Cynthia narrowed her eyes and looked at the place that caught her attention.
What is that?
Something shining between the wooden beams supporting the ceiling…
Without taking her eyes off it, Cynthia slowly lifted her upper body.
Even if she stood and tiptoed, it didn’t seem like she could reach it…
At that moment, a small voice came from the doorway of Elizabeth’s room.
“Ah? W-who are you?”
Startled, Cynthia turned her head and saw a maid standing there with her mouth open, holding several clean cloths and a bucket of water.
“Ah…!”
Flustered, Cynthia quickly jumped to her feet.
She had been caught red-handed sneaking into an empty room.
Cynthia quickly opened her mouth toward the young maid, who was staring at her with wide eyes.
At times like this, staying calm and not looking suspicious was the best option.
“M-my name is Cynthia, and I’m under contract with the Bailey family!”
“A contract?”
“I mean, Dale…! I’m looking for Dale.”
The maid, after hearing her explanation, looked away for a moment as if thinking, then asked again.
“If you’re looking for Mr. Dale, what were you doing in our lady’s room?”
“Ah, I was looking for Dale and got lost, and this door happened to be open…”
“The door was open for cleaning.”
The maid answered quite firmly.
“Oh, I see. I’m sorry for surprising you…”
Cynthia said with an apologetic expression.
She thought the room had just been left alone… but it seemed they still cleaned it regularly.
“I’ll guide you to where Mr. Dale is. Please follow me.”
The maid set down the cloths and bucket in a corner of the room and gestured to her.
Cynthia quickly followed her out into the hallway.
The maid glanced back at Cynthia and then began walking ahead.
“I’ve seen you walking around the Bailey estate with Mr. Dale recently. That’s why I’m guiding you. I know you’re not suspicious.”
“Ah, thank you!”
She looked young, but she was sharp and composed.
“The room you were just in belongs to the late Lady Elizabeth. While you’re staying here, it’s best not to go there.”
“Why?”
Cynthia asked without thinking.
At that, the maid’s expression subtly stiffened.
Noticing the change, Cynthia quickly shut her mouth.
Watch what you say…
“Violet!”
At that moment, a plump maid approaching from the other side of the hallway called out.
The maid called Violet flinched and shrank her shoulders.
The plump maid glanced at Cynthia behind her and spoke.
“What are you doing here? Weren’t we all supposed to clean the banquet hall today?”
“Ah…”
“I saw you carrying a bucket earlier and disappearing… Don’t tell me you went to that room again—!”
“I—I asked for her help!”
Before the plump maid could explode, Cynthia quickly spoke up.
Both of their gazes turned to her at once.
“I came to see Dale but got lost. I asked her for help when she was passing by. The bucket was heavy, so she left it where she met me for a moment.”
“Oh… is that so?”
The plump maid slowly looked Cynthia up and down.
A woman she had never seen before.
She didn’t look like a noble, but also didn’t quite look like a maid or commoner either—her clothes were ambiguous.
At least she didn’t have the Bailey family’s light green eyes, so the maid seemed somewhat reassured.
After finishing her inspection, she turned back to Violet.
“Violet, guide her quickly and come back right away. The head maid is looking for you!”
“Yes…”
Violet answered in a very small voice.
Where had that earlier confidence gone?
Cynthia looked at Violet’s small, shrunken shoulders.
The plump maid gave her a displeased look, then turned sharply and walked away.
“…Phew.”
As soon as she disappeared, Violet let out a small sigh.
“Are you okay?”
Cynthia asked.
Violet slightly turned her head and replied.
“Ah… yes. Thank you for helping me.”
“No, I’m the one receiving help.”
Violet lightly bit her lower lip and started walking again.
Cynthia quietly followed behind.
After walking in silence for a while, Violet suddenly spoke.
“Are you perhaps the one taking on Lady Elizabeth’s role?”
“Huh?”
Cynthia asked in surprise.
Only Dale and the Bailey family were supposed to know that.
Of course, a few servants might know for work reasons, but she couldn’t tell who.
Dale had told her not to let anyone find out…
“It’s okay. I heard everything.”
As if understanding her thoughts, Violet muttered quietly.
Cynthia still couldn’t say anything.
“…Please do well in that role.”
After saying that, Violet didn’t speak to her again.
Cynthia also couldn’t respond.
After passing countless unfamiliar corridors, Violet finally stopped and pointed to a door in the distance.
“That’s where Mr. Dale is. I’ll take my leave now…”
Violet bowed and turned around.
Cynthia nodded at her, then started toward Dale’s room—but after a brief hesitation, she called out.
“Um…!”
“Yes?”
“Were you… close with Elizabeth?”
At Cynthia’s question, Violet’s eyes shook.
Her lips trembled as she slowly spoke.
“I… I’m not someone important enough to say that.”
“Huh?”
“I-I’ll be going now.”
Violet lowered her head deeply and turned away.
Before Cynthia could stop her, she quickly walked off, almost as if fleeing.
She disappeared…
Cynthia stared blankly at where she had gone, then turned and headed toward Dale’s room.
Standing in front of the heavy door, she knocked firmly.
“Dale! Open the door. It’s me, Cynthia.”
“Cynthia?”
Dale opened the door and looked down at her with a puzzled expression.
“What are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you to go back to your room and rest? I also asked you to refrain from wandering around the Bailey estate unnecessarily—”
“You have to tell me which room first!”
Cynthia shouted right in his face.
“…What?”
“How am I supposed to rest when I don’t even know where I’m supposed to go!”
Blinking at her outburst, Dale slowly opened his mouth.
“Ah.”
***
A whole week had already passed since Cynthia had been staying comfortably at the Bailey estate.
She had planned to return home before Dale hinted at it…
“The elders of the Bailey family seem to have taken a liking to you, Miss Cynthia.”
“What?”
Cynthia lifted her head.
Dale, sitting across from her with a thick stack of documents, spoke without taking his eyes off the papers.
“It seems they highly regard the fact that you’ve been maintaining the engagement smoothly so far.”
“Ah…”
“They’re saying you may continue staying at the Bailey estate.”
Instead of answering, Cynthia rolled her red eyes.
Of course, this huge estate was much better than her cramped home, but…
“…Still, it’s kind of stressful living while watching my every move.”
“Watching your every move?”
Dale finally looked up from the documents.
“Well, yeah! Don’t wander around freely. Eat alone in your room. And if you happen to run into someone in the hallway, don’t speak—just bow your head and pass by…”
Cynthia started complaining softly.
“It’s basically like being locked up without being able to say a word to anyone… Even if it’s small, my own home is more comfortable.”
“Ah…”
Dale frowned slightly and set down the documents.
“I didn’t think you would feel that way. That was short-sighted of me.”
Right? That’s what I think too.
Cynthia nodded inwardly.
“However, Cynthia is now too deeply involved in the Bailey family’s affairs to be left alone.”
“What? Then…”
“It means you can’t freely return to your own home anymore.”
…What kind of nonsense is that?
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