Chapter 6: The Maid’s Visit

Imagine this: you wake up on an ordinary, dull morning, and someone suddenly knocks on your door.
You expect some annoying interruption, but instead, you find a girl in a maid outfit standing there, perfect from every angle.
You’d probably freeze on the spot, just like Jinzenji Doroshi did.

Though she might sound like she’s bragging, Doroshi considers herself decent-looking—pleasant features, average build.
She’s easygoing, despite being completely unpopular at school.
Her gentle nature drives her to help those in need, earning her a good reputation among neighbors.
In short, Jinzenji Doroshi is just an ordinary high school girl with no friends.

But the maid before her was different.

Her mixed-race features were almost too refined, her snow-white skin smoother than porcelain, flawless.
Her purple eyes sparkled like diamonds, radiant and captivating.
Her long red hair, cascading past her hips, was silky and tied into twin ponytails, framed by a maid headpiece, adding a touch of cuteness that hit Doroshi right in the heart.

The maid’s slender legs, wrapped in pristine white stockings, stood in polished black leather shoes.
Her outfit, a hooded maid dress, was peculiar—adorned with futuristic lines and lettered color blocks, exuding an air of mystery and elegance that defied common sense.
If you had to describe it, it was like a modified cosplay maid outfit with a functional, tech-inspired twist.

All these elements combined gave Doroshi a surreal feeling.

“Um… hi. Are you a cosplayer or something?”
Assuming the girl might be lost on her way to a convention, Doroshi, lacking experience with peers, tried to break the ice.
—Though showing up this early for a convention would make her quite the oddball.

The maid’s pretty face curved into a sweet smile.
“Of course not, Lady Doroshi.”

“My name is Ren. From this day forward, I will serve you wholeheartedly and remain by your side as your maid.”

“Huh?”
Doroshi jolted, her mind a jumbled mess.
‘You’re not messing with me, right?’

As if reading Doroshi’s confusion, the maid named Ren placed her white-gloved right hand near her mouth, offering an elegant smile.
To Doroshi, her demeanor was more refined than the aristocratic maids in movies.

“I understand you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.”
“It was rude of me to disturb you on such a lovely morning, but please, Lady Doroshi, come with me, and I’ll answer all your questions.”

Ren gestured invitingly, signaling for Doroshi to follow.
‘I’ve got way too many questions.’

Though still bewildered, the maid’s gentle demeanor calmed Doroshi somewhat.
Grabbing her school bag, she followed Ren downstairs, her mind brimming with doubts.

It wasn’t that Doroshi hadn’t been cautious, but every time she saw Ren’s smile, her wariness melted away.
“In Obscure Moon, the city’s pretty safe, especially in a crowded residential area. Nothing bad should happen, right?”
Doroshi reassured herself with this thought.

As they left the apartment building, Doroshi noticed Ren was slightly shorter than her.
It was hard to pin down her age—her figure was slender yet well-proportioned, her face youthful like a high schooler’s, but she carried a mature aura.

Before Doroshi could dwell on it, she was stunned again.
Ren led her to an eye-catching luxury limousine, the kind with an extended frame.
Doroshi knew little about cars, but she could tell this one was exorbitantly expensive.

“Please, take a seat here.”
Ren opened the back door, gesturing for Doroshi to enter.

Passersby gawked at the limousine, their stares making Doroshi stiffly slide into the car.
Ren, maintaining her natural smile, gracefully walked to the other side and opened the driver’s door on the left.
In Obscure Moon, the driver’s seat is typically on the right, so a left-side setup suggested an imported car.

The closed doors shut out the outside noise, leaving just Doroshi and Ren in the quiet, intimate space of the limousine.
Doroshi caught a faint violet-like fragrance drifting from Ren’s hair.

She wondered if this was some kind of prank show or elaborate scam—TV programs loved pulling stunts like this lately.
But Ren’s poise and the luxury car made her second-guess herself.

Despite her youthful appearance, Ren drove with masterful skill, the ride so smooth Doroshi felt no bumps.
Ren didn’t speak during the drive, considerately giving Doroshi time to process the situation.

The trip was short, and Ren drove fast yet steadily.
Before Doroshi could fully collect her thoughts, they arrived.
The destination was an absurdly large mansion with a courtyard, complete with a stunning fountain adorned with sculptures.
The courtyard’s landscaping was meticulously maintained, clearly tended with care.

‘Yeah, no way I could ever afford to live here.’
As an ordinary high school girl, Doroshi never imagined she’d be invited to a place like this.

She stepped out of the car in silence.

“Welcome, Lady Doroshi,” Ren said, standing before an iron gate that opened automatically.
“With limited time, this modest residence is all I could prepare for you.”

“Huh? I thought you were taking me to meet the owner. How’s this my residence?”
Doroshi’s eyes darted between Ren and the opulent mansion, her mind flooded with question marks.
‘And you call this modest? What’s next, “let them eat cake”?’

Ren tilted her head, looking adorably puzzled.
“Of course this is your residence. You are my master, after all.”

She frowned slightly, troubled.
“Though as a temporary home for Lady Doroshi, this mansion is still lacking in functionality.”
“In such short notice, this was the closest and most decent place I could find near your home.”
“Oh, how about we temporarily name it ‘Doroshi Manor’?”
“With such a splendid name, even a flawed mansion like this would surely feel proud.”

Ren’s eyes sought approval, as if she genuinely meant it.
Her thought process was so far ahead, Doroshi couldn’t keep up.

“No, please, anything but that!”
The idea of a mansion named after her made Doroshi’s face flush with embarrassment.
‘What kind of weird shame-play is this?’

Doroshi knew her name wasn’t grand enough to grace a mansion.

“Please come inside, Lady Doroshi. I’ve prepared breakfast for you.”

Curious about what kind of lavish meal Ren had prepared, Doroshi shook her head.
“I already ate breakfast, so I’m good, thanks.”

But Ren fixed her with a serious gaze.
“Lady Doroshi only ate two slices of leftover toast from last night, correct? At such a critical stage of growth, that’s hardly enough nutrition.”

Suppressing the chilling question of ‘How do you know I ate toast, let alone that it was last night’s?’ Doroshi pursed her lips.
Ren didn’t force her to eat, but her intense gaze stayed locked on Doroshi.

The maid’s expectant look made Doroshi briefly feel like she was the one in the wrong.
Before she realized it, she’d agreed to the breakfast invitation.

Ren’s face lit up with a beaming smile.

Inside the mansion that nearly became “Doroshi Manor,” Doroshi suddenly remembered the car.
She called out to Ren, who was leading the way.
“Um, Ren? Is it okay to leave the car parked out front?”

Ren turned, walking backward with such ease that Doroshi wondered if she had eyes in the back of her head.
“Please rest assured. This building, its courtyard, and the surrounding 90,000 square meters of land all belong to you, Lady Doroshi.”

Doroshi swallowed hard and fell silent.
Was Ren serious? That’s about the size of her school’s campus, right?

“Also, please just call me Ren.”
Her warm smile softened in the morning light.

Doroshi saw no trace of deceit or reluctance on Ren’s face.
Hesitantly, she tested the waters.
“Okay… I’ll call you Ren, then?”

“Please do so always.”
Ren nodded lightly, turning back without another word, but Doroshi sensed her mood had brightened.
Making Ren happy by calling her name seemed like a good thing, right?

Following Ren up the steps to the main entrance, Doroshi entered the mansion.
The interior was exquisitely decorated, with intricate patterns on the furniture and carpets.
A grand chandelier in the spacious hall cast a warm, non-dazzling glow.

The lavish decor kept surprising Doroshi, but Ren paid it no mind, as if looking at it was a waste of time.
She led Doroshi to the dining room, where, under Doroshi’s stunned gaze, she began serving an array of breakfast dishes on silver platters.

From pastries to light porridge, from unfamiliar meat platters to creamy mushroom soup, the dishes kept coming, overwhelming Doroshi.

“Um… Ren,” Doroshi interrupted, halting Ren’s movements.
“There’s no way I can eat all this. It’d be such a waste.”

Ren nodded, a hint of regret in her eyes, and stood primly by the table, abandoning plans to serve more.
Doroshi let out a sigh of relief.

She tried her best to eat, but finishing the entire spread was impossible.
She gave up.
‘I crashed and burned at the starting line of this eating contest.’

The unfamiliar ingredients were delicious, though—her entire net worth probably couldn’t cover a fraction of their cost.
Wiping her lips with a damp towel Ren had thoughtfully provided, Doroshi took a deep breath, her expression turning serious.
“I’ve got a ton of things to point out, but first… who are you, Ren?”

“I am Ren, your maid, who will serve you wholeheartedly from now on.”

The red-haired girl flashed a captivating smile, lifting her skirt’s hem with both hands and curtsying slightly.
The next moment, several berry-red tentacles, like octopus arms, extended from her skirt.
“And also a demon god—Sophiatola.”