Chapter 141 - Episode 138: Mansion Expansion and the Maids' Struggles
The lord's mansion, the administrative center of the Arqvist territory and the residence of Noein, the Baronet Arqvist.
Along with Noein's elevation in rank, this mansion had also undergone great changes.
Built during the first year of reclamation, when the population of the Arqvist territory was only about 50 people, it had been constructed with the territory's development in mind, and as a mansion for a Knight, it had been reasonably splendid.
However, with the territory's population exceeding 1,000 and expected to increase further, the number of civil officials and the volume of territorial management duties had grown accordingly. Considering that he had to demonstrate power befitting the rank of Baronet, it had to be said that the place had become cramped.
Therefore, the moment his elevation in rank was confirmed, Noein requested Dmitri, the head of the construction guild, to proceed with an expansion of the mansion.
The expansion work, which began in early summer, was completed by mid-autumn, partly because Noein had generously poured money into it. Since the focus was on livability and ease of work, there were no flashy decorations, but the size was now such that it did not pale in comparison to the mansions of high-ranking nobles.
After that, one morning.
"Hm?"
"What is the matter, Noein-sama?"
Leaving the bedroom with Matilda and Clara, Noein was momentarily surprised by the difference between the hallways he had seen for several years and the new hallway.
"...Ah, that's right, I expanded it. When I've just woken up, I still get surprised by hallways I'm not used to."
"Fufu, you are a bit weak in the mornings, after all."
Asked by Matilda, Noein answered while blushing. Clara let out a chuckle as she replied, and Matilda also looked at Noein with a small smile.
The Arqvist mansion, which had previously formed a horizontal rectangle when viewed from above, had been expanded to the left and right, growing into a U-shape. The area that had once been the backyard was now a courtyard enclosed by the U-shape.
Along with this, the lord's bedroom had also been moved to the new innermost part of the mansion for security reasons. It was a scene that had occurred countless times—Noein, whose brain had not yet awakened in the morning, being momentarily surprised by the brand-new hallway that turned right at the end.
"Well, it's only been a week since I moved to the new bedroom."
"It has been a week already. For the master of this mansion, you are a bit clumsy. Matilda-san thinks so too, right?"
"I-I... I also sometimes feel a bit bewildered as I get used to it."
"...Thank you, Matilda."
Matilda, who also served as Noein's guard, should have a firm grasp of the mansion's new structure and be well-accustomed to it; furthermore, she was the type to wake up alert. There was no way she would be bewildered by a brand-new hallway at this point.
While feeling grateful to Matilda for even lying to protect him, Noein felt a bit ashamed that he remained so absent-minded.
.....
"Noein-sama, excuse me."
"Thank you, Kimberly."
Having washed his face, tidied his hair, and finished changing, Noein sat down for breakfast along with Clara and Matilda, who had also finished their preparations.
Kimberly, who always served them, briskly placed the meal plates in front of Noein.
"Clara-sama, e-excuse me."
"Yes, thank you."
"Matilda-san, please."
"Thank you very much."
Furthermore, maids who were still young (Kimberly was sufficiently young, but these girls were even younger) placed plates in front of Clara and Matilda as they sat.
Breakfast was something Rosetta had come in early to prepare. Since marrying Pence, she had begun commuting to work, but the fact that the sound of her bustling about in the kitchen could always be heard when Noein and the others woke up showed just how early she rose to make breakfast.
In addition to bread, eggs, and soup, there was a boiled vegetable salad as a side dish, which had not been included before. It was likely that the menu had increased because Rosetta now had subordinates in charge of cooking, creating a surplus of manpower.
"Now then, let's work hard at cleaning today too!"
"""Yes, Mary-sama!"""
As Noein and the others continued eating breakfast, such a loud voice echoed from the outer hallway. It could be heard this clearly even inside the dining room. If one were close by, it would surely be quite overwhelming.
"...Sigh. I apologize for the noise. I will caution them later."
"Ahaha, well, it's a good thing that they're energetic."
Noein answered with a laugh to Kimberly, who had apologized with a small sigh.
Along with the expansion of the mansion, Noein had also increased the number of maids he hired. A total of six from the homes of veteran residents whose loyalty was certain. One became Rosetta's, two became Kimberly's, and three became Mary's subordinates, and they were currently training as apprentice maids.
All of them lived in, and they were given rooms of two people each in the expanded servants' living space. With the increase in residents, the mansion had become more lively than before.
.....
"...Phew, that's all the confirmations finished."
"Thank you for your hard work, Noein-sama."
Along with the population increase of the Arqvist territory, the matters Noein had to confirm, such as tax revenue and expenditure management, had also increased. Having read the many documents handed to him by Anna and finished the signatures meaning they were confirmed, Noein stretched while entrusting them to Matilda.
"Now then... today was the day for the regular meeting, right?"
"Yes. However, there is still a bit of time. Would you like to take a break?"
Looking at the magic tool clock installed on the wall of the lord's office, Matilda made that suggestion.
"You're right, maybe I'll rest a bit."
"Then, I shall brew some tea."
Saying so, Matilda left the room and returned shortly after with two cups of poured tea and something like cookies on a tray. It was unusually fast.
"Matilda, that was quick."
"...Kimberly anticipated that Noein-sama would soon enter a break, and had prepared the tea leaves, cups, pot, and water-boiling magic tool in advance. She also said she had instructed Rosetta to prepare light snacks."
"That... is as expected of the head maid."
Kimberly, who not only took care of the personal needs of Noein and the others but also managed all the maids as the head maid. This was a scene that gave a glimpse of her outstanding excellence.
"I am told the preparations for the meeting room are also already complete. You may enter at any time."
"Ahaha, I see. Kimberly is amazing."
Previously, he had used the subordinates' offices as a substitute for a meeting room, but during the mansion's expansion, a room dedicated to meetings had been newly created. Since she had grasped the schedule of the regular meetings and had already finished cleaning the meeting room and neatly arranging the desks and chairs, he could only be impressed by Kimberly's competence.
"...Also, I was asked by Rosetta to tell Noein-sama that tonight's dinner will be the pork steak with berry sauce that Noein-sama likes. She wants you to look forward to it."
Rosetta, saying "I'll make it delicious~" in her usual drawling voice, suddenly came to mind in Noein's head.
"Ahaha, I see, I see. Then, in order to eat it deliciously, I'll have to work hard at the meeting."
Not only Kimberly, but the work of Rosetta who handled the meal preparation, Mary who directed the cleaning of the expanded mansion, and the new maids striving in their training under the three of them was also great, of course.
Behind the scenes of Lord Noein, his adjutant Matilda, and the attendants and civil officials who came and went from the mansion proceeding with their work smoothly and running the territorial management duties without delay, there were the struggles of these maids.