Chapter 2

It was just past noon.

As expected, the baron filed a complaint against us for assault and intimidation.

Damn it. I haven’t even finished collecting the laundry yet!

"Miss Daisy, who works as a maid for the Weatherwiz family. And the person behind you is the head maid, correct?"

"Yes."

"I am Officer Thomas. Please come with me for a moment."

The head maid and I were called to separate interrogation rooms. To be precise, the head maid only answered a few questions from the officer, while I was the one who had to go to the interrogation room.

When I arrived at the interrogation room, a different man was sitting there, not the officer.

The man, who had created a heavy atmosphere, finally spoke after flipping through some documents.

"Hello, Miss Daisy Pagger. I'll be straightforward. We found something unusual about your background. It might be uncomfortable, but we need to address this."

I could feel the man's sharp gaze probing my reaction. I shrugged, indicating that it didn't bother me.

"First, when were you hired by this mansion?"

"Ten days ago."

"What were you doing before you came to this city?"

However, I soon had to close my mouth.

This question is annoying. The reason is simple: answering it properly would make the story very long.

I am a maid named Daisy. But before I became a maid, I had a different name.

Ander Pagger, the Sword of the Emperor.

For ten years, I stood at the forefront of the Magic War, defending the fate of humanity, one of the heroes of the turbulent era.

That was me.

* * *

Ten days ago, at a city employment agency.

"Next interviewee."

I raised my hand quietly, and a woman with a strict demeanor and wire-rimmed glasses looked at me.

"Come in."

I followed her into the office. As soon as I sat down on the simple iron chair in front of the desk, the door closed as if it had been waiting for me.

In front of me sat a woman with an even stricter demeanor than the secretary who had led me in, quickly flipping through documents.

Her face, sipping coffee, showed signs of fatigue from endless interviews.

I looked down at the number pinned to my chest.

'Interviewee 38.'

A number that was enough to make anyone tired.

"Nice to meet you. You're a remarkable beauty."

The interviewer, who had scrutinized me from head to toe, finally spoke.

"What is your name?"

Good question.

"Daisy Pagger."

My real name is Ander Pagger.

I chose a pseudonym that would make anyone think I was a maid to hide my identity.

I can guarantee that there are over a thousand maids named Daisy in this world.

Daisy was an excellent mask that would guide me into the world of arduous labor. Even the most experienced interviewer would be weak to familiarity.

"Your surname is the same as the hero of the Magic War. Although it's a common name, how about your family?"

Good question.

"One younger brother."

My younger brother died long ago while defending our hometown.

His name was Ander Pagger.

I had lived for years as my brother, having transformed my originally female body into a male one through ancient magic.

I had long abandoned the name given to me by my parents. It had been so long that I no longer missed it.

"Where is your hometown?"

This is also a good question.

My hometown and my brother's hometown, Quin, is an unfortunate island where no one can live anymore.

The southernmost island of the southern archipelago of the empire, Quin, suddenly turned into a sea of fire one day. The empire sent troops multiple times, but it was futile.

The culprit was the great mage Mephisto, who had slaughtered tens of thousands of people to gain immortality.

Thus, the great mage Mephisto became the enemy of humanity in an instant.

The organization formed by 13 countries, led by the empire, to eliminate this vicious murderer was the Magic Alliance.

The winner of the ten-year war was the Magic Alliance, but the damage was immense.

Four years after the war ended, the world was regaining its vitality, moving towards a future where life could flourish again.

But my burned hometown would never return.

"What is your height?"

"170 cm."

"Quite tall for a woman. It will definitely be an advantage in the job you applied for."

Good compliment.

"Almost done. I have a few more questions. You have no experience as a maid. What have you been doing until now?"

This is an even better question.

"Unemployed."

I was one of the commanders of the Magic Alliance.

And I fought alongside Raphael, the hero called by the turbulent era.

"You can't trust anyone else with my back, Ander. You're the only one I can trust. It might sound silly, but I often think that if I had a lost brother, it would be you."

Raphael, the supreme commander of the alliance, was the hope of the Magic Alliance and the savior of humanity.

We repelled all enemies and gathered precious allies, advancing step by step.

Finally, we returned to our hometown, which had become the stronghold of the great mage Mephisto.

But at the end, the final fate given to me was death.

"Damn it, can't you let go of my hand? Wait! Stop right now, Ander! You can't die! I won't let you die like this! Come back, Ander Pagger!"

Yes, I had definitely died.

I stepped into the enemy's territory alone, thinking it was a noble sacrifice for humanity.

'But why did I come back to life?'

After four years.

Moreover, the male body I had trained through ancient magic had disappeared, leaving only a weak female body.

"What made you apply for this job?"

Ah.

Good question.

"Money."

The answer is money.

Whether you are a hero, a noble, or a commoner, money is necessary for life.

This truth also applied to me, who had been fortunate enough to come back to life after the final battle with the great mage Mephisto.

I needed money.

Not more, not less, just enough to live for three years.

"The last question. Which mansion would you like to work in?"

An important question.

"A mansion so difficult and terrible that you wouldn't notice if one of the two workers died."

"What kind of employer do you want?"

"A cruel employer who squeezes every last bit of work out of their employees."

The interviewer looked at me as if I were a madman. But only for a moment.

"Thank you. The interview is over. You will hear from us within a week, so be prepared. And take this book."

Did I pass? Before leaving the office, I took a small book offered by the interviewer.

'The Art of Speaking Politely'

When I looked up after glancing at the title, the interviewer's eyes were like those of someone watching a golden pig roll around.

'Why a golden pig?'

I only found the answer to this question a week later.

At my second job, where I started working as a maid.

* * *

I received a call from the employment agency the next day.

The interviewer who called me handed me a note with an unfamiliar address and added a brief explanation.

"You are very lucky. It's rare to find a job in just one day. The place you will work is a large mansion in the city's bustling area, and the owner is Baron Weatherwiz. The Weatherwiz family is one of the most prestigious families in the empire. Working for such a family is, in a way, an honor."

I nodded and picked up the note, and the interviewer, who was holding the paper tightly with her fingertips, said to me.

"I have one request for you. Try to last at least a week before quitting. Quitting too early will damage our employment agency's image."

I nodded again, but the interviewer didn't let go of the note.

"Didn't you read the book I gave you yesterday? Maids should be polite. Answer with words, not actions."

I thought of the book I had used as a pillow while sleeping on a park bench last night.

Of course, I hadn't read it.

"Yes."

"Use honorifics."

"Yes."

"It's better to answer more kindly. Adding 'I understand' wouldn't be bad, at least for a maid. Try again."

This strict interviewer with glasses.

I was annoyed but knew it was sincere advice. Still, I clenched my lips for five seconds before reluctantly opening them.

"Yes, I understand."

I don't like talking much because this voice is unfamiliar to me.

Not just the voice. The reduced height, the softer appearance, and the smoother skin were all unfamiliar.

After living for ten years as Ander Pagger, as a commander of the Magic Alliance, and as a man, the female body felt like someone else's.

It was so uncomfortable, like forcing my body into an ill-fitting mold, that it was hard to believe I had been a woman 14 years ago.

"You did well. Much better."

But I can't keep this body and my true self separate forever.

Since I'm starting a job as a maid, it might be good to get used to it slowly. Very, very slowly.

"Go on. I hope this place, Midwinter, becomes your new home."

After leaving the employment agency, I asked street vendors for directions to my new workplace.

"Oh, that place? It's easy to find."

The place where I would work was so famous that it was very easy to find.

It was really easy.

In the middle of a bustling area filled with people.

The gloomy and imposing mansion, which could be called a haunted house, had an overwhelming presence that could not be ignored.