Earth Land, Ishgar, Kingdom of Fiore, Magnolia.
August 14, x790.
After the little interlude Alfonzo had with Elicia and Irene in the living room, both Elicia and Irene, along with Brandish, who became the audience to their show, passed out. So, Alfonzo, who was feeling rather refreshed, carried the three unconscious women up to his bedroom so they could rest properly. After that, he headed down to the kitchen to start cooking.
Meanwhile, the maids who were at home, Grayfia, Ikaruga, Mey-Rin, and Miyuki started the task of cleaning the living room.
"They must have really been going at it, huh?" Ikaruga while wiping down an end table with a cloth, said with a smile. "Kinda makes you wish you could join them, doesn't it?"
"Eek!" Mey-Rin, who had finally calmed down after seeing the actions that lead to such an afternoon session, squeaked as she once again turned red and her eyes started to spin.
"Oh, it looks like Mey-Mey agrees with me." Ikaruga said with a giggle. She then moved to the couch Brandish was watching from and began to clean up the traces of Brandish's self-pleasure session. "*Sigh* I offered myself to him once, you know?"
That seemed to draw both Grayfia's and Miyuki's attention, as they somehow got even quieter while cleaning, their attention clearly focused on Ikaruga's next words.
"Unfortunately, he took it as a joke." Ikaruga said sounding a little down.
"That doesn't sound like Master Alfonzo." Grayfia said, a slight frown marring her brow. "From what I've witnessed, he does not take the feelings of others so lightly."
Miyuki nodded in agreement with Grayfia.
"Well, that's probably my fault." Ikaruga said with a shrug. "I mean, I did make it seem like it was a joke on purpose. I did say it when Madam Elicia got pregnant, after all. And I did not want to come off as trying to make a move while my Mistress was unable to satisfy him."
"I see." Grayfia replied with an understanding nod.
"If you didn't say it like that…" Miyuki said, sounding a bit hesitant. "I doubt he would have accepted. Master Alfonzo seems to be firmly against… you know… doing that without some level of feelings being involved."
"Yes, I am aware." Ikaruga said with a nod. "And that's why I made it seem like a joke. Though, I would be willing to do it if he so asked."
"Wha-Wha-Wha!" Mey-Rin sputtered, her glasses steaming up as she did so. "Scandalous! So Scandalous!"
"Is it, though?" Grayfia asked, still sounding just as professional as always. "Were you too not trained to serve your master in such a way, should they desire it, Mey-Rin?"
"O-O-Of course not!" Mey-Rin shouted, though she did manage to get back to cleaning. "I-I-I'm still a v-v-virgin!"
"That is not what Miss Grayfia was suggesting, Mey-Rin." Miyuki said in an almost detached tone. "Rather, it is common to be taught various techniques to pleasure your master in most institutes that train housekeeping staff, is it not?"
"Oh… Y-Y-Yes. I suppose that's true." Mey-Rin said, finally thinking back to her own training. She then lowered her head, looking disappointed with herself. "But… I um… did not do very well in those classes. I was… too… embarrassed…"
"Understandable." Grayfia replied. "Not everyone in our line of work is willing to go that far. Unfortunately, they rarely have a choice. We have been fortunate to find a master as kind as the one we serve. I've heard horror stories about the treatment that others received in the past."
"How were your former employers, Miss Grayfia?" Miyuki asked in curiosity. "Were they just as kind?"
"They were, actually." Grayfia said with a nod. "The Ducal… Rather, former Ducal House of Gremory treated all their servants quite well. Though, the last Dutchess' father did try to add me to his harem many times in the past. But his wife stopped him from doing so by force."
"Gremory?" Ikaruga muttered to herself with a contemplative expression on her face. "That name doesn't ring any bells."
"That does not surprise me." Grayfia replied in her usual professional tone. "It was a noble house from Minstrel before the government collapsed, and the powerful guilds took over the country."
"I see." Ikaruga said, now understanding the circumstances. She then smiled as she continued. "Anyway, let's get back to the topic. You know, if any of you were to fall for Master Alfonzo and he accepts you, you could elevate your position. Being a maid would no longer be necessary."
"And why don't you do that?" Miyuki asked.
"Well, I was never a maid by profession before working for the Marcus household." Ikaruga replied. "I was a---"
"An assassin." Grayfia said calmly. "A member of the former Dark Guild, Death's Head Caucus' team, Trinity Raven. It's only surviving member in fact."
Hearing that, both Mey-Rin and Miyuki were taken aback. However, it did not take long for the two to narrow their eyes while subtly circulating their magic power just in case they needed to fight.
"You're rather well informed." Ikaruga said, completely unbothered by her past being exposed. "Yes, I used to be an assassin, a dark wizard, by trade. Though, I've left that part of my life in the past. Now, I've dedicated the rest of my life to Madam Elicia, the one who saved me from death, despite all the wrongs I had committed."
While Mey-Rin and Miyuki still looked skeptical, Grayfia nodded her head.
"Yes, I've heard." Grayfia replied. "You were released from prison on good behavior. Though, with your extensive list of crimes, it would not have been unthinkable for you to spend the rest of your life in a cell. No, it would have been more common for you to be put to death. But with the promise that you would serve Madam Elicia, who the Magic Council had no doubt would be able to keep you in check, your release was agreed upon."
"Exactly." Ikaruga said with a smile. "And I have no thoughts of doing anything that would bring trouble to Madam Elicia. She did save my life, after all."
Hearing the circumstances behind Ikaruga's employment by the Marcus Family, Mey-Rin and Miyuki wore complicated expressions. But since Grayfia, the head maid, did not seem to mind, they let it go, as well.
At that moment, the four maids felt a few magic signatures enter the barrier around the Artificial Island. But since they were familiar, they did not react much.
"It would seem Maria and Ai have returned with Young Masters Amar'e and Calvin and Young Miss Bianca." Grayfia said. "I would imagine the children must be exhausted after playing for most of the day."
"Then, I will go draw a bath for them." Mey-Rin said with a bow before leaving the living room.
Grayfia nodded in response before getting back to cleaning.
"So, none of you are interested in becoming romantically involved with Master Alfonzo?" Ikaruga asked, curious for some juicy gossip. "Well, I guess the only one I should be asking right now is you, Grayfia. I think we all know how little Miyuki feels, after all."
While Miyuki did not react to Ikaruga's teasing, Grayfia let the slightest hint of a smile curl her lips.
"What could you possibly be referring to, Ikaruga?" Miyuki asked in her usual, nearly emotionless tone.
"Don't play coy with me, Little Miyuki." Ikaruga said, her smile widening. "We've all seen the way you hover over Master Alfonzo in his sleep, looking like you're wrestling with yourself about kissing him."
This time, Miyuki's ears reddened in response. At the same time, Grayfia's lips arched just a little bit more. Though, if one was not paying close attention, they would never realize that the silver-haired maid had smiled at all.
"What is it that you always say when he wakes up?" Ikaruga asked, sounding as if she were trying to recollect her memories. "Ah! Yes, that's it."
Ikaruga then put on an emotionless mask and spoke in the flattest tone she could muster.
"It would have been better if you had never woken up." Ikaruga said, doing her best to impersonate Miyuki. She then burst into a fit of giggles. "But why don't you ever finish that sentence? I mean, it makes it sound like you wish he would die in his sleep, you know?"
This time, Miyuki's entire face turned red. Even so, her expression did not change.
"Because it would be embarrassing." Miyuki said, not denying her actions anymore.
"I suppose you are right." Ikaruga said with a nod. "Telling the man you admire and possibly have fallen in love with over the years that you would like to watch their sleeping face forever could be quite embarrassing."
"I think that's enough." Miyuki said calmly. "Don't you think you've teased me long enough, Miss Ikaruga?"
"If you say so." Ikaruga replied. "It's not like you're the only one of the maid staff with feelings for Master Alfonzo. Little Ai also seems to have the same feelings as you do. Though, it seems spending so much time as his assistant is what fostered hers."
"That should come as no surprise." Grayfia, who had moved on to cleaning the carpets in front of the couches, said calmly. "Master Alfonzo has helped her improve her skills as a magic item craftsman by quite a bit since she started working here. And I would imagine that means a lot to her."
"Indeed." Ikaruga replied with a nod. "That makes me wonder, will it be Little Ai or Little Miyuki who make a move first?"
While Miyuki decided to ignore Ikaruga for now, Grayfia found the conversation amusing. Though, she did not show it in her expression.
Not long later, the three maids could hear the mansion's front door open. Shortly afterwards, the sound of two pairs of little feet could be heard running through the house, headed towards the kitchen where Alfonzo was currently cooking.
"It looks like the children are looking forward to seeing their father." Miyuki said, the ghost of a smile spreading across her face.
"Indeed, it does. Grayfia replied.
"Good afternoon, ladies." Ai said as she entered the living room. However, when she saw Grayfia, Ikaruga, and Miyuki cleaning the room together, she was surprised. "What happened in here? No, never mind. The lingering scent tells me all I need to know."
Ai then moved to help the others clean.
"Ah! Perfect timing." Ikaruga said with a smile.
While Miyuki sighed in exasperation and Grayfia's hint of a smile returned, Ai turned to Ikaruga with an inquisitive gaze.
"Just before you returned, we were talking about maid's who gain their master's favor and escape the fate of being a maid." Ikaruga said with a smile. "Any thoughts?"
Instinctively, Ai knew that Ikaruga was talking about the crush she had been developing for Alfonzo. Though, like most of the maids employed by the Marcus Family, she was not so easily flustered.
"Then, shouldn't you be talking to Miyuki about that?" Ai asked, her composure not breaking. "I mean, we've all seen the way she hangs over Master Alfonzo before he wakes up in the mornings, right?"
Hearing Ai's question, Miyuki shot her a quick glare but did not react otherwise. Meanwhile, Ikaruga was getting great amusement out of his conversation.
"Actually, we were just talking about her." Ikaruga said in an amused tone. "But apparently, she's unable to get over her embarrassment for now."
'Though, I think that embarrassment is more about telling us more than telling Master Alfonzo how she feels.' Ikaruga mused to herself.
"I see." Ai said, glancing at Miyuki for a moment. She then turned to Grayfia, who was tidying the pillows on one of the couches. "And what about Grayfia?"
"I do not believe this current topic is relevant to my situation." Grayfia replied without looking away from her task. "Since we are talking about 'escaping the fate of being a maid,' correct?"
Ikaruga, Ai, and Miyuki all nodded in response to Grayfia's question.
"Then, there is nothing to discuss." Grayfia continued. "Even if I were to declare any feelings for Master Alfonzo, I would not stop my duties as a maid. For, I chose this profession because I enjoy it."
"Oh, I get it." Ikaruga replied while nodding in a sagely manner. "You have a maid fetish."
A nearly imperceptible blush colored Grayfia's cheeks at Ikaruga's blunt statement. However, she did not deny the claim, which caused the other three maids to smile.
"Well, you got the answer to your question, Little Ai." Ikaruga said with a grin. And before you try to switch things to me, I've dedicated myself to Madam Elicia. So, now, stop dodging the question."
Although she did not look uncomfortable, it was clear that Ai was not ready to answer the question aloud. And when the other three noticed her expression, they were all even more curious to know the answer.
Luckily, at that moment, Maria, who had taken the children upstairs to take their baths after they saw their father, stepped into the living room.
"Master Alfonzo says that dinner is ready." Maria said, completely unaware of the conversation she missed. "The Madams and Misses at the guild should be returning soon. Also, would one of you go upstairs and wake up Madam Elicia, Lady Irene, and Miss Brandish? Meanwhile, I will return to the kitchen to assist Master Alfonzo in bringing the meal to the dining room."
"I'll take care of it." Ai said, sounding a little too eager to complete the task.
Then, before anyone could protest, she ran out of the living room, heading towards the elevator.
"Tch!" Ikaruga clicked her tongue. "She escaped."
In response, both Grayfia and Miyuki shook their heads. Meanwhile, Maria tilted her head in confusion before turning around to assist Alfonzo while the other three continued to clean the living room.