Chapter 38
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Maid and Mage (1)
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Even before the sun had risen, in the early dawn.
By the time I faintly sensed a presence in my half-asleep haze, it was already too late.
"Eek?!"
My body felt strangely light, even more so than usual.
My arms and legs were floating above the bed, so I cracked my eyes open groggily.
...Somehow, I was firmly pinned down by a mysterious shadowy figure.
"Wh-what the heck is this..."
The moment I instinctively tried to draw up my mana, a sharp crackle sparked from my wrist, and my strength drained away.
Wait, this is...
"...A mana suppression bracelet?"
I barely managed to lift my eyelids, and under the faint starlight of early dawn, I could make out the figures surrounding me.
The design of their black-and-white coordinated outfits was all too familiar.
Maid uniforms.
"Time to rise and shine, Miss Lunaris."
Standing at the center was Linea Hall's worst demon, Head Maid Odette.
"This is cheating... Do you even know what time it is...? This is a blatant violation of my right to sleep, my privacy, and all sorts of other stuff...!"
"Miss Lunaris, it's already past 5 a.m."
Odette let out a wicked chuckle as I mumbled incoherently in my drowsy state.
"...What? 5 a.m.? That's basically the middle of the night."
"What are you saying? A maid's day starts before dawn by tradition. Now, let's get you ready."
"Ready for wha... Didn't my two-week suspension start today..."
"You must still be half-asleep. That suspension was replaced with community service, wasn't it?"
No way...
My suspension couldn't have just vanished to America(?), right...?
My vacation couldn't have turned into community service...!
I looked around in stunned disbelief.
All I got back were the maids' intimidating glares.
Crawling back under the covers here... Yeah, that's not happening.
This is a violation of the WWE treaty between me and the maids.
In the end, I let out a long sigh and accepted my first defeat in ages.
Next time, I'll prepare countermeasures for even the fastest rush.
"Haa... So, what do I start with?"
A satisfied smile crept across Odette's lips at my resigned question.
"Shall we start by getting you changed?"
*
In the end, I fell to the corruption of the maids.
The forced maid outfit was incredibly uncomfortable.
The ill-fitting shoulders stuck out awkwardly, and the dangling frills were a total nuisance.
But more than anything, this skirt hem that left my knees completely exposed.
Isn't this... way too short compared to what the other maids are wearing?
I can't fathom how anyone works in something like this.
As I trudged listlessly down the hall, a loud shriek echoed from somewhere.
Looking back, the maids were covering their mouths, poking each other, and causing an absolute uproar.
"Kyaaah-!"
"You're too cute!"
"You look just like a doll, Miss Lunaris!"
...Ah, I'm suddenly craving a bit of 'Telekinesis Magic'.
Their fussing somehow felt like it was rubbing my teasing the wrong way, which grated on me a little.
And so began my first day as a maid.
My initial task was cleaning the underground of Linea Hall, which had been wrecked by my battle with the magic golem.
For some reason, I had a broom clutched in my hand.
"What the heck am I supposed to use this for...?"
I stared blankly at the piles of rubble and shattered furniture debris scattered at my feet.
No way they expect me to clean that with this broom? That's ridiculous.
"If you let me loose, I could clear this way easier."
I jiggled my bracelet-bound arm lightly, and Odette shot me a suspicious glance.
"Just to be sure, you won't run away if I do, will you, Miss?"
"Nah, I already got my sleep in today."
Truth be told, if someone carried me back to bed right now, I could be out again in three seconds flat.
But slipping past Odette's watchful glare on my own two feet to get back to my room... Nah, too much hassle.
I ran a quick mental simulation, and it looked like a real pain.
With a cheerful click, the suppressed mana began circulating through my body.
"Huaaah... Nghhh... Now I feel alive."
I let out a lazy sigh and loosely rotated my wrist.
Immediately, the scattered rubble and broken furniture floated up lightly into the air.
Dust clouds swirled gently in tandem.
"Wow... All that heavy stuff at once...!"
"As expected of an upper mage's skill."
The younger maids gaped in awe, while the more wrinkled veterans nodded in approval.
The way they looked at me was like they saw a prime maid candidate—it was intimidating.
"How about it? Why not learn some proper maid duties while you're at it? You have real talent for being a Linea Hall maid, Miss Lunaris."
Odette was dead set on turning me into a super-elite maid.
"Once this community service is over, I'm never doing it again."
"I have a feeling this won't be your last round of service, Miss."
"Eek—no way that's happening."
Just then, a familiar voice came from the stairs above.
"Record the cracks in this pillar in detail."
I turned my head absentmindedly and locked eyes with someone I never expected.
"It looks like it needs priority repairs compared to other areas... Hm? Hold on."
Pale purple hair and sparkling golden eyes.
The one student who commanded as much presence as the full professors on the disciplinary committee.
Kyle's idol from the original story, the intense standout.
Student Council President Seraphina Clarensia.
"Lunaris Evermoon, by any chance?"
Seraphina excused herself from the other student council members and approached me.
Her bright yellow gaze scanned me, the maids, and the floating debris before returning to me.
"That outfit..."
She examined my rumpled maid uniform closely, then let out an "Ah!" of realization.
"Right, you got community service from the disciplinary committee."
"Yeah, pretty much..."
"Not sure if I should say this, but it suits you perfectly."
"Ahaha..."
"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not teasing. I just mean... yeah. You're cute. That's all."
I had nothing to say, so I just nodded blankly.
Seraphina smiled faintly and continued.
"Your performance at the disciplinary committee was impressive. Defending your senior like that—I almost teared up."
Tears? She looks like she wouldn't shed a drop even if stabbed.
"I wasn't really defending anyone."
"Really? Well, either way, your sincerity toward your senior moved me. It warmed my heart."
Her gaze shifted back to the hovering pile of debris.
"Your character, your magic skills... You're a real gem. How about joining the student council next semester?"
"I'll pass. Looks like a hassle."
"Harsh~ I thought you'd at least pretend to think about it."
"No point leaving false hope. It'll just tire us both out."
"Ahaha, fair enough."
Seraphina spun on her heel with a wave.
There wasn't a hint of regret in her retreating figure.
As if she'd known I'd refuse from the start.
"See you around. I have a feeling we'll cross paths a lot more."
With those meaningful words, she returned to the student council group.
I blinked dazedly and let out a sigh.
Today, way too many people are showering me with curse-like non-curses.
*
After smashing the large underground debris into smaller pieces and clearing it away, I was dragged straight to the kitchen.
This time, it was helping prepare lunch.
Excuses about morning lectures fell on deaf ears.
Of all days, it was Thursday—my one-on-one with the Magic Department Head—and I'd planned to slack off this week anyway.
Plus, the maids knew my schedule better than I did, so no excuses worked.
The kitchen I was half-dragged into was a total warzone.
Chopping knives, boiling pots, and frantic footsteps blended into pure chaos.
My assigned task? Potato peeling.
It seemed simple at first glance, but...
"...Whoa, how many are there?"
Mountainous sacks of potatoes loomed before me, killing any casual thoughts.
Peel all these by hand, one by one?
"Maid work isn't easy."
I glanced around stealthily.
Let's see. The head chef's yelling "Not quite!" while tasting sauce over there, and the other maids are busy with their own tasks... Perfect.
I lightly gestured, levitating potatoes and peelers with Telekinesis Magic.
I'm pretty good with blades, actually. Lia's sword practice every other day honed that.
Peeling potatoes? Piece of cake.
Soon, potato peels piled up like a mountain at my feet.
...The problem was the chunks next to them.
The fist-sized potatoes had all shrunk to thumbnail size.
Weird... I only peeled the skins, right...?
"Miss Lunaris."
The icy voice from behind made me hiccup in surprise.
Turning, the kitchen maid stood with hands on hips.
She alternated between the thick peels and the potato bits(?) in disbelief.
"Did you use a kitchen knife for peeling, by chance?"
"...No way. I used a proper peeler."
Though with magic instead of hands.
"Then why are the potatoes like this?"
"Uh... I was aiming for efficiency, so there were some trial-and-error mishaps..."
"Trial-and-error, you say?"
Her lips quivered.
She picked up a potato chunk from my feet.
"This isn't a failed peel. You just destroyed them."
Nearby maids stifled laughs, whispering how cute it was.
I averted my eyes and whistled innocently.
Yeah, cooking's not my thing.
Suddenly, Lia from the forest village popped into my head—the one who always cooked for me.
It's weird. How was she so good at it?
Guess cooking takes talent too.
"There are some pre-boiled potatoes over there. Could you mash them?"
"Sure, got it."
At least I'm good at smashing stuff, even if cooking's not my forte.
But it didn't take long to realize that mashing counted as cooking too.