Erin swept the floor of the first-floor hallway, the rhythmic swish-swish of the broom matching the sway of her blonde bun. The broom’s bristles scratched against the polished floor, gathering dust that never settled in this place.

  “Hum hum~”

  A quiet melody escaped her lips, her mood lighter than it had been in days. Since discovering that another girl resided here, the mansion felt less lonely. To have a companion of her own gender was a relief.

  Living under the same roof with a man… or rather a boy, had made her wary at first.

  While having a man in the household was often seen as a necessity for protection, the frightening tales of what men could do to maids in isolated houses had not escaped her ears.

  Even more so, Master Arnold was the one who had brought her here in the first place.

  Erin had already prepared herself the moment she heard about this job. The new enforcement by the Church of White was absolute: if the lineage of an illegitimate child was discovered, the parents, regardless of rank, would be punished if they failed to provide for the child.

  With the help of the Marchioness, the life of a maid in a noble household became more secure. Nobles ceased their active harassment, fearing the wrath of the Church.

  Nevertheless, as the royal family opposed the reform, the Church's enforcement could not touch the royal palace.

  Yet, after living with Arnold for only a day, Erin trusted him more than almost anyone else she knew. It might seem naive, but she truly didn't believe he would harm her.

  Besides, having a man in the house was a good thing. It made certain tasks easier, and his presence alone felt reassuring.

  What truly unsettled her was something else.

  Master Arnold…was strange. She wanted to ask him about it. Why did his demeanor always change, shifted between calm and childish.

  “Arriet, hum~”

  Her thoughts drifted to the black-haired girl upstairs. Arriet was strange in her own way. At times she was cold, sharp-tongued, stubborn to the point of irritation. At other times, she was docile, childish, almost pitiably cute.

  To be honest, Erin preferred Arriet’s cold stubbornness more. There was a strange satisfaction in coaxing her, like teasing a sulking cat into taking a saucer of milk.

  ‘Ah, no! I mustn't think such things… forgive me, Miss Marion!’

  Erin shook her head vigorously. It was improper to think of her mistress that way. Even if the way Arriet refused to eat reminded her precisely of a feline refusing a bath.

  ‘…ehehe.’

  As for Arriet’s adorable side, Erin found it unsettling in a way she could not explain.

  Sometimes the girl would stare at her with wide, unblinking eyes, as if she were trying to peer straight through Erin’s skin and examine everything beneath.

  It made her hair stand on end. Erin paused mid-sweep, she leaned against the broom handle and looked up at the high ceiling.

  ‘I wonder why they are so alike?’

  Arnold and Arriet. They were alike in a way that was difficult to define. It was not that their personalities matched, but rather how both of their personalities changed back and forth. Friendly, cheerful, then suddenly distant. Cold, tender, then unexpectedly warm.

  Erin knew she was not the brightest candle in the lantern, but she prided herself on her social awareness. A maid had to be observant; she had to know what to say, and more importantly, what to keep locked behind her teeth.

  That was what she had been taught: do not ask too much. Do not pry.

  ‘I wonder where they came from?’

  Although Arnold and Arriet did not quite seem like nobles, their mannerisms and speech held an air she had only ever glimpsed from afar when nobles passed through town. It was far removed from the poor folk and commoners she had grown up among.

  This was one reason Erin addressed them so politely, despite them looking younger than her. The way they carried themselves compelled her to treat them like nobility without even realizing it.

  Perhaps they truly were related to the old noble used to live here? It certainly seemed that way.

  ‘What are my parents doing right now?’

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Erin cocked her head, her thoughts drifting home.

  She did not worry much about her parents themselves. To her, they were caretakers more than anything else.

  There had never been much warmth in the household. Their lives were consumed by work, a burden they had placed upon her shoulders as soon as she became aware of her surroundings.

  Her father had often led her around the neighborhood to take on odd jobs, for as the eldest, she was the first asset to be utilized.

  Her mother returned home late most nights, exhausted from factory labor and needlework. Sometimes she helped neighbors too, just for a few extra coppies.

  They had accepted the money from the Kind Neighbor without so much as a word to her. But that was the way of things; Erin was used to it.

  What worried her more were her siblings. To her, they were angels. That was why Erin worked harder, so her parents would not force her younger siblings to work as she had.

  ‘You were sold.’

  Arnold’s words echoed in her mind. It was a harsh truth, yet… if that coin truly improved the lives of her cousins and siblings, would she not have agreed to it anyway?

  But she was to go home today.

  ‘Mmm… how shall I explain it to them?’

  Would the Kind Neighbor demand the money back if she returned? She did not know.

  ‘I… what should I do?’

  At times like this, Erin wished she possessed a mind of her own, the courage to be assertive. But alas, did the choices of a girl like her even matter?

  “Ekkkkkkkkkkkkk!”

  “!!!”

  A sudden scream pierced the mansion. Erin’s head snapped up in alarm.

  ‘That’s… Miss Marion’s voice!’

  She dropped the broom without thinking and ran toward the sound, her skirts lifted just enough to keep from tripping.

  ‘What happened to her?!’

  Worry seized her heart. She sprinted up the stairs to the third floor, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Reaching Arriet’s door, she threw it open and cried out, “Miss Marion!”

  In front of her, Arriet sat on the bed, eyes staring at Erin. Her face was pale, caught between confusion, horror, and fear.

  “E…Eri”

  Erin’s gaze traveled down.

  Under the dress—

  Red.

  “Ah.”

  Erin lowered her eyes respectfully, she understood what was going on now.

  —

  Izzy controlled Arnold and brought him to a stop at the edge of the village. He stood there and pressed his fingers to the bridge above his nose.

  ‘…I forgot.’

  Right. There was also that problem.

  If their vessel had truly been revived into a living, biological state, then Izzy should have accounted for the inevitable biological functions that came with it.

  That the female vessel… her biological activity had been resumed.

  Which meant…

  Isa, at this very moment, was inhabiting a body in the throes of its monthly courses.

  “…Sorry, Isa.”

  ‘I… it’s oke…’ Isa replied weakly within their shared mind. Her usual brightness was entirely extinguished, buried under discomfort and fatigue.

  Right now, Erin was helping the girl familiarize herself with one of the strongest natural debuffs assigned to womankind.

  Of course, Izzy knew about this. She was not ignorant of it. In her past life, she had taken care of someone during such times, so she was not entirely without knowledge.

  However, what she had failed to account for was timing. They certainly had not considered experiencing it personally, nor so soon.

  At least the one in control of Arriet right now was Isa, not her.

  ‘That’s not fair…’

  ‘Sorry.’

  Izzy knew she shouldn’t tease her young mind too much. Isa was extremely sensitive right now, both physically and emotionally. Who knew what would happen if her young mind were to snap? She might have to endure her whining voice all day long.

  ‘Still…That Erin girl.’

  Using a cloth rag? Really? How backwater was that knowledge?

  Izzy’s brow twitched. Shouldn’t there be a better way for that? The lack of proper supplies was almost impressive in its cruelty. Even with her limited expectations, this crossed a line.

  Wouldn’t that be extremely uncomfortable?

  ‘!!!’

  Isa recoiled hard through their mental link, shaking her head vigorously as a wave of rejection and embarrassment surged across their shared mind.

  But what, Erin was too strong!

  ‘H-help—erk—!’

  Izzy felt the full force of Isa’s mortification and distress through the connection. The embarrassment was so intense it bordered on pain.

  Izzy let out a heavy sigh.

  It couldn’t be helped.

  She severed the direct sensory connection with Isa temporarily, to spare herself from the phantom discomfort. Afterward, she changed her focus back to Arnold.

  Arnold sauntered toward a quieter corner, where a single wooden storefront stood.

  A humble wooden sign hung above the door, creaking slightly in the breeze.

  ‘Otto’s General Store.’

  Arnold pushed the door open, the bell chiming above him, ready to embark on perhaps the most awkward purchase a "young master" could possibly make.