Sunlight glimmered through the few windows of the mansion, partially blocked by the curtains.
The twittering of birds could be heard from the treetops.
It was the start of a beautiful day… all except for one person.
…
*CLANK*
A bucket clattered to the floor, the soapy water sent sploshing around.
Sakuya stood frozen in shock, dropping the bucket in disbelief.
"Hm? Ah, Sakuya, just when I needed you," her master called out to her from her closet.
The maid had walked into the bedroom of her mistress to find her rummaging through the closet. This was not an unusual sight for her. However… a certain human was standing close by, trying on what seemed to be a sleek black butler uniform.
"M-Mistress? What's the meaning of this?" Sakuya pointed towards a confused looking Rex.
"Do you know where we had kept the butler uniforms around the mansion? I was sure I had some stored somewhere around here," asked Remilia, ignoring the question.
"W-well, there are some stored in the basement…" answered Sakuya.
"Wonderful! Please fetch some. Size medium if I recall?" The vampire looked to Rex for confirmation.
"Yeah, these ones are a bit too big…"
He pulled the hem of his white cuffed shirt to show it was slightly oversized.
"As you wish…" muttered the maid, instantly fetching a new uniform in hand. She handed it over to Rex, who lifted it up to his chest to compare its size.
"This seems to fit," he nodded.
Sakuya brought her attention back to Remilia.
"Mistress-!"
*SLAM*
The maid flinched at the sound of the closet doors shutting, stopping her sentence.
"Sakuya, it is exactly what you think. I don't think I have to answer the question," Remilia retorted, turning around noticeably annoyed. She frowned at her maid.
"Yes…" Sakuya apologetically bowed, acknowledging that she had overstepped her boundaries.
Remilia walked up to Rex who had already changed into the new uniform, now having a troublesome time putting on the tie. She grabbed him by the bend of his arm, interrupting him in the middle of his tie knot, bringing him over to face the maid.
"It seems our human friend here wants to repay his mistakes," smiled the vampire, looking up to Rex. He looked away, avoiding eye contact, feeling a shiver run down his spine.
"Y-yeah…" Rex apprehensively answered.
"How splendid!" Remilia playfully cheered, hands clasped together. "With that, I thought the best way for him to repay his misdeeds is to..." She looked at Rex to finish the sentence.
"To serve under you..." He muttered.
"Ahem."
"... Mistress…"
Sakuya uncomfortably frowned.
Remilia waved her hand towards her head maid.
"From here on out, you'll be learning the ropes on how to properly serve the residents of the Scarlet Devil Mansion." The vampire sat atop her bed. "I'm sure you two know each other very well, but I'd like for you both to reintroduce yourselves."
"Sakuya Izayoi," the maid swiftly responded, bowing with both hands tucked to her stomach.
"Rex Okada…" he said back, hesitantly bowing back.
"Wonderful!" Remilia grinned, stretching out her wings. "Today is a new day! Get along now! Work is to be done." She smiled, taking joy at the moment.
Rex sighed and went to exit the room.
"Ah! I was just reminded of something…" the vampire deviously grinned. "Sakuya." She called out.
The maid nodded back, curious what she wanted.
"You are restricted from using your powers to aid yourself in chores."
The maid flinched, eliciting a reaction out of her.
"But mistress-"
Remilia raised a finger, silencing her.
"I understand that it's impossible to do with all the work but you now have an assistant with powers similar to yours…"
Sakuya looked at her in disbelief.
"I cannot allow you to do all the work yourself, abandoning the human all to himself," the vampire sighed, reading the maid's mind.
"... I understand."
Sakuya nodded, agreeing to the special terms with Rex's establishment.
She quickly turned around, sweeping the bucket back up and striding past Rex, exiting the room.
He watched her leave, staring at the open doors.
"Do not mind her. I'm sure she will be able to look past this fairly quickly."
Remilia hopped off her bed, walking up to Rex.
"Is it… because of me?" Rex pointed to himself, unsure of the answer.
"In some way… yes." Remilia sighed, crossing her arms. "Let's just say… you remind her of her younger self."
"..."
Rex was still confused but gave up giving it any thought.
"Enough chit chat, you should already be working now, go along!" Remilia waved her hands, shooing him away.
"Y-yes mam!"
He left the room in a hurry, running down the hallway to catch up to the head maid.
Remilia shut the doors, closing with a loud clank. She went back to her bed, hand sliding across the sheets, smoothing them out.
"Hm?"
Something caught her eye, looking to her right hand. Something that only she could see and no other being could.
A single red strand of string was wrapped around her pinkie, the end of the line disappearing into thin air. Remilia grinned at the sight of it.
What will happen… I am rather curious now…
Hello! Long time no see :) I've come back to update this with another short chapter to reassure you guys that I have not forgotten about this story. I apologize for the absence but college has been a whole new experience to me so my days have been rather busy. Thank you for those who have kept following this and for others that are reading. Hopefully, I'll be given a long enough break to be able to write some more. Until then, take care!