Chapter 2. I-seo's Maidenhood and the Witness
I-seo's Maidenhood and the Witness
Before the morning bell rang, I-seo opened her eyes. It was a habit ingrained from living in constant tension for so long.
Following Head Maid Maria's instructions, she gathered her towel and a change of undergarments and headed to the bathhouse.
Inside the communal wooden bath, already filled with thick steam, two maids who had arrived earlier were soaking.
"Oh? You're the new girl who came in yesterday, right?"
"Wow, you're so pale. Are you perhaps from noble lineage?"
They spotted I-seo and waved cheerfully.
As they rose from the water, I-seo momentarily held her breath.
The rumors that maids in this estate were chosen based on their looks seemed to be true.
Ari.
She appeared to be in her early twenties, with a slim yet toned figure. Her hair, tied to one side, gave her a neat yet youthful look. Her small face was adorned with delicate features—a classic image of pure beauty. Droplets clung to her collarbone, and the perky curve of her chest drew the eye.
Nancy.
She looked slightly more mature than Ari, likely in her mid-twenties, with a cheerful demeanor. Her body was more voluptuous—full breasts, a cinched waist, and hips that flared out sensually. The dimples that appeared when she smiled added to her charm.
"I'm I-seo. Please take care of me."
I-seo cautiously stepped into the bath. The warm water eased her tense muscles.
"I'm Nancy. This is Ari."
"Where are you from? Your skin is unreal. Do you use something special?"
They bombarded her with curious questions. I-seo vaguely answered, "A small village in the East," and "No special secrets." Their naked forms were beautiful, but the faint red marks lingering on Nancy's body hinted at the kind of nights they spent with the Count.
After bathing, she dressed in the official maid uniform in the changing room.
It wasn't just putting on clothes—it felt like a ritual, a rebirth as a retainer of the Count's household.
First, she slipped into the luxurious undergarments provided by Maria.
Black lace panties of smooth silk hugged her hips, while a matching bra supported her chest. Though overly sensual for something meant to be hidden beneath a maid's dress, the extravagance of unseen details gave her a strange satisfaction.
I-seo pulled out a pair of white banded stockings.
She rolled them up slowly from the toes. The elastic mesh tightened around her ankles, gliding smoothly up her calves before stopping mid-thigh.
The white stockings blended with her pale skin, making her legs appear even longer and slimmer. The lace trim of the bands pressed slightly into her thighs—an unfamiliar sensation.
The main dress was a long black one-piece.
Made of stiff yet glossy high-quality cotton, it clung snugly to her body as she tied the knot behind her back.
The bodice was tailored tight like a corset, straightening her posture while accentuating her chest. The sleeves extended to her wrists, trimmed with white frills for a prim touch.
The skirt fell past her knees, but with every step, glimpses of the white lace petticoat and stocking-clad legs flashed through the slits.
Finally, she tied on a pristine white apron. Cinching the ribbon tightly at her waist completed the hourglass silhouette. The frilled shoulder straps flared like wings.
The last touch was a white lace headdress.
The reflection in the mirror was the perfect image of a noble's maid—prim yet exuding a strangely chaste sensuality.
As she adjusted her outfit, she noticed Nancy and Ari slipping on their shoes beside her.
"Huh?"
The shoes they wore had surprisingly high heels—black enamel pumps with at least 7-8 cm lifts.
Meanwhile, the pair assigned to her were modest black Mary Janes with a mere 3 cm heel.
"Oh, the shoes?"
Noticing I-seo's gaze, Nancy tapped her heel with a grin.
"These are only for 'Retainer Maids.' A symbol of privilege, you could say."
"I-seo, probationary girls like you get low heels for practicality. Once you're officially recognized and earn the Count's... trust, you'll get these too," Nancy added meaningfully.
The Count's trust. She didn't need to ask what that entailed. The high heels weren't just fashion—they were a privilege for the "women" deemed worthy of satisfying the Count's tastes.
I-seo slid her feet into her shoes.
Click-clack, click-clack.
Compared to Nancy and Ari's lively heel taps echoing down the hall, I-seo's steps were quiet and steady.
The work wasn't as grueling as expected. Her trained body handled the physical labor with ease.
Her assigned area was the central corridor on the first floor and the staircase leading to the second.
She swept dust with a broom, then polished the floors with a waxed cloth.
Every time she knelt to scrub, the whisper of stockings and undergarments brushing together beneath her skirt filled her ears.
"Miss I-seo, could you pay a bit more attention here? It needs to shine."
Head Maid Maria's voice was soft but firm as she passed by.
While she spoke casually to Ari and Nancy ("Just leave that and come here"), she maintained a strict distance with the other maids, addressing them all with formal speech. It was likely her way of upholding authority.
I-seo silently polished every ornament on the chandelier and every crevice in the staircase railings.
Though repetitive, the work had a strange appeal—it emptied her cluttered mind. She felt like a cog in the grand machinery of the estate.
She opened windows for ventilation and changed the water in the flower vases.
Occasionally, she exchanged nods with passing servants or fellow maids.
Most people here were kind, and the estate's atmosphere seemed peaceful.
As long as I don't run into Count Lucian.
At 5 p.m., the bell signaling dinner preparations rang.
"Phew..."
Wiping the sweat from her brow, I-seo stretched her back.
Though she had moved all day, she felt pleasantly drowsy rather than exhausted.
Not bad.
Good food, comfortable quarters, pretty and kind coworkers.
Aside from the occasional risk of running into their explosively unhinged master, it seemed like a decent workplace.
Life in the estate was easier to adapt to than expected. Ari played a big part in that.
She was Head Maid Maria's younger sister and had joined about a month before I-seo.
"I-seo! Let's eat together!"
"Here's a trick for cleaning this part. Let me show you."
Ari was bright and eager. Despite her connections, she never flaunted them and took on the dirtiest tasks without complaint. They quickly grew close, chatting by their narrow beds after exhausting labor.
"I'm saving up to open a cute bakery someday. What's your dream?"
Ari's eyes sparkled with hope.
Again, I-seo dodged the question.
On the seventh night, I-seo was replacing candlesticks in the second-floor hallway under Maria's orders.
Walking the quiet corridor while everyone slept, a dull thud echoed from the direction of the Count's office.
Thud! Clatter!
"Ngh...! My Lord...!"
A familiar voice. Ari.
I-seo's heart dropped. Ari was supposed to be on cleaning duty—was she still working? Or being punished?
Worried, she muffled her footsteps and crept toward the door.
It was slightly ajar.
Holding her breath, she peeked inside.
"!!"
She clapped a hand over her mouth.
The office was a mess. Books were strewn across the floor, and in the middle of it all, Ari was pinned against a bookshelf.
Her maid's skirt was hiked up to her waist, her white panties discarded on the floor.
And the man pressing into her—Count Lucian.
Eyes bloodshot like a beast's, veins bulging in his arms, breathing ragged.
His massive cock was forcing its way between Ari's slender thighs.
"My Lord! It's my first time... Please, go slow...!"
"Stay still."
Lucian's voice was merciless. No foreplay, no consideration.
He hooked one of Ari's thighs over his arm and shoved inside.
Schlick!
"AAAH—!!"
Ari's scream tore through the air as her hymen ripped apart. Her head snapped back, tears dripping from her chin to the floor.
The Count ignored her pain, gripping her waist and pistoning into her with brutal force.
Thrust! Thrust! Thrust!
"Ngh! Hic!... Ugh!... It hurts...! Too big...!"
Ari's body shook like a ragdoll. This wasn't lovemaking—it was a violent, almost bestial act of release.
So this... is the reality of Mana Overload Syndrome.
One-sided, explosive madness. Something a girl like Ari could never endure.
But Lucian didn't stop there.
As he rocked his hips, he reached behind Ari's backside.
"Let's see how this feels."
"Eh? That's...!"
"Don't worry. I cast Clean Magic."
Lucian's thick middle finger plunged into Ari's anus.
No lubricant—just rough fingers forcing past her sphincter.
"Eeek—!"
Ari sobbed, pushing at his shoulders, but he didn't budge.
In front, his monstrous cock battered her womb. Behind, his fingers violated her ass.
Squelch. Squelch.
"Haah... Too tight. Spread wider."
Ari's eyes rolled back, drool spilling from her gaping mouth.
The sound of flesh slapping, the Count's animalistic grunts.
Ari's moans grew louder—her body, wrapped around his, seemed to be heating up too.
I have to run.
I-seo fled down the hall like a ghost.
Back in her room, she buried herself under the covers.
The scene burned into her mind, refusing to fade.
Am I... next?
[Images: Illustrations of the described scenes—Ari pinned against the bookshelf, Lucian's brutal dominance, the aftermath of the encounter.]