I didn't expect to be chased out like this.
After the princess told me to leave, I tried to explain several times that I was only doing my job. But instead of getting a positive response, I received the opposite. She said she could be alone, then told me to leave again. Seeing her like that, I could only leave her room with my head bowed.
I let out a long sigh. Who would want someone they just met barging into their room anyway? Especially since she seemed to hate me from her expression just now.
Amidst my complaints, I heard the door behind me—just to my left—begin to open. I turned toward it. A moment later, the princess stepped out, glancing at me briefly before looking ahead. She was already dressed in an all-black gown. Without saying a word, she quickened her pace. My eyes followed her retreating figure until she disappeared into the long corridor. I had no idea where she was going—the mansion was far too large to guess.
But it seems, My lady is going to the dining room.
Once My Lady had left, I slipped back into her room. I still had my duties to fulfill. Inside, I tidied her jewelry table and opened the rooftop door to let fresh air in. I inhaled the cold breeze for a moment, resting one hand on the railing, before returning to my work.
While I was cleaning My lady's room, there was a knock from outside. The knock sounded slow, unlike the Head Butler's knock. My steps began to move, towards the door in front. Once in front of the door, I opened it slightly—creating a gap where only half of my body was visible.
My eyes widened when I saw who was standing outside. A female servant stood there—tall enough that I had to look up at her. She bowed slightly. In her hands was a white sheet, likely meant to replace My Lady's current one. We stared at each other for a few seconds before she finally spoke.
"I… I was ordered by the Head Butler to help with your work."
I blinked a few times. "Ah… yes, please come in, Servant sister."
I opened one of the door leaves wide. I took a few steps back, giving her room to pass. When her face just entered and looked inside, her eyes immediately narrowed. I, who was confident in the results of my work, smiled while putting both hands on my waist.
"Hm~ hm~ she must be surprised by my work!"
For a few moments, Servant sister was silent, not believing the results of my work.
She looked at me near the door. "Wow… your work is very, very, very… clean, huh?"
After she said that, her gaze looked around. The more she looked at the room I cleaned, the more her eyes narrowed. She glanced at me.
"Hey, you. I want to ask something."
I looked at her. "…Of course, you can, Servant sister."
My head tilted slightly. What's with her?
She looked back ahead. "Alright."
She began to put the white sheet she was holding on the bed, then she walked to one side, near the bathroom door. She pointed to something near the door frame, while looking back at me.
"The princess's face jewelry… why is it here?"
I looked at it. There, there were neatly arranged various kinds of facial jewelry equipment blocking the bathroom door.
I stroked the back of my neck, avoiding looking at her. "Ah… maybe I just misplaced it. Hahaha…"
Her eyebrow raised. "Alright."
She walked back towards the rooftop, then she pointed to some clothes hanging there.
"…Then what is this? Why are there clothes hanging here?"
I increasingly avoided contact with her. "Well… that's… because…"
She let out a long sigh, then looked at me near the door while squinting. "You… you're not good at this, are you?"
My body jolted, my eyes widened. "That…" I took a short breath. "Alright. Yes, I'm not good at this, Servant Sister."
She sighed shortly. "If you're not good at something, just say it. Being honest is more important than pretending to be able to."
The words she gave went straight into my heart. I lowered my gaze, my grip tightened.
"Alright."
She looked at me again, sighed slightly, before standing up—cleaning up the mistakes I made. While she was taking the clothes hanging outside, she looked back at me.
"…Aren't you going to help?"
My eyes widened, turning towards her again. "Ah… y-yes."
I immediately moved to help her clean the princess's room. Every time I did something wrong, she immediately told me the right thing. There she not only helped me, but also taught me many things to take care of a room.
Looking at the room reminded me of my old one in the previous world. I had been terrible at keeping things tidy—I used to throw everything carelessly onto the floor. Whether I liked it or not, that bad habit would have to change in this world.While we were cleaning My Lady's room, she seemed silent looking at me. I returned her gaze that had been stuck on me.
"…What's wrong, Servant Sister?"
She jolted, then stroked the back of her neck. "Ah, nothing. It's just, you seem very brave to become that princess's personal maid. Even though, you could ask the Duke for a suggestion, to become a maid that has nothing to do with her—Ah! It doesn't mean I have a problem with the princess or something, okay!"
Seeing her like that, my eyes could only widen. What she said is true. I could ask the Duke for a suggestion or consideration like that. But…
I looked down again, carrying out my duties again. A thin smile appeared on my face. "…If I did that, it would be the same as running away from responsibility, Servant Sister. The Duke bought me for one reason—to become his daughter's personal maid. If I followed your suggestion, wouldn't that mean betraying the trust he placed in me? And…"
I jolted. Ah. I forgot that my body is still ten years old!
I looked at her again. "I-I don't mean it like that! I mean… that's…"
"Yes. What you said is true," she interrupted.
My eyes widened once again. "…Eh?"
Her gaze now seemed to be downcast. She continued her work. It seemed she wouldn't ask further about my overly mature words.
I took a short breath. "That's a relief."
When I was with Uncle El, I still had a reason for my skill in playing chess. But what about this? I don't know what to answer.
I looked back at Servant sister who was busy cleaning the dust in the room. She seemed to sneeze a few times, before continuing her work.
My eyes narrowed. 'But, why do almost all the maids here seem to avoid, My Lady, huh?'
I was silent for a moment, looking at Servant Sister who was still busy with her work. …Should I try to ask, huh?
"…By the way—"
She looked at me who was behind her. "You. You're done with your work, right?"
I could only nod. "Ah, yes. Done."
The dust that fell down, made her sneeze before speaking again. "If you're done, quickly remove the old sheet, and replace it with the new sheet on the bed there."
I looked at the sheet on the bed, before finally answering, "Ah, yes."
My steps began to walk to the bed. Arriving there, I removed the old sheet before replacing it with the new one. ut just as I was about to replace it, something made me pause. There, beneath the fabric, lay a leather-bound book. I didn't know what it was, but it felt like something important to My Lady.
I put the book aside first—precisely on the table where the bedside lamp was located, before replacing it with the new sheet. After I finished installing it, Servant Sister seemed to call me. I fulfilled her call, until now, we were already inside the princess's bathroom. She seemed to want to show something before she left.
She pointed to something under the copper bathtub. "Hey, you. Look at this."
I squatted down, focusing my gaze on the place she pointed to. There, there was a hole covered by a cover with the same material.
"When the Princess finishes bathing, you have to unplug this hole to drain the water inside. Because this is one of your duties as her personal maid from now on. Do you understand?"
I nodded, softly.
She sighed shortly, before finally she stood up. "Alright. Because it seems you already know about your duties now, I will go to carry out my next duty."
After she said that, she left the bathroom—towards the exit door. Arriving at the exit door, she seemed to bow briefly once, I returned it as well, before finally she left and disappeared into the vast hallway.
I swallowed my saliva. I went back inside, closing the princess's room again. I walked slowly, towards the table where the book I had just gotten from replacing the new sheet was located.
I took the book.
My tight tie, I pulled it, trying to loosen it. "…Alright."
I started opening the contents of the book. My eyes widened, when I saw the contents inside. "What is this?"