Chapter 212: Mina's Night Rounds
- Mina’s POV -
The sun had set and when night comes, the bright sunlight that surrounded the Slowlett family mansion is now shrouded in darkness.
The one on duty for tonight’s patrol is me, holding a lamp with a candle inside, I walk while illuminating the dark hallway.
I can not hear any noise from everyone that was so bustling like in the daytime.
The happy voice of Alfried-sama and Sylvio-sama that seems to be having fun on the second floor, the calm voice of Elna-sama and Nord-sama that escaped from the living room, or even the sound of Eleonora-sama swinging her sword.
The mansion is now wrapped in a silence that was completely opposite of the daytime.
There are lamps on the hallway’s wall, and occasionally light magic tools to illuminate the place, but it’s a little unreliable - perhaps because the inside of the mansion is wide.
But this is natural, since if you don’t live your life at night, then there is no need to illuminate the inside of the mansion more than necessary.
Setting aside the magic tools, even the use of candles costs money. It is something inevitable.
But, for a weak maiden like me to patrol at night, as expected I want the place to be a little brighter.
Recently, I hear that the Reversi invented by Alfried-sama is being sold by Toriela’s company and doing great in the market. So I wonder why don’t we use this opportunity to change all the lamps inside the mansion to Light magic tools?
Oh, but I hear that the Cooking Stove magic tools Bartolo asked for the other day were priced at 80 gold coins. And I heard that including the women’s clothes from Kagura they are worth - positively speaking - around one white gold coin, so as expected it might not be possible for the time being.
It seems that the Cooking Stove magic tools are indispensable in making the fried bread or karaage, so there’s nothing about it if they don’t buy Light magic tools. And Kagura clothes are also products that you can’t get your hands on normally.
Ah, it makes me hungry when I imagined delicious foods such as karaage and fried bread.
I manage to hold down the saliva that seems about to spill out from the corner of my mouth somehow, and I went upstairs enduring the sudden impulse of my feet that were about to head to the kitchen.
The second floor of the mansion is a private space, mainly the bedrooms of Nord-sama and the others.
Us, maids understand it fully, so we were waiting on the first floor when we have no task on the second floor so as not to disturb everyone.
Of course, we have to immediately head over if we were called by the family members, but our employers seem to dislike the idea of being unnecessarily waited upon by maids so we are seldom called over.
I heard that other maids in another house are being called by their masters many times or being made to wait upon them for a long time meaninglessly, and so their work for the day is not done, making them work until it’s late.
However, I’m glad that there are no such things in the Slowlett house’s mansion.
We are not being made to do our tasks until it’s late, and they even paid our wages handsomely. And above all, the meals are delicious it’s the best.
I wonder if being able to eat the dishes made by Bartolo-san and Alfried-sama first is the advantage of working here?
Since there are few maids, there is a bit more work for each person but, I think that the working environment in Slowlett’s family is really good.
The only shortcoming here is that my colleagues Sara and Mel are too outstanding, I guess?
Because of that, I’m being treated like a child who often can not do things properly which makes me a little unhappy.
「I think I’m a maid who can do my job even more compared to what everyone thinks about meー」
I try to mutter so while pouting a little.
After I reach the second floor, the long hallway is stretching out to the back.
There are lamps placed here and there, but still, it looks lonely with such lights. The more I walk down the hallways to the back, the more I feel like the darkness deepened.
「……somehow I’m getting scared, maybe it’s because of the ghost stories I with Mel-san during the day」
My frail voice resounded in the dark hallway.
A maid patrolling in the middle of the night. The same situation as me right now.
If there are the sound of footsteps coming from behind me now, then it would turn out exactly like the rumor that I have heard about.
「Oh well, that won’t be possible though!」
I mutter as if to cheer myself as I walk, then suddenly, I heard a *thump* sound coming from the back.
「――*gasp*!?」
The moment I heard that sound, I felt the heart inside my chest jump.
Wa, wait what was that sound just now!?
I shouted in my mind with my eyes opened wide as I could not move for a moment.
And when my beating heart has calmed down, I slowly turn around to look back.
I tried to shine the place with a lamp, but there was nothing there.
There is only the clean red carpet spreading in the hallway.
「……what. It’s just my imagination, huh」
I sigh in relief.
I heard a sound coming from behind me the moment I remembered about the ghost story, so I got a fright.
If Mel-san or Sara were to see me then they would definitely laugh at me.
Despite that being story I brought up myself, it’s embarrassing that I got scared when I became mindful of it at night.
In order for me to not get surprised, I decided to focus on my task of patrolling.
First, let’s go to rooms such as the study room and storage room, then to the small playground.
First, I will check on the study room.
As I push the wooden door, it makes a creaking-like sound ‘Kii’.
When it’s daytime, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest, but it seems strangely eerie when it’s in total darkness and this quiet.
The study room - which was enveloped in pitch-black darkness - is illuminated with the light from the lamp.
「……there is no one here, rightー?」
I mumble as though to voice out my hope.
If a suspicious person or something appeared, then this frail maid will not be able to do anything.
Well, we have the strongest master here but I don’t think I will be able to do anything if the ones who appear are robbers so I think that I will not be safe. That’s why, I always hope that a suspicious person will not appear.
As I illuminate the study room with the light from the candle, I can see many bookshelves lined up crammed full of books.
I slowly proceeded inside the room to carry out my task of patrolling.
And then, the door behind me started to close by itself ‘Kiii’.
「Hiii!?」
A shameful, short scream leaked out from my mouth due to the sudden noise and I trembled.
「The, the door closed because of wind, right. Really, it surprised me」
So I said to convince myself while staring at the door.
「Huh? But the hallway’s windows are not opened though……? No no, I’m sure I must have opened it halfway then it closes because of the slight pressure from the air, right」
I feel like the door to the study room was fully open but, let’s not mind it now.
I feel like I will just get more scared the more I think about it.
The inside of the study room is filled with a smell unique to paper. There are only silent books and furniture inside though, there is no one here and there is nothing suspicious.
「……no problem here」
I muttered after carefully checking inside, then I left the room.
And when I reached out my hand for the doorknob and was about to close the door, the door moved by itself and slammed shut.
「…………」
I did not even touch the doorknob, and I did not even feel any wind blowing.
The door completely moved and closed on its own.
「……wha, what is this? It’s convenient, but it’s scary!」
I tremble in fear after seeing the door close on its own.
What should I do? An unnatural phenomenon is happening in Slowlett’s house mansion. Why does this thing never happen before? This mansion was built by Nord-sama a little over ten years ago.
There are also no stories of curses from the previous master who went suicide or such. Though I said that, the door closed and opened by itself, what’s going on now?
I want to cry at Sara and Mel who are sleeping in the dormitory.
I want to start running now and tell them that an unnatural phenomenon was happening and I want to patrol together.
But, if I do that then I will be considered a hopeless maid.
I want to avoid that.
「D, do your best Mina. You are someone who can do it if you try. It will bring shame to the reputation of an excellent maid to cry just because the doors are moving on their own once or twice」
I persuade myself with such brave words, then I resume my patrol by myself.
I’m very scared actually, but this is so that people will not call me ‘poor maid’.
I start walking in haste and check the storage room.
I fully opened the door, doing my rounds while glancing repeatedly at the door to check on it, but the door did not move on its own this time.
And then, I also checked on the playing room after that but there is nothing unusual at all happening, the door is not moving.
I want to think ‘I knew it, it was just my imagination that the door moved by itself before’, but seeing how the door clearly moved by itself before makes me unable to easily decide after looking at the situation.
I continue to walk down the hallway while feeling tensed up.
The next room I see in my rounds is Alfried-sama’s room.
Alfried-sama often stays up until late at night, he often stays up late because he can use the Lamp magic to illuminate his own room.
If he were to stay until late at night then I have to remind him to go to sleep, but it looks like he was able to get some rest earlier for today.
…being able to sleep early only at this time.
When he’s staying up late, lights leaks out from the gaps in his room’s door, making the hallway brighten and feel pleasant.
And besides, if he’s still awake so late at night, then I can talk with him and tell him to go to sleep soon, relieving me from my fears. But he’s only asleep at such times.
I walk past Alfried-sama’s room while thinking that it’s unfortunate.
It will be Sylvio-sama and Eleonora-sama’s room next, but those two people are the type to go to bed early so it’s obvious that there will be no lights leaking out from their door.
「Fuu……after this is going to be Nord-sama’s office, the vacant rooms, and the lounge」
Thump, thump, thump……
As I was muttering to myself, I can hear sounds coming from behind me again.
Moreover, it’s not only once this time. It sounds intermittent like someone walking.
「……who is it? Is that Eleononra-sama? Or is it Alfried-sama?」
I fearfully look back and ask, but there is no answer.
It’s spooky when only the thumping sound of heavy footsteps can be heard.
I push out the lamp in my hand to illuminate the area at the back.
However, there is no one there. There is no one there, but I can still hear the sound of footsteps coming from the depths of the darkness.
「N, no way no way this is not good! This is exactly the same situation just like the ghost story before isn’t it!?」
The spooky footsteps. Feeling scared by the invisible footsteps, I move my legs at a quick pace to escape from the direction where the footsteps are coming from.
Even so, the sound of footsteps still continues to resound from behind as if it’s following me. It’s as though something is chasing after me.
What to do. I want to run into Nord-sama and Elna-sama’s bedroom ahead.
I think those two people will not be angry if I did that! This is an emergency situation already.
They should not disregard me if a frail maid is asking for help, unlike my co-workers.
I head for Nord-sama’s bedroom while almost crying in fear.
And, the footsteps from the back are steadily approaching me, and my back suddenly became heavy.
What is this. My back is really heavy.
「Kyaa!」
With the abrupt weight on my back, my legs freeze from the fear, and I fell down to the hallway floor.
Not good. This pattern is exactly the same as the ghost story. In other words, if I look back now then my soul will be pulled from my body by a ghost……
I knew about it, but in the end, I was worried about my back so I turn around to look back.
I move my neck to look slowly despite thinking that it’s not good――
「……Mina, what happened to you sitting in a place like this? Also, it’s been so noisy from all of the noises since some time ago, you know?」
But before I can look back Eleonora-sama appeared in front of me, resulting in me not turning around.
「E, Eleonora-sama? Why are you here?」
「What do you mean why am I here, I want to drink a fruit juice so I was just about to go down to the kitchen you know?」
Eleonora-sama - with her reddish-brown hair down and wearing pajamas standing in front of me - says with her hands on her hips as I look up while stunned.
An unchanging strong voice and dignified appearance as usual.
Just hearing Eleonora-sama’s voice made me feel like I was released from the fears.
When I look at her with passionate eyes as I look up, Eleonora-sama stares at the back with narrow, sharp eyes.
「……hey, Al. You’re there aren’t you? Just what are you doing, you?」
「Fuee?」
Alfried-sama is behind me?
「――!?」
The moment I thought that something was strange, I somehow felt a dismayed atmosphere coming from the back.
Then my back becomes light as if the weight from before never happened, and I can feel the suspicious presence going away.
「Wait a minute!」
Eleonora-sama immediately rushes into her own room and then she started to chase after that presence with a wooden sword in hand.
I don’t know whether it was a suspicious person or Alfried-sama, but she seemed very reliable.
◆
- Al's POV -
This is bad, this is bad. It was fun teasing and playing around with Mina, but then Eleonora-neesan appeared in the end.
I was planning to finish it by revealing the moving doll when Mina looked back after she fell down, but I run away because Eleonora-neesan is coming and now it makes me feel like I completely became the bad guy here.
Since it became like that, it’s better to reveal it in that place, surprising Eleonora-neesan.
But, when I heard Eleonora-neesan intimidating voice at night, it made me run away instinctively.
It’s a feeling of impatience after encountering and when a dangerous animal attacked you that you had to run away…… Darn it, that Eleonora-neesan, she came out of her room before I knew it. I thought she was sleeping in her room.
「There you are, Al!」
Eleonora-neesan chases after me while shouting out loud, despite it being the dead of the night.
Even though it’s already night and you can only see a few meters ahead, how could she see me hiding in the corner of the hallway?
Eleonora-neesan’s sensing ability is as strange as ever.
Should I use Teleport to escape? No, then Knight will be left behind if I did that.
No, let’s cast aside the thought of protecting Knight. This place is a dark hallway with poor visibility.
No matter how great Eleonora-neesan’s sensing ability is, she won’t be able to sense a doll - which doesn’t breathe -, so should I surprise her?
I feel like seeing Eleonora-neesan’s a little scared.
I became a little braver than usual due to the darkness, so I use Psychic to move Knight behind Eleonora-neesan――.
「Fuuu! What’s this? I felt like I cut something strangely soft?」
「Aaaaaaahhhh!? Eleonora-neesan cut my Knight!?」
I reflexively shouted in shock seeing Knight being cut.
I can feel a firm sensation since my magic power from Psychic had permeated Knight’s body. It feels like the connection between the head and body was being severed. I can feel that the magic power I put in Knight dissipate.
「Why are you screaming that loud for. Rather, it’s really Al, huh」
Eleonora-neesan - who is holding a wooden sword in her hand - enter Sylvio-niisan and came out bringing a light magic tool.
Then the part of the hallway we’re in was illuminated by the light, and Knight’s appearance can clearly be seen lying on the floor……
「Ahー! My Knight has become a Dullahan!?」
I already expected it, but seeing Knight’s pathetic figure I involuntarily hold my head in my hands.
「Dullahan? Where is that monster?………rather than Dullahan, this is just a doll isn’t it. So this is what I cut before. No wonder I thought it felt so soft」
「That’s terrible Eleonora-neesan! I was just moving Knight a little so you don’t have to cut its neck, right!」
「It was dark after all, and it’s the doll’s fault for attacking me from my blind spot. And I felt strange malice coming from the doll」
Gununu, rather, how come you have a wooden sword in your hand?
I think that the thought of Eleonora-neesan bringing a wooden sword at night when she’s sensing her brother’s presence at night itself is strange.
「That’s why I’m saying, you don’t have to cut it……」
I had a hard time raising Knight. From resewing the doll until it can stand up, to training it until it can walk.
And then, it was finally able to walk this evening. And it was starting to jump lively around us you know.
Though I love Knight like my own child, to have its neck be blown off so cruelly like this……
When I look up while holding Knight - who had become Dullahan - in protest to Eleonora-neesan, she sighed and say,
「You are not a girl anyway, so there is no need for you to sulk because the doll is broken. Something like this……」
「…………」
Oh? Does it mean that Eleonora-neesan can fix it?
「……will be fixed by kaasan if you ask her」
「……why don’t you say ‘I can fix this’」
After that, Nord-tousan got angry at me after hearing about the disturbance. Especially the part about me misusing magic to scare Mina and making a fuss.
I also got heavily lectured by Elna-kaasan about the rules of using magic, and finally, as a way to apologize to Mina, it’s been decided that I’m going to make new sweets.
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