After the night is past, everyone gathers in the mansion’s hall. It seems we’ll suddenly have more people working here. That’s how they prefaced their summons to us this morning, anyway.
“How strange. I don’t recall drinking last night, but I don’t remember anything of yesterday… Why was I sleeping outside…?” mutters Zenobia to herself. It must be an aftereffect of Carmilla’s sleeping spell. It’s okay—just forget about it.
“May I have your attention, everyone?”
Papa, standing on the stairs in the lobby, claps his hands.
“I apologize for the suddenness, but I was only introduced to them today myself. I can’t exactly deny a request from Dr. Hecate. I want you all to teach these ones about the work you do here.”
The ones he is referring to are a pair of servants.
“Thanks to Lady Hecate’s introduction, I will be working here as of today. My name is Richmond.”
“I… I’ll be working here as of today, too, also by her introduction, as an apprentice maid. My name is Mircalla.”
One is a butler whose monocle suits him well. He’s an older man, but his eyes as he looks at me are strangely sharp.
The other one is a blond maid who looks very impertinent—in fact, the double-sided updo hairstyle practically screams it.
“…!”
For some reason, the maid glares sharply at me, too.
Wait, what? Have our relationship points gone into the negatives at our first meeting? Seems like she’ll be a tough one to win over.
“Squeak? (Isn’t it normal for humans to be scared of a giant Fen Wolf like yourself being in their mansion?) ”
Well, that’s not really how it feels to me. If I had to guess, I’d say their stares are dripping with hatred.
“Arwf… (I can’t help but feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before…) ”
Hmm. Maybe I’m mistaken. It’s almost like I just saw them yesterday…
As I continue to watch her, they both turn their cheeks away in the same moment.
“All right, new recruits! We’re getting started on your training right away, so follow me!”
The greetings must be over, because Betty, the energetic maid, brings them away.
“Darn it. If not for that subordination magic, I would not have to face this humiliation…!”
“We must not be hasty. For now, we must bide our time. We must endure until the Demon Lord’s seal is undone, Miss Carmilla—erm, Mircalla.”
They’re mumbling things to each other in low voices, but I can’t hear because of some wind blowing in from the window.
“All right, everyone, do your best again today!”
“““Yes, Master!”””
Papa goes up to the second floor for his work as everyone else in the mansion returns to their respective jobs.
The only ones left are the young lady, who still has a little bit of time before her morning studies, and I, who have no need to work.
“Routa, Routa, what games should we play today?”
“Woof, woof! (I don’t know. How about we play the napping game?) ”