With only Kaylee and Yema serving me I didn't want to overwhelm them with too much work. from bringing me meals, bathing me, helping me prepare for the day and for bed, to cleaning the house, they were already doing a lot.
It made me regret having sent away so many servants because of the increased workload Kaylee and Yema had but the idea of having people that secretly wished to kill me was really unnerving. Especially, my former headmaid Reeka who I felt resented me the most.
So far Kaylee was always the most enthusiastic to work. Whenever they came to me to bring me my meals or to help me bathe etc She always had a wide smile on her face. You couldn't help but smile when she smiled. Kaylee on the other hand whilst she did all her duties still seemed as cold and as distant as when the first day I saw her.
Regardless, I really didn't demand too much from them. I spent most of my time resting. I wanted to rest up as much as I could since I hardly got to rest in my previous life. Though I was in a new body that wasn't physically exhausted my mind was still the same and even more exhausted now as I was also sifting through Ayans' memories.
When I woke up from my naps I would explore skills I discovered Ayan had. From Ayans memories I saw there were many skills she possessed and because I was in her body I too knew how to do those things. She knew things like needlework, how to do a particular traditional dance, calligraphy of the language that was spoken in the Empire. I experimented with the skills for myself to pass the time and keep from being bored.
Despite my concern for over working them, the two were surprisingly efficient. Often finishing their work quite quickly, then not having much to do until dinner and preparing me for bed.
It was a few days later that Kaylee came to me after they had finished their work early in the afternoon. "My lady you should continue to look after your appearance. Let me me help you with your beauty treatments." Kaylee asked sweetly.
"There's no need, I won't be seeing the lord for a while and I'm confined to this house anyway." I told her as I was busy doing some calligraphy at a small table. I was so fascinated by the shape of the symbols of the writing style of the ancient language spoken in the Empire. It resembled the writing of my time in the future my country but it was more sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing.
"But even so you must stay ready to impress the Lord." Kaylee argued with eyes were wide and her lips pouting. "There's always a chance he could ask for you after your monthly confinement."
I burst out in laughter. I saw from the memories Ayan used to get a lot of treatments done in order to look pretty for the General.
I looked at Kaylee who's eyes only seemed to be getting bigger and her lips pouting even more. Was she bored? I thought she would have wanted to rest. She seemed enthusiastic about it so I decided to go along with it.
"Alright go ahead."
"Yes!" She excitedly said. She immediately got some beauty products, all kinds of fruity smelling mixtures in bowls that I recognized to be masks. She prepared the area for the treatment and had me lie down. She began to wash my hair and massaged it gently. It truly was relaxing. I looked at Kaylee and she had a satisfied look on her face as if she was enjoying doing this. Then something I wanted to ask her came to mind.
"Why did you and your sister decide to stay and serve me?"
"Well my sister and I only recently started working here, just last week." She explained as she continued to softly massage me.
" Is that so?" I asked her. Now it made sense they hadn't experienced Ayans bullying as much as the other servants had so that's why they didn't resent her so much.
"Forgive me for saying this but many of the servants said you were scary and mean and they're always gossiping about you but I didn't really know what to think yet."
" It's fine." I told her." But didn't the rumors make you want to quit?"
" The rumors did throw us off a bit, but my grandfather always said never form an opinion on something based on what someone else has said experience it for yourself and then form your own opinion."
"Ah, what a kind and level headed person your grandfather is."
"Yes, he was." Kaytee responded as she stopped massaging momentarily. I took note of how she said 'was' not 'is'.
"When we first started working for you a week ago you did seem scary and yelled a lot, but then a few days ago when you asked us to either stay or leave. In that moment you seemed like a different person. even though I didn't know you very well you seemed like a kind, genuine person. So I thought if my sister and I stayed things would be different. And I turned out to be right."
I stared at Kaylee stunned by what she said about me. She was talking about me, Merinda, not Ayan." You think I'm a kind person?"
" Yes, I do think so, my lady." She sounded so sincere.
" I'm glad you don't regret staying, but are you sure your sister wanted to stay? She doesn't seem to be interested to be here."
Of the two of them she seemed the most aloof and perhaps distant. She always had a serious expression.
"Ah, I apologize for her rude demeanor, she's not very good at expressing herself, but I assure you she's really a nice person on the inside. And she likes you my lady."
I found that hard to believe. Every time she looked at me it was like I'd murdered her entire family or something.
"It's just ever since our grandfather, who was our only relative left, died a few years ago it's been hard. It's been hard for us Maybe it's because she's older and feels more responsible but she often we decided to always stick together. Sorry got a little carried away then.
"You don't have to bore our lady with such a story." Yema then came in suddenly she had terrifying look on her face.
"Not at all." I told her smiling.
"Yema you're scaring our lady, smile more"She chided her. "I'm sorry my lady that's how she looks when she's embarrassed...." Kaylee explained to me.
That was her embarrassed face? I thought she looked like she'd killed a man or two with that look.
"Try and smile more," She told Yema.
" You're scaring her even more now."
I found myself laughing hysterically at the two of them. Looks like I'd gotten myself a pair of interesting maids.
For the rest of the afternoon the two helped me with my skincare and beauty treatment. We talked about various topics as I learned more about them. Well it was mostly Kaylee doing the talking. It almost felt like... I had friends.
In my previous life I didn't really have friends. I was so busy working multiple jobs since highschool I never had time to hang out with anyone else. I always wondered what it was like to be in a relaxed state and hang out with someone.
The next morning after I was done getting ready for the day and waited for breakfast, it noticed it was taking longer than usual for it to be served. Yema and Kaylee then suddenly burst into the room. "My lady we have a problem!" Kaylee said frightened.
"What's wrong?" I asked her concerned she seemed visibly shaken. I looked at the tray which Yema held.
"It's about your breakfast." Kaylee continued.
Yema then came and placed the tray on the table in the room. I came closer as she proceeded to remove the cover of tray that protected the food.
I was about to ask what the problem with the food was when I saw for myself once the cover was removed. Shriveled rotten vegetables in one bowl, a selection of meats that were a suspicious grey colour, even the soup didn't look right. I reached for the bread and it felt hard as a brick.