The Servants Choice

Eleanor’s POV

[Main Quest Time Remaining: 360 days.]

[Main Target’s Affection Level: 0%]

I stared at the panel floating before me, then placed Edward’s approval document on the desk.

Today was the first day I would actually put the authority granted to me by the Duke of Alistair to use. One month might seem like a short time, but I had no intention of wasting a single day.

“Henry, I want to meet with the head of household staff and several servants assigned to the kitchen, dining hall, and cleaning department.”

Henry, who was standing before me, nodded. “Is there something specific Your Grace wishes to discuss with them?”

“I want to understand how their duties are currently divided. Their working hours, break times, and the supplies they use as well.”

“I’ll arrange it.”

“And Henry, make sure they don’t think they’re being summoned for punishment.”

He offered a faint smile. “I suspect some of them will assume exactly that.”

“Then you’ll have to reassure them.”

***

The small meeting room near the kitchen gradually filled with servants Henry had asked to gather. There were around ten of them from different departments, including kitchen staff and cleaning personnel.

They sat across from me, looking rather uncomfortable. More than once, I caught them exchanging glances, as though they weren't entirely sure why they had been summoned.

I placed my notebook on the table.

“How have things been going with your work?”

My question made them look at one another. Eventually, a woman sitting closest to the door answered cautiously.

“Everything has been running as usual, Your Grace.”

“As usual?” I repeated. “Does that mean you haven’t encountered any difficulties carrying out your duties?”

The woman hesitated. She glanced at the supervisor sitting beside her before lowering her head again.

“Forgive me, Your Grace. Would it be all right if we told you about some of the difficulties we've been facing?”

“Of course. In fact, I want to hear it directly from you. I can't know what needs fixing simply by reading reports.”

“In that case...” She drew a quiet breath. “Some of our work supplies are no longer fit for use, Your Grace.”

I frowned. “Which supplies?”

“Brooms, mops, and several buckets. Some of our gloves are torn as well.”

I immediately wrote everything down. “How long have you been using those supplies?”

“Almost a year for some of them.”

I looked up, my eyes widening as I glanced around the room. “A year?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Another servant spoke up. This time, it was a woman who worked in the kitchen.

“Our food supplies also often arrive in quantities that don't match our needs. Sometimes we receive too much of something perishable, while the ingredients we use most frequently run out far too quickly.”

“Who determines the quantities?”

“Usually the procurement department, Your Grace. We simply receive the supplies and use them according to the list.”

I turned to Henry. “Are there any records of supply requests that haven't been fulfilled?”

“There are several, Your Grace. I can ask the relevant department to prepare them.”

I nodded. “Then I'd like to see all of them.”

A middle-aged man sitting at the far end of the table finally spoke. His uniform was neater than the others', and judging by the way the servants looked at him, I suspected he was the supervisor responsible for overseeing their work.

“With all due respect, Your Grace, the household has operated under the same system for years. We've never experienced any major problems.”

I looked at him impassively. “Then it shouldn't be difficult for us to try a better system.”

“Changes to the schedules and supply distribution could disrupt the servants' routines. I don't believe there's any need to change something that's still functioning.”

“Do you believe damaged equipment isn't a problem?”

The man fell silent for a moment. “We've learned to manage.”

“Being used to something doesn't mean it should be allowed to continue.”

I closed my notebook before speaking again.

“From now on, I want each department to have a more organized work schedule and designated break times. No servant should be constantly burdened with additional duties simply because another department is short-staffed.”

One of the servants raised her head. “What if some tasks remain unfinished, Your Grace?”

“You can coordinate with your supervisor to redistribute the workload. But I don't want one person handling two or three jobs at once while someone else has time to spare.”

I then pointed to the notes in my hand.

“As for supplies, each department must have its own list of requirements. Any equipment that is damaged or running low must be reported immediately. I'll make sure replacement requests are reviewed regularly so that no department is left without what it needs.”

“Are we allowed to submit requests directly to our supervisor, Your Grace?” the woman from earlier asked.

“Of course. But make sure every request is recorded. I want everything properly documented, not merely passed along verbally.”

I looked at each of them before continuing.

“I'm not asking you to work less. I simply want the workload to be distributed fairly. It makes no sense for one person to handle two or three tasks while someone else has time to spare.”

A young servant nodded eagerly. “Does that mean we won't have to take turns staying up late to finish our work anymore?”

“If the new schedule works as intended, then you shouldn't have to.”

“Thank you, Your Grace.”

I gave her a small smile. “Don't thank me just yet. Let's see whether the system actually works.”

***

By midday, Henry and I were inspecting several storage rooms. I wanted to make sure the available supplies matched the records instead of relying solely on written reports.

“Is this where the cleaning supplies are supposed to be stored?” I asked when I noticed the nearly empty shelves.

“Yes, Your Grace. However, most of the supplies have been moved to the main storeroom.”

“Then why does this department's inventory still show a full supply?”

Henry checked the list he was carrying. “It may not have been updated.”

“Make sure every item that's moved is recorded. I don't want supplies going missing simply because no one knows who used them last.”

“Understood, Your Grace.”

We continued our inspection in the kitchen. Several servants were sorting through the newly delivered ingredients. When they noticed me, they immediately bowed.

“Please, carry on with your work,” I said. “I only want to see how the supplies are distributed.”

The head cook showed me the inventory list. I studied the quantities before comparing them with the daily requirements.

“Why is there so much of this ingredient?”

“The supplier delivered it according to the order, Your Grace.”

“Can all of it be used before the fresh ingredients spoil?”

The woman shook her head. “Not always. We usually have to throw away some of the vegetables if we can't use them in time.”

I sighed. “From now on, prepare your supply list based on the menu and the number of people you need to serve. Don't place orders simply because something appears on the old list.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“And if an ingredient is running low, report it before the supply runs out completely. I don't want you scrambling to find replacements at the last minute.”

Henry wrote down the instructions.

Meanwhile, several servants began talking among themselves. They looked considerably more relieved than they had when they first met me in the meeting room.

Still, not everyone seemed pleased.

The supervisor who had opposed the changes earlier stood near the doorway with his arms folded.

“Your Grace, I'm concerned that making too many changes in such a short time will only confuse the servants.”

I turned toward him. “Have you read the schedule I've prepared?”

“Not thoroughly, Your Grace.”

“Then read it first before deciding that these changes are excessive.”

He gave a brief bow, but his expression showed no sign of agreement.

“Is there anything else I should know, Your Grace?”

“That will be all for now. I expect everyone to cooperate.”

***

That afternoon, I returned to my study with a fresh stack of notes. Some of the servants had already begun following the revised schedules, while Henry was handling requests for supplies that needed immediate replacement.

I was signing a procurement list when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

A young servant stepped inside, slightly out of breath. I recognized him as one of the staff members who had helped move supplies from the storeroom earlier.

“I'm sorry to disturb you, Your Grace.”

“What is it?”

“While inspecting the storage area in the east wing, we found a room that hasn't been used in a very long time.”

I set down my pen. “What kind of room?”

“The door is locked.”

“Have you tried looking for the key in the main storeroom?”

“We have, Your Grace. But we couldn't find it.”

Henry, who was standing near the shelves, turned toward us.

“How did you find it?”

“We were moving some crates when we noticed a door behind a large shelf. I'd never seen it before.”

I stood up and picked up the light coat hanging beside the door.

“Show me where it is.”

Henry immediately followed. “Your Grace, perhaps we should ask the head butler to inspect it first.”

“Why?”

“The room may have been unused for a long time. We don't know what's inside.”

“That's precisely why I want to see it.”

We walked through the east wing corridor until we reached an area rarely visited by the servants. Several old wooden shelves and neatly stacked crates stood there. The young servant pointed toward a dark-colored door hidden behind a large shelf.

The door looked different from the others. Its surface was covered in dust, and the handle had grown dull from years of disuse.

I stepped closer and tried the handle.

Locked.

“How long has this room been sealed?” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.

The young servant, however, heard me and immediately answered.

“I tried to find out before reporting it to you, Your Grace. According to one of the senior servants, this door had already been locked when she first started working here.”

“And no one has ever asked for it to be opened?”

“No. The old servant also said that no one had been allowed inside, even when Duke Edward was still a child.”

I stared at the door for a moment. Something about it felt unusual, especially since the room wasn't listed in the storage inventory Henry and I had just inspected.

“Henry, do you know anything about this room?”

He studied the door, his expression difficult to read.

“I've seen it before, Your Grace. But as far as I know, this room isn't part of the storerooms we regularly use.”

“Who has the key?”

Henry hesitated before answering.

“That's what we need to find out, Your Grace.”

I turned my attention back to the locked door.

“Who ordered that no one was allowed to enter this room?”

The young servant looked uncertain before answering.

“I don't know, Your Grace. They only said that no one was permitted to open it without the Duke's direct permission.”

Before I could respond, the familiar glowing, translucent panel suddenly appeared before me.

[System: A hidden location has been discovered.]

[New side quest unlocked.]

[Quest: The Forgotten Room]

I stared at the old door before looking back at the system panel.

This place had never existed in the novel I'd read.

Then... what exactly was the Alistair family hiding behind this door?

***