Ellen let out a sigh. The job would be finished as soon she had tightened those last bolts. She should be happy, but no. It was only depressing that the job soon would be done since it meant that she would need to be in the same household as that fat bowling ball Mr Halluv. “How is it going missy?” Chris had been talking with the fat blob and given the rapport of how the work was going. “ If there ain’t more to fix than we said last time. So are the job finished when I have tightened these bolts.” “That’s perfect missy. You have done a great job.” Chris clapped her on the back. If she now really had done a great job, then maybe there was a chance that he would ask her to help him again. The thought made her feel a little better about it all, but she couldn’t deny that it would be a pain to be in the mansion the rest of the time. “The owner wants to see us after we have tried it.” Chris pointed out just as Ellen was finishing it. It had taken on Ellen's nerves when they tested the machine. A strange noise could be heard, but it seemed like she was the only one that had found it strange. All they that worked with the machine regular called it normal. If they found it normal, then it was no surprise that they needed to change quite some cogs. After collecting all their tools and stuff they walked to the chief's office. “Ellen, please put up your best behaviour while we are talking with the chief.” Chris pointed it out when they stood before the office. He didn’t seem to think that Ellen knows she need to do that without him telling her. But it was just like Alice seemed to have thought before Ellen talked and ensured their place at the mansion. So long it was about survival so was she ready to put up a facade. He knocked at the door, waiting for an answer before he walked in while Ellen followed him. To her surprise she noticed Mr Halluv behind the desk together with THAT maid, that was serving him some tea at the moment. “So you was one of the repairmen Ellen?” It hadn’t taken him long to notice her, even though she had been standing partly behind Chris. The bowling ball had good eyes, it could be good to remember to later on. Ellen curtsey, “Yes I am mister Halluv. I was offered the chance to help Mr Hornhold.” She didn’t like that it was him that was the chief. It could have been anyone else in the world but him. Especially if that jerk off still was pissed by the conflict between him and Alice two days earlier. That could be a receipt for disasters. After a short moments silence Mr Halluv let out a sigh. “I believe you wish to get paid Mr Hornhold. But I would like a discount because you have taken help from a maid from my mansion. And since you have done a good job and finished it faster than expected, I would like to make a contract so I contact you every time we need to repair a machine. Of course for a slightly lower price.” He wanted a discount because she was a maid of his mansion? Was that fat old geezer really that dumb or was it only really good at acting that way? To Ellen's surprise so was Chris gladly accepted his offered contract. Wasn’t that geezer the only dumb one? Chris couldn’t be this dumb, right? Or didn’t he have any other choice, if that was the case. Was it because of her involvement? Chris asked Ellen for help when they should make a calculation for the price. He thought it was better if they were two that could think through what could be a hindrance when a machine needed to be repaired. Ellen didn’t feel like helping with it since the fat bowling ball had abused the fact that she lived in the mansion, but since it was Chris that asked her for help she decided to help anyway. But not without pulling a couple of small lies within their calculation. Adding a little more time than it took and a couple more cogs than really were necessary. If Halluv wishes to play dirty, so could she. Not to mention that he deserved it, without any hesitation. At last Chris and Mr, Marco, Halluv signed the contract that they had designed. The bowling ball smirked happily for himself when they walked out of the room. She was sure that she even could hear him break out in a love song when they had closed the door behind them. That geezer would really need to learn a thing or two about thinking on others than himself. With or without a serval beating. “You really do need to do some training missy.” They had just come back to Chris's shop and Ellen was exhausted after carrying most of the tools. Chris had resonated it all with that she needed to train anyway, and if she could take most of the tools it wasn’t half as bad as he had thought. It had most probably only been that he tried to provoke her, and like the idiot she was she swallowed the provoking. “I think you might have a point.” But the question was only about when she when and how she would train. Some jogging could be good, but it could be hard to get out during her working pass. And it was probably not safe for her to go out during the evening. The morning could be a good time, but that would mean that she needed to get up earlier than before. Which really didn’t speak well with her. “If you have caught your breath, how about take one or two glasses of wine to celebrate that the job is finished.” He had put away all the tools while she had been thinking. It couldn’t be a problem if they took a glass or two, right? They had after all finished the job and it was still quite some time until she would go back to the mansion the bowling ball haunted. And if she was lucky she could yet the chance to ask Chris how much he lost in the deal because of her. If she only knew that she could somehow make up for it, hopefully. According to Ellen so should they be done with the work this day, finally. Alice was for the moment alone with both Sain and Mr Halluv's maid, Mair, in the kitchen. They had just finished their breakfast and Mair was preparing another breakfast for the old stupid man. She told Sain to show Alice how they should clean and so on. Little did she know that Sain already had shown her, but it didn’t really matter as long Mair just kept quiet afterwards. Of course she couldn’t, “Alice, I do wish to talk with you after I have given master Halluv his breakfast.” If it was more about the conflict between her and Halluv, so was it unnecessary. She had already got a mouthful of that, and that was enough. She couldn’t see that she did something wrong by protecting Taija. That man did deserve that treatment, end of story. She was more worried about Taija for the moment. She hadn’t come out of her room since the conflict. It was so Sain had been requested to go up with some food to Taija, only to notice that the door was locked. So Mair had been forced to unlock Taija's door so they could get in to leave the food. In the end she had also tried to have a serious talk with her, but had been sent out right away. And where was Mr Halluv during the time his daughter could have needed him, in his room without any care of her. Of course. That man had to be a failure as a father. Sain and Alice were almost done with washing the dishes when Mair came down again, telling Alice to follow her.

They had walked to a different room when Mair turned around and gave her a mean glare.

“Do you know why I wish to talk more with you?”

“Most probably because I was in the conflict with mister Halluv two days ago.” She still didn’t regret to stand up for Taija. She still didn’t regret yelling at him.

“To start with, It’s master Halluv since you work here as a maid. And second, it’s not what I wish to talk about.”

“If you ever get caught in a conflict between Master Halluv and the young mistress again. Don’t interfere. And if you really wish to take care of the young mistress, so can you take care of her afterwards. Otherwise you will just make her worried and she will lock herself up like now.”

Did she actually give Alicen some advice for how she would support Taija?

It was surprising that she even cared, after ignoring the problem for more or less a day. But if it was her advice so was it worth to give it a try.

“I understand.” Mair had probably more knowledge then Alice about this.

Mair ended it all by telling Alice that the conflicts between Mr Halluv and Taija probably never would end before Taija got a home of her own. So it could be best if Alice knew what she would do during those kinds of events.

Alice walked into the living room there Sain already had started to clean.

“How did it go Alice?”

Her ears perked straight up upon her own question, she did really seem to be curious about what had been said. Not that she really could blame the fox.

After a short explanation that it only had been about giving Alice some advice for how she should support Taija better. Sain looked her with “was that all” written all over her face.

There were times when Alice wish she could take revenge at Sain, and now was one of those times.

It was great that it only was that Mair wished to give her some advice. If it had been more punishment, Alice would have considered leaving the mansion. Which meant that Sain would have been forced to handle all the chords and Mair on her own.

After a light sigh so did Alice start to clean.

There was no need to think about it all, the only thing that mattered was that it hasn’t been anything serious.

Of course it was also important that they still lived in the mansion. Otherwise all Ellen's effort would be in vain, and that also involved her tries to keep Alice away from the streets.

Her beloved sister knew that Alice would have got a problem to survive on the street, and therefore had fought with all her might to avoid it. Ellen was truly a wonderful sister.

While cleaning Alice noticed that Halluv had sneaked out if his room, in where he could have stayed until he knew how to treat Taija better.

“Good morning master Halluv.”

He glared angrily at her upon her greeting and curtsy to him.

He could glare all he wanted, she can have been considered doing wrong when she stood up for Taija. But now she really didn’t do anything wrong, she only did what was expected from her as a maid of the household. So no matter how irritated he could be, there wasn’t any reason for him to punish her.

“Mair, we are leaving!”

He was on his way toward the door as he screamed for her. Just like the good maid Mair was she rapidly answered his summoning. Also did both Alice and Sain, to wish them both a great day and a safe trip.

To be honest, Alice honestly only wishes Mair a safe trip. She almost hoped that Mr Halluv would be involved in some light problem, only so he could start to understand how wrong he was treating his own daughter. And by light, it was just something that maybe could give him a brushy or two without putting his health into danger.

Only after Halluv and Mair had left, Alice noticed how negative her thoughts toward Mr Halluv had been. She had never been this spitefully toward anyone earlier, not even those that really would have deserved it.

Was it all because of Taija? That most of the times turned out to be a pain.

Speaking of the devil, Alice noticed that Taija timidly looked into the room like a frightened animal.

“Have father left?”

Was she really that scared of her own father? That wasn’t how a family should be.

“They have left and won’t come back until after dinner.”

Sain quickly answered and followed up with a question about if Taija wished to have some breakfast, of which she wanted and Sain left to make some for her.

As soon Sain had left the room Taija gave Alice a hug, “I am so glad to have you by my side.”

She was very grateful that Alice had been standing up for her against her father, but she needed to be more careful so she didn’t get thrown out if the mansion.

He had after all the power to do it, no matter what anyone else said. Not even Taija herself could stand up against him.

“Are you feeling well? You have after all been locked up in your room for more than a day.”

Taija hugged her tighter, “I am just fine, and it is even better now that I know you still are by my side.”

Alice felt relieved that Taija was fine, but did she really need to hug Alice this tight?

Taija left as usually after she had eaten the breakfast.

Whatever she was doing, it seemed like it was nothing she thought about giving up.

Alice couldn’t help but thinking why she couldn’t get along with her father, neither why the old man had the last word. Wouldn’t it be better if they kept respect toward each other and made the rules together as one?

Just like an ordinary family, or at least an ordinary family in the other world.

Sure it was a big difference between the old world and this world. But it sure could have helped a lot of families. Or at least she wanted to think it would.

After some cleaning and even more thinking Alice was sent to the marketplace to buy the food for dinner.

Alice let out a bothered sigh after buying everything she needed.

It was a pain to get back to the mansion. If she could have avoided it, she would have done it. But as it was now, she had no other choices than to return there.

Even if Taija could be a bother there, so wasn’t she the reason that Alice didn’t want to return. The problem was that Mr Halluv was there.

It would never have got this uncomfortable if Jack hadn’t been doing what he did.

Then they could probably still have been living in their old house, still happy.

Not to mention that Ellen also could have been happier. So much happier together with the man she does love, even though she wants to deny it. She could deny it as much she wanted to, but Alice knows her sister far to well to fall for that lie. Not to mention that Ellen time to time was sleep talking and said his name.

Why did father have to act like that, it would have been so much better if he didn’t.

With another sigh she began her way back to the mansion.

She couldn’t drag out the time more than necessary. The dinner still had to be done and Sain had said that she would help with it.

All so Sain could get some advice and tips about how to make more delicious dinner. Not that the food she made tasted bad, but she had claimed herself defeated by Alice's cooking.

“The food smells great.”

Taija had only come back to the mansion when she started to praise then for the food. She had first been on her way to praise Alice for the food, but had changed her mind when she noticed that Sain did also help with the cooking.

She was quite that opposite to Ellen that first commented the smell when she noticed that Sain was helping. She would probably have commented it more, if she only had been more honest. But it was probably nothing none of them would see anything of in the closest future.

Almost everything indicated that the dinner could have been a wonderful time together if it wasn’t for the fact that Ellen had “bothered” written all over her face.

She might have tried to hide it, but just like when it came to her love for father it was pointless for her to try to hide it from Alice.

She knows her sister from inside and out.

Alice and Ellen got a short time alone both before and after dinner. But Ellen still didn’t come out and told Alice what was bothering her. Didn’t she had enough fate in her sister to tell what was bothering her?

“Can you please make some tea for us?”

They had gathered around the table for some chatting and Taija thought it could be nice with some tea during that time. Which she wasn’t wrong about, it was always nicer to have something to drink while chatting.

They had been chatting a while when they got some “unwanted” disturbance.

Mr Halluv and Mair walked in, or rather Mair tried to lead in the old man. Alice quickly got up from her seat to help her.

She wouldn’t have been surprised if Mair's spine would have snapped while she tried to support his massive weight. The poor soul.

Alice silently cures every second of supporting Mr Halluv. If it wouldn’t be that she did care a little for Mair, so would she have left this wasted and fat man to crawl his way up to his room. If he wasn’t intoxicated enough to fall off the floor, that was.

When they had led him to his bed Mair sent Alice out of the room after a quick “thank you”.

Before leaving Alice asked her if she wanted some tea after she helped him to bed, she could also join the small talk downstairs if she wanted to.

“Did you got father into bed?”

Taija did seem to care about her father, even though they didn’t seem to get along all the time.

“Yes. Mair is still there though, but she will come down soon.” She started to boil up some new tea water for Mair. The poor soul could need it after a day with him.

“Maybe I should ask you to help me get to bed too?”

It was hard to tell in Taija was trying to make a bad joke or if she was dead serious. Just like a couple of times before it was laid up as a joke but she did sound serious.

“That would be something to see.”

Sain started to laugh at the idea.

“If the young mistress hasn’t written anything in the contract about it, there is no need for you to do it.”

Mair had arrived while they joking about it without anyone noticing her.

“How far can a contract go when it comes to taking care of someone?”

Alice had been wondering since she first had heard of personal maids, but had never taken the chance to ask.

“To start with so are the water boiling Alice.” Alice rapidly poured up the water and asked Mair what kind of tea she wanted before giving it to her.

“Then to answer your question, so isn’t I sure how far it can go. But I have heard of those that had to sexually stimulate their master's desire.”

All the girls looked surprised and disgusted at here.

If a contract could force a maid that far, then it was sick. Just sick.

“It could maybe be fun to go that far with you, little Alice.”Taija looked greedy at her until Mair distracted her.

“What have we said about you getting to close to the maids, young mistress?”

It sounded like something like that could have occurred before.

Ellen sighed as she picked up her nightclothes from the bed.

She had never thought that the day could be any worse after she left Chris's shop, but she had been wrong.

The day had been bad only by the fact that they finished the job and she now had to work at the mansion. Not to mention that the fat bowling ball had forced a discount from Chris, only because she lived at the mansion.

To make it all even worse so had Alice been nagging her the whole time, since they came to their room, about what was bothering her. And when she finally gave in to Alice and told her that Chris had to give the fat bowling ball a discount because of her, Alice had just tried to brush it off as “only that”.

It wasn’t something like “only that”, it was about economic survival. But it might be something that Alice didn’t understand.

To make it all worse Alice had also been criticizing her about that she was bothered about that, and even pointed out that Ellen was going straight down the path that Alice had been afraid of.

Upon an explanation from Alice it turned out that the little “princess” had been afraid that Ellen would get lost in work. Abandon both her and the home because of the work. And stop to care about anything other than work.

Ellen had found the whole thing so stupid so she had burst out in laughter.

At second thought it maybe hadn’t been the best idea, Alice did seem very upset when she marched out of their room. So maybe Ellen took it a little to far by bursting out in laughter, even if it was a hilarious stupid thing to be worried about.

Why couldn’t Jack had been there? He would have understood why Ellen was bothered by it.

He could have understood the importance of economic survival, it was after all something that even he had been thinking about.

Tired Ellen got changed into her nightclothes and blow out the candle, the day couldn’t be any worse now. Nothing could do it worse.

The next day the bowling ball comes down and greets everyone during breakfast, but quickly points out that he would like to talk with Ellen.

Leaving her breakfast for a while she follows him to a room, that turns out to be a workshop.

“Since you and your co-workers did a good job at the factory, I was thinking that you maybe could do a better job as a handyman than a maid.”

Sure he had a point, if she only was allowed to study about it first she probably could do a better job as a handyman than a maid.

“If you agree to that, so can you have this workshop where you both can study and work.”

The workshop was well equipped both with tools and books. So she could without both study and work without any problems.

“I am very grateful and accept you offer mister Halluv.”

She was sure that the man only tried to save a couple of gold by making her the handyman of the mansion. Not that it really mattered since she got the chance to learn more before she left that godforsaken place.

Ellen had been organised the tools in the workshop when she suddenly remembered the prototype that she kept in the room.

She hadn’t paid it much attention since she had been busy with the work since she arrived at the mansion. If she took it to the workshop, she maybe could find a better use for it then what it first was meant for.

Ellen would love to demolish the prototype since it was made to do those crystals stronger, but she felt a strange kind of proudness for her first creation.

“Would you like some tea Ellen?”

To her surprise it was Sain and not Alice that came and offered her some tea. But on second thought it couldn’t have been Alice. They still hadn’t talked with each other since their fight last night.

Sain looked around curious in the workshop while Ellen drank the tea, “So you can repair and build things inside here?”

It was like she never had seen a workshop before.

“If I have the necessary material, tools and knowledge. Yes.”

“Is it possible for you to create something that can heal someone's heart?”

Ellen starred directly at her. Was she serious or did she tried to make her feel guilty of what she said to Alice?

“I haven’t heard of anything that possible can do that, neither I have the knowledge of it.”

It was no way she would feel guilty about it, she only gave Alice her honest thoughts.

“Shouldn’t it be good to get knowledge and practical experience of it before you break it?”

Sain took the plate she had served the tea at with her and left the workshop.

Sure Ellen maybe had taken a step to far by laughing at what her sister was afraid of. But more than that she had only given Alice her honest thoughts. She hadn’t done anything wrong, it had only been that Alice didn’t understand what it all was about.