Please Bully Me, Miss Villainess!

Miss Linda has returned to her hometown.

These days, taking advantage of the season before heavy snow blocks the roads, Miss Linda packed her luggage and set off on her journey home.

She goes back every year at this time.

Elsa recalled what the Young Miss had secretly told her—that Miss Linda was actually of the elf race.

The elven calendar is different from the human one.

Unlike humans, for elves who pay attention to astrology, the winter solstice marks the beginning of a new cycle in the year.

Starting from the winter solstice, the sun will gradually gain power, and under the sun’s illumination, all things will gain rebirth again.

Therefore, the ‘winter solstice’ is equivalent to the New Year in the elven calendar, a grand festival worth celebrating.

To commemorate the winter solstice, the elves gather to celebrate the arrival of winter, while also celebrating the revival of light and life.

During this period, elven villages hold grand ceremonies every year, and all members must attend.

Linda, who is fulfilling a contract outside, is no exception. According to tribal rules, she must attend, so she took leave to visit her hometown.

However, before leaving, Miss Linda didn’t look very happy, constantly muttering things like ‘I really don’t want to go’, ‘I’ll be pressured to get married again’, ‘I’m not a leftover elf’, with a face full of despair,

It seems even mature women like Lady Linda have it tough…

Although young Elsa couldn’t fully understand Miss Linda’s troubles, she couldn’t help but feel worried.

On the day she left, the Duke specially sent several carriages to escort her, the grand scale comparable to a merchant guild. He also sent some specialties made in the mansion as products from human regions. The Young Miss and Elsa saw her off to the carriage and watched her leave.

“…I entrust my wife’s medicine to you.”

“Rest assured, leave it to me, Master.”

“You’ve been troubled all this time, Linda.”

“It’s my duty.”

Elsa, with her sharp ears, vaguely heard this conversation.

The Young Miss’s mother… that is, the Duchess, seems to have been unwell for a long time,

Especially recently, as winter approaches, she’s been increasingly bedridden. The Young Miss visits her several times every day, looking very worried, which also made Elsa feel uneasy.

Every year when Miss Linda returns from her hometown, she brings a secret elven medicine to prolong the Duchess’s life.

Even though countless famous doctors have been invited to the mansion, that strange illness of the Duchess just can’t be completely cured. Instead, it tends to worsen. By now, the elven secret medicine has become the only way to keep the frail Lena alive.

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They hadn’t noticed when Linda was here, but she was indeed a very capable maid. Just losing her alone seemed to multiply the matters needing attention around the Young Miss several times over.

After all, as a noble Young Miss, everything from eating to dressing… every aspect was very particular. Although she felt it unnecessary to be so extravagant, the Duke would not allow his precious daughter to suffer any grievances, so she could only lower her demands to the minimum. But even so, from an ordinary person’s perspective, it was still a level of luxury beyond reach.

“Sister Rose, I can handle this.”

“…Can you carry it?”

“I can do it.”

Although the childish voice said so, when Rose handed over the folded quilts, they almost covered her entire body, looking quite amusing and making one want to laugh.

Maid Rose bent down to help her straighten the stacked quilts, smiling as she asked:

“Do you know where to put them?”

“Mm, I know.”

She nodded. Although from this angle only the top of her head was visible, one could imagine her serious expression as she agreed.

“Hehe, little Elsa is so capable.”

“…I’m glad I can help.”

She said shyly, then hugged the sun-dried quilts and trotted away, seeming no longer so shy.

At first, when the Young Miss asked them to take care of this picked-up girl, the maids were quite unwilling,

Although they were maids, those serving as personal attendants in the Duke’s household were mostly blood relatives of lower-ranked branch noble families. They were naturally reluctant to suddenly be asked to care for a vagrant of unknown origin.

But after getting along with her, they gradually grew to like this well-behaved and understanding child.

Moreover, the Young Miss liked her so much.

Heave-ho~

Standing on a stool, little Elsa stuffed the changed quilts into the cabinet above.

Although she wasn’t tall, Elsa could already use various types of magic to compensate for this.

“Um… is there anything else I can help with?”

After putting away the down quilts, Elsa returned to Rose, wearing a custom-made small apron, looking every bit like an adorable little maid.

“Hmm, there’s nothing much to do after this, leave it to us sisters,”

Rose lovingly patted her little head.

“Why don’t… you go help wake up the Young Miss? Except for Lady Linda, we’re basically all helpless against the Young Miss’s habit of oversleeping. Moreover, the Young Miss has etiquette class in the afternoon. Although there’s still time… it wouldn’t be good if she’s scolded by the teacher for not being properly groomed because she got up late.”

“…Alright!”

Receiving such an important task from her senior maid, little Elsa clenched her fist and nodded solemnly.

However, when she arrived at Yvonne’s bedside, she realized the difficulty of this task.

“Young Miss… it’s time to get up, you know?”

Without Linda’s strict control, Yvonne had started oversleeping.

It can’t be helped, children at this age are always sleepy, even 10 hours of sleep a day doesn’t feel enough.

“…Young Miss? Wake up—”

Little Elsa reached out her hand, gently shaking the girl on the bed.

“Mmm…”

At this moment, Yvonne was curled up in bed, comfortably taking an afternoon nap,

After being shaken, she let out a half-asleep, spoiled sound:

“…Let me sleep a bit longer…”

Because her body had become that of a child, her way of thinking had also become more childlike, becoming as willful as a real 7-year-old.

Hearing such a sweet voice, she couldn’t help but stop her shaking hand.

With so many classes every day, she must be very tired…

Thinking this, Elsa no longer had the heart to urge her, instead leaning on Yvonne’s bedside and beginning to observe this innocent sleeping face.

Asleep, she looked as cute as an angel.

Faced with the Young Miss in this state, even a demon would let down its guard, right?

“Mm…”

Perhaps the wake-up call had some effect, Yvonne slowly opened her eyes, very happily seeing Elsa leaning on her bedside.

Their eyes met.

“How about… does Elsa want to sleep together?”

Wrapped in her blanket, she asked with a mischievous smile,

“No, how could I dare… meow?!”

Caught peeking, Elsa’s little face turned red, wanting to quickly stand up.

But before she could steady herself, her wrist was grabbed, and she slipped, being pulled onto the bed.