“Catherine… Ma’am. That’s right. From now on, I have to use ‘Ma’am’, don’t I?”
“If it’s a formal occasion, it’s a master-servant relationship, so it will be like that. Otherwise, it’s fine to continue as before. I’m not a noble or anything.”
“Is that so? You can speak with the Queen, so I thought you were a high-ranking aristocrat.”
Yuria had thought Yuria to be a junior servant until now, but she realized that Catherine was someone with a high enough status to speak with the Queen. Yuria regretted involving Catherine due to her own assumptions. Yuria said this on the way from the throne room to the waiting room to receive instructions.
“So, when you treat me with such deference, I don’t know how to interact with you.”
“Understood. …Well then, let’s start fresh. Please take care of me, Catherine.”
“That’s right. That’s more like it. Please take care of me too, Yuria.”
Catherine smiled warmly, relieved that Yuria understood.
“Also, as you were told, for today I’m an apprentice servant in the castle, so I’d be happy if you treated me as such.”
“Understood. Although, today’s work will be finished soon, so if there’s any work, it should be completed with about one task.”
“I see.”
It seems that servants in the castle work in two shifts: the early shift that works from sunrise and the late shift that works from sunset. However, this applies to those with general duties, and it seems not to be the case for those who are exclusively assigned. Yuria’s early shift today is about to end after a little more work and then handover.
“Team leader, I’m back.”
“Oh, I was looking for you. Where have you been?”
“Huh?”
When Yuria returned to the waiting room, her supervisor, known as the team leader, had a slightly troubled expression.
“You told me to gather because the team leader said to clean the throne room, and I’ve been there until now?”
“Oh? That matter was canceled, so I should have notified all team members. That’s strange. Hey, is it okay for a moment?”
At Yuria’s prompting, the team leader relayed the message to another maid to confirm.
“That’s strange… The child I asked to deliver the cancellation notice said that Catherine, the head maid for the Queen, instructed that Yuria is engaged in other work, so notification is unnecessary and reporting to the team leader is not required.”
Naturally, anyone would trust a directive from the Queen’s maid, which is why communication had been cut off. The team leader said with a troubled expression.
“Is that so? I was in the throne room, but I did have other errands, so it’s not entirely wrong.”
“Anyway, I apologize for the miscommunication.”
As Yuria said this, the team leader replied apologetically.
“Right, right, I forgot. I was looking for you, Yuria. I apologize for the sudden request, but we’ve been assigned other work and can’t spare anyone else. Could you help us a little?”
“Yes, my working hours are not yet over, so it’s fine. What should I do?”
“Actually, I’d usually ask someone of a slightly higher rank for jobs other than cleaning, but I believe you’ll do a good job since you work diligently. Please go to the kitchen and deliver some food. You’ll be given instructions at the kitchen regarding where to deliver it.”
“Understood. Then I’ll head there immediately. Catherine, let’s go.”
“Yes. Yuria.”
Yuria accepted the team leader’s request and left the waiting room with Catherine.
“Come to think of it, Yuria, you were with a new girl. Was there anyone like that?”
The team leader felt doubt about seeing an unfamiliar newcomer, but because Yuria treated her normally, she interpreted that she was looking after a new employee belonging to another team.
“And so, this is the kitchen.”
“It’s different from the kitchen of the staff dining hall in the back of the waiting room, isn’t it?”
“Yes, the one in the back of the waiting room is for the dining hall used by us servants. This kitchen is where we prepare food and drinks to be served to nobles who come to the castle for official duties. We prepare them here based on orders from each office.”
“Wow. Is that so? Delivering course meals must be tough.”
“Course meals are prepared in a different kitchen, not here. This kitchen prepares simple meals for busy nobles on official business. Therefore, the amount delivered at one time is not that large, so it’s fine for one person.”
The kitchen they were brought to was a place for preparing simple food and drinks for nobles. For more elaborate dishes, a different kitchen was used.
“Excuse me. I’m here to help as requested by the team leader.”
“Sorry to trouble you. Please deliver this to the location indicated on the blueprint.”
“Understood. I’ll take it right away.”
“Please do.”
Yuria received a large basket containing the prepared food. A cloth was draped over it, so the contents could not be seen from the outside.
“Actually, I haven’t been to the area with the offices much… I have the blueprint, so I think it’ll be okay, but…”
Yuria said this as she left the kitchen and stared at the provided blueprint. Catherine had memorized the places she used, but she couldn’t remember the others because there were too many, so she couldn’t tell who’s room it was just by looking at the blueprint.
“If the blueprint is correct, this room should be the one.”
“The offices around here should be for upper-class aristocrats…”
“R-really? Is it okay for a lowly person like me to step foot here?”
They went up the stairs and arrived in front of the destination. In Catherine’s memory, the offices lined up around here were used by high-ranking aristocrats and ministers. When she told him that, Yuria suddenly showed a tense expression.
“I must be careful not to make any mistakes…”
With renewed resolve, Yuria knocked on the door.
“Enter.”
“Excuse us.”
After hearing the response from inside, Yuria and Catherine entered the room.
“I apologize, but I’m busy right now. Please leave the basket there.”
The large office was lavishly decorated. The master of this room was staring intently at documents at a desk in the back of the room.
“Understood. I’ll leave it here then.”
“This room…”
As Yuria carefully placed it on the table, she glimpsed the master’s face through a gap in the stacked documents. It was someone Catherine knew.
“Hm? Oh, isn’t this Catherine? You took care of my daughter yesterday.”
“Not at all. I’m glad it didn’t lead to anything serious yesterday. You seem busy today.”
“Ah, I have a mountain of work. It looks like I’ll be late getting home today.”
“I wish I could help, but I’m afraid I can’t be of use.”
Since they had met the day before, Catherine and the Duke exchanged a few words.
“Well, this is my work, so it can’t be helped. Were you working as a maid here? I thought you came to the castle at the Queen’s request to study?”
“Yes, I usually do, but various things happened today, and I ended up studying as a servant.”
Catherine replied to the Duke’s question.
“Is that so? That must be tough. Are you her tutor?”
“Y-yes. My name is Yuria.”
“I see. Please take care of Catherine.”
“Y-yes!”
Then, the Duke turned his gaze to Yuria and spoke to her. Yuria responded nervously.
“Oh, it seems we’ve been talking for too long. I apologize for this brief interaction, but I must return to my work.”
“Yes, we shall take our leave as well.”
“Excuse us.”
As the Duke was overwhelmed with work, he immediately returned his attention to the documents. Catherine and Yuria left the room once their task was completed.
“Catherine, you’re amazing. That was the Duke, wasn’t it?”
“I have various connections. I even visited his home yesterday, and the Duke has been very kind to me.”
Catherine replied to Yuria, who was looking at her with admiration.
“It seems you’ve completed your work without issue.”
After reporting their successful delivery to the kitchen, Catherine and Yuria returned to the servant’s waiting room.
“Yes, we completed it without any problems.”
“Thank you for your hard work. It’s time now, so you can finish for the day. Thank you for your hard work too, newcomer.”
“Excuse us.”
After the report, the long day’s work was over. After greeting the team leader, the two of them changed their clothes.
“Catherine, your clothes are from the shared spare closet, so please return them.”
“Understood.”
Catherine returned the servant’s clothes she had been wearing to their original place.
“I’m going to take a bath now, but what about you, Catherine?”
“I’ll go with you.”
Both of them had worked up a sweat, so Catherine decided to go to the bath with Yuria.
“Uwah, it’s crowded.”
“Yes, it’s right around the time the early shift people finish, so everyone thinks the same thing. I think this is the most crowded time.”
Steam rose from the bathroom, which had been cleaned during the day. The many women inside were washing off the dirt from their bodies after work. Although they entered the changing room, Catherine and Yuria could only wait for a small space to open up.
“This spot is free. If you don’t get in right away, it’ll be taken!”
“Ah, yes!”
Pulled by Yuria, they squeezed into a newly vacant gap in the crowded changing room, securing their own space.
“Put your discarded clothes in this cabinet with a door, and then pull out the key. Please hold onto the key so you don’t lose it.”
“Understood.”
Yuria, standing next to her, began to undress and placed her clothes into the cabinet one by one.
“Wh-what’s wrong?”
Yuria asked, noticing Catherine’s gaze.
“You’re only a year older than me, right? But this is cheating.”
“Cheating? Compared to others, I don’t think it’s that big.”
Yuria said with a troubled expression at Catherine, who was staring intently at Yuria’s breasts. It’s true that Yuria’s chest size was standard, about the same as Rachel or Patty, but considering her age, there was still room for growth. For Catherine, who had been told she would not grow any bigger, it was something to envy.
“If you’re this size now, I bet you’ll be even bigger in a few years. Lucky you.”
“Even so, this varies from person to person…”
Catherine envied Yuria’s chest, observing it with longing, while Yuria struggled with how to respond.
“Right, right. More importantly, let’s get in the bath quickly.”
“Wha-don’t pull me!”
Yuria pulled her hand, and after finishing undressing, the two entered the bathroom.
“Ah, that’s right… We didn’t have that.”
“Had what?”
Inside, they saw women scooping hot water from the bathtub and pouring it over themselves to wash. Catherine used her favorite shampoo, conditioner, and body soap when bathing. These were regularly stocked in her room at the castle and in the bathroom at Kent’s house, but they were not available here.
(I can’t relax without that. Maybe I’ll take another bath when I get back to my room.)
“No, it’s nothing. Let’s wash up quickly.”
Catherine said, then sat in front of the bathtub and poured hot water over herself with a ladle.
“Fuuuh~. Soaking in this bathtub makes me feel like today’s work is finally over.”
“Is that so? I feel a little uneasy, though…”
“Really? Most houses don’t have baths, and even when using public baths, aren’t they all like this?”
After washing themselves, the two soaked in the bathtub. Yuria looked relaxed, but Catherine couldn’t quite settle down. The bathtub itself was of a decent size, but there were too many people in it, and since others were scooping hot water from the tub to wash themselves, Catherine’s gaze was inevitably drawn to them. This bothered Catherine, and she couldn’t relax.
“I guess I’ve been living a pretty good life.”
The Kent house where Catherine lived had a bathroom with a shower and freely available hot water, albeit small. This castle also had her own private bathroom. In terms of bathing, she realized that she was in a rather privileged environment. Thinking this, Catherine murmured.
“Then, next is dinner. I’ll eat in the waiting room, but what about you, Catherine?”
“I’ll go too.”
“Oh? Then let’s go.”
After bathing, Catherine and Yuria headed to the servant’s waiting room, where the dining hall was, to have dinner. After finishing their meal, Catherine parted ways with Yuria and returned to her own room.
“I’m done~. So many things happened today, it was really long. But tomorrow is back to studying, isn’t it?”
She took off her clothes, changed into comfortable loungewear, and then lay down on the canopy bed in her room. The bed was neatly made and looked like she could fall asleep right away.
“This will all be over in three more days, so I have to keep going.”
About two months had passed since she came to the castle. During that time, Catherine had learned and mastered various subjects, including basic literacy and numeracy, aristocratic manners and etiquette, the hidden history of this country, and even magic training. Usually, this would take several years, but she completed it in such a short period, making it a very demanding schedule. However, Catherine never complained, worked hard for her family’s sake, and was nearing the completion of her extensive studies.
“Before that, I should take another bath… zzz…”
Exhaustion washed over her, and Catherine fell asleep.
