The forty-one ordinary female slaves and Elnora, the Elf whose transfer had been arranged from the Bylon prison, were brought to the basement of Sung Yujin's mansion without explanation on the day of their arrival.
It wasn't a prison. The actual prison was still under construction in a separate location some distance from the mansion. The basement of the mansion was designed specifically for the slaves, a training ground, one might say.
Elnora, the Elf captive, was isolated in a special guarded room equipped with a Mana Inhibitor.
The other forty-one slaves sat quietly in the basement's chilly chamber, awaiting instructions.
"...Do you think it's true that they plan to use us as maids?"
A woman cautiously opened her mouth, her own words sounding unbelievable even to herself.
In this world, securing a position as a servant in a noble's mansion was no easy feat. Simply wanting to be a servant rarely led to an employer readily accepting you.
"...Well, she probably isn't an ordinary maid. There's no reason they'd use slaves like us as maids. At best, she's just a noble's personal attendant."
Only nobles could own such magnificent mansions. The servants working in these estates were typically commoners at the very least. Those who served the nobles closely were either noble scions themselves or educated commoners.
Logically, there was no reason for them to employ uneducated slaves like themselves as maids for household chores.
"I'd rather be a noble's personal attendant," she muttered.
One of the women spoke, drawing everyone's attention.
She had dark blue hair and her name was Kelly. She came from the northernmost reaches of the kingdom, where snow fell almost constantly.
"Do you know how serfs work?" Kelly asked. "They wake up at dawn to feed the livestock and then head straight to the fields, working until sunset.
After that, they might be summoned by their master for the night. And if things get bad, they could even be sold off into degrading labor."
Kelly was a virgin. She had learned this from an old woman she'd been imprisoned with in the Bylon Slave Market.
"But things change when you become a live-in attendant in a noble's household. At least you don't have to live as hard as a serf.
If you gain the noble's favor, you might even become a commoner. That kind of work is far better than being a serf."
"..."
"And you've all heard of slaves who are even worse off than serfs, right?"
"..."
The female slaves quietly lowered their heads. As former slaves from the Bylon Slave Market, they knew all too well. For slaves subjected to truly brutal treatment, death would be a mercy.
Tap, tap.
Footsteps echoed through the room. The slaves stared anxiously at the door.
The door opened, and a maid appeared. With long, silvery-blue hair and eyes as cold as glacial ice, she surveyed the slaves with a chilling gaze.
The slaves were overwhelmed by Yuria. Her beauty was secondary; it was her sheer charisma that held them captive.
"I trust you all understand your situation and are not foolish enough to act rashly."
"..."
"I am Yuria Grace, the personal maid of Master Sung Yujin Pruker, your lord, and the Head Maid of this mansion. You may address me as Head Maid."
"..."
"This mansion is now your home and workplace. There is much work to be done. Follow me."
The slaves followed Yuria.
They arrived at an underground bathhouse not just any bathhouse, but one at least three times larger than the bathhouse at Pruker County. It was so vast that even a hundred people could bathe comfortably together.
More than five separate baths were arranged around a swimming pool. The facilities were far superior to any modern public bathhouse, and magic ensured a constant supply of clean water.
On the other side, there were four sauna facilities: wet, dry, salt, and ice.
Sung Yujin had put particular effort into this bathhouse. Part of the reason was his personal enjoyment of bathing, but he also wanted a spacious facility where many people from the household could bathe comfortably.
"Everyone, wash up," Yuria said as she set aside her maid uniform and stepped behind the changing screen.
"Cleanliness matters for anyone working in this mansion. Put your worn clothes in the trash bin and use the bathing supplies prepared for you."
The women followed Yuria's instructions and began getting ready for the bath. With clean water and proper supplies finally in front of them, even the most hesitant among them soon started washing away the grime of the market.
"I'll start by showing you how to use the showers."
Seeing is believing. It was better to demonstrate once than explain a hundred times.
"Always shower before entering the bath. Do not enter the bath during your menstrual cycle. Is anyone currently menstruating?"
Several hands went up. Yuria nodded and began explaining the proper bathing method in detail.
After hearing the instructions, the slaves began washing themselves according to the methods they had been taught.
Yuria moved among them, meticulously checking their cleanliness.
"There's still dirt on your back. Wash properly. If you can't reach, ask someone nearby for help."
"Serin, wash your hair twice more. Don't forget to use conditioner."
"Aisha, your genitals are a sensitive area. Maintain extra cleanliness during your menstrual cycle."
Yuria paid particular attention to the newer women who were still unfamiliar with the routine.
"Nephia, there's still soap in your ears."
"Laura, I know you're still inexperienced. I'm not scolding you. Don't cry. Come here. Let me wash you."
As she spoke, Yuria carefully observed a woman who was particularly good with others. Her name was Fatima, a widow in her mid-twenties who had come to the mansion with her adult daughter.
Overflowing with experience, she took excellent care of them.
An hour later, all the slaves had clean faces and bodies.
"...It seems some still need a little more grooming, but we'll let it slide for today. Now, let's go outside. Your clothes are prepared in the changing room."
"This is..."
"Maid uniforms. Maid uniforms must always be immaculate. Remember that, and put them on."
Seeing all the slaves dressed in maid uniforms, Yuria nodded in satisfaction.
Afterward, she led them to the dining hall on the first floor.
The first-floor dining hall was reserved for the maids. It was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate dozens of people at once.
"I didn't have time to prepare a proper meal today," Yuria explained.
Even though Yuria was exceptionally capable, she was still just one person. Preparing meals for over forty people single-handedly was impossible especially after meticulously preparing and serving Sung Yujin's meal.
"This... isn't a proper meal?" Fatima asked, staring in astonishment at the food laid out on the table.
Bread, soup, and fruit.
Though the bread was cold, it was remarkably good for slave rations. The bread looked incredibly soft, and large chunks of meat floated in the soup.
"Yes, the bread wasn't made by me; the Master gave it to us. He probably bought it on Earth. I just threw the soup together. Eat it before it gets cold."
The slaves began eating. Fatima scooped up some soup with her spoon and took a sip.
"Mmm, it's delicious! It looks like ordinary meat soup, but...! Is there something special in it?"
"Monosodium glutamate."
"...Huh?"
"It's a seasoning, commonly called MSG."
"Seasoning...?"
"Think of it like a spice."
Mealtime was over. The slaves had devoured every last scrap. For a slave, eating as much as possible whenever food was available was a basic survival instinct.
"I plan to select some of you to work as maids in the kitchen. If you're confident in your kitchen skills, please raise your hand."
Nearly twenty women raised their hands.
"...More than I expected. We'll hold a test tomorrow to choose the kitchen staff."
Afterward, they returned to the underground training area to resume their lessons.
"Even though you'll be wearing maid uniforms and performing maid duties, your role in this household remains the same.
Sung Yujin Pruker is the lord of this house. Follow the rules here and devote yourselves sincerely to your work."
Yuria intended to enforce this training rigorously.
After the training, Yuria assigned the women to rooms in the basement, housing five to six girls per room. There were no beds or furniture; each girl received only a pillow and a blanket.
"From now on, the ten junior maids-in-training will use the rooms on the second floor. And... Fatima."
"Yes... Head Maid."
"You are now an official Maid. Your duties will be to supervise and educate them a kind of mentor, you might say. If you dislike this assignment, you may speak up."
Fatima glanced at one of them her own daughter.
"...No, it's alright. I'll work hard."
"Excellent. As an official Maid, your room isn't here but on the second floor, next to the junior maids' rooms. Since we have this opportunity, let's all go up and see the room of an official Maid."
This mansion had maids' quarters on all five floors. Though not particularly significant, if there was a reason, it was for Sung Yujin's protection.
For reference, Sung Yujin's bedroom was on the fourth floor.
The slaves who inspected Fatima's assigned room wore surprised expressions. It was far more spacious and luxurious than they had imagined.
The room contained all the essentials: a plush bed, wardrobe, desk, mirror, clock, and more.
"There are five maid uniforms in the closet: two for outings and three for use within the mansion. Please take great care of your uniforms.
You will receive a monthly salary. I won't interfere with how you spend it, but remember that any misconduct on your part will tarnish the Master's reputation."
"Um... what are those white and black things on the ceiling?"
"Those are air conditioners. They provide both heating and cooling. I'll show you how to use them.
The device next to them is a camera that monitors your every move, so please live honestly."
For reference, the cameras and air conditioners, along with other electronic devices, could be controlled remotely from the computer room on the fifth floor of the mansion.
The room next door for the junior maids was unremarkable, lined with narrow beds and desks arranged for shared use. Here, they would live communally until they became full-fledged Maids.
Yuria glanced at her watch.
9:40 PM. Time to prepare for bed.
"There are plenty of rooms for all of you. Once you become full-fledged Maids, each of you will receive a private room. Exceptional Maids will be rewarded, while those who break the rules will be punished."
The slaves' eyes gleamed. They sensed that their lives as slaves might be more comfortable than their previous lives.
"How you live in this mansion depends entirely on yourselves. Now, return to the basement and get some sleep. You must wake up at 6 a.m. tomorrow."
Without a word of complaint, the maids descended to the basement at Yuria's command.
"Fatima."
"Yes, Head Maid?"
"You have a task for tonight."
"A task... what kind of task?"
"Attending the Master during the evening. If you're unwilling, say so now; this is regular household duty, not something forced on you."
Yuria retrieved a garment from her shadow.
It was a formal maid uniform. The skirt fell to a proper length, and the neckline was neat and elegant. It came with fresh stockings and clean undergarments suitable for a late-evening audience.
"I'll be going to the basement for a moment. Please change into this outfit while I'm gone, and come only if you're comfortable with the assignment."