.

I found myself staring absentmindedly, unable to look away, until she called out to me.

"It’s your turn, Coral."

"Ah? Uh…!"

I reached out and grabbed a slightly risky block.

‘...Huh.’

I picked the wrong one. There were plenty of safer options.

The more I pulled at the block located at the very bottom, the more the entire tower swayed precariously.

Why did I choose this block?

Was it because, strangely, I saw myself reflected in it?

That’s what the fortune-teller said earlier today.

She called me a stray dog chasing the moon.

No matter how much a dog chases, it can never reach the moon.

Yet here was such a beautiful, bright moon smiling radiantly before me.

Closing my eyes tightly, I yanked out the block, causing the tower to sway violently.

"...!"

I shut my eyes, unable to watch the impending collapse.

…

Did I hear the sound of it toppling? I wasn’t sure.

It must have been on the verge of falling at any moment.

I was scared to open my eyes, but I couldn’t just run away now.

"...!"

When I finally opened my eyes, the wooden block tower was still standing.

Amber, with her eyes wide open, exclaimed in awe.

"That’s amazing, Coral! How did you do that?"

The tower, made entirely of wooden blocks, stood intact despite the gaping hole in the middle.

"..."

Through the hole in the tower, I could see Amber’s face.

Like the moon peeking through the clouds, she was smiling brightly at me.

Ah, just looking at her is dazzling.

As my happiness grew, so did a bittersweet sadness.

If only time could stop here forever—just the two of us.

Amber, her amber-colored eyes gleaming, reached for a precarious block.

"Ah…!"

The tower, as if reaching the end of its lifespan, came crashing down with a clatter.

She, looking somewhat regretful, scooped up the remaining parfait and spoke.

"What a shame… I lost. You’re really good at this, Coral."

"...Hehe."

For now, let’s enjoy it. Let’s capture as many memories of this moment as we can.

That’s the best a stray dog chasing the moon can do.

*** (Amber)

After finishing our enjoyable time at the café, Coral and I stepped outside.

Who would’ve thought Coral would choose such a risky block?

Her gamble had utterly defeated me.

I glanced at Coral walking beside me and spoke.

"By the way, what’s your wish, Coral?"

"Hmm… What should I choose?"

Coral fidgeted with her hands, unable to decide easily.

Well, that’s how these things usually go—when you actually get the chance, you don’t know what to wish for.

As I calmly waited for her answer, something caught my eye at a street stall.

‘Huh?’

It seemed to be a shop selling small animal figurines.

I instinctively turned my head, pointed at one of the figures, and asked.

"How much is this rabbit figurine?"

It was a small, entirely black-painted rabbit-shaped sculpture.

"Oh, that’s not a rabbit; it’s a Sasquatch. A legendary monster."

It looked like nothing but a black rabbit to me.

This is a Sasquatch? Really?

Does that mean the onesie Ruby wore last time was an actual Sasquatch costume…?

"I’ll take one, please."

I paid the merchant and slipped the black figurine into my pocket.

As I did, Coral, walking beside me, asked curiously.

"Amber, what did you buy?"

"Yeah, it’s a Sasquatch figurine."

"Really? Let me see."

Coral examined the figurine I bought, her expression joyful as she looked it over.

Taking it back from her, I added one last remark.

"I’m sure the mistress will like it."

"..."

I turned to her, hoping for her agreement, and said.

"Right, Coral?"

But Coral wasn’t there where I had turned.

She had stopped a few steps behind, staring down at the ground.

"…"

"Coral? What’s wrong?"

When I called out to her with a puzzled expression, Coral flinched and quickly ran back to my side.

"Sorry…! I guess I spaced out for a moment."

"You scared me. I thought something had happened."

"Ehehe. Sorry for worrying you."

She clung closely to me, her face as bright as usual.

"…Amber."

"Yeah?"

Coral hesitated unusually long before bowing her head and speaking.

"Let’s just forget about the wish."

"What? But you won…"

"Spending today with you was more than enough."

"…Really? If you’re okay with that, Coral…"

I shrugged and spoke, and Coral gently tugged at my sleeve, pulling me along.

"Let’s head back."

"Already? I’m fine staying out longer."

Ruby had given her a ticket with 24 hours written on it.

We hadn’t even used a quarter of that time.

But Coral shook her head with a refreshed expression and said.

"No, Lady Ruby will worry. Let’s call it a day and head back."

Was she tired? Well, she wasn’t exactly known for having a lot of stamina. Neither was I, for that matter.

As we walked back to the academy, we kept chatting in a cheerful mood.

Going out is nice. I hope we can do this more often.

The other café patrons had all left, but two people remained.

Ruby and Amethyst were still at their table, stacking Jenga blocks, showing no intention of leaving.

"That makes it 32 wins and 31 losses. Why don’t you just admit defeat?"

"Not yet, Ruby. Don’t you remember there was one draw in the middle?"

They had originally followed Amber and Coral into the café to spy on them but had long since forgotten their purpose, engrossed in their competition.

While they bickered, the café employee looked at them with a troubled expression and spoke.

"Ladies, it’s about time for the café to close…"

"We’ll be done soon!"

"We’ll finish any second now!"

"Sniff… Understood…"

That day, the café set its record for the longest operating hours since its opening.