“That’s the biggest problem.”
I suddenly felt depressed. From the moment I opened my eyes in Liliata Hayes’s body, I could naturally speak the language of this world, but I was completely unable to read or write it. The only thing I could write was the name ‘Liliata Hayes.’
Thinking about it deeply, it made sense; there was no way Liliata, who came from a background of serfdom, would have been properly educated. Even the maids in the Lord’s castle were all illiterate, except for the Head Maid.
‘They say the reason the Head Maid can keep her position despite being tyrannical and constantly embezzling funds is because she can read and write.’
From the perspective of someone managing subordinates, being illiterate would be inconvenient. I had tried my best to get on the Head Maid’s good side to learn how to read, but I failed. She utterly loathed me because I was the favorite of Priscilla.
‘To think I have a free delivery app in my hands but can’t even use it.’
It was truly a sad state of affairs. I set the magic paper aside for a moment and opened the small notebook I had received. It was a notebook containing work guidelines.
[Manor Work Precautions]
-
Never open the front door of the manor before the sun has fully risen.
On the page next to the first rule, there were several sentences scribbled messily, as if written in a hurry.
If you encounter someone before then, leave the scene immediately!
Even if they talk to you, do not answer! Never!!
What is that sound of dripping water? I’m pretending not to notice because I don’t have the courage to check.
I saw it. I saw it. It’s definitely not human!
Water sounds? There isn’t even a pond at the manor. What on earth did you see?
The handwriting for every sentence was different.
‘There are a lot of exclamation points and question marks.’
It seemed like previous servants had added their own important tips or observations while working. The following pages were similar.
-
Do not move or damage the manor’s belongings.
Never move the bathtub!
2222* (Seconded). It’s like death every evening.
Evening is scarier than night.
If you want to live, run to the kitchen! Provided there is food prepared in the kitchen!
-
There is no butler who manages the manor.
Never follow the butler’s instructions! I lost both ears in just two days.
I met him too. A butler named Eren! That thing is not human.
Don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled. Don’t be fooled.
“What is this? They wrote the same thing nine times. Is it that important?”
I frowned at the red powder that rubbed off on my finger as I traced the sentence.
‘Is it a spice?’
Gross. They should have washed their hands before writing. I snapped the notebook shut and shook it out. Perhaps because it had passed through many hands, the notebook was covered in various mysterious brown stains. I held the edge of the notebook with just my thumb and index finger and placed it down on the desk.
“The filth is one thing, but I can’t read a single word.”
I could recognize the numbers, exclamation points, and question marks because they were the same as in Korea, but the content was illegible.
“Nothing for it. I’ll just have to face it head-on.”
The first place I headed was the kitchen.
“There’s nothing here.”
I had to prepare breakfast immediately, but the only ingredients I could find in the kitchen were oil and a bit of flour.
‘What’s wrong with the state of this kitchen? What have they been eating all this time?’
Eren had said the Young Master’s condition was critical and that he had been nursing him for a long time. But looking at this, it seemed he hadn’t even provided the patient with proper meals.
‘And I thought he was a good person.’
The old butlers in this world really couldn’t be trusted. No matter how noble a Young Master was, if the person serving him was bad, he would suffer like this.
“There are so many things I need right away, what do I do…?”
I stared at the magic paper and pen I brought from the study.
‘The Young Master should be able to write well, right?’
I thought it would be best to explain the situation properly and ask for help.
‘He’ll probably be angry, but I have no choice.’
Since they said the hiring situation was so bad that they couldn’t even find people, the best way for both of us was to somehow persuade the Young Master. Before seeing him, I recalled what Eren had urged me to do.
“Your top priority must be the Young Master’s recovery.”
“The Young Master enjoys a light late-night snack. Once the sun sets, make a simple dessert in the kitchen and take it to the second floor. He loathes filth, so do not forget to bathe before seeing him.”
I quietly looked down at myself. My clothes were all torn and dirty. The Young Master was a frail patient and apparently a germaphobe, so cleanliness was a must. I turned toward the bathroom.
“The direction of the bathtub is strange.”
I dragged the bathtub, which was far away from the water tap, closer.
First, let’s wash. After getting clean, I’ll see the Young Master and ask for help. The problem came after that.
‘I don’t have any clothes.’
Only after washing did I realize that I hadn’t brought any luggage with me. I rummaged through the wardrobe in the room to see if anyone had left clothes behind, but the only thing there was a beautifully wrapped bathrobe.
Why?
Q: I didn’t have anything to wear on my first day of work, so I went to see my boss in a bathrobe. I wasn’t late, so it should be okay, right?
A: Please tell me this is a lie.
I felt like the protagonist of a truly frustrating “workplace villain” story. I never imagined my first day on the job would be this bleak.
‘Still, isn’t this better than torn clothes…?’
While Liliata was on the verge of tears, the notebook on the desk in the study flipped open on its own. The pages turned naturally until they revealed a page completely stained with brown spots.
-
Never wake the Young Master on the second floor.
If you have woken the Young Master, never look him straight in the eye.
No meat with blood! Blood! Not allowed, never never never!
If you meet the Young Master in the middle of the night, beg for your life unconditionally! If you offer a price, you might survive!
Young Master, I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.
The side of the page was covered in someone’s handprints. The pages continued to flip.
Thud.
“Ugh, it’s cold.”
Liliata closed the window she had left open.
‘Hm? Did I leave the notebook open?’
Passing the desk, she glanced at the notebook, which was lying open.
“Ah, it must have been the wind.”
I closed the notebook without thinking much of it.
“Let’s cheer up. If I’m embarrassed just for today, I can be comfortable starting tomorrow.”
If I just endure today, only today—
‘Should I just wear the clothes I had on?’
The torn clothes looked even more tattered. Let’s not linger on a dirty past. Those clothes were involved with Joffrey, so they’re probably bad luck. Yes, all this misfortune is Joffrey’s fault.
While drying my hair, pulling the collar of the robe as high as it would go, and tightening the belt, I chanted to myself:
“I am a mere ignorant serf. I know nothing. I know no shame. My head is a field of flowers.”
When survival was at stake, did dignity even matter? I cast a curse on myself as I stepped onto the stairs leading to the second floor. A simple suggestion wasn’t enough to blow my sanity away. This had to be a curse. It had to be a curse that completely emptied my mind.
The stairs, which looked long from below, were so short that I was already on the second floor. I immediately realized that the double doors visible to the left of the stairs belonged to the Young Master’s room. Unlike the simple handles of the other rooms, only that door’s handle was decorated with jewels.
‘My head is a field of flowers.’
Solemnly repeating the curse, I knocked on the closed door.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Young Master, have you risen?”
There was no answer.
‘Is he not awake yet?’
I knocked again.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Young Master, I’ve come to give my greetings. I am the new maid hired for the manor.”
Then, I heard the rustle of a presence inside.
‘He’s awake!’
I knocked once more with a glad heart.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Young Master, my name is Liliata Hayes, the maid newly assigned to work at the manor.”
Then, a voice that sounded thick with sleep drifted out from inside the room.
“Who did you say…?”
In that instant, a strange sense of discomfort washed over me, and a sharp, ringing tinnitus pierced my ears.
‘Did water get in my ears when I was bathing?’
I quickly tilted my head and shook my ear out.
“Yes, Young Master. It’s the new maid, Liliata Hayes.”
I raised my voice, thinking he might not have heard me clearly. The ringing in my ear soon faded.
“A new maid?”
The voice, now less muffled than before, had the youthful quality of a teenage boy.
‘Is the Young Master younger than I thought?’
I felt a bit relieved by this new realization.
‘If he’s a child and not an adult, maybe he’ll be somewhat understanding of me being in a bathrobe?’
No! Showing up like this in front of a child is a crime in itself! After all, isn’t this look no different from a perverted flasher? In Korea, not only would I be arrested for public indecency, but if it were in front of a minor, I would definitely be subject to aggravated punishment under child abuse laws. Furthermore, the age of majority in this world is nineteen. At this rate, I was at risk of going straight to jail.
Just then, the Young Master spoke.
“Come in and show me your face.”
Between modern common sense and the life-threatening absurdity of the current situation, standing at the crossroads of becoming a criminal or not with only a door between us, cold sweat began to pour down my back.
