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CHAPTER 03
A small carriage was parked in front of the Louis estate.
The family and the few remaining servants of the manor had come out to see off the two people heading to the capital. Derek had a blue bruise on his face.
“Take care in the capital.”
Their mother held Ilena’s hand and patted it gently. Tears had already begun to well up in her eyes.
“Derek, make sure you take good care of Ilena.”
“We’ll be living in separate accommodations anyway. I’ll try to look after her… if I can.”
At their father’s words, Derek replied indifferently. Still, Viscount Louis smiled knowingly and nodded, since he was certain Derek would rush over faster than anyone if the ducal household ever contacted him.
“Isn’t it more likely that Ilena will manage better than Derek?”
Their eldest sister Jane teased them.
“Of course Ilena will do better than Brother Derek.”
“We’re not worried about Ilena.”
Even the two younger siblings clung to Ilena, saying she was the more reliable one.
“Kids, listen to your parents. I’ll visit when I get leave.”
“Okay! Don’t worry! We’ll protect House Louis!”
The twins answered, clenching their fists firmly. Derek, standing nearby, looked wronged.
Their mother hugged both Derek and Ilena tightly one by one. Her face was filled with worry and regret.
“Both of you, be careful. If it gets too hard, come back anytime.”
“Yes, don’t worry. I’ll take care of Ilena too.”
Derek said confidently.
“Don’t trust people too easily. Haa… I must be getting old, I’m just nagging more and more. I trust you’ll do well.”
“I’ll do fine in moderation. I am an adult now.”
At Ilena’s confident reply, the family’s eyes flickered at once. They all thought of the capital at the same time.
The capital would probably be fine.
Even the servants seeing them off had teary eyes. And so, after a full fifteen days of travel, Ilena finally arrived in the capital.
“Be careful. If you need anything, contact the Imperial Knights.”
“Got it.”
“And don’t cause trouble. Don’t hit people recklessly, okay? And don’t kill anyone just because it’s annoying. Just… handle it lightly. No—actually, don’t do even that. Just ignore them. Run away. If you get too angry, call me. I’ll handle it.”
Derek’s nagging grew longer and longer as his worry increased. Ilena’s face became increasingly sour.
“Could you maybe stop?”
“Hey, I’m just worried. You’re really just going to work quietly as a maid, right? Right?”
Derek swallowed his concerns about the ducal household and kept repeating his warnings. Only when he saw Ilena clench her fist did he finally shut his mouth.
Near the grand entrance of the ducal estate, the guards watched the scene warmly: a large young man speaking anxiously to his younger sister. Though they couldn’t hear clearly, the siblings looked deeply affectionate. The older brother seemed very worried about her.
So siblings could be that close these days. The knights looked on warmly.
“I-I’ll contact you.”
Ilena pushed Derek toward the carriage. Even as he rode away, Derek kept looking back at her through the window.
That nagging idiot.
Ilena smirked faintly, watching him until the carriage disappeared from view. Then she turned and approached the gate guard.
“What is your business here?”
“Hello. I’m Ilena Louis. I’ve come after receiving an acceptance letter for a servant position at the ducal household.”
Ilena took out the documents from her bag. The hiring letter bore the ducal seal and confirmed her name and noble lineage.
“Please come in.”
The knight opened a side gate used by servants and guided her inside.
“Milady, please wait here. I will prepare a carriage for you.”
The knight treated her with proper respect. Are all capital knights this polite? she wondered. Though come to think of it, not all were. Imperial knights who occasionally visited the Louis estate were far rougher.
Thud.
As she stepped inside, Ilena quietly covered her mouth before it opened.
This place could fit ten—no, twenty of our houses.
The ducal estate visible in the distance looked like a mountain inside the territory. Even traveling from the gate to the mansion required a carriage. The scale was unimaginable.
The Louis estate was also large, but it was surrounded entirely by mountains and farmland. And the viscount’s manor was so modest it was hard to believe it belonged to nobility. Compared to this, their house would barely qualify as a stable.
To maintain such a mansion in the cramped capital, the family must be extremely wealthy. No wonder even the servants were well paid. Even trainees earned generous wages, and salaries increased significantly with experience.
Ilena quietly calculated the pay in her head. The ducal household life seemed even better than she had imagined.
“Is this the garden?”
Tall shrubs lined the road beside the carriage path.
At the entrance, a servant who had been informed in advance came to greet her. Ilena was guided to a small waiting room where she drank tea. The tea served by the maid had a gentle aroma.
They treat their servants well here.
Ilena recalled the calm expressions and flawless manners of the servants she had passed on her way in. There was no trace of gloom on their faces.
“Lady Ilena Louis?”
A man with graying hair entered the room. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit that subtly gleamed, clearly made of expensive material.
Even the servants here wear fine clothes.
Ilena thought this with admiration, maintaining a calm expression. She set down her teacup and stood.
“Nice to meet you. I am Hansson, Chief Steward of the Duke Beckman household.”
“Hello. I am Ilena Louis.”
She extended her hand and shook his in greeting.
“Have you read the contract enclosed with your acceptance letter?”
“Yes.”
Hansson gestured for her to sit and explained the job in brief.
“In most cases, noble ladies who enter the ducal household do so for etiquette and social training to serve the ducal family. You will need to complete a training period before serving directly under the main family. You may be required to perform difficult tasks you have never done before. Will that be alright?”
He looked genuinely concerned, as many applicants failed to adapt and left early.
“Of course. I will do my best.”
It’s just cleaning and errands anyway.
Ilena swallowed the rest of her thought and smiled gently.
“In the beginning, you will learn basic etiquette, physical training, and general duties beyond your assigned role. The ducal household’s physical training is quite famous, as you may know.”
“I’ve heard it’s an excellent program for maintaining staff health.”
Hansson nodded in satisfaction. Most newcomers said they could handle it—but few actually lasted.
He assumed she would likely try to endure it like the others. From her calm demeanor, she seemed gentle, even a little soft. Could she really adapt to this place?
Many applicants from poor provincial families came to the capital seeking work, but most failed during the harsh training period and left.
Hansson smiled back politely.
“I’ve heard there is a loan system for servants here.”
“That is correct. Would you like to apply for a loan?”
Ilena immediately brought up her top priority. Hansson took out a document listing loan limits, interest rates, and repayment methods. She carefully reviewed it.
“What is the maximum amount I can borrow?”
“As you are of noble status, your identity guarantees you up to 500 gold.”
“That much?”
Ilena’s surprised expression made Hansson smile gently.
The ducal house never lost money. Especially not to nobles—they would pursue repayment to the end.
And if repayment was impossible, other forms of compensation would be required.
He hoped she would not request an excessive amount.
“100 gold, then. Would that be insufficient?”
“That will do. I plan to use most of my salary to repay the loan and send part of it back to Louis.”
For most nobles, it was a small amount. Despite his confusion, Ilena signed without hesitation.
Hansson accepted the papers.
“I will assign a maid to guide you to Madam Wella, who oversees the servants.”
Ilena followed the maid through the vast estate toward Madam Wella’s office, quietly taking in the surroundings as she walked.
