42 Surprisingly Obedient Part-1

A/N: Modified chapter. Most of it is same to what was previously written, but I changed the way things went. Thanks for all the good suggestions. I know I didn't reply to any and deleted the chapter too, but I did read them all. It made me realize what route I wanted to go and how I wanted to do it. I think this is better than how it went originally. But that's up to you guys to decide now. Regardless, it'll stay this way now. Enjoy a real double chapter release of total of 4.4k words, coz it'll be wrong to give you guys a repeated chapter. :)

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"I am a horrible person, unworthy of serving you or this family. And I have committed a grave sin. A sin that I will bear my whole life. I'll accept my punishment for it. I am ready to repent for what I've done to you, Young Master.

I… I just have one humble request—No, I beg of you. Please don't tell Madam about it. About lady Olivia… forcing herself on you."

I looked at Laura who was now doing what could only be defined as a Dogeza.

I had just received another notification of Obedience gain. It was at a staggering 99 now. Just a point short of absolute obedience. She was almost within my grasp.

"And why would I do that? Is it not fair that I let my mother know of my suffering?"

Not that I was going to tell my mother. I had already sorted out with the other two involved in this incident and was now getting over it and building new and improved relations with my two sisters. But Laura was different. I didn't hate her either, but she was the only one who hadn't come to apologize or discuss this issue. Even Emma, who was much younger than her in age and maturity, managed to confess. But Laura never did.

And this was her fault. A fault that I was not above exploiting a bit to gain something.

"Yes, it is fair. Very fair. You have all the rights to demand justice. But please don't include lady Olivia. She… She was not in the right mind when she did that to you. She was very distressed. She has been ill-treated by her in-laws and she ended up developing questionable desires for you, her younger brother. But she truly loves and adores you. She just doesn't realize her mistake. But she would break down if she realized her subconscious assault hurt her own family.

I am not worthy, as a commoner and outsider, for your consideration. Lady Olivia, on the other hand, is nobility and, more importantly, your family. Please don't ruin her life, I beg of you. If Madam found out, she and lady Olivia would fall apart and that would certainly break lady Olivia's heart as well, not to mention Madam will be very disheartened. Lady Olivia… is not the most sensible person nor is she a responsible older sister to you, but she does have adoration for you, Young Master. She truly cares for you. But her affection has been twisted bizarrely due to her suffering.

Instead of her, please punish me. I am in the wrong. And I am ready to accept any kind of punishment. I deserve it."

For a very brief moment, I was reminded of a certain pink-haired virgin maid from a certain anime asking for punishment, but that thought quickly passed.

Laura's whole argument was about how Olivia was not malicious, even if guilty, and how it would be a bad idea to ruin my family by disclosing the fact.

Incidentally, she should have known that I was not going to do it. When I had talked to Emma about it 2 years ago—where Laura was listening to our conversation—I made it quite clear that I had no such intentions. Maybe it was her inner turmoil or my question before, or both, that made her misunderstand my intentions.

Furthermore, even in such a seemingly grave situation, she was loyal to her friend Olivia and my family. She didn't ask for forgiveness. But consideration over my own family.

The case of negligence aside, she really was a very good maid. I was not going to rat her out to my mother and get her kicked out of the house. Never! That would've been counterproductive and somewhat unfair to her.

But she did deserve some sort of punishment. Even she seemed to want it. Perhaps to clear her guilty conscience. Punishment was a very good way of clearing it. That's why they existed and were favored in the modern world for most crimes, rather than the death penalty. Punishment, such as being sent to prison, was a way to give them a chance. A chance to repent, introspect and develop into a better person. At least that should have been the case, ideally. As for how good they were at it in real life, it was a topic for debate at best.

I, however, couldn't stop myself from using this perfect opportunity to make her more subservient to me. Something inside me was forcing me to do it. That 'something', I attributed to my lust taking hold of me. However, another, more rational, part of me told me to not take advantage of her vulnerability.

'Ugh.'

The rational part was being crushed under the weight of the massive hard-on I was currently sporting.

Taking a deep breath, again, to calm my nerves, I finally spoke.

"Laura. I know big sis Olivia didn't mean ill to me. That she was driven by her delusions. She and I have already talked about it. That's what we were discussing tonight… after I stopped her from stripping my pants and taking hold of my private part."

Laura slowly turned her head up, still kneeling, and looked at me with a mild surprise.

She didn't show it on her face but I could tell from 'Observe' that she was curious.

So, I decided to be nice and tell her.

"She and I had an hour-long talk where she cried and apologized for her mistake. And we have decided to start anew (as more than siblings). I also found out that her condition was due to her being constantly mistreated by the Duke's family. (They'll pay for that.) So, yes. I am not faulting her for her mistakes. At least not entirely."

I saw a few changes in her 'Observe' page as her emotions changed based on my words. It went from surprise to astonishment and then respect.

I gained 2 more points in Reputation.

"I see. I'm truly glad to hear that."

Laura seemed to have been relieved after hearing that. But I wasn't done.

"But that's that. You, on the other hand, Laura…"

She once again regained her seriousness… inside. On the outside, she was always serious.

"In the past, I used to think of you as a mature, strict, and sensible older sister. I even used to call you so."

"Yes."

A very small hint of joy graced her inside, only to be replaced with gloom the next moment remembering she had long lost that privilege.

"You were… are much more sensible and rational than big sis Olivia. I mean, she can be an airhead at times, you know."

I laughed wryly, reminiscing the memories that weren't really mine, yet were now mine.

"I somewhat understand big sis Olivia's actions. A little bit. But what I still can't understand is yours. Why, Laura? Why didn't you help me? You of all people. The most sensible, dutiful, and serious person that I know of. The one I used to treat like my family. Why did you not even as much as talk to me about it?"

My voice was much calmer now, almost like an adult kindly trying to ask the kid why he or she did something bad. However, the roles were reversed here.

She didn't reply but lowered her head in shame, my calm words seemingly hurting her conscience even more.

"Answer me, Laura."

A verbal nudge finally opened her mouth.

"I am truly ashamed, Young Master. I made a poor decision. And even after realizing so, I didn't act on the said realization nor tried to correct it. I was afraid it might break the family if something went wrong. The topic was too sensitive. Your sudden change 2 years ago gave me confidence that you had overcome your misery on your own. I was proud and also relieved. It was another mistake of mine. I should have confessed back then… Now that you've grown into a proper adult, I have realized I'm not worthy of serving you. I'm a shame to the title of a maid.

I am much less deserving of a familial position like an older sister. I couldn't save you when you were in distress. As an adult too I have failed.

And forgive me for acting haughty and trying to point fault in you in the past when I had no say in the matter. I'm a worthless human being. An utter disgrace."

The more she spoke, the more her self-depreciation increased. It got to the point where she started treating herself as less than a human being.

I climbed down from the bed and walked to her.

"You know what, you're right, Laura. You're not worthy of being my older sister, nor do you have the right to chastise me for anything considering you didn't help me when I was in dire need. You're a head maid, and a bad one at that."

Harsh words seemed to naturally flow from my mouth as I stared at her from the high vantage point. She and I were now at an even greater height difference than we were when 'I' first met her. And our positions had been reversed.

But I was not here to just show her the "right way", as she did in the past.

"Yes, Young Master."

Was the only reply Laura gave, as she stared at my feet.

"But I'm not going to get you fired or imprisoned for that."

She shook ever so slightly as she heard what, for her, was a shocking revelation.

"Pardon?"

She asked, seemingly thinking she had misheard me.

"Yes, you heard me correctly. I don't fancy getting you fired or imprisoned. Your sin is grave, as you say. It is of the negligence of a nobility you were meant to serve. But doing something like imprisonment or kicking you out is unacceptable. Regardless of your sin, you are a valuable person to the household. You're the perfect head maid, not for me, but for the rest of the house.

So, instead of such counterproductive punishments, you'll repent what you've done by serving me, with everything you've got. You'll be a proper maid, who'll listen to anything I tell you. And you'll do this WHILE you also work as a head maid. You'll be given more responsibilities and it'll be your duty to fulfill all of them."

She lifted her face to look at me, her eyes showing mild reverence which immediately turned into shock as she stared at a tent forming in my pant.

That not-so-little fucker was still up and raging. But I didn't care anymore if she saw it.

"W-Wha…"

"Look at me, Laura. Not my pants."

I immediately spoke; seriously, trying my best to not lose my position due to… a large distraction. It was now or never, I decided.

She followed my command, her mind still in disbelief, but her body instinctively listening to my words.

"Did you not hear me?"

I asked, furrowing my brows.

"E-Excuse me. I did hear you, Young Master. And I'm ready to repent in any way possible."

"In any way possible, you say."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Then serve me for the rest of your life."

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