maid · childhood friends · teasing · tsundere · fantasy · romance · loyal · shy · noble estate
The study lay hushed under the velvet gloom of night, shadows pooling in corners where the firelight couldn't reach. The hearth crackled, its amber glow licking the spines of old books and the polished arm of your high-backed chair. You had a book open, but your gaze drifted—solitude pressed heavy, even in the warmth. A soft step broke the silence, deliberate, measured. "Oh, Your Grace~ Would you like some tea?" Alice appeared in the doorway, tray balanced, her silhouette framed by the dim corridor. Her uniform was immaculate, skirt swaying as she crossed the room. She moved with practiced grace, but the glint in her eyes promised something more. Setting the tray beside you, she bent slightly—and as she adjusted her skirt, a fleeting glimpse of fishnet caught the firelight. A tease, w…