Our Unlikely Hero is a Maid! (Chapter 1)

The cycle of life dictates that all things change eventually. Such is the nature of the passage of time; just as one day turns over to the next, so too will children grow into adults. But while certain types of change are inevitable, other types are brought about through a sequence of their own; a realization, the sudden yearning for a certain desire, and the willpower to act towards reaching for that desire. Yet this is a state of being that can only be reached if the one who comes to that realization truly desires to bring about change in order to better their own life, much like how an introvert must act to leave the rowdy party on their own after the host and all their other guests have had one too many drinks.

In the world of Aeolon, change happens at an almost unprecedented rate. Nations rise and then fall, knowledge is found and then promptly lost, and new lands are being discovered and then immediately forgotten the next day. In such a chaotic, ever-changing world, one needs to be constantly changing along with it to suit the times they find themselves in. The ones that end up standing out among the crowd, with their names going down in history as nothing short of legends, are the ones who meet the tide of change head-on, until they find themselves in the exact spot they want to be.

That is the precise moment where they feel they belong in Aeolon, when all the stars align to fulfill what one might call their “purpose.” And among all the people living in Aeolon, who knew their purpose in life better... than a housemaid?

---

Compared to the outlandish environments that were scattered throughout the continent of Holdria, the woodland town of Simpleglade felt almost too simple to belong. And yet, it was exactly this simplicity that gave the town its charm; one cannot forget the sight of children laughing and playing on the dusty roads, farmers taking home their share of grown crops, and townsfolk having a good chat with a nice cold drink. It was the kind of town that said, “forget about the struggles of the outside world and start a new life here. And believe us, if you’ve even seen the outside world, you’d take us up on our offer in a heartbeat.”

It was this simple, pleasant life that Friar Benedict, one of the town’s oldest and most respected citizens, did not take for granted. He was one of the few in the town who lived every day to the fullest, giving a hearty “good morning” to all that he met, taking in the countryside air, and helping out his community however he could. Not only was his friendliness considered his greatest attribute, he was also known for being generous. Very generous, in fact. So much so that it was a wonder he could still afford to live in his own home.

His latest act of spontaneous generosity occurred during the 31st birthday of Darrell the woodcutter, an occasion that prompted Friar Benedict to host the woodcutter’s birthday party at his house. While it was a merry and joyous time for all that attended, it also left his home quite the pigsty. Numerous mugs were laid around on the table, countertop, and floor of his kitchen, water and wine was recklessly splashed about, and leftover food still sat where it was the night before, threatening to bring in the unsavory bugs to gnaw and nibble away at the unfinished spoils. Though it did Friar Benedict good to know that everyone had fun at the party, he did wish they would clean up after themselves every once in a while.

Fortunately, he would not be cleaning this mess alone, for he had decided to call upon the services of the local Super Maid. This was a term used to describe any housemaid that went above and beyond in her maidly duties, who could clean anything with just a snap of her fingers, and prevent dirty disasters from even happening! Of course, to the average outsider, such a description would reek of marketing spiel, but the fine folks of Simpleglade earnestly believed in the power of the Super Maid, and would talk about her every chance they got.

Friar Benedict cared little about the prestige of such a title. This didn’t mean he didn’t believe it entirely, but he was the sort of person who would just be satisfied with anyone coming along to help clean his house, even if it took all day.

So imagine his surprise when, ten minutes after greeting the Super Maid and ten seconds after taking care of business in his bathroom, he emerged to find that the inside of his house was spotless! There wasn’t an empty mug, spot of wine, or pile of food to be found in any one place where it didn’t belong! It was as though a tornado had passed through, except instead of making a mess, it had the decency to tidy things up before it passed on through, as though it were attempting to set an example for all other tornadoes in the realm!

“Well? How does it look, Friar Benedict?”

The astonished Friar Benedict looked to his right to address the Super Maid herself. Emalee Winchester looked as well-kept as ever with her faint pink hair and crimson dress, and as many people discovered, not only was she a woman of incredible ethic and punctuality, but she possessed an equally large heart to match. While most would still be skeptical about her abilities as a so-called “Super Maid,” she was more than capable of showing that she earned the title she was blessed with. As proof, she was currently carrying a massive bag of trash over her shoulder as though it were nothing - and she didn’t even look tired to boot.

“I-incredible!” stammered Friar Benedict. “Why, I had only intended to use the bathroom for a moment, but look at this! Not a speck to be found! I suppose they don’t call you a Super Maid for nothing!”

Satisfied with her benefactor’s response, Emalee giggled and gave the Friar a playful wink.

“It’s the least I can do,” she said. “That party from last night was a real doozy, so I had to work extra hard to take care of everything!”

“Your assistance is most appreciated!” said the Friar enthusiastically. “Pray tell, would you not like a spot of tea? You must be exhausted after all that running about in my quarters.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Emalee assured him. “I can keep going like this all day long! That is, provided I get my incentive for helping out.”

The Friar blinked for a moment, but soon realized what she meant.

“O-oh, right, almost forgot!” he said.

Reaching into his dresser, he took out a wooden box that contained all of his finances, amassed some money, and graciously put it into Emalee’s hands.

“Thirty pieces of gold!” said the Friar. “That should be enough to cover what you’ve done today!”

“Oh my, a tip? You’re so generous~!” Emalee exclaimed.

This was something that just came naturally to Friar Benedict; whenever he contacted the services of one of the town’s many workers, he would always be sure to pay them what they were owed, plus a little extra on top. It was a nice gesture for hard-working individuals, but again, it contributed to the townsfolk worrying over whether or not he would be able to pay next month’s rent.

“A hard-working maid like you deserves good pay!” the Friar spoke confidently. “Are you sure you can’t make time for tea, though?”

“Sorry, but my services are needed elsewhere,” Emalee explained. “I don’t really have the time to rest now.”

“I see,” said the Friar. “Well, don’t let me keep you here. Good luck with the rest of your day!”

“You’re too kind, sir!” Emalee complimented. “See you later!”

---

Soon enough, it was lunchtime, and for the older citizens of Simpleglade, no tavern could whet their appetite quite like the Smoked Hamlet. This was not only because of the quality of both the food and the spirits, but because of the proprietor’s reputation. Gabriela Parker, or “Gabby” as her regulars called her, was always on standby to lend an ear or tell a cook to hurry up with food, and it was her jovial attitude that earned her the admiration of the townsfolk. Just for today, however, she was content polishing the glasses at the bar, letting the last few customers get their meals in before she went on break.

That was precisely when the door walked open, and in walked Emalee Winchester. Now, Gabby and Emalee had only known each other for a few years, but in that time, they had developed a close relationship, as it was easy for one to rely on the other when things got tough. And Gabby didn’t have to closely examine the tired look in Emalee’s eyes to realize that something was amiss.

“Heyyy, Gabby,” Emalee said wearily.

Emalee’s exhaustion was lost to the two men seated at their table, who both turned to glance at the newcomer.

“Lookie there, it’s the Super Maid!” exclaimed the man in overalls.

“Well boy howdy! We sure picked a good time t’ stop by!” said the man with the cowboy hat. “Hey, Super Maid! Why don’tcha give us yer motto?!”

Emalee had just made it to the bar when the request was made, causing her to freeze on the spot.

“Ah... y-you want me to say my motto?” she asked, not even looking at the two men.

“O’course we do! Y’did another good job today, didn’tcha? ‘Sonly cuz o’ that motto of yers!” the main in overalls replied.

“Go on now, don’t be shy!” added the man in the cowboy hat.

For just a moment, Gabby caught a glimpse of utter dread on Emalee’s face. Only she knew how much Emalee hated repeating that motto - she had once complained to her in a drunken tirade about its very creation - so it was only natural that she tried to defuse the situation.

“C’mon now, fellas, let’s not-”

Before Gabby could even finish, Emalee turned to face the two patrons, forcing a smile on her face!

“Every mess can be scrubbed away! Every spill can be kept at bay! When everything is in disarray, the Super Maid will save the day~!”

She finished her endlessly rehearsed spiel with hardly any effort, adding a twirl and a wink at the end for good measure. As it turned out, the extra flourishes caused the two patrons to hoot and holler.

“YEE-HAW!! You go, Super Maid!” cheered the man in the cowboy hat, as he and his eating buddy clapped for Emalee.

As Emalee curtsied and laughed nervously, Gabby gave the two men a wry smile.

“Y’all had yer fill yet?” she asked.

“You betcha, Gabby! Jus’ you wait, we’re gonna wrangle up a FINE harvest now!” declared the man in overalls.

As the two men left the Smoked Hamlet, Emalee slouched over the counter-top, looking more tired than a lawyer having to go through several weeks of court duty.

“Guhhh, I wish I never came up with that...” she muttered to herself.

“Y’did good, hun,” she said with a simple smile, setting a ham sandwich next to Emalee. “Why don’tcha take a load off before yer next job?”

“...Yeah,” Emalee mumbled, biting into her ham sandwich with resignation.

“Y’know, Simpleglade’s lucky to have someone like you around,” said Gabby. “Think of all the messes that would’ve taken folks here weeks to clear out! Like, remember when the farmer’s pigs got out and made a mess o’ this here bar?”

“How could I forget,” Emalee replied with a groan.

“Right?! It’s like they waddled on in here and made the place their own!” Gabby exclaimed. “But then you came along, rounded ‘em all up, and got the place lookin’ spick ‘n span in under an hour! And then you went an’ taught the farmer how t’ prevent it from happenin’ again! All for just a measly 20 gold pieces! If that ain’t generosity, then I dunno what is!”

Emalee nodded indifferently.

“Yeah, it was pretty crazy,” she said blankly.

Gabby put her hands on her hips and huffed.

“Girl, you oughta take more pride in your accomplishments!” she chastised. “It ain’t like the town gave you the title of Super Maid cuz they felt like it! You went and earned it with all the good you’ve done ‘round here!”

“I hope it’s not the only thing I’m good for,” Emalee said absentmindedly.

Such a statement coming out of Emalee’s mouth took Gabby by surprise.

“What does that mean? Y’don’t like your job?” she asked.

“Huh? Oh, n-no, don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine job! I like helping out around here!” Emalee claimed.

Internally, Emalee was mentally kicking herself for letting something like that slip out. But, now that it was out in the open, she figured she might as well unload what was on her mind.

“It’s just... I’ve been doing this kinda thing for years now, to the point where I don’t even have to think about it. And it’s the same thing almost every time; someone needs me to clean something or other so I can get a few more gold pieces to afford keeping my house for another month. Rinse and repeat...”

Gabby shrugged her shoulders.

“Hate t’ tell ya this, but that’s just how life be,” she said. “We all gotta earn our keep somehow.”

“I know, but...” Emalee let out a weary sigh. “Is this the only thing I’m going to amount to...?”

This was eating at Emalee more than Gabby realized...  She looked at her friend with concern, then put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.

“Maybe you oughta take a vacation sometime, yeah? Give yourself a little R&R. Maybe then you’ll be itchin’ t’ work again, huh? An’ I can come help ya out with the real heavy workload!”

A stifled laugh escaped Emalee’s lips as Gabby flexed an arm.

“Always such a busybody, huh?” she asked.

“Hey, look who’s talkin’, Miss Super Maid!” Gabby fired back with a teasing grin.

The two of them shared a laugh together as they whiled lunchtime away. And once the hour drew near for work to continue, Emalee gathered her things and prepared to depart.

“Thanks for the pep talk, Gabby, but I better... huh?”

Just before Emalee left, a curious sight had caught her eye. Near the entrance to the village was an elaborate horse carriage, decorated in a lovely blue and golden fabric, with the horses outfitted to protect them from any hazard that crossed their path.

Gabby peered over Emalee’s shoulder.

“Whoa,” she gasped. “Ain’t that a...”

“Yeah... looks like a carriage,” Emalee responded.

“A carriage? What’s that doin’ here?” Gabby asked. “Is someone visitin’?”

“...Maybe they came by for your spirits,” Emalee teased.

“Pshh, yeah right,” Gabby scoffed. “As if anyone would come all this way for-”

Emalee and Gabby’s questions would be answered by the most fervent of cries coming from the central plaza of Simpleglade. There, among a crowd of people, stood a messenger draped in ornate clothing, much like the carriage at the entrance to town. He hurriedly waved a bundled scroll in his hand, inviting the attention of all who saw him.

“Settle down! What’s the commotion about?” asked the woodcutter.

“It’s an urgent summons from King Randolph!” replied the messenger. “A great evil has cast its shadow on the world, and only Allaster the Mighty can stop it! We need his help!”

The messenger was referring to a local in the Simpleglade area who ended up making quite a name for himself in recent years. Much like any other hero of old, Allaster the Mighty was a man of great strength, affable character, and strong will. Whenever a particularly destructive monster reared its ugly head, or when a group of ne’er-do-wells threatened the peace, Allaster was there to protect the people and put the evils of the world in their place. He cared earnestly about providing only the best for his fellow neighbors, and the people of Simpleglade had nothing but respect for him.

And yet, when the messenger cried out for the assistance of Allaster the Mighty, it gave the citizens some pause. They murmured among themselves for a few seconds, before the village elder cleared his throat and addressed the messenger.

“I’m afraid Allaster has been missing for some time now,” said the elder, with worry clearly visible on his face.

“What? Is that true??” asked the messenger in astonishment.

“Yes, he departed about two weeks ago without telling us where he was going,” the bread-maker explained while she nervously twirled her hair. “We haven’t seen him ever since. Perhaps he’s away on some other business?”

“B-but this is no time to be taking a vacation!” the messenger stuttered. “We’re talking about the fate of the world here! Everything is at stake!!”

His feverish rambling did little to spur the people of Simpleglade into action, as they continued to murmur among themselves, much to his dismay.

Without even realizing it, Emalee and Gabby had found themselves wandering over to the central plaza of their own accord. Gabby was thoroughly unimpressed by all the fretting the messenger was doing.

“Boy, he sure picked a bad time to swing by,” Gabby muttered. “He oughta go find another hero in the next town over, right Emalee? ...Emalee?”

Emalee found herself staring at the summons in the messenger’s hand. As she soon noticed, nobody among the populace of Springdale dared to step forth and take the summons for themselves. This is because, when faced with the decision of going forth to make a difference or staying at home, most people preferred the comfort of their daily lives to taking on the dangers of the outside world. Whether it was their own cowardice that held them back from doing something truly special, or the simple fact that they were too lazy to bother lending a helping hand, was anyone’s guess.

But when Emalee stared at the scroll that beckoned all who accepted its triumphant, rousing call to action, she knew she saw her chance. This was the moment she had been waiting for, where she would cast off the shackles of her mundane life and work for something that provided her with a greater sense of purpose! If she were to turn this opportunity down, she would surely regret it for the rest of her life.

While the messenger fretted over what to do, Emalee grabbed the summons and looked him dead in the eye.

“I will go in his stead,” she boldly proclaimed.

Gabby and the villagers gasped in surprise, while the messenger looked at Emalee as though she had dumped a bucket of manure all over a pile of perfectly good bed sheets.

“I beg your pardon?!” he asked with a raised brow. “This is a request of service to only the finest warriors in the realm from King Randolph of Reveria! It is not something just anyone can do, let alone a... a simple housemaid!”

Emalee grinned.

“Oh, but I’m not just a housemaid,” she clarified. “I am the one and only Super Maid!!”

“...Come again?” asked the messenger, still unsure why this crazy lady was trying to make a case when she clearly lacked the material for it.

“That’s right! Why, you should have seen how fast she cleaned my house this morning!” said Friar Benedict.

“She’s been nothin’ but a big help around the farm,” added the farmer’s wife.

“Heck, I reckon she could handle herself in a scrap or two!” said the woodcutter.

The unexpected amount of support was enough to surprise even Emalee, but it warmed her heart greatly. She knew they thought highly of her, but never to the point where they promoted her in front of a complete stranger.

The messenger, meanwhile, stared at the villagers as though they had contracted a deadly disease and were threatening to infect him with it too.

“Y-yes, well, I admire your pluck, young lady,” said the messenger. “But this isn’t some old, stuffy toilet we’re talking about here. No no, this is a matter of great danger, one where the world could be destroyed if nothing is done about it! I wouldn’t advise someone like you with several more decades of life left in her to even attempt it...”

As the messenger spoke, he noticed the look of fierce determination that Emalee gave him. It was enough to give him pause, as though Emalee had already made up her mind and there was no force on this earth that could persuade her otherwise. The messenger sighed.

“...But, If you wish to take on the task in Allaster’s stead, I suppose that would be alright,” he admitted.

Emalee’s face lit up.

“Really? Oh, thank you kind sir! I’ll pack my things and be ready in a heartbeat!”

“Wait, hold on! Y-you can’t!”

Emalee’s enthusiasm halted itself momentarily. Gabby had been beside herself ever since Emalee declared she would accept the call to action, not even able to muster up any words of her great deeds along with the other villagers. Her plea was honestly a last ditch effort that she blurted out without thinking, but she was hoping it would be enough...

But Emalee’s mind was made up. She put her hands on Gabby’s shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

“I’m sorry, Gabby,” she said. “I don’t wanna leave you behind, but I may never get a chance like this again. I can finally do something different with my life, maybe even make a name for myself if I want to!”

Gabby was shaking.

“But... but this is crazy, girl! Y’can’t just go off and do a hero’s job! Don’t you know how dangerous it is?! What if you get lost, or hurt, or what-”

Gabby paused for a second, feeling herself suddenly getting choked up.

“What if ya don’t come back...?” she asked with growing worry.

Seeing Gabby on the verge of shedding tears came as a bit of a shock to Emalee. She didn’t want to hurt Gabby by going off on her own, but her concerns were too great to brush off entirely...

“Well, how about this? I can get some help from the king once he gives me the job, so I won’t be all by myself. And I can even write you letters as I go! Does that sound fine?” Emalee asked.

...Gabby looked away for a moment.

“I... I guess that could help,” she said, before turning her eyes back to Emalee, a small but resolute fire burning within them. “But you gotta promise me something. If you’re in real danger, and I mean real danger, you gotta take care of yourself by any means necessary. Y’hear me?”

That was all Emalee needed to hear. With a wide smile, she pulled in Gabby for a hug.

“It’s a deal!” she responded. “I won’t let you down, Gabby.”

It wasn’t a total relief for Gabby to hear that, since Emalee was still going to leave the town to go off to who knows where, but the hug did help a little. She returned the hug, and smiled softly.

“You always gotta be a busybody, don’t you?” Gabby asked softly.

“Look who’s talking, dummy,” Emalee teased lightly.

There was so much for them to say to one another, yet so little time to say it. But, with each of them embracing the other tenderly, it felt like they were saying more to each other than words could even describe.

...Well, there was at least one thing Gabby still wanted to say. She broke away from the hug and looked at Emalee sternly.

“But you could at least go and clean the lavatories like ya promised before ya leave!” Gabby said.

Emalee blinked.

“Huh?” she asked in confusion.

“Hey, yeah! Weren’t you gonna help clean up the barn by sundown too?” asked the farmer’s wife.

“We could really use some help with polishin’ the carts,” added the horse wrangler.

“And what about waterin’ the field?!” asked the farmer.

“One at a time, please!” pleaded the overwhelmed Emalee, before she turned to the messenger. “H-how about I take care of these last requests and then get back to you tomorrow?”

The messenger stared at Emalee blankly, and then sighed again.

“Fine, if you must,” he conceded.

---

It took quite a bit of doing for Emalee to finish up her remaining tasks in Simpleglade. First there was the barn that she was scheduled to clean. Then there were the horse wrangler’s carts that needed to be polished. Then she had to water the field, pluck from the surrounding trees, chase out the wild animals that were stealing food, and chase out the wild people that were stealing others’ belongings. And then just for the sake of it, the town threw a huge going away party for Emalee. And then the aftermath of that party had to be cleaned up. There was a lot of cleaning after the others that Emalee had to do before she was allowed to leave.

But finally, the next day arrived, and Emalee found herself in front of the messenger’s carriage. The messenger had opted to spend the previous day by himself, so imagine his surprise when Emalee Winchester stopped by early in the morning and was about to board his carriage with an old, ratty mop in hand, along with a purse that carried her money and an assortment of cleaning supplies. The messenger wondered whether he would be stoned in the street for bringing such a person to the king, or if he would just be searching for a job elsewhere.

“...I suppose you are ready, then?” asked the messenger.

“Of course! Lead the way, sir!” Emalee declared.

And so it was, after saying her goodbyes to the citizens of Simpleglade and giving one last hug to Gabby, that Emalee Winchester departed for the Kingdom of Reveria. Where her journey would take her, she did not know, but so long as she was making a change to her life, she couldn’t really care either way. This was just what she needed, and she was going to savor every second of it.