Mia’s eyes shot open, sitting up in the bed she glanced around the room. Fluffy bed and a dresser in a small, dimly lit room. She gave a side long glance to the door by the dresser, which lead into the hero’s room.

“Wasn’t a dream…”

She pulled herself out of the bed, fluffing her tail she idly was at a loss with what to do. She expected that someone would have woken her up by now, fully expecting it to be the hero that was weirdly obsessed with her. But instead, no one did and with the room lacking windows she had no clue what time it was.

Her gaze fell back onto the hero’s door, trying to remember if there was a window inside but gave up on the idea. Not wanting to disturb him and incur his ire for waking him up. She’d just had to settle that it was early. Mia pulled the hems of her nightgown and glanced at the dresser, assuming she might as well get dressed.

Letting go of her tail she had been idly fluffing, she trotted over to the dresser and looked inside. Finding all the attire purchased the day prior. For the most part picked out by the hero and paid for by the princess. The only dresses being nightgowns, the rest being shirts and pants of varying color. The lack of fluffy maid outfits was comforting.

Mia pulled off her nightgown and got dressed, then waited on top of the bed. She’d assume someone would eventually come to get her and having a bit of quite time to gather her thoughts would do her some good. First up was her schedule, breakfast then training was all she was given. How long either last she did not know, but was looking forward to the training.

Getting beat up aside, hitting someone back was something she was looking forward to. She found that odd, especially since she hadn’t managed to hit him yet… it gave her complicated feelings. What was even worse was she found herself looking forward to fighting more than eating good food. Was it because she thought food was more secure now? Or was it because she was learning a way to protect herself?

She shook her head, growing a bit disappointed in herself for being foolish. She shouldn’t get too used to this lifestyle where she thinks food is secure, who knows what the princess might do. Remembering the events of last night, and how she managed to secure her bed at the cost of appealing to the hero… while it did bring a smile to her face, she did fear what the princess might do for revenge.

“Stupid.” She abolished herself, thinking she should have just accepted the loss of the bed, she might not have even taken it and was just toying with her. Now she might be getting a harsher punishment… but the bed was fluffy…

She once again shook her head, speaking of the princess… she’d have to tell her what the hero had told her, or at least enough to satisfy her. Assuming everything the hero had told her was true… most of it would already be known to the princess from what she had heard, so nothing compromising. She didn’t know if she should feel relieved or concerned about that. Her face contorted into a frown, too many complicated feelings.

While lost trying to understand these feelings, there was a knock on the door immediately followed by the door swinging open. Startled by this sudden intrusion, Mia leaped off the bed with her tail and ears standing straight up. On full alert she looked to see who entered, her eyes landing on a human maid with long blonde hair pulled up in a bun and their blue eyes inspecting her.

The maid said nothing as she looked over Mia before turning and closing the door. With the door closed she sighed “So the rumors were true…” She mumbled, turning to face the alert Mia she walked up to the girl, towering over her “So the hero got himself a pet, and the princess decided to place it in my room.”

Mia slowly looked up to the girl, remembering how they said who this room was originally for she shivered, the memories of the bullying she received from maids in her past… her train of thought interrupted as she felt the maids hand lay on her head, startling her further.

“This was my room, I was supposed to be next to the hero, and instead this…this…”

Mia’s eyes widened, she felt more force being applied to her head. The maid was looking down, past her and towards the ground, she had her other hand balled in a shaking fist as she held Mia in place.

“And what of me? Being the laughing stalk replaced by a beastman…a beastman…a…”

Mia braced herself, she had been expecting some form of bullying but getting physical right off the bat? It surprised her, usually a maid wouldn’t dare injure a favored slave directly like this but, she was the princess’s possession… she felt the hand on top of her head move, grabbing one of her ears. A shiver ran down Mia’s spine, confused, she tilted her head to get a better view of the maid’s face only to become more confused.

The maid didn’t appear to be angry, despite how she sounded. Instead, she was smiling.

“An absolute fluffy and cute beastman!” the girl brought both her other hand, previously held in a fist, to the confused and startled Mia’s other ear, and began petting her.

Stunned by the sudden turn of events, Mia could only stand there and be petted. “W-what?” she let out in a confused stammer.

The maid paused her aggressive petting, looking down at Mia. Her expression when lax, forming a goofy smile before pulling the girl up into a hug “Ooooooh I just love this fluffy-ness! The ears, the tail!” The maid held Mia away from her, a wide smile on her face “My name is Ashley, what is yours?”

Mia hung there, suspended in air held in place by this strange maid. The hair on her ears messed up and standing at attention, along with her tail. Helpless, she could only reply “…Mia…” Then she was pulled in for another hug.

“Mia, Mia, Mia! Oh what a lovely name! And your expressionless face! It is so adorable! Combined with these fox ears… oh I might die!” She swung Mia around, only to suddenly stop and plop Mia on the ground, her back facing towards her “And this tail…the fluffiness is a crime…” She reached her hand towards it.

Mia, who regained her senses after sensing the impending danger to her life, curled her tail around her waist and dashed away from the maid. Putting her back towards the wall she glared at her “No, no touching my tail.” She said sternly

The maid stared at her, her arm still held in place above where Mia’s tail used to be. Her smile growing wider “Oh. My. god. That is adorable…” The girl spoke, slowly creeping over to Mia before suddenly stopping, standing up straight, and facing the door “You may enter.”

Another maid entered the room holding a covered dish in her hands. She gave a light bow towards Ashley before noticing Mia. Her expression turned sour “He really got a beast…” She then scoffed, placing the dish on top of the dresser she uncovered it, revealing the contents and releasing the smell.

Her eyes locked onto it, Mia saw what she assumed to be her breakfast. Bacon, bread, and some type of soup with a fancy garnish. The maid, seeing her interest, smirked, grabbing the small bowl that held the soup “Oh dear, the chief appeared to make a mistake.” She announced, taking the soup with her as she started heading towards the door “I apologize but I must take this back to him.” She then gave a light bow and attempted to leave the room.

Mia’s ears dropped, watching part of her breakfast vanish. Personally she was happy it wasn’t the bacon but… she’d have to accept it.

“Halt.”

The maid froze, turning back “…Yes Ashley?”

Ashley approached the maid, standing side by side, Ashley towered over the girl. Ashley herself standing at 5’11. “I will cut to the chase, while we are all disappointed with current events, doing something petty like this is unbecoming. Be honest, there is nothing wrong with the soup.”

The maid stared at her for what seemed like a full minute, not answering and just staring at her in disbelief “…What do you mean…Can’t you tell just by looking?”

Ashley nodded “Yes, that soup is not suited for someone like her, I will bring it up to the chief later and adjust her meals to the best of my capabilities, for now, however, we must grin and bear it least the hero find out.”

The Maid squinted, moving her head and glancing at Mia behind her then nodding towards Ashley “Right? Then I’ll leave you to it. “She giggled “Get her back for taking your room.” She then handed the soup to Ashley “Maybe suggest dishwater, that would be more fitting.” She then gave another bow and left, closing the door behind her.

Mia frowned, guessing her meals would start to get worse when she noticed Ashley was shaking. She watched as Ashely unsteadily walked towards the dresser, placing the bowl back next to the bread and then gripped the sides of the dresser “Dishwater… dishwater…” She heard her mumble.

Great, so she took that idea… Her meals were about to get a lot worse, or so she thought…

“Dishwater?!” Ashley yelled, lifting the dresser while somehow managing to keep the dish balanced on top. The sudden action causing Mia to hug the wall “If you like dishwater then why don’t you wash dishes for all eternity!” She yelled, raising the dresser high into the air while Mia watched, for the first time in awhile afraid for her life.

But more importantly, as she watched the scene, she was afraid for her breakfast. Her breakfast that magically seemed to stay on top of the dresser, despite being swung around in the air.