NOVEL WEB Chapter 201
“My job as a maid began the very next day after I arrived at Lapiz’s house.”
Of course, it wouldn’t make sense to throw a clueless girl into managing a house right away, so the first day would be all about showing me what I could do and what I needed to do.
…or so Lapiz’s grandmother, Altera, told me.
“Back in the day, it was different, but from now on, you can’t just call the future owners ‘aunt’ or ‘uncle.’ So, let’s start by introducing names. My name is Altera. You can learn the names of others when you meet them. If you have questions, just raise your hand.”
After saying that, Altera turned to lead the way, and I raised my hand, saying I had a question for her.
“Just raising your hand is enough. You don’t even need to say anything.”
I wondered how she knew without looking, but then I figured it’s just what you’d expect from Lapiz’s grandmother.
She must be way older than Lapiz, and at that age, her vibration detection skills must be off the charts. Even if she closed her eyes, she’d probably look like a sonar detector.
Assuming she was right about that, I voiced the question I had in mind.
“Um, Madam? I thought I’d be trained by someone older and stricter, but are you the one who’ll teach me?”
Usually, wouldn’t this sort of thing involve hiring someone else? I envisioned a cranky old lady coming in to yell and scold me, you know?
Completely clueless in this area, I felt unsure if this was right or not, and my curiosity couldn’t be contained.
“Madam… puh, already calling me that? You’ve got your hierarchy figured out. Good, at least I won’t have to hit you to set you straight.”
I felt like I heard something really chilling just now.
Altera said that with a cheerful tone, then asked if I didn’t see the kind of person right in front of me.
“You’re right; it’s common for strict, older folks to teach new maids. And that’s exactly why I’m here!”
“Ah.”
…the returnee is way older than they appear. And Altera just casually mentioned she’d teach through some tough love.
Yep, strict and elder, alright.
“Plus, even if you’re my granddaughter’s friend, you’re still like a stray cat that rolled in from a rough place. Evaluating whether you can step into this house is the job of the mistress.”
As she said this, I sensed that while Lapiz might trust me, the others wouldn’t necessarily feel the same.
It felt like a warning to behave, but on the flip side, it also felt like concern.
Whichever was true, I had no talent for reading people’s hearts, so I replied, “Understood, Madam.”
“I didn’t expect you to start groveling so quickly.”
Seeing her giggle reminded me so much of Lapiz; you could definitely tell they were related. Although, really, it’s probably Lapiz who learned to act like this from her.
“You should behave politely; after all, they’re the ones who will be in charge.”
“If you manage to swallow those words, little cat, I’ll commend you.”
I wanted to argue that I’m not a cat, but given my current situation, I was obviously in the subordinate position, so I quietly followed behind her.
As I trailed along, thinking about how far this place was, how vast the house was, and if I could manage everything on my own, we finally arrived somewhere.
It looked like a kitchen.
“Let’s see what you can do. First up, dishwashing.”
Altera said that, folding her arms and commanding me to start.
Not hesitating, I rushed to the sink piled high with all sorts of dishes and began washing.
With so much to handle for two arms, it should have been overwhelming, but that didn’t concern me.
Fully in sync with my slime ability, I created several mock arms and went to town, scrubbing those dishes clean in no time, finishing in under five minutes instead of the expected half hour.
“You’ve lived a long life, but… wow, what a fascinating ability. It looks ugly, but it’s certainly handy. If you’re done, let’s take a look.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
I stepped back humbly to let her inspect my work.
“Hmm… you did better than I expected. There are a couple of spots where the soap residue is a bit much, but overall, much better than I pictured. Have you done this kind of work before?”
As she examined each dish, she asked if I was familiar with washing.
“When I lived in a mansion, I often helped with cleaning so the staff wouldn’t struggle. Besides, being the youngest, I had to pitch in with a lot of tasks.”
Back when I was little, I tried so hard to prove my usefulness. It did improve my survival skills significantly.
“Is that right? Then things will be a lot easier. Oh, I am a bit curious, is it impossible for you to make your own cleaning solution?”
In response to Altera’s question, I explained that attempting to replicate common cleaning products without knowing their composition would lead to unexpected results, so I just used what was already available.
Surprisingly, replicating basic cleaning products is considerably difficult for me due to the complexity of the chemicals.
In the time it would take to gather materials and mix them, it would be far easier and relaxing to just buy a ready-made one.
“I see. Okay, let’s move on.”
Not knowing what exactly she was implying, I simply nodded and followed her around the house completing various tasks she set for me.
Floor cleaning, wall washing, bathroom scrubbing, room tidying; all sorts of cleaning, odd jobs in general, laundry, a simple cooking skills test, and basic garden maintenance like weed removal, along with trash sorting.
When it came time to show off my waste disposal skills, I attempted to demonstrate my ability to absorb and recycle trash into its elemental components, but her horrified expression interrupted me, so I was regrettably unable to show that off.
She briefly considered if I was insane, but thankfully after hearing an explanation of my abilities, all she could do was bewilderedly say, “You can do such extraordinary things?”
“Don’t do weird stuff like that; people will think you’re completely out of your mind. If Lapiz saw it, there’d be a huge commotion.”
“I didn’t even think about that. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, it’s hard to criticize someone putting in this much effort.”
Note to self: This person surprisingly seems to have a lot of warmth. If I treat her well, my standing here might improve a bit.
Thinking this internally, I asked if there was anything else to do.
“That’s enough for now. This is more than sufficient for the basics. You’ll manage the housekeeping, so let it slide. That’s enough for today. You should eat and rest too. Oh, how forgetful I am; I haven’t told you where your room is yet. Follow me, and I’ll show you.”
As I followed Altera, I came to a slightly simpler but fully equipped room that popped up in this mansion.
“Here it is. If you want to rest quietly, be alone, or sleep, come here. Of course, you can’t come in while you’re on duty. Understood?”
“Understood.”
“Since it’s your first day, let me set some ground rules. Don’t expect a huge salary. Even though you’re my granddaughter’s friend, your situation is still precarious, so I can’t spend a significant amount on unexpected expenses.”
“I’m just grateful for being accepted like this.”
“You’re really trying to be all respectful, aren’t you?”
Despite her words, her expression seemed to convey satisfaction. Apparently, being kind does run in the family to some extent.
“…Well, it’s almost time for everyone to return, so I should get ready. But first, I should change my clothes.”
Altera said that and dragged her feet across the floor.
Curious about what she was up to, I was taken aback when a package box emerged from the floor.
“…Why is this here?”
My surprised expression cracked my usual habit, and she seemed unfazed as she replied.
“Why is it here? I called it here, so it came. Do you need a reason beyond that?”
The floor shifted and twisted, placing the box into my hands, and just like that, it returned to its original position without a trace.
No matter how I looked for it, there wasn’t even a crack on the floor.
For a moment, I was awed, but soon after, the reality hit me that this place could crush me like a fly if it wanted, sending a chill down my spine.
“Change your clothes and come out. It’s fine to be a little late, but don’t take too long.”
However, Altera seemed indifferent to that and just stepped out of the room.
…I really have to do well. I knew returnees were something else, but experiencing it firsthand was on a whole different level.
There’s no way Heros Company is going through all this trouble and providing all these conveniences just to butter me up.
Shivering slightly, I rummaged through my new outfit. But, wow, it’s totally… a maid uniform.
No, I mean, sure, a female servant being a maid is one thing, but this is a bit too much like a typical maid outfit.
I twisted and turned, but with no choices besides wearing it, I put it on anyway.
Oddly, it felt a bit… tight. Loosening a few buttons helped a bit.
There were so many decorations, and what’s with all the ribbons and badges? I’m not a child. And all these belts? This is a choker, not a bracelet. And this isn’t just a bracelet… it’s designed to be worn around the ear?
Who came up with this design?
At first, I was too shocked to think much, but as I wore it, my discontent began to bubble up.
Why are the stockings so pure white? They’ll show every little stain!
And what on earth are these bell decorations for? They can’t be for my fingers.
Oh, for my tail. It’ll jingle whenever I walk.
Seriously, not a pet cat.
Standing in front of the mirror, I looked exactly like a cat maid.
Heading over to confront Altera about the design, I was told it was Lapiz who came up with it, so I should take my complaints to her.
Great, how am I supposed to complain about that? Ugh.
Am I going to be okay…?