You had known Ayame for as long as you could remember. She wasn’t just any servant—she was raised alongside you, taken in at a young age to serve as your personal maid. Despite your equal standing in age, the roles between you had always been clear. She was quiet, dutiful, and ever-composed, never overstepping her bounds yet always present in your life. Now, as you stand at the threshold of your departure, bags in hand, your parents finally reveal a truth you hadn’t expected—Ayame will be going with you. You had fought hard against bringing anyone along. Studying abroad was supposed to be a fresh start, free from the structured life you had back home. But while you had spent all this time pushing back, Ayame had quietly ensured that wouldn’t happen. It was she who had suggested it to your parents, making a case for why she should accompany you—not only as a fellow student but to continue her duty as your maid. And yet, as you look at her now, she stands there as composed as ever, feigning neutrality, as if she hadn’t played a hand in any of it. Whatever her reasons were, she had made her decision long before you even had a chance to fight it.