Moments ago...
Hey now, don't run away.
See? We're getting you all cleaned up.
Clone Melody is cleaning the room
Does she realize what she's doing?!
My mana is getting washed away!
Heroine? Saint? No, I'm an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)!
Episode
The House of Rudleberg's All-Works Maid
You know, now that you're all clean,
you have surprisingly beautiful silver-white fur.
I wonder, did you come here because you were hungry?
If so, then you should have just come to the kitchen.
Is this...
what they call "delicious"?
The feeling coming from this puppy vessel...
It's something I've never known.
I'm done cleaning!
How's it going over here?
Looks like it's had its fill.
I wonder, did it come here because it was hungry?
If so, then it should have just come to the kitchen.
I said the same thing.
All that's left is what to do with it now.
I was going to have His Lordship scold it for me, but...
Hmm... The room's all clean now, so no need, right?
I suppose so.
Even if it were scolded,
I doubt it would understand why.
Hey, I just thought of something.
What's up, me?
What do you think about my lady playing with the puppy while I watch?
John (placeholder name)
Oh, John.
My lady, John, both of you mind your manners now.
How wonderful!
I know, right?! I think so, too!
This is what they call wondering to oneself.
Then, I'll go search for something that could be used for the little one's bed.
Sure, if you could.
I'll see if I can get it to sleep.
I wonder what's wrong...
It seems to be trying so hard to stay awake...
Is it afraid to go to sleep?
Perhaps it got attacked once while sleeping.
Then...
May my voice bring peaceful rest... Fa in Bel Sogno.
It looks like it still can't sleep.
Let me increase the strength just a little.
Oh, so this is the Saint's power.
This is... her true...
Where am I?
Who are you?
Is that the puppy?
Thank you.
Huh?
You have fulfilled your duties as Saint when I was unable to.
Truly, I thank you for granting the Dark One a peaceful slumber.
The Dark One? Saint? What are you talking about?
The Dark One... The King of the Blight is the chalice of darkness.
A pitiful vessel of dark mana, exiled from the world's cycle.
Mana manifests in the world through emotions.
The easiest-to-understand example would be Melody during the dance.
The joy and fun she felt during that moment overflowed as mana
and became particles of light.
However, not all emotions are positive.
Say, for instance, there was a man who backed away from the one he loved,
wishing only for her happiness with another.
Even if he did manage to come to terms with it,
where did that suppressed desire go?
What about the jealousy and resentment toward the man she was with?
The negative emotions, now with no home,
make their way to the Dark One as dark mana.
The Dark One is really an embodiment of that kind of mana.
The role of the Saint is to heal and purify dark mana
gathered by the Dark One and return it to the world.
It was only after the Dark One was sealed and its negative mana dispersed,
manifesting across the realms instead as monsters and blightlands,
that I finally realized my true purpose.
I'm relieved to see you didn't get your hands on the memoir I left behind.
I'm certain you would have been capable of destroying the Dark One.
However, that would have meant losing that vessel forever.
A memoir?
What is she talking about?
It's like getting exposition for a game or novel I don't know anything about.
Upon contact with your immense power,
a small part of my essence imbued in the seal has been able to manifest.
Thanks to that, I can fulfill my role as a Saint a little bit as well.
The rest I ask you, the true Saint, to handle, Celesty.
How do you know my name?
If this world were a story written by someone, then...
I'm certain its heroine would be someone like you.
Allow me to thank you again, Celesty.
Please continue to fulfill your role as Saint with pride.
U-Um, "Heroine"? "Saint"?
What do you mean? I'm...
I'm a maid serving the House of Rudleberg.
I'm Melody, an all-works maid!
Huh?
When did I fall asleep, I wonder...
Oh, you're awake, too!
So you have black fur on your tail, paws, and one ear.
I thought you were all silver last night...
Last night?
Morning already?!
I-I didn't welcome them home!
They're not home?
How about the front entrance?
Ow...
Huh?
My lady collapsed?!
Why didn't you inform me of something so important last night?!
I don't know. I just fell asleep before I knew it.
That's neglecting your duties!
The culprit
Wait, why is the coachman asleep as well?!
The culprit...
Oh! Let my fingers sound the bell of awakening... Arousal Dito!
The previous night, there was a curious incident
where every resident of the royal capital fell asleep all at once
and woke up simultaneously the next morning...
though Melody would never know of it.
Melody, you came!
My lady!
I was told you were not hurt, but are you truly all right?
Yes, I'm fine.
But listen to this!
Mother won't allow me to leave my bed!
Of course not. You were unconscious this whole time, you know that?
Unfortunately, I must agree with Her Ladyship.
I said I'm fine!
First, let us change your clothes.
I already have them prepared...
Hmm?
You! How long have you been there?!
Aw, how cute!
Melody, where'd this little one come from?
It came to our mansion hungry last night.
I fed it and was letting it rest, but...
I see!
You're really friendly, aren't you?
Actually, with your leave,
I was thinking we could keep it at the mansion.
How wonderful! That sounds great!
But I wonder if our finances will be able to cover its food...
The meat I always buy should suffice.
It'd be too cruel to abandon such a little puppy.
Please! It's okay, isn't it, Mother?
I suppose it can't be helped.
Be sure to take good care of it.
Then, Luciana, why don't we decide on a name for this little one?
A name, huh...
What do you think would be nice, Melody?
Me? I don't have anything in particular...
Grail.
Oh, Grail!
That works, no?
Oh, no. I uh...
It's decided.
Starting today, your name is Grail.
Let's get along, okay, Grail?
I need to handle the procedures to leave the castle, so I'll leave the rest to you.
Yes, madame.
See you later.
You think you could fix it?
I may have to darn it with the original thread.
The protective spell is mostly broken anyway, so I'll dispel everything.
I'm really sorry for causing you trouble.
I am the one who must apologize.
I thought I'd cast a spell on this dress strong enough to withstand an explosion
big enough to blow the ballroom to smithereens.
And yet I hear it couldn't even withstand a single strike from a sword.
I'm glad it was enough to keep you from being hurt, but...
In other words, the power of the sword that struck me was...
May I ask who you are?
Lady Anna-Marie from the House of Victillium has come to visit.
May we please be admitted?
I need to see for myself.
Her activities at the ball she shouldn't even have attended...
Her escort by Maxwell, who dislikes women...
Her coming out of the raid unharmed...
It's as if all the game's events have changed in favor of dear Luciana.
Understood.
Luciana might be a reincarnator just like us!
Black hair and black eyes.
A combination that's unusual for this world.
May I ask your name?
I am Melody Wave.
I see.
I thought she might be a character from the game that I'd forgotten about...
But I've never heard that name before.
Perhaps I'm just imagining things?
Lady Luciana, I apologize for the sudden visit without prior warning.
I had heard you were heading home.
Don't be. I'm happy you came.
Just as I thought, she's adorable!
The maids have gone to prepare tea.
This might be my only chance.
Luciana-san. Are you a reincarnated person from Japan, just like me?
Speaking in Japanese
If I speak to her in Japanese, I should get some kind of reaction...
What?
What did you just say?
This is what Luciana heard.
Lucianyan. Ahyawararara fushifuwobo bajihenshaihabebohakuze?
U-Um, is that a foreign language?
I have no idea what you are saying to me.
Oh?
Is she pretending to not understand Japanese?
No, I can see in her face that she's telling the truth.
In other words...
Back to square one.
Please disregard what I just said.
Then are you familiar with The Silver Saint and the Five Oaths?
Uh, the silver...?
I've prepared some tea.
Oh, Melody. Do you know anything about the Silver Saint...
and something or other?
The Silver Saint and the Five Oaths.
I'm very sorry, my lady.
Is it the title of a story?
No, it's nothing. Please don't concern yourself with it.
So that means she's neither a reincarnator nor familiar with the game?
But then, how did she...
The dress you wore last night was most lovely, but where did you purchase it?
In the game, she shouldn't have been able to prepare a dress.
That dress was one Melody altered for me.
She took two second-hand dresses, took them apart,
and washed the fabric thoroughly.
That is quite impressive.
Yes! Melody really is amazing!
She only came to replace my previous maid, but...
Luciana's tragedy began when she had to dismiss her elderly maid.
There shouldn't have been a new maid.
By the way, your dress was ripped, yet you appear uninjured.
Do you have any idea as to why?
Uh, well...
You know... something, don't you?
You see...
Melody cast a protective spell on the dress I wore last night.
It was strong enough to keep its wearer safe even if the ballroom
happened to be blown to smithereens!
Magic, smithereens... What?!
It's Melody again?
Protective magic does exist, but...
that level of it would be impossible for anyone short of the Saint.
If it's all right with you, may I see that dress?
Yes, of course.
Reveal to me... Analysis Vision!
An original spell capable of analyzing the traces and composition of magic.
It's difficult to completely erase traces of mana.
However...
There's no sign of magic on this dress, nor on Melody herself?
Allow me to explain.
Melody usually suppresses her mana completely.
The spell she cast on the dress had also been completely erased.
Melody, I told Lady Anna-Marie about the spell on the dress...
Oh, dear! I'm embarrassed to have her find out about my useless little spell.
Oh...
I placed a good-luck spell on it.
Amazing!
So that's what it was.
In the end, I learned nothing.
Oh, silly me. I came to see how you're doing, and all I've done is question you.
Is your body feeling all right?
Yes!
In truth, His Highness the Crown Prince was supposed to accompany me.
However, he is a rather busy man.
I'm very sorry.
Not at all!
It's the day after a surprise attack.
It's only natural for His Highness to be busy.
I appreciate your understanding.
Allow me to express my gratitude as well.
Truly, thank you so much for protecting His Highness.
Oh, no, likewise.
I have been wanting to express my gratitude to His Highness for a while now.
You have?
Wasn't last night the first time you two met?
Yes, it was.
But it's thanks to His Highness that I'm able to be here today.
After all, it was his widespread promotion of the carriage service
that led to my meeting Melody.
The carriage service...
That's one of the projects seven-year-old Christopher and I proposed
to prepare for the battle with the Dark One.
Luciana was spared her unfortunate fate
because Melody came to the royal capital...
And Melody was able to travel there because of our carriage service.
I'd convinced myself that the game would stick to the script from beginning to end.
That it would play out the same way regardless of what I did...
But...
Were we the ones who changed the scenario?
I'm sorry. I've dirtied my dress, so I must take my leave.
O-Of course, that's quite all right, but...
Is something the matter? You're as white as a ghost.
I was simply taken aback by my own carelessness.
When we got our memories back nine years ago...
Perhaps that was when the story began to go offtrack.
I need to speak with Bjork Quichel.
In the game, he manages to escape,
but we might be able to get intel from him now that he's been captured.
Anna-Marie?!
Why are you both here?
Where's Bjork... the attacker?
He wasn't there.
Huh?
He was long gone from his cell by the time we got there!
That sword he had was gone, too.
He managed to escape!
No...
Lady Anna-Marie...
Oh damn, damn, damn!
Why do all those parts have to go according to the script?!
You idiot!
When I first came here, I was alone.
On top of that, this place was like a haunted mansion.
But...
Translation: Yukari Murase-Louden Timing: Edgar Cruz Editing and Typesetting: Gabriella Alabanza Quality Check: Geoff Mazzolini Final Quality Check: Elizabeth Ellis
Melody, thank you!
Hmm? What is this all of a sudden, my lady?
It's nothing.
Let's hurry inside!
Even though there's no one here at the moment.
Goodness, my lady.
A maid who doesn't come out to welcome her master's return
simply isn't a maid at all, you know?
What?
Hmm? Something smells really good.
It really does.
A most delicious smell indeed...
But isn't it coming from our house?
Welcome home, Your Lordship, Your Ladyship, and my lady.
Lunch has been prepared.
Oh, with magic. Huh?
Melody! You need to be up-front about these things, okay?!
My lady?! You mustn't cling to your maid!
It's fine!
As the daughter of the House of Rudleberg, I'm ordering you:
pipe down and let me embrace you!
Where did you learn such language?!
Being embraced by me is part of your job, as well, Melody!
Because you're the maid who does all the work for the House of Rudleberg...
An all-works maid!
Th-That kind of work is not included in a maid's duties!
A Few Days Later
It looks wonderful on you!
Aw, I really wanted the same maid outfit as you, Melody.
Have I not explained it already?
That is the outfit housemaids wear in the morning.
Cooking
Cooking the Food
Washing the Dishes
Starting the Fires
and so on...
Housekeeping
Cleaning
Laundry
Serving Food
and so on...
An "all-works" maid handles it all (and then some!)
Maids' jobs are broadly split between "housekeeping" and "cooking."
Within the housekeeping side, the housemaids handle the cleaning.
For Serving
Work Clothes
My outfit is a service-oriented one.
After all, I could hardly stand before you, my lady, in work clothes.
How did it turn out like this, you ask?
I want to wear a maid outfit, too!
No, my lady.
This outfit is a maid's pride and joy.
Aw, boo.
Then why not have Luciana become a maid?
What?
Even if it is only for the day, I will be treating you as a maid from this point on.
Do you understand, Miss Luciana?
Yes! Senior Melody!
Then I leave breakfast to you, me.
Okay.
I went through things quite quickly even though it was your first time.
I apologize.
No, don't worry about it.
Well, it was pretty tough, but...
Thanks to you, I now understand just how hard you're working every day.
I'm really happy to hear you say that.
I was able to see a wonderful new side of you as well.
I've been blessed with nothing but good things today.
Good things?
Even if it was only for the day, I had a new colleague.
I chose to become an all-works maid to be able to do all the duties,
but I was happy to have company, and it was a lot of fun.
Truly, thank you so much for today, my lady—
No, Miss Luciana.
What's with this girl? She's just too adorable!
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I've prepared tea for His Lordship and Her Ladyship.
Oh, then...
I've got it!
I'll deliver it, pronto!
Please wait! I haven't told you what to do yet!
Father, Mother, pardon me!
Huh?
Miss Luciana!
L-Luciana?!
You mustn't enter before hearing a response!
I was too late...
Episode
Anna-Marie's Exciting Day-Off Date
Illustration: Okishijien