Chapter 49: Someone’s Breaking In!
"The first day of your Maid Restaurant is going as you expected, Master. Your idea fits the fortress’s population and lets everyone unwind here. Your insight has impressed me," Hanna said when she rejoined Han after a few hours apart. "To make sure we never disrespect you or let clients get weird ideas, I set a rule: every client gets a theme-appropriate nickname for their visit, like ’Little Master,’ ’Clever Master,’ and so on."
That meant all his maids, including Hanna, no longer called anyone "Master" or "Young Master" the way they used to. The idea pleased Han more than he expected. He was glad to see her after spending time with the others and giving them free rein. He knew Hanna was the one who kept his servants in order.
"Well done. That pleases me. You’ve looked far ahead, Hanna. I’ll grant you any wish within my means. Tell me, what is it that you want?" Han asked.
Hanna bowed so low he couldn’t see her face, only her hair. "Your words are more than I could have asked for, Master. I wish for nothing but to serve you for eternity with everything I’ve gained from my years and your bloodline. I will accomplish anything you desire."
Han’s Dragon’s Pride faltered at Hanna’s devotion. He usually took everything his maids offered with a straight face, but now he was speechless. He had given Hanna her youth back and put her experience to use.
His bloodline must have influenced her. She saw him as the one and only. Even so, he could tell her words came from the heart.
He nodded. "I will pay more attention to you, then. Raise your head."
Raising her head, Hanna gave him a sultry smile tinged with sweetness. Han couldn’t stop himself from pecking her lips and squeezing her bountiful ass through her maid uniform.
Hanna parted her lips and whimpered softly, her eyes narrowing.
Han looked over his Maid Restaurant’s expenses and earnings. That’s enough to cover today’s clinic expenses. Things are going so well, I expect more people to get interested in the Maid Restaurant, including Dark Practitioners and the Order of Law.
He looked at the menu. "What are ’Hanna’s Pancakes’?"
"You could call them triangle pancakes," Hanna said with a smile. "A triangle has meaning where I come from. Its three corners represent the three stages of life: childhood, adulthood, and old age. Keeping a triangle close in any form made us believe we would all live to old age. Once I became a maid, I adopted this tradition and adapted it for gathering information."
That’s deep.
Hanna continued, "Instead of just believing a triangle ensures we live to old age, I made each corner represent the best and worst moments in each stage of life. For instance, once someone bites a corner of my pancakes, I ask if they recall their best and worst moments from childhood. Even the toughest commoners in shady businesses break under this charm and let something slip."
Okay, she’s actually clever as fuck. No wonder she lived so long. She served in Tenaxis and even my Mother, eventually ending up with me. Her past dissatisfaction with me is justified.
Men broke under Hanna’s smile and her village’s tradition. Women and kids did too, eager to recall their best moments. She’d nudge anyone who hadn’t reached old age to think about retirement and the future, so she could finish her work.
"I will have those pancakes, even though you already know the best and worst moments of my childhood and adulthood," Han said, passing the menu to Hanna.
She smiled. "May I hear about Master’s retirement plan?"
"I haven’t thought that far, but I’d rather not die alone," Han replied.
"I see."
—
It grew so dark outside that even the late clients didn’t need a maid to tell them to head out. They begrudgingly headed home before the streets went completely dark. Han was upstairs in the office, peeking out the window.
"Not a soul outside. I can’t even see a patrolling knight," he said aloud. Cold leaked through the frame and settled on his wrists.
Hanna stood at attention, nodding.
Xena was here too, washing off her thick makeup in a bowl of water. She scrubbed at her face in quick, scratchy motions, splashing water everywhere.
"Hanna... you sly slut," she muttered under her breath.
Hanna heard her. "I’ll take that as a compliment, coming from a Dark Priestess of the Ender Cult. It’s also funny you call me ’slut’ instead of ’bitch.’ I think you don’t want anyone else at Master’s side called a bitch, so you keep that title for yourself. And I’d rather not hear more ’compliments’ from a pet. Watch your mouth, or we’ll make you slip up even more."
Fuck you, slut! She’s getting even more confident nowadays!
Han chuckled. He genuinely enjoyed Xena’s slander. She deserved it too for the atrocities she had committed.
"It’s bizarre how the Underworld is more active at night than the city itself," he said.
A draft slipped through the shutters, carrying iron and wet stone. The faint metallic tang of blood edged the air.
Xena shot back, "Maybe because all shady businesses emerge at night, so no commoner wants to bump into them? The same goes for Awberg dogs. Has that crossed your mind, Bastard Han?"
"It has. It’s also fun to watch you try so hard to gnaw at me. Keep going," Han sneered.
Xena growled like a puppy and went back to washing off her makeup.
How much did those sluts put on me?!
"Going outside right now is asking for trouble. I’ll sleep in the restaurant office and wait for dawn," Han said, catching the familiar scent of blood in the streets.
Then the first-floor window shattered, and someone or something barged inside.
Han’s eye twitched. On the first day? You must be fucking kidding me.
For a second, Han wanted to know who was petty enough to attack his business on opening day, but then he realized it could be someone trying to pick a fight with him, suspecting his origins. In the end, he needed to clean up the mess and help Hanna and the other Outside Team maids with their second day.