The morning began with an apology from Reinhardt-san.
We had gathered for breakfast, but joining the four of us who had spoken late into the previous night were five others. They were young women—or rather, girls who looked to be about middle-school age—wearing sleeveless maid uniforms. They stood in a row against the far wall, their expressions so distraught they looked as if they might burst into tears at any moment.
Flanking them were Arone-san, the Head Maid, and Lilian-san. With their grim faces, they looked less like attendants and more like prison guards escorting condemned inmates to the gallows. The atmosphere in the room was suffocatingly heavy.
"I’m sorry," I said, "but could you please explain the situation to me one more time?"
To summarize how we had reached this point...
"These girls stole the 'secret medicine' you created, Ryoma-sama—or more accurately, the manufacturing process for that product—and used it without permission," Arone-san explained.
The girls flinched, their already pale faces turning even more ashen. The girl on the far right looked like she was on the verge of a breakdown.
"By 'secret medicine,' you’re referring to the sugar scrub I made by mixing Mumito and vegetable oil, correct?"
"Precisely."
So, the cause of all this was the sugar scrub I had mentioned yesterday.
Actually, was it partially my fault for talking about it in the first place?
Apparently, these girls had overheard the method for making the scrub from their fellow servants during a break last night. Since the ingredients were common enough for them to acquire, they had actually made it and tried it out. At that point, at least from their perspective, that was the end of it.
The problem was that the sugar scrub had been initially categorized as a newly developed "Secret Medicine of Beauty."
Furthermore, as the information passed from person to person like a game of telephone, the details had been distorted. By the time it reached the girls, it had been reduced to a bit of household trivia: "mixing Mumito and oil is good for the skin." They hadn't even realized it was considered a secret medicine.
As laundrymaids, these girls spent their days relentlessly scrubbing the laundry for everyone in the ducal household. That was likely why, upon closer inspection, their young hands were painfully chapped and covered in red, raw cracks.
Teenage girls, suffering with hands in that condition, hear a rumor about a simple skin remedy and find they already have the ingredients on hand...
Of course they were going to try it.
Psychologically, it seemed perfectly natural to me. However, a senior servant had spotted them, and the situation had escalated into the accusation that they had "stolen the manufacturing process of a secret medicine."
The employment contracts for servants of a noble house contain a strict provision: they must not leak or use without permission any knowledge gained while working in the mansion, nor any information regarding the master, his family, or his guests. This is the so-called "Duty of Good Faith."
Since the sugar scrub was interpreted as a secret medicine and a product brought in by a guest—me—they had technically violated that provision, even if they hadn't realized its significance. Apparently, the servants who had originally told them about the scrub were also being investigated.
"Their actions have tarnished the name of this house and brought shame upon their master," Arone-san continued. "Appropriate disciplinary measures must be taken."
She didn't need to say it aloud: who would want to conduct sensitive business or share private information in a house where the servants leaked secrets? It was an act that threatened the trust between the master and his guests, and it showed a complete lack of the discipline required of a servant. The fact that I had spoken about it casually didn't change the severity of the breach.
Arone-san didn't specify what those "appropriate measures" were, but judging by the girls' terrified expressions, the punishment was going to be severe. I didn't know if they would just be fired or if it would be something so harsh that being fired would have been a mercy, but I couldn't be certain.
Regardless, I didn't feel good about letting this continue.
"Reinhardt-san, I understand the situation," I said. "I was the one who spoke about the sugar scrub in front of the servants... but since there’s no point in dwelling on that, may I ask a few questions as the victim in this matter?"
"But of course," Reinhardt-san replied.
"In that case, would it be possible for me to make a few requests regarding this incident?"
"As their employer, I must show a measure of good faith. Depending on what you ask, I may not be able to grant everything, but please, do not hesitate."
"Then, as a starting premise... no matter what punishment they receive, it doesn't actually benefit me in any way."
If these girls were fired or faced even worse consequences, I gained nothing.
"We are prepared to discuss financial reparations," Reinhardt-san offered.
"I don't desire compensation from Your Grace. Since they are the ones who committed the offense, I believe they should be the ones to make amends. Also, regarding the sugar scrub in question... I don't actually consider it a 'product' worth selling at this stage. I believe it’s a viable business idea, certainly, but nothing more."
In my previous life, store-bought scrubs used specific sugars and oils, had added fragrances, and were the result of significant research. Compared to those, what I had made yesterday was a crude substitute thrown together from whatever was in the kitchen. It was a DIY project at best. It was fine for personal use, but I didn't think it was something I could charge people money for.
"Based on that, I would like them to atone for their mistake through their own labor as their punishment."
"I see. And what did you have in mind specifically?"
"I want them to be test subjects. I intend to perform... human experimentation, so to speak."
The five girls looked utterly despairing at the word "experimentation," but Reinhardt-san, taking advantage of the fact that his back was to them, allowed a small smile to touch his lips.
"Could you be a bit more specific?" he asked.
"As I mentioned, I can't call the current sugar scrub a finished product. Therefore, to improve it, I will use them to test its effectiveness. I’ll make refinements based on their feedback. The testing will be limited to their hands, feet, and faces. As for the duration... how about until the end of my stay?"
"To have them atone through their own efforts... if that is your wish, then let it be so. To ensure they learn the proper mindset of a servant, they will also undergo a period of strict re-education in tandem with your tests. I trust you have no objection?"
"I leave that entirely to your discretion."
"Very well, I accept all of your terms. Arone, you heard him. Take them and withdraw. Make sure they fully understand what was just decided before breakfast is over."
"As you wish. Ryoma-sama, thank you for your incredible generosity."
With that, the girls were led out of the room.
"I’m sorry for forcing such a tedious role onto you," Reinhardt-san said, his voice losing its authoritative edge the moment the door closed.
"I’d like to say it was nothing... but that was a bit of a headache," I admitted.
"My apologies. But in my position, I cannot afford to look soft."
"I understand that, but... I’m not particularly fond of political theater."
Calling it theater was putting it mildly; that had been a total farce. If anyone had actually analyzed what I’d said, they would have realized how ridiculous the "human experimentation" part sounded.
"Hahaha, there’s no need to be so hard on yourself," Serge-san said with a chuckle.
"It’s not like those girls were completely blameless," Pioro-san added. "If Ryoma hadn't stepped in like that, who knows what would have happened to them? They should be grateful they were given a chance at all."
Serge-san and Pioro-san were quick to offer their support, but I found myself wondering what the "worst-case scenario" actually was. Since I wasn't well-versed in the world of servant employment, I decided to ask for more details.
I learned that even though they were all called "maids," their roles were highly specialized:
- "Housemaids" handled cleaning and mansion maintenance.
- "Parlormaids" focused on table service and guests.
- "Kitchenmaids" performed manual labor in the kitchen.
- "Laundrymaids" were responsible specifically for washing.
Depending on the scale of the household, there were even more subdivisions, like "stillroom maids" for tea and sweets, "scullerymaids" for heavy cleaning and dishwashing, or "chambermaids" for the bedrooms.
Generally, the newer a servant was, the further they were stationed from the master of the house.
"Servants are human, and mistakes happen," Reinhardt-san explained. "That’s why the positions that bring them close to us or our guests are reserved for those from families that have served us for generations, or those we have employed long enough to trust implicitly. They are people who have built up years of experience and loyalty. Among the people you know, Arone and Lulunese fit that description."
By contrast, the girls from earlier were "laundrymaids." Since they were only in charge of the other servants' clothing, they were commoners who had likely only just started their employment. Such entry-level staff were often hired through the Commerce Guild as needed.
"Normally, they would have been dismissed immediately," the Madam added. "And if word got out that they were fired by a ducal house for a breach of contract, no other household would ever hire them again. We would also have to report the incident to the guild, which would make it nearly impossible for them to find any other decent work. Depending on the nature of the information leaked, they could even have faced legal charges."
The Madam’s explanation of the "standard procedure" made it clear: their lives would have essentially been over.
"For now, we’ll have them assist with your product development until you leave," Reinhardt-san said. "In their downtime, we’ll hammer home exactly what they did wrong and the consequences it could have had. They need to reflect on this deeply... Arone was genuinely furious, so I’m confident she’ll handle that part well. After your stay, if we feel they still don't understand the gravity of their actions, we’ll terminate their contracts. If they show sincere remorse, we’ll let them serve out the rest of their term. If they finish their contract in good standing, their future prospects should remain intact. We’ll decide whether to renew their contracts based on their performance then."
I felt a wave of relief knowing those young girls weren't going to have their lives destroyed.
"Why are you acting like such a worried old man?" Pioro-san joked.
"I’m fairly certain all those girls were older than you, Ryoma-kun..." the Madam pointed out.
"Ah, you're right! Hahaha... Anyway, you all tried the bath bombs and the sugar scrub last night, didn't you? Could I hear your thoughts?"
"Oh, right! Those bath bombs were marvelous," Pioro-san said. "They warm you to the core much better than a standard bath. As for the sugar scrub, while I wouldn't go so far as to call it a crude substitute, I do agree that it needs a bit more refinement."
"Let’s discuss that over our meal," Reinhardt-san suggested.
It had been an exhausting start to the morning. With Reinhardt-san’s prompt, the breakfast service finally began.