Chapter 4
The one who burst in, yelling at the top of his lungs, was Captain of the Guard, Mr. Yuji. His face, which I hadn’t seen in a while, was more tanned than before. He’d said he was working exclusively outdoors due to the zombie situation, and it seemed to be true.
Mr. Yuji had worked in the butchering business in his younger days, then earned merits in the war and joined the Count’s household. Since he wasn’t of noble blood, we comfortably called him “Mister” among ourselves.
Of course, that was Anna’s story. Wasn’t this my first time meeting Mr. Yuji as my current self?
Anna, no, Estella! Don’t forget to act nonchalant!
“Hello, Captain of the Guard Yuji. I am Estella. Young Master Lupin’s doll maid.”
Although I hadn’t yet received permission to work as a maid.
“Doll? Now that you mention it, you’re quite lovely. So, you’re the young master’s new toy?”
Mr. Yuji accepted the explanation easily. He slammed his club on the ground, a rather brutish gesture.
“But how do you know me?”
“Oops!”
I was so focused on not calling him “Mr. Yuji” that I made a slip-up. I should have pretended not to recognize him and acted confused!
But if I did that, he might have thought I was strange and immediately smashed me to smithereens with that club. In situations like this, it’s best to calmly bluff your way through.
“It’s because I’m powered by special magic. To explain this magic, which infinitely enhances a doll’s cognitive abilities, it was developed by the young master when he was twelve, applying the principles outlined in Chapter 78 of Elemental Magic, written 56 years ago by the 34th Sage of the Magic Tower’s Gastronomy Department, Master Jarl Morgueus.”
“……”
“Do you require a more detailed explanation?”
Mr. Yuji’s expression hardened. He seemed lost in thought for a moment, then exchanged glances with the head butler. They both nodded meaningfully.
And then…
“As expected of Young Master Lupin.”
—Thankfully, they jumped to the wrong conclusion. Phew. It was all a lie. Jarl Morgueus? Who’s that? I don’t know. Perhaps someone no one in the Magic Tower knows either?
Mr. Yuji and the head butler were completely taken in by my ridiculous bluff. I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to be suspected of being a resurrected zombie.
“Even when he was very young, he surprised the old geezers at the Magic Tower with his remarkable talent. A country bumpkin like me could never do that, even in the afterlife.”
“Indeed. A country bumpkin like you, Yuji Delteni, could never comprehend it.”
“To think he grew up so tall and handsome despite being raised by a short butler, it must be thanks to his excellent father.”
The two of them completely forgot about me and glared at each other, exchanging barbs.
It was natural for them, having seen many of the young master’s wondrous creations, to not think much of me. Whether it was controlling a house-sized golem or distributing small cleaning dolls, the young master’s achievements were remarkable.
Especially for commoners like us, who didn’t know much about magic, Young Master Lupin was no less than a great sage of the Magic Tower.
And serving such a young master was my role. I took pride in being his maid. It was a lifelong vocation, so to speak.
“Head Butler Godora.”
I tried to speak in as refined and gentle a voice as possible. The head butler had always scolded me for being too boisterous and unladylike.
I’ll show him a completely different Estella!
“Young Master Lupin created me to serve as a maid. From today onwards, I intend to fulfill my duty as a maid of the Count’s household.”
I imitated the former head maid’s tone as best as I could. Chin held high, gaze slightly lowered.
I even blinked a few times at natural intervals. Estella’s long eyelashes and violet eyes were sure to give a mysterious and thoughtful impression.
“Would you please provide me with lodging and a maid uniform? I shall attend to the young master directly.”
This was my chance!
I lifted my eyes and met the head butler’s gaze with the most benevolent expression I could muster. I even lifted the corners of my lips slightly.
If I were human, I would have been trembling with nervousness, but now I was a doll. I had never been so calm in my life.
Or, since I died and came back to life, should I say I’d been reborn? Then, from my rebirth until now… Anyway!
“Is there currently a maid attending closely to the young master? If not, I shall attend to Young Master Lupin most closely. That’s what I was born for.”
There probably wasn’t one. The young master was irritable and sensitive, and he hated having anyone near him.
I was the exception! Thanks to my exceptional skills. The young master always said,
‘I can’t relax unless you’re by my side.’
With an anxious expression.
It must have meant that my work ethic was so outstanding that he couldn’t function without me by his side.
As I expected, there was no one currently attending to Young Master Lupin. The head butler sighed deeply.
“Since Anna passed away five years ago, he hasn’t allowed anyone near him. Anna was quite unusual, but she was a decent worker.”
I felt a surge of pride.
Mr. Yuji pouted at the head butler. He even snorted loudly.
“That Anna was a decent worker, my foot. She was so frail, always getting hurt. And in the end, she died from illness. I never liked her from the start.”
A pang of guilt struck me. That was true. As a human, Anna was small and frail. It just wasn’t noticeable because the golem carried heavy objects for her, and she used teleportation magic to travel long distances.
It was my weakness, but also my strength.
I could read the young master’s expressions, understand his emotions, and move quickly. I was the lightning squirrel of the Count’s mansion.
As I lifted my head to retort, I saw Mr. Yuji twitching his nose and lips. He looked like he was about to cry.
“That Anna… she always greeted me noisily every morning. Sob!”
“If you’re this upset, imagine how heartbroken the young master must be.”
The head butler pulled out his handkerchief again and blew his nose loudly.
“The young master’s grief was as pitiful as when Madam heard the news of her father’s passing. To think he cared so much for a mere servant, just like the late master.”
The stories about how the young master resembled various family members continued endlessly. Even Mr. Yuji was busy sniffling and muttering to himself.
This was going nowhere.
I slammed both hands on the table and stood up. Estella’s strength was beyond imagination. A crack appeared in the center of the thick wooden table.
Both Mr. Yuji and the head butler stared at me in surprise.
“I can use any vacant room for lodging, right? Since I’m the young master’s special maid doll, I’ll use a single room. I’ll wear the standard maid uniform for now, but I’ll order a new one.”
It was a declaration with a bit of self-interest mixed in. Since I was the young master’s special magic doll, I deserved special treatment, right?
Even before, I had used a single room, unlike the other maids. Since I had to work close to the young master, I had to wake up earlier and move around busily.
I wasn’t close to my colleagues either…
I just wanted a new uniform! To commemorate a new beginning.
“However!”
The head butler waved his hand.
“Since you’re the young master’s creation, I can’t give you permission without knowing your exact purpose. What if you get damaged doing strenuous work?”
“Can’t you see how I am now?”
I swept my hands through the air. Where would you find a decorative doll wearing shabby work clothes?
“Well…”
“Old man, she says she’s a maid, so why not give her a room? So stingy, not even providing a place for a doll to stay.”
“What did you say?”
Completely provoked, the head butler ended up agreeing to my demands.
“If you were born to serve the young master, I suppose you don’t need to be told what to do?”
“Yes!”
As soon as I got permission, I jumped to my feet.
“Then, I’ll start my duties!”
Now I had to tell the young master! That I had become his personal maid!
Was there anyone who knew the young master better than me? I could say with certainty, I was the best when it came to him.
I knew everything: the tea he enjoyed, the food he disliked, his favorite color, the fabrics he preferred, and so on. Even the erudite head butler would ask me questions about the young master.
There was a reason I headed straight to the kitchen after choosing my room.
2 PM, the young master’s tea time. I filled a teapot with his favorite flower petal tea. I prepared a simple snack of cheese on crackers that wouldn’t make my hands messy.
“Oh my goodness! What is this!”
Mrs. Muriel, the head cook, rushed over. Her expression was grave as she looked back and forth between the broken wooden cutting board and the butter knife in my hand.
“What have you done?”
I introduced myself to Mrs. Muriel, who was seeing Estella for the first time, mixing half-truths and half-bluffs.
“So, the young master made a talking doll because he needed a new maid?”
Mrs. Muriel placed her plump hand on her chest and sighed.
“Are you sure you’re not a combat doll? How could you split this thick cutting board with a butter knife…”
“I’m not used to controlling my strength yet.”
Although I broke the cutting board, the snacks were perfect. Even Mrs. Muriel acknowledged my skill. The cheese crackers sprinkled with caramelized sugar looked delicious.
It was a shame I couldn’t taste them myself, but Mrs. Muriel’s expression as she took a dubious bite was enough.
“This is delicious! Amazing. I was worried there might be wood chips in it, but there aren’t any! How did you know this recipe? It tastes just like something Anna would make!”
A blush rose on Mrs. Muriel’s round cheeks.
“I’m a special maid, you see.”
I smiled as I picked up the tray with pride. The tray, laden with the teapot and snacks, wasn’t heavy at all. If I were human, I would have been groaning while pushing it on a trolley.
‘Right, there are advantages to being a doll. I should think positively. Even if I can’t savor the aroma of the tea, being able to bring it to the young master while it’s hot is definitely a good thing.’
Mrs. Muriel, after finishing the crackers and wiping her mouth, murmured with a slightly melancholic air.
“Are you going to the young master now?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“Well, if that’s the case, it’s a wasted effort. The young master doesn’t take tea at this hour anymore.”
“Eh?”
This was unexpected.