episode_0031

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Swallowing all sorts of curses that wouldn’t be out of place bursting from my mouth, I swiftly ascended to the upper floor of the mansion.

Fuck. Why in the world.

Fuck. What did I do wrong.

Fuck. Why the hell am I becoming the damn, fucking, judgmental bastard’s exclusive maid!

“Congratulations, Miss Lilith Rosewood.”

“Guh….”

In my heart, I wanted to destroy Dittmayer’s face, but that wouldn’t solve anything; it would only complicate matters further.

Suppressing a mix of complex emotions, I simply hastened my steps towards Harold’s study on the third floor.

What am I going to do there? Fuck, how would I know.

First things first, I need to somehow relinquish this damn slave… no, exclusive maid position.

I can’t fathom why the hell Harold put me in Ethan’s exclusive maid position.

Why?

At least in the original work, there was some understanding of why Lilith became Ethan’s exclusive maid.

The plausible reason being that the judgmental bastard, swayed by Lilith’s appearance, whined like a child and insisted on making her his exclusive maid.

Originally, it was downright impossible for Lilith, at her young age, to become Ethan’s exclusive maid.

Not only was Lilith currently just 18 years old, about to turn 19 in a week, she was, strictly speaking, even younger than Ethan. Though the age gap was minimal, it still existed.

An exclusive maid is typically much older than the noble they serve, tasked with assisting them closely in their daily affairs.

In the game’s setting, the initial exclusive maid appointed by Ethan wasn’t Lilith but a maid with some experience.

Given that Ethan stubbornly placed Lilith due to his dissatisfaction with his previous maid, there was a somewhat understandable process behind the job transfer.

Harold, being a fool for his son, couldn’t resist Ethan’s insistence and assigned Lilith. This was a reasonable development.

From that perspective, this radical move seemed utterly bizarre.

Harold, the fool, succumbing to Ethan’s insistence and switching the exclusive maid from the existing one to Lilith? That could happen.

But Harold, the fool, appointing an unproven debt maid like Lilith as Ethan’s exclusive maid? That’s absurd.

This is unacceptable. This is truly an absurd setup.

Where did the story go wrong?

Despite unintentionally leaving a somewhat positive impression on Harold, it should have been enough to leave an impression of a risky character.

Appointing a maid who wrestles a wild boar ten times her size as his son’s exclusive maid?

Are you in your right mind? Are you?

As I mentally interrogated a hypothetical Harold, I found myself standing outside Harold’s study on the third floor.

Taking a quiet breath, I realized that the mad noble who had thrust me into the role of his son’s exclusive maid was beyond this door.

The lunatic who made a debt maid of uncertain origins and a crazy girl who fought a level 10 monster his son’s exclusive maid, he was behind this door right now.

I have to change somehow. If things continue as they are following the original plot, there will definitely come a point where I won’t be able to turn back.

Of course, avoiding my current position as a full-time maid doesn’t guarantee that Lillis won’t end up as an assistant in the future.

Even if I manage to escape from this situation by making a deal with Harold right now, Edan’s stubbornness could easily change everything at any moment, as was the case with this personnel reshuffle.

Perhaps it would have been better if that kid had never met me at all, but the fact remains that I’ve already been involved with him several times.

If Lillis’s appearance had caught Hyumdahn’s eye, even this complaint of mine would likely just be a futile attempt to express my feelings at this moment.

“….”

Maybe, it truly has no significance.

It might be better not to waste time and just accept it.

Likely, even in the game, Lillis would have made the same choice.

There was a good chance that trying to negotiate or change positions with nobles half-heartedly could have made matters worse.

In fact, the likelihood of it turning out that way was overwhelmingly higher than it not happening.

Rationally thinking, for now, accepting the position of a full-time maid and finding another way is probably the best course of action.

That’s likely the safest and most efficient way for me right now.

…

…

…

Damn it, what’s the point of conforming to reality like this?

This is something I have to reluctantly accept. This is why I have no choice but to move forward like this.

And when the inevitable moment comes where I have to face Edan, I’ll have no choice but to face him, no matter how unwillingly, and be bound by his leash without a word?

Having seen ‘Edan Richard Blackwood’ in the game, I can be sure of one thing.

The moment you give that damn opportunist pig an inch, he’ll take you for all you’re worth, down to your very bones.

To survive as Lillis, who has faced all sorts of hardships from every angle, not even the smallest concession can be made.

Where is the meaning in actions that seem utterly meaningless?

At least I can appeal to Harold, saying, “I’m a strange person.”

Considering that rumors haven’t spread beyond the mansion yet, it’s likely that only a few servants, including Dietmayer, were informed of my job transfer.

The only moment where anything could possibly be reversed was now.

-Knock, knock, knock!

Even in such a damn situation, breaking the basic etiquette of a servant would make amends difficult, so I lightly knocked on the office door three times with a slightly emotional fist.

Soon after, the voice of that damn Harold came from inside the office.

“Come in.”

-Click.

As soon as I heard Harold’s voice, I opened the door and pushed my body into the office.

The moment I stepped into the office, our eyes met immediately as he stood looking towards the door.

“….”

“….”

After the sound of the door closing behind me, there followed a subtle silence for a while.

I wondered if I should be the one to speak first in this awkward situation, but thankfully, Harold spoke up first.

“You must be Lillis Rosewood.”

“…Yes.”

Damn. Completely caught off guard.

For someone who wouldn’t normally care about others, remembering my name meant one of two things.

Either the person had decided to remember my name because they would be seeing me often in the future, like Melissa the head maid or Deputy Manager Dietmayer.

Or it was simply because I stood out unnecessarily and couldn’t be ignored.

And in my case, it was undoubtedly the latter.

Replacing the moment of regret that surged from the past, Harold’s mouth opened once again, granting me the floor to explain why I had entered his study.

“Today, I don’t recall summoning you specifically. What brings you here?” he inquired.

“I have something to say regarding the news of a duty transfer received from Vice-Chamberlain Dietmayer,” I replied.

“If it’s about your duty transfer, it must be related to my son’s exclusive maid,” Harold deduced.

“That’s correct.”

“Well then, speak.”

Harold fixed his gaze on me, as if urging me to speak my mind.

Without hesitation, I confidently expressed my opinion, even in the face of such scrutiny.

Now or never, I thought. This might be my only chance to voice my concerns about the situation.

“I am aware that questioning the judgment made by the master is disrespectful, but I will speak nonetheless.”

“…”

“I am profoundly inadequate to serve as Ethan Richard Blackwood’s exclusive maid.”

“I see.”

“Therefore, I wish to yield the position of Ethan’s exclusive maid to a more capable senior maid who can better attend to him.”

After listening to my words in silence, Harold finally met my eyes and spoke quietly, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had settled.

“Does your statement imply a problem with my order for your duty transfer?”

This was the crucial moment.

I needed to appeal to Harold that I was not suited for the role of an exclusive maid without offending him, navigating this conversation delicately to survive.

If I showed any sign of defiance towards Harold’s command or revealed my feelings towards Ethan, my days could be numbered.

To survive in this world as Lillis, I had to confidently express my views before Harold.

“Yes.”

“I see.”

“Unfortunately, I am not as competent and skilled as you may think. Therefore, I reiterate that I am not suitable for Ethan’s exclusive maid position.”

“You truly take after her.”

“Pardon?”

“…No, please continue.”

Harold looked at me with slightly widened eyes, perhaps surprised that I would directly contradict his words.

Having come this far, there was no turning back now.

With determination akin to placing my neck in the jaws of a crocodile, I reluctantly voiced the thoughts swirling in my mind.

In my life, getting involved with Ethan beyond this point would be surrendering my neck to the executioner, no matter the consequences.