Castle cleanup (pt 1)

Disoriented, Miho found herself stranded at the outskirts of a medieval-looking town. Surrounded by farmhouses and dense woodlands, she decided to follow the gravel road leading up to the looming gate ahead.

The guard at the gate glanced at her with wide eyes, but he made no move to stop her. He returned to his post, letting her pass through the towering wooden doors that separated the bustling town center from its quieter outskirts.

As Miho stepped into the heart of the town, she immediately felt the weight of the villagers' curious gazes.

“Is she an otherworldly adventurer?” she heard them whisper against each other, their eyes staring at her unfamiliar apparel.

Her earthly clothing seemed to clash with the medieval aesthetic around her. Stopping briefly by a puddle on the cobblestone street, Miho caught her reflection and froze. Her eyes had turned an otherworldly shade of blue, perfectly matching the crystal embedded in her new heavenly cleaning tool, Clarice. Her short black bob haircut stood out starkly against the braided and flowing styles of the villagers.

I must look like a fish out of the water, Miho gathered, her unease quickly giving way to curiosity as she took in her surroundings.

The town square buzzed with activity. Tall wooden houses framed the square timber beams lined the streets. Merchants displayed an array of exotic goods on vibrant, colorful stalls, their wares shimmering under the mellow sun. An informant standing atop a crate, projecting his voice as he announced the latest happenings to the gathered crowd. A shepherd leading his herd of one-horned sheep through the midst of it, seemingly unaware of the trail of droppings they left behind.

While taking a closer look, Miho noticed the streets were covered with all kinds of mess: fruit peelings, trampled flyers, discarded scraps of fabric, and even puddles of suspiciously sticky liquid. It was chaos, and yet, Miho felt a sense of clarity.

This town desperately needs me. It’s the perfect place to start my business. A small, determined smile spread across her face as she bawled her fist in resolve.

“Excuse me Miss, you must be looking for the adventurer’s guild, aren't you?” a villager called out, approaching her.

Miho turned to him and shook her head politely.

“I could use a job, but I doubt the guild has anything that suits my expertise.”

The man’s confusion deepened.

“What kind of job are you looking for, then?”

“Cleaning,” Miho said confidently.

“I came to this town to look for a job as a cleaner, do you know of any openings?”

The villager blinked, clearly taken aback.

“A cleaner? Someone with your... looks?” He said while briefly glancing at her radiant blue eyes and neat appearance.

“Well, I suppose it’s none of my business.”

He scratched his head thoughtfully before coming up with an idea.

“Actually, I might know just the thing! Lord Cedric is in need of help at the castle tonight. Why not try there?”

The man pointed toward a windy road leading up a hill where a grand castle loomed, towering over the town.

Miho nodded, her determination renewed.

“Thank you. I’ll head there right away.”

With Clarice firmly in hand, she began her ascend toward the castle, ready to face her first job in this messy world.

With two colossal stone turrets towering over her, she entered the gate leading up to the courtyard. She passed under the spikey portcullis and various arrow loops that would be used in times of war.

The smell of graveled stone and wood-burning stoves entered her nose as she entered the courtyard. A carpenter was hammering at a big arch they set up in front of the entrance.

A wooden carriage containing crates and barrels of various sizes was being unloaded by a couple of young men, wearing brownish outfits.

They must be preparing for something big, Miho thought while entering the keep’s main door.

“Excuse me, who do I ask about the job listing in the town?”

She asked elderly women dressing tables in the castle’s big hall.

“Job listing… job listing…”

A spark lit up her eyes as her eyes peeked at the broom Miho was holding.

“Dear goddess, are you our savior, sent from the heavens to save our party?”

Miho smiled.

I guess that is an accurate description.

“I came here to apply for a temporary position as a cleaner.”

The woman grabbed Miho’s and held it tight.

“Bless us. All our maids fell ill due to a spoiled piece of meat in the broth, we desperately need someone to clean up after our guest at the big feast our Lord Cedric is throwing tonight,” she explained with a voice full of desperation.

“I think I can be of help, Miss, I have tons of experience cleaning up after rambunctious guests.”

Miho remembered all the mornings she had spent removing stains from the lavish carpets at the high-end hotel where she worked.

“What a pleasure to hear, now let me bring you to Lord Cedric to tell him the news”

X

The elderly woman knocked on the heavy wooden door leading to Lord Cedric’s office.

“Please enter”, a heavy voice answered.

The woman opened the door and wished Miho the best of luck.

The office was located in the bottom part of one of the round towers. The walls were covered with white plaster, and decorated with various yacht trophies, giant deer, wolves and a couple of monsters Miho wasn’t familiar with.

She stared at the scale-covered head of a giant lizard-like creature

“An impressive catch, isn’t it?” the lord said while laughing loudly.

“My apologies, sir,” Miho said while bowing.

“I got distracted by those heads, I have never seen such creatures in my life.”

“You should be grateful, I was on the verge of death while fighting that monstrosity. He almost hung my head on his wall instead.”

He burst into laughter.

“I came here for the job offer,” Miho carefully stated after the lord had finished enjoying himself.

“That’s right… that’s right..” he mumbled.

“See, I am throwing a big party tonight and I need someone to clean up during and after it. These guys behave themselves like animals, so please prepare for the worst.”

“Don’t worry my Lord, I was granted this marvelous cleaning tool, with it I am able to clean anything,” she said while looking at Clarice.

“So you said you can clean anything? Really, anything?”

Miho nodded.

“Yes sir, I can.”

A mischievous smile formed on the Lord's face.

“Well, it looks like I am in luck. If you can truly clean everything that is.”

If he pays me enough that is.

The girl looked Cedric straight in the eyes.

“How much will this job earn me? I am new in this land and looking to buy myself a small dwelling”

Cedric's face looked surprised.

“You have quite the audacity to ask for that so directly, young lady. But if you help me let my plans succeed, I suppose that wouldn’t be impossible.”

He was still being a bit vague…

“Do we have a deal?” Miho asked, putting her hand out straight before her.

Cedric grabbed her hand and shook it firmly.

“I look forward to working with you,” he responded with a big smirk on his face.

X

Trying her best to orient herself in the gigantic stone castle, Miho offered her help to the castle residents with the final preparations for the upcoming festivity.

“But first let me get you into a set of appropriate clothing. Our guests cannot see you wearing that strange apparel.”

The elderly woman, who Miho learned was called Beatrice, said to her.

She brought Miho upstairs, via a creaky spiral staircase that sat inside one of the towers.

Beatrice took an all-black maid outfit out of a large wooden cupboard and held it before Miho.

“This should fit your size.”

Miho grabbed a hold of the outfit and started changing.

I look like someone at a cosplay convention, she thought to herself as she looked at herself in the mirror.

After she changed clothes, she followed Beatrice downstairs and helped her set the tables.

Glazed plates, silver spoons, and knives with ivory lemets. Lord Cedric must be quite a wealthy man, Miho figured.

Beatrice grabbed a white napkin with gold stitches and folded it into the shape of a standing fan.

Miho looked at the lady and tried her best to emulate the malicious craft.

It can’t be that difficult, can it?

She put her sloppy creation on the table and grabbed another napkin.

“Darling, you cannot give that to our well-valued guests!” Beatrice said with a shocked voice.

“Since you are from another country I cannot blame you for being unfamiliar with our customs, so let me teach you.”

The lady grabbed a napkin and showed Miho how to fold it.

The girl followed her every step.

“And then lastly, you pull this part.”

She put the napkin on one of the fancy plates that lined the table.

Miho finished hers and put it on the plate beside it.

“You are a quick learner, my dear,” The woman said with a faint smile.

Together they finished setting the tables, after which Miho started preparing her cleaning supplies. Beatrice pointed her to a stack of wooden buckets which she put out throughout the dining hall.

These are surprisingly heavy… Miho thought while putting down buckets under one of the tables. Considering the huge barrels of alcoholic beverages present, these empty buckets would come in handy for the drunk guests.

She filled a couple of buckets with water from the well and mixed in a bar of soap.

Exhausted from carrying all the heavy, Miho sat down on a wooden bench to catch some breath.

I miss those lightweight buckets with built-in mob wringer already…

She hadn’t had any time to process her reincarnation in this unfamiliar, but magical world yet.

Looking at Clarice, she whispered.

“Time to put you to the test”

The crystal twinkled as if it was responding to her voice.

Magic? Nah, it's probably just the light reflecting.

“Get up, miss, I am not paying you to hang around!” an irritated deep voice said.

Miho jumped off the bench and looked at the lord.

“Yes, Lord Cedric.”

She shouldn’t sabotage her chance of a good payout.

“The first guest will arrive soon, so please show your best manners.”

While Miho was busy brushing the floors one last time, she heard the clicking hoofs get louder and louder.

The sounds of the first guests arriving…

She finished brushing off the final dirty and lined up next to Beatrice to welcome the guest.

“Long time no see, Lord Arnold,” Cedric said with a large smile on his face.

He shook the large hand of the large, muscular man.

“Where is all the stuff you always like to show off? Did they sack you?”

The man looked at Beatrice and Miho standing next to the door.

“A stomach bug,” Cedric responded in a stoic voice.

“Do you think you can handle me all alone, missy?”

The man said to Miho, who showed him to the table.

“No problem.”

She responded calmly.

What a dirtbag, Miho thought as she poured the man a drink.

“Arnold and Cedric have been sworn rivals,” Beatrice whispered in Miho’s ear.

“He suspects Arnold of cheating on his wife, who sadly disappeared a couple of years ago.”

Miho nodded, a bit shocked by the information she just learned.

"I'll watch my step around him”