I Became a Foreign Worker Loved by Transcendents

Housework…

I might not be familiar with it in this life, but in my previous life, I had quite a bit of experience.

Following my dad, who was a truck trader, I often slept in the car or outdoors, and I was skilled in chores to the point of using camping equipment for housekeeping.

So, what I needed to focus on wasn’t whether I could handle the housekeeper’s job well, but the person from whom I’d taken the request.

“Yes, then we’ve made the contract, and finally, let’s review the contents again… You are ‘Vivian Platonis’, a scholar affiliated with the Mage Tower, right?”

“Uh, yeah. Just call me Vivian.”

“Ah, yes. Then, Miss Vivian…”

Vivian.

That was the name of my employer, a mage supported by the Mage Tower.

Naturally, it wouldn’t be strange for someone of her status to ignore someone like me, an outsider.

“……Hehe.”

Yet, she showed no signs of ignoring me. Instead, she seemed somewhat intimidated, shrugging her shoulders.

Her attire, her stuttering, and even an awkward laugh…

Just by her appearance, she didn’t seem like a typical mad scientist from the Mage Tower, but more like an older student who had lost confidence due to multiple attempts at passing the exams.

“Wh-what’s your name?”

Vivian asked timidly, just as the tension eased due to her demeanor.

Even that act was surprising to me, who had heard all sorts of rumors about people from the Mage Tower.

A mage from the Mage Tower, whose daily routine was capturing and dissecting innocent people, was curious about someone else’s name. What a world to live in!

“Ah, yes. My name is Woo Hyo-sung. You can call me Hyo-sung…”

“Pfft.”

Vivian laughed before I could even finish my sentence, just as I was starting to relax.

Then she shyly revealed a smirk, her lips curling up as she swept her hand away from her mouth.

“Woo… Woo Hyo… That’s an unusual name. It’s kind of funny… Pfft.”

“…Haha, I often hear that.”

And it usually made me feel bad.

During my school days, my classmates would tease me like, ‘Woo Hyo-oh~!! What’s with that name?! It’s really the best!’ And I’ve heard it as a joke in this world too.

However, her laughter didn’t really make me feel bad, unlike those past experiences.

I could feel that she was just laughing purely, without any malice, upon hearing my name.

“Well, anyway…”

After clearing my throat to dispel the pleasantness, I promptly placed the contract documents, compliant with the empire’s labor laws, on the table and prepared to write additional clauses on another document I had taken out.

“First, as written in the contract, I plan to stay here for the duration mentioned in these documents. During that time, I intend to arrange whatever is necessary while staying in this house. Are there any precautions I should be aware of?”

“Pr-precautions?”

“Ah, yes. For example, things that shouldn’t be thrown away, or areas where I should be careful when cleaning.”

“Ah, if that’s what you mean… Firstly, don’t throw away any papers or books that are, uh, dropped on the floor, and be careful with the furniture…”

Vivian explained earnestly, despite her trembling voice.

Though a bit slow, it was understandable enough, so I was able to smoothly plan the cleaning schedule.

Except for the last thing she said.

“And you must not go into the basement.”

Yes, only that last warning.

She conveyed it to me in a very clear voice without a trace of faltering.

“……Yes?”

“The basement.”

Feeling a chilling disparity, I asked again, and Vivian, erasing the smile from her lips, repeated her previous words.

“Don’t ever go below the first floor. Do you understand?”

Even in a dark room lit by a faint blue light, her eyes stood out with a distinct presence.

Realizing that her gaze was fixed on me, I felt goosebumps on my skin and a tightness in my throat.

Yes, I couldn’t understand why she suddenly changed her attitude, but one thing was certain.

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

Vivian, being a member of the Mage Tower, a place known for its lack of ethical consciousness, made it clear that ignoring her words meant certain death.

Remembering that fact, I responded, and her previously tense expression began to relax.

“……Hehehe.”

She returned to her earlier demeanor in an instant.

She soon stood up with an awkward smile and prepared to move towards a room deeper inside the house.

“Then… I-I’ll be researching from now on, so please take care of the cleaning.”

“Yes. Leave it to me… Ah, wait a moment, please.”

After calling her back as she was leaving, she stopped, hunched over, and turned her gaze towards me.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

She seemed anxious, wondering if there was something more.

Although the feeling when she mentioned the basement was not present, I decided to ask her a question just in case.

“Can I go and make something like coffee in a little while?”

“Coffee?”

“Yes. To help you concentrate.”

It wasn’t just a question of politeness.

If scholars of the Mage Tower were disturbed while concentrating, it wouldn’t be strange for them to slaughter someone for that reason.

If I happened to approach her while she was working and unintentionally irritated her, it could very well be the end for me.

“You’re going t-to do that too…?”

However, dispelling such fears, she opened her eyes wide and brought her hands together at her chest.

As if trying to suppress her fluttering heart.

“You’re going t-to make coffee yourself? Really?”

“Ah, yes. Well, it’s part of a housekeeper’s job. If you don’t like to be disturbed…”

“No, no, no, no! I love coffee!”

Vivian, startled, hurried towards me.

Then, holding my hand, she began to whisper shyly in a trembling voice.

“I-I like it…”

Saying she liked me while looking at me.

…No, not me, but the coffee.

“So, in the future, I’m counting on you?”

“Ah, yes.”

Having barely managed to regain my composure, I gripped my flushed face after she had left.

…Damn, that was pretty dangerous just now.

Indeed, thinking someone’s kindness was affection was a third-rate idea.

Especially if there’s business involved, it’s wise to be cautious and have self-restraint to maintain boundaries.

So, while working as Vivian’s housekeeper, I constantly reminded myself of three facts.

First, Vivian and I have a business relationship. Although we got along well, I shouldn’t think of anything beyond that.

Second, I had to remember that once the contract would end, we would become strangers. Staying around for hefty pay could lead to trouble, especially given her association with the Mage Tower.

Lastly, I would never enter the basement if I didn’t want the chilly atmosphere to turn into a real threat to my life.

“Yeah, I’ll just take the contract payment and leave. Life should be viewed as long and simple.”

Whether it was about relationships or money.

If I got greedy, thinking life was a one-shot deal, and tried to handle the unexpected, I might end up in a situation as cold as frozen flesh.

I knew this from recalling a man in this world who dreamt of sudden wealth and lived crazily for gambling…

“Finally, 100 million.”

“Oh, you’ve finally saved 100 million from hard work? Congratulations!”

“It’s debt! You fools!”

Did the debtor who tried bungee jumping without a rope under the bridge get reincarnated, or was he handed over as a gold and silver foreign worker set as compensation to the honest person who came looking for him?

Either way, that incident greatly helped me restrain my greed.

With that in mind, I was able to approach Vivian without hesitation as her housekeeper today.

“Miss Vivian, I’ve made coffee.”

“Yeah, just leave it there.”

Fortunately, she spent the whole day sitting at her desk, focused solely on her research, only responding to my voice when she was concentrating.

Her characteristic stammer or awkward smile didn’t exist at that moment; she just scribbled on paper filled with complex shapes and equations.

Naturally, I couldn’t understand any of it, so I just watched for a bit before going on to do my other work.

Occasionally, I cleaned up scattered books or crumpled papers, but the rustling noise didn’t seem to bother her; she just focused on her work.

“Miss Vivian, it’s about time for a meal. Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yeah, give me food.”

And it was the same when it came time for meals.

Unwilling to spare even the time to go to the dining table, I brought what I had prepared earlier and set it in front of her.

Of course, the meal consisted of sandwiches, salads, and soup in a cup that she could eat while working.

After serving it and waiting for her to eat by her side, she glanced at the tray, then threw out a comment, refocusing on her work.

“Feed me.”

“…What?”

“If I stop working before I’m done, I’ll lose my focus. Feed me.”

…She was asking to be fed?

Was this a serious request?

“Ah, yes……. I should feed you.”

No, she’s in a state of extreme concentration right now.

It wasn’t in her nature to joke around, and given that work was her top priority, seeking extreme efficiency was plausible.

So, I fed her with my own hands.

Just like feeding a child, with these hands directly……

“Munch munch.”

She chewed the sandwich in her mouth a few times and swallowed.

After I offered her a cup, she gulped down the soup as if to wash down what was left in her mouth and grabbed her pen again.

Then again, a bite of the sandwich I offered, a bite of the salad with dressing…

“…Is it good?”

“Yes.”

Her responses continued, brief and quiet.

Seeing the empty plate, I smile contentedly, thinking she at least didn’t seem displeased.

“Haha, I’m glad then.”

Indeed, it was a good thing that she ate well.

Compared to those who complained about the food not being royal cuisine during the camp, this was a really good response, wasn’t it?

“Tha–”

As I was about to leave the room with the empty plate, her lips parted, still facing away from me at her desk.

As if savoring the taste and aroma of the sandwich and soup in her mouth…

“Thank you for the good food…”

As she thanked me in a trembling voice, I stood frozen for a moment before forcing a smile and responding to her.

“Ah, no, it’s nothing.”

-Click.

The door closed, and silence filled the corridor.

Standing there alone, I mulled over her words of gratitude, then clenched my face, reaffirming the promise to myself.

“…Calm down. It’s just a thank you.”

Don’t get interested unless you’re sure.

What I should be thinking about was not a green light but the ‘fence rule’.

But maybe she, like Airi, fits my taste for an ‘older sister who listens well’?

Living together often leads to misunderstandings, and it hasn’t been easy to shake off the temptation of a business relationship.

Especially since she always dresses loosely, it wasn’t easy to resist the temptation to reach out…

“Vivian, it’s morning. Wake up.”

Despite that, I gathered my courage and went to wake her up early in the morning, as she had asked.

But she, lying on a sofa, not a bed, showed no signs of waking up, even though I opened the curtains and let in the sunlight.

“Vivian, if you keep sleeping, you won’t finish today’s research.”

Yeah, at least she won’t get angry about something related to the research.

Thinking it was okay to approach her like this, I shook her body, and she began to groan and sit up.

“Uh, ugh……”

Her eyes were groggy, and her hair was messily spread in all directions from sleep.

Moreover, her clothes were not properly buttoned, accentuating her ample bosom.

“……Vivian, are you okay?”

“Mm, I’m fine. I’m awake.”

Swallowing saliva and gazing at her, she began to open her drowsy eyes and respond in a languid voice.

Her focus sharpened in her blurry vision, then dispersed again.

“Hehe.”

Seemingly aware of my presence.

Soon, she turned towards me and greeted me, her back to the sunlight.

“Thanks for waking me up. Good morning to you too, housekeeper~”

“Ah, yes……. It’s nothing.”

“…Ehehe.”

A faint smile slowly formed on her lips.

In this world, where I had never encountered such pure kindness, the restraint I had built up was gradually fading.

If only I could, I wondered if I could extend our contract and stay by her side…

I felt such a desire gradually growing within me.