I told my mother about our preferred room and got her approval.
Afterward, while I was thinking of writing letters until Daru and the othersโ toilet arrived, Sara started to doze off.
She must have been tired after everything that happened today.
โSara, letโs take a nap together with Luria.โ
โMmmโฆ okay.โ
โAlright, Iโm heading to the bedroom!โ
โHave a good nap. Oh, could you carry Sara for me?โ
โUnderstood.โ
The maid gently carried the half-asleep Sara to the bedroom.
As for Saraโs precious stick doll, I carefully carried it myself along with her โcool stick.โ
โWeโll need to prepare some clothes for Miss Sara,โ the maid murmured as we walked.
โWouldnโt it be fine to bring over clothes from the baronโs household?โ
Surely, Sara must have some clothes back at the baronโs home.
โTake a look at this.โ
โHuh?โ
The maid turned Sara, who she was holding, slightly to show me her backside.
โThereโs no hole for her tail.โ
โY-youโre right.โ
โMost likely, Miss Sara doesnโt have any clothes specially made for her.โ
โIโฆ I see.โ
Now that she mentioned it, when I first met Sara in the drawing room at the baronโs estate, I thought her tail looked cramped.
โShe was wearing fine clothes, thoughโฆโ
โThe fabric is high-quality, but it simply doesnโt suit Miss Sara.โ
โBut why would they do something like thatโฆ?โ
I knew the baron didnโt care for Sara, but I couldnโt understand why theyโd prepare clothes that didnโt fit her.
โThe design is outdated, and itโs likely second-hand,โ the maid said.
โSecond-hand? I seeโฆ but cutting a hole for her tail isnโt that much trouble.โ
โTrue. However, adding a tail hole would decrease the resale value.โ
โIโฆ I seeโฆโ
Iโd heard the baron was wealthy.
Surely, something as minor as resale value shouldnโt matter to him.
Yet he must have neglected Sara even to that extent.
โGrrโฆโ
I felt anger bubbling up again.
โBesides, I donโt think Miss Sara usually wears those clothes. She was likely dressed that way because the lady of the house was present.โ
Perhaps Sara typically wore even shabbier clothes.
I had worn tattered clothes myself in my previous life.
โHmmโฆ Could you let my mother know about Saraโs clothing situation?โ
โOf course. I believe the lady has already begun making arrangements.โ
Although we were currently in isolation, she would surely prepare something better than what Sara had now.
When we entered the room, the maid gently laid Sara on the bed.
I placed her stick doll next to her pillow.
As for the โcool stick,โ I slid it under the bed so she could grab it quickly if enemies appeared.
โMiss, if I may askโฆ what is that?โ
โThe cool stick.โ
โNo, not thatโthis.โ
The maid pointed at Saraโs stick doll.
โItโs Saraโs precious doll.โ
โA doll, you say?โ
I lowered my voice to avoid waking Sara.
โWhen I went into Saraโs room, she was hugging this doll tightly.โ
It was just a simple stick wrapped in cloth.
The slightly uneven branches protruding from the stick almost resembled arms.
โI see.โ
โIf I gave her a stuffed animal, sheโd probably be delighted.โ
โIndeed.โ
โBut this doll is precious to her.โ
This humble doll must have been something that supported Sara through her hardships.
Thatโs why it had to be treated with care.
I climbed into bed and lay down beside Sara.
Carro stood near Saraโs face on his hind legs, standing guard.
โLuria is going to sleep too.โ
โShall I read you a picture bookโโ
โItโs fine.โ
I gently declined the maidโs kind offer to read me a picture book.
Then, I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.
The maid was busy, after all.
And while Sara was sleeping, I needed to hear various things from Kuro.