“Are you hurt?”
“N-no, I’m fine.”
“Knocking over buckets, nearly tripping… Lotte, you’re such a clumsy thing, aren’t you?”

Alisha chuckled softly, holding Lotte close as she spoke.
Alongside her apologetic feelings came another thought —who did she think was to blame?
Normally, she wouldn’t make such simple mistakes.
　She wanted to blame it on the pressure of Alisha watching her.
But complaining after being helped felt wrong.
Gently set down on the floor, Lotte bowed her head.

“…Thank you. I’m afraid I’ve only shown you embarrassing moments…”
“It’s alright. Seeing you try so hard is rather enjoyable.”
“Enjoyable?”
“Yes. It somehow makes me want to watch over you. Perhaps I’ll do this more often from now on.”

Working while being watched by Alisha on such a whim —Lotte would rather avoid it if she could.
Being together was a joy, but trying to work harder because she was watching inevitably led to awkward overcompensation.
Besides, she couldn’t stop wondering why Alisha was here in the first place.

“Well, I don’t quite understand why Alice came here…”

When Lotte said this, as if resigning herself, Alisha somehow wore a slightly displeased expression.

“…You really don’t know?”
“Er, yes.”

When Lotte nodded, Alisha let out a small sigh and sat down on the sofa.
　Had she upset her? Unsure how to respond, Lotte hesitated.

“—Just.”
“…Yes?”
“I just came to see Lotte.”

Looking slightly embarrassed, Alisha answered simply.
For a quiz-style question, the answer was surprisingly straightforward —and one Lotte hadn’t even considered.
　After all, ‘just to see you’ —even for Lotte, it was an unexpectedly delightful thing to hear.

“You… you came here just to see me?”

When Lotte asked, Alisha blushed even more.

“Yes. But you’re always so absorbed in your work —you never pay me any attention.”
“W-well… I was working.”

　Lotte answered earnestly.
—In other words, Alisha had come to see Lotte and was staying in this room because she wanted attention. That was the answer.
Even Lotte hadn’t considered Alisha might come here for such a reason.
But —that was the truth.
Alisha had come here because she wanted to see Lotte.

“You wanted me to pay attention to you, didn’t you?”
“Hmph.”

Saying that, Alisha looked down and averted her gaze.
Her failure to deny it was proof that Lotte’s words were correct.
Just as Lotte had tried so hard at her work for Alisha’s sake, Alisha was here because she wanted Lotte’s attention.
Wearing the choker should have made that obvious.
It was her way of signalling to Lotte that she wanted something.
　But the fact she hadn’t done it meant… Alisha simply wanted to interact with Lotte purely.
If only she’d said so from the start —but conveying one’s feelings isn’t easy.
Honestly, it wasn’t easy for Lotte either to express her straightforward desire to simply be with Alisha.
The window cleaning would be finished soon —and once it was, Lotte would have to leave this room.
　So Lotte sat down beside Alisha.

“Huh? Lotte?”

“Cleaning this room is my responsibility. Once I’m done, I’ll move on to another area. I doubt Alice would follow me that far, after all.”

If Alisha followed Lotte to another room, there was a real risk of them being seen, and it would look suspicious.
　After all, Lotte and Alisha’s relationship was a secret.

“We have a little time now. Shall we talk?”
“Huh! Is that alright?”
“Alright or not, you’re here because you want me to pay attention to you, aren’t you?”
“W-well… you don’t need to spell it out.”

Wanting attention —perhaps embarrassed to have it put into words, Alisha averted her gaze.
　It’s different now —she’s not wearing the choker, so they should be in a normal master-servant relationship.
Yet, seeing Alisha looking so pitiful, why does it make Lotte want to demand it from her?

“…Do you have the choker with you now?”
“!”

When Lotte asked that, Alisha pulled the choker from her bosom.

“I have it, but—”
“What shall we do?　I’m still on duty, but —if it’s an order, that’s part of the job too.”

Lotte forced the choice upon Alisha.
She was on duty now —and this wasn’t Alisha’s private room.
Still, it was upstairs, and no one else was nearby.
Therefore —as part of her duties, there were things she could do.
Alisha showed it not with words, but with action.
Silently, she fastened the choker around her own neck.

“So, you were expecting something like this after all?”
“N-no. I just wanted to see Lotte.”
“But coming to see me means that, doesn’t it?”

That was it —there was no other reason Alisha would come to see Lotte.
Lotte had to convince herself it had to be so.
This wasn’t Alisha seeking her out; it was the result of Lotte seeking her out.
　Usually, she was the one in the position to ask for what she wanted, but now Lotte had prompted the situation.

“Alice likes dangerous things, didn’t she?”

Saying this, Lotte placed her hands on Alisha’s clothes.
Unbuttoning them revealed her undergarments.
Even as she was being undressed, she only blushed, offering no resistance whatsoever.
Only her slightly ragged breathing gave her away.

“Could it be… you’re aroused just from being undressed?”
“No, that’s…”

She tried to deny it —but couldn’t.
Because Lotte’s words were true.

“For instance, how about standing by the window like this?”
“Hah!”

At Lotte’s suggestion, Alisha showed signs of agitation.
　At this time of day —if she stood by the window, there was a very real possibility someone might see her.
Indeed, undressing in this room itself was a risk.
Alisha clearly hesitated, but eventually, with a determined look, she rose from the sofa and headed towards the window.
As she moved slowly towards the window —Lotte grabbed Alisha’s hand and pulled her back to the sofa.
　Then she pushed her down.

“Just standing by the window like you were told? What if someone saw you?”
“B-but… Lotte told me to…”

Doing it because Lotte said so —some part of her felt strangely excited by that fact.

“…Alice really is my obedient little plaything, isn’t she?”

If that was the case, she wouldn’t resist anything from now on.
　Naturally, I reached out, about to unfasten the skirt she wore, when a voice from the corridor made me start.
—This wasn’t Alisha’s room; anyone could walk in at any moment.
Why was Lotte, who’d just admonished Alisha, doing something so reckless?
Shaking her head slightly, Lotte immediately stood up.

“Is it over already?”

Alisha wore a slightly dissatisfied expression, but Lotte promptly fastened the buttons on her dress.

“It’s over for now. Someone might come, and I’m working.”
“…For now?”

Alisha asked for confirmation, and Lotte gave her the answer she sought.

“Yes, ‘for now’.”

At those words, Alisha nodded once —and left the room.
Even though she knew this was absolutely not a good relationship —Lotte, too, was gradually losing control.

(Is it really okay to keep going like this…?)

Even as that doubt crossed her mind, Lotte once again —made her way back to Alisha.