Chương 48: The Library Claimed.

Lira spent the rest of the day cleaning the library with the help of the borrowed staff, working under the assumption that important visitors might arrive at any moment now that the project had somehow attracted half the castle's administration. If nobles, or worse, royalty, truly intended to inspect the space soon, then the library needed to look well maintained. She assigned the footmen to handle the final stage of heavy labor first.

What remained of the refuse pile was gradually carried out in manageable loads, including the old discarded tapestries she had personally removed the previous night. Once that was done, she redirected their efforts toward rearranging the shelves. If Steward Dalwin was going to insist on treating the library as some kind of battleground for courtship rituals, then the least she could do was shape the space to suit his absurd preferences.

She studied the floor plan carefully and began directing the men to shift shelves into more symmetrical arrangements. A few aisles were widened while others were repositioned to create more enclosed corners and semi-private alcoves. It was ridiculous, but Lira had already learned that giving people what they wanted made them far easier to manage. Plus the abundance of hiding spot would help her later on when slipping in and out of her alcove.

If Dalwin returned, he would likely be pleased by the improved symmetry and the additional secluded corners. As for the maids, she assigned them to the floors. The stone flooring had accumulated decades of neglect, and while sweeping removed the obvious debris, it did little for the dull film of grime still clinging to the surface. Lira instructed them to polish the stone carefully using damp mops rather than an excessive amount of water. Normally, she would have avoided moisture anywhere near books.

Increasing humidity in an enclosed library was not exactly ideal, but occasional controlled cleaning was likely acceptable so long as no one got too enthusiastic with a bucket. She made sure to supervise personally at first, demonstrating the correct amount of water to use and how thoroughly each mop should be wrung before touching the floor.

"No dripping," Lira repeated for what felt like the fourth time, wringing a mop with pointed emphasis.

"If water is falling from it, it's too much." Once they seemed capable of not committing accidental literary genocide, she stepped back and let them continue. Though exhausted from her sleepless night, Lira still made a point of joining the work at the start. Castle staff responded better when they saw someone willing to work alongside them, especially when that someone was technically another servant rather than an overseeing noble barking orders from a safe distance.

It also made her instructions easier to accept. As the day progressed, she found small opportunities to catch up with familiar faces. Marco worked with the footmen moving shelves, his broad frame making him particularly useful for anything heavy. He gave her an approving nod each time another section of the library visibly improved, though they didn't share too many words. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. Maren, by contrast, had plenty to say.

"I still cannot believe this used to be the punishment assignment," she muttered while polishing a section of the floor.

"Now it feels nicer than half the other assigned duties."

"That's because those duties are supervised by Hesta," Lira laughed.

"I am sure I could turn laundry duty into a happier experience, too."

"How would you do that?" asked Maren.

"I read about a tribe in the Washi Mountains where the womenfolk would do coordinated singing while working together on tasks like laundry or cooking, with the older matron leading the songs." Lira posed dramatically.

"In our case, Old Marga would be the lead singer." Maren audibly snorted at that.

"Can you imagine Old Marga singing?"

"Have you heard her shouting? She has the range for it. Everyone in the castle could hear her." Lira shrugged. Braka, meanwhile, had somehow managed to insert herself directly into Collin's work. Originally, Lira had assigned her to clean the sawdust and wood shavings generated by his repairs, mostly to keep the debris from spreading across the freshly cleaned floor. It took less than half an hour for Braka to begin hovering over Collin with such enthusiasm that she gradually absorbed half his responsibilities.

Lira watched with mild amusement as the pretty maid began polishing wood with more care than some people handled newborn children. Collin, for his part, seemed entirely unbothered by the intrusion. If anything, he appeared relieved. The overworked man didn't seem to mind that a woman was doing the work so long as it was done correctly. Before long, Braka had effectively taken over the polishing stage entirely, freeing Collin to focus on applying lacquer and handling more technical repairs.

Lira silently approved, but she made sure to remain watchful just in case Dalwin, Celene, or gods forbid Hesta came back. She did not want to become known as the person rocking the boat when it came to defining maid and footman duties. People could be weirdly sensitive about that sort of thing. By late afternoon, the transformation of the library had become increasingly obvious. The reading area looked brighter, cleaner, and significantly more finished.

Without the enormous refuse pile occupying the corner near the entrance, an entire section of the room had suddenly become usable space. Naturally, Lira decided to claim it. She could not very well spend all day hiding in an alcove if she intended to act as the library caretaker. She eyed the newly freed corner thoughtfully before gesturing for Marco to follow her upstairs.

Together, they searched the neglected upper floors until they located a small writing desk buried beneath dust, along with a cushioned chair spared from the worst of it thanks to being covered in a sheet of linen, and finally several narrow shelves that looked structurally sound enough to survive relocation. Transporting everything downstairs was tedious, but with Marco's help, it was manageable. By the time they were finished, Lira had assembled a modest little workspace for herself near the library entrance.

The desk was positioned in such a way that from her seat she could oversee most of the reading area, the main entrance, and large portions of both the history and philosophy sections. Strategically, it was an excellent location. More importantly, it helped her lay claim to the library even further. Next time someone important visited, finding her seated behind a desk would help cement her position of authority, justifying her presence even more.

Lira settled briefly into the cushioned chair and allowed herself a small moment of satisfaction. The desk and shelves would still need some attention from Collin, but other than that, the space was shaping up nicely. She looked out over the steadily improving library and felt pride settle quietly in her chest. She had carved a place for herself inside the royal castle. Her father would be proud.