These are going to be very long days, Reiko thought, but for the first time since setting foot in the mansion, the idea didn't fill her with deep discouragement.
She had a list, an assistant who—against all odds—worked, and the quiet certainty that, at least for a few hours, she wouldn't have to face the ghosts Mara had left haunting her mind.
It was just work.
Just duty.
And she even had an overly energetic demon for company.
It could be worse.
The rest of the day passed with a relative normality that bordered on monotony, broken only by tasks that were physically demanding but mentally simple.
Placing scented candles in every room, carefully counting bottles of wine and liquor, making sure every space in the mansion was impeccably clean and orderly.
Bell, as always, proved to be invaluable when it came to physical labor.
Her demonic strength made carrying crates and moving furniture child's play, though her focus often wavered—she would get distracted by anything shiny or invent absurd little games with the very objects she was supposed to organize.
Still, she always finished her work in the end.
Her method was chaotic, but effective.
For Reiko, the real difficulty wasn't physical—it was logistical, and above all, interpersonal.
Her greatest challenge was instructing the staff—the other maids—on their specific roles during the event.
And it wasn't just about serving drinks or carrying trays.
Some of those maids had far more … intimate assignments, meant to satisfy the guests' desires during the orgy.
Others, meanwhile, would function as discreet security, monitoring entrances, corridors, and blind spots to ensure no prying eyes witnessed what would take place behind the mansion's walls.
The irony wasn't lost on Reiko.
The property was enormous, fortified, and already guarded by professional security at the entrances and perimeter.
But those guards didn't know what would truly happen inside; their job was to keep away the curious and potential intruders, not to oversee the … internal proceedings.
That responsibility, therefore, fell to internal staff who knew the truth.
Explaining protocols of discretion and response without going into explicit detail left her head spinning.
As night fell, Reiko leaned against a doorframe, her shoulders weighed down by a dense, heavy fatigue.
She looked down at the long list of pending tasks she had carried with her all day.
Almost everything was crossed out or marked as completed.
Only one task remained, glowing at the very bottom of the page: Guest List – Confirm.
"I'm so exhausted," she murmured under her breath, letting out a sigh that seemed to carry away the last of her remaining energy.
Reiko's gaze lingered on that final task.
I think the guest list can wait until tomorrow… After all, it's the only thing left.
As if on cue, a wide, involuntary yawn dried her throat and blurred her vision for a moment.
Noticing that Bell was finishing up her last task, Reiko called out to her.
"Hey, Bell!" she said, raising her voice slightly so it would carry to the far end of the storage room, where the demon was stacking empty crates. "Once you're done with those wine boxes, we're done for today, got it?"
Bell set the crate she was carrying down with the others, forming a precarious but stable tower in one corner.
"So early, boss?" the demon replied, turning toward Reiko, her eyes gleaming in the dim basement light.
"Yeah ... All that's left is confirming the guest list, and that's something I can handle on my own," Reiko answered, just as Bell came jogging over, leaving a small trail of dust behind her.
"Mmmm, okay, if you say so," Bell said, nodding with energy that still seemed completely intact.
Without waiting another second, she spun on her heel and ran off, disappearing down some side passage whose existence Reiko hadn't even known about.
Well … I'd better go to bed already, Reiko thought as the weight of exhaustion settled fully into her muscles, making her shoulders and back ache with the memory of every box moved and every explanation given.
On her slow walk back to her room, her mind—despite the fatigue—couldn't help drifting back to that final task.
What's the worst thing I could find on that list of names?, she wondered, without much real interest.
Probably nothing.
Just bored nobles looking for entertainment.
Still, a small, persistent shadow of unease clung to the thought.
It's better to leave it for tomorrow, she repeated to herself, almost like a mantra, as she reached her door.
After all, it's just an attendance list ... There shouldn't be anything strange on a list of names … right?
The question lingered unanswered in the quiet air of her room as she let herself fall onto the bed, too tired to even fully undress.
And then sleep claimed Reiko quickly, but not before that final doubt—small and sharp like a thorn—lodged itself at the edge of her consciousness.