Is This Fate or Misfortune?

Her Acquaintance, Appreciation

"Alright!" You stated, giving the three of them a nod along with a smile. Finny and Bard headed back over to continue setting up decorations and moving things out of the way while you followed Mey-Rin to where she had been cleaning.

"I can't wait for this gathering later on today!" Mey-Rin merrily exclaimed once you had begun to dust alongside her. "It's been ages since we've were able to do something fun." From the corner of your eyes, you noticed that Finny was frantically nodding his head seeming to agree with Mey-Rin, his actions making you chuckle underneath your breath.

"We went on a trip to the beach cabin just last month though."

The three of them gave you a look before shaking their heads, their actions making you glance around to look at them bashfully.

"That was last month," Bard countered, pausing for a moment from placing a box into a nearby closet to look at you. A cigarette hung from his lips though it wasn't lit, a smart move for the cook especially if he didn't want to anger Sebastian for the umpteenth time. "This is a whole new month so of course we'd want something fun to happen."

A light laugh left you at the words of the cook and a small hum left your lips as you turned back to dust at a table. "Alright, I hear what the three of you are saying. I can't lie, it is nice to have fun when we're always cooped up in the manor having to do our duties."

"Now we're talking!" There was a large grin on cook's face and he flashed you a thumbs up from where he stood. "Now let's do all that we can in order to make this gathering the best!"

Both Mey-Rin and Finny merrily cheered at Baldroy's declaration and they both turned back to their duties, working even more diligently this time, the joy of the approaching party driving them to do their best. Wanting to help the servants accomplish their goal in making the manor look its best, you turned back to where you were dusting, diligently working and holding high hopes for the party soon to come.

"I think that's everything." With these words you stepped back from the wall that stood before you, examining it for a moment before turning to Mey-Rin who stood just next to you. The two of you were in the foyer of the manor having navigated to this section during the cleaning process. It was late evening by now, the servants and you had spent the remaining of the day tending to the duties in preparation for the gathering and at long last you were done.

"We did a good job, haven't we!" Mey-Rin chimed, having wandered closer to your side as she gazed around the foyer admiring the hard work the two of you had put in.

"Yeah! I think we did really good this time." With all that the two of you had done, you had to agree with the maid. An exhausted sigh left you, your shoulders sagging in the process and you stretched, hoping that it would help to relieve the tension. "Ciel better allow me to take a long break after this."

"Guys!"

The loud yell from further away prompted both Mey-Rin and you to turn around in time to see Finny running from down a hallway on the other side of the hallway, Bard walking behind him seeming to be in no rush.

"Hey Finny," you greeted the gardener just as he stopped before the two of you, seeming to be breathing hard with how fast he had been running. Bard slowly trailed after the gardener before stopping at his side. "What is it?"

"Sebastian just said that the guests will be coming any moment now so we should get ready," the blond hair gardener managed to stammer out, his words catching the attention of both Mey-Rin and you.

It was that soon?

As if confirming his statement, there was a knock on the door and with quick glances at each other, Mey-Rin immediately headed over to the large wooden doors with you at her heels. Without wasting a moment, she reached forward and pulled open the doors, allowing whoever was on the other side to enter.