Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Dogfight (2)
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Blackwood Mansion, Underground Level 1. Etiquette Classroom.
We'd gotten into a brawl in the dining hall prep room and were dragged here without even a chance to make excuses.
Right now, the four of us maids—including me—were kneeling on the floor, listening intently to Head Maid Melissa's lecture.
Or rather, we had no choice but to listen intently.
"What... in the world... is this commotion about...?!?"
Her voice boomed like she'd swallowed a dragon's vocal cords, directed at me and the other maids as she scolded us.
With her hair neatly braided and pinned up at the back, she unleashed a piercing high note that could have shaken the entire mansion without anyone batting an eye.
As lowly maids, we couldn't dream of escaping this spot—we just had to sit there frozen and take the lecture.
"You're failures as ladies! Failures as maids! Failures!!"
I didn't know her exact age, but she had to be mid-forties or early fifties.
No official info had been released, so even with over 2,000 hours sunk into Luminor Academy in my past life, there was no way I could've known unconfirmed details.
"Lilith!! Are you even listening properly?!?"
"S-Sorry!"
Whoa, shit. My heart nearly dropped out.
I zoned out for like two seconds, no need to yell right in my ear.
Thank God Melissa wasn't a main character, in more ways than one.
If they'd implemented that voice in-game, players would've jumped out of their skins left and right.
After barking at me once to snap me back, the head maid turned her noisy tirade back on all four of us.
Starting from the basics of ladylike posture, the lecture dragged on for a full hour without pause.
'Ah, my legs hurt...'
An hour straight on our knees, and now my calves were cramping so bad my whole body was going numb.
At least I'd secretly cast Clean to get rid of the garlic stink lingering in my mouth.
If I'd had to endure that self-inflicted biochemical assault in full lotus position for an hour, I'd have lost my mind for sure.
"...As servants of the Blackwood Family, we must always remain composed, maintain a noble demeanor in our duties, and..."
Even after that, she kept going for another thirty minutes before finally sweeping her gaze over our faces one last time.
As if to confirm we'd been paying attention, she started calling out each of our names.
"Aeria Lawrence."
"Yes."
"Alicia Hayes."
"Yes."
"Katarina Lane."
"......Yes."
"Lilith Rosewood."
"...Ugh, y-yes...?"
"You four are assigned to clean the entirety of the first-floor corridors and the stables for the next month."
Ah, fuck. We're screwed.
The kitchen assistant gig for the past three days was already hellish enough—what now?
Cleaning every inch of the first-floor hallways wasn't bad enough? Now stables too?
And with those two bitches, Aeria and Alicia?
The insane workload transfer made my head spin for a second.
Just as I opened my mouth to protest the reassignment, Aeria cut me off and shoved her face in first.
"One moment, Head Maid..."
"Head Maid, please reconsider this reassignment and disciplinary action."
God, she's quick to act, that bitch.
If I'd jumped in and interrupted her now, it'd only make me look worse to the head maid, so I held back and kept quiet.
Speaking chances always come around if you wait.
"Aeria."
"Yes, Head Maid."
"Are you claiming there's something unjust about the discipline I've decided?"
The head maid narrowed her eyes at Aeria's words.
But Aeria didn't flinch, demanding a revision to her punishment with unwavering resolve.
"I believe your disciplinary decision is entirely correct and justified, Head Maid. However, I think it's because you don't know that Alicia and I were dragged into an unfair fight against our will."
...That sly bitch.
True to form, already spinning her web.
Unfair fight? She threw the first punch at Katarina.
And those two ganged up 2-on-1 with Alicia—what were they?
I barely swallowed a torrent of curses since we were where we were.
And so Aeria's shameless, lie-filled argument filled the etiquette classroom.
"Go on, then. Speak."
"First off, today's violent incident started when Alicia and I pointed out Lilith Rosewood's lax attitude toward her duties."
"...Lax attitude?"
"Yes. Ever since her assignment to the kitchen three days ago, Lilith Rosewood hasn't once properly done kitchen work."
"Don't spew nonsense!"
"Lilith, quiet."
"......"
I tried to butt in as Aeria spouted utter bullshit, but the head maid cut me off.
So I clamped my mouth shut and quietly watched what lies she'd spew next.
"What do you mean she hasn't done kitchen work, Aeria?"
"Exactly what I said. Alicia, Katarina, and I have been working in the kitchen together for a while, so we manage our time efficiently. Maids are supposed to clock in at 6 a.m., but considering breakfast prep and the cooks' arrival, we normally start at 4 a.m. every day to chop vegetables."
"Continue."
"But Lilith Rosewood refused to understand our schedule and never once came in at 4 a.m.—not even for a single day. Even after arriving at 6 a.m., she slacked off. She barely did any work and even slipped out before rest time."
"So you're saying you called out Lilith on her lack of diligence, and that's when the fight broke out?"
"Yes, Head Maid. So please focus on Lilith's fault over ours."
"Can you take responsibility for that statement?"
"I can."
"...I agree with Aeria, Head Maid."
...Those fucking bitches.
I dragged my ass in two hours early every day to finish all the work, and now slacking?
Watching Aeria brazenly lie without a drop of spit on her lips, with Alicia backing her up, I nearly spewed the curses bubbling up to my chin.
Even slyly trying to pull Katarina into their camp.
She could roast Katarina later—right now, they were laser-focused on screwing me over.
Calm down, Lilith. Losing your temper here means automatic loss.
...And to be precise, I hadn't 'lost' Katarina yet, either.
"Katarina, do you agree with those two as well?"
"......"
Katarina hung her head, hesitating without answering.
She was probably torn on how to play this, in her own way.
After all the crap Aeria had put her through, instinct would say to submit.
Especially over defending a junior maid she'd known for mere days.
But right now, she still mistook me for some noble.
So there was a chance she wouldn't just roll over for Aeria.
I'd already... persuaded her plenty this dawn.
"N-No..."
"Pardon?"
"I... don't agree with Aeria..."
"So you're saying Lilith has been diligent in her duties?"
"Y-Yes... On the contrary, Lilith... did all our work... everything..."
Despite her weak personality, Katarina defended me and resisted Aeria's temptation.
At least we avoided a total 3-on-1 wipeout in the court of opinion.
Sorry for thinking you were a piss-pants idiot maid in front of the newbie, Katarina. It was just in my head, but still, sorry.
Thanks to her scraping up some courage, we dodged the worst—losing my chance to speak entirely.
Now it was my turn to save her.
Or more like pulling just her off a sinking ship.
"That creates a conflict of opinions, then. Aeria and Katarina's claims contradict each other."
"Katarina's just lying out of pity for Lilith, Head Maid!"
"No, Head Maid. Katarina's right. I can explain in more detail."
"...Go ahead, Lilith."
Thanks to Katarina rejecting Aeria's pitch, I'd secured my speaking turn.
Had to make the most of this precious shot.
Prove my innocence—and above all, hammer home that Aeria threw the 'first punch'.
"From the day I was reassigned, I came in at 4 a.m. without fail and started on vegetable prep. From then until 6 a.m., the seniors didn't show— they just dumped the work on me."
"Seniors including Katarina?"
"Yes. I don't lie."
I deliberately stared at Aeria while emphasizing 'lie', then pivoted to defend Katarina separately.
"And the ones who pushed me to come in alone at 4 a.m. were Seniors Aeria and Alicia. Senior Katarina only went along because she's too soft-hearted. In fact, she came in an hour early this morning to help me—and even apologized for overloading me with work up till now."
"Is that true, Katarina?"
"Y-Yes... It's true... Head Maid..."
I hadn't lied.
She did come early to help, and she did apologize for the overload.
Of course, the 'how' of it wasn't the dry version I just described.
"On the contrary, I'm filing a complaint against Seniors Aeria and Alicia for unjustly neglecting their duties with me."
"Can you take responsibility for that?"
"Yes. And please show leniency to Senior Katarina, who got hurt protecting me from Senior Aeria's unfair violence."
"Hmm."
Head Maid Melissa glanced back and forth between me and Katarina, Aeria and Alicia.
After eyeing each of our eyes once, she nodded and spoke.
"If one side's telling the truth and the other's lying, I can't finalize discipline like this."
"......Pardon?"
"Head Maid, Lilith is lying..."
"We'll resume the disciplinary process after dinner. All four of you, return here with evidence or witnesses to back your statements."
"...Evidence or witnesses?"
"If you have none, come anyway. But if one side secures solid proof or witnesses over the other, I'll adjust the punishments accordingly."
"......"
"......"
...I didn't expect beating up Aeria a bit would blow up this big.
That bitch was dragging this dinner prep mess all the way to total war.
I could feel it in my gut: at least one of us—Aeria or me—was in for heavy punishment.