Author: sentrydown

12:30 P.M.

Half an hour after leaving the estate, the duo arrived at Saint-Lusan. As a beautiful coastal town with a modest population, the streets were alive with the locals who live there and the tourists who come for an oceanside escape.

With the noon Sun basking them in its warmth, Alys and Roy made their way through the bustling streets and to the seaside, where the lively markets were located. A large array of stalls were to be had, selling goods both domestic and from abroad.

Alys found the stall she was looking for.

“Oye, welcome back Alys! It feels like it was only yesterday that you visited my humble shop.” The rotund and jolly shopkeeper greeted Alys.

“Boris, I was here yesterday, you oaf,” Alys greeted back.

“Bwahaha! Of course you were!” Boris gave a hearty laugh, and Alys smiled in return. “Making dinner for the family again I assume?”

“I come to your stall nearly everyday getting ingredients. What could possibly lead you to that conclusion?”

The two bantered back and forth like this for a bit longer, like old friends who’ve known each other for a long time. Roy could only stand there, both confused and amazed that an android and a human could have such a conversation.

“Regardless, I would like to purchase these items if you have them,” said Alys. She pulled a piece of parchment from her purse and handed it over.

Boris looked it over, promptly gave it right back, then dug around in the wooden boxes behind him for a bit. Soon, he turned back around and offered Alys a sizable box, who then motioned to Roy to carry it.

Roy looked inside and saw a colorful assortment of what looked to be vegetables and fruit, as well as some plastic wrapped fish. None of them were familiar to Roy, so they must have been quite expensive.

“Thank you again, Boris,” Alys said as she handed the shopkeep some cash.

“Aye, my pleasure, Alys. I presume you’ll be back again tomorrow?”

“Assuming you are still in business.”

Boris gave a hearty laugh as Alys and Roy began walking back to the estate.

11:45 A.M.

Now refreshed and cleaned, Alys dressed herself into a new uniform, and proceeded back into the mansion. At this time, Lady Yura would be studying under one of her many tutors, while the Master would be holed up in his lab. While nothing out of the ordinary, it did leave Alys yearning for some time with either of them.

Regardless, it was not the time for such thoughts, and it was the time to begin her next task. As was tradition in the household, Alys would be preparing dinner. And to prepare dinner, she needed fresh ingredients. She would not settle for anything less than fresh, especially for Lady Yura.

Alys used to wonder why she was tasked with preparing dinner on a daily basis. After all, there were many other androids in the house who could prepare meals much better than she could. She was, after all, an android programed to specialize in housework and managing the other servants. Ila was a much better cook than her.

But the Master was insistent that she be the one to prepare dinners, and so she did. She even began to find joy in the task, and she eventually realized there was a reason for this duty.

Of course, Alys was not with limitless strength, despite being an android, and so she called upon another of the servants, a recently hired boy by the name of Roy to accompany her in her trip into town. A strong boy, he would be able to carry whatever Alys asked him to, or at least she hoped.

And so, the two went off into town.

11:20 A.M.

The flowers glistened under the daytime sun. Alys had tended to the garden with the utmost care, watering flowers, and purging the weeds. But now her clothes were filthy, and needed to be cleaned. Conveniently, the Master had ordered a shower constructed in the gardens when the estate was built, and so Alys headed there..

Alys, like most androids, did not need to shower. There were risks, such as the humidity short circuiting their internal mechanisms. It was also inconvenient, slathering oneself in water and soap when their charging docks could clean them just as well, if not better, as they slept.

But Alys, unlike most android, found the feeling of water flowing over her synthetic skin relaxing. She could feel each droplet massaging against her sensors.

For Alys, showers were some of the few times in the day when she could relax before she had to resume her maidly duties. And so, she relished every second of it.

9:00 A.M.

Alys walked out into the estate gardens. Beautiful flowers of all kinds, neatly arranged into various shapes formed a breathtaking sight.

But for Alys, it was work.

She grabbed her gardening tools from the shed, and went to tending to the plants.

The crimson roses were watered.

The pristine lilies were cared for.

The vibrant violets were blessed by her hands.

Each day, when the weather was good, Alys would come out and tend to these plants. They were her children, and she cared for each plant individually.

Tirelessly, for a few hours, she cared for the plants.

And at the end of it all, she didn’t even break a sweat.

8:35 AM

The master and Yura had completed their meal, and so Alys began cleaning the table of dishes.

Yura, as always, had finished her meal completely, with no scraps on her plate. Her area of the table was also quite clean. No food bits had dirtied the oaken table.

The master, on the other hand, was quite the picky eater. Pieces of his breakfast had managed to escape his mouth and land on the table. Some food even remained on his face that had missed his mouth.

Alys took a napkin and wiped the food off the master’s face.

“Will you ever learn to eat properly? You’re setting a poor example for Madam Yura,” she remarked.

“Oh it’s fine,” the master replied, “You’ve taught her to not make a mess. Besides, my messiness is one of defining character traits.”

“I think it’s a trait I need to purge from you. Shall I prepare a lesson on manners?” she said with a dry smile.

The master could detect an aura around Alys that said “You better shape up or punishment is in store.”

He fearfully shook his head and said, “N-no, that won’t be necessary. Anyways, I’ve got my work to get back too.” He got up and kissed Yura on the forehead. “Be a good girl and don’t give Alys too much trouble, ya hear?”

Yura smiled and kissed her father on the forehead in return. “If anything, Papa, I’m more concerned about how much trouble you give Alys.”

The master gave a hearty laugh, then left for his work.

Alys could only sigh.

8:15 AM

Alys took Yura to the dining room and sat her next to it. No one else was in the room yet, which meant that her master was either on his way down or he went back to sleep. Alys hoped it was the former… for his sake.

She then left the dining room and went to the kitchen, where she found a white haired lass a tad shorter than her cooking at one of the ranges. The lass was humming some tune that Alys did not recognize. The cook did not seem to notice Alys.

“Good morning, Ila. Are the masters’ meals almost ready?”

“Hmm? Ah, yes. They’re almost done. Today I’ve got some a western style breakfast with eggs and bacon~.” Ila’s voice was high and playful. Alys thought thought she sounded like what Yura would in a few years.

“Very well, please bring it out as soon as it is ready.”

“Yes~.”

With that Alys left the kitchen, and walked back into the dining hall.

8:00 AM

After helping Yura change her clothes, Alys moved the wheelchair out of the room and into the hall.

“It’s so pretty outside…” the young girl quipped as they walked.

“Indeed, madam,” the android replied.

“Alys, you know you don’t need to call me that.”

“Indeed, but it is only proper that I do.” As the head maid of the household, Alys has a standard she must maintain, including the proper addressing of the building’s occupants.

“Ehhh. That’s no fun. Aren’t we close enough that you can just call me Yura?” The girl was not happy with Alys’s reply.

*sigh* “You know I should not be doing so.”

“But-” Yura started. Then, Alys interrupted her before you she could finish.

“But, I will make an exception on your next birthday,” Alys said.

A smile appeared on Yura’s face, and she excited bounced in her chair. In fact, she was bouncing so much, she fell off, landing face first into the floor.

As Alys picked her up, she saw that Yura was still smiling, and not at all bothered by the pain of falling.

“My, my…” she whispered, with the faintest grin on her face.

7:55 AM

Alys stopped before a door, which had a placard with the occupant’s name.

She knocked on the door.

“Yes? Who is it~?” The voice of a young girl replied from the other side.

“Madam, it is time to get dressed. I am coming in,” Alys said.

She opened the door to the bedroom where a child, no more than ten years of age, was lying on her bed. Her brown hair was a mess, as she pulled the covers off of herself.

“Alys!” she exclaimed, opening her arms wide, expecting a hug.

Alys complied, and gave the child a hug. “Madam Yura, it is almost time for your morning meal. Let us get you dressed.”

Yura simply smiled and let Alys change her clothes, helping where she could. After it was all said and done, Alys took the folded up wheelchair on the side of the bed and opened it up, and gently placed Yura in it.

“Thank you, Alys~! I wish I could be more independent…” Yura looked down at her legs. From the outside they seemed fine, but a disease had taken their mobility from the young girl.

“Do not fret about such things. I am here to humbly assist you.”

“Is Papa awake yet?” Yura asked with a smile on her face.

“…” A very slight twinge of annoyance appeared on Alys’s face, probably recalling what happened half an hour ago. “He is, and if he is not, I will go wake him up… again.”

7:45 AM

Now that Alys had (hopefully) awoken her master, it was time to move onto the next part of morning routine.

She navigated the corridors of the large house. The decor was simple, and with large windows along the walls that gave view to an expansive courtyard.

Alys paused for a moment to let the sunlight bask on her. The sun shone on her long violet hair and her fair complexion. Though she was not human, she still enjoyed the feeling of warmth of the sun on her.

She looked in front of her, and behind her, and above her, and to her sides to make sure no one was around. After confirmed that no one was, she let out a long sigh and closed her eyes.

“Ah… this is nice.” She sounded serene. This was one of the few moments of the day when Alys could relax and, however briefly, ignore the day to day chaos that was her duty as head maid.

But her responsibilities could not be ignored for too long, so she left the embrace of the sun, and continued on her walk.