DW: Here's the next chapter, everyone. Sorry it's been a while but don't you guys hate writer's block?

Chapter 3: Dinner

That night, Shirley and Kallen helped chop the vegetables on a chopping board while Gino cooks the steaks on a pan at the stove, preparing for tonight's dinner.

"Shirley, Kallen, is the leeks and carrots done?" Gino asked.

"Done." Shirley said.

"Good, hand them over to me." Gino said. Shirley and Kallen put down their knives and hand their chopping boards to Gino. Gino takes the boards and shove the chopped vegetables with his knife into a pot of boiling hot water. He turns back to the stove.

Shirley turns to Kallen. "Kallen, do we really have to work with such revealing clothes on?" She asked as she looks down at her work attire embarrassed.

"Don't worry Shirley, you'll get used to it." Kallen chuckled. "Besides, you're doing a great job today on your first day."

"Thanks." Shirley said. "Ever since my father died, I took care of my mother by doing the washing and house cleaning for her. So that's why I'm already experienced in house cleaning before I took this job."

"Ahem, girls. Less talk, more work." Gino said, turning his head to them.

"Right, sorry." Kallen said as she and Shirley now go over to their stoves and cook the scallops and prawns.

"So Shirley, is there anything else you do besides house cleaning?" Kallen asked.

"Well…I can sing." Shirley said.

"Really?" Kallen grinned, widening her eyes. "That's awesome!"

"Yeah, I was in the broadway once. Until our cast and orchestra got disbanded." Shirley said as she adds the seasonings on the prawns. "I was also a Taekwondo athlete during my youth."

"That's great too." Kallen smiled.

"But during a match, I injured my right leg. Fortunately, I recovered but because of that fatal injury, my mother doesn't allow me to do Taekwondo again." Shirley said.

"That's sad. I'm just like you." Gino sighed, turning to Kallen and Shirley.

"How's that?" Shirley asked.

"I wanted to be a football player, wish to represent England in the World Cup one day. But that's until I broke my leg. It was bloody painful. Because of that, I dared not to play football again. I guess what I'd always taken as my dream, maybe hadn't been one after all." Gino said as he folds his arms sadly. After about a minute of awkward silence, Gino spoke up again. "By the way Kallen, you're cooking the scallops and yet the gas isn't on."

Kallen turns to her stove. She widens her eyes and drops her jaw when she realizes the stove isn't on.

"Bloody hell!" Kallen yelled. Shirley giggled in amusement.


"Tonight's dinner will be grilled sirloin steak with peppered prawns and fried scallops. And desert will be strawberry cheesecake." Suzaku said as he bowed down and pours tea into Lelouch's cup.

"Thank you, Suzaku." Lelouch said and takes the cup after Suzaku finished pouring.

"You know, sir. Don't mean to bug in but you have been working for five straight days now with few hours of sleep. Maybe you need a long rest for a while." Suzaku said.

"No thanks, Suzaku. I'm used to it." Lelouch gave a rare smile at Suzaku before taking a sip of his tea. After drinking, he puts down the cup and said, "How's our new servant doing?"

"She's doing a great job so far. The floors she mopped and the windows she wiped are sparkling clean." Suzaku said.

"What about the other servants?"

"Kallen, Gino and CC are all doing fine today."

"I see. Keep me informed of their progress." Lelouch continued his paperwork.

"Yes sir." Suzaku bows his head before leaving the room.


Gino, Kallen and Shirley placed the food on the long dining table in the dining room. The dining room was wide and huge and there are several paintings and antiques hung on the walls.

Just then, the doors open up, revealing Euphemia, Nunally and two other figures.

Kallen gasped and turns to Shirley, "Shirley, quick! Attention!"

Shirley nodded and Gino and the two maids quickly stood up straight and bow their heads in respect. "Good evening, masters and mistresses." They all said in unison.

"At ease, you two." Euphemia smiled as she rolls Nunally in.

One of the figures, who is a woman with purple hair asked Euphemia as she looks at Shirley, "So, this is the new servant Shirley, right Euphy?"

"Yes Cornelia." Euphemia nodded.

Cornelia snorted as she said irritably, "She better do a good job here. Our last servant was a disaster! He nearly destroyed the water system and flooded our mansion!"

"Now now Cornelia. I'm sure the new servant won't cause another disaster as great as that," The figure with long blonde hair laughed. He turns to Shirley and smiled, "Am I right?"

"Yes, master." Shirley bowed to them. "I promise I won't create any problems to the household."

"Very good. It's good to finally have a new servant in this household." The man smiled before he and Cornelia sit down on their seats. Euphemia rolled Nunnally over to her plate before she sits down in her own seat.

"Shirley, the woman with the purple hair is Cornelia Li Britannia, the eldest sister of the Britannia Family while the man with the blonde hair is Clovis La Britannia, the youngest brother of the Britannia Family." Gino said to Shirley quietly.

"I see." Shirley whispered.

"Gino, could you bring out a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, please?" Clovis asked.

"Yes master. Right away." Gino said before leaving the dining room.

Everyone present in the room remained silent until Lelouch finally enters the dining room and sits on his large chair that is placed at the front of the table.

"Hello everyone. Let's eat, shall we?" Lelouch said.

Clovis and Cornelia nodded as they pick up their forks and spoons. Gino then came back into the room with the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. He walks over to Clovis and pours the wine into his glass.

Euphemia grinned weakly as she pushes the hair strands away from Nunnally's face.

"Come on Nunnally, it's time to eat." Euphemia said. But Nunnally remained silent. Euphemia's smile flipped into a worried frown as she settled back in her chair. She turns to Lelouch who is sitting next to her. "Lelouch, say something to Nunnally…"

Lelouch sighed. He leans towards Nunnally and places his hands on hers. "Nunnally…" He said with a rare weak grin. Nunnally looks up and stares dully at her brother. "It's time to eat. I'm sure if mother was here, she wouldn't like it when you're gloomy during dinner time."

Nunnally finally nods her head. She turns her head to the plate in front of her and slowly picks up her fork and spoon.

"That's better." Lelouch grinned as he settled back in his chair.

"Thank you." Euphemia smiled.

Shirley watched this with her eyes wide. 'Guess the master isn't really serious all the time after all.' A smile appeared on her face and she let out a sigh.

"Kallen!"

Shirley gave a small jump, realizing she has been staring off into space for a moment and she turns to Kallen. "Yes?" Kallen asked.

"I don't want you daydreaming. I want some Chardonnay please." Cornelia said with a frown.

"Come on, go to the kitchen and get it." Gino said sternly as he gestures her to the kitchen.

"Yes mistress!" Kallen then quickly leaves the dining room.

"Lelouch, Kallen's performance as a servant has been starting to….decline. Are you sure we should still keep her?" Cornelia said as Gino walks back to Shirley.

"Come now, Cornelia. Kallen is a great servant. It will be disappointing to lose a great servant like her." Euphemia said.

"I have to agree with Euphy, Cornelia." Lelouch said. "Suzaku told me she's still doing fine in her job today."

"Speaking of jobs, Lelouch, I suggest you need some rest. You have already been working for five straight days and you rarely get any rest." Clovis said.

"Not you too, Clovis. Don't worry, I'm used to it. Father chose me to the new CEO of his company and it is my job to keep the company stable at all times." Lelouch said. He turns to Shirley. "Shirley."

"Yes master?" Shirley said as she quickly stood up straight.

"Go fetch me the newspaper. I haven't had the time to read it today."

"Yes master." Shirley said as she leaves the dining room and enters the foyer. As she walks through the foyer, Kallen walks up to her with the bottle of Chardonnay in her hand.

"Hey there Shirley." Kallen smiled.

"Hi Kallen. Kallen, I got a question for you." Shirley said.

"What is it?" Kallen asked.

"Is Lelouch always busy with his work?"

"Not really. Two years ago, Lelouch always have lots of free time and plays with his siblings." Kallen said. "But that's until his father died and he passes his CEO position to him. Since then, Lelouch is always as busy as the President of the United States. He rarely had the time for his family anymore, except during meal times. And…he now rarely smiles too."

"Oh…" Shirley said quietly as she lowers her head. "I see."

"Oh my," Kallen widens her eyes in realization. "What am I doing? I have to give Mistress Cornelia her wine!" With that, she quickly walks her way to the dining room.

Shirley watched her before continuing walking through the foyer to get today's newspaper.


Later that night, after dinner and Lelouch and his siblings went back to their rooms; Shirley, Kallen and Gino clean up the dishes and cutlery. After that, they and the other servants head into their quarters and finally get some rest.

Shirley, Kallen and CC change into their nightgowns and sit on their respective beds.

"So Shirley, how do you like your first day of your job?" Kallen asked as she lies down on her bed and places her hands on the back of her head.

"It's great so far, Kallen. I'm glad to work in a huge and beautiful place like this. And the masters and mistresses are alright, except Cornelia. She seems strict and critical." Shirley said.

"You'll get used to it." CC smiled.

"What do you know, CC? Shirley and I have to clean and work in all parts of the mansion while you only had to work in the garden." Kallen said annoyed.

CC chuckled as she lies down on her bed. "Then you guys should have take a more relaxed position."

Just then, Suzaku opens the door. "Alright you guys, it's time to sleep and get some rest before the next day of work. Good night."

"Good night." The female servants said in unison before they lie down on their beds. Suzaku turns off the switch and the room went dark. He closes the door.

As Kallen and CC fell asleep, Shirley stares at the ceiling.

She thought about Lelouch. She couldn't help but feel worried about him. Since the death of his father and becoming the new CEO, he always obsessed with work and rarely spends time with his family. She knows being the head of a company is important but that doesn't mean you had to stay away from your own family.

Also, another strange person in the family is Nunnally. Why is she always looking depressed? Is she always like that? Did something happen to her in the past? And how she got wheelchair-bound?

Shirley sighed and rolled over in her bed. She needs to know. She needs to get to know her masters and mistresses.

END OF CHAPTER