Chapter 144
High Life Service (Part 2)
Following Goldjoy’s instructions, Erin’s group was split in half, as the men and women followed their designated instructors. Both groups were led to separate rooms, where they would be given instructions regarding their work. Once they had gathered, the head maid known as Elvafay turned to address her new subordinates.
“Greetings to you all and thank you for coming here. As Madam Goldjoy stated earlier, my name is Elvafay and I am in charge of the maids or female staff of this establishment,” the elf maid began. “I am truly grateful that you all arrived here, as we have had some issues in regards to staff in recent times. I truly cannot thank you all enough for doing this.”
The head main went so far as to bow to her new subordinates, which took them all by surprise. After the greeting they had received from Goldjoy, they weren’t expecting any friendly behavior from anybody else that was above them in terms of authority.
“You’re welcome, Ms. Elvafay,” Erin said, still a bit shocked by the head maid’s behavior. “However, we only heard very little in regards to the issues that you mentioned. Would you mind and go a bit more into detail about them?”
“Oh my. Were you nit informed of what has transpired here? That is very surprising, as I was certain all of it would have been spread around already,” Elvafay said. “But I suppose you all deserve to know what has been happening here. If nothing else, it might prevent further unfortunate events from happening.”
Erin and everybody else got ready to listen to what the head maid was about to tell them. Considering how this could possibly save their lives, they were not going to miss any details at all.
“You see, the luxury resorts here at Graven Hills are marketed as the greatest places for relaxation and comfort. This is due to our very high class of services that we offer to our guests,” Elvafay began to explain. “However, because of this, our expenses are also very high in turn, which is why we have to charge a high price as well. Because of this, only the wealthiest among the wealthy are able to afford us. This itself wouldn’t be such an issue, except such individuals are often very used to getting whatever they want, no matter what that is.”
“But isn’t that just part of this places overall service as well?” Ryle asked. “Just looking around a bit, I can tell that only the ultra rich can come here, so obviously you need to give them more than what a bug-infested motel can give you.”
“That is true, but the demands we sometimes face can be a bit too much for most servants,” the head maid said with a sad look on her face. “The demands some guests make go beyond simple service industry work. There has been inappropriate behavior towards both male and female members of the staff, as they’ve been seen as more of toys for entertainment, rather than actual human beings. Add the fact that Madam Goldjoy refuses to ban any customers that have the money and you can see where this is going.”
“I can see why you’re having issues with getting enough staff… I doubt many are willing to work under such conditions,” Erin said. “Just how far do some of these customers go with their treatment of people working here?”
“I’m honestly a bit afraid to tell you, as I don’t want any of you to run during our time of need, but I also believe that all of you deserve to know as much as possible,” Elvafay said with a saddened look on her face. “The mistreatment goes from the smallest of things to some of the most horrible acts of violence you could imagine. At best, you might only face inappropriate touches and comments, when at worst some of the staff has been subjected to “games” that can only be described as torture.”
Erin had been expecting such things to happen, but hearing it come straight from one of the people on a higher status in the staff was still quite the shock. She looked around at the others and saw that Ryle had a slight frown on her face, as the blonde had probably expected to hear this but was still very much displeased. Zeldana’s face remained calm and unchanged due to her experiences, but the redhead could tell that even she was unhappy. The other maids, on the other hand, were not taking these news all that well. Their faces were pale and fully of worry, obviously beginning to wonder if they had made the right choice when it came to coming to work here.
“This is especially bad, now that Lord Golorath’s direct subordinates are here. They are virtually untouchable, so there isn’t really anything any of us can do, as upsetting any of them could lead to dire consequences,” the head maid continued. “However, I want you all to know that we, the more experienced members of the staff, will do everything we can to prevent anything from happening to any of you! That’s why I want you all to stay vigilant at all times and inform either me or the head butler when something is wrong! There are ways to handle any and all situations in such a manner that no one gets hurt! All we require is that you all cooperate with us!”
Elvafay’s sudden declaration had taken everybody by surprise. While everybody had their doubts over her claim, the sheer confidence and sincerity she had said those words had resonated with all of them and made them believe what she was saying. Even some of the more terrified maids had calmed down now.
“Thank you for you kind words, Ms. Elvafay. We’ll make sure to keep them in mind,” Erin said with a smile. “Are there any particular people that we should be looking out for?”
“Honestly, you should be careful with all of the customers currently staying here… Although, if I had to pick some that are especially dangerous, any military or government official that has Golorath’s symbol in their outfit should be treated with absolute care, as you never know what might happen with them,” the head maid explained. “However, I do have to ask you that you take extra care with Golorath’s wife, who is staying here at the moment. While this is her first time staying here and she hasn’t caused issues yet, one can never be certain when dealing with such a high-profile person.”
Erin and the others simply nodded in response. Considering that Golorath himself was a rather cruel person, then it was easy to assume that his significant other was likely similar.
With the overall warning given to them, Elvafay proceeded to advice the newcomers on what their duties were and how to perform them properly. She even showed them all where they could find supplies and other places that they needed to know. Once this was done, it was time to give all the new members of staff their jobs.
“Alright, I’m going to need you to tend to the recreation room. Make sure to prepare it in such a way that our guests can go there without any worries,” Elvafay said, as she directed some of the new maids. “Some of the more experienced maids are there right now, so you can ask them for advice on what exactly you need to do and how to do it.”
The group of maids nodded and began to head towards the bathing area. The head maid then turned her attention to a new group, which included Erin.
“I need you to go through the rooms and perform some basic maintenance on them,” Elvafay said. “Make the beds, change the sheets if necessary, take out the trash and so on. Form pairs that take separate floors, so that you can take care of it effectively.”
Erin nodded along with the others that were given the task.
The head maid then looked at Zeldana and a few other maids.
“I heard that there is a need for help at the relaxation area. Can I trust you to go there and handle that?” Elvafay asked, receiving nods in response. “Also, are any of you skilled in massages? That could really help us out, as there are guests requesting such services.”
“No worries. I’m quite skilled with my hands in tasks like that,” Zeldana replied with a smirk, as she cracked her knuckles. “I’ve been told that my touch can literally send people to heaven.”
While the head maid looked very pleased, Erin and Ryle shared an uncertain look. They couldn’t help but wonder if there was a deeper meaning to what their elven companion had just said.
With tasks handed out to everybody else, Elvafay turned her attention to the last remaining person, Ryle.
“As for you, I have a special task for you alone,” Elvafay said. “It will be a bit of tougher job, but you seem like the type that can handle it. Is this okay?”
“Hey, tough jobs is my specialty!” the blonde replied with a cocky grin. “Whatever you’ve got, don’t hesitate to throw it at me! I can take it!”
“Really!? That’s great! I love your enthusiasm! It’s exactly what we need right now!” the head maid said happily. “Anyways, I need you to follow the ones that are going to look over the rooms of our guests. Your work is located at the uppermost floor, where Lord Golorath’s people are staying at.”
“Alright, doesn’t sound too bad yet,” Ryle said. “What do I do there?”
“The bathing area of our hotel is located there. I need you to clean it up,” Elvafay answered. “You see, there was some issues with some of the pipes and the whole place has been covered in raw sewage. That needs to cleaned up as fast as possible, so that the place can be reopened.”
“...What?” the blonde asked.
“Yeah, it’s quite messy over there, so I’m very grateful that you’re willing to go through with this. I was honestly worried that we wouldn’t be able to fix this problem in time for the guests,” the head maid said. “Also, I recommend getting a raincoat as well. While I don’t doubt your ability to avoid slipping, I saw how it was there and… You can probably imagine the rest. Also, I recommend grabbing a gas mask from the storage closet as well. It will make the whole thing a lot more bearable.”
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“H-Hang on! Are you sure about this!?” Ryle asked, horrified over the task that had been handed to her. “I mean, I’m not about back out of this or anything, but do you really think that I can handle the whole place on my own!? Can I at least get some help!?”
When the blonde mentioned help, she glanced towards Erin and Zeldana, both of whom took a small step back upon noticing it. Neither of them wanted to have any part in what their friend was going to be facing.
“Unfortunately, we have a bit of a shortage on staff at the moment and we need to prioritize the immediate needs of our guests, so we can’t spare anybody else,” Elvafay said with an apologetic look. She then received a message on her phone, which seemed to brighten her mood a bit. “But I just received some great news for you! It seems like one of the new butlers has been tasked with fixing the plumbing in the baths. I’m sure that he will be of assistance!”
“I sure hope so,” Ryle mumbled unhappily, before realizing something. “Hang on… You said that it was one of the new butlers that would be joining me, right? This wouldn’t happen to be a young catfolk boy?”
“That’s oddly specific, but no,” the head maid replied. “However, he is apparently a young kobold, if that helps.”
“I’ll… see how I can work with that,” the blonde said through gritted teeth as her right eye twitched a bit.
image [https://i.ibb.co/v4N5Ywx/Ch-144-Pic-1.jpg]
“Excellent! Now that you all have your tasks at hand and know where everything you need is located, we can all get started!” Elvafay said happily. “Remember to smile, everyone! That’s the key to any good service!”
While the others responded enthusiastically, Ryle could only manage a halfhearted response, as her shoulders slumped in lack of any possible energy. Erin could only give her a look of sympathy as Zeldana patted her on the back a bit.
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Following the group they had been assigned to, Erin and Ryle soon arrived at the elevators. Once there, the group came to a sudden stop. One of the more experienced maids turned to look over the rest of them.
“Alright, it’s time for us to divide the floors,” the maid stated. “I know this is kind of a dumb question, but are there any volunteers to go to the uppermost floor and handle it? Anybody at all?”
Erin and her two friends noticed that all the other maids looked apprehensive, like they were scared of the idea of going to that specific floor. She looked at Ryle for answers, only to receive a shrug in response.
“Excuse me?” the redhead called out to the other maids, getting their attention. “What’s so bad about the uppermost floor?”
“Weren’t you paying attention? That’s where Golorath’s people are staying!” one of the maids answered. “No one obviously wants to go there, because there is literally nothing any of us can do, if they decide to do something bad to us! Since they arrived, three people have already died!”
“And that isn’t counting all those who get brutally abused by them!” another maid decided to add. “I saw my friend get beaten within an inch of her life simply because she spilled some tea on one of those thugs!”
“The way I see it, your friend got lucky,” another maid said. “I saw one of the butlers get his eye torn out of its socket, because he apparently “looked at them wrong.” Those people are monsters, plain and simple.”
Looking at the faces of all the maids gathered, Erin could tell that none of them were exaggerating their stories or how they felt about them. They were all terrified and for good reason as well. While the redhead and her friends had a mission and had faced numerous deadly threats, these people were just average citizens trying to make a living. She could only wonder what it was that made them come here, even when they knew the risks? Was the pay so good that it was worth it? Or were they unable to find any other employment?
“Hey, cut that out already! Being scared isn’t going to make things better!” the experienced maid that had spoken up first said sternly. “I get that we’re all worried over what might happen to us, but it doesn’t change the work that we still have to do! Besides, you all came here voluntarily, so you can only blame yourselves!”
“How can you say such things?” one of the maids asked. “I didn’t come here because I wanted to! I had no choice! I am sick and tired of living in the worst continent and I simply want to go find a better life somewhere else! That’s not cheap, you know!?”
“I didn’t come here because I wanted to either!” another maid spoke up. “I am the only one in my family who can work, so I need to earn enough to feed multiple people!”
The other maids were voicing similar reasons as to why they had come to such a dangerous place for work. It seemed like they had all been pushed into a corner in their lives and had to come here, no matter how much they disliked the idea.
“You all sure like to yap about how hard your lives are, don’t you?” the experienced maid asked in a slightly angry tone. “Do you think I don’t have such a reason or something? I’ll have you know that I’ve got a sick little sister at home that needs some very expensive medical treatment! So before you start whining about how hard you have it, remember that there are plenty of others in similar tough spots!”
This seemed to finally somewhat calm down all of the maids. They were still obviously scared, but they had now come to terms with the fact that there was no avoiding the work they would have to do.
“I see you’ve all finally realized the situation we’re in. That’s good,” the experienced maid said. “Now, while I pretty much know the result, I’m going to ask again. Are there any volunteers for the uppermost floor?”
Once again, all the maids were silent, looking down in fear and hesitation. It was clear that none of them were willing to take up the task.
However, there was one person that would do it, as a certain someone raised her hand.
“I’ll do it,” Erin said with her hand raised up, causing everybody, with the exception of Ryle, to stare at her with wide eyes. “I volunteer to handle the uppermost floor.”
“...I’m honestly a bit surprised that someone actually volunteered,” the experienced maid said. “Care to tell us why you’re willing to do so?”
“What? Are you not willing to have me do the job?” the redhead asked with a playful smirk. “Jokes aside, I feel like I’m going to have to face those guys at some point anyways, so might as well get it over and done with already.”
“That’s admirable. Thank you for volunteering,” the experienced maid said with a smile. “Since I can’t allow myself to get beaten by my juniors, I guess I have to volunteer as well. We’ll still need two more, so those will be decided by drawing lots.”
The maid had prepared for this, as she had most likely expected that people would be unwilling to risk their lives at the service of Golorath’s people, and had prepared pieces of paper for drawing lots. Soon the last two people that Erin would be working with were decided and they were on their way to the uppermost floor.
The ride on the elevator was mostly quiet, except for the two maids that had been unfortunate enough to be selected for the job. Erin could hear both of them tremble and one of them being on the verge of tears.
“Hey,” Ryle suddenly called out to the experienced maid, getting her attention. “What’s your name?”
“Julianna,” the maid replied. “Why do you ask?”
“Just wanted to say that I know what you’re going through,” the blonde replied. “I also had a sick younger brother, whom I had to look after. I get that it can be tough to cover the medical bills and all, but I swear it will be worth it all in the end. Trust me.”
“...Thank you. That means a lot to me,” Julianna said with a smile, as the elevator had reached its destination. “Hang on… Did you say that you “had” a younger brother?”
“That’s exactly what I said,” Ryle replied before walking past the maid and patting her on the shoulder. “Now come on. We’ve got work to do, right?”
Julianna and the other two maids were left speechless, staring after the blonde that had gone past them. It was only when Erin spoke to them that they broke out of their daze.
“Hey, we need to get to work, remember?” the redhead said to the maids. “Simply standing around isn’t going to help anyone and you all need to earn your pay, right? So let’s get to it.”
The maids proceeded to get to their work, going to different rooms in order to tidy them up and do any other similar work to make the guests feel welcome. In order to avoid getting caught by someone who was in a bad mood and to generally avoid Golorath’s people, the maids always made sure to first listen for any possible noises coming from the rooms. If there was silence, they would then knock first before entering. This allowed them to do their work without running the risk of facing someone who might want to kill you just for the fun of it.
However, while they were able to avoid most confrontations, there was one huge issue that they had to deal with. Most of the rooms were left in horrible conditions, which made Erin wonder if these people were actually wild animals. Trash was everywhere, different sort of stains could be seen on any possible surface and some of the furniture and other objects were broken. They had to move as fast as possible in order to get the rooms in proper condition fast enough.
“Oh God… This is disgusting!” Erin said while trying to desperately not throw up, as she was putting some rather questionable dirty rags in a trash bag that was about to burst. “I swear, even lazy teenagers don’t leave such filth behind! I can’t help but feel like Ryle was lucky not to get stuck with this…”
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Meanwhile, said blonde had just entered the baths and the sight she was greeted with wasn’t one that made her feel lucky. The amount of sewage that was flooding the place was something that most people would only see in their nightmares. Ryle had to wear a gas mask in order to endure the horrid stench that the place was covered with, but it was only able to barely help.
“What the absolute hell is THIS!?” the blonde shouted in horror as she felt like vomiting. “How could anything like this even happen!?”
“Hey! Is someone there!?” a familiar voice called out from behind a corner. “I was told that one of the maids would be sent here to assist me in my work and I could use a hand in-”
Lexton stopped talking as soon as he saw the maid that had come to help him. Both of them stared at each other in silence for a moment, unable to believe what had happened.
“...You have got to be kidding me,” Lexton said angrily. “Out of all the possible people, they decided to send YOU to help me!? Are they trying to help or make this more difficult!?”
“Hey, it’s not like I’m enjoying this either, okay!?” Ryle said angrily. “The idea of cleaning crap with a walking turd like you around isn’t exactly my idea of a good time!”
“Of all the things that could have gone wrong… Whatever. I’ll just have to make do with what I’ve got, I suppose,” the kobold muttered. “Who knows? Maybe a miracle happens and I might need your moron strength for once.”
“Yeah, and if I’m lucky, you’ll get flushed down with the rest of the crap,” the blonde mumbled. “Where’s Arnie and Durge? Did you hear where they were sent?”
“Durge was sent to help with the bar. They’re hoping that since he’s so big and scary-looking that he can basically scare the customers into behaving properly,” Lexton explained. “As for Arnie, I believe they had him go work as a server. They said something about him having the looks for the job the job.”
“Yeah… I definitely would love to have him hand me my drinks,” Ryle said with a depressed sigh, imagining the cat boy walking up to her with a tray that a nice cold beverage on it. “As for us, Zeldana was sent to give people massages. She said that she has experience in the field, too.”
image [https://i.ibb.co/LhkMYwP/Ch-144-Pic-2.jpg]
“...Did she mean actual relaxing massages or ones where she kills the person she’s working on?” the kobold asked. “For some reason, I get the feeling that it’s the latter that she’s more acquainted with.”
“I know what you mean. I had the exact same thought. Hell, she even said that her massages send people to heaven! After all the things I’ve seen that psycho do, I can only imagine what she meant,” the blonde said with a shudder. “As for Erin, she’s actually on this floor. She was tasked with cleaning the rooms.”
“This floor? But aren’t Golorath’s people staying on this floor?” Lexton asked. “This could be a bad thing…”
“Huh? How is that a bad thing?” Ryle asked. “Isn’t our whole purpose here to kid- OW!”
The reason for the blonde’s sudden scream of pain was a wrench that had smashed against her foot in a very painful manner. And the person behind this was a very angry kobold.
“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?” Ryle asked while rubbing her sore foot with tears in her eyes.
“Is the concept of subtlety completely foreign to you or something!? Why would you openly talk about our real purpose for being here, when there could be anyone just around the corner listening to us!?” Lexton whispered angrily before managing to calm down. “Anyways, while our purpose for being here is tied to that certain person, you need to remember that we are dealing with people that are essentially Golorath’s elite guard. We can’t make any mistakes here and that’s where the problems come.”
“What do you mean?” the blonde asked.
“While I do trust Erin, she has certain flaws that tend to cause us trouble. For starters, she is far too willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of others. It’s honestly a miracle a person like her has lived so long,” the kobold explained. “However, what’s more concerning to me is that she can be awfully naive at times, which allows her to be fooled. I hope that no matter what, she remembers to keep her calm and think things through.”
“Hey, I get what you’re saying and all, but don’t you think you’re a bit too mean to her?” Ryle asked. “I mean, she’s not dumb or anything. More like she just lacks experience. Hell, if nothing else, she is way smarter than me!”
“...You say that like it’s an actual achievement,” Lexton said as he shook his head in frustration.
While the blonde raged over the insult directed at her, the kobold kept thinking about Erin and how she might act. Even if they were dealing with the people that were essentially oppressing the world, they didn’t really know much about Golorath’s supposed wife. As far as they knew, she was just rarely seen next to the overlord, meaning that they were working under simple assumptions. They didn’t even know her name, let alone what her actual relationship towards Golorath was. The most likely scenario that Lexton could imagine was that she had simply been an average village girl that had caught the overlord’s eye and had then been forcibly made into his plaything. If this was true, the kobold could only wonder just how Erin would react and what she would try to accomplish in order to save her. He just hoped that it wouldn’t end up blowing up in their faces.