Chapter 18

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In the parlor of the mansion, Jil, Matthew, and a new woman are present.

"This is my sister, Maureen."

Maureen is not as tall as Matthew but is still quite tall. Her eyes are narrow, and her mouth is curved into a gentle smile. She has short black hair, and she is wearing a black blouse and skirt, with a white apron over them. She is clearly dressed as a maid. She bowed politely in the parlor.

"Nice to meet you, Master Jil. My name is Maureen."

"Y... y..."

However, what is important to Jil is not that. He is trembling.

"Huh? What's wrong, Jil?"

Matthew tilted his head at Jil's behavior, and Maureen looked confused as well. But the confusion was quickly resolved.

"She's alive...! I'm so glad...!"

Jil, moved, took Maureen's hand. Maureen blushed and thanked Jil.

"Well... ah, thank you, Master Jil."

"No, when I heard that Matthew joined the caravan to help his sick sister, I thought... she had passed away."

"Brother?"

Then, she glared at her brother with anger.

"No, no... it's a misunderstanding, Maureen."

"Misunderstanding, my foot! You used me as an example again! If you don't say, 'My sister has recovered and is doing well now,' people will think she's dead!"

Leaving Jil standing there in shock, the one-sided scolding from sister to brother began.

---

Matthew, who had shrunk and looked apologetic, bowed to Jil.

"I am truly sorry. My words were inadequate and caused a misunderstanding."

"Oh, no, don't worry about it. It's hard to know how much to share about family matters."

"Master Jil, don't be too lenient with my brother. He's the type who gets carried away."

Maureen sighed, and Jil couldn't help but laugh at the sight.

"Ahaha... So, Maureen is going to be a maid here?"

Matthew had suggested to Jil that she hire a maid. Jil had given an ambiguous response, saying she needed to see the person's character, but Matthew had promptly brought a candidate.

"Yes. This mansion is convenient in many ways, but managing a large building is quite a challenge. And if many guests come, it might be difficult for you to handle everything alone."

"That's true..."

This was Matthew's strategy.

His words and proposal were not lies, but he had another purpose. To protect Jil.

The other day, while having tea with the lord, Matthew was lightly scolded: "It's not good that there are no maids in that large mansion. Conrad is a man, so it was fine, but Jil is a young woman. Besides, it's not proper for an unmarried man to visit a woman's house so casually."

Matthew had no counterargument and bowed his head. If time passed, there was a possibility that someone with ill intentions might apply to be a maid or servant. That's why he chose his sister, Maureen.

"Maureen used to work as a helper in the Silver Scale Knights' barracks. She quit her official position after getting married, but she still works when they need extra hands."

"I can do anything, from housework to heavy lifting. Just leave it to me."

"Well... my sister can be a bit sharp-tongued, but..."

"Ah, I lived in a man's household. There are only my husband and two sons at home, so I've become a bit rough."

Maureen blushed as she made an excuse, but Jil smiled happily.

"That's fine. I actually prefer a more natural approach."

Jil had seen many insincere people at the royal castle and was tired of dealing with them. The ambiguous response was also due to this. Besides, the mansion itself was guarded by monsters. Even if someone with bad intentions came, a mere thought would take care of it. There was no need to worry about security.

But with Maureen's straightforward personality and being Matthew's sister, there was little reason to refuse. The clear fact was that there was a shortage of staff.

"That's great. So..."

"Yes. Let's discuss the terms. It will be a daily commute from 8 AM to 3 PM. The daily wage is 8,000 dinars, and if you work overtime, I'll pay extra."

"Ah, got it."

For a maid serving a noble, it's not a particularly high wage. But since it's not a 24/7 job and she doesn't have to live in, this is a reasonable offer, according to Matthew.

"By the way, do you like riding crabs?"

"I've never ridden a crab... Wait, are you saying..."

"Yes, I thought I'd have the crab named Karappa pick you up and drop you off."

"No, no, that's fine. I have strong legs, and I can borrow a horse when I have luggage. I'm good at it."

"Oh, is that so? I thought..."

Jil hesitated, and Maureen chuckled.

"I was sickly until I was about ten, but after I got better, I played outside all the time. I can even beat most boys."

This was no exaggeration. After recovering from her illness, Maureen played outside like a wild child, running through fields, playing with sticks, and riding wild horses without saddles.

A knight, seeing her energy, suggested, "If you're that energetic, why don't you join the knights? I'll let you ride horses if you work in the barracks." Maureen then joined the knights.

Managing the knights' barracks involved more than just cooking and cleaning. Maureen, now healthy and energetic, worked tirelessly, preparing camps for monster hunts, managing weapons, and helping wherever needed.

When a large number of monsters appeared in the Shelrand territory and the knights were short-handed, she rode horses to deliver supplies to the front lines and transport the injured back to the city, earning a medal for her efforts.

She is now a wife and mother, but she remains a legendary figure in the Silver Scale Knights.

"Then, let's add a bit extra for transportation. You can use it as you see fit."

"Thanks. I probably wouldn't like riding a crab's back."

"It might be fun to try?"

"... Well, you've piqued my interest."

Jil laughed and shook hands with Maureen. Thus, a maid was added to the mansion.

---

After a brief introduction, the three moved to the cloak room.

"Wow... I can see why my brother was so excited."

"Hmm..."

In front of Jil, Matthew, and Maureen were clothes and hats. Maureen let out a sigh of admiration.

On display were dresses, robes, tunics, and other outerwear. The hats were straw hats of various colors, dyed in a rainbow of hues. One, dyed pitch black with a white decorative ribbon, was Jil's pride and joy.

However, Jil looked somewhat dissatisfied.

"I want to make something other than clothes."

"Only a genius would say they're bored after making so much. That's a bold statement."

Matthew muttered, somewhat exasperated.

"Hey, I didn't say I was bored! And that wasn't a compliment!"

"Well, you are a bit bored, aren't you? Making the same things over and over can drain your creativity. I think it's good to try new variations."

"That's true."

"But what else could you make... shoes or gloves, perhaps?"

"Shoes seem difficult. I could make sandals with ropes or strings, though."

Jil put his hand to his chin, deep in thought. Matthew seemed to agree, nodding.

"Trying to perfect something can be endlessly challenging. The same goes for other clothes, but shoes are particularly difficult."

"I want to try, but I don't want to take it too easy with the shop preparations."

"Then, how about branching out from clothing? Bags, wallets, and other personal items might be good."

"Bags... that means..."

"Leather would be best for something you use for a long time. But for everyday use, linen or cotton would be more common. Oh, you could even make them from straw. A breathable basket-like bag would be convenient."

"That's it."

Jil listened to Matthew and felt a sense of clarity.

"That?"

"What to make is important, but what to make it with is also something I want to try. The more I can do, the more options I have."

"Master Jil, are you thinking of..."

Jil smiled brightly.

"I want to try leatherworking."

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