Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Contract
We completed Powe’s adventurer registration and headed straight to a grocery store to buy ingredients.
We ended up buying a bit too much… but there was no helping it.
We had just taken in a new maid, and we didn’t know what kind of food she could cook yet.
With refrigeration tools available, it should be fine even if we had a little left over.
Come to think of it, I didn’t even know her name.
I should ask when we get back.
After that, we visited a furniture shop.
We needed to prepare rooms for Powe, the newly arrived sisters, and a few other spaces as well.
They said the furniture would be delivered later today.
Skeletons could handle the transport, but since they insisted on delivering it themselves, I didn’t really want to present such a grim sight.
Still, for some reason, Powe seemed a little disappointed that she was getting her own room.
…
On the way back to the mansion.
“Oh right, Powe.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Is Yufia your real name? Should I start calling you that instead?”
Powe tilted her head slightly at that.
“Yufia…?”
“No, I mean… you literally used that name at the guild just now.”
Powe only then seemed to remember.
“Ah! That is not my real name. I thought using ‘Powe’ might be dangerous, so I used a random alias. I took the first syllable from my lord’s name. Did it displease you?”
“No, it’s not that. I was just curious.”
I was wondering anyway, so it was good that Yuna asked.
When we entered through the mansion gate, we saw a house maid tending the garden.
“Welcome home, masters.”
Masters, huh… that’s kind of embarrassing.
The younger one who had been playing with Fitz bowed her head like a chick pecking at grain.
Melaim approached them.
“Come to think of it, I still don’t know your names.”
“I am Maria.”
“I am Myura!”
Melaim introduced us with a gentle smile.
“My name is Melaim. This one is Powe, then Yuna, Tanya, and Ruka.”
“We will remember.”
“Good.”
Melaim naturally headed toward the entrance.
And when we stepped inside the mansion, both Yuna and I froze in shock.
“…Huh?”
What is this?
Is this our house?
It’s shining.
It’s not just clean—it feels like it was rebuilt overnight.
What did they even do while we were gone?
Melaim turned back toward us.
“What are you doing?”
Even with her urging, we couldn’t regain our senses.
It was too clean. Too perfect.
Then Maria’s voice came from behind us.
“I’m sorry. I don’t have any skills related to garden maintenance, so that part might take some time.”
Yuna suddenly turned and hugged Maria tightly.
She seemed extremely pleased with how clean everything was.
Startled, Maria blushed and spoke in a small voice.
“Um… I am an adult this year, but this kind of service is a bit…”
Ah, so she’s the same age as me.
I thought she was younger.
It seemed Yuna misunderstood Maria’s “this kind of service,” but that was eventually cleared up after some frantic explanation.
Or maybe not?
She still seems a little wary of Myura beside Yuna.
Well… I don’t know.
Then Myura tapped Yuna and asked cheerfully.
“Are you going to bathe?”
“Right now? No.”
She went around asking each of us the same thing.
Finally, she asked Melaim.
“How do you ask that?”
“My sister told me to ask the masters so I wouldn’t cause trouble.”
Myura proudly showed her palm, still with Fitz’s fur on it.
Such an earnest and polite child.
“Very well. You may bathe with your sister.”
“Really?!”
“And since we will prepare lunch soon, Maria should also bathe.”
Myura smiled brightly and ran toward Maria.
…
Lunch was finished.
Ah… that was delicious.
Could we really eat like this every day?
Yuna looked satisfied as well.
We hadn’t even bought ingredients she disliked.
“You’re glad we hired her, right?”
“…Yeah, yeah.”
How many times was she going to say that?
She even bragged while eating.
Soon after, Maria entered the dining room.
We needed to finalize her contract.
Doing it in the dining room felt odd, but the meeting room was empty, so there was no choice.
Melaim had prepared the contract.
Neither Yuna nor I really understood this sort of thing, so we left it to her.
She’ll handle it properly.
“Sit.”
“Yes, Lady Melaim.”
I glanced at the contract Melaim had prepared.
Yuna peeked at it too, but she clearly couldn’t read it.
As expected, she quickly gave up and sat properly again.
Let’s see… salary…
Thirty silver coins?
Not bad.
I had expected around twenty, but after seeing her cooking and cleaning skills, my opinion changed.
She even handled gardening without being asked.
That’s cheap, honestly.
Of course, we’d have to support two people’s living expenses, so it would likely cost at least three gold coins a year.
Then Melaim asked casually.
“What does Myura usually do?”
“Me? Um…”
Myura thought for a moment.
Maria answered awkwardly instead.
“She helps me with errands, and sometimes just wanders around.”
Then Myura suddenly chimed in.
“At night, I used to go to Sir Sak’s room!”
Sak?
Who was that again?
I felt like I’d heard the name before.
“The former owner of this mansion, I assume. Why did he call you to his room at night?”
Ah right.
…Wait, why did he call her there at night?
Melaim narrowed her eyes.
Myura smiled brightly.
“I was practicing becoming an adult.”
Melaim stared at her, then spoke.
“Tanya, I have a personal request.”
“Payment is one silver coin. I’ll go.”
Tanya drew her dagger, inspecting the blade.
Maria panicked and quickly corrected Myura’s words.
“Ahh! That’s not what she meant!”
Myura had clearly worded it poorly.
Sir Sak simply taught her mathematics, preparing her for future work in a merchant guild.
A good person!
Sak, who had almost been condemned unjustly to a one-silver assassination job, was saved thanks to Maria’s quick clarification.
Melaim nodded slowly.
“In that case, I will assign you both lodging and thirty silver coins per month in exchange for handling household duties.”
Maria hesitated but accepted the contract after reviewing it.
“Are you sure this is alright? This is more generous than I expected…”
Melaim nodded without hesitation.
Maria reached for a pen, but there wasn’t one on the table.
Melaim then spoke to Myura.
“Go play with Fitz for a while. I have something to discuss with your sister privately.”
“Okay!”
Myura left happily.
The room quieted.
Melaim finally spoke.
“You may have guessed already, but we are adventurers.”
“Yes. I assumed so because of your weapons.”
Melaim smiled faintly.
“Read clause four.”
“‘Do not disclose any confidential information obtained through work.’ A standard clause.”
“Yes. Standard—but especially important for us.”
Maria swallowed nervously.
Melaim placed two gold coins on the table.
“If you sign, take this money. However…”
“…However?”
“If you ever reveal our secrets, we will kill both you and the person you told.”
“Both…?”
Melaim said nothing.
Maria understood immediately.
Her eyes briefly flashed with anger.
Melaim continued.
“We will not blame Myura for her mistake. This only applies to you. And while you remain here, we will fully support Myura’s education.”
She pointed at the gold coins.
“We can provide even more if needed. And we have connections with Count Kite, so better education is possible.”
“W-With the Count?!”
Maria hesitated.
She wasn’t fully convinced—but the money and promise were clearly shaking her resolve.
Finally, she nodded.
“I swear I will never reveal your secrets.”
Melaim smiled.
“Tanya. If Maria breaks her promise, kill them both.”
“Hmm… is that a request? If it is, I won’t care even if you later say it was just a threat.”
Maria froze.
Melaim calmly added:
“And if Maria keeps her promise but I attempt to silence her regardless, then you may kill me.”
“…I’ll treat all of that as one contract. Payment will be eleven gold coins. No upfront fee.”
Melaim finally handed Maria the pen.
Maria bit her lip, then signed her name.