Let's start a discussion on this great series.

1. Does the head maid remind anyone else of emma?
   [url]http://www.batoto.com/read/_/17046/maoyuu-maou-yuusha_ch2_by_extras/5[/url]
   [url]http://mcrecommend.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/emma10_nt_500.jpg[/url]

2. Does anyone have any information on the light novel series this is based on?

With regards to your first question, yes, this does remind one of Emma.

From what I can gather, the origin of this seem to be something started in 2chan which eventually culminated into a light novel and then into a manga. (Feel free to correct me if I am wrong)

There seems to be 3 versions of this:
1: Com Ace version (currently being translated into English by Extras)
2: Champion Red version (not being translated into English, chapters 01-03 can be found available for download in Japanese language form around the internet)
3: Famitsu version (not being translated into English, hard to find online, only found parts of chapter 03 and 2 bits and pieces from chapter 01, art comparable to Com Ace version nonetheless in my opinion)