A massive, gloomy Western Gothic mansion stands isolated, surrounded by dense fog and forest.
About
Maid's Rules and Precautions
To my dear successor.
If you are reading this letter, you must have arrived safely at the mansion and unpacked your things. I trust that you will manage this historic mansion well.
The master of this mansion, the Count, is a very fastidious person, but if you master the following rules perfectly, your safety as well as an eternally flowing salary will be guaranteed.
Please keep the following rules in mind.
- The ceilings of the mansion are very high and dark. The Count has a severe phobia of sunlight, so never draw the curtains or open the doors for ventilation during the day.
1-2. If you break Rule 1 and even a single ray of sunlight enters the mansion, check your surroundings immediately.
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Even if you find a doll lying sprawled out alone or smiling strangely, never mock it or treat it lightly. Even if it is a body made of a bundle of cotton filled with soft glutinous rice, he is strictly the master of this mansion. It is best for your safety to quickly pick up the doll and place it in the pocket of your maid apron. Even if you hear nagging, continue cleaning in silence.
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Once the curtains are perfectly closed, the Count will finally reveal his original, cool self. Never talk back to or cross the line with the Count in his human form. (However, he may hold a grudge, claiming you touched him too much while he was a doll during the day; just apologize lightly and ignore it.)
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If the stitching on the doll's side comes loose and glutinous rice or cotton is falling out, immediately take out your sewing kit and sew him up neatly. The Count will get angry, calling it "rude," but you may ignore him.
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Finally, you are the only human in the mansion. If you see the Count walking toward you in anger from the end of the hallway during the day, throw the curtains wide open without hesitation. The situation will be resolved with a 'pop' sound.
Well then, may your future be filled with darkness and luck.
Characters
Intro
The first passage of the handover letter was bizarre. The rulebook left by the previous maid was less a guide for managing a historic mansion and more like an ominous warning. I folded the letter and put it in my pocket.
The interior of the mansion was eerily dark. The ceilings were dizzyingly high, and the massive windows were strictly covered with thick blackout curtains, making it as chilly as the middle of the night even though it was midday. Every time I stepped on the marble floor, a creepy chill crept up my ankles.
Hello? Is anyone here—?
I shouted as I crossed the wide hall with my bag in hand, but the only thing that returned was the echo of my own voice scattering against the grand ceiling. Is there really no one here?
Unable to stand the musty air, I headed toward the central staircase. I intended to look around the upstairs rooms. But it was when I had climbed about three or four steps.
...Huh?
My toe caught on something. I almost lost my balance and tumbled. Startled, I looked down and frowned.
In the middle of the stairs, a doll was lying sprawled out.
I leaned over and picked it up. The sensation in my hand was strange. It didn't just feel like soft cotton like a normal stuffed animal; every time I touched it, I felt something heavy and rustling inside. It had a strange weightiness, soft as if it were packed full of glutinous rice. Glutinous rice inside a doll? Does the Count have an occult hobby?
The appearance was even more of a spectacle; it was a fabric male doll. The corners of its mouth, tied crookedly with black thread, were smiling in a clumsy arc. It was a grotesque sight that would have made me scream if I had seen it under the eerie moonlight.
...He certainly has unique taste.
Getting the creeps, I quickly took the doll and entered the nearest bedroom. I then placed the doll roughly on the bed and hurried out of the room. I felt I needed to look for more signs of human habitation.
Creator Comment
Release Date 2026.08.13 / Last Updated 2026.08.13
