TDRDH:05

CHAPTER:05

“……I greet the Lady of House Lucerte.”

When the great Lady Lucerte herself requested me as her personal maid, there was absolutely no way I could refuse.

In the end, my assignment was changed to the guest annex.

By the time I came to my senses, I was already bowing politely to Cecilia.

“You may lift your head.”

Meeting her again, Cecilia was indeed a haughty, noble young lady.

There was not a single trace of the girl from yesterday whose eyes had been red-rimmed from crying.

“Take this.”

Cecilia suddenly thrust something toward me.

Without thinking, I caught it, my eyes widening in surprise.

‘This is…….’

It was the cardigan I had lent her.

But then.

‘Huh?’

I felt something hard and round inside the cardigan pocket.

I pulled the object out.

A round, silver object reflected the light sharply in my palm.

“M-My Lady. This silver coin is……?”

Startled, I looked up.

Cecilia shrugged, her face aloof.

“It’s a reward for lending me your cardigan. I have at least that much decency.”

Oh my goodness, her generosity is insane…….

A single silver coin is worth almost two days of daily wages!

Clasping the silver coin preciously with both hands, I looked at Cecilia with eyes full of deep emotion.

At the same time, Cecilia spoke in a calm voice.

“Listen carefully. From now on, you are my personal maid.”

Her serious tone made me quickly straighten my posture.

“Your term of service will last until I leave the Trancier Baronry.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

“Stay by my side every day. Unless I send you on a specific errand, do not leave the guest annex.”

“I understand.”

I nodded meekly.

The saving grace was that the Duke of Lucerte’s family was staying in the main mansion along with the Trancier Baron’s family.

Cecilia was the only one using the guest annex.

‘If I play my cards right, I might not even run into the Duke’s family.’

My optimistic thoughts lasted only a moment, however.

‘……So Cecilia is living here all by herself, separated from her family.’

For some reason, I felt a pang of pity for her.

And for good reason—it had been described so poignantly in the original novel.

Just how desperately that girl had tried to be loved by her family.

But then, Cecilia suddenly turned to look straight at me.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve been stealing glances at me for a while now.”

Well, it seemed I had caused a slight misunderstanding.

Though it wasn’t as if I didn’t have any questions.

“If I may, could I ask you one thing?”

After a moment of hesitation, I spoke up carefully.

“Why me, of all people?”

“What do you mean?”

“To be honest, I’ve never served a high-ranking noble before. It would be much more comfortable for you to have a more experienced maid……”

I mean, really.

Why me, of all people?

If she just needed a personal maid, there must be plenty of far more qualified candidates, whether from the Duke’s household or the Baron’s.

At my question, Cecilia, who had been expressionless the whole time, slightly stiffened her lips.

Confronted with that look, which seemed to say I had hit the mark,

I felt like I suddenly understood the reason why I was chosen.

‘Could it be…… she wants to keep my mouth shut?’

Is her meticulous nature from the original novel already showing through here?

Just then, Cecilia snapped at me.

“How am I supposed to trust you?”

“Well……”

“What if you go around telling the other maids that I was crying?”

Aha, so that was indeed it.

She wanted to keep me close to keep an eye on me.

To be honest, I wondered if it was really something to be so worked up about.

But still, if it could put her mind at ease.

“I understand, My Lady.”

“…….”

I bowed my head once more.

At that, Cecilia narrowed her eyes and blurted out,

“You really have an easygoing attitude, don’t you?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m telling you I suspect you. Aren’t you even angry?”

Her voice was sharp as a needle.

Yet, her turquoise eyes couldn’t look me straight in the face.

……Was it just my imagination, or did she somehow look like a young child who was terrified of being hated?

“No, I’m not angry.”

“……What?”

Cecilia blinked her thick eyelashes in bewilderment.

I gave a light shrug.

“You were in a very difficult situation yesterday, My Lady. Of course, you did strictly warn me to keep it a secret, but even so, you might still feel anxious.”

“T-That’s.”

“Please don’t worry too much. I will do my absolute best to ensure I don’t cause you any concern.”

I offered her a bright smile to reassure her.

Cecilia stared at me blankly for a moment, then muttered in a low voice,

“Come to think of it, you have blonde hair and green eyes.”

“Pardon?”

Why suddenly bring up my hair and eye color out of nowhere?

I tilted my head in confusion.

At that moment, Cecilia mumbled very softly to herself.

“……envious.”

Huh? What did she just say?

Cecilia seemed to realize she had spoken her thoughts aloud, looking startled for a split second before quickly reverting to her curt expression to issue her first command.

“I’m thirsty. I want some orange juice.”

“Yes, I’ll bring it right away.”

Nodding, I quickly headed to the kitchen.

* * *

*Clink.*

The ice shifted in the cup of orange juice, making a light rattling sound.

Condensation beaded thickly on the cold glass surface.

‘Did she say her name was Milena?’

Cecilia stared at Milena, who stood quietly in the distance, without even touching her orange juice.

Her turquoise eyes narrowed with a complex emotion.

‘……She really is a strange girl.’

Yesterday, the family had left for the hot springs together, leaving only Cecilia behind.

The Duke and Duchess, turning away from her as if it were only natural.

And even her older brother Elias, drawing a line with a cold voice.

“You must be tired, so you don’t need to come with us.”

It was a familiar routine. She hadn’t expected anything else.

And yet.

“O-Oh, hello. Your Grace! Duchess!”

The young lady of House Trancier, greeting them clumsily.

“Oh dear, Daisy. That’s not the right way to greet them.”

“Sigh. We raised our daughter far too softly, so she is still lacking in many ways. Please look upon her with kindness.”

And the Baron and Baroness of Trancier, wrapping their daughter in love.

Watching that warm, affectionate scene had made Cecilia feel the harsh reality of her own situation all over again.

That was why she had hidden herself in the secluded backyard and burst into the tears she had been holding back.

Only to have Milena, of all people, catch her crying.

To be honest, she had been incredibly flustered.

But Milena’s reaction had been entirely different from anyone else’s.

“Let’s just say the person crying in the backyard today was me, not you, My Lady.”

The girl who had said those words, taking off the cardigan she was wearing and wrapping it around Cecilia.

The body heat transferring from the cardigan had felt so warm.

‘Even though she recognized me…… she didn’t mock me.’

The people Cecilia had encountered around her so far were never like that.

They all smiled sweetly at her on the surface, but behind her back, they closely scrutinized her every move.

As if testing her to see, ‘Let’s see how well you can do.’

And if Cecilia ever showed a side of herself that did not fit the title of ‘Lady Lucerte,’ they would openly mock her.

“Well, I knew it.”

“After all, she’s not the real lady, is she?”

“A lowborn origin is something one simply cannot hide.”

Or on very rare occasions, there were those who tried to get close to her, but none of them were truly interested in ‘Cecilia.’

All they wanted was a connection with ‘Lady Lucerte.’

In truth, Cecilia knew it too.

She was a lady in name only, a mere substitute for the real lady.

Therefore, all she was permitted were shallow sentiments of that caliber.

That was why every single word Milena spoke felt so unfamiliar.

“There doesn’t need to be a grand reason for one person to help another.”

The moment she heard those words, her eyes grew hot with tears, much to her embarrassment.

Any ordinary subordinate would have made a massive scene, acting as if the sky were falling the moment Cecilia looked on the verge of tears.

But that girl was different this time, too.

“In that case, may I leave now? I should get going to clean up soon.”

Milena did not look down on Cecilia.

Nor did she try to obsequiously flatter her.

With a warm yet dry attitude, she maintained just the right amount of distance so Cecilia wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.

Yes.

In front of that girl, she didn’t feel like the Ducal family’s substitute lady……

She felt like just a ‘person.’

But.

‘Forget it. Her attitude will change soon enough anyway.’

Cecilia shook her head cynically.

Everyone else had been like that so far.

‘Let’s not expect anything.’

Steeling her heart, Cecilia took a sip of the juice.

The characteristic refreshing and sweet flavor of orange juice filled her mouth.

‘It’s really strange.’

Even though she didn’t have a single shred of expectation for that girl.

Even though she knew all too well that it would end up being the same.

……Still, for some reason, it didn’t feel too bad.