Chapter 6 - Hide and Work

Standing next to the group of women running around the yard as they begin working. They pause when they hear someone clear their throat. All eyes focus on the old man, they rush to stand before him and bow respectfully. The little girl turns to the old man then moves back and bows down cutely. Everyone looks at the little girl stiffly, unsure of what to do. The little girl stood up and turned to face the maids, only to see them all staring at her. Looking at the floor to hide her face as it heats up from embarrassment. The old man looks at the group, placing his hand on the child's head. "This child will be helping you out, starting from today." Everyone remained quiet as they stared at this new creature. Not believing their eyes and curiousity bloomed as they observed the little girl's appearance from head to toe, going back up to her hair and head. Since that was what was most visible from her outfit. Her skin was quite peculiar and her hair was frizzier than a beggars... How strange her existence is, they thought. During this whole process, the little girl couldn't help but fidget. Patiently waiting for what felt like an interogation to end

The old man cleared his thought again to get their attention. Which he did. He sighs as he eyes them, meaning they are to behave themselves. He understood their curiosity but he also remembered what his partner told him about how it felt when people stared at him like he was an object of curiosity and not a person just like them. He bends down to the girl's eye level and grabs her by the shoulders, a small smile on his face. Cupping her cheeks he says works of encouragement. "(You'll be fine. If anyone bullies you just look for me. I'll take care of them for you, okay)?" She looks behind him then nods unwillingly knowing she had no other choice, not unless she wants to live here and not starve or be kidnapped by those men she met earlier. He pays her head then stands to leave

I stare at the old man walk away into the distance with a feeling of my stomach twisting uncomfortably. As soon as he turns a corner, the maids approach me to satisfy their curiosity. Of course there are those who look down on me and stare from the distance. Then there are those you poke and touch my hair without asking, I try to tell them not to but they can't understand what I'm saying. Finally someone speaks and the girls step back, however I think some damage has been done to my face as I feel my eye hurt because one of them somehow hit me in the eye. I think it was an accident but you never know with humans. Quite complicated they are

The person who spoke earlier steps forward as the maids part, allowing me to be able to see them. It's the second son I saw yesterday, he looks at me. I mean my full body attire, do I look that ugly in these clothes? But then again... I look down at my pants or in this case my skirt that's over my pants. 'I can't understand why there are only skirts for females, also why do "I" have to wear one?!' He nods his head as if confirming something then says something. I couldn't understand what he was trying to say so I could only raise my arms gesturing that don't know what his saying. He says it a couple more times than sighs before raising his hand to say stop than waves it for us to leave. I stare at his hand in adaze as I am lost for words, his mumbling something while walking away with quick strides

The scene changes to our little human standing in the hallway of the main manor. I snap out of my thoughts when someone calls my temporary name, I say temporary cause I have a feeling that it's a cursory word. I know right. Much easier to learn curse words over normal words, I guess that's true. But honestly couldn't I have gotten a cheat or something. I go with the group to clean the floors of the house, the don't have mops... We have to use a clothes and a small sized wooden bucket. This is so not cool. 'Like all those people that went back in time or got sent to another world got a special cheat code or instantly knew how to speak the language!? So what the freck is this?! WHY?!' I grumble while cleaning the floor, suddenly it's sounds different, it's too quiet. Lifting my head to see there's no one but myself kneeling in the hallwayo. Footsteps echo from the distance, my stomach drops and I scramble to my feet. Quickly lifting my bucket up and tiptoeing to hide hide a pillar far away from the hallway. Trembling I try to slow down my breathing and stop myself from trying to fidget. 'She didn't see me right? Into would be better if she didn't find me. It would be bad if someine who doesn't know about me were to meet me, afterall I doubt everyone in the house knows about me or that I'm-'. My thoughts are cut off when I hear footsteps approach where I'm hiding and stopping nearby. Soon I hear voices

The owner of the footsteps is the mother of the princess intended to marry the first son of the Lord of this manor. She walks in the direction where the little maid had ran, purposely following her to question why she ran. However she lost sight of her visage as she's too short, thus she was able to hide behind one of the pillars she presumes. She stops and stares at the surroundings in hopes she will be able to spot the child maid. While looking a maid approaches the group and tells her that the masters of the manor have been awaiting her arrival and are happily awaiting her. She sighs and nods her head then turns lifting her skirt to head for the greeting hall with the maid guiding her the whole way. Unbeknownst to her, the person she was looking for was hiding behind a pillar that was two pillars away. The little girl peeks out her head, when seeing no one she let's out a breath of relief. Almost falling over but catching herself. Looking at her bucket she goes to pick it up

Back at the hallway two maids return to it only to see a clean but empty hallway. They look around in shock then begin to panic when they get no response from the owner of the name they called. They quickly rushed down the hall as they bickered about who is responsible for the missing child. After checking the whole manor but saw no sign of the child, they to head maid. Luckily she's in the kitchen checking on the lunch being prepared or the masters and guests. Just seconds after the tree leave the kitchen, the missing child enters the kitchen with busy cooks. Standing the door with a hand rubbing her stomachqstaring at the cooks going back and forth, the grown woman in a child's body couldn't bring herself to beg. One of the younger cooks, seemed to be in their early teens, stops what he is doing and waves his hand with a smile, beckoning her over. The child hurried over

Once there the boy offers her a dumpling, she nods and happily bites into it after taking it from her, however the child opens her mouth waving her hands as if to indicate that it's spicy, the boy picks up a water kettle before pouring water into a small cup then handing it to her. Still feeling the burn, she grabs the kettle pot with water in from the boy's hands and gulps down all the liquid within the kettle pot. The boy chuckles but the younger child glares at him, he stops laughing then begins apologizing. Somehow the little girl understands his intentions and only glares at the older boy. He smile than grabs another fumbling from the bowl and gands it to her but the girl doesn't take it. Only eyeing it with suspicion. He nods in understanding then takes a bite from the dumpling to show her that it's not spicy and okay to eat. He hands her the dumpling again, this tims she takes it. In the corner of the busy kitchen, two children are quietly and happily in silence though they may not have been able to speak to each other they were able to bond over a few fresh and warm dumplings

Soon the girl was spotted by one of the other cooks and called over due to her attire. She was sent to deliver the cutlery and set it before the food is to be served. Nodding her head she takes the utensils and rushes along, at the dining area luckily she Mets a few maids. They help her set up the tables unwillingly, they don't like her. The girl is viewed as being dotted on upon arrive and using her unique features to court the eldest son of the Lord. The girl had just arrived and the maids were already spreading rumours about her. Afterwards the masters and guests entered, so the smaids quickly retreated to the back. So did our little chuckles. However her smallness and skin stuck out like a sore thumb and the lady from earlier who had been looking for her in the hallway approach her. She spoke to her but the Lord came forward to explain the situation to her, "Forgive her, she does not speak the language or understand it. However if you truly wish to communicate with her, my Butler can be the translator for you." The last sentence was said with a lot of pride, as if bragging