This is a novel that I am personally interested in so do not worry about it getting dropped. Moving forward, I will release 4 or more chapters monthly

Tsumi Kake

Chapter 3 Request to Minan

Minan opened the door and went out to the corridor.

“Well then, please excuse me.”

Paying her respect to the landlord and his wife in the room, she silently closed the door.

3 years have passed since she started working as a maid at the Clinecelt house. Due to her senior maids being ‘punished’ one after another, she had less experience and another year had passed after she was appointed as the attendant to the landlord’s successor, Sora Clinecelt.

She was also bragging about how she somehow managed to conduct herself so far.

“Up till today…”

She muttered, looking up at the sun from the corridor window.

She was regretting the fact that she ended up blurting out the situation within the territory after being somewhat threatened by Sora. She had also said some things which can be interpreted as criticism towards the landlord.

If this were to be found out, she won’t be here anymore from the next morning.

“Even still, what was that all about?”

Minan muttered to herself.

She couldn’t help but feel concerned about Sora’s unkind words towards her since, normally, he never shows selfishness towards his attendants.

Was he perhaps poisoned by the landlord? It probably runs in the Clinecelt house. He can’t fight against the blood.

“Master Sora turning into a repulsive pig like that landlord—-I don’t even want to think about that. If, by chance, he grows up to be like that, I will take responsibility and commit double suicide with him.”

She blurted out to herself, words which can be taken as lese majeste.

She advanced through the corridor with countless expensive paintings and vases. The maid who came to this mansion yesterday was cleaning the corridor with a gloomy expression. She sent a gaze of sympathy towards her, as she too was called into this living hell.

After all, there are too many dangers in this mansion. If you make even the smallest mistake, you will get executed. If the landlord has an eye on you, there’s the risk of being used as a tool and if his wife has an eye on you, you will probably be sold to the brothel.

To avoid these, one must have strong support. And if they don’t have that, they must display a very high level of competence.

Who knows how long this newbie can keep working at an atrocious place like this?

“—Um, miss newcomer. If I am not wrong, you’re from the fishing village as well, right?”

Remembering the request Sora had made to her, Minan called out to the new maid.

“Y-yes.”

Maybe because it came out of the blue, the new maid straightened up as if her back was snapped straight and replied in a high-pitched voice.

“Calm down, take a deep breath.”

“…..I am sorry.”

Listening to Minan’s advice, the new maid took two deep breaths and calmed down. Seeing that, Minan brought up the main topic.

“Have you ever seen frozen grass all year round around your home?”

“Frozen grass, you say?”

“You don’t need to be so anxious. I don’t think it exists but I am just asking to make sure.”

She continued, saying that there is no way there would be frozen grass all year round.

Minan didn’t start saying these to bully the newcomer or anything. Sora requested her to bring grass which is frozen all year round to him. However, there’s no way she can search for something which doesn’t exist.

Minan even doubted a bit herself, that perhaps she was the one being bullied.

As Minan pondered on what to do, the new maid nervously spoke up.

“If you are talking about grass which seems like they are frozen, there were some by the coastline. Salty grass, right?”

“….So it exists. There are so many things in this world I don’t know about.”

Even the ‘salty’ property of the grass was exactly what she heard from Sora. Even the detail that it grows by the coastline.

“Master Sora wants some. He will give you days off by his power as the next landlord so can you go get some?”

“I can get days off?!”

Who knows where her gloominess from just a while ago went as her eyes lit up with excitement.

Even if it’s just for a short while, it is pretty natural to be that excited since she could escape this hell. Even Minan would stop everything and leave if she had the chance.

“However, you need to bring the frozen grass along with the soil, alright?”

“Yes! But why would he want such grass?”

“Who knows? He’s probably at the age where he wants to learn things and so he probably wanted to see them. Also, bring more than 10 of those. Oh and also bring along a fisherman with you.”

Minan spoke of everything she knew about fish but it seems like that wasn’t enough to satisfy Sora’s thirst for knowledge. And so he instructed her to also bring a current fisherman.

As Minan explained the details, it seemed like the new maid recalled the faces of the fishermen of her area and was thinking who would be appropriate.

“I understand. Well then, I will get going immediately–”

As the new maid tried to leave right after saying that, Minan grabbed her shoulder and said,

“After you finish cleaning.”

“Tch……”

Pretending that she didn’t hear the new maid clicking her tongue, Minan left the place behind her.

The requests Sora made to her weren’t over yet.

“All that’s left is to get as much old clothing, securing 100 boards, checking on the town and street children’s condition, was it?”

Seems like noble kids have different things they are curious about compared to commoners.

She felt like there was something else he requested as well but what was it?

“Well, I guess it’s fine.”

Abandoning her effort to remember quickly, she left the mansion.

She thought of starting by checking on the condition of the street children.

That pig of a landlord would take her into his bedroom if she stayed in the mansion so going out is the right action, she thought.