Today is the day. The day the gods will send heroes to this world. The high priestess has already told everyone of her visions from the gods. These heroes will be sent by the gods in order to save the kingdom.

I’m Eliza, one of many maids in the castle. Apparently, I will be assigned to be the personal maid of one of these heroes.

And frankly, this worries me. I’m not good with people, or more specifically, interacting with people. All my life I’ve been told that I’m emotionless, that my face is like a block of ice. Even when I truly feel something, from the depths of my heart, it’s never been seen by anyone else.

That’s why I’m content with my position. In fact, it’s perfect for me. The ideal maid should act as if they don’t exist. All they have to do is clean. I couldn’t wish for a position more suited to me. I’ll never have to confront anyone or talk at all.

Until now, that is. As a personal maid, I’ll certainly be in constant contact with whoever I’m told to serve. I can only hope that it’s a girl. I’m not averse to guys or anything, I’m just aware of my own looks. It may sound slightly conceited, but I am beautiful. On the rare jobs that I have to travel into town for, I’m usually hit on by no less than 5 guys.

… Actually, now that I think about it, I’ve been hit on by girls before too, so maybe I don’t want it to be a girl?

This would be so much simpler if I just didn’t have to do it. Unfortunately, these are orders, and as a maid, I must follow them.

I’ll just have to verify my new master’s character as soon as possible.

As I was thinking, a group of obviously foreign people were guided into the castle personally by the king and his daughter. It was a show of our goodwill to the heroes that the king and princess would personally escort them, and by foot no less.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I looked over the genders of the heroes. There were about equal amounts of boys and girls. So I have a good chance of being under a woman. I could only hope.

I silently waited for my orders.

……

Damnit!

I knew I wouldn’t be lucky enough to be subordinate to a girl. Not only did I miss out on that, but I’m also going to be working for the most important hero of the group. This is way too much pressure!

I inwardly groan as I reached the door of the hero I was to serve. I shivered at the thought of that. Each of the maids was thoroughly warned to not offend the heroes in any way whatsoever. We were also told that no matter the order, we would have to follow, including any sexual orders.

I released a shaky breath and hoped that my new master is a good person. I don’t know what I’d do if he had a bad attitude.

Finally, I reached up and knocked on the door.

“May I enter?”

My hopes of him already being asleep were dashed as I heard movement on the other side of the door. Oddly enough, though, I didn’t get a reply for a good thirty seconds.

I asked once again.

“Sir?”

“Oh-um, yes.”

He finally replied. I steeled my heart and opened the door.

From his reply at the door, I expected someone timid, but he doesn’t look it. Instead, he has this stupidly happy grin on his face.

“Hi there, I’m Mason, and you are?”

It kind of annoyed me how easily he was ready to engage in conversation with a stranger, and how comfortable he looked while doing it.

“My name is Eliza, your maid.”

He didn’t seem all that uncomfortable or surprised. In fact, all I can see in his face is contentedness. Weird.

“I see.”

He then patted a spot next to him on the bed.

“Well, we might as well get to know each other.”

I saw where he patted, and what he said, and immediately thought this was a good chance. I can get a better judge of character by noting his reaction to certain things. Getting my thoughts together, and preparing my heart for his response, I replied, in a voice that sounded slightly joking to me, but probably emotionless to him.

“... The maids here don’t offer that kind of service.”

I could feel the pressure flying off of me as he laughed. It was a happy, joyous, sound, one I wasn’t against hearing more of.

It’s good, a laugh means he had never even considered the possibility of ordering such a thing, and can only see it as a joke. I sat down with him on the bed, more assured of my master’s good nature now.

As we started up a conversation, that was mostly him asking me questions and me answering them, I noticed that he seemed slightly uncomfortable.

No, not uncomfortable, more like frantic. I’m not sure why, but he was trying really hard to have this conversation. He also seemed to be trying to make me more comfortable.

Could he have noticed I was uncomfortable with my new position?

No… That’s impossible, even people who have known me for years can’t decipher my moods. There’s simply no way he could.

Before I knew it, he was divulging surprisingly personal information to me. His love life? Not exactly something you talk about the first time you meet someone.

As I felt more and more comfortable in his presence, I asked him who it was that he loved.

I wasn’t even slightly surprised that he didn’t tell me. After I jokingly gave a few suggestions, he actually gave me a hint.

“It’s the only person I’ve had a real conversation with since coming to this world.”

Wow. To think he would give me an actual hint after just this short time. From that, I jokingly suggested the other hero, Jason. I was kind of shocked at myself, to so quickly be making genuine jokes with someone. However, just as I thought that I could start to fully enjoy having this conversation with him, he spoke again.

“Well, I enjoyed having this conversation with you, Eliza. I really should get some sleep though. Of course, you’re welcome to join me if you want.”

He funnily wiggled his eyebrows, but it was clear that it was a joke. As I walked to the door, I finally realized what he said. He had enjoyed having this ‘conversation’ with me.

I stopped in contemplation just outside his door. To think he would confess to me the first time we met, albeit in a roundabout way.

He really destroyed my hopes.

To confess to a person you just met, someone you don’t even know. I didn’t think he would be such a shallow person.

I withheld on my judgement for a few moments, enough to say one more thing.

“I also enjoyed having this real conversation with you… Mason.”

It wasn’t a lie, either. I truly did have a good time talking with him. It’s something I don’t get to enjoy often. Conversations are usually hindered by my terrible social skills, or my lack of emotion.

That only made me more disappointed when Mason didn’t try to correct any possible understanding I had.

So it’s true. He ‘loves’ me.

Ridiculous, as if such a shallow love could be true. He doesn’t even know me.

And to think, if he just hadn’t been said anything, I might’ve actually considered him as a potential partner in the future.

I won’t lie to myself, he’s a handsome man, with a certain air of maturity and wisdom around him. More importantly, I enjoyed being in his presence, and talking to him.

However, to think that a man lauded as a ‘sage’ could be so foolish as to believe in love at first sight.

I sighed, and retired to the maids’ quarters.

I would just ignore his so-called ‘love’ for now, until he realizes that he was wrong to make such a hasty decision about his love life.

……

I’m currently doing my job, cleaning up parts of the castle.

This morning, I had another conversation with Mason. He seems to be totally unfazed by my knowledge of his supposed ‘love’

Not only that, he’s also happy. Too happy. Stupidly happy.

It really gets to me sometimes, as I’m cleaning up. Just thinking of his stupidly content smile as he gazed at nothing.

Why is he that happy!? And why can’t I be that happy for no reason?

I started to dust off a vase more aggressively as I thought of my master. For some reason, him and his stupid smile are all I can think about.

I shuddered at the thought of me harboring feelings so quickly for someone else. It just isn’t possible for me to develop feelings at such a speed. Moreover, for such a stupidly shallow guy.

As I finished this vase and continued to the next one, I heard voices near the end of the hall.

Approaching, I could see Mason talking to the princess. He was looking at her sternly, and scolding her.

Wow, to think he would do such a thing. The princess is immensely treasured by the kingdom, considering she’s the only next generation royalty, and that the king is now impotent.

After seeing the princess run off in a manner unbefitting a princess, I approached Mason.

“That definitely looked like a mean thing you just did.”

I teased him a little bit. I don’t know why, but I always get like this as soon as I talk to him.

“If someone saw you almost make the princess cry, they’d definitely try to execute you.”

This time I wasn’t teasing him, it’s true.

“Really? I didn’t know that stuff happened with royalty here. Especially since I’m an honored guest and all.”

“Oh no, not because there are laws or anything. It’s just that everyone loves the princess that much.”

“I see, that’s a good thing, though. It would be bad if the royalty wasn’t loved. What about you? Are you gonna try to execute me?”

What a stupid question. If I haven’t done so already, I clearly won’t. Though, I do occasionally get oddly angry when I think of his face.

“No, I realize that you did it for her sake, even if it was a bit indelicate.”

“Haha, was I that obvious?”

Ugh. He’s started smiling again for no reason, it’s almost starting to creep me out.

“Stop smiling at nothing, it’s creeping me out.”

“Hahaha, I can’t help it if I’m happy, okay?”

See? It’s that again. How are you happy all the time. I’ve never seen you not smiling!

“Aren’t you too happy? I swear every time I see you, you’re smiling.”

“Yep, cause everytime I see you, I smile.”

I hate it! Using such sweet lines. If I didn’t already know that you were a shallow character, I might have actually fallen for you.

“You’re doing it again, there’s no reason to be so happy.”

“Haven’t I told you already? There’s a reason right in front of me.”

I can’t help it if my face heats up just a little, okay? A handsome man saying that to you will do it. I will not fall for him! He doesn’t even know me!

“Haaaaa~, it’s so refreshing to see you act shy.”

I froze. My heart skipped a beat.

To see me acting shy? He said it with such a stupid grin, too.

To think this type of person is the only one who sees how I’m feeling. I can’t believe someone this stupidly content with life, someone who I just met, is someone who can tell my emotions.

It almost makes my past troubles seem like a joke.

I still remember it even now. Never having any friends as a child. Being left out because when we played adventurers I couldn’t laugh like a demon king, or because I couldn’t shout with passion like a hero.

That was just the start. It just kept piling on me after that. Even people who I thought were friends ended up leaving me because I ‘don’t care enough’ about them. It’s not that I don’t care! It just doesn’t show!

After I got a reputation for being emotionless, it was truly hopeless.

Instead, I just coped with it. Who cares if I don’t have friends? I don’t like human interaction anyways. And it’s true to some degree.

So, why?

Why does being recognized like this so easily, in a way that seems as if my past troubles were just stupid, feel so, so good.

As Mason continued our small talk, I felt a pressure that I never knew was there lift off me.

That stupid smile of his.

I wonder if I can show others a face like that myself?