Reincarnated as a Villainous Aristocrat in an Otome Game, So I Bought the Main Heroine with Money - Chapter 12: Hidden Feelings

Chapter 12: Hidden Feelings

《Faina’s POV》

I was hired as Lord Cerios’s personal maid when I was very young. At the time, it felt normal, and I didn’t think much of it.

However, everything changed after Lord Cerios lost his parents. He fell into a terrible state and started treating everyone coldly.

I wasn’t spared from this either. There were moments when he lashed out at me physically. Though he was just a child and lacked the strength to seriously hurt me, it left me fearful. Before I knew it, I would tremble every time he spoke to me.

Things began to shift when Liese and Maria joined the household as new maids.

That was when Lord Cerios started to change. He became gentler, began buying clothes for me, giving me time off, and even showing genuine concern for my well-being.

At the same time, I realized that the attention he once reserved solely for me had started to include others. It left me feeling… lonely. Perhaps I had grown too accustomed to being the sole focus of his care.

Now, Lord Cerios has grown into a man of striking silver hair and piercing eyes, his physique both strong and graceful. His growth has been truly remarkable.

And here I am, standing alone in a quiet corner of the hallway, watching his back as he prepares for the battles ahead.

This isn’t the first time Lord Cerios has headed to the battlefield.

To protect the territory, he has stood on the frontlines countless times, wielding his sword with unwavering determination. I’ve watched him leave for battle over and over, yet today, an unfamiliar unease stirs deep within me.

“…Why do I feel so worried?”

My whispered words faded into the stillness, unheard by anyone. And that’s how it should be. No one must know how deeply I care for Lord Cerios’s well-being.

He is no longer the boy he once was. The cold, arrogant child prone to tantrums is long gone. Now, he is a respected ruler who has dedicated himself to the protection of his people.

His efforts are recognized by all. The people trust him, and the knights and guards follow his leadership with pride and loyalty.

Yet, I know the truth.

I see the loneliness and burdens he carries. I understand the pain and inner conflict he keeps hidden from everyone. Having served him since childhood, I’ve learned to recognize the subtle shifts in his expression and the unspoken meaning behind his sighs.

Sometimes, Lord Cerios is more fragile and vulnerable than anyone might imagine.

“Faina, what are you doing?”

Startled, I looked up to find him standing before me.

Tall and composed, his serious eyes and the sword strapped to his back reflected the very image of a commander preparing for battle. His resolute presence was captivating, yet it made my chest tighten with a painful ache.

“Lord Cerios, is there anything I can assist you with?”

As his maid, I spoke the words befitting my position. Anything beyond that was not my place.

“No, I’m fine. What’s left is for me to handle.”

He began to walk away but suddenly paused, turning back to face me.

“…Faina, you’re always so composed. Even when I head off to battle, you never falter.”

“That’s not true. I simply have faith that you will return safely, Lord Cerios.”

I forced myself to maintain a calm demeanor. Yet, as his steady gaze held mine, I felt my composure begin to waver.

“I see. Thank you, as always.”

“Your words are far too kind.”

“I will return, no matter what. So, wait for me without worry.”

His words made my heart race, but I couldn’t let my feelings show. If I did, everything I had carefully kept hidden would overflow.

“Yes. I pray for your success in battle.”

I bowed deeply. It was the only way I could convey my feelings while staying within the boundaries of my role.

I watched his figure grow smaller as he walked away.

To the world, he was a noble ruler—strong, composed, and resolute—heading to battle to protect his territory. But to me, he was also the irreplaceable boy I had watched grow up before my very eyes.

I had seen his tantrums, his kindness, his strength, his loneliness, and even his fragility. I had witnessed it all.

I still remember when he was just a boy, laughing innocently and occasionally troubling us with his childish demands. Those memories feel so distant now. As he grew older, his laughter faded, replaced by a calm and solitary demeanor.

“I loved the Lord Cerios from back then. But… I cherish the Lord Cerios of now just as much. I wish he would share his true feelings with me, even if only with me.”

I shook my head, trying to dispel such thoughts.

I was forgetting my place. I am merely his maid, one of his attendants. I have no right to harbor such selfish emotions.

That night, as I waited for news from the battlefield, I prayed in solitude.

This time, it was a large-scale operation to eradicate the bandits.

I prayed only for his safe return. That was all. When the distant sound of horses’ hooves finally reached my ears and I heard that Lord Cerios had returned, it felt as though all the tension in my body had melted away.

Standing at the mansion’s entrance, I caught sight of him, and I gently placed a hand over my chest.

“Thank goodness…”

I whispered the words silently in my heart. Then, as his maid, I greeted him with the practiced smile I wore so well.

“Welcome back, Lord Cerios. You must be tired.”

He turned to look at me, offering a small, gentle smile.

“I’m home, Faina.”

That smile squeezed my heart once more, if only for a moment. Still, I buried my feelings deep within, rejoicing in his safe return as nothing more than his maid.