The life of a maid in a noble household was one of hard work and long hours. The typical daily routine of a maid involved rising early in the morning and working until late in the evening.

At the break of dawn, a maid would begin her day by stoking the fire and preparing breakfast for her employer and the rest of the household. After serving breakfast, she would clean up the kitchen before moving on to the next task. Throughout the day, a maid would be responsible for a variety of chores, depending on the needs of the household. This might include cleaning and dusting the various rooms of the house, doing laundry, and even tending to the gardens or livestock. 

In the afternoon, after serving lunch and a brief break, she would continue with her other daily chores, such as mending clothing or bedding or running errands in town. As evening approached, a maid would turn her attention to dinner’s preparation, which might include roasting meat or poultry, boiling vegetables, and baking more bread and pastries. She would serve it once the meal was ready and clean up the kitchen before retiring for the night.

The days are spent doing the same routine without any significant changes. It was monotonous and boring, but I’d like to call it peaceful. Some said it was no different than the life of a slave, but those were words of thoughtless people. They didn't know anything yet dared to speak carelessly. The status of a maid might be low within a noble household, but we were part of the family and were essential to the household we worked in. 

But I understand that most people wouldn't be satisfied with this kind of life. Many ambitious girls aimed higher by becoming a maid first. They said if you could become a lady's maid, then your life was halfway to success. They seemed to believe that the duties of a lady's maid were easier and more fun, but I had to disagree.

The duties of a lady's maid were, indeed, quite different from that of a general maid. They were focused on the care and upkeep of her young lady's appearance and personal needs. A lady's maid also had to rise early in the morning to assist her young lady in getting dressed and groomed. This involved helping her with her hair, applying makeup, and selecting appropriate clothing and accessories for her to wear. After that, the maid had to tidy and organize her young lady's bedroom and dressing area.

Throughout the day until evening, a lady's maid would be responsible for ensuring that her young lady looked her best at all times. She might have to do periodic touch-ups on her hair and make-up and assist with changing clothes or accessories as needed. She was also in charge of the care and maintenance of her young lady's clothing, including washing, ironing, and mending as necessary.

In addition to her duties related to her young lady's appearance, a lady's maid would also be responsible for ensuring her young lady's personal needs were met. Running errands, fetching and carrying items, or serving meals and refreshments. When night falls, a lady's maid would help her young lady clean herself and prepare the bedding for her to rest. Only after that were the duties of a lady's maid done for the day. 

Many girls might think it was easy since they just had to constantly help the young lady change her clothes or apply make-up and thought it was fun since they could work closely with expensive dresses and precious pieces of jewelry that most people could only dream of touching. Then, if they could please the young lady by putting in the minimum effort and doing some boot-licking, her family might treat them with a generous increase in salary. Young ladies who got attached to their maids would even sometimes give them dresses and jewelry, treating them like best friends or even sisters rather than servants. 

In this case, a lady's maid could certainly lead a more comfortable life than any average citizen as long as she didn’t lose favor. But, to continue to be a favorite was not as simple as it sounded since fulfilling all the demands of a high-maintenance noble lady could be tricky. 

First, young ladies from high society attached great importance to personal hygiene. Assisting with bathing and washing her hair was the basic, some maids were required to perform regular nail care and massages. As a lady's maid stayed with the young lady every day, she was tasked to keep her healthy. This was why people with knowledge and experience in medicine and healthcare were still highly sought after by many noble households.

Second, young ladies of noble households would be able to attend and host social events after debuting into high society. In the days when her young lady was invited to tea parties or other social events, a lady’s maid had to help her put on her most charming appearance. Even selecting the dress alone often took hours before she made up her mind, imagine how long it took before the young lady was satisfied with her looks. On the off chance that a lady's maid wasn't aware of the latest fashion in high society, assisting her young lady would prove difficult. 

The same goes if her young lady was to be the host. On top of her initial duties, a lady's maid many times had to assist in organizing the event. However, the popular social events held by nobles could change according to season and other trends. An ignorant lady’s maid could embarrass her young lady by giving the wrong advice to hold a boring event. For such grave wrongdoing, being fired and kicked out of the house was a lenient punishment worthy of gratitude. Some merciless aristocratic families would throw the maid into jail. 

Thus, to be a lady’s maid, someone should be versatile and aware of the trends in almost everything in the Empire. From the latest fashion to newly opened restaurants with delicious sweets, from trending plays and books to the latest discoveries in any field, or even unconfirmed rumors about the Royal Family; anything that could be an interesting topic of conversation. In a sense, a lady’s maid also served as an informant for her young lady and the family, which could be a double-edged sword if the maid was not a sharp-witted person.

Long ago, I'd heard from my instructor that a maid's performance would reflect on her master's reputation and character and that a well-trained, competent maid could be seen as a reflection of her master's wealth, status, and values. Therefore, it would have been important for a noble household to hire and train their servants carefully to ensure that they were capable of performing their duties effectively and maintaining the household's reputation.

It was good if we could forge an ideal employment relationship like that. Sadly, high society was not short on arrogant yet mindless people. While poorly performing servants could bring shame and embarrassment to their masters, stories of underpaid servants being worked to the bone by a selfish and abusive master still could be heard here and there. Not to mention lady’s maids being ordered to run absurd errands by their spoiled and unreasonable young ladies. If you ended up working under this kind of master, then, far from being successful, your life would truly resemble a slave.

All in all, easy and fun was the worst combination one could pick to describe the life of a lady's maid. 

On the other hand, there were surprisingly a lot of servants who worked hard to please their employers just to fulfill their own desires. Among them, a few maids were ambitious and delusional enough to think of seducing a nobleman for the sake of climbing the social stairs. This sparked from the fact that a lady's maid had to accompany her young lady everywhere, so she also had a lot of chances to meet and interact with noblemen. Those who have dreamed of living luxuriously in high society would see this as a golden opportunity to get a husband from the nobility. 

The noble household of the Howlan Empire had a good public image due to the Emperor's decree stipulating that the aristocracy must uphold social responsibility to ordinary citizens to ensure the Empire's prosperity. But behind this image, many nobles still held commoners in disdain. The gaps between the two social classes may have been bridged since the spreading of educational equality, but marriage between them was scarce and throughout history, the successful ones could be counted by hand.

The majority might be familiar with stories about a nobleman who forced himself on a maid, but it seemed the opposite also happened quite often. In the end, who started it or who forced whom, didn't matter. Be it among the nobles or commoners, there were always greedy people. 

That's why, being able to live as a maid of the Grand Duchy of Bellux was a blessing to me. The Bellux were all benevolent and respectable individuals. My coworkers were also kind and friendly. And above all, I am eternally honored that Milady chose a foreigner like me to become her lady's maid. I won’t hope for more as I would surely be punished if I dared to even think about it.

“Miss Amy, I am sorry for bothering you. I want to let you know that Lady Eira was looking for you.”

"Oh, thank you. I have just met her."

While walking down the corridor, a fellow maid called out to me. After I replied to her, the newly recruited girl bowed her head before going off to continue with her task. As I watched her disappear around the corner, a soft sigh escaped my mouth. 

I still feel weird whenever the newcomers speak respectfully to me. 

Several new servants have been hired for the main residence. Since we hadn't had new people for years, everyone in the mansion was excited. Meanwhile, I, who was used to being the most junior among us, couldn't help but feel out of place with the treatment the new employees gave me. 

The Grand Duchy of Bellux was the highest rank noble family in the Empire, second only to the Royal Family, and hailed as the descendants of the Mage. When such an elite family opened recruitment for servants to work in their residence, it was bound to attract public attention. Many people came from all over the Empire to submit their applications. We did expect a great number of applicants but didn't think that it would reach the hundreds. 

Normally, noble households would hire a new worker through the Guild. It was an organization run by the Empire to facilitate job seekers in finding a suitable job according to their skills and employers in hiring the right people they need. It had a total membership that reached ten thousand people throughout the Empire, and all kinds of people with all kinds of talents and skills could be found there. 

A member who looked for some new hires just needed to submit a request and pay a small fee, and the Guild would recommend people who fitted the requirements listed. When the employer has decided on someone, the Guild would proceed with all the procedures and paperwork. The employer and worker only needed to put their signatures on the contract once the content was agreed upon, and the employment contract was concluded. The type of work wasn’t limited to permanent jobs, but also part-time and one-time jobs. Finding the best workers surely could be done easier and quicker this way. 

But this time, the Grand Duke decided not to involve the Guild in all the processes. The Guild only assisted in checking the background of the applicants, including their family background, their working experience, whether they have a criminal record, and other details. After the applicants were all classified, the Grand Duchy handled the subsequent processes. 

The butler and the housekeeper of the main residence reviewed them all, then selected only the best-qualified applicants. More than 90% of applicants were eliminated here. Details of these best applicants were then submitted to the Grand Duke who held the final decision. It took a long time since he was very busy, but we finally got some new coworkers six months before Milady's engagement to the Crown Prince was announced at her 13th birthday party.

Speaking of which, the engagement was the reason why the Grand Duke didn't fully rely on the Guild. 

It wasn’t hard to imagine how the other nobles would react if they caught wind of it. For Milady, who they've been mocking as the "Boar Princess" to be their future empress, that must be a slap straight to their faces. Those prideful fellows would not accept it willingly, especially when nothing was set in stone yet. Some would express their disapproval directly, but those who kept a straight face while maneuvering behind the scenes were the ones to watch out for. 

If the engagement really happened, the Grand Duke needed to adopt a new heir. And with an addition to the family, we might also have to welcome a few more helping hands. 

Many eyebrows were already raised just by the news of the Bellux suddenly accepting new people. Some cunning nobles might still be able to sniff out what was going on despite the typical reason given behind the recruitment, and the engagement matters remained hidden. But, even if they didn’t find out, those who were at odds with us would still try to infiltrate their underlings as new workers, all for a chance to learn about our weakness. The easiest way to do that was through the Guild. 

The Empire was running the Guild. That's precisely why it couldn't escape the noble's influence. Most requests came from noble households, and many of them were willing to pay more to get the best people. Because of this, although not everyone there was unscrupulous, the Guild still became a breeding ground for corruption. Meanwhile, job seekers had no other choice since the Guild was the only one with extensive connections all around the Empire, the chances of getting a job were greater there. 

Things were much better after the Grand Duke as the Prime Minister personally carried out a massive purge, but those who managed to escape at that time still seem to have 'preserved the tradition'. We couldn't completely rule out the possibility of the Guild people helping those with evil plans, so the Grand Duke decided to take precautionary measures.

This is an engagement between the top two most influential families in the Empire, after all. 

I heard when the topic of Milady’s engagement with the Crown Prince first arose a few years ago, the Old Master readily refused the idea. He wanted Milady to be the heir to the Grand Duchy, but the Grand Duke seemed to have another consideration. The butler said the Grand Duke didn’t show any sign of acceptance or refusal at that time, only put the topic on hold. But I think his feeling about the engagement was probably more positive than he gave off. After all, he ordered the preparation of recruiting new staff soon after that. He also must have decided to adopt the Young Master by then.

Milady and the Crown Prince have been very close since childhood. Because they are only one year apart, they have been playmates since they were toddlers. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that they had been brought up together like siblings. The Crown Prince is one of the very few noble young men who know and appreciate Milady for who she is. Aside from status, wealth, and other things, this made him the best husband candidate for her in my opinion. So, I am with the Grand Duke regardings this engagement. 

But honestly, the thought that it was just small talk made casually by the Royal Family did cross my mind. I’ve heard the Empress throw the topic in her conversation with the Grand Duchess several times before. But her tone was light as if she was joking, and Milady, who at those times happened to be present as well, also didn’t give many reactions. That’s why I concluded that the Royal Family wasn’t serious. Besides, with those awful rumors about Milady floating around, I understood that they wouldn’t risk damaging their reputation for this engagement. 

Yet how wrong I was. About a year ago, the Royal Family visited the Grand Duke's main residence within his territory which was far northeast of the Royal Capital, to officially request Milady’s hand in marriage. For not only the Crown Prince but also the Royal Couple to be there accompanying their son, showed how determined they were about this future union. 

Everyone was in a panic. Was it really alright for them all to leave the palace at the same time? Well, technically the prince wasn’t living there at that time, but still… I hope there are no more of these unannounced visits. 

Even though they visited to discuss such an important matter, it seemed like the Royal Family was traveling in secret. That’s why the Grand Duchy wasn't informed of anything and thus, didn't prepare to receive them. Thank goodness that we were experienced enough to handle that situation so everything turned out alright, but I know I wouldn't get used to it. 

That wasn't the first time, they had come to both the Grand Duke's residence in the Royal Capital and here in the territory without any prior notice several times before. I couldn’t help but wonder, was making surprise visits a hobby of the Royal Family? What would they do if the Grand Duke was not home? We were the ones who would look disrespectful! Of what use was all that noble etiquette if the monarchs themselves often violated it? Sometimes, the Royal Family was just too casual. It was hard for me to guess what they were thinking.

Fortunately, neither news was released nor rumors were spread among both the nobles and the commoners after their visit back then, so we could avoid an uproar. The butler asked all of us workers in the mansion not to talk about the visit to anyone, including Milady. Since it was the middle of the school term, she wasn't home and thus had no idea what was going on. I was dissatisfied with this and planned to tell her in secret. It wouldn't be fair if one of the parties most involved in this was kept in the dark, would it? But the Grand Duchess somehow found out about my intention and warned me. 

At times, it’s also hard to understand what the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are thinking.

Anyway, after all the new workers had moved into the mansion, the Young Master's adoption process was also completed. Only then did the Grand Duke finally accept the Royal Family’s persistent proposal. The Old Master had no choice but to reluctantly accept his son’s decision since he was the current Grand Duke and head of the family.

While I was still feeling guilty for not telling Milady, they decided that this engagement would be a ‘surprise gift’ for her 13th birthday. The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess knew their daughter well, so why would they do that? Contrary to her calm and composed outward look, Milady had a shy personality and a fragile heart. I couldn’t help but imagine the worst would happen when the Emperor made the announcement. 

Sure enough, my worst fears were realized. Milady passed out in the middle of the Emperor's sermon, in front of dozens of nobility. We quickly evacuated her to her room as chaos ensued. I’m not sure how the Emperor and the Grand Duke rectified the situation, but everything was swiftly calmed down. 

However, Milady remained unconscious long after the party had ended, and all attempts to wake her up were in vain. The Imperial Doctor arrived to check her, but he was as perplexed as to why she wouldn't open her eyes. The doctor told us to let her sleep after observing her for a few hours. If Milady hasn't awakened by the morning, she may need to be examined further.

The Old Master was furious, yet when he saw his son’s sorrowful face, he stopped himself from rebuking him. The Grand Duke stayed by Milady's side until after midnight, only leaving after he was certain she hadn’t developed a fever or had trouble breathing. 

The Grand Duchess had taken charge of sending the seemingly concerned nobles back into their lodging at the capital city before it got too dark. She also saw off the Royal Family as they returned to the Royal Villa, apologizing for her husband’s absence. I heard the Empress was very anxious for Milady, but the Grand Duchess calmed her down and stopped her before she insisted on staying the night. 

Tension was still permeating the mansion after all the guests had left. We barely had time to catch our breath when the Crown Prince appeared early the next morning, saying he couldn't feel at ease until he saw for himself that Milady was alright. He would have been kicked out by the Old Master if not for the Old Mistress convincing her husband to let him meet Milady. While she directed the kitchen to make tea and breakfast, the Old Mistress entrusted me with guiding the Crown Prince.

I was at a loss. Thanks to that accident, I hadn't gotten much sleep so my mind couldn’t help but revolve around the worst situation possible. Questions and doubts on whether Milady would wake up or whether I should let the Crown Prince in even though she was still unconscious, kept haunting me as we headed to her room. What should have been a few minutes walk felt like years. When we arrived, I couldn't even feel my hand as I knocked on her door. 

Words couldn't describe how relieved I was when I heard Milady's voice coming from within. My cloudy mind was instantly cleared when I saw that there didn't seem to be any harm to her health. But the Crown Prince was still outside, so there was no time to relax.

Tea and breakfast were brought in not long after they sat down to talk about last night. From her reaction, Milady didn't remember that she fainted. I felt a chill as I thought about what might happen, but she just brushed it off. They soon finished breakfast, then the Crown Prince said that he needed to leave. However, the fact that Milady had no recollection of the accident worried me. If the Crown Prince hadn't offered first, I might've suggested for the Imperial Doctor, in addition to our family doctor, to examine her once more.

The butler must have informed the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Milady’s awakening. They came down to the front door to see her as she sent off the Crown Prince. Their relief was palpable, much like that of the Old Master and Mistress.  

The Imperial Doctor arrived in the afternoon, as promised. We were all relieved when he confirmed Milady was in good health. But the doctor nonetheless advised her to rest for the day just in case. She had resumed her swordsmanship training the next day. Her condition was great, and she was ready to return to school.

I thought the storm had passed but it seemed it was not. Milady almost fainted again when we arrived in the Royal Capital. The school doctor told us that it was merely motion sickness, but she never had motion sickness before. I'm worried and wanted to be by Milady's side. However, the school forbade students from bringing servants with them, making it impossible. I had no choice but to stay at the mansion in the capital, reassuring myself that I could immediately go to school if she needed me. 

Much to my relief, the rest of the school year flew by quickly and without incident. I and other servants arrived at the school's dormitory early to start packing our young master's and mistress's belongings. But unlike the others, I wasn't in a rush because we always went home last. 

The day before, a letter came informing us that the Young Master had arrived at the main mansion. When I relayed this to her, Milady didn't respond much and seemed cold and indifferent, but there's no need to worry. She's a sweet and caring girl, I knew she’d get along with her new little brother in no time.

After meeting him, she instantly accepted the position of tutoring the Young Master and appears to have prepared a plan for him to swiftly adjust to living at the mansion. As expected of her. She also had invited Miss Clarabelle, her roommate in the school’s dormitory, to spend the summer vacation together. She wanted them to become friends and gradually wash away the pain he had experienced while living with his uncle's family.

The plan succeeded; the Young Master began to smile and became more cheerful as time passed. I intended to keep a watch on them so that I may assist them as soon as possible if necessary. But then, a strange thing happened. 

I never neglected a day when it came to keeping Milady's room tidy. Even while I was at the Royal Capital, I made sure to ask my colleagues to clean it in my absence. I had no idea where it came from, but dust kept piling up in her room every day. When I questioned my colleagues about this, it seemed like this had been going on for several weeks, and they were also troubled by how 'persistent' the dust was. It’s unthinkable for the maids of the Grand Duchy to be inept at their jobs, thus the source of the problem had to be somewhere else.

As Milady’s maid, it would be too shameful to report how we couldn’t solve this trivial problem. Thus, I didn’t say anything about it until now. Nonetheless, the days had been more tiring than usual. I tried to lighten my mood by singing, but who would have thought that I was caught by Milady? I had a feeling that she didn't like it when I sang. I hoped she didn't get offended.

Anyway, we hadn't uncovered the source of this problem when another one arose. Well, actually, this "other" problem wasn't something new. The butler foresaw that this problem would bother us again sooner or later. Unfortunately, even though we wanted to, we were still unable to entirely resolve it. 

I'm sure Milady hasn't caught the wind of that person yet, but she wants the butler to come over as soon as possible, saying something came up… Don’t tell me, it’s yet another new problem?

While reminiscing about the past and worrying about the present, I’d arrived at the kitchen without realizing it. When I looked inside from the doorway, the cooks had started the preparation for dinner. Some maids and kitchen helpers were busily running around helping them, but I couldn’t find the butler. A fellow maid was rushing out of the kitchen, so I called out to her and she quickly answered without stopping her feet. 

"He's in the back!" 

Did she mean the backyard? I couldn’t ask further since she was already gone. Now was definitely a bad time to ask the others, so I'd better check there first. At least, I knew he was here a while ago. 

I briskly walked through the hectic kitchen, trying my best not to bump into anything. When I finally reached the door to the backyard, I heard the butler's voice. He was talking with a girl, and she sounded troubled. I didn’t recognize her voice so she might be one of the new maids. 

After a minute of pondering whether it was appropriate to interrupt them, I decided that it would be better to wait until they were finished. Since it would be impolite to eavesdrop, I thought about waiting for him elsewhere. But just as I was about to step away, the girl raised her voice. By reflex, I turned around and opened the door. Then, I was suddenly met with three pairs of eyes looking at me in surprise. 

The four of us stared at each other in silence as awkwardness crept upon us. The one thing that came to mind in those few seconds was that the girls weren't maids but laundresses. I only realized I was still frozen in the open-the-door posture when I heard murmuring from the kitchen. I hurriedly closed the door behind me, then apologized as I walked over. 

“It’s all right. Did you look for me?”

A faint sigh escaped the butler’s lips. The stunned expression on his face had disappeared, leaving only his usual calm demeanor as he questioned me. Instead of responding, I glanced at the two laundresses. The butler noticed my intention and dismissed them for the time being.

"So, do you need me for something?"

"Yes. Lady Eira is looking for you, Sir Gareth. She wants to talk to you about certain issues, once you finish your work in the kitchen."

"Understood. I'll be there immediately."

I delivered Milady's message, I should have returned to her room. But the two girls from earlier got me curious. One of them looked upset, while the other seemed like she had resigned herself.

"What happened with those two laundresses?"

The butler silently glanced at me before answering. 

"...One of them got unlucky and became her target."

"She came again today? If I remember correctly, she is scheduled to come only on the first and second day this week."

"That's correct, but apparently, she's been coming every day. Not only that, she acts like a senior worker and harasses the new servants."

"What?" Doesn't that cross the line already? That old woman who hurt Milady in the past, what is she planning now?

A terrible premonition came over me.

"Sir Gareth, we must report this to the Old Master and Mistress. It will too late if―"

"―GIVE IT BACK!!!"

I couldn’t finish my sentences because of a shrill scream that abruptly cut through the air.