#003 The Lady’s Cat is in Danger!
I have been living as a maid candidate for just over two weeks.
Already, more than half of the maid candidates have voluntarily given up and returned home or been eliminated.
Although my scores in household tasks were dismal, I managed to make up for it with the tea recipe secretly passed down to me by Merilda, and so I have survived until now.
The murderous work schedule of a noble mansion maid is still heavy, but even someone as inexperienced as me has become somewhat accustomed to it through repetition.
Now I can tie my hair quickly, and if there is one thing that is difficult these days, it is the bathing time.
“Don’t worry… It’s just part of the job…”
Although it is a young girl’s body, to me, whose mind is still that of a man, the blatant displays of dozens of candidates were too stimulating.
So in the public bath, I mostly looked at the floor to avoid being conscious of other people’s bodies and quietly washed myself in a corner.
If asked if I made any friends, I could confidently say no. They all seemed curious as to why I hadn’t been eliminated yet, and since the incident with the tea, I felt they kept their distance from me even more.
I didn’t bother or harm them, but it was a vague relationship where they didn’t particularly treat me kindly either.
***
Miss Ruby had a pet.
A white Persian cat named “Milky,” with a round body like a bundle of fur.
“Where on earth did it disappear to…?”
I was always paying attention to this troublesome creature that disappeared whenever it found a chance.
One might ask what difference it makes to have a noble’s cat, but in fact, this animal will have a tremendous impact on her future.
When the beloved cat she had raised since childhood died in a terrible accident, Ruby in the game began to develop a repulsion and hatred towards animals.
So, in order to prevent such a thing from happening again, I couldn’t take my eyes off this cat.
And now, it has been three days since Milky disappeared from sight.
Maid Manager Merilda summoned us with a serious expression.
“··· As you all may know, Lady Ruby’s cat has gone missing. Even now, she is diligently searching for Milk. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”
She commanded us with a determined expression.
“This is a serious matter. All candidates, thoroughly search the mansion to find the cat···!”
Following her words, the candidates scattered and began the search.
As I lifted furniture diligently in search of Milk, Ruby, who looked more gloomy than usual, passed by the corridor.
“Milk··· Where have you disappeared to···? Pitiful thing···.”
Watching that scene, the sense of strangeness didn’t cease. To think that such a woman would later become a psychopath enjoying burning animals to death.
I couldn’t imagine how much shock she had experienced to change like that in four years.
Ultimately, even until sunset, we couldn’t find Milk, and we temporarily stopped the cat search and dispersed.
‘Where did this damn cat disappear to···.’
Lying sprawled in the dormitory with energy drained, I heard the discontented voices of other candidates.
“Just because of that cat, how many are suffering?”
“Exactly. With so much money, we could easily get a new one.”
Overall, they seemed full of dissatisfaction with the task assigned to them. These girls, tired from long cohabitation, nowadays openly expressed their discontent.
That’s when it happened.
“···Candidates. I have something to say, please come in for a moment.”
When Merilda’s voice came from outside the door, even the grumbling people closed their mouths and sat up straight on their beds.
Entering the room with a stern expression, Merilda glanced around us, then suddenly bowed at the waist.
“Sincerely apologize for forcing tasks unrelated to maid duties on the same day.”
She hadn’t thought about apologizing to us abruptly, so the candidates, including me, froze.
“As this is an urgent matter, I dragged you all in even though I know it’s forced. As the head maid of this mansion, I bow my head and apologize. Starting tomorrow, we will proceed with our original duties, so please forgive me and the young lady.”
Merilda left the room with a gloomy expression. The lodging, which had been full of discontent, suddenly turned into a calm atmosphere.
“…”
Originally, it was bedtime now. I was exhausted, but Merilda’s bowed figure lingered in my mind, so I eventually left the lodging alone.
As I stepped into the corridor, she was still engrossed in searching for milk on her own. I naturally approached Merilda.
“Maid Head. Please let me help.”
When I spoke, she looked surprised and asked, “Candidate Amber? It’s bedtime now…”
“I can’t sleep because I can’t find the milk. Please let me help.”
After my request, she seemed to hesitate for a moment but eventually nodded as if she couldn’t resist.
“Don’t search too late. There’s work tomorrow too.”
Helping her wouldn’t earn me any additional points. However, I believed it was the right thing to do.
***
Throughout the night, Merilda and I thoroughly searched the mansion, but in the end, we couldn’t find the milk. I had explored the interior of the mansion so perfectly that I could memorize it.
Morning had dawned, but my face, having slept only about three hours, was full of dark circles.
“Ugh…”
Unlike me, who couldn’t shake off the uncomfortable feeling of not finding the milk, other candidates had regained their vigor.
Was it a joyous thing to be liberated from searching for the cat? At least there didn’t seem to be anyone with the discontented expressions from yesterday.
Rubbing my eyes, I reluctantly ate breakfast. One of the candidates opened the restaurant door, rushing in.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the young lady is looking for a cat in the yard!”
Upon hearing the rare news during their meal, everyone followed her to the yard.
In the yard were Miss Merilda, Ruby, and the maid candidates who had arrived earlier.
Ruby, who had found the cat in almost four days, had a reason to be happy, but her expression seemed darker than yesterday.
“Milk…! Don’t move!”
A ferocious stray dog, appearing out of nowhere, was barking at Milk precariously perched on a tree.
‘A dog in this place…? Did it come down from the mountains…?’
Since Miss Ruby’s cottage was a bit away from the village, occasionally wild animals from the nearby mountains would come in through small holes in the fence.
Mostly rabbits or raccoons, but it was the first time a dangerous wild animal like a dog had entered. Milk instinctively climbed high on the tree to avoid the dog.
Ruby tried to approach the tree, but was stopped by Merilda.
“No, Miss! It’s too dangerous!”
“But Milk is over there…”
No one acted recklessly.
Even if there was someone skilled in magic, there was hardly anyone with such skills living in this cottage where only Miss Ruby and the servants gathered.
Throwing a stone hastily might provoke the dog to charge at a person, so it seemed no one was willing to risk such danger for the sake of a cat.
“Someone go to the village and call for help!”
Merilda sent some of the candidates to the village, but it seemed that Milk wouldn’t have enough strength to endure until then. After starving for days, clinging to the tree seemed precarious.
If Milk fell from the tree like this, it would become the dog’s prey.
‘Could Ruby’s dislike for animals be because of this…?’
It would be strange if she didn’t feel shocked watching her beloved cat become prey for a dog. For the 13-year-old girl, it was likely to have a significant impact on her values.
If this case remains unchanged, she would grow up as a person with twisted thoughts, just like in the game.
‘If I don’t do something about it somehow…’
The wild dog was certainly frightening and unpleasant. But losing Milk like this was even more unbearable.
Desperately, I thought about how to save the cat. I recalled information casually acquired while watching a TV program in the past.
‘…I heard that wild dogs think of clothes as part of a person.’
If only I had something like a backpack, but all I had was a white apron that could be thrown.
I untied the apron, holding it in my hand, and ran towards the tree where Milk was perched.
Seeing that, Merilda was startled and shouted.
“Amber candidate, come back here right now!”
Despite her protest, I didn’t slow down.
“I’m sorry!”
I had only seen him for a few days, but in my own way, I had grown fond of the chubby furball cat. Knowing that he would die if left like this, I couldn’t help but go to rescue him.
“Kong! Kong!”
As expected, the wild dog rushed towards me, the new target.
‘It’s supposed to distract him…!’
When I threw the apron towards him, the dog grabbed it in his mouth and tore it roughly, while still fixated on it.
‘Alright, show some interest…!’
While the dog was distracted by the apron, I reached the base of the tree. It didn’t look so high from a distance, but it was actually quite tall.
Feeling the surface with my hand, fortunately, there were plenty of places to grip. The abundance of small branches also made it easy to climb.
I climbed smoothly halfway, but the problem was the clothes.
‘The skirt is so bothersome…!’
Due to the weight of the fabric and the fact that it was much more cumbersome to climb trees compared to pants.
“Thunk!”
“Oops…!”
Still in the midst of climbing, a stray dog grabbed the end of the skirt and sprawled down.
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“Get away…!”
Feeling threatened, I forcefully kicked its head, tearing my skirt in the process, and he fell to the ground.
“…Idiot!”
The dog, which had just kicked me in the head, must have sensed the threat as it bit my clothes and ran off somewhere.
“Pathetic, you mutt.”
As a result of the recent incident, a significant portion of the skirt fell off, turning it into a makeshift mini-skirt.
Surprisingly, it became easier to climb. With momentum, I crawled vigorously up to the branch with spilled milk.
“Milk, come here…”
“…Meow.”
Reaching out towards the precarious branch where Milk was, cautiously approaching me.
“…!”
At that moment, the long branch snapped with a sharp sound.
“Milk…!”
Instinctively, I reached out my hand to grab Milk, but I lost my balance and fell.
***
“Meow…”
I felt a ticklish sensation on my cheek.
“Um…”
Unable to resist the tickling, I opened my eyes, and there was a cat that looked like a white furball carefully licking my cheek.
“Milk! You’re safe…”
Overjoyed, I hugged the cat. But then, Milk snapped at my arm.
“Ouch!”
“Meow-“
And casually leaped off the bed and out of the room.
“What a temper…”
Rubbing my arm that was bitten by Milk, I heard a familiar voice beside me.
“What on earth were you thinking?”
Startled by the sound, I turned to see Merilda looking at me with an angry expression.
“What if you got seriously hurt? Fortunately, it ended with just a bump on the forehead…”
“…I’m sorry…”
Only then did I notice that there was a bandage on my forehead.
“I’ve cleaned it and it’s just a small scratch, so it’ll heal quickly.”
Her expression as she looked at me was more terrifying than usual.
“Amber. You have disobeyed my orders and acted unilaterally.”
“Yes…”
“I must have explained to you ad nauseam how significant a disqualification it is in this maid selection.”
Prohibition of actions outside of orders. It was the part that Merilda emphasized the most to the candidates.
“…I have nothing to say.”
It was a reason for deduction that would prevent me from continuing as a candidate, but I had no regrets.
Even if I were put in that position multiple times, I would have made the same choice.
“You are certainly a warm and kind person, but you are too unstable. You frequently engage in impulsive actions, and your skills as a maid are inadequate compared to your effort.”
It was a cruel but accurate assessment of me as a human. I consistently made efforts, but I was significantly lacking compared to others due to my lack of finesse.
“I have been a maid for over 30 years, but I have never seen someone like you. I can’t tell if you’re audacious or too kind…”
I knew that better than anyone else, so I could only accept whatever she said.
Merilda let out a deep sigh and spoke with the most serious expression she had shown so far.
“Amber. I have discussed your fate with Miss Ruby.”
“With Miss Ruby…?”
“Would you like to hear the conclusion?”
“…Yes.”
The dream of becoming Ruby’s exclusive maid seemed to end here.
It was a bit sad, but at least I had changed someone’s life for the better. That should be enough.
As I nodded with a determined face, she spoke.
“The conclusion has been reached to appoint you as Miss Ruby’s exclusive maid.”
“···Really?”
Frozen in disbelief at the unexpectedly surprising outcome.
“Are you referring to me, truly?”
“Yes. It’s what Miss Ruby herself has said.”
It was unbelievable. Among the numerous candidates, she had chosen me.
“I’ve never seen her so actively involved before. The Miss who always refused any maid assigned, now explicitly stating it has to be you this time.”
Even though we hadn’t exchanged a single word in a formal conversation, she had chosen me.
“If I may express it, I also hope you become Miss’s dedicated maid.”
I blinked at her unexpected statement.
“Even the Head Maid?”
“Yes. The current Miss needs a good friend who can offer positive influence more than a perfect maid. From what I’ve observed, you seem to be the most suitable person in that regard.”
I hadn’t expected that even Merilda was considering me favorably. Feeling awkward, I scratched my face.
“Then, what happens to the eliminated candidates?”
“The other candidates?”
“Are they all going to be dismissed···?”
Upon hearing this, Merilda widened her eyes and shook her head.
“What? Dismissal? Absolutely not···!”
“···Not being dismissed?”
“The eliminated maids will leave this annex and continue their maid life at the main house of the Sarka family. Where did you hear such a terrifying rumor···.”
The memories of all the hardships came flooding back, leaving me feeling empty.
What have I been doing all this time?
“Ha… hahahaha…”
As I laughed with a hollow expression, Merilda looked at me as if finding my appearance cute and said,
“Amber, when I look at you, it reminds me of my youth. Your skills may be lacking, but your enthusiasm is unmatched…”
“…Lacking? Me? The Head Maid? I can’t even imagine that.”
In my eyes, she seemed like an impeccable iron woman who could handle anything.
“Of course, you weren’t as hopeless as you think. People say we have a similar image.”
“…”
After confirming that I was feeling better, she got up from her seat.
“Starting from tomorrow, you’ll be much busier than before. Make sure to get plenty of rest when you can.”
“Ah, yes. Head Maid.”
“Just call me Merilda. Now that we’re working together under the same mistress.”
And so, I began my life as the mistress’s personal maid.
———-
Dog (Our Little Pooch)
Characteristics: Ferocious
