落とし穴４８堀：メイド妻の別のお仕事 (Part3)
"That's right. Since Sasari also served in a ducal household, it should have been standard practice to collect the laundry Samantha-sama had taken off directly, rather than having it left in front of the room."
"Yes, that is correct."
"The purpose behind that is to ensure the members of the ducal family aren't burdened by laundry. The time spent on such things should be used for their official duties or for self-improvement."
"I see."
"However, that only works if there are maids available, if there is enough manpower, and if everyone understands the meaning behind it. There are plenty of foolish nobles out there who think it's only natural for maids to do everything, and that they don't need to be able to do anything for themselves, aren't there?"
"Ah... I see what you mean."
"Our master, Yuki, Shera-sama, and your master, Samantha-sama, are all capable of doing the bare minimum for themselves when necessary."
"Yes, I believe they can handle the basics."
"I haven't asked Master directly, but I believe the laundry basket is part of that philosophy. Selecting what needs to be washed and bringing it here—it heightens one's self-awareness of the minimum duties one should perform, prevents complacency, and ensures one never forgets the drive for self-improvement. Furthermore, it reduces the time we, who are short-handed, spend going from room to room, allowing us to dedicate that time to other household chores."
"Wow, that’s very well thought out."
"Master often says that if you can't even take care of your own personal needs, you have no right to tell others what to do."
"Indeed. If you lose your maids and suddenly can't even dress yourself properly, you won't have any dignity when appearing in public, and it’s no excuse."
"Exactly. This is also the bare minimum required to improve oneself. But since that makes our work easier, it is important that we, as maids, do not forget our primary duty and perform our work properly."
"Understood!!"
While we discussed such serious matters, the actual task was simple: put the laundry in the machine, press the button, and finish a few small items by hand while waiting.
"...Senior. But isn't there too little work? We don't even need to clean the inn or burn the trash..."
That’s right. This inn was originally designed with the assumption that there wouldn't be maids like me, so housework is kept to a minimum—indoor dirt is cleaned away automatically, and trash simply vanishes when placed in a bin.
Until the laundry dries, we are completely idle.
Well, Master wouldn't let such a wasteful state of affairs go unnoticed.
"That will do. It seems Sasari has gotten used to the work at the inn, and there have been no blunders. These past few days have made it clear that you were a good maid to begin with."
"Thank you very much."
"Therefore, from now on, I will teach you the work given to us by Master—work that only we can do."
"Eh? Something other than housework? Is it guard duty?"
"No, that’s not it. What we must do is investigate Weed."
"Investigate Weed? Are we going to look into something specific?"
"No. It is to confirm if there is anyone in Weed committing wrongdoing, or if there is anyone who, unfortunately, hasn't been reached by our administration."
"Eh!? How can you investigate something so broad?"
"Oh, Sasari. You should have done this often, shouldn't you? You used to keep your ears open for rumors concerning your master, didn't you?"
"Well, that’s true, but... where are we supposed to listen? Weed isn't a mansion; it's a city."
"Yes. That is why we will take a walk around Weed. Just doing that will gather various rumors, and I have friends here, too."
"Yes?"
Sasari doesn't seem to quite grasp it yet.
According to Master, this is the "Housekeeper is Watching" strategy.
With that, we quickly hang the laundry, prepare lunch for Deryu-sama and Milly-sama, and get ready to head out.
"Eh, but is it okay? Leaving the childcare to them?"
"It is fine. That is why those two are staying behind today."
"Indeed. Kirue's work from here on out is more important to us. Don't worry, go on ahead."
"That's right. Please take care of it. If anything happens, I'll contact you immediately."
After exchanging those words, Sasari and I head to the city of Weed, starting with the park in the residential district.
"Um, what are we going to do at the park?"
"It's simple. We are going to talk to the people who come here. Ah, hello there."
While briefly explaining to Sasari, I greet an elderly gentleman who is about to cross in front of us.
"Hm? Oh, Kirue-chan. On your way to do some shopping?"
"Yes, something like that."
"That must be tough."
"Not at all, this is my duty, and supporting Master is my happiness."
"Haha, you and Yuki-chan are as close as ever, that's good to hear. And who is the girl behind you?"
"Yes. This is Sasari, a new maid who has joined us. Please treat her well."
"Ah, yes. I'm Sasari. Pleased to meet you."
"I see. Another maid like Kirue-chan, eh? I'm just an old man who spends his days taking it easy. You can call me Old Man Jaan."
"Yes."
Once the introductions and greetings are finished, I bring up the main topic.
"So, Old Man, how have things been lately?"
"Hmm. Nothing particularly interesting. Oh, wait, there is a rumor that strange voices can be heard in the park at night. It doesn't seem to cause any harm, so no one is very interested. Other than that, someone got the trash collection day wrong, and the smell of the food waste..."
After chatting about such mundane things, we part ways and do the same with children, adults, and families relaxing in the park.
"...I see, so this is how you gather rumors."
"Exactly. Basically, they are just hearsay, but by conducting interviews like this, we can find out where there is dissatisfaction or if something suspicious is happening. Even if you ask the representatives of each district, there are many stories that get blocked or filtered out. We pick up those filtered stories and speak to the relevant administrators to urge them to solve the problems."
"I understand the logic, but why do we have to do it? Wouldn't it be better to hire other people?"
"Of course, we do that too. Managing the information from those rumors is our job."
"Yes? Our job is..."
"Gathering rumors. It's not exactly a secret department, but I serve as the section chief of the Consultation Division at the government office. Weed's population is growing every day, and Eris-sama, Ratz-sama, and Milly-sama cannot reach every little detail. The Consultation Division, in particular, requires careful attention to the citizens of Weed. That is why Master entrusted this to me."
"...In other words, I am..."
"Make sure you remember today's rumors and compile them into a report. Oh, I've already prepared a seat for you at the Consultation Division, so please do your work there. At home, you are a maid."
"I thought this was a laid-back job, but it sounds pretty intense!?"
"Today, we still have to gather rumors in the Adventurer District. There are many rough characters there, so in some cases, immediate arrest is permitted. Come now, if we don't finish gathering by two o'clock, we won't be able to have a relaxing lunch."
"...Waaah, Samantha-sama. Senior is a demon!!"
Today's results included the night voices in the park and the trash odor problem we discussed with the old man.
In addition, we witnessed the unfair treatment of slaves in the Adventurer District, and... it's only a small thing, but there was talk that adventurers coming from other dungeons are saying the monsters in their home dungeons are more restless compared to here.
I will pass the trash odor problem to Eris-sama, the night rumors and slave mistreatment to the police, and the dungeon matter through Milly-sama to the Guild Master and Grand Master, and I should report it to Master as well.
Now, all that's left is to take in the laundry, wait for Master and the others to return, and start preparing dinner.
A maid's day is far from over.