But just as all good things must come to an end, so too did the banquet. Late into the night, or perhaps early into the morning, depending on how one looked at it, the banquet finally came to a close. Jean wrapped up the dinner with one final speech before bidding all the many guests a goodnight and sending them on their way. And she extended this courtesy to everyone, even the cleanup crew, insisting that all the rest of the work that needed to be done could be done later that day once the sun was up again. But of course, Noelle and Kirumi wished to begin the cleanup at once.

"It would do no good to leave everything out like this!" Noelle chirped and shook her head.

"But it's just the furniture and decorations," Jean tried to explain. "The reason I had you all start putting the food away earlier was so that, by this time of night, the only thing left would be moving the furniture and decorations back, which can be done at a later time."

"If you grant us permission, we would like to begin that work now," Kirumi replied.

"You two aren't tired?" Amber butted in, sounding very incredulous and very drunk. She looked close to passing out. And Kaeya actually had passed out a little bit earlier. In fact, some of his fellow knights had needed to carry him out. Normally, it would be something they'd never let him live down, but knowing what a wild card he could be, they wisely decided never to speak of it again. At least not if he was in the vicinity.

"Not at all," Kirumi replied, and she meant it. Even though the banquet had gone on the entire night, the castle staff was huge and had done all the work in shifts. As such, Kirumi and Noelle had been able to rest. And not just during the time in which they'd paused to dine with their friends. They'd each received several other breaks throughout the night, including one wherein they had been given full permission to go off and take a nap for an hour or two (not that either maid had taken more than half an hour).

So even though the average person would've been tired, even with all the breaks scattered throughout the night, Kirumi and Noelle were far from normal, and both of them were more than prepared to start the cleanup immediately.

"Is that a request?" Lisa couldn't help but tease, looking at Kirumi in particular as she tilted her head and quirked an eyebrow. For a moment, Kirumi's face went blank. Technically, it was, but it went so against her worldviews for a maid to make a request of a master that she needed a moment to process what Lisa had said, and thusly, what she, herself, had done.

"My apology, I did not mean to-" she began, putting a hand over her heart and bowing her head politely, sounding genuinely sorry. But before she could finish, Amber cut her off in a slur of semi-coherent, but well-meant, comforts.

"Awww, no worries, Kirumi, Lisa is just teasing you," she tried to pat the maid on the back. But because of her intense intoxication, she wound up missing and awkwardly slapping her hand on the maid's side and dragging it downward, petting her hip gingerly.

Noelle had to stifle a giggle as Kirumi looked surprised, torn between appreciation and discomfort. She delicately removed Amber's hand from her waist, knowing the girl was in no way trying to insinuate anything, and patted her hand gently.

"I think it's time for you to go to bed," she said in a very motherly voice.

"Same could be said for you two," Amber slurred back.

But after a few more seconds, even Jean began to suggest that Amber go to bed. With Jean's command, Amber sobered up slightly.

"Oh, alright, I guess," Amber sighed reluctantly. Then she picked up Baron Bunny and made him wave his little hand at the others. "Say goodnight, Baron Bunny! Goodnight! Goodnight!" then she began to giggle hysterically before stumbling her way out of the now-empty dining hall.

"Well, I suppose that is our cue as well, Jean, dear," Lisa sighed, stroking the other woman's arm and gesturing her head towards Amber. Jean cast one more reluctant look at the two maids, but knowing that it would do no good to continue arguing with them, she conceded.

"Very well, Lisa, let us go as well," she nodded her assent, placing a hand over Lisa's. But before she and the librarian had totally turned away, she cast one more gentle, pleading, compassionate look at Kirumi and Noelle.

"If you two really must begin the cleanup now, you have my blessing. But please, take care of yourselves, and don't overwork yourselves."

"We won't!" Noelle promised cheerfully. "Goodnight for now though, it was a lovely time!"

"Thank you," Jean's smile softened, then she turned to go.

"Just remember, cuties, if you ever need anything, my door is always open," Lisa shot them both a wink before turning away as well, and soon, the dining hall was totally empty, save for the two maids standing alone together in the middle of it.

"Well, shall we get started?" Noelle asked, almost breathless with excitement. "Time to clean up!"

"We shall," Kirumi replied with a smile, her polite and elegant expression fading away into genuine warmth and enjoyment. For them, the real fun of the night was only just beginning…

ooo

For the next few hours, the maids worked back and forth to clean up the dining hall. Like Jean had said earlier, most of the food work was already taken care of. Things had already been put or thrown away. But there were still a few messes (mostly that of dirty footprints and the like) that needed to be taken care of. And, again, a lot of furniture and decorations needed to be put away.

Soon, the entire floor was coated in soap and water as Noelle and Kirumi both went to work, scrubbing and sweeping away. Whether standing up and using mops or brooms, or on their hands and knees using brushes and bristles, the two maids were devout in ensuring that the entire floor shined. And then they got to work on the walls (and everything on them) as well. First, they removed and put away all the decorations, stripping the walls until they were almost bare. But even after that, they weren't finished. Instead, even though there was no visible mess, they began to dust and wash and polish the walls (and everything that remained on them) as well.

And every last piece of furniture was also properly and completely washed down and put away.

"Oh, missed a spot!" Noelle continued to chirp to herself as she and Kirumi continued to clean the entire dining hall, moving to and fro with her arms almost overflowing with cleaning supplies. And although Kirumi was silent, she was still just the same as Noelle, arms full with various tools and cleaning products that she was more than happy to utilize to the best of her ability.

Although most people would consider cleaning a chore, Kirumi and Noelle seemed to find it a delight. They genuinely seemed to enjoy the satisfaction of scrubbing down every inch of the hall, even though almost anyone else would find the task tedious and massive. But as Noelle had said once, she really did view cleaning as a hobby.

"I really like washing all sorts of things! Clothes, floorboards, windows, you name it!" she had said. "Whenever I see something dirty, I just want to give it a good old clean! It just gives me such a sense of achievement! ... Oh, you mean the things I do in my free time? Hmm... Same answer!" And Kirumi also found cleaning to be quite satisfying and therapeutic. As such, she and Noelle were more than happy to spend the rest of the night sweeping, dusting, mopping, scrubbing, polishing and shining.

But after several hours, the last of the chores had been completed. Thanks to their combine strength, skill and determination, they managed to finish the entire rest of the cleanup all before sunrise and all without any outside help.

"Wow! Look at that, Kirumi! We got everything done, and all before sunup!" Noelle was breathless with pride as she surveyed the now-empty, now-practically-shining dining hall.

"Yes, we most certainly did, didn't we?" Kirumi replied with a similar expression of quiet pride on her face.

"Oh, but I guess that means the banquet really is finally over, then, huh?" Noelle asked, a note of disappointment creeping in her voice. It was in that moment that Kirumi understood. Aside from just enjoying cleaning, Noelle had also offered to work this "night shift" because she didn't want to go home. She didn't want the party to end. Both as a maid and a friend, Noelle had enjoyed that night's banquet. It had been fun to serve everyone, and it had also been fun just to get to spend time with her friends. But now that even the cleaning was done, there was nothing left and Noelle couldn't prolong the banquet any further.

But perhaps, Kirumi could…

"That is true, that banquet has now reached its fullest completion… But it is still possible to dance," then she gestured to the adjacent room.

"Wait. Really?" Noelle's eyes shined with hope and excitement. Kirumi's only response was a gentle smile and an extended hand, which Noelle took enthusiastically, allowing the older maid to lead her into the ballroom.

Although Kirumi was not typically one for dancing, she was willing to make an exception for the sake of her friend. Even though Noelle was supposed to be something like a coworker, and even a protegee, the fondness Kirumi felt for the younger maid still spilled out into something closer to friendship than just a professional respect. As such, even though Kirumi would try to quiet those personal feelings during a normal day of work, the maid did not mind indulging her companion a little bit when they were behind closed doors, so to speak.

And because both of the maids had spent the better part of the night cleaning every inch of the dining hall and ballroom, they were not too concerned about scuffing up the floor. If anyone's shoes were clean, it was theirs. Instead, Kirumi was quick to take the leading position, her left hand intertwining with Noelle's while her right held the girl right under her shoulder blade. In response, Noelle's own right arm came to rest on top of Kirumi's, and Kirumi began the waltz. Even though there was no music, both of the maids were able to hear the same tune in their heads and they glided across the floor with ease and elegance. It was a hypnotic sight.

"And you said you weren't one for dancing!" Noelle teased at one point as Kirumi spun her around.

"It is not an activity I typically engage in," Kirumi admitted. "But I am still trained in the art of ballroom dancing and I can be a competent partner to anyone who should require it."

"Well, I'm honored that I get to be your partner tonight, Kirumi!" Noelle smiled. Even though dancing hadn't been on her to-do list that night, especially not with Kirumi, it was still something she was having a blast doing. Getting to steal some extra time and share a dance with her best friend was beyond her wildest dreams! It was the guiltiest pleasure, but what made it so good was that it, for once, felt more pleasurable than guilty.

As much pride and joy as Noelle had in being a maid, she was starting to value her friendship with Kirumi even more.

"Even though I mostly work for the Knights of Favonius, I'm always looking out for ways I can help more people. These days, though, I seem to be spending more and more of my time with you... It might be a bit selfish of me... What do you think?" she asked.

"I would not call it selfish at all," Kirumi replied calmly. "You are my practice partner, to help me polish my serving skills. And I see great potential in you, and I wish to support that." Even though Noelle was not a client, nor was she even an official protegee, Kirumi's desire to support her was still sincere. She genuinely did not see their extended time together as anything other than good practice, and it seemed her outlook on the situation helped ease some of Noelle's guilt, because Noelle looked much happier after that.

But there was still something troubling her.

"To be honest, I'm feeling a little dejected," she admitted, casting a glance to her hip. Or rather, the golden orb that hung from it. "Sure, this Vision proves that the Archons think I'm worthy, but why is it a Geo Vision? I mean, Geo's the furthest thing from Anemo, and for a Knight of Favonius..." she trailed off, but she didn't need to say more for Kirumi to understand.

"Do not be ashamed of your Geo Vision," she said. "But rather, embrace the difference, for it is within the difference that you will find your true power and strength. Although you are correct that Mondstat is born of Anemo, what gives the knights an edge over their opponents is when they manage to find members of their ranks who possess different Visions than them. The diversity is what gives the knights their strength, because it allows them a wider array of options during combat. After all, I am Visionless, and yet still I know I am a capable, competent fighter.

"And in your case, your Vision grants you the power to cast shields and use the earth itself to increase the damage and range of your attacks. Furthermore, it grants you superhuman strength, which is a trait that can be valued anywhere. And because of such strength and protection, you are able to fight with claymores. Do not worry, Noelle, although I understand your concern, I believe that your possession of a Geo Vision is vitally important and will make you an excellent asset to the knights someday.

"I, of course, do not know when you will be made a proper knight, but I cannot imagine it would be too much longer, because even though I should not have an opinion on this matter, I believe that you deserve the title already. You are very fit for the position and you seem to have met all the requirements. Even if you have not yet passed the official test, you possess all the necessary skills required to be an excellent knight."

"Oh, thank you! Coming from you, that is the best compliment I could ever hope for!" Noelle whimpered, sounding close to tears. She managed to keep them at bay, but both she and Kirumi could hear the waver in her voice. Even though Kirumi had no desire to be a knight, Noelle still valued her opinion over everyone else's, even Jean's. So to hear that Kirumi had faith in her meant more than anything else ever could!

Kirumi may have insisted that she had no right to hold such opinions about things she would never be a part of, but in Noelle's own opinion, Kirumi's was always worth it, because she always gave such excellent advice. And even if she was not a knight, she was still very well-versed in their ways. And she was simply a very perceptive, intuitive person. She was an excellent judge of character, so if she said that someone had all the makings of a proper knight, then it must've been true!

"But… You won't tell anyone I said that, right?" Noelle asked, suddenly looking ashamed, anxious and embarrassed. "I would be a disgrace to the knights if they could hear me complaining…"

"Of course not, Noelle. You have no need to worry. I would never break confidentiality with you. Even though you are not my client, I would never start gossip or spread rumors. I would not wish to betray your trust like that."

"Thanks, Kirumi, you're the best," Noelle sighed in relief.

"A maid is required to keep everyone's secrets," Kirumi replied gently, and Noelle's eyes lit up in response to that.

"That's why my favorite flower is the rose!" she said. "Here in Mondstat, the rose represents the saying, "As wine bottles are corked, so too are my lips sealed." It reminds me of the immense amount of trust people place in me whenever they confide in me. I hold my oaths very close to my heart, so that is why I wear so many roses. As a constant reminder of how the people rely on me."

"That is wonderful," Kirumi smiled. "I have also liked roses for their elegance and beauty. But even more than that, I must confess that I find something attractive about their thorns. I quite enjoy the dichotomy between the softness and beauty of the petals with the sharpness and simplicity of the thorns. I like to think I carry myself in such a way. I try my best to serve everyone, but I do not spoil my clients."

"That you do not," Noelle agreed with a small giggle. As soft, gentle and submissive as Kirumi could be, it would be a foolish error to assume that she was weak. She could be incredibly firm, and even scary, when necessary.

But in this moment, Kirumi was nothing but soft, kind and almost motherly (though Noelle, knowing how much it annoyed Kirumi to be compared to a mother, had the good sense not to mention this last one out loud). As the two continued to dance the remainder of the night away, Noelle felt her own concerns melting away with it. Although she still wanted nothing more than to be a proper knight, and although it would be something that occupied her mind around the clock until the day it became official, when she was with Kirumi, it felt as if all of her worries ceased. There was just something so protective and comforting about Kirumi's presence that self-doubt and anxiety struggled to exist when she was around. And it remained like this for a couple hours more as the duo continued to steal the night and share a dance.

ooo

But once the sun started peeking up over the horizon, the first of its rays leaking through the ballroom windows, the pair of maids was finally forced to end their dance.

"Thank you for allowing me to steal the night and share a dance, Kirumi, I really appreciate it!" Noelle said as she curtseyed to the other maid.

"It was my pleasure and honor to serve you," Kirumi replied, mirroring the gesture.

"Oh, no! You aren't supposed to serve me!" Noelle giggled, but she knew Kirumi was only joking. Although both of their senses of selflessness extended to one another, for the most part, they had made a pact to see one another as equals and so as to avoid getting suck in an endless loop of each maid offering to serve the other.

"But it was a joy nonetheless," Kirumi replied steadfastly, giving Noelle a fond and affectionate smile. Even though she did find Noelle's joke amusing, she felt in a more serious mood at the moment and genuinely wished for Noelle to understand just how much she meant to Kirumi. Although Noelle would be more overt about her complete and utter adoration for Kirumi, the feeling was mutual. Kirumi loved, respected, enjoyed and admired Noelle just as much as Noelle did her. "Thanks to you, I will serve with even more devotion now," she said.

"Well, thanks to all you've taught me, I can be of assistance to even more people now too!" Noelle replied earnestly, giving Kirumi a grateful smile. It was one Kirumi returned in full. Although she had never said it out loud, to be quite honest, the way she saw it, her greatest pride and joy was not her selfless devotion, nor all the people it helped, nor all the smiles it would garner, nor was it even the satisfaction of a job well done.

Instead, her greatest pride and joy as a maid was Noelle, and everything Noelle meant to her. And unsurprisingly, the feeling was mutual. A maid's pride and joy was not just her duty, but the people whom she helped along the way. And that included other maids, other friends. And that was why, even though the banquet was finally, completely, officially over, the memories would last long after and Noelle and Kirumi would continue to serve together for as long as they could.

AN: To make up for the very long wait on the last chapter, here's the conclusion less than a day later! Consider a second Xmas gift as well as an apology? LOL! Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed!