Rays of sunlight flooded through the window as Josh was jolted awake by a swish of curtains being opened. He glanced around the room with half-open eyes and a mental fog from oversleeping.
An unfamiliar woman with red wavy hair secured in a neat bun to keep it out of her way was standing by the window. Her face filled with the freckles while still having that young charm. If Josh had to guess her age, he would say no older than 20.
Oh yeah, I’m not on Earth anymore. I guess it wasn’t a dream.
“Hello,” he uttered to draw the attention of the young maid.
“Hello, Milord,” she replied with haste.
“My name is Josh. Nice to meet you, who are you?“ Josh, completely lost on how to converse in his new reality, asked her.
“Forgive me for my manners, Milord,” with bright smile she replied. “My name is Bella! I’m your personal maid. I've been assigned by Sir Leo, to take care of all your matters, Milord.”
“A personal maid, why would I need one?” Josh enquired.
I can take care of myself just fine.
Bella panicked, not expecting to get dismissed by her new Lord at the very first meeting they’ve had.
“Milord, please forgive this one for whatever wrongs she has commited,” she pleadd as she knelt on the ground.
“Fine, fine, please just stand up. Everything’s okay,” Josh replied.
I guess I have a personal maid now.
Getting caught off guard from the morning by the introduction of a personal maid he didn’t even notice that his clothes, which he had carelessly dropped on the floor last night, were gone.
“Hey Bella, I’m pretty sure I left my clothes by the bed. Did you see them in any way?”
“I washed them, Milord,” she said. “They’re out drying, Milord.”
Actually, having a personal maid is great. Who
wants to do their own laundry?
“Great, do you have something for me to wear? Or should I go walking around naked?” Josh, with a sarcastic smirk, asked her.
“Certainly not, Milord. I will bring you fresh garments in the next minute,” Bella said with a slight bow and a voice filled with sheer relief that she wasn’t getting fired.
Not wanting to wait, Josh jumped out of bed and strode to the window. He pulled his thoughts of what he learned of this world so far together.
Okay so a butler named Leo, a Maid named Bella? Pertis Kingdom, Daim Manor, a ‘6’ for mana sensitivity, Goddess Sol, a Guide.
Nothing really seemed to add up to him yet. Too many questions with too few answers.
He walked back and forth across the room before he punched the black drawer next to the bed, trying to vent some of his frustration.
A guide that’s the only person that can answer my questions to this mess so far, I guess I’ll have to wait.
The sound of the doors creaking brought his attention back to the present as he saw Bella enter his room with a sack of clothes in her arms.
As quickly as she entered the room, she turned away even faster, noticing her ‘Lord’ dressed in nothing but underwear.
“Milord, Sorry for intruding,” she said, her eyes filled with dread.
“No worries, just leave them on the bed, Bella.” Josh sighed.
A man can’t even walk in his underwear without spooking a frail maiden. What a cruel world.
She let out a deep sigh of relief as dread left her eyes, knowing she wouldn’t be punished as she asked him.
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“Milord, are you in need of any help to get dressed?”
“I will be fine. Just leave clothes on the bed, please,” he replied.
I feel like If I asked her to help me, it would take twice as long.
With her head bowed down, she strutted towards the bed to leave his clothes. Despite her best efforts to keep her head facing the floor, Josh still saw her throwing a glance here and there at him.
If I were to say something, would It count as abuse?
“Milord, would you like your breakfast taken to your room, or will you dine in the dining hall?” still facing away, she asked.
Josh thought for a moment before realizing that he would have to meet the rest of the staff sooner or later anyways, and it’s better to do it now than later.
Maybe even the guide is here by now.
“I’ll dine in the dining hall,” he replied.
“Of course, Milord. I shall go prepare the dining hall for you then,” she said while taking a bow and a final glance at him before leaving the room.
Ahh shit, I forgot to ask her to stop calling me ‘Milord.’
The garments Bella brought him were very different from what he usually wore.
The shirt was white and made of coarse material, like linen, but from a different world. It still felt rough on his skin, as it was not of the best quality. The shirt looked kind of stylish. But it was loose, very loose. If he didn’t tighten the laces by the collar, two of him would fit in, that kind of loose.
I already miss my old wardrobe. And it was full of overpriced football shirts.
The pants were not as bad, as they were more close-fitting than loose or tight, but he definitely didn’t like their style as they kind of looked like clown pants where they were large at the top and small at the feet. They were a bit loose up top but very tight-fitting at the bottom. They were black and brown, nothing too colorful or distasteful for his tastes. They seemed to be made from the same material as the shirt.
And I thought skinny jeans were the end of the world, fuck me.
His new socks were made of the same material, just grey rather than the clean white of his shirt or the black brown of his pants.
At least I still have my runners.
With a smile, he sighed, happy that he wouldn't have to get new shoes for at least a couple of months.
I guess I should ring the bell for Bella to come back.
Josh strode towards the drawer on which a handbell was placed. As soon as he took hold of it, he rang it. The chime was way louder than it should’ve been as it echoed across his room and reached even the farthest parts of Manor.
Is it a magical hand bell? Or are they usually that loud?
No longer than a minute had passed since he rang the bell before the doors creaked open again, and within the doorframe stood Bella.
“Milord, would you follow me please. I’ll lead you to the dining hall,” she said.
“Alright then, show me the way, Bella,” he replied while following her.
Oh yeah gotta ask her to stop calling me , ‘Milord’.
“Hey Bella, would it be alright with you to stop calling me Milord and just call me Josh?” he asked.
“B-but Milord, it’s not proper. You are my Lord,” she stammered with utter disbelief that he even asked for something like that.
“Thought so,” Josh replied, remembering Leo's reaction.
As Josh, along with Bella, walked along the dimly lit corridors of the manor, he slowed down every now and then to appreciate the various tapestries that he missed out on yesterday while being led to his room. It wasn’t that long before he broke the silence.
“By the way, is there a mirror somewhere I can use?“
“Milord, Mirrors are really expensive. I wouldn’t know,” she replied to him, then quickly added.
“Milord perhaps, Sir Leo will know as he’s been a steward for our last lord as well,”
“Thanks, Bella,” he said, looking straight at her eyes. “I appreciate your help.”
“Of course, Milord,” she smiled with the brightest smile she showed so far as she said that.
Josh stopped after he climbed down to the entrance hall to take a better look at the portrait he had noticed yesterday. Which was hanging just below the second-floor overlook.
The man in the portrait had salt-and-pepper hair, which, along with his weathered eyes and a scar just below his left eye, spoke of his experience.
Probably the last lord of this manor.
“Who is that man in the portrait?” He asked Bella to confirm his suspicion.
“That’s Marcus Daim, Milord. He was the first owner of this manor and a general of Pertis kingdom before dying 200 years ago,” she replied with a proud smile, her eyes sparkling.
“If he died so long ago. Who was the previous Lord of this land?”
Finally, getting some answers, team Bella, let’s go!
“Milord, that would be Reid Daim, the last descendant of Marcus Daim,” her gaze soft with a strange mix of disdain and longing.
“He died to goblins near a shallow lake six months ago, Milord,” she said, her eyes burning with disdain.
Goblins, what’s next, orcs, elves, and dragons?
“Luckily enough, it wasn’t a dragon.” while laughing, he said to Bella.
“Milord, I don’t think a dragon was spotted in this area for the past century,” she replied with a sidelong glance.
“Wait, a second, Dragons do exist,” Josh laughed again.
“Of course, Milord, that’s common knowledge told to a child,” she said, taking in literally what Josh asked her. “We are already here," she said, as she opened the doors to the dining hall.
“Milord, do you wish for me to stay and serve you?” she asked him after they entered the dimly lit hall.
“I should be okay,” Josh replied.
His eyes darted across the dining hall, as it was the first place in the manor that showed a Lord's wealth.
Various tapestries donned the hall's walls, a large chandelier with dozens of lit candles was hanging by the ceiling, and a dark wooden table large enough to serve a whole village was in the middle of the hall. The wooden floors were covered with skins of animals he has never seen before.
Holy shit, this reeks of old money.
Yesterday, the old man said three other people, including the old man, were living inside the manor.
“Hey, Bella, can you gather the rest of the people living inside the manor? I want to greet them,” he asked Bella.
“Of course, Milord,” she replied with a deep bow while heading out from the dinner hall.
Alright then, let’s eat then. I can see a long day ahead of me.