hotmtlnovel Book 1: Chapter 22
Book 1: Chapter 22
Book 1: Chapter 22
A Maids Work and a Cruzian Boy
Combat maid?
I unconsciously muttered the words that I had never heard before. Sera who said those words to me slowly nodded. She said maidas I thought, she found out that was a girl. Viro also didnt show any reaction to this, so he must have noticed too.
Before I explaintell me what is your name. Also how old are you right now?
Ariaseven years old.
Whatttt!?
Aria, you are still seven years old?
Viro was surprised for some reason. It made Sera sent a cold glance at him.
Why are you that surprised? I was also around seven years old when I began my apprenticeship as a maid. Thats the normal age when a child begin to help out with their parents work isnt it? Viroyou were the one who brought her here and yet how is it possible that you didnt know her age?
No no, as expected I wouldnt do something like making her killed goblin by her lonesome or brought her to exterminate bandits if she is still seven years old. She is pretty gutsy for a kid, so I completely thought that she is a ten years old with a small body for her age
I see. No wonder Viro didnt really treat me like a small child.
Thats what usually happened with a slum orphan who lived in malnutrition, but if you look at this childs magic power capacity, you should be able to realize that her growth is quickening.
Certainly its just like what you said, but still
What is the decision?
I interrupted the conversation of the two adults. Sera returned her gaze at me in respond.
We still havent finished talking havent we? If we are talking about you accepting the job or not, I wont force you if you decide to refuse. We dont need any half-baked personnel after all.
Sera declared with a cold sentence that was slightly provoking. She displayed a thin smile and continued speaking.
Are you satisfied with a strength that can just barely win against a hobgobli
I went along with Viros invitation and planned to accept the job here even knowing the danger of getting involved with noble in order to obtain strength that could overcome even that kind of danger. Training to become this combat maid would surely get me involved even deeper with nobles or important people. However, the strength of this Sera in front of me and the potential strength that I could obtain by this training felt close to the strength that I sought.
I accept.
Very good. Then allow me to introduce myself. I am Sera Leyton. I am in charge of coordinating the maids in this mansion and the neighboring castle as well as the security from behind the scenes. Introduce yourself next.
Ariajust an adventurer without any relative.
Sera who guessed the meaning of my self-introduction deepened slightly.
I have high expectation for you. If its you, then perhaps one day you will be able to fulfill the role of combat handmaid like me.
.
Since that day I started working in this mansion as a maid apprentice. I got separated again with my guardian Viro because of that, but either way that man was too hands off that there was no meaning in him being my guardian.
Originally the workplace of the maids was at the castle beside this mansion, but it seemed that a street urchin who hadnt received any education and didnt even know the way to do work couldnt be allowed appear in front of a noble. A normal maid apprentice would accompany other maid and made to help with works that were outside of the public view, but I was a combat maid apprentice, so I was acting under the direction of my direct superior Sera.
Sera Leyton. From her conduct and position, I guessed that she might also be a noble. Perhaps that question showed up in my face because she easily read the inside of my heart.
Im just a wife of an insignificant baronet who doesnt even have a land of his own and only rule a provincial town at the countryside.
There was no way a mere wife of an insignificant baronet could have a combat power that was more than 1000.
So this was combat handmaid. She called herself a combat handmaid. Normally Seras comrades mainly did the work of security or gathering information as combat handmaid or combat maid who were assigned to guard important people. They would use their own body to shield important people from attack or poison, but Sera said that only a few of them had the skill to corner the attackers and deal with them in combat.
It looked like we would be supplied with candle if we asked, but it was unnecessary for me. I took off the maid uniform and changed into plain clothes, then I rolled the blanket on the bed into something that resembled a human shape. Then I sat at the corner of the room while holding my black knife. There I suppressed my presence and fell asleep. With that the day was over.
.
The next day, the air that was characteristic of the time before the sunset woke me up.
Light.
I used daily life magic to lit up a light in order to wear the maid uniform that I was still unfamiliar with. I took off my night wear and wore the white blouse. It was also my first time buttoning a shirt, but perhaps this way would be faster than wearing a belt on my waist if I got used to it.
The blouse was white, but it was easy for collar and cuffs to get dirty, so they were made to be detachable. The chest part was baggy with empty space. Meena said that this was so that the chest wouldnt get grazed, but it felt like a chest protector would be necessary for large chest like hers. After that I wore the socks and shoes and a black dress that reached until near my ankle. With that my appearance became like a maid.
But where would I hide my weapons. The throwing knives were fine but, my body was still small so they were too big to be hidden in my sleeves. I tried hiding them on my chest but I had nothing to fasten them there. They would also be too conspicuous if I hid them in the apron.
There is only this place.
I used my knife to take the leather cords from the sandal that I used before. I tied the black knife and throwing knives there. Because of that, the I couldnt wear the baggy drawers that was given to me yesterday anymore and I threw it to a corner of the bed.
After I changed into maid uniform, I sneaked out from the second floors window and used stealth while heading to the temporary base that I hid in the forest. I only had few baggage but the money and wild grasses book were important. I could still hide the other things there, but I took the wild grasses book and potions. Just in case I smoked my things with bug repellent grass before heading to the backyard that Sera mentioned.
.
The backyard that I arrived at was in a position that was invisible from the mansion. It was easy to detect anybody coming there so it looked like a good place for training to hide.
Even though I arrived at the backyard at the same time when the sun rose just like instructed, Sera still wasnt there. I thought that I was a bit early, but I recalled that I wouldnt be able to detect Sera if she used stealth. Perhaps this was also a part of training. When I used Search and carefully searched my surrounding, I found a small presence inside the forest.
Hee. So you sense me.
I heard a voice when I turned my gaze to there. Then a silhouette that was smaller than me showed itself from inside the forest.
Looks like youre quite good. Are you the rumored newcomer?
Who?
Light brown skin and black hair. This boy was also a Cruz person? The boys face was outstandingly handsome. His bluish gray eyes were sparkling in curiosity as he stared scrutinizingly at my whole body. He didnt answer my question and approached with a smile of mischief.
Dont get full of yourself just because you get recognized by the adults okay? After all even I surely can defeat something like goblin. There are also attacks that you dont know about in this world.
For example?
Lets see
Was he a staff here? I didnt feel killing intent from the boy who mentioned something about attacks. The boy was grinning while approaching with a casual stroll, then he suddenly vanished from my sight.
Something like this perhaps
*Basaa!*
An unexpected movement and an unexpected attack. I thought that I would be able to react if my life was in danger, but that attack that wasnt an attack where the boy instantly crouched down flipped up my skirt completely.
Tsu!?
The boys eyes opened wide in shock. Most likely it was because he had seen the throwing knives and black knife that I attached on my thigh and calf.
The boys movement stopped in confusion. I fully activated my body strengthening in that instant. I instantly stepped forward and kicked the boys jaw. I bent over the boy who fell face up and pointed the black knife that I pulled from my calf on his throat.
im sorry, please forgive me. that wasnt my intention at all. ill take responsibility really
I wouldnt kill him if he wasnt an enemy though.
The boy was prattling for some reason when I stared at him glaringly. His light brown skin was also dyed bright red for some reason as he averted his gaze from me and covered his face with both hands.