Volume 10, Chapter 27 – Chloris and Enos

By the time Yisi’s group and the maids had finished their delicious lunch, it was already afternoon. This was mainly because the maids ate with such a wolfish momentum that Mary and Refina’s cooking speed couldn’t keep up, causing the meal to take much longer than expected.

Although Yisi had wanted to join in the cooking to share Mary and Refina’s burden, the maids, upon hearing that the head of the house was going to cook for her servants, immediately stopped eating in a panic. Yisi had no choice but to give up. It seemed that a master cooking for a servant was an implication that the servant was about to be dismissed.

Even though I stressed that Mary and Refina are also masters of this house, in the maids’ eyes, only Pepe and I have the right to speak. It’s probably because Mary told them she was a slave, and Refina is wearing a maid uniform. They must think Mary and Refina are servants, just like them.

I’ll have to explain it to them properly after the meal. But for now, I should let these malnourished maids eat their fill.

Thinking this, Yisi, who had finished eating long ago, propped her head on her hand and watched the maids at the other table. Like the Blood Clan and the Hels Kingdom, the Norta Empire also had a tradition that servants could not dine at the same table as their masters. No matter what Yisi said, the maids refused, so Yisi had no choice but to let them sit at a separate table while she sat with Camilla’s group.

Even so, some of the older maids remained reserved and on edge, believing this was a test. But after seeing the younger maids eating freely without being punished, they slowly relaxed and began to clear the table, albeit with less gusto. ¹ means with less enthusiasm, energy, or hearty enjoyment.

“Ahhh~ The last time I had a meal this delicious was when I worked at Viscount Albert’s.”

A maid around 24 or 25 years old leaned back, stretching with her arms and legs splayed.

“Eh? Isn’t Viscount Albert a fallen noble? I heard he only gives his servants two pieces of bread a day.”

“Not at the Viscount’s house. I was accompanying him to the wedding of Count Cedric’s second son. The hall there was like a house piled with gold coins, with sparkling magic lights everywhere. Viscount Albert, who’s usually so high and mighty, was like a little concubine in front of the Cedric family, he couldn’t even get his congratulatory toast out without stuttering. At that time, the Count’s seventh son even winked at me! If I had been dressed like a noble lady, he definitely would have asked me to dance!”

“How wonderful… I want to go to a banquet like that too.”

“If someone was willing to hold a wedding like that for me, I’d marry him even if he wasn’t human.”

“It’s still daytime, Becky. Stop dreaming.”

Teased by another maid, the maid with stars in her eyes puffed up her cheeks and, amidst the laughter, launched a counterattack.

They’re so lively.

Yisi, who had been eavesdropping, couldn’t help but smile. She had been worried that Cornelia’s Mansion was too large and would feel empty, but with these lively maids, her worries were clearly unnecessary.

The two gardeners at the same table looked pained.

“To hold a wedding like Count Cedric’s, you’d need at least several dozen gold coins. And that’s just the cost of hiring magic casters, musicians, maids, chefs, and buying all the ingredients.”

“It’s just a few dozen gold coins. We can save it up if we work here for a few years.”

“But Becky, even if you save that much, you can’t get a venue. Those all belong to the nobles. They’d never lend them to poor people like us.”

“Ugh…”

Not just the speaker, but the other unmarried maids also lowered their heads in disappointment.

Girls this age really are full of fantasies.

In fact, not even Laxy was immune.

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Yisi nodded in deep agreement. Seeing Laxy’s diary was an accident. It was her fault for forgetting to close it…

I’ll just help them fulfill their dreams. Yisi cleared her throat.

“Ahem. I remember there’s a ballroom in the west building. If you find your special someone, I can lend it to you. Of course, I’m only providing the venue. You’ll have to pay for everything else.”

“Eh?”

“Miss Yisi, are you serious?”

Several of the unmarried girls shot up, their hands on the table.

“I’m not lying. Ah, the condition is that you have to invite me to the wedding. And you’ll have to clean up after.”

“Me too! I want to go to everyone’s wedding!”

“Me too.”

Following Yisi, Mary and Tiffany raised their hands, one energetically, the other expressionlessly.

“You’re… really willing to lend it to us…”

“Thank you so much!”

“Miss Yisi, you’re such a good person!”

Several of the unmarried maids hugged each other, while the married ones and the gardeners looked regretful and thoughtful.

They’re not thinking of getting married again, are they?

Pushing that worry aside, Yisi let them celebrate, then had the maids clear the table and clean the mansion and courtyard. Although she and her companions had cleaned yesterday, it was only the kitchen, the bathroom, and a few bedrooms. Many places, including some hallways, hadn’t been touched. In fact, even the dining room they were in was only superficially clean; the corners were thick with dust.

Considering how large Cornelia’s Mansion is, and that it hasn’t been cleaned in years, even with seven maids and two gardeners, it will probably take two or three days to clean the whole place.

And Mary mentioned the stables, well, fence, and gate all need repairs. I’ll have to hire a new batch of craftsmen.

After Yisi gave the orders, the maids and gardeners sprang into action. Refina had bought cleaning tools yesterday, and the gardeners had brought their own thick gloves, shears, buckets, and shovels. Although Yisi felt she should provide the tools, according to the maids, it was common practice for gardeners to bring their own. This was apparently to prevent them from exploiting loopholes for profit, such as claiming a tool was broken, selling it, and then asking the master for a new one.

“Miss Yisi, may I act as the head maid for the time being?” Refina asked, stepping forward as the maids dispersed.

Without a housekeeper, the maids will easily get into arguments. Plus, Refina has experience as a head maid and is very reliable. Yisi nodded.

“Mhm. I’ll leave it to you, Refina.”

“She looks so gentle…”

“And her cooking is amazing.”

“So the Blood Clan is just like us humans.”

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The younger maids whispered as they wiped the windows, while the more mature maids, who were clearing the table, stopped and bowed respectfully to Refina.

“No, My Lord, please leave this task to me. Refina has to take care of Edith. Entrusting the mansion to her will only add to her burden.”

“Laxy?”

Yisi turned in surprise. Laxy hadn’t come alone. Trino 20499 and 20500 were with her. The two angels had awakened while she was eating.

More earnest than ever, Laxy placed her right hand on her left breast and bowed deeply.

“The work of a head maid is a simple matter. Please leave it to me, My Lord.”

“An-an-angels!?”

“Gods, I’m seeing an angel! Three of them!”

“Their hair is as beautiful as jewels, and their figures are perfect…”

“So the Ymir Church really is blessed by the Goddess… If a cardinal has three angels, how many does the Pope have…?”

Ignoring the maids, Refina looked troubled. “But Miss Laxy, you have the duty of protecting and teaching Miss Yisi. Your tasks are heavier than mine.”

“On this, I will not yield, Refina. We God-Forged Angels do not require sleep and can work around the clock. The duty of educating and guiding subordinates should be left to me.”

“Refina, leave these matters to the angel. You just need to assist Laxy occasionally,” Edith said from the table, toying with her fork, her eyes fixed on the two new angels.

Refina stopped arguing and bowed. “Yes, Master.”

“The rest of you, get back to work,” Camilla waved her hand, getting the dumbstruck maids back to cleaning. “Onee-sama, these two angels are…?”

“They’re angels the former owner left here. They were in a state of sleep because their power cores had issues.” Yisi turned to the pink-haired (20499, Lvl 43) and green-haired (20500, Lvl 31) angels. “Laxy should have introduced me. My name is Yisi Enya. I am the current master of this mansion and the successor to your former master.”

Cornelia kept calling me her “pursuer,” but I didn’t break the barrier out of “love,” so I’ll just use a successor.

“And my most respected master,” Laxy added.

You don’t have to say such embarrassing things in front of me.

Noticing the maids’ reverent gazes, Yisi felt embarrassed.

However, Yisi’s introduction had no effect. The two new angels just tilted their heads, confused, and looked at each other.

Did Laxy not explain the situation before bringing them here? Knowing Laxy, that’s definitely possible.

Just as Yisi was about to explain, the pink-haired angel (20499) replied.

“No information on ‘former master’ found. That is all.”

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Her expressionless face and emotionless voice were like an old-fashioned robot. Even Tiffany wasn’t this devoid of expression.

As if to explain, 20500 spoke in a timid, child-like voice, avoiding Yisi’s gaze. “What… 20499 means… is… we don’t have a… former master…”

No former master? But Cornelia’s Remnant insisted they were guards she left for me—no, were they friends? If so, “master” wouldn’t apply. Yisi rephrased.

“What is your relationship with Cornelia?”

“No related information. That is all.”

“We… Don’t know… Cornelia…”

If they’re not master-servant, and not friends, why did Cornelia say she was leaving them as guards?

Crack.

A possibility flashed through Yisi’s mind.

Cornelia tricked me.

Laxy said forging a power core is extremely difficult. It requires magic crystals, and the process requires exquisite cutting skills and materials. Even among the First-Rank Angels, only a few can make them.

In that case, these two angels must have been inoperative before Cornelia moved them. She only told me they were guards to show off how powerful she was. She figured her successor would never be able to make new cores, so the inanimate angels could never expose her lie.

Cornelia, your lie was too clumsy!

Yisi secretly prayed for Cornelia’s soul.

“This is the master you will serve from now on. You must treat her as the most important person in your lives. The others from the Kingdom of the Gods have left this continent. Without My Lord, you would have slept forever. This proves what I told you: My Lord is the hero destined to save all living beings. Your salvation is proof of that.”

Is Laxy serious?

Yisi looked at Laxy strangely. Forging power cores has no causal relationship with me being a hero. But Laxy looks so serious, she must believe it.

“Understood. Henceforth, Yisi Enya is designated as ‘Hero’ and ‘First Master.’ That is all.”

“I… I will also… think of Lady Yisi… as my… M-Mama…”

Ma-Mama?

Countless question marks popped up over Yisi’s head.

You’re as tall as Camilla and even a little taller than me!

It must be Laxy’s “most important person” line that confused her. I’ll have to correct that later.

Camilla, deciding the two angels were harmless, accepted them with a smile. “This is your home now, and we are your family. I am Camilla Pescia, Onee-sama’s first wife.”

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“Hey, Camilla, don’t mislead them.”

“Master, what are the angels’ names?”

“20499. That is all.”

“2… 20500…”

“Those names feel strange,” Mary said with a confused smile.

“Since you have a new life, you should have names that are easier to use. Yisi, if you’re not good at it, you can leave it to me.” Edith stepped between Yisi and the angels, introducing herself confidently. “I am Loiswell Edith Pescia, eldest daughter of the Pescia family, and also a master of this house.”

“So Miss Yisi isn’t the head of the house…”

“Becky, the right thing to say here is that the relationships are complicated.”

The two maids, pretending to clean, whispered to each other.

Yisi felt a headache coming on and gently pulled Pepe aside.

“May I give you names, like Laxy?”

“Permission granted. That is all.”

“If Mama says so… okay…”

Why is she still calling me Mama!

Yisi wanted to shout, but seeing 20500’s shy, teary-eyed look, she swallowed her words. 20500 is really cute when she blushes. If she were holding a big stuffed animal, she’d be even more adorable…

…I’ll let it slide, for now.

As for names, Yisi wanted to call them “Pinky” and “Greeny,” but that was too rude. She decided to base their names on Laxy’s.

“Since we already have Laxy… how about Chloris for 20499, and Enos for 20500. Is that okay?”

“Registering a new name: Chloris. That is all.”

“Enos… I understand… Th-thank you, Mama…”

This is more tiring than fighting Tina. Yisi sighed.

“Haah. As long as you like it.”

For convenience, I’ll just call the “That is all” angel “Pinky” and the weaker “Mama” angel “Greeny” in my head.

Yisi secretly made her decision.