Free Web NovelChapter 23: Chapter 22 - A New Maid Task
I just watched Master Reina leave with a wry smile.
The anger that had been building up in my heart subsided after seeing the spectacular punishment happen before my eyes.
I don’t want to complain about the Duke and Duchess’s way of punishing Master Reina, who failed the noble etiquette lesson.
Even if I protested about it, I would look like an inexperienced maid who didn’t know her place.
The Duke and Duchess were kind enough to hire me as a "full-time" apprentice maid, which means... I get paid like a full-time maid. That was after my mother pleaded with the Duchess for kindness, claiming that I would be alone at home if she going to work.
Just imagine a little girl alone in the house, without any adult protectors around. Only problem occurs.
Ah, coincidentally, Liliana’s father had died, drunken, while a wild boar that attacked the village where Liliana lived.
In Liliana’s vague memories, there is a memory of her past life living in a small village bordering the Royal Capital of Belfast.
Long story short, the wild boar her drunk father fought had a damage level of "SUPER DEADLY," and the village where Liliana lived had been secured by several adventurers paid for by the village chief.
Preparations to prevent wild boar attacks were already in place, and mitigation measures for wild boar invasions had been implemented, but fate had other plans.
Just as disaster was barely averted, a group of wild goblins started logging illegally, angering the wild boars and causing them to attack Liliana’s village.
Preparations to prevent wild boar attacks also failed, only because of the presence of a group of wild goblins that destroyed the wild boar habitat.
Liliana still vividly remembers the horrific incident, where she saw a wild boar the size of a two-story house crash into her biological father. The man’s body, folded in half, has become a nightmare for Liliana, who somehow managed to escape without being hit by the boar’s foot.
After the incident, Liliana was forced to follow her mother to Duke Adelheid Von Blutfeld’s residence and become an apprentice maid for a year.
Ignoring the trauma Liliana experienced, I felt lucky after transmigrating into her stable body.
That terrible trauma was already commonplace for an author who survived to old age.
Cllaapp...
Cllaapp...
"Fuufuu~ I have handed over the matter regarding Reina’s punishment to my husband."
"Then, let’s focus on the next problem... Please get ready, Liliana!"
The Duchess clapped her hands to get my attention as I was staring out the window and remembering Liliana’s trauma.
After that loud applause...
For some reason, I sensed a strong and palpable sense of danger emanating from the mysterious aura surrounding the Duchess. The wide smile on her face further strengthened my sense of danger, turning it into a foreboding.
"E-Eeekkk?!"
"D-Duchess Adelheid Von Blutfeld, have I made a fatal mistake that I am not aware of?" I asked, panic filling my entire body.
This increasingly bad feeling made my heart beat faster.
What mistake did I make that it reached Duchess Adelheid Von Blutfeld’s ears, if it was such a big mistake... would my mother’s job be okay?
Finding stable employment other than being a permanent maid serving in a noble residence can be difficult. Even becoming a permanent maid requires passing a selection process conducted by the Head Maid.
Skills, speed, reflexes, and several other important things must pass the test set by the Head Maid.
"Hmm~ what are you talking about, Liliana?"
"Oh! Does your head still hurt?"
The Duchess’s hand touched my forehead and ran her fingers through my hair until she hit a painful lump. It made me wince in pain and let out a small sigh of pain.
"A-Aaaahhh... D-Duchess..." I moaned, holding back the pain.
"Oh! S-Sorry if it still hurts, Liliana."
"I-It’s okay. It still hurts from direct physical contact. But for normal activities, the pain isn’t that bad. So, I can work as a maid apprentice again!" I said with an excited shout.
I could have fooled the Duchess and pretended to cry to get a day off.
However, I suddenly had a feeling that something interesting was about to happen after my previous bad feeling was misplaced.
Yup, I hope it’s a false alarm to panic...
So, I will take this as a good chance by working with enthusiasm.
"Hmm~ Umm~ I like your enthusiasm, Liliana."
"Mell, prepare Liliana to wear the main maid uniform."
"And Liliana..."
"Get ready to learn how to greet guests as a main maid!" the Duchess said, giving me an order that confused me.
Snap!!
The Duchess snapped her fingers again, and suddenly, my body was dragged by the Head Maid into the bathroom used by the maids.
My body was washed by the Head Maid like a kitten that had just fallen into a rain drain.
Being bathed like a child makes me feel embarrassed.
My pride as a respectable woman who had lived to an old age seemed to have simply disappeared.
This feeling of shame mixed with humiliation continued until my body was wearing the main maid uniform.
The maid uniform I was wearing had graceful lace stitching, an elegant long skirt, and chest straps that pulled my shoulders up straight—it felt like wearing an expensive maid outfit from a famous designer.
"U-Umm, Head Maid..."
"D-Did any important noble families come to visit Duke Adelheid Von Blutfeld’s residence?" I asked curiously.
The Head Maid looked at me with a cold smile and let out a heavy sigh after hearing my question.
"Yes, there is an important and troublesome noble family who will be visiting today," she answered briefly.
"If such an important noble family is coming, why do I have to practice how to welcome them?" I continued, sounding like a chatty, curious girl.
"This isn’t a matter of training to welcome noble guests, Liliana."
"Hmm?" I became even more confused by the Head Maid’s answer and tilted my head.
"These are the tough challenges you’ll have to overcome as a maid. For example, serving a quiet guest who rarely speaks and her thoughts are hard to predict. You’ll have to endure these complex tasks during this training, Liliana."
"H-Heeehh?" The longer I was confused by the Head Maid’s answer, my gaze quickly moved towards the main entrance room.
The incident happened so quickly that it passed without me realizing it.
Together with the other maids, I stood and lined up to greet the arrival of the noble family, which sounded troublesome, according to the Head Maid’s explanation.
In the quiet main entrance hall of Duke Adelheid Von Blutfeld’s residence, I suddenly heard the sound of a horse-drawn carriage parked in front of the main door. This was my signal to prepare to welcome the noble guest with other maid.
Through a soft whistle from the Head Maid’s mouth, I also bowed my body to pay respect to the noble guest who visited the residence of Duke Adelheid Von Blutfeld.
The Duchess was already in her position to greet the guests in person, and my role at this point was as an extra bowing maid in the background.
Krraaakkk...
The main entrance of Duke Adelheid Von Blutfeld’s residence was wide open, and the dazzling light of the rising sun dazzled my eyes.
Kiirraaa...
Kiirraaa...
Holding back the dazzling glare of the sun, the corner of my eye slowly saw a little girl who was the same age as Master Reina walking in with an adult woman who looked familiar with Duchess Adelheid Von Blutfeld.
