The next morning, the high ceilings of the east wing echoed with the rhythmic scrubbing of brushes and the playful splashing of soapy water. Lyra and I were currently tackling the grand hallway that led to the library, a task that was much easier now that I didn't have to worry about my heart giving out with every movement. I was humming a tune from my old world, my hips swaying slightly as I polished a silver bust of some ancient, snarling demon. The cold metal felt smooth under my fingertips, and for the first time, I didn't feel like a ghost haunting a hospital ward.

  Lyra looked over at me, her vibrant blue hair tied back in a messy bun that somehow still looked stylish, though her maid outfit remained impossibly perfect. "You know, Akari, for a girl who was stuck in a bed for sixteen years, you sure have a lot of energy for dusting," she said with a playful wink and a cheeky grin. I laughed, wiping a smudge of polish off my nose with the back of my hand, feeling the sweat of honest work on my skin. "It’s because I can actually feel my toes, Lyra! Besides, if I don't keep moving, I might start thinking about how big this place is again and get dizzy."

  Lyra giggled, her chest bouncing as she leaned her weight against her mop. "Well, just make sure you don't polish the floor too much today, sweetie, we don't need any more generals sliding out the front gates like they’re on ice skates." We both dissolved into a fit of quiet laughter, clutching our sides as we remembered the sight of the armored giant from last week losing his dignity on our high gloss polish and sliding nearly thirty feet.

  Our fun was cut short when the heavy, double doors of the throne room further down the hall groaned open. The three generals we had seen before walked past us, their expressions uncharacteristically grim and their usual arrogance replaced by a sharp, focused tension. They didn't even glance at us as they marched inside, the heavy thud of the armored general's boots vibrating through the floor like a drumbeat. They entered the chamber and pulled the doors shut with a sharp, echoing boom that signaled serious business.

  ─── ??☆?? ───

  Inside the throne room, Malphas sat upon his obsidian throne, his chin resting on his hand as he watched his commanders approach. The air in the room was thick with tension, the crimson glow of his eyes the only prominent light in the shifting shadows. "My Lord," the armored general began, kneeling stiffly while his metal plates clattered. "We have scoured the perimeter of the breach and found a definitive lead regarding the Chimera attack. We found remnants of a soul binding sigil used to command those beasts."

  Malphas didn't move, his gaze remaining fixed on the vaulted ceiling as if he were reading the stars. "Is it Kaelen?" he interrupted, his voice a smooth, dangerous whisper that made the torches flicker. The generals exchanged a wary glance. "It was indeed found within the borders of Demon Lord Kaelen's territory," the woman with the snake hair confirmed, her eyes flickering with green light. "However, we do not yet know if Kaelen himself is behind the orchestration or if a rogue faction is acting in his name."

  Malphas brought his fingers together, tapping them slowly against one another in a calculated rhythm. "I see," he muttered, the temperature in the room seemingly dropping until the breath of the generals came out in faint white puffs. "I shall go there tomorrow to settle this annoyance personally." The armored general looked up, his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. "Then we shall prepare the vanguard immediately to accompany you, My Lord."

  "No," Malphas said, looking down at his own gloved hand and flexing his fingers as if testing his grip on reality. "This is a great opportunity to teach that new maid some new tricks." The armored general stood up, his brow furrowing in confusion and a flash of pure disdain. "With all due respect, My Lord, why bring a human?" he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism. "She is just a frail thing like the other maid, she won't be able to do anything but get in the way and likely die before we even reach the border."

  Malphas raised his eyebrows, a sudden, crushing weight of aura flooding the room like a physical wave. Suddenly, the general gasped, clutching at his throat as if an invisible hand were squeezing the life out of him. "Don't speak of her that way," Malphas said, his voice dropping to a terrifyingly calm rumble that vibrated in the general's marrow. "Everyone in this castle is family, and you would do well to remember that you are to treat everyone here as such. Only I am allowed to call them maid or maids, to you, they are Lyra and Akari Vespera. Do I make myself clear?"

  The general choked out a desperate nod, his face turning a sickly purple until the pressure vanished. Malphas leaned forward, his eyes burning with a cold, sharp intelligence. "You underestimate them because you see only their aprons. Lyra is much more powerful than you think, even for a human, and Akari holds a potential that would surprise even your small mind."

  The snake haired woman felt a shiver run down her spine. She could tell by the steady, lethal tone in his voice that Malphas meant every single word. He wasn't just being protective, he was stating a fact. She shifted her gaze toward the third general, a mysterious figure completely swallowed by heavy, tattered cloaks who hadn't uttered a single word. They exchanged a silent, lingering look through the shadows, a quiet acknowledgment that the power balance in the castle was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.

  ─── ??☆?? ───

  Back in the hallway, Lyra and I were still working, though we had moved on to the intricate carvings on the base of the pillars. "I wonder what they’re talking about in there," I whispered, leaning my head against the cool stone and feeling the hum of the castle. "Probably just boring taxes or which kingdom they’re going to glare at next," Lyra joked, though she kept a watchful, protective eye on the throne room doors.

  She bumped her shoulder against mine, a mischievous glint returning to her eyes as she leaned in close. "Forget about them, Akari, did you see the way Malphas looked at you in the kitchen?" I nearly dropped my polishing rag, my face heating up instantly until I felt like I was glowing. "He was just checking if the soup was poisoned, Lyra!"

  Lyra let out a musical giggle, nudging me again and winking. "Oh please, he wiped flour off your face like he was touching a delicate piece of porcelain," she teased, her voice full of mirth. "If he’s a scary dad to the generals, he’s definitely something else when it comes to you." I swatted at her arm, laughing despite my intense embarrassment. "Stop it! We have three more hallways to finish before lunch, and I still want to ask the chef if he has any more of those monster eggs for the next batch of ramen."

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  The sun moved across the sky until the charcoal clouds overhead took on a slightly lighter, leaden hue, signaling midday in the Demon Realm. Lyra stretched her arms over her head, her white apron tightening over her chest as she let out a satisfied, cat like yawn.

  "Alright, Akari, we’ve polished enough gargoyles for one morning," she said, leaning her mop against a pillar. "We’ll continue cleaning this spot tomorrow, but now, as ordered by Malphas, I must start your training."

  She led me through a series of winding corridors I hadn't seen before, past the restricted Dark Library where books supposedly ate souls. We finally arrived at a massive pair of stone doors that opened into a giant arena. It was an open air stadium carved directly into the mountain, with seats for thousands and a floor made of reinforced obsidian that looked like it had survived a thousand explosions.

  As we walked to the very middle of the empty field, I felt like a tiny ant again, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the place. Lyra stopped and turned to me, her playful smirk replaced by the sharp, focused look of a seasoned veteran.

  "Now, before we get to the action, knowledge first," she said, tapping her chin while she paced a circle around me. "In this world, there are six types of power levels. First is E-rank, which is mostly just insects and weak bugs. Then there’s D-rank, which is a bit stronger, like your average humans and dwarves."

  I nodded, listening intently as the wind whistled through the mountain peaks.

  "C-rank is for those with a bit more magic, like normal elves," she continued, her voice echoing. "B-rank is the strong, fierce type, possessing the power to conquer entire cities. Then there is A-rank, usually reserved for a Demon Lord’s right hand men, like those grumpy generals we saw earlier. And finally, there is S-rank. Those are beings whose very power can’t be explained. For example, Malphas."

  "Um, Lyra?" I asked, looking at my own hands, which still felt a bit shaky after hearing about city conquering power. "Where do I fit in those six?"

  "You?" Lyra hummed, circling me like a hawk evaluating its prey. "Honestly, you’re stuck somewhere between C and B. You have the raw power of a B-rank or higher because of the name he gave you, but your skill and battle IQ? That’s definitely a C-rank for now."

  "And what about you?" I asked, curious about the woman who handled giant monsters like they were house flies.

  "Me? I’m definitely high A-rank," she said with a casual shrug and a confident grin. "But my magic type is a dangerous one. I’m not allowed to use it at more than 99% because of a terrible, world ending consequence." She paused, her eyes turning cold and ancient for a split second before she realized she had said too much. She immediately broke into a wide, bubbly grin, waving her hands dismissively. "Just kidding! I was totally joking, just pulled your leg! I'm just a simple, harmless maid!"

  She cleared her throat quickly to change the subject before I could ask more. "Anyway, there are millions of types of magic. Yours is that weird cleansing thing."

  The training began, and it was surprisingly domestic. Instead of throwing fireballs or summoning lightning, Lyra had me practice focusing my internal energy while she threw muddy rugs at me mid air.

  "Focus, Akari! Imagine the dirt is your enemy and you are the ultimate storm!" she yelled, hurling a particularly filthy doormat at my face with terrifying speed.

  I didn't scream this time. I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second, remembering the fear of the Chimera attack and the sudden, explosive gratitude I felt for my new life. I thrust my hands out, and a wave of brilliant white light hit the rug. It didn't just become clean, it turned so white it began to glow, and the mud vanished into a massive pile of lemon scented bubbles that floated lazily in the mountain air.

  "Great! Now do it while spinning!" Lyra laughed, throwing three more rugs in rapid succession. I spent the next hour twirling around like a magical girl turned janitor, dodging flying laundry and blasting everything with suds. By the end of it, the middle of the legendary arena looked like a giant bubble bath. I was covered in foam and panting, but my lungs felt strong and clear.

  "Not bad," Lyra said, wiping a stray bubble off her nose with a giggle. "You’re still a total klutz, but at least the castle will be the most sterile place in the realm."

  The training continued in a whirlwind of bubbles and laughter as I struggled to keep up with Lyra’s relentless pace. I was currently knee deep in foam, trying to target a specifically stubborn stain she had conjured onto a training dummy, when a sudden, familiar chill swept through the arena.

  The bubbles froze mid air. Malphas stood at the edge of the obsidian floor, his black coat swallowing the light and his presence commanding the very wind to stop.

  "That is enough for today," he commanded, his voice echoing through the massive space. He walked toward us, his shifting crimson eyes scanning the soapy battlefield with a look of mild bewilderment. "I am stealing Akari tomorrow. Both of you may take the rest of the day off."

  Lyra perked up, her eyes gleaming with curiosity and delight. "A day off? And a trip for the little one? How romantic!"

  "It is a mission," Malphas said, turning his gaze toward the blue haired maid. "I will be taking her on a journey to the border to investigate the Chimera breach. As for the castle, I trust you, as usual, to handle things while I am away." Lyra bowed deeply, a satisfied smirk on her face, already thinking of all the snacks she could eat without the master around.

  As Lyra began to gather her things, Malphas stepped closer to me. I was still covered in suds, a large cluster of bubbles sitting precariously on top of my head like a crown. I tried to bow, but I slipped on the soapy obsidian, flailing my arms in a panic.

  Before I could hit the ground, a strong, gloved hand caught me by the waist, pulling me steady against his chest. I looked up, and for a second, my face was only inches from his. I could see the intricate, concentric patterns in his red irises spinning rapidly. The scent of rain and cold stone from his cloak enveloped me, making my head spin more than the fall would have.

  "You are..." he started, his voice trailing off as he stared at the bubbles on my head. He reached out with his other hand, but instead of wiping flour away like last time, he seemed to hesitate, his fingers hovering near my temple. He cleared his throat abruptly and pulled back, his expression returning to its usual stoic mask.

  "You are still clumsy, Vespera," he muttered, looking anywhere but at me. "Try not to fall off the mountain tomorrow. It would be a waste of good tea." He turned on his heel and strode away, his cloak billowing despite the completely still air.

  ─── ??☆?? ───

  That night, the castle was deathly quiet. I lay in my plush bed, staring up at the dark stone ceiling while the rhythmic rain drummed against the window. Lyra was already snoring softly in the bed across the room, likely dreaming of all the high gloss pranks she could pull while the master was away.

  My heart wasn't hammering from illness anymore, it was thumping with a strange, nervous excitement that I couldn't quite name. I thought about the journey ahead, the purple sky, and the man who called me his family. I wondered what kind of new tricks he wanted to teach me and if I’d be able to keep up with a Demon Lord without making a complete fool of myself.

  As the clock struck midnight, the warmth of the name he gave me settled into my bones like a heavy, protective blanket. My eyes finally drifted shut, and I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, ready for whatever the new world had in store for me tomorrow.