Mansion Management 101

A hint-through for Maid Mansion

Chapter 0: So You Want To Be A Mansion Master

Congratulations on the purchase of this fine manual, and welcome to the

wonderful world of mansion management! Enclosed within these pages
you will find a plethora of information on all there is to know about
mansions, maids and how to get the best performance out of

Ah, screw this. If you're reading this, you're my no-good grandson Yuu.
This is your grandfather speaking. I knew I couldn't give you a task and
just expect you to complete it on your own. Phaugh. Good thing I
prepared for this event in advance and wrote this manual for you. You
don't have to thank me. Just make sure the gardening service taking care
of my grave does what they're supposed to, and if not, find a new one.
That's something you should be able to do without messing it up.

Of course, I can't expect you to not mess up the really important job –
taking care of my estate. That's why I'm here, to make you understand
why you're failing, and maybe, in time, turn you into a useful member of
society. I'll also provide some background material for you so that you
realize what's at stake now, in this day and age. The good old days are
long gone, and mansions are a thing of the past. It is up to you to make
sure this one makes it into the future.

What you need to understand most is this:

Personal relations are everything.

You cannot disappoint people again and again and expect them to still
support you when push comes to shove. You cannot signal others you
don't care for them and expect them to care for you nevertheless. You
also cannot make everybody in the world happy, and you will need to
decide who you want by your side and who not. You will need to find
people you can trust, and you will need to trust these people too, or it
won't work out. Human relations are complicated.

You'd better not botch them.

 Chapter 1: A short history of Zipang

Zipang, our great nation, is today a country at odds with large parts of the
world. It wasn't always like that. But we had great ambitions, and we
failed, and we are still paying the price of that failure.

It is thirty years ago today that the Great War broke out between Zipang
and Cabota. Despite our schoolbooks telling the story differently, we were
the ones who started it by invading the nation of Cauly to get a hold on
the oilfields before their coast, despite Cauly being under the protection
of the South-Eastern Neutrality Treaty at that time. Cabota simply
responded to our aggression by bombing the Fifth Fleet before Cauly – it
wasn't a first strike.

In any case, over the course of years of war, Cabota managed to form an
alliance with a great many other nations, the Western Coalition, and by
the combined military might of this alliance, we were finally defeated. Our
allies during this war, the nation of Cathay, eventually had to withdraw to
defend their own borders, and the proud empire of Zipang was no more.
In order to make sure we learned our lesson, the Western Coalition sent
occupation forces to our island, and they stayed there for seven years. You
will remember these days from your early childhood.

But eventually, our people could no longer live with a foreigner's boot in
their neck any longer, and there was open rebellion against the invaders.
Unwilling to face the rising costs of keeping up the occupation, Cabota
withdrew from our soil, and the other nations of the Western Coalition
decided to move their forces to the southmost island of Zipang, which
they are still occupying today. The rest of Zipang is free.

From the ashes of the old nation rose a new political movement wishing
to restore the former glory of our nation – the former political party and
now-government that call themselves the Gohzoku. The Gohzoku has
brought peace to the country, unified the nation once again, and under
their guidance, we are once again on our way to glory.
Of course, that way is still a rocky one. Despite over twenty years having
passed since the end of the Great War, Zipang is still a mere shadow of its
former greatness. Reduced to rubble in the years of military conflict and
under the heel of foreign powers after that, our industry has not yet fully
recovered, and our attempts to rebuild it are constantly thwarted by the
political machinations of Cabota and the other nations of the Western
Coalition. There are embargoes in place that greatly reduce our capability
to get back on our feet economically, and only a few nations in the world
are willing to trade with us.

The most important of these nations is probably the Carmelite Republic, a

small and rather poor island state that buys electronics and machinery
from us, and we give working visas to their citizens in exchange. Until very
recently, Cathay was an even more important partner for Zipang, but
relations with them have soured since an incident early this year where
soldiers from both our nations died, and each side is blaming the other.

The greatest concern for Zipang right now, though, is the rise of the
Resistance, a movement of enemies of the state claiming that the
Gohzoku is an oppressive dictatorship that needs to be overthrown. The
Resistance is funded by foreign nations, mostly Cabota and other
members of the Western Coalition, though according to some reports,
Cathay is supporting them too these days. Resistance members conduct
espionage against us and betray state secrets to foreigners, and they
sabotage our efforts to rebuild the nation. In the last ten years, a stunning
73 percent of apparent industrial accidents have been caused through
sabotage, as investigations conducted by the Secret Police have found
out, and at least once a week, a perpetrator of such a heinous crime is
arrested, tried and executed.

So this is where we are today. Our great nation is struggling to get back on
its feet. Without a doubt, we are going to prevail. You and the estate you
are managing are going to help with that. However, be watchful. The
Resistance is everywhere. They might be in your mansion too. And if you
find out they are... Well, you know what you will have to do if that is the
case.
 Chapter 2: On maids, and how to manage them

A. The basics
As I mentioned earlier, the key to success is building strong personal
relationships with other people. The management of a staff of maids is no
different. You need to build trust with your employees, or you will not
succeed. Building trust is easy. Just make sure your maids become happier
as an outcome of your actions. Should be easy, right?

Of course it isn't, you fool! Did you forget that I told you it's impossible to
make everybody happy? It's no different with your employees. In order to
make some of them happy, you will have to work against the interests of
others, and that will definitely not make them happy. In fact, it could
make them so unhappy that they fail to be loyal to you when you need it
the most. And you do not want that.

So what do you do? Unless you are absolutely certain of yourself, don't
make enemies of your maids. If you have to take a decision you know one
of them will not like, try to make up for what you did later. Keep them
interested in being loyal to you. You may not achieve what you wanted
with all of them. But you will definitely dodge a knife in your back at the
most inopportune moment. And knives in your back are bad. Trust me on
that.

B. The specifics
Alright, now let us talk about the people under your leadership. You will
find a wide range of personalities among them. As I am writing these
words from beyond the grave, I have a bit of insight into what you can
expect. Let me give you a few suggestions on your behavior towards them
so that you live to see the outcome of your actions, which is hopefully a
bright future for my estate.
 Kitamura Umeko, the secretary

 Umeko's a woman you can trust. She has your best interests in mind.
 Also, you've been intimate with her before, you naughty boy. It
shouldn't be hard to keep that up.
 If you want to improve your relationship with her, make sure you
show her how much you trust her and your judgment. It may be a
bad idea to openly prefer someone else's advice to hers.
 Then again, sometimes relationships get too comfortable. A little
conflict can spice things up nicely.
 With Umeko, it's imperative that you keep in mind how much you
can trust her. She wants the best for you. But are you certain that
you have the same definition of “the best” as her?
 If Umeko starts acting strangely, maybe it's a good time to find out
why. Don't get distracted!
 Also, if you really want Umeko to be more than someone working
for you, it's imperative that you gain the trust of others in the
mansion. Focus your attention on Takako and Narumi and try to find
out more about them.
 However, don't make enemies of Takako or Narumi. That could work
out in ways you definitely don't want.
 Mamiya Takako, the head maid

 Ah, Takako. Truly a woman to behold. Headstrong, with great

leadership qualities, though what she truly desires is someone who
leads her. If you can be that man, you'll make her very happy.
 Takako knows more about my mansion than any other living person.
Don't expect to find out all there is to find out without her help.
 Very much like Umeko, Takako needs proof that you trust her. If you
wish to improve your relations with her, that is key. Unfortunately, I
don't think she and Umeko will get along well. They're too much
alike.
 And as with Umeko, your trust in Takako should not be blind trust.
Keep your eyes open.
 If you want to improve your relationship with Takako, you will have
to take her side. And no, I'm not talking about choosing her over
Umeko. You'll have to get in bed with her figuratively if you want the
same to happen literally.
 Speaking of Umeko, you don't want her as your enemy, especially
when you wish to pursue a relationship with Takako. Umeko can be
a formidable enemy.
 Also, you may want to treat the other maids well, especially Narumi.
I mean, isn't it obvious that Takako has a special relationship with
her?
 Hasegawa Narumi, the young maid

 Hmm, the innocence of youth. Not that Narumi's innocent in a

sexual way. But she has an unspoiled purity to her, despite her
troubled family situation. She honestly thinks you could be a nice
and caring master.
 Narumi wants to please. Desperately. The best way to get closer to
her is to just accept what she's trying to do for you. Even though she
may not have the best timing.
 Your own timing should be better than hers, though. Be nice when
she expects you to be nice. Be naughty to her only if you really think
she'd appreciate it.
 Narumi also likes people who show that they care. Demonstrating
kindness towards others in front of her is a great way to win her
heart.
 It may not seem a big deal to go ahead and break Narumi and turn
her into your plaything. But you may regret that decision eventually,
especially if the one who's truly to your liking is Takako. A kind soul
driven to extremes can be a frightful thing.
 Speaking of Takako, she is a truly special person for Narumi. If you
desire to see the best outcomes, make sure both of them are kept
happy.
 Yamaguchi Misaki, the apprentice maid

 Ugh. A maid I haven't personally vetted. Ah well. You're the master

now. You decide who to hire and who not. It's you who has to deal
with incompetence.
 Misaki seems to have a few problems, and her apparent lack of skill
for the job is the least of them. But don't worry. You won't be able to
not see the much bigger problem at hand here.
 Don't expect Takako to be happy if you keep Misaki around after the
bigger problem shows up. Don't worry, she won't immediately turn
her back on you. But you'd better do something to regain that lost
trust from her.
 If you are willing to put up with Misaki, you should expect to be
disappointed frequently. Stay calm. Don't do things you'll regret
later. And make sure it is YOU who shows her the ropes. You
accepted her into your mansion, so it's your job to set her straight.
 Also, if you want to be a good boss, don't overdo it. If you think
someone's doing their best, show them you approve of that, even if
it's not yet enough.
 About the bigger problem with Misaki – make sure you see it as the
problem it is. It's YOUR thing to fix, not someone else's, and
especially not someone's who's a part of the problem.
 And that should be all. You may have to go to extremes to fix what's
going on, but if you stay focused, don't stray too much from your
path and truly see Misaki as the one person who matters in your life,
nothing should really stand in your way.
 Vang Pa Zong, the foreign maid

 Okay, now you're treading on seriously thin ice. You remember how I
told you relationships between Zipang and Cathay aren't exactly at
their best? A great many people here think Cathayans shouldn't be
allowed to stay in the country. You can expect at least some of your
other maids to share the same reservations.
 Then again, Pa Zong's easily the most competent maid you could
have hired. (Aside from the ones I decided to hire, mind you!) You
should really be satisfied with her service. If only she weren't so
strangely shy, right? Well... maybe she's just afraid of you?
 Sooner or later, you'll find yourself in the uncomfortable position of
listening in to troubles between Pa Zong and your other maids. If
you really want to get close to her, you need to stick your head out
for her.
 Of course, there are a few ways to accomplish that. If you decide to
make a public scene, don't expect everybody to like you better for it,
especially not the people you call out. Then again, you may make
someone else aside from Pa Zong happy. Maybe a private talk with
her is best if you're serious about her.
 Yeah, Pa Zong is a delicate little flower. But sometimes, awkward
situations only get more awkward when you talk about them too
much.
 Oh, do you remember when I told you earlier that you should be
very careful about who you make unhappy? Well, with Pa Zong, you
should have taken care not to make anyone unhappy. After all,
you're going to need everybody to side with you.
 One final thing: As you know, Pa Zong is a really shy person. Shy
enough to not make a move if someone else seems to really have
the hots for you. So be nice to the others, but not too nice, if you
catch my drift.
 Yamaguchi Reiko, the protective mother

 Here's a special case: Not a maid. Instead, a permanent guest at

your mansion. You'd better be on your best behavior, Yuu. Who
knows what she could do to you if you're not?
 Reiko sure is a person with very odd ideas. Either that, or she's just
lying to your face. And if she is, she's also lying to her own daughter.
What a woman!
 It should go without saying that if you give Misaki the pink slip, her
mother's not going to stay at the mansion.
 Like most women, Reiko's more likely to be interested in you if
you're interested in her too. Unfortunately, she's the kind of lady
who likes to toy around with men a little. You want her? Then play
her games.
 Oh, and that thing about leaving Misaki alone? That's not a game. If
you don't agree to that, that's a dealbreaker for her.
 Aside from that, you can't really go wrong with seeing what kind of
game she's running. Don't force yourself on her too much. You'll be
missing out on some very intriguing information.
 Well, and now that that's out, you have to make a choice. Are you
really that kind of fucked up? If you're asking for my expert opinion:
Yes, grandson, you are. You always were.
 Oh, and no man is an island. Some problems you won't be able to fix
yourself. In Reiko's case, you will need Takako's help. Make sure
you're close enough to Takako for her to actually be able to provide
that help.
 Toritaka Kaori, the dominant lady

 Ugh. Women like Kaori are the worst. They come barging in, they
keep demanding irrational things, and the worst of it is you can't just
send them away without expecting consequences. Tread very
carefully around her.
 That much said, you don't have to agree with everything she
proposes. Unless you are really interested in getting to know her
better. Then you definitely should, even though it's objectively a
really, really bad idea.
 If you decide to go with her plan, kiss your own plans with the other
maids goodbye, though. No one's going to be “at your service” any
longer with someone like Kaori around.
 That much said, once you've agreed to Kaori's plan, you need to
stick to it. Even if Kaori herself seems to have a few problems with
that. But hey, you can't question her determination, can you?
 There actually isn't much else to consider about Kaori. She's not a
very complicated woman and pretty straight about what she wants.
Go with that, and you'll have a fun time.
 You will still want to make sure you keep a good relationship with
Takako. I mean, with Kaori occupying all of your time, who's gonna
take care of, um, everything else, right?
 Sarana

 W-What? She's back?!

 Okay, now I know you have been a bad boy. Sarana wouldn't have
returned to my mansion had you not given her an interesting
incentive. It's probably something nasty you did with the maids.
Probably to the most innocent of them.
 You need to know that Sarana's bad luck. Immensely bad luck. Once
she appears around you, know that you chances of finding
happiness with anybody else are null and void. Even if you manage
to get rid of her, things won't end well.
 Getting rid of her, fortunately, isn't very hard. Just disappoint her
once. That's enough. She's fickle like that.
 If you actually intend to follow her on the path she's trying to lead
you, just keep doing what you kept doing before. Follow her advice.
Go ahead. See what it gets you.
 You still don't get where you're headed for, right? Well, why don't
you listen to someone else for once and see what Reiko has to say
about her? Can you think of anything that would explain why she's
so afraid of her?
 Sarana's all about power, that much you will understand if you're
truly trying to get together with her. The best way to disaster is to let
her have all the power. And knowledge is power. So don't let her
take knowledge away from you. DON'T.
C. Odds and ends
So, have you read all the advice I gave you? Really read it? Hrm. Then
you'll have noticed that there are still a few people you may have met I
haven't talked about yet.

And I'm not going to.

The reason why I'm not is simple: There isn't much to say about them. You
want to find happiness with any maids I haven't mentioned so far? Forget
about that. They're not the right women for you. They have lives of their
own to live, plans of their own for the future, and you're not a part of
them. To quote one of the great writers of our time, don't take it
personally, babe, it just ain't your story.

That doesn't mean you cannot have some fun with them. You're still the
master of your mansion, and if the opportunity arises, well, take it. Seize
the day. With both hands. You're my grandson. Act like it. Do what I would
have done. Or rather, do better.

Your actions will decide where you end up. I strongly encourage you to
consider all your options, even those that feel wrong to you. There is a lot
to explore if you decide to throw morality out of the window and, for
example, betray people who trust you. I don't guarantee you will find
happiness with that. But you will find... something. Maybe it's that
something you were looking for.

Go your way, Yuu. Live your life. Don't die a stupid death. I'm not asking
for more.

I'll be waiting for you on the other side.

Your grandfather