There was also a gentle but palpable sense of authority about him. Just his gaze alone was enough to make it feel difficult to breathe—such was his presence. Was it because he was a noble?
As I quietly bowed my head, he looked at me and spoke. “Hmm? A maid I haven’t seen before, Isaac.”
“…Yes, Raphael. She’s a maid who joined recently.”
“She’s cute. What’s her name?”
“Please call me Mia.”
“Mia.” He pronounced my name once and then smiled softly. “I’ll be staying here for quite a while. I look forward to your service, Mia.”
“Yes. Understood.” I bowed my head lightly.
Isaac and Raphael then ascended to the second floor.
Who on earth was he? When I brought the tray back to the kitchen, the maids were buzzing with excitement.
“Lord Raphael has come back after a long time! Oh gosh, he gets more handsome every time I see him.”
“Exactly. I wonder how long he’ll stay this time.”
They all seemed very pleased to see Raphael. Handsome and kind—naturally, he was well-regarded.
As I placed the tray on the sink, I asked, “Who is Lord Raphael?”
“Ah, he’s an old friend of master. He visits about once a year.”
“Hmm…”
“I heard he’s master’s mentor.”
Mentor? Isaac’s? It didn’t seem to quite fit.
I wondered if Raphael knew Isaac well. The thought made me curious.
Meanwhile, one of the maids touched her cheek dreamily and sighed with a voice like she was in a trance. “Haa… Lord Raphael. Last time, he was so kind to me and even gave me a brooch. I wonder if he remembers me.”
“Oh, Lord Raphael is always kind. He even gave me a hairpin.”
“Is there any maid who hasn’t received a gift from Lord Raphael?”
The maids giggled as they spoke.
Hmm, is he some kind of Casanova…?
Even though Isaac had told me to rest, it felt awkward to stay in my room while everyone else was resting. Besides, working meant earning money, so I decided to keep myself busy.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
“We need to serve tea in the parlor… Since it’s related to master, it’s better if you do it, Mia.”
“Sure. I only need to bring this, right?”
I picked up the tray and headed to the parlor. When I opened the door, I saw Raphael and Isaac deep in conversation. Raphael turned to look at me.
“Oh, we meet again. Was it Mia?”
Raphael smiled warmly. He really was very handsome. With two good-looking men together, it was quite a sight.
I bowed my head. “Yes, Lord Raphael.”
“You know my name? I’m glad.”
As I set down the teacups and poured the tea, I felt Raphael’s gaze on me. It was a strangely persistent stare.
[You have completed serving the guest. Bonus +10 silver.]
Phew, I earned some money.
I was about to withdraw, but Raphael gestured for me to stay.
“Shall we chat for a bit? It gets boring just talking with Isaac.”
I glanced at Isaac. He nodded with his usual expressionless face.
As I sat down, Raphael smiled and kept his eyes on me. His green eyes were incredibly beautiful.
Although Raphael had invited me to join the conversation, I mostly just listened. The topics were mainly about Isaac’s recent activities, business trends, and social gatherings—things I knew little about.
I just sat quietly and listened. What could I say about business or social events? Even if it had been a comfortable topic, I wouldn’t have said much. I mean, the boss and his friend are here; what could I possibly contribute?
As they laughed and chatted, Raphael suddenly turned to me. “You said your name is Mia, right? How old are you?”
The sudden question caught me off guard. Now that I think about it, how old am I? I just mentioned the age I was when I died.
“I’m 26 years old.”
“I see. Is working here difficult?”
“No. I’m working as master’s personal maid, and master is very considerate, so it’s manageable.”
That seemed like a decent answer, right?
At the mention of a personal maid, Raphael looked at Isaac. “Personal maid? Have you ever had a personal maid before?”
“This is the first time.”
“Seems like Mia is to your taste?”
“It’s not like that, Raphael.”
Isaac remained as stoic as ever, while Raphael appeared playful. He stared intently at Isaac before stretching out his legs.
“Then, could Mia be my personal maid while I’m here?”
“Pardon?”
Isaac looked slightly surprised, and so was I.
Wait, he wants me as his personal maid…? Why? From what I’ve heard, he does seem a bit like a Casanova. Is that why?
Isaac narrowed his eyes at him and took a sip of his tea. “Do as you wish.”
“Thank you, Isaac. Then, I’ll be in your care while I’m here, Mia.”
I felt a strange sense of unease, but there wasn’t much I could do. I quietly bowed my head. “…Yes, Lord Raphael.”
* * *
And so, I became Raphael’s personal maid. Contrary to my uneasy premonition, the three days I spent with him were far more comfortable than expected. Who knew it would be so liberating to no longer be a murderer’s personal maid! Moreover, Raphael was indeed as kind and gentle as the other maids had said. He wasn’t authoritative, didn’t have a harsh side, and never made me do difficult tasks.
During that time, I wasn’t summoned to the night world, so my days were peaceful. Although I regretted not being able to gather items, I was making a nice side income.
[You have completed playing chess with the guest. Bonus +10 silver.]
[You have completed reading a book with the guest. Bonus +10 silver.]
[You have completed taking a walk with the guest. Bonus +10 silver.]
[[You have completed…]
Money kept flowing in every time I spent time with him. It was almost like playing. Ha, is it really okay to earn money this easily? I felt a bit uneasy about it, but at the same time, I was quite pleased.
Today, I was spending time with him doing a crossword puzzle from the newspaper. Hmm, hmm…! What could this word be…!
“Done.”
Then Raphael finished the puzzle first.
Ah, what a shame. I was almost done too…!
Raphael chuckled when he noticed my disappointment. “It looks like you were about to finish it. What a shame.”
“It’s alright.” After all, it’s easier to let the other person win.
As I started to clean up the newspapers, he looked at me and spoke softly. “Mia, you seem to be very good at your job.”
“Me?”
Have I really done any work…? I blinked in confusion, and he smiled.
“Yes. So, I’ve been thinking… I’m looking to hire a new maid. Would you consider working at my estate?”
“Pardon?”
His sudden offer caught me off guard. I mean, I just played around for three days, though? Well… if I could just spend my times like this there, I wouldn’t mind. But I had no choice but to refuse his offer.
“I’m sorry. I’ve already received an advance payment here, so it would be difficult for me to leave.”
“How much did you receive?”
“That… 150 gold.”
“Oh, that’s quite a lot.”
Raphael’s tone was one of mild surprise, but he didn’t seem truly shocked. It felt like he was acting a little. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again.
“What if I paid off that debt for you?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll pay the 150 gold and take you with me. Wouldn’t that solve the problem?”
What on earth is he talking about now? I was left speechless by the unexpected offer.
“Why…?” The question slipped out as I tried to understand his actions.
Raphael rested his chin on his hand and gazed at me intently.
“Because I like you.”
His eyes curved into a mischievous smile.
“So, what do you say? Will you come with me?”
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he’s super sus! but if he was so bad, would Isaac really consider him a friend…? hmm, still sus…
It’s suspicious that the system seems to be rewarding her disproportionately for spending time with Raphael, I wonder if he’s related to the system somehow.
Thank you for the chapter!
Interesting proposal. But if he starts it with “I like you” then it looks like bedtime activities are a mandatory part of contract.
Thank you for translating this chapter!