Chapter 2

After quickly putting on her Maid Outfit and finishing her wash, Lisbeth stepped out of her room and headed toward the hall of the Demon King's Fortress. Though the entire fortress was massive in size and layout, to Lisbeth, it felt as familiar as her hometown. She wouldn’t get lost on her very first day.

"Oh wow, so many maids," she murmured. As she walked toward the hall, she spotted at least twenty other Maids in Maid Outfits heading the same way. But when she took a closer look, their outfits were clearly different from hers. Seeing this, Lisbeth tilted her little head slightly in confusion.

"Hmm, that’s weird. Why does my Maid Outfit have all these meaningless ribbons and a huge bow at the back, while theirs are just plain?" she wondered. Back in the human lands, she’d seen maid outfits before. When she saw her own and Head Maid Hilda’s, she’d assumed it was due to different races. But these Maids wore the exact same style she’d seen among humans.

"Hmm, better ask just in case. If that old hag’s trying to mess with me, I should be prepared," she decided. She stopped a Maid walking nearby. "Excuse me, can I bother you for a moment?"

"Ah, um, yes? What can I do for you?" the Maid replied nervously.

"Huh? If I scared you, I apologize. But we’re both Maids—why are you so formal with me?" Lisbeth asked. As a newcomer, she should’ve been the nervous one. Yet this Maid seemed even tenser. Lisbeth noticed a slight tremble in her stance.

"Well, it’s because you are—" the Maid began.

"Lisbeth! What are you doing here? Come with me now!" Head Maid Hilda suddenly appeared behind her, grabbing her ear. "I told you to go straight to the hall after washing up. Why are you wasting time here?"

"Ow ow ow! Old hag, let go! You’re pulling my ear off!" Lisbeth cried.

"Oh, you dare call me old hag? I’ll teach you a lesson!" Hilda snapped.

The Maid Lisbeth had stopped bowed quickly. "Um, Head Maid, if there’s nothing else, may I leave?"

"Hmm? Oh, of course. Sorry for not controlling this fool. If you’re late today, I won’t count it. Go ahead."

"Ah, thank you, Head Maid," the Maid said, letting out a sigh of relief as she hurried away.

Lisbeth stared at Hilda with a stranger’s gaze. "Old hag, was that really you just now? Why can you smile at others but be so violent with me?"

"Hmph, it’s because you keep calling me old hag! And after just a few days, have you forgotten your identity, Hero Alex?"