Volume 15 Chapter 3 Side Story Annabella and Miriallia’s Meeting
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
*Annabella’s Perspective
I met Lady Miriallia five years ago. I was thirty then. It was in a tavern on Hunter Town Street, Abyss Vena. Back then, I was drowning in debt. My late husband, a Monster Hunter, left me with a mountain of it. I worked as a dancer in a run-down tavern, earning what little I could, just to support his parents.
* * *
When the sultry music played, I danced in revealing clothes, using moves I learned from my days as a prostitute. Most of the crowd were Monster Hunters fresh from their hunts—drunk and loud.
”AnnAnn, sleep with me tonight,” one drunk man slurred as he grabbed my hips.
I was used to handling men like him. I’ve worked in brothels since I was fifteen.
”Sir, you gotta arrange that with the tavern first… Hey, see that scary guy staring at us?”
”Huh!? No, no, just kidding! I’ll be back.”
He stammered, suddenly sober, stumbling out the door.
When I finished dancing, I went to the dressing room.
”Annabella, good job. How about you finally say yes to being my woman? You have no way to pay off your husband’s debts, right? I’ll cover it if you agree. Just give me a proper answer.”
Gonzalo, the moneylender my husband borrowed from, was sprawled in a cheap chair, his plump body sinking into it.
”Mr. Gonzalo… I already said no. I will pay back everything I owe…”
I grabbed a bag from the room, took out a silver coin for this month’s interest, and handed it to him. But he pulled me close and whispered again:
”If you don’t pay the main debt, you’ll stay stuck in this miserable life forever. Be my woman, and you’ll live in luxury.”
”Sorry, but I’m still Huey’s wife. Even though he went missing fighting monsters, I won’t marry another man.”
Gonzalo’s breath smelled like alcohol and tobacco. That smell dragged me back to my prostitute days and made me want to cry.
”Well, if you won’t, then I’ll make sure you pay back every coin.”
”I will. Please leave today.”
I pushed him out and shut the door. I had just given him nearly all I had, so I couldn’t even feed Kremer and Sarie—my father- and mother-in-law—until payday.
Kremer was a good gardener but fell sick after losing his son or my husband. Sarie took care of him, and I held the family’s finances.
What can I do? Maybe I have to go back to my old job…
I sat alone in the empty dressing room, no answer coming. That night, I took leftover food from the cooking chief and ate it with the three of us at home.
* * *
The next day, I went to the Hunter Guild looking for work before my evening shift. The guild not only gave monster hunt jobs but also hired maids, babysitters, tutors, and gardeners.
I scanned the job ledger near the counter for anything that paid even a little more.
Ah, here’s one! Pays two silver coins… no experience required… no gender limits… Quest owner: Miriallia Sir Blackdagger… Lady Miriallia’s request.
I knew she was famous for Monster Hunting in Abyss Vena, and probably the niece of the Margrave of the South District. I almost gave up on applying.
Then a voice spoke behind me.
”You’re interested in that job? It’s fine even if you’re a woman. Apply now.”
I turned. A young woman with goat horns and bat wings—signs of a succubus—was smiling cheerfully. She wore revealing leather armor. This was Lady Miriallia Sir Blackdagger herself.
”Huh!? No way. Someone like me can’t work for Lady Miriallia…”
”It’s fine, Ms. Suzy. I’ll take this one. Get the contract ready; I’ll pick them up tomorrow.”
Lady Miriallia said and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the guild.
* * *
She took me to Noble Street, where the mansions stood tall and proud, unlike commoner houses.
”That’s my house. You’ll work here from now on. By the way, what’s your name?”
She turned to me, voice serious. I’d heard she was a skilled hunter, so I expected scary, but she seemed friendly—unlike a noble.
”I’m Annabella. I’m thirty. Are you sure about choosing me? I used to be a prostitute and now dance in taverns. I did learn etiquette and cooking back then, though…”
”Perfect. If you can cook, you’re hired!”
Lady Miriallia smiled and patted my shoulder. Though her smile made me uneasy, I had no choice.
”…I’ll do my best.”
I skipped happily after her.
* * *
”…How can such a garbage house exist? I don’t get it…”
When I opened the door of her mansion, the only neat place was the garden. Inside, piles of clothes, goods, and junk were everywhere. There was no room to step.
”Well… I got this mansion as a prize for becoming a knight from my uncle. But I never organized anything. This place is just a nest or storage for when I come back to Abyss Vena. Mostly, I’m out hunting, camping, or at taverns.”
Lady Miriallia, who got her hunting card at twelve and already had S-class skills, was a great hunter—but her private life was a disaster.
* * *
”So, is my job to clean this mansion?”
”You’re the first, Ms. Annabella, who didn’t run away after seeing this. Everyone else quit as soon as they saw it.”
Lady Miriallia looked a bit surprised I would take this job. If I wasn’t desperate, I wouldn’t touch this work with a ten-foot pole. But the pay was good enough to make me endure it.
”I’ll wash and sort the clothes. The other stuff I don’t know about, I’ll gather in one place for Lady Miriallia to decide.”
”Ms. Annabella… please. By the way, will one large silver coin be enough as a preparation fee?”
Lady Miriallia handed me a large silver coin. I almost dropped it, shocked.
”Whoa! Lady Miriallia! Who gives a large silver coin before work even starts? Normally, prep fees are about one silver coin.”
I pushed the coin back toward her.
”Well, I don’t have any silver coins small enough to give. It’s a hassle to exchange, so Ms. Annabella, let’s just say this is for expectations. Or cleaning supplies. Yeah, cleaning supplies.”
Lady Miriallia made me hold the large silver coin again.
”I can’t accept such a big amount… Besides, a few copper coins are enough for cleaning supplies!”
”It’s fine. It won’t get in the way. Just take it.”
She pushed through the trash and walked into the mansion. I carefully put the coin in my pouch and followed her.
* * *
Inside, every room was cluttered, just like the entrance—no space to step. I followed Lady Miriallia, clearing the path.
Eventually, we reached what looked like a reception room. That corner was less messy, with a sleeping bag on the sofa.
”This is my bedroom for now. There should be a room upstairs, but it got taken over by luggage, turning into Coco without me noticing.”
Lady Miriallia lay down on the sofa, calm and casual.
…Maybe this person never learned to clean…?
I couldn’t hold back.
”Excuse me, Lady Miriallia… Have you ever tried to clean this up?”
”I never have. That’s why I hired you, Ms. Annabella. It’s been three years since I left my uncle’s house and lived alone here, but I’ve never done any cleaning. My uncle’s house had a maid.”
Her answer shocked me, but it made sense.
”How do you prepare for hunts? You can’t even find your gear in this mess.”
It felt rude, but I asked anyway.
”My equipment is stored at the Hunter Guild. I get it when I go hunting. Consumables I buy after we defeat monsters. So, it’s fine.”
…That’s a waste of money… S-Class Hunters really live different.
My husband Huey was a mid-level C-Rank Hunter and complained about how expensive gear and supplies were.
”Alright… I get why the place is such a mess. Let’s start cleaning this reception room first. Lady Miriallia, please help.”
I needed her to help, so we could clear even a little space to live.
”Eh!? I’ll help. I don’t hate physical work… Oh, I bought the mansion next door too. It’s my warehouse.”
I almost dropped my jaw.
…S-Class Hunters get huge money… That mansion on Noble Street is worth at least five large gold coins…
Using it as a warehouse is crazy expensive, but Lady Miriallia didn’t seem to care about money at all.
”Haa… you bought a mansion just to store junk… That’s crazy… I shouldn’t be talking; it’s almost evening. Let’s finish quickly.”
I rolled up my sleeves and started gathering the clothes.
* * *
By early evening, half the luggage in the reception room was sorted or thrown out. I planned to finish today but there was too much stuff.
”Lady Miriallia… I have to work at night, so I’ll leave for today. I’ll come back tomorrow to finish cleaning.”
”Phew, cleaning is hard… Thanks to you, Ms. Annabella, I got the place tidied a bit. I wouldn’t know what to do alone, so I’m counting on you.”
Lady Miriallia looked happy with her first cleaning effort. I worried I sounded bossy giving orders, but she didn’t act like a normal noble at all.
I started to like that quirky noble lady in just one day. If I could work for a boss like her, this job might be fun.
”Lady Miriallia… I’ll take my leave now.”
I bowed and walked down the hall, still littered with trash, heading for the taverns where my dancer job waited.
* * *
At the tavern entrance, Gonzalo waited, and when he saw me, he waddled over with his plump body.
”Hey, Annabella. I hear you started working days now. For the Blackdagger family, right? That family’s doing well. You should pay the interest you owe.”
Gonzalo grinned at me, eyes sleazy.
”N-no, that’s not true. I pay interest every month. I gave you a silver coin yesterday, remember?”
”That was pity money. The real interest is 7 silver coins a month, as the loan paper says, right?”
He showed me the loan document my husband Huey signed. He borrowed 2 gold coins for gear, but Huey disappeared after being swallowed by a monster on his first hunt with that gear. The principal is unpaid.
”7 silver coins interest on 2 gold coins? That’s insane…”
Right then, the leather string of the pouch around my neck snapped, and the pouch dropped. The large silver coins Lady Miriallia gave me spilled out. Gonzalo’s eyes caught the coins.
”Oh, where did you get so many large silver coins? Your salary should be gone by now, right?”
”This money is from Lady Miriallia. Not mine.”
I quickly grabbed the coins and hid them. But Gonzalo lunged to snatch the pouch from me.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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