Re: Zero (AI Fanfic)

Chapter 3

Title: A Day in the Life of a Maid

Y/N's POV (Point Of View):

It all started with a stupid bet.

"Y/N, you know you can't beat me at rock-paper-scissors," Subaru said, laughing as I threw down my 'rock' while his 'scissors' crumbled beneath my mighty fist. "I mean, look at your face! You've already lost."

I shot him my best glare, which would have been impressive had he not been too busy snickering at the sheer cluelessness of my life decisions. When we finally concluded the game, I was left biting my nails.

"Alright, if I lose this round, what are the stakes?" I asked, mentally preparing myself for something ridiculous. But even I wasn't prepared for Subaru's wicked grin.

"You have to spend a day as a maid! And you can't complain!"

"Oh, come on! I can't even keep my room clean without a minor explosion!" I protested, which only made Subaru laugh harder, and at that moment, making me feel more like a sidekick in an absurd sitcom than the star of my own life. Spoiler alert: I lost the bet.

Fast forward 24 hours, and I'm standing in front of the majestic gates of Roswaal's mansion—in a maid's uniform, no less. The thought of looking like a discount character in a cheap anime was less than appealing. The dress was snug, and my short black hair was gathered into two frizzy pigtails that resembled sad flags waving in a surrender.

Rem and Ram stood before me, the embodiment of maid perfection. Their synchrony was unsettling. They turned in unison, glaring at me with eyes that screamed, "You're in for it now."

"Welcome to your new job, Y/N." Rem said, her smirk hidden beneath those adorable cheeks.

"I'm not sure the world is ready for this," Ram added, giving me a once-over that was part critique, part amusement.

The day began with mine and Subaru's life-compensated breakfast, which consisted of burnt toast and a questionable brine, which decidedly wasn't jam. I'd take that over cleaning the "great hall" any day of the week. But these girls had other plans.

"Your first task, Y/N, is to clean the great hall and prepare it for Lord Roswaal's arrival," said Rem, her voice dripping with the kind of glee usually reserved for cats watching birds.

Seemingly harmless, right? Yeah, no.

With an overenthusiastic flourish, I kicked into action. Swiping dust from the colossal chandelier above—because who doesn't want to clean with a height-defying broom?—I swung it too hard and shattered a nearby vase instead, sending ceramic shards sailing like confetti.

"Oh no!" I gasped. "This wasn't part of the plan!"

"Keep going!" Ram urged. "Lord Roswaal loves chaos! He thrives on it."

"What kind of twisted place have I stepped into?"

After a bit of improvisation—i.e., covering the vase's remains with a strategically placed tablecloth—I moved on to the next task: laundry. It's the kind of mundane chore that should be simple. I managed to mix whites and darks and turned the beautiful dress belonging to Rem into a weird teal monstrosity.

"Looks like you've turned my dress into a lovely ocean color," Rem deadpanned, eyes glinting with that witch-like mischief.

"Hey, didn't the ocean hold great mysteries?" I shot back, desperately trying to keep my dignity afloat like a fish on land.

The day dragged on, but for every inconceivable disaster, there were bursts of laughter echoing through the halls. I vacuumed while catching a ghostly glimpse of Roswaal's servant, Betelgeuse, who realized far too late that I was wearing a maid's outfit.

"You're looking... fashionable!" he cackled. "The gender-bending maid aesthetic really isn't as shocking as I thought!"

"Yeah, I'll be sure to add that to my resume after this," I retorted, wishing there existed an exit sign labeled "Run for your life."

By the end of the day, I had accidentally used the broom to battle a wayward moth, almost serenaded a group of snoozing cats, spilled what I assumed was tea on Roswaal's lap, and somehow reassembled a tear in his cape with questionable success.

But by the time evening rolled around, I found myself sitting on the grand staircase, utterly exhausted. Rem and Ram lounged beside me, exchanging knowing glances and smiles that showed they had enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

"You survived the day," Rem said, patting my shoulder. "Barely."

"Next time, try not to destroy the mansion. It's not a demolition site, Y/N," Ram added, but her tone wasn't unkind.

I groaned. "I think I have newfound respect for your lives. Who knew supporting all this chaos was so tiring?"

"Welcome to our world," they said, nearly in sync again, and I knew I was officially one of their sorrows—and now, a proud mountain of maid failures.

Who knew being a maid in Roswaal's mansion could be a bonding experience? I suppose every lost bet teaches a lesson—even if it means sporting a less-than-glamorous outfit that will hunt me until the end of my days.

And as I hummed an off-key rendition of "A Little Maid's Song," I thought to myself: "Honestly, not the worst day ever." As long as Subaru never found out.

So, how is it? I know it's not quite accurate, but I did what I can.