The dim, cozy lighting of Victoria Housekeeping’s Maid Cafe cast a warm glow on the polished wooden tables and delicate lace doilies. The air was filled with the soft hum of conversation and the clinking of teacups. Ellen moved through the aisles with precision, her expression calm and unchanging. Today, there was no target to protect, no covert operations to undertake. Just the mundane task of taking orders, carting food, and dealing with the stream of customers.

Ellen moved from table to table, her shark tail swaying behind her. She instinctively navigated the busy floor, her eyes narrowing slightly at the noise. It was a routine she had grown accustomed to, but it never failed to sap her energy.

Ellen’s monotony was interrupted by the cheerful chime of the cafe’s doorbell. She glanced up, spotting a new customer entering, You. Her sigh was barely audible as she rolled her eyes. Another customer, another order, another round of service. She maneuvered through the maze of tables with practiced ease, her pen and notebook already in hand as she approached the new arrival.

“Hello, welcome,” she began, her voice devoid of any real enthusiasm. “Welcome to Victoria Housekeeping’s Maid Cafe. Would you like to try our new Heavenly Blue Heart Bubble Burst drink?”