Servants were gathering in the mansion's main hall, one by one. The hall was dim. Two faintly glowing lamps on either wall and a sliver of daylight slipping through the gaps in the heavy drapes were the only sources of light.
Myra lazily stepped out of her room along with her new roommate, Emily. The door to the room next to theirs was wide open, and a young girl stood leaning against the doorframe, impatiently tapping her foot.
"Morning, Ava," Emily greeted the girl next door.
Ava looked up and smiled. "Morning, Emily," she said, then turned to Myra. "Morning, Amyra."
Myra mumbled a "Morning" in return. Ava smiled for a brief second before her expression turned into a scowl.
"CLARA! WILL YOU HURRY UP?" Ava shouted, peeking inside her dorm room.
Her roommate, Clara, hastily stepped out and locked the door, muttering a "Sorry."
Last night, Emily had given Myra a quick tour of the mansion and introduced her to the girls next door—Clara and Ava. Both were falseborn demons, though they couldn't have looked more different.
Clara was short and a bit chubby. She had curly, reddish hair that reached her shoulders, and two small, cone-shaped horns peeked out from either side of her head. Her honey-colored skin had a faint glow, making her look quite striking.
Ava, on the other hand, was tall and thin, with a caramel complexion and wavy black hair. Her horns were brownish and slightly twisted. Both girls appeared to be in their early twenties, but it was hard to tell their real ages—demons aged more slowly than humans.
"The darned butler is going to kill us if we show up late," Ava groaned as the four girls hurried toward the main hall where all the servants had to assemble.
Fortunately, the Swansons' butler hadn't arrived yet when they got there. Myra let out a relieved sigh as she glanced at the huge grandfather clock in the drawing room. There were still five minutes left until six.
Clara yawned. "It's been two years since I started working here, and I still can't get used to waking up early every day."
"I know, right?" Emily sighed, rubbing her palms on her upper arms. "Ugh... it's so cold!"
"The higher society members are so lucky. They get to sleep all they want," Ava grumbled.
"I wish I was born into a rich household," Clara muttered wistfully.
Myra stood beside her new companions, quietly listening to their complaints. She was shivering too. It was a chilly morning, and all she wanted was to crawl back under a warm blanket and sleep. But since it was her first day of work, she didn't want to risk being late or scolded by the butler.
"Good morning," said a calm voice.
Simon, the Swansons' butler, walked into the main hall, right on time.
"Good morning, Sir Simon," everyone chorused without enthusiasm.
There were a total of twenty-six servants in the Swanson household, including Simon. Fourteen were women, and the remaining twelve were men.
The butler stood in front of the workers with his hands clasped behind him. He looked at everyone carefully, before his eyes landed on Amyra. His gaze lingered on her a second longer before looking away.
"The sloping pavement near the stables has been flooded due to last night's rain," Simon announced in a firm tone. "Joanna and Kelvin, I need you both to mop and dry the area."
A middle-aged woman and a man promptly replied, "Yes, sir."
Over the next ten minutes, Simon assigned everyone their tasks for the day. Emily was posted in the kitchen. Clara was put on laundry duty, and Ava had to clean all the bedrooms before heading to the market for monthly grocery shopping with someone named Edward.
Myra waited silently, unsure of her assignment. When the butler finished, everyone dispersed — except her.
Simon turned toward the new maid.
"Miss Brooke," he said sternly.
Myra met his eyes nervously, slightly excited to hear about her first task.
"Since you are new to the Swanson household and this is your first time working for an elite family, it is my responsibility to inform you of the rules and regulations you are expected to follow," he said in a professional tone.
Simon studied her face and noticed her fidgeting.
"Listen carefully. I won't repeat myself."
Myra nodded.
"Your ears and mouth are to be kept shut while you work here. Don't go around blabbering about what happens inside these walls."
She nodded again.
"You are to mind your own business and not interfere unless instructed to."
He paused, ensuring she was paying attention.
"Never raise your voice when speaking to the elites. Never look them in the eye. Never show any expression on your face. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," she replied quietly.
"If the masters ask you to do something, you are to do it — no questions asked. Do not argue."
"Yes, sir."
"Stealing is a punishable offense. If you're caught with anything belonging to the Swansons, you will be punished and dismissed."
Amyra shifted uneasily. How long is this man going to keep lecturing me? she wondered. His stern gaze was starting to make her nervous.
"And just because you're acquainted with Master and Lady Florence doesn't mean you can speak casually with them. Remember, while you're working here, they are your employers and you are their maid. You will not receive special treatment."
Myra held back an eye roll. She wasn't expecting any special treatment anyway. All she cared about was doing her job and earning her keep.
"Every day, you are to assemble here at six, just like today. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served to the servants only after the Master and Lady have eaten. You'll get one day off each week to take care of personal matters. Master Leonard's personal study and the basement are off-limits. Any questions?"
Myra shook her head.
"Good." For the first time, the butler offered a small smile. "Your task for the next two weeks is to look after the Young Master."
Myra furrowed her brows. Young Master? Who's that now?
Simon noticed her puzzled expression.
"He'll be back home sometime this afternoon. Until then, you can assist Clara with the laundry."
Relieved, Myra nodded. "Yes, sir."
Whoever this Young Master is, she thought, I just hope he won't be a handful.