Thoroughly Omnivorous
The second round of interviews was going mostly the same way as the first. The point of Yaling speaking face-to-face with the candidates was mostly a final check-up. The real magic was in the hands of Shu, who was in charge of running background checks on the candidates.
It was a very important task. Edrick did not want to accidentally place a crest upon someone who would end up being more important than they seemed. For example, a runaway scion, be they from Leynlornd or from a foreign nation. It would make things complicated if that were to happen.
Yaling’s job was to polish the details during the interview. This task had been easy during the first round of recruitments, and so far, the second round had also been rather simple. The girls who came here looking to become maids were all commoners or of even lower status.
None of them was supposed to be married off to somebody of importance, and they were also not involved in what Anoteros called a ‘theatre piece’. It was clearly a code word for something, but if Edrick did not wish to elaborate, then it was not a maid’s place to ask for clarification.
In any case, the last batch had resulted in five Housemaids and one Outdoor Maid. So far, this new batch had yielded two more Housemaids, and two more Outdoor Maids… It wasn’t too bad, but Yaling thought it would be nice to find good candidates to become Kitchen Maids as well. Linmin did an excellent job here, but he was a wife. It shouldn’t be up to him alone to take care of such a task all the time.
However, instead of someone with a background in cuisine or cooking, Yaling found herself facing a rather peculiar girl...
The Headmaid Assistant wondered why Shu had allowed this one through without mentioning her ahead of time, but looking at the notes the Business Maid had left her, it made no doubt… This was indeed the right person.
“Aherm. Pardon me for asking, Miss… But are you even of marriageable age? Are you at least a Bloomin?”
Yaling asked, using both a general and a specific term used to describe a person who had reached that time of their life where they were considered–At least in Leynlornd–To be legally allowed to become engaged with someone else.
It might sound a bit weird coming from a Rococoli, but Yaling genuinely couldn’t tell whether the girl in front of her was also a Rococoli, or if she was still an Immunubil… The last word meaning that she had not yet reached the Bloomin stage.
“Of course! I saw on the paper that was posted that the lord of this residence enjoyed Rococolis, amongst other things! I struggle to find work because of my small stature, and I was also unable to find myself a man, so I thought that I would try my chance here, since the patriarch seems to actually not be opposed to someone like me!”
‘That’s quite an articulate and verbose answer… I guess she really is just a Rococoli’
Yaling looked down at the notes Shu had made. She had only learned a little bit about the girl being interviewed. This was due to the fact that she had come from deeper inside Leynlornd. As such, Shu wasn’t able to learn much without pushing her investigations much further. Unfortunately, her responsibilities meant that she needed to stay within the residence, and her information networks were not yet developed enough around the clan to probe further.
Nonetheless, what she had gathered seemed accurate.
“She’s lying”
A voice spoke up... A guest who had not been expected at first, but who had decided to watch the interviews. It was Luxuli, Edrick’s fourth wife, and currently the only non-human wife. Her bright pink eyes were subtly glowing as she stared directly at the self-proclaimed Rococoli.
“Lady Luxuli”
Yaling bowed her head as the demoness walked closer to the desk, leaning on it, narrowing her eyes at the candidates.
“You are quite smart and know how to speak, but are you even a Bloomin?”
“I… I am a Bloomin! I became one earlier this year…”
Under the intense gaze of the demon, the maid candidate immediately cracked. It was pretty obvious that she had somehow been found out, so there was no point in denying it any further.
“Why did you lie?”
“...I thought I wouldn’t be hired otherwise… Most people wouldn’t want to be seen hiring someone who just became a Bloomin, right? It would be a bad look, especially here! It is pretty explicit that the lord of this residence has certain… Expectations for maids”
“Mmh… Why do you want to work for my husband specifically? You can pull off the Rococoli act very well. I am sure there are other nobles with an attraction for them, even if they wouldn’t admit it publicly”
“Well… The advantages are way better, aren’t they? And… I hear that the lord here is very protective of those of his residence. This isn’t something you can say about many nobles, can you?”
Luxuli rubbed her nape.
“You really express yourself very well. That’s quite impressive. Were you actually born in a noble family?”
“No… I was born in the countryside and abandoned at a temple by my parents when I was very young. I learned by myself…”
“By yourself, heh? You must be a prodigy of some sort, then, right?”
Luxuli whispered something to Yaling before the demoness walked back to where she had been standing previously. The candidate was sweating bullets. She felt like she had just missed her chance and that the Headmaid Assistant was going to tell her to leave…
“The final decision will be up to my Master... But you are lined up for a prestigious position as the Personal Maid of one of my Master’s five wives. You can go back and claim one of the temporary rooms until the residence’s lord returns and gives you your final interview”
The young woman could barely believe it…
She exited the office dazed.
Yaling looked behind her.
“Lady Luxuli, may I ask you a question?”
“Of course, Yaling! How could I refuse a question from a cute little thing like yourself?”
“Are you certain Master Anoteros is interested in Bloomins like her? I have never seen or heard of him engaging with girls so… Fresh”
“To be frank, I am not quite certain myself. My Dear Lord will see for himself, but I don’t believe he will see any problem with the concept. My husband is thoroughly omnivorous, after all”
Yaling did not ask any further questions–It was true that her master wasn’t one to be picky in this regard…
Regardless, Yaling called for the next candidate.