The duke's room, despite being immensely spacious, was surprisingly clean.
Empty, maybe that's why.
There was hardly any furniture—just a bed, a desk, and a few drawers. But then… what's this?
Something was hidden beneath a massive cloth.
Unlike the rest of the furniture, which was spotless, this black cloth was layered with years of dust.
"Hm…"
No matter how I looked at it, this seemed like it would take the most work.
First things first—I'd start with the other parts.
I set down the armful of cleaning tools by the entrance and picked up fresh cloths.
Bringing extra had been an excellent choice.
Next time, I should prepare a proper container to organize all my supplies.
Having gotten used to using monster parts(?) as tools, it felt strange to handle ordinary cleaning equipment again.
No, don't get lazy. Go back to basics.
Resolving myself, I rolled up my sleeves.
Alright, now the last part.
Just as I'd planned, I finished cleaning everything except the massive cloth.
There had been an unusually long sword leaning beside the bed, sticky with some kind of strange residue. I didn't know what it was—thankfully it wasn't red, more bluish in hue. I wiped down what I could and left the rest.
Aside from that, there was nothing particularly dirty—just dust on the furniture and a little organizing. In fact, it almost looked like the room hadn't been lived in for years.
Though that can't be true.
Dusting off my hands, I finally tackled the black cloth.
Since it was taller than I was, a huge cloud of dust fell over me as I pulled it aside.
Cough! My throat burned, but I was a professional cleaner. Calmly, I swept the rest into neat piles and cleared it away.
Now, the real last part.
Whatever was under the cloth must be important. Why else cover it like this? Maybe this was the very reason the duke insisted I clean his room.
I pulled the cloth away.
And froze.
"…!"
A mirror.
My mind blared alarms.
There are no mirrors inside the mansion. If you encounter one, do not look into it. Immediately turn it away.
I had forgotten! That strange, incomprehensible rule!
Eki had mentioned it on my first day.
"You'll never need a mirror here. Well… sometimes the duke's room might have one, but you won't ever go there, so don't worry."
Back then, it had sounded so ridiculous I didn't ask further.
And now? Here it was, right in front of me.
"Oh, no—"
Before I could even process it, darkness swallowed my sight.
It felt as if something had blocked me completely.
Startled, I staggered backward until I hit something solid.
Wait… wasn't the room empty?
The instant I touched it, goosebumps rippled through me, like a thousand crawling insects racing up my body.
My hair stood on end.
Then, close by my ear, came a cold whisper.
"Did I not tell you not to look at the mirror?"
The voice was unmistakably the duke's.
But not as I'd ever heard it—neither calm nor gentle.
It was deep, resonant, and chilling enough to make my heart vibrate painfully in my chest.
"D… Duke?"
Then it clicked. What had blocked my sight was his hand.
What I had stumbled into was his body.
I could feel his breath settling faintly over my hair. He was standing right in front of me.
But when had he come in? I hadn't heard the door, not even footsteps.
Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump—
My heart pounded hard. Of all times to be caught, it had to be in front of the mirror!
"Did you see it?"
"No! I didn't see anything!"
"Truly?"
"Yes!"
Of course not! He had blocked it himself.
I squeezed my eyes shut, making it absolutely clear I wasn't looking.
Strangely, though, I felt him circling me, even as his hand stayed firmly over my eyes.
That's impossible, right? Must be my imagination.
And then a thought crept in—the one I had ignored since the beginning.
The duke… was he even human?
"Shasha."
"Y-yes?"
His voice softened again, back to its usual calm tone.
The eerie chill in the air receded. Maybe he had decided I was telling the truth.
"What does the rule say to do if you find a mirror?"
"It… it said to turn it around."
"Correct."
…But in order to turn it, I'd have to look at it.
Could you please lower your hand?
He didn't.
So instead, fumbling blindly, I grasped the massive frame, lifted with all my strength, and spun it around.
At last, light poured back into my eyes.
As expected, his hand had been covering them completely.
The sudden brightness stung; I blinked rapidly.
How large were his hands to block out light so perfectly?
When my vision cleared, the duke was standing with his arms crossed, surveying the room.
"Clean."
"…."
"Well done. You may leave."
"Yes, Your Grace!"
I let out a deep breath. Strange how the word clean could ease my nerves so much.
At least I'd put all the cleaning tools neatly by the entrance.
As I gathered them up, I was just about to step outside when—
"You… are you not afraid of me?"
The words, flat and emotionless, made me turn.
Had I misheard? His tone shifted so quickly it felt unnatural.
But he was watching me with a tilted head, as if genuinely curious.
"…Excuse me?"
"Nothing. Go."
"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow."
I tilted my head in confusion but obeyed.
Once the door shut behind me, I leaned against the wall.
Afraid of him?
Why would I be?
The duke gave me good pay, extra allowances, housing, even delicious food.
On top of that, he was handsome.
Well… then it struck me.
I hadn't seen a single portrait, painting, or photograph anywhere in the entire mansion.
For a noble estate, that was bizarre. Even Baron Armond had hung his portraits everywhere—on the walls, in every room, flaunting his face.
So why none here?
Could it be… the duke has a trauma related to his face?
Yes—that must be it!
The "Monster Duke" from the ghost tales… perhaps he only believed he was hideous, when in reality he was striking.
A tragic backstory, a misunderstood noble, scarred by the past.
Yes! That's it!
I clapped my forehead, marveling at my own deduction.
But then gloom sank in.
What could have hurt him so deeply?
So handsome, yet carrying such pain. Perhaps a grand conspiracy involving the former duke and duchess?
No portraits of them either. Suspicious.
One theory led to another. Stroking my chin, I pondered.
But at the end of the day, I was only a maid.
What help could I possibly offer?
Just a girl with plain black hair, brown eyes, and nothing special in her background.
No secret destiny, no hidden powers, not even real knowledge of this world.
"…."
I sighed and tightened my grip on the cleaning tools.
Thinking carefully, there was really only one thing I could do.
Cleaning.
If I cleaned wholeheartedly, that would be my way of supporting him.
Yes, I'll keep working hard!
After all, he had already raised my pay and even given me bonuses.
"Good morning, Your Grace!"
I threw open the office door with bright energy.
---
End of Chapter 9
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