Chương 31: The Weight of Leadership

Lira had barely settled into her routine when the interruption came. It was early. She had only just begun sorting a new section of shelves when the sound of approaching footsteps broke the quiet of the library, many footsteps. She straightened slightly, setting the book in her hands aside as the group came into view. Headmaid Celene led them. Behind her followed five maids in uniform, their posture varying from composed to uncertain.

Among them, Lira immediately recognized Tessa and Maren, both offering small, familiar expressions: Tessa with her usual energy barely contained, and Maren with a softer, more reserved acknowledgment. The others were unfamiliar. The headmaid stepped into the library proper, her gaze sweeping across the space with practiced precision. She did not speak immediately, instead taking the time to walk around and observe the cleaned sections, the reorganized shelves, and the reduced clutter.

The maids behind her stood neatly in place, all of them well-presented, and their uniforms spotless. Lira stood still, waiting. After a moment, Celene smiled and gave a small nod.

"You have made good progress," she said.

"Faster than expected, I might add."

"Thank you," Lira replied. Celene carried herself with effortless poise, her attention drifting briefly over the maids behind her before returning to Lira. She always seemed to prefer presenting order and beauty together, associating herself more with the prettiest maids than the plainer ones, and today was no exception. Still, dealing with her was far more preferable than dealing with Hesta or Dalwin. She turned slightly, gesturing toward the maids behind her.

"For the next week, these maids will report to you. Your task is to direct them and expedite the cleaning process." Lira blinked. She remembered Celene offering more support, but she had expected that she would need to ask for it. She had not been expecting to have it handed to her without prompting. Before she could respond, Celene continued.

"This will also serve as an evaluation of your leadership. Librarians used to have authority over the castle staff, so I will see if you are fit for the role or if we should hire someone more experienced."

"I will not disappoint you, Headmaid." Celene smiled at that.

"I am rooting for you," she said before turning and leaving, gliding elegantly in her warm-toned dress. Lira looked at the group. They looked back. For a moment, no one spoke. Then Tessa stepped forward, smiling.

"So, boss," she said lightly.

"What's the plan?" The first hour was chaos. At least, it felt that way to Lira, who was used to working alone. The work still progressed, the maids were competent enough to know what they were doing, but the lack of structure became immediately apparent. Tessa and Maren gravitated toward Lira almost immediately, working nearby while chatting freely, their conversation flowing without pause. It was not too disruptive, but it drew her attention away from directing the others.

One of the unfamiliar maids, a quiet girl named Elin, barely spoke at all. She moved too carefully, hesitating before every action, as if afraid of making a mistake. Next to her, Braka had the opposite problem. She moved quickly and without restraint, pulling books from shelves and setting them down with dull thuds that echoed more loudly than they should have. At one point, a stack she had just placed tipped slightly, forcing Lira to step forward and stabilize it before it would scatter on the ground.

Braka did not even seem to notice, already reaching for the next pile. She also kept prompting Elin to talk, urging her to speak louder, her voice unintentionally overwhelming the quieter girl. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. The last newcomer, Sera, followed instructions without issue, maintaining a consistent pace and showing no obvious weaknesses. Lira had put her in charge of dusting the upper shelves, and the girl took on that duty without complaint.

At first, Lira gave instructions as they came to mind, adjusting on the fly, correcting mistakes as they appeared rather than preventing them. It felt inefficient. Tessa and Maren would keep her distracted long enough for her to miss mistakes from the other duo, like when Braka emptied an already organized shelf, or Elin arranged books by color. She stepped back, watching the group for a moment, trying to figure out a way to guide them better. This was not working.

Her first instinct was to push through it and micromanage them until they did things her way. But she already knew where that led; she would end up a tyrant like Hesta. Her father's voice surfaced in her memory, steady and familiar. When you don't know something, ask for help. In this case, help meant books.

"Pika. Linasara. Cognar. Coopar. Nagla," Lira cast quietly as she hid herself between the shelves. She selected a book on military leadership, one focused on leading common soldiers rather than nobles or officers. It seemed practical and grounded in managing people who were not inherently disciplined. The knowledge settled into her mind quickly. The book suggested creating structure and defined roles, keeping orders simple, direct, and purposeful.

She followed it with another book, this one written by a long-dead steward, focused on managing servants within an estate. It approached leadership from a different angle, one centered on understanding the staff's strengths and weaknesses and aligning them with tasks better suited to their individuality. She stood there for a moment longer, letting both perspectives settle and align. Now that she had a better grasp of the theory, it was time for execution.

"Pika. Selan. Tureth."

"Pika. Velar. Syneth." The familiar stillness settled over her, followed by a sharpening of perception. The noise of the room did not disappear, but it organized itself into something she could follow. She returned to where the five maids were working. Both spells allowed her to grasp their temperaments more deeply than before. Tessa and Maren were too relaxed, even more relaxed than when they worked under Celene and old Marga, probably because Lira was their friend and they did not fear her.

Still, they were not actively slacking; it was simply the natural consequence of working together under her. Elin hovered, always unsure of what to do next. She was a follower and would be far more comfortable copying someone else rather than acting on her own. That was why she had attached herself to Braka, who was bolder than her. That might have worked in another setting, but library work was not something Braka was proficient at, which made Elin even more hesitant to follow.

Sera was doing fine, but she always made sure she was a few steps away from the others. She was not shy like Elin but rather solitary by nature and did not seem to enjoy social interaction at all. After gathering the information, Lira let the spells fade and decided on a course of action.

"Tessa, Maren," she called. They both turned immediately.

"I need you working separately." Tessa blinked.

"What, why?" A small pout forming on her face.

"Maren, you can read, right?" Maren nodded.

"You'll focus on organizing books," Lira said.

"Sorting and grouping them. Take your time, but do it properly." Maren nodded without hesitation.

"Understood."

"Tessa, you and Elin will empty those shelves," Lira said, pointing at a set of unorganized shelves.

"Place the books on the table where Maren is working, and clean the empty shelves once you are done."

"Got it," Tessa replied, already moving, Elin following her hesitantly.

"Elin, Tessa has already done this work with me, so follow her lead, alright?" The shy girl nodded once and continued, slightly relieved. and even Tessa grinned at the thought of being in charge. Lira turned to Braka next.

"I need you to stop working on the books," she said plainly. Braka frowned slightly.

"What am I supposed to be doing then?"

"There's broken furniture in the back. Tables, chairs, and shelves. I want you to disassemble it, sort what can be reused, and discard the rest." Braka hesitated, then nodded.

"Alright. I can do that." Finally, Lira turned to Sera, who was still dusting already organized shelves.

"You are doing fine. Keep working." The difference was immediate. It was not perfect by any means, but there was a noticeable improvement. Each person had a role, a direction, and a purpose that did not overlap unnecessarily with others. Unlike Braka, who kept prompting Elin to talk, Tessa was comfortable enough talking for both of them, keeping the shy girl engaged without overwhelming her, by asking for questions or suggestions.

Braka's strength was redirected into a task that benefited from it rather than causing damage. Sera maintained her steady contribution. And Maren worked in quiet focus, the growing stacks in front of her turning into ordered sections. Lira observed the flow, making minor adjustments where needed, but no longer reacting to every small issue.

The improved efficiency in the Tessa and Elin pair led to more books stacking up in front of Maren than the girl was comfortable handling alone, so Lira joined her and began organizing as well, quietly casting her Absorption Spell every hour or so on books she found interesting. For the first time, the work no longer felt like something she was barely holding together, and the task of completely clearing the library no longer felt like a distant dream.