Once the other girls and Shane had left, Madam Mary scrutinized Anna. "What is your name?".

"My name is Anna, Madam Mary," she replied softly, keeping her eyes downcast.

Madam Mary was secretly pleased with Anna's well-behaved manner. While Lord Patrick's orders were absolute, it was much easier to manage someone who seemed obedient. She explained that as a newcomer, Anna would train under a senior maid. "The rules of this kitchen are nothing like your home. You must learn diligently".

Anna was assigned to a maid named Rebecca. In the Manor, Anna would earn ten silver coins a month—nearly double what her father made as a bartender. Anna was overjoyed; with this income, she could finally save enough to move her family out of Pomegranate Lane and away from the slums.

The work schedule was from 7 AM to 7 PM, seven days a week. Since the Temple of Lumenia did not grant maids leave for Sunday service, they were only permitted brief prayers. On her first day, Anna learned the layout and introduced herself to the guards at the back gate.

When Anna returned to Pomegranate Lane that evening, a tall youth ran up to her. "Anna, hurry home! Someone is causing trouble at your house!".

Anna's face paled. Her father, Evan, and her brother, James, were already at the tavern. Only her mother, Grace, and her younger siblings, Adeline and Eddie, were home. She rushed back to find Lily and her mother, Renee, screaming abuse at her front door.

"Your Anna is a shameless slut! Using her looks to bewitch Lord Patrick and steal my daughter's job!" Renee barked at Grace, who stood in the doorway, pale and unable to fight back. Lily stood by, weeping and claiming Anna had stolen what was rightfully hers.

Red-faced with fury at seeing them bully her mother, Anna spotted a shovel left by the road. She grabbed it, flipped it around, and swung the wooden handle at the pair, catching them off guard.

"Lily! You were disqualified because you were shouting in front of Madam Mary!" Anna shouted, standing between her mother and the bullies. "You are followers of the Goddess—how dare you lie under her gaze? The Goddess will not forgive you!".

Anna didn't believe a word about the Goddess herself—if the Goddess were real, the demon wouldn't be haunting her—but she knew the threat would work on them. Lily panicked, looking away guiltily, though she tried to insist Anna had "seduced" the Lord.

Renee was more stubborn. "Do you know how many favors I had to call in for that recommendation? That job belonged to Lily!".

Grace tried to step forward, but Anna held her back. She knew her mother wasn't cut out for this kind of confrontation. "Mom, trust me," Anna said. Grace looked into her daughter's eyes and, sensing a new strength within her, nodded and stepped back.

The following is the English version of the requested chapter, incorporating character names and terminology from the sources.

Anna remained standing at her doorway, the weight of the iron shovel in her hands providing a surge of confidence. She looked coldly at Renee and said, "It is your own daughter’s incompetence that got her disqualified by Madam Mary. How can you blame that on others? If I had truly seduced Lord Patrick, I would already be his mistress; why would I still be seeking work in a kitchen?".

The social customs of this world differed from the ancient East of Anna’s memories, as people here were much more open regarding sexuality. While being a mistress might be frowned upon in some circles, among commoners, a girl who became the mistress of a noble was viewed with envy and jealousy. Anna’s reasoning was, therefore, logically unassailable to the crowd. No one believed that Lily Hawke had entered Wilson Manor without the hope of catching a noble's eye, as Lily frequently boasted that she would eventually have a lord falling at her feet. The onlookers assumed that if Anna had actually succeeded in seducing the young lord, she would never be foolish enough to choose the life of a kitchen maid over the luxury of being a mistress.

Even the usually sharp-tongued Renee was left speechless by Anna’s point, but she refused to surrender, shouting, "How should I know what you’re thinking? Perhaps you have even greater ambitions—perhaps you want to be Lord Patrick’s wife!".

The crowd erupted into laughter, not at Anna’s "delusions," but at Renee’s absurdity. No one in their right mind believed a commoner could become the wife of an Earl's heir. While a wealthy commoner might marry a low-ranking Baronet, the idea of Anna marrying a future Earl was seen as madness. Without Anna needing to say another word, the neighbors began to mock Renee.

"Renee, your daughter failed on her own merits, so stop blaming others. We all know what Lily is like," someone shouted. Others joined in, laughing that Renee must have had such fantasies for Lily herself, while some noted that Anna was far more beautiful than Lily and would be a better choice for any Manor official. Under the weight of the crowd's collective ridicule, Renee and Lily finally retreated in shame.

This was exactly the outcome Anna had intended. Because of the world's unique culture regarding mistresses, Anna was able to use the concept as a breakthrough to turn public opinion in her favor. She knew that if she had told the truth—that she had been "parachuted" into the kitchen by Lord Patrick’s direct order—no one would have believed she had rejected his advances.

Once the crowd dispersed, Anna returned the shovel to its place. The youth who had come to warn her, a young man named Mark, stayed behind and whistled in admiration. "Anna, you were incredible just now!" he said, pulling a bouquet of wild purple flowers from his belt and thrusting them into her hand. "These are for you. They suit you!". Mark, the blacksmith’s son, grinned and ran off before Anna could respond. Anna looked at the crushed petals of the wild-picked flowers and felt a small sense of happiness; they were the first flowers she had received in this world.

Anna walked back to her house where Grace Virelle was waiting at the door. Anna gave her mother a sweet smile and said, "Mom, I have great news—I’ve been hired by the Manor!".

Grace was stunned for a moment before laughing with joy. Anna continued excitedly, "I’ll be earning ten silver coins a month! From now on, we’ll eat stewed mutton and white bread every day!". Adeline and Eddie poked their heads out from inside, their eyes lighting up at the mention of meat.

"When I get my first paycheck, everyone will have plenty to eat!" Anna declared with grand ambition. As her siblings cheered and her mother smiled, Anna felt for the first time that she truly had the power to change her circumstances. Despite the terrifying demon lurking within the Manor, things were finally moving in a positive direction.