After that, I drove Naoko home.

As I stepped out of the car, I saw my house for the first time in a while.

“…I haven’t been home in ages.”

The words brought a pang of guilt.

The young master was always at the mansion, and as his personal maid, I was responsible for his care. I also guided the other maids on how to handle him, as their chief.

That was the arrangement Mika-san had proposed, and I had accepted.

As a result, I often neglected my own family.

“Thanks for the ride, big sis. And… I’m sorry about everything today.”

Naoko said, looking apologetic.

“Everything? What do you mean?”

I asked, and Naoko lowered her gaze, speaking haltingly.

“Well… being hit on, saying I wanted to work as a maid, snapping at you… I’m always causing you trouble, aren’t I?”

Her words made me sigh.

Not at her.

But at myself… in exasperation.

I cherished Naoko.

My only sister.

She adored me, always calling me “big sis.”

She was precious to me.

That’s why I wanted her to have everything she desired—nice things, a good education, a comfortable and happy life.

I didn’t want her to experience hardship or pain.

But in reality… I’d been so focused on our financial problems that I’d neglected Naoko herself.

As a result, she’d been bottling up all these feelings.

I hadn’t been a good sister to her.

“…I’m the one who should apologize. I’m sorry, Naoko. I wasn’t considerate of your feelings. I wasn’t paying enough attention to you.”

Naoko looked surprised, then smiled softly.

“No, you don’t have to apologize. You’re working so hard for our family. But from now on, I’ll help you too! Because… I love you, big sis!”

Her words, and the smile I hadn’t seen in a while, warmed my heart.

“Thank you, Naoko. I’ll be counting on you. But I’m the head maid at the mansion… I can be strict.”

“Heheh, bring it on.”

It felt like ages since we’d connected like this as sisters. It was a heartwarming feeling.

“Hey, big sis.”

Naoko suddenly looked at me with a serious expression.

“What is it?”

“Was Reito-sama… always like that?”

“…”

Her question gave me pause.

Like me, Naoko had met him when we were younger.

And… she’d also experienced his thoughtless words and selfish behavior.

She likely harbored a certain aversion to him.

“Big sis… has Reito-sama changed?”

Naoko asked.

“…I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

His appearance and way of speaking hadn’t changed much.

But—

‘I really want to enjoy my time at this school. And I want you to enjoy your work as my maid. So, I’ll do my best.’

Those words, spoken while looking directly at me.

‘Let’s go, Kyoko!’

Those words, spoken without hesitation when he saw Naoko being harassed.

‘It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or a woman, bothering someone is wrong! And being a man doesn’t give you the right to do it!’

Those words, spoken with such conviction.

And—

‘Kyoko, I don’t know much about you two… but I can tell that Naoko cares deeply for you. And because she cares so much, she’s willing to go to extremes. You understand that better than anyone, don’t you?’

He didn’t know anything about us.

He’d never tried to.

He’d never shown any interest…

Those insightful words, as if he could see right through us.

None of it… felt like a lie.

They felt like genuine words from his heart.

That’s why…

“I don’t understand him lately. He used to treat me like a pawn, just like everyone else… but now… why is he… why is he being so kind…?”

The words slipped out.

Naoko must have heard everything.

She smiled.

“…I see. You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you, big sis? I’m here now, so I won’t let you suffer anymore. And I… I want to believe that Reito-sama has changed.”

Believe.

To hold onto the hope that someone might change someday.

I’d felt that way about my father.

Even after his infidelity, his gambling addiction, the trouble he caused others… I’d hoped that he would change for us, his family.

But in the end, he hadn’t.

He’d abandoned us without hesitation.

I’d thought all men in this world were like that.

Arrogant, selfish, and inconsiderate.

Just like him, when we first met.

But…

‘I won’t treat you poorly anymore. So please… continue to be my maid.’

Could I… believe those words, and the him of now?

“Besides, Reito-sama said, ‘You two can talk things over,’ right?”

“He did, but…”

“Doesn’t that mean… he wants us to talk things over as a family?”

Naoko continued as I tilted my head in confusion.

“We both agreed to his proposal right there, didn’t we? So, the fact that he left the room after telling us to talk things over… I think it means he wants us to discuss it at home, as a family. He gave us a chance to talk… to be together.”

Naoko’s reasoning seemed a little far-fetched, but…

Perhaps the current him was capable of such consideration.

I found myself thinking that.

“Hey, big sis, let’s spend some time together today, okay?”

More than anything, I wanted to spend time with my precious sister.

“Alright. Let’s do that.”

“Really?! Yay! Let’s go inside! Mom will be so happy to hear that you’re spending time with us!”

Naoko pulled me by the hand, and I stepped into my home for the first time in a long while.

Perhaps… this feeling of “hate” was starting to change.

Meanwhile…

“Young Master, I received a message from Maid Chief. She’s taking the afternoon off.”

“Oh… is that so?”

“Yes. She said she’s going to spend some time at home with her family.”

“Hmm, I see…”

After hearing the maid’s report, I returned to my room.

“Wait, what does ‘spend some time at home with her family’ mean?”

I’d assumed they’d talk things over in the living room before she left…

It seemed I’d lowered Kyoko’s favorability again.

Was she upset that I’d made her sister my personal maid?

Were they about to have a family meeting?

“Is raising favorability always this difficult in a villain reincarnation?!”

This young man was still laboring under a grave misconception.

This was a world of reversed chastity, where the gender ratio was skewed.

He was about to learn what happens when a reincarnated villain acts like a goody-two-shoes in such a world.