Seeing Maia's earnest and somewhat cute expression, Norton realized she might have misunderstood something but decided to let it be, finding the situation rather endearing. He nodded, pinched her cheek again with a faint smile, and then retreated to his inner room. There, he closed the door, jumped onto his bed, and pulled out another prize from beneath his pillow—a remarkably sharp mithril dagger. After admiring it for a bit, he stashed it back under his pillow and clutched the Knights’ Codex as he drifted off to sleep.

Early the next morning, despite the late night due to the banquet, Norton was still asleep. He’d likely sleep until noon, but as a diligent maid, Maia awoke early. She quickly dressed and began her chores without wasting time on grooming.

After thoroughly cleaning the outer room, Maia considered entering Norton's bedroom. However, she remembered past scoldings for disturbing him while he slept. Since then, she had learned to avoid such mistakes.

With the cleaning halted, Maia left the room, descending the stairs. Other servants were beginning their day, cleaning the castle, yet they all ignored Maia, isolating her. This wasn't due to the typical reasons of favoritism or status, which most servants didn’t bother with. It was because of how she was treated.

Servants in the castle earned three Larkin silver coins monthly, enough to comfortably support a family of five and included meals and lodging—much better conditions than those in the Sigmar Empire, where militarism often left little wealth. Living among the undead had its perks; heavy labor could be performed by the undead, leaving Sylvania’s residents with a slightly higher standard of living than those in the Sigmar Empire.

Maia, however, was different. Her wages were undisclosed, as Lady Windsor personally handled her payments, and her living arrangement was not in the cramped servant quarters but in a separate bed in Norton's outer room.

More infuriating was the quality of her food. While other servants had only two meals a day of black bread, Maia received special meals rich in nutrients.

Additionally, Lady Windsor arranged for Maia’s education in literacy, magic, and martial arts, even providing medicines to enhance her already good potential. Such preferential treatment was intolerable to the others, leading them to ostracize her.

Those who expressed malice towards Maia quickly vanished without a trace, which discouraged further harassment. Thus, the servants chose to ignore her entirely, treating her as invisible.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Maids like Maia were common in vampire noble castles. They didn’t work much but had excellent conditions and were often with the young vampire masters, leading to misunderstandings about being brides for the vampires.

Though some vampire nobles did develop feelings for their maids, the primary reason for their care was to satisfy dietary needs. Like how human mothers select the best milk for their children, vampires groomed these girls to ensure rich, magical blood to nourish their offspring.

If these girls knew their true purpose, they might be devastated. They were given good living conditions, food, education, and training, all to enhance the quality of their blood for vampire consumption.

Yet, realizing this likely wouldn’t change their resolve. In Sylvania, the opportunities for humans to rise were few, and becoming sustenance for a vampire noble was one of the best options.

Chosen for their superior traits, these "food-stock" maids underwent rigorous training, becoming skilled spellcasters and trusted aides to vampires over time. Immersed in black magic and frequently fed upon, they transformed into a unique half-undead state, known as Banshees.

Banshee units were a vital part of Sylvania’s forces. Some, powerful and trusted, received privileges and shared governance responsibilities with the vampires.

Despite their dignified status, their initial purpose was clear: to provide their masters with exceptional sustenance.

After enjoying her specially prepared breakfast, Maia went to her small classroom. Her instructor was one of her predecessors, a former “food-stock” who became the head maid and a senior assistant to Lady Windsor. Such status was unimaginable for ordinary mortals in Sylvania.

"If you study diligently, one day you might achieve similar status and honor," her instructor encouraged, though she was strict and somewhat cold, not overtly kind to Maia. Yet, in fulfilling Lady Windsor’s directives, she motivated Maia to study hard, enriching her blood’s magic and advancing her transformation into a fragrant half-undead Banshee.

Morning lessons passed slowly. Since arriving at Dekenhof Castle at four, Maia, like Norton, had completed her foundational education. She could read Common, basic Elven, and some Draconic, and understood the basics of magic and swordsmanship.

Though she couldn’t yet conjure a fireball or wield her sword effectively, her instructor seemed satisfied with her progress. Norton himself noticed her blood becoming increasingly delicious, requiring more each time he fed.

Her story, filled with perseverance amidst adversity, could inspire tears in naïve young audiences. If it culminated with her overcoming societal obstacles to unite with a noble protagonist, it would undoubtedly draw interest.

However, in this world, Maia could be considered fortunate. The Old Continent was rife with war and devastation, and countless families suffered far worse fates. Thus, she had little to complain about; envy from servants, disdain from Miss Juana, or disapproval from Master Norton paled compared to the horrors others faced.