The Peaceful Life of a Maid Who Hides Her Power and Enjoys It

<Episode 77>

 

“Why?”

“You’re asking why now?”

 

After that, she gave a 20-minute speech on why I should not take Jean with me.

 

Jean, one of the renowned knights of the empire, had a pale, lifeless face, and only blinked her eyes while listening. The head maid could truly be considered Penrotta’s finest nagger.

 

 “…So basically, it means that without the workers at the Weatherwoods Mansion, it won’t work, right?”

 “That’s the most important thing.” 

“Don’t worry about the workers, Head Maid. We’ve brought in excellent replacement resources to fill our vacancies.”

 

As I confidently stood up from the garden chair, the head maid, who was watering the flowerbed, looked at me with surprised eyes. 

“What do you mean by replacement resources?” 

 

Instead of answering, I opened the front door of the mansion. 

 

The secret personnel I had prepared for this moment, the replacement workers for the Weatherwoods that I had prepared. 

 

“Hello, how are you?” 

 

Standing right there was a bandit maid. 

The bandit maid. 

 

At his astonishing expression, the watering can the head maid was holding slipped from her hand and fell weakly. 

 

Her expression seemed like she was questioning if this was a dream, but alas, this was reality. 

 

“How is it? How do you feel about meeting the perfect maid that you’ve been longing for, head maid?”

 

“You’ll say anything to convince me.” 

I stood next to the bandit maid, who was playfully fidgeting as if embarrassed, and clearly introduced his… no, her… no, their strengths. 

 

“These sturdy muscles. I guarantee they can even pull a carriage with their bare hands. And agility. Optimized for peeling potatoes. Third, endurance. They can scrub without rest for 30 minutes straight.” 

“Yes, No big deal.” 

 

The head maid couldn’t say a word. 

“And lastly, considering the alarming state of security at Weatherwood Mansion these days, with a maid like this, no one will easily set foot inside. Additionally…” 

 

I picked up the wooden sign that I had been working on making for an hour, which was firmly attached to the garden table. 

 

『Beware the maid.』

 

“I was careful and thorough enough to prepare for any situation! I’ll even add one more servant as a bonus. Then, they’re worth more than the work me and Jean do!” 

 

I could definitely trust them to do my share of work, that’s for sure. 

‘Of course, they’re all Rue’s workers.’

 

What can I do?

 Rue, the master of these workers, left the house, so the workers were in a difficult position on the streets.

 

 Since I planned to go to the Northern Continent personally to bring back their owner, the workers had a duty to assist me.

 

“You can count on me.”

“In addition, our organization members will patrol this area regularly. No need to worry.” 

 

And I was a maid who knew the head maid’s tastes very well.

 

 ‘The head maid likes slaves.’ 

Especially strong ones. 

 

“…sigh. If you put it that way, I can’t help but agree.”

 Look at that. My words were right, weren’t they?

 

 “But! We don’t have travel funds. The funds for the noble council meeting already made a hole in our pocket. You guys figure out the money yourselves. But remember; murder, intimidation, and kidnapping are strictly prohibited!” 

 

“Ugh, so annoying.” 

“Everyone, disband! You, the… the band… the temporary maid, please come with me for a moment.”

“Hehe, gladly.”

 

Okay. We’ve overcome a major hurdle with this.

 

 ‘Now, all that’s left is the travel funds.’

 

 …was kidnapping and extortion the only way? 

 

Just as I was about to head to Rue’s mansion to retrieve another servant, someone grabbed me by the ankle. 

 

“Hey, sword-demon.” 

 

My younger brother and the one who left a scar on my shoulder. 

The successor of Berkeley-Gratten and a man called Gavroche.

 

“Make some time for me.”

It was Andert.

* * *

 

Andert came to visit.

‘Indeed, it wasn’t a dream.’

That arrogant voice and manner of speaking belonged to none other than the spoiled Andert. 

 

It was a voice that was etched into my bones, one I could never forget. 

And it felt somewhat nostalgic. 

 

‘Seeing you up close, your face is quite different from what I remember.’

 

 I felt like I could understand why he could live as Gavcorche without any problems.

The Andert’s whose appearance I bore and the actual Andert were only slightly similar in their facial features. But the eyes that dominated his impression on someone and the atmosphere based on that gaze were completely different. 

 

‘You’ve become even more arrogant.’

 

This guy, seriously. 

The moment I saw my brother with a clear view for the first time, in a black-rimmed hat that looked like a mortician’s, I felt a surge of emotions. 

 

The joy of reunion? 

No. 

 

“You bastard.” 

“What…?” 

I grabbed my brother’s collar and let out fourteen years of resentment. 

“Because of you, I rolled around like a clam on that deserted island… risking my life!” 

“What are you talking about?” 

 

He looked at me with a bewildered expression, and nodded with absurdity.

“Ah, can an old sword-demon go crazy even without a sword? Interesting. But can you let go now?” 

 

It was when Andert forcefully shook off my hand with a stinging voice.

 Swish. 

 

Along with the sound of the low cry of an iron blade, familiar silver hair blocked my view.

It was Jean. The butler of the Weatherwoods family and my first disciple.

 

“Crazy dog. Why are you here?”

…Crazy dog? Was it Andert’s nickname? It was an understandable one.

 

Andert’s expression turned cold, mirroring her aggressively repulsive face and attitude. 

 

“You worthless fool. What kind of sight is this? I heard you ran away from Berkeley-Gratten and became an errand boy. Have you become Viscount Weatherwoods’ servant? I must have missed something, you’ve become a man while I wasn’t looking.” 

 

“That’s none of your business. You truly look like a crazy dog right now, wrapped in black cloth from head to toe due to your sun allergies. If you have something to discuss, state it clearly and then leave.”

 

 “Aren’t you the one who’s like a dog? You seem so busy protecting your master. Did you get hired as a dog, not a servant? Huh?”

These two seemed quite happy at meeting each other, perhaps because it’s been a while since they met.

 

‘Well, if you think about it, these two are kind of like step-siblings.’ 

 

Does that technically make Jean my step-sister?

 Wow, no. I hated the idea of that. 

 

I left the two siblings who were enjoying their cheerful conversation and tried to enter the mansion. 

 

But then, the postman arrived at Weatherwoods Mansion. 

 

A young boy who recognized my face rummaged through his bag and pulled out a letter. 

“Hello, Miss Daisy! A letter has arrived for Viscount Weatherwoods!.”

“Who is it from?”

“Uh let’s see… it’s from a Mr. Yeager Panula. Please deliver it to Viscount Weatherwoods. Then, I’ll be on my way now.”

Panula? Who was that again?

‘Oh, right. The son of the newspaper president I met at the noble council meeting.’

 

He remembered me and sent a letter. How thoughtful. 

 

With a sense of anticipation, I opened the letter, and Jean, who’d been barking at Andert like a dog barked at a monkey, looked surprised and turned to me.

“Senior? If you casually open Viscount Weatherwoods’ letter like that…” 

“It’s fine.”

 

『To my dear friend, the Viscount Weatherwoods.

In the scorching heat of midsummer, I am writing you this letter…』

 

The greetings were too long. Let’s skip ahead to the main text.

 

 『…So, this time, I will be leaving for the Kingdom of Astrosa, one of the nations within the Northern Continental Union. 

 

Of course, when I mention the Kingdom of Astrosa, your lovely wife immediately comes to mind!

 

Even though it may be her hometown, it is a distant country, so she can probably only expect news to deliver way after the fact. I thought it would be a good opportunity to bring your wife to Astrosa for a short visit. It would be amazing if you could join us, but as the head of a household…』

 

Life was all about timing, wasn’t it?

 

“Jean.”

“Yes?”

“Found it. Our cash cow.”

“…Are you talking about the funds?”

 

 Yes, this was the precious lifeline that would take us to Rogue. 

 

Behind Jean, the nervous hat-wearing Mortician wannabe looked at us with questioning eyes.

 

“So, when are you going to make time for me? You damn sword-demon.”

 

 I led my younger brother, who came as a guest, and Jean, who was on an errand, inside Rue’s mansion.

 (I lied to the head maid saying that I would bring back not only the workers but also miscellaneous goods). 

 

Jean remembered Yeager, whom she’d met at the aristocratic gathering. 

When I briefly showed her the letter, she understood this was an opportunity we had to seize, but she couldn’t shake off her doubts. 

 

“But will Mr. Yeager allow us to accompany him?”

“Yeah. He knows that Viscount Weatherwoods’ wife is from the Northern Continent. You can just casually lie and say that you’re going on behalf of the Viscountess.” 

“What I’m saying is, can we really make decisions like this on our own? We should get permission from Viscountess Weatherwoods.” 

 

…Ah, right.

 

‘She doesn’t know I’m Viscount Weatherwoods.’

 

 This was becoming bothersome. 

Jean was a stubborn person, so if I had to convince her of everything one by one, it would become exhausting.

 

Should I just pretend to get permission? But it’s not like I’ll spend only one or two days with her…

 

What should I do? 

 

“…Jean. The oath you made with the swordmaster, is it an oath that involves revealing the secrets of the Weatherwoods family? Or does it have any connection to it, even a slight one?”

 

Jean, who had been listening quietly, nodded firmly. 

“No. Absolutely not. I can swear on my soul. The swordmaster would never force me to make such a despicable oath.”

 “Really? Then, lend me your ear.”

 

I whispered in a voice small enough for only Jean to hear.

“I am Viscount Weatherwoods.”

“…What?”

“The Viscountess was Rue.”

“…Yes?”

 “That’s roughly about it. Since it’s a secret, don’t tell anyone. If you go around spreading it everywhere, I’ll get angry. Remember that.” 

“Ah… Yes…”