Exclusive Maid (1)

“I’ll take my leave now, Master.”

“Let’s meet again next time, Miss Lilith Rosewood.”

“……Yes.”

With a creaking sound, the door to the Blackwood Mansion’s office closed carefully behind her.

Watching the retreating figure of the maid disappear, Harold Richard Blackwood quietly sank into deep thought.

“……”

No matter how he thought about it, she was a strange woman.

Outwardly, she appeared to be just a pretty maid, but inside, she seemed to carry an entirely different demeanor and presence, as if another person resided within her.

Ever since Lilith’s testimony at the disciplinary committee helped recover Tanathia’s stolen necklace from Eiria, she had been an enigma.

The monster subjugation incident in the commercial district three days ago only deepened the mystery.

And now, after the private conversation they’d just had, Harold felt he could finally form some assessment of this woman named Lilith Rosewood.

A bold personality that dared to risk her life against formidable monsters, unlike ordinary commoners who would flee in fear.

A cool-headedness that allowed her to assess enemies and identify weaknesses even in dire situations.

And a strangely selfless nature that didn’t hesitate to sacrifice herself for others.

These were Harold’s simple evaluations of Lilith Rosewood who had just left his office.

“Rather than a mere maid, she might have been better suited to be trained as a knight.”

She was just a commoner girl sold into servitude for debt, likely recruited by Melissa to fill the mansion’s servant shortage without much thought.

It wasn’t a wrong judgment. The fate of indebted commoner girls was usually predetermined, and anyone other than Melissa would have made a similar decision.

In fact, Lilith Rosewood’s appearance alone was optimally attractive in many ways for hospitality work.

Though Harold had sworn to love no woman other than Tanathia and felt no particular stirrings, objectively speaking, she possessed quite an appealing appearance.

With just a bit more resourcefulness, she might have charmed some frontier noble into marriage instead of being sold as a debt maid.

That such a woman with such potential became a servant of the Blackwood family was likely just a coincidence.

…But.

“She resembles her.”

Could it really be just a coincidence that he saw in this mere commoner maid the shadow of someone he had long since parted with?

A woman who disregarded her own safety and status to stand against injustice and danger.

Harold had known only one such woman in his life.

And for a very long time, he had loved her.

“Tanathia…”

Harold murmured quietly as he looked at the portrait frame on his desk containing a woman’s image.

Tanathia Louise Bryswell.

The second daughter of the frontier Bryswell Viscount family, whose lands consisted mostly of farmland and undeveloped forests.

Also, the name of Harold’s late wife whom he had loved for so long and still couldn’t forget.

“I thought I’d long since let go of such attachments.”

Seeing someone who resembled her immediately brought to mind Tanathia in her most beautiful days, suggesting his heart still held onto something.

Especially since this girl had helped recover the necklace containing memories of Tanathia, making the feeling even stronger.

“No wonder Ethan seems so fond of her.”

Perhaps she could serve as a substitute mother figure for Ethan in place of Tanathia.

Of course, it would be too much to expect so much from a mere maid, but at the very least, she could provide considerable comfort to Ethan who had begun to stray after losing his mother.

Melissa’s reports had already confirmed there were no particular flaws in her abilities as a maid.

Her discretion and deep loyalty toward Ethan had been personally verified during the previous incident.

Her keen observation and memory, enough to recall Tanathia’s necklace after seeing it just once.

And though it might not be strictly necessary, she seemed to possess the capability to protect his son if needed.

After organizing these thoughts, Harold nodded and made his decision.

“She may be too young to be assigned to Ethan… but still, she seems the best choice.”

His only son, who had just awakened from a long curse and recovered his health.

The moment had come to appoint an exclusive maid to assist Ethan Richard Blackwood.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

“Ugh, I’m dying…”

The day after returning to work at Blackwood Mansion.

After being released from three hours in the basement etiquette training room, I rubbed my numb legs and struggled to climb upstairs.

“I expected a lecture, but kneeling for three hours straight while being yelled at is too much…”

After about an hour, I could barely remember what Melissa was saying anyway. Most of it was just repetition.

‘Have you lost your mind charging at a dangerous monster like Hookfang as a mere girl?! What happened to all the ladylike manners I drilled into you?!’

‘Moreover, isn’t protecting yourself the most basic duty of a maid serving the Blackwood family?! You’re a failure both as a maid and as a lady! A complete failure!!!’

Last time, since there were four of us together, the scolding felt somewhat diluted.

But listening to that dragon-like voice alone for three hours straight truly felt like having all the energy drained from my body.

My legs were also quite numb from kneeling for so long.

“A simple house arrest would’ve sufficed… Why the lecture too…”

Even in a world where multiple punishments were standard, this seemed excessive.

Well, since this outing was originally allowed as a favor from Head Maid Melissa, house arrest was to be expected.

For a debt maid like Lilith, this punishment was practically a default attribute.

If I had actually caused trouble outside, it would have been Melissa who granted permission who’d be in trouble.

It was fortunate that things ended well without casualties this time. Hearing that I’d been carried to the church must have given the head maid quite a scare.

…Still, three hours of lecture madness seems a bit much.

“How does she not get tired shouting like that nonstop?”

At least I’d managed to reach level 5 before the house arrest took effect.

It’s a shame I couldn’t reach level 6, but there’ll be other chances.

Even if I weren’t a debt maid and could go out freely on days off, reaching level 5 in such a short time would have been impossible.

Without basic magic, Lilith would have taken forever to defeat even a single slime with just basic attacks.

“Looking at it that way, I guess it’s fortunate…”

“What’s fortunate?”

“Eeek!!”

The deep voice coming from right beside my face startled me so much I nearly fell backward.

There stood the young deputy butler I’d met yesterday, staring at me with an unchanged expression.

“……”

Ah, damn. I forgot his name again.

I remember it was Colin something, but what was the rest…

“Dietmeier Colin Evercroft.”

“M-my apologies…”

He’s just a servant, so why does he have a middle name?

The name is already hard enough to remember, and now the shortest, most useless part keeps sticking in my mind.

“……”

Deputy Butler Dietmeier made an unreadable expression, neither accepting nor rejecting my apology.

Wondering if he was upset about me forgetting his name twice, I followed his gaze and noticed his pupils were fixed slightly below my face.

When I subtly covered my chest, he quickly averted his eyes, pretending not to have looked.

‘Right, this bastard’s still a man too.’

As I mentioned before, Harold is the only man in this mansion who doesn’t give me that hazy look.

Even this emotionally stunted deputy butler with his vacant expression couldn’t easily ignore Lilith’s chest.

As a fellow man, I understand. Instincts are hard to control.

“Miss Lilith Rosewood.”

“Yes.”

The deputy butler, who had glanced at my chest, now met my eyes with feigned composure and called my name.

I chose not to mention it and responded.

“I have a message from the Master.”

“……Yes?”

I was summoned just yesterday… Again?

Wait, would Harold really take interest in a mere maid two days in a row?

A strange, uneasy sensation crawled up my spine.

It didn’t take long for that bad feeling to become reality.

“Wh-what is the message…?”

“Effective tomorrow, Miss Lilith Rosewood’s position will be changed from junior maid.”

…No way.

“The Master has determined that there is a more suitable position for Miss Lilith than that of a junior maid…”

No, it can’t be. Surely not.

“You are to complete your assigned duties today, and starting tomorrow, you will be relieved of your junior maid status…”

It’s not that. It can’t be that.

Shut your damn mouth already, you clueless Dietmeier bastard.

“And assigned as the exclusive maid to Young Master Ethan Richard Blackwood.”

Ah.

Fuck.

This is a joke, right? It has to be.

“Congratulations, Miss Lilith Rosewood.”

“……”

Shut the hell up, you tactless bastard.