The Reformation (1)

"What do I have to do, My Lord?"

Elijah changed her attitude as soon as the door was closed from the outside, her eyes shone impatiently under the light of the sun which penetrated through the massive window behind Shadow.

Shadow beckoned her with her finger before pushing her seat away from the desk, giving space between her and the desk.

Making a grateful noise under her throat, the refined lady padded toward her and plopped her bottom on Shadow's lap, and embraced her neck.

Shadow's fingers curled around her waist, as well.

"What should I do for you, My Lord?" She nuzzled Shadow's cheek with her nose.

"Administering this mansion for me. Soon, things will become so chaotic. I need a brilliant head to aid me whenever I want. For now, I want you to focus on handling the mansion matter. Give your report to me every night, during your dose intake."

Elijah's nose stopped at her ear before she pulled away. Her face looked fresh, different from before. "I will do as you say, My Lord."

Shadow flicked her finger softly to her forehead. "Good girl."

Elijah hummed, satisfied. She jumped off Shadow's and straightened up her attire. Shadow waved her finger, asking her to come closer. She fixed Elijah's hair and wiped the wet saliva off her cheek.

"From the report of Amel, there's a series of corruption and land reduction in a span of one year."

"Yes, My Lord. Some of the richest parts of our town have been taken away by them."

"Who is them, y’all yapping about?" Shadow pulled her closer to the desk and took one of the papers on top of the pile.

"Werewolf."

Shadow didn't expect the answer. "Not only do we have problems with a devil, but we are also apparently busy playing tag with werewolf and magician?" She snorted in disbelief.

"How… How do you know about the magician, My Lord?" She was shocked.

"Who do you think I am?" Shadow said, chuckling in irony.

Both her life on earth and inside the novel was chaotic. She had no time to rest, at all.

"I can't hunt for my labels before I sort out the ongoing problem that my town is having." She rubbed her head.

Elijah had no idea what she was talking about and decided to stay silent.

"We have a lot going on. What happened to the people who broke their necks because of that night? Did you compensate them accordingly?"

That night was referred to last night, Elijah's second mission was to compensate the sick victims that were also Amel's people. She dumped hefty cash to not only compensate them but also to buy their loyalty to her. Hoping their differences could be settled peacefully.

"Yes, and they are so grateful for your kindness."

Kindness, my arse; Shadow mocked herself.

"Anyway, your third assignment is to identify each of the maids and butlers. Memorizing their names, faces, backgrounds. Everything possible."

"I understand, My Lord."

Shadow nodded while reading the personal spending made by the old lord. There were a lot of zero digits, a lot of them. It was not possible to finish it by today. Still, she had a gist of where and what the spending was all about. It was personal spending for a reason.

Lots of useless things in his possession.

Good grief.

"And lastly, my last order for today, gather up Amel's squad and the soldiers at the training ground. I need to visit them later in the late afternoon and inspect their training regime and equipment while at it." The list she had to do today was increasing in a mere second.

Luckily, she was used to it.

I understand, My Lord."

"You may go. I will call you again soon."

Elijah gave her a deep bow and walked away with a happy squeal. But Shadow's sharp hearing caught it so her soft smile stretched on the lips, eventually.

&&

"My Lord, may I ask you a question?"

Shadow hummed as the both of them padded to the training ground.

The quiet hallway had the greatest of echoes with the click of the heel shoes contacting the ground concrete. The hallway had dark concrete ground and a stony wall anywhere. The green gardens were peeking through the opened window, the smell of grass sober up every tired sense that went by.

"Yes, you may," she uttered when Elijah had no effort to continue until she had a concrete answer from her.

"The… the pheromone that I smelled even now…" Elijah stammered, eyes were looking anywhere else to search for any soul within.

"We are clean. No one is here." Told Shadow after reading Elijah's mind.

"... why were they leaking? Was it because they are itchy to… kill someone?" Elijah bit her lower lip, guilty written all over her face.

Shadow turned her pupil to the corner of her eyes where Elijah was. The question could only be asked if someone had the gist of her thirst.

In this case, Elijah's concern was legit.

From their act yesterday, the pheromone that was inhaled by Elijah started to act inside her body.

"Are you experiencing that kind of feeling now?" Shadow didn't stop their legs despite how controversial the topic was. "How are you feeling now?"

Elijah just nodded her head clumsily, lowering her gaze to her toe cap.

"Do you wish to storm off to another place? Anywhere? The urge to see blood or something?"

Elijah fumbled her dress, the question was so on point albeit a bit personal. "... yes…" she uttered slowly, akin to whispering.

"I see…" Shadow thoughts alone. 

The four had their own task to be completed in exchange for the bite, just to make them walk around. 

"You need special work for this…" Shadow lifted her fingers and rubbed her chin.

Elijah stayed silent. It was awful telling her inner desire to her master. It's been less than 24 hours, yet she had numerous demands needed to meet, thankfully the master was ready to humor.

"Hmmm, what can I make you do, instead? You have the agility amongst the maid, you're also the head maid. The tons of workload on your shoulder. So admirable indeed."

The training ground soon came into view although the topic didn't die there. Shadow was completely immersed in her own thoughts, ignoring everyone that already closed their mouths as she escaped the creepy hallway.

"Do you want some additional labor?" Shadow turned her head.

Again, Elijah hesitated, wondering how she could go about talking about some other jobs when she was the head of the maid: she was uncertain if it was something she was even allowed to say, that she was currently considering picking up the weapon.

Shadow's stone face faltered as she watched Elijah struggle, her brows knitting together as she observed her.

"You don't want that but are too afraid to say it? Because I'm the new master?" She asked with a genuine hint of worry to her tone.

Elijah's eyes widened at that and she quickly shook her head to deny her entire question.

"No, no. Different, it's different," she said urgently, surprising even herself by her reaction. "I… I just don't want to make an excessive demand to you, My Lord."

Shadow's brows twitched, the face turned into normal; as stony as ever.

"I just want to serve you as sincerely as I can, My Lord," Elijah said in a hushed voice and watched as Shadow's eyes widened in obvious surprise. Again with the excessive reaction when it came to her.

Shadow had little to no reaction whenever people greeted her or talked to her in general. But it was a different case with Elijah. Once in a blue moon, she would expose the smidge of her thinking with her limited reaction. It was the best Elijah could get out of anyone. It felt exclusive for some reason.

"Greeting, the new lord of the mansion," the head of the soldier saluted Shadow as soon as she was in front of the high platform where Conan was standing.

Conan was quick on his toes and stepped down the platform and bowed to her. The polite head butler bowed down to her, smiling respectfully at her, extending his arms to welcome her on the platform.

Shadow, however, dismissed him by ignoring the butler without realizing it. She was too focused on the new problem at hand.

Elijah's presence was the main dish on the table, as she consumed some of her pheromones. Leaving her alone wasn't an option.

Shadow needed to handle the problem as best as she could or another trouble might arise.

She patted Conan's shoulder, still as she stepped on the well-made small stairs. "What if you pick up the tools, Elijah?" She only looked at her for a moment before blinking away.

"Tools?" Elijah tilted her head, following Shadow's steps right behind.

"Yes… tools like… you know… knives… gun… rifle…" Shadow's voice trailed off and she mumbled incoherently under her throat. "The weapon." She got the answer at last.

"Is that okay?" Elijah seemed excited, her eyes sparkled happily.

"Who is the lord of the house?" Shadow lifted her brow.

"My Lord is."

"Right. What am I suggesting?"

"... for me to pick up the weapon."

"That I do say. So what is your answer."

"Yes!" She hooked her arm on Shadow's arm. "Absolutely yes, My Lord."

Conan, who bulged her eyes big, couldn't believe the boldness of the head maid. The head maid he knew would never be this insolent to the benevolent lord before.

"Good." Shadow just patted her head without commenting on it.

Again, it got Conan tongue-tied.

'What is going on? It's been only a day since the new lord arrived.'