4. Ordering a Maid

I came to the mansion alone at night.

Normally a realtor would walk you through. The owner of the Salamus Trading Company said,

「Leave the details to me.」

and did not come.

I asked what that covered. Contracts, registration at the town office, missing furniture — he rattled it off a little too fast.

Could that not wait.

「Our motto is to make your life comfortable as soon as possible.」

Something official like that.

He had just run. He was scared of this house. That was my read.

I used the key I had been given, went through the fence, opened the door, and went in.

Lamp in hand, I checked the rooms one by one.

More than twenty. Living room, parlor, bedrooms.

It did not feel lived in. The furniture was mostly there.

「He really ran.」

It was funny. There was almost nothing to arrange. No way that merchant had missed that.

I laughed and went up the carpeted stairs. There was a balcony. I stepped out.

Outskirts of town. The whole night city from here.

Scattered lights in the center. Pretty. And a reminder of how high this place sat.

Expensive property. The view was part of the price.

It felt good.

I looked at it for a while, then slept in the grandest bedroom.

The bed was too big. Hard to sleep. Not enough to bother me.

The next day I hunted one mountain ox for the quota, then wandered town.

I could earn more. I had the mansion now. I wanted it filled.

Swap some furniture. Buy things I would actually use.

Pillow. Futon. The bed had been a problem.

Plenty of that. One thing sat above the rest.

「I want to hire a maid.」

I said it to the Salamus man. He looked worried.

「A maid, sir?」

「Yeah. A maid. One person cannot keep a house like that.」

「I see. That is what you meant.」

「The haunted mansion. It is not that bad.」

「N-no. Of course not.」

He panicked, coughed, apologized.

「We will handle it. Living in a mansion like that with no maid at all would look wrong.」

「You deal in that too?」

「Absolutely.」

A bit of pride.

Different from last night. I poked it.

「What kind of maid comes to a haunted mansion.」

「You need not worry about that.」

Straight face. Not the reaction I wanted. I went, oh.

「There are people who will work any house if the pay is there. Even a murderer’s.」

「Hmm. Fair. Then we are fine.」

「Yes. What kind of maid do you want.」

「How do you mean…」

I thought about it.

I had come here with one idea. House, then maid.

Maids who can work. Maids who cannot.

The steel-faced one in a long skirt who gets it done.

Or the clumsy miniskirt type who breaks things and cries.

Which.

「…One who can actually do the job.」

「I see. Someone who could be head maid later.」

「Head maid. Yeah. Something like that.」

I pictured it and got a little excited.

A head maid over the other maids.

And I would be the one using her.

That was exciting.

「We will look that way, then. Last question.」

「Yeah.」

「A slave maid, or a commoner. Which.」

「Slave.」

Immediate.

That part was not negotiable.

I left after that. They could not produce a person on the spot. Come back tomorrow. They would search.

As I walked the town in daylight I turned his last question over.

Slaves were common here. That was how it was.

The maid talk was done.

I was thinking what next when my stomach dropped.

I ducked into a nearby shop at random.

Street-corner eatery. Busy.

「Welcome to Pros Pavilion.」

A young woman in a kerchief and apron.

Waitress. The face of the place.

「What can I get you.」

「Uh. Let’s see.」

I looked around.

There was a menu. I could not read it.

「Not sure. Recommendations?」

「Are you a traveler, sir?」

「Something like that. I just got here. Thinking of staying a while.」

「I see. Then the grilled mountain ox rice. Popular. The town’s mountain ox and rice, grilled.」

「That.」

Immediate.

I had made a pile of money off mountain ox and never eaten one.

「One grilled mountain ox rice.」

「Ah. Large.」

「Yes. Large.」

Bright smile. She went to the back.

A little later she came back with a piled plate.

「Thank you for waiting.」

「That looks good. What does it cost.」

「Ten copper.」

「Huh. For this?」

I had no copper. I put a silver on the table.

She looked troubled.

「A silver…」

「Not enough?」

「No. The other way. It is enough. I am not sure I have the change.」

Change. Right.

Same as a convenience store when they are short on coins.

「Then use the rest on other recommendations.」

「Are you sure?」

「Good ones.」

Smile again. She took the silver and went back.

I ate.

「Oh! Good!」

Recommendation earned it.

Nostalgic. Diner. Home cooking.

The meat was soft and wet. Bite down and the juice filled my mouth.

I put it away. Large plate, gone.

More than I usually eat. Still not enough.

I sat and wondered what she would bring next.

That was when I heard it.

「It is not safe to collect any more copper coins in this city.」

Enhanced hearing.

Together with the change talk, that pulled my attention.