C108: SPIRIT MAIDS

Back in my world, there’s a saying that maids must keep the house clean so that fairies can live in it.

I’m not quite sure about other worlds, though.

Its meaning lies in the mindset that maids should be invisible like a fairy and not let their master or guests see them at work because they consider the act of cleaning unsightly. Hence, it’s preferable not to show it to anyone above a certain social status.

However, upon arriving here, instead of “being like a fairy,” the fairies themselves became the maids.

Rather, “spirits,” to be more precise.

“I want someone to help with household chores! Having the main house is nice and all, but the lack of thorough maintenance has always bothered me…” says Platy.

Of course, taking care of the house is important — cleaning, doing laundry, and making occasional repairs when something is broken.

Though all of us take turns bearing this responsibility, we also have our own main jobs, making it difficult to devote all our time to it.

And to come up with the idea of wanting housekeepers is expected of Platy, a royal mermaid.

“That’s where you girls come in…” she says as she looks at the tiny earth spirits.

They may look like children, but apparently, they’ve always looked like that as mature adults.

“I’m sure these girls want to be of help to you no matter what, Dear. But fieldwork will just collide with the goblin team’s schedules!”

I know, but…

Are we supposed to decide that on our own? The spirits surely have their own intentions…

“It’s A-OK with us!”

Well, that was fast.

They look like school children clenching their fists tightly like that.

“We’re ready to take on any kind of work as long as it helps Lord Saint!”

“We want to work! Our life has no meaning if we don’t work! Please give us work! Work!!!”

I’d actually like a certain age group in my world to spout the same words they just did.

“But are you really sure? Aren’t you earth spirits? This is inside the house that we’re talking about, so it’s not directly connected to nature or the earth…”

“It’s allllll right! We have no such limitations!”

“You belittle us too much, Lord Saint!”

I see.

My apologies.

“So, why were you doing fieldwork in the first place? And that too, without us knowing.”

“The trend in the spirit realm is such that we must do our work without the people ever knowing!”

Huh? Really?

That sounds exactly like the “The Elves and the Shoemaker” story.

But as Platy said, we do need someone to main in housekeeping.

At first, I was thinking of asking the Demon King to send a demon butler or maid our way…

“…!”

I can’t win against these spirits looking at me pleadingly.

“All right.”

I gave in to their innocent looks.

Thus, our farm welcomed yet another group of friends.

Although, I think it’s more appropriate to say that they’ve been here with us this whole time.

The earth spirits are small children who were able to materialize thanks to “Mother Earth Goddesses’ Blessing” and are as tall as a medium-sized dog.

So, I believe it’s more accurate to represent them as dwarves rather than children.

Today, they’re working at the house fastidiously.

“Sweeping time!”

“Cleaning time!”

They look as if they’re playing.

To test things out, I swiped my finger across one of the corners and looked at it.

“…Not a speck of dust!”

Amazing.

The earth spirits are extremely talented workers despite their young appearance.

It was during the middle of the night when I first discovered them, but now they’re working in the afternoon like normal.

They crawl out of the soil in the morning, clean the main house till dusk when most of the work is done and then go back.

At first, I thought they were nocturnal since they work at night…

“That’s not true at all.”

“We only work at night so no one would notice us.”

“Such is the pride of us spirits.”

Pride, huh?

I see.

Even though they don’t look a day older, hearing the words “work at night” coming out of their small mouths…

…makes me think it’s immoral or obscene.

“Them working in numbers is such a great help,” says Platy, immensely pleased.

Currently, I see about five little girls in front of me, but more of them are still inside the house working.

One holds a duster, while the other one holds a broom…both items which the elves and I made after they requested for it.

But those aren’t the only ones they have with them…

“Why are they wearing maid outfits?”

Maids.

The fantasy of every man (I think).

I could’ve sworn they weren’t wearing anything like that when I first saw them, but now, these loli spirits are wearing one.

They have the ability to change their outfits?!

“Batemy made it for them.”

Turns out it was our local clothing nerd’s doing.

“She went gaga and mass-produced them because she thinks there’s no point in these girls cleaning the house without maid outfits on. She even suspended Orkubo and Aileron’s orders temporarily just to finish making them.”

Good heavens.

“But thanks to that, the main house became more extravagant, didn’t it? A mansion with maids gives off a different vibe, after all.”

That’s true.

“Thank you, Lord Saint!”

“These clothes are very adorable!”

It seems the spirits liked it too.

After they’re done with their work, they take off their maid outfit and fold it neatly. Then, they return to the soil.

The next day, they wear it again.

“They work so hard… I want to give them some kind of reward!”

We must not neglect the importance of a reward or punishment when making people work for us.

I want to give these spirits a reward they highly deserve.

I expected them to be reluctant since they volunteered to work for us, but…

“Butter!”

“We’d like to have some butter!”

They responded energetically.

“It seems both the earth spirits and fairies’ favorite food is butter. Even in the Demon Kingdom, they reward the fairies who come help in the agricultural areas every now and then with a piece of butter or clothes.”

Batemy is already making clothes for them, though.

That leaves us with butter.

As much as I’d like to grant their request, butter is a bit of a tall order.

I mean, we don’t even have any.