“I was just about to throw away the milk, I didn’t know! So why are you there?”
“…Milady! What on earth are you doing!”
“Giselle got so stres~sed out learning etiquette that Giselle just couldn’t take it anymore!”
“This behavior seems to go against etiquette.”
I widened my eyes and tilted my head. “Uuh, really? Well then, shall we have a discussion about our etiquette from start to finish?”
“First of all, I’m in the middle of training the maids….”
Ah, enough.
“Ha! So, are you saying Giselle is less important than the maids here?” I started with an absurd black-and-white argument. Fanning myself, I provoked her relentlessly. “I really feel like I’m being ignored! I’m so angry I can’t stand it! I’m going to tear down all these windows!”
Maybe it was because I was beating my chest like an orangutan. Caitlyn, who seemed to have lost interest in the maid’s jewelry, swept back her milk-dripping hair.
“Wait right there.”
* * *
The maids, who were being scolded under the window, perked up their ears without realizing it. Is it that person? The knight in shining armor who will save us?
The maids of the household were constantly having their belongings taken and getting hit by Caitlyn, yet they couldn’t leave the household. That’s because Caitlyn would write terrible recommendation letters for any maid who dared to defy her and leave, ensuring no one would hire them.
“There’s no point telling the madam. How could someone like her understand the position of lowly employees like us?”
“I just wish someone would magically appear and save us.”
“Exactly. Even if it’s the young mistress! How great would it be if she defeated Caitlyn.”
But such a thing had never happened until now!
A commotion could be heard near the window.
“Milady, please mind your manners!”
“Manners, you say. Do you even know what manners are, Caitlyn Ronus?”
“Manners are the etiquette that must be observed.”
“Then do you know what etiquette must be observed?”
The maids gathered near Rudensha, listening to the distant bickering between Caitlyn and Giselle.
“That… that lady. She’s the young mistress, right?”
“…I think so.”
“Then maybe…”
But the most senior maid shook her head.
“Caitlyn always wins, you know? Every maid who’s ever stood up to her has been kicked out. Why would it be any different for the young mistress? Caitlyn has the trust of the madam.”
Rudensha bit her lip in thought. From what Ivanka said, she doesn’t seem like a bad person. If anything, Caitlyn is the bad one.
Ivanka, Caitlyn’s shadow maid, was only thirteen. Rudensha recalled the admiration in the young girl’s eyes and pressed her temples.
* * *
After a heated argument with Giselle, the furious Caitlyn headed to Yuliana’s chamber. She helped Yuliana get ready for bed and whispered slyly like a snake. “Madam, did you hear what happened? Lady Giselle spilled milk on me! Even ruffians wouldn’t act like that!”
Yuliana gazed at Caitlyn through the mirror. Mistaking Yuliana’s silence for agreement, Caitlyn continued eagerly. “And while I was training the maids…”
“Caitlyn.”
“Yes, Madam.”
“Do you use the term ‘ruffian’ for the master you will serve in the future?”
Caitlyn’s face turned pale at Yuliana’s words. “…I apologize, Madam.” Things weren’t going as she expected.
“Don’t forget why I hired you.”
“Yes…”
“Your bad habits, your rough handling, your gossiping, and all your faults… Why do you think I overlooked them?”
Caitlyn’s voice trembled miserably.
“That’s because I’m the filter for this family, Madam.”
“Never forget that your role is simply to ensure that no weaklings enter our family. Understood?”
“…Yes, Madam. Of course. I’m always grateful that you took me in.”
A few years ago, Yuliana had brought Caitlyn in after she was nearly expelled for misconduct while serving as the head maid at the Yansen Marquisate. Everyone, except Caitlyn and Yuliana, assumed that Yuliana simply liked Caitlyn.
“That’s all you need to do.”
Whether Caitlyn clenched her fists or not, Yuliana closed her eyes.
* * *
It was the next day at lunch. Wandering aimlessly, I found myself in the garden of the annex and sat down on a bench beneath a large tree.
“Something feels off.”
Maybe it was because my senses were heightened after consuming a potion from the Kalinos family. Ever since I entered this family, I’ve constantly felt a nagging sensation, like something was poking at me. Even right now… Strangely, I kept feeling like I was being watched from somewhere. Narrowing my eyes, I looked around.
“Hmm…”
No matter how I thought about it, it seemed like someone had been planted to keep an eye on me. Who else in the Kalinos family would dare to monitor me so boldly? It’s likely Yuliana or Caitlyn, who is the most hostile towards me. Would they really have someone monitor me just to see if I caused trouble? I shook my head internally.
I need to use the mana heart to activate the artifact, but having a spy around would be a nuisance. Maybe it would be better to blackmail the spy, get dirt on Caitlyn, and shake things up. There was also the option of using them to spread bad rumors about me. In that case, I should catch them.
Resting my chin on my hand, I squinted, pondering how to catch that damn spy, when I heard a strange noise from the tree above me. Whiiik!
“What on earth is that whistling sound? Is it a sloth up there?” I realized my acting was quite terrible after saying it, but fortunately, the other party didn’t seem to notice.
Rustle, rustle. This time, there was an odd sound, like something crawling in the tree. Hmm, I guess having such keen hearing can be a problem too.
I quickly looked up. Wow. My eyesight is incredible.
Rustle, rustle. I saw something like a moving ball of fur.
“What is that, a cat?”
The spy, or rather, the furball-like thing, definitely reacted to my words. It moved in surprise and dropped a fruit with a thud. When the fruit hit my head with a thump, I realized there was definitely something up in that tree. And it was…
“What are you? Come out. You’re spying on me, aren’t you?”
Sensing my gaze, it shrank back slightly. It didn’t seem like an adult, so I murmured slowly. “I won’t scold you, so come out quickly. Don’t try to act cute.”
Tududuk. Something that looked like a small wild animal dropped to the ground from the tree.
“I-I’m not cu-cute at all…!”
What I thought was a small wild animal turned out to be a person. It was a very small, scarred child in a maid’s uniform.
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