Chapter 40: A Chilling Welcome

‘Did you enjoy that, you little b*tch?’

Just as I was reveling in the satisfying release of my outburst, that voice suddenly echoed from behind me.

In an instant, an icy dread surged within my heart.

“How could this be?”

I desperately tried to convince myself that the voice I had just heard wasn’t real.

A hallucination! It had to be a hallucination!

Clutching the wooden door tightly, I steeled my resolve, then flung it open with a fierce expression.

“Stop playing tricks on me!”

Standing outside the door was an elderly maid with dark circles under her eyes, rough skin, and brown curly hair. Despite her age, my aggressive tone startled her, causing her to take half a step back.

“You… you have the nerve to cause such a commotion in the castle? You were shouting so loudly, I could hear you from downstairs!”

“Eh?” Her reaction left me feeling awkward, and my voice immediately dropped. “Was I… was I really that loud just now?”

“Of course! You sounded like a banshee!”

“Ah… yes, I’m sorry…”

I mused that perhaps at the beginning of my outburst, I had managed to keep my voice down, but once I got carried away, I lost control. I quickly changed my demeanor, offering a sincere apology.

“I apologize for causing you trouble.”

“Hmph—”

The maid with the dark circles under her eyes haughtily raised her chin, her eyes narrowing as she studied me.

“Judging by your attire, you’re new here, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am the maid Lord Rodd just… just acquired today.”

I concisely summarized my identity, refraining from elaborating on the entire process of my ‘acquisition.’ After all, I didn’t feel it necessary to explain so much to a stranger.

“May I ask who you are?”

Realizing she wasn’t one of Axas’s spies, I quickly reverted to my usual cautious demeanor, making my tone more deferential.

“I’m Fina, the head maid of this place.”

The woman before me spoke with her arms crossed, exuding the air of a seasoned leader.

“Listen… from now on, you’ll be under the Lord’s care at night and under mine during the day. You call him ‘Master’ and you call me ‘Sis.’ Got it?”

“Y-yes, Sis Fina.”

Her rather ‘street-smart’ manner clearly surprised me, and I even forgot to introduce myself after addressing her.

“Heh, this little girl is truly clueless.” Sis Fina patted my shoulder. “Aren’t you going to tell me your name?”

“My name? Oh, right…”

I nodded nervously, hesitating for a few seconds before finally, with a pang of disgust, forcing the words from my throat.

“Sis Fina, you can just call me Lilian.”

Like the s*ave marks on a prostitute, the name Lilian symbolized shame for me.

I had considered telling the head maid a different name. However, my name from the other world would certainly be unpronounceable for her, and my former names were all masculine, which would be unsuitable for my current female appearance.

Moreover, I worried that using a different name without permission might arouse Rodd’s suspicion, potentially jeopardizing my undercover mission on Moon Island.

‘Just bear with it a little longer…’

I comforted myself with this thought.

“Lilian, huh? Alright, since you just arrived today and must be tired, I won’t assign you any heavy tasks. Later tonight, go to the kitchen on the first floor and have dinner with the other maids to get acquainted. Understood?”

“Understood.” I nodded, like a well-behaved child.

Sis Fina patted my shoulder, speaking earnestly.

“Anyway, from now on, just listen to Sis, and you’ll be fine. I’ve lived half my life in Whispering Wind Town, entering the Lord’s manor as a maid at seventeen. Over the decades, I’ve served eight Lords of the Moore family… I know those fellows inside out.”

“This current Rodd, he’s the ninth, and he only arrived here half a year ago. While I haven’t quite figured out his personality yet, I’d bet he definitely possesses the generational traits of the Moore family. You’d best remember that, so you’re not caught unprepared later.”

“Generational traits?”

Sis Fina leaned closer, whispering something into my ear.

My pupils instantly dilated, and my ears flushed crimson up to my face.

“This… how could this be? That… that would be deadly, wouldn’t it?”

“Tsk…” Sis Fina scoffed. “Nonsense, it won’t be deadly. Anyway, if your master makes demands of you later, just come find Sis. I’ll give you something to save your life.”

‘She said ‘save your life’—so it’s not deadly?’

I nodded foolishly, my mind still conjuring a truly terrifying image.

Even if I mentally prepared myself a million times, I still couldn’t accept that scenario.

“Alright, if there’s nothing else, I’m off.”

Sis Fina yawned, muttering as she walked away.

“Damn it, where was that rat last night?”

After several hours of rest, dinner time arrived. Following Sis Fina’s instructions from earlier, I made my way to the designated area for the maids’ supper.

The dining room was a small storage area near the kitchen. Its walls were mottled, and several small wooden tables were arranged within. A small stove beside them simmered a pot of reddish, bubbling stew.

Several maids in long dresses sat around, chatting and eating. Upon my arrival, they all cast curious glances my way but remained quietly absorbed in their meal.

Most of the maids working in the Lord’s manor were quite comely, but regardless of who they were, their attire was incredibly plain and patched, making my own maid outfit, brought from Coldwind Territory, seem rather flashy.

“This is Lilian, the little girl the Lord just brought back.”

Fina proactively introduced me to the surrounding maids. She seemed to possess a strong presence; when she spoke, the other maids’ eyes were fixed on her, clearly deferring to her.

“Such a cute child, just like I was when I first came here.”

“Is this girl really old enough to marry? She looks about the same age as my sister.”

“Tsk tsk, so Lord Rodd prefers this type, no wonder he wasn’t interested in my seduction.”

The surrounding maids glanced at me, whispering their comments.

“Alright, don’t scare the child.”

Fina cleared her throat, then pointed to an empty seat nearby.

“Go ahead and get yourself a bowl first. After dinner, I’ll introduce you to your predecessors.”

“Okay!”

I nodded, a little nervous, thinking that the maids on Moon Island seemed to get along quite well. While Fina’s personality was proud, she was infinitely better than the bullying sort like Bena.

The other maids, though discussing me, kept their remarks relatively restrained.

‘Perhaps my time undercover here will be easier than I imagined?’

I gradually relaxed.

Hmm, this stew looks quite good—carrots, onions, and even some minced meat. A good balance of meat and vegetables, very nice.

With a light heart, I ladled out a bowl, intending to taste it, when I noticed something at the bottom of the thick stew.

Pulling it out, I focused my gaze.

‘You little b*tch, you can’t escape.’

In an instant, a chill ran down my spine, and I felt a sharp dread at my back.