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CHAPTER 7
She had only heard her name.
But to Eki, the duke’s voice echoed inside her head dozens of times.
Her knees weakened, and she stumbled until she caught hold of the bed frame.
“Yes… Master.”
[[Come to the office.]]
“…Understood.”
The gentle voice faded away.
It was strange—he usually didn’t sound like that. Gentle, calm.
Then again, she hadn’t seen the duke in over a hundred years, ever since she had fallen out of his favor.
Her newest role had been forced on her: to act as a roommate and caretaker for the newly arrived human head maid.
Still… she didn’t dislike this role. Not at all.
Eki looked one last time at Sasha’s sleeping face, then nodded as if making a decision.
Her hands shook as she picked up the fallen doll and hugged it tight to her chest.
Without a sound, she walked toward the duke’s office on the second floor.
“Mr. Jameson, Mr. Parkan. Please clean the main staircase today.”
“Yes, Head Maid!”
Their voices were so loud and full of energy.
“Then, the stair railings—huh?”
A sudden gust of wind brushed past.
When Sasha looked up from her papers, the two monsters who had been standing before her were gone.
“Wait, I haven’t even explained how to clean the railings yet!”
Looking around, she spotted them far away, already running. Almost as if they were… running away from her.
“Were they always that fast?”
But by the time she blinked, they were already cleaning the central staircase—
Jameson scrubbing the steps, Parkan polishing the rails—without her saying another word.
“….”
Sasha closed the file in her hands. The one with all the carefully divided chores for the week.
Something felt off. Very off.
Since her first day here, the monsters had obeyed her words… but not so perfectly.
More often, they only pretended to work.
When she checked later, dust would be piled up in hidden corners, or she’d catch them sneaking off to rest when it wasn’t break time.
But today… today was different.
The twins, usually lazing about and singing, were sweeping the hallway so quickly their massive wings stirred the air. Their claws pinned down the dustpans, their movements so fast no human body could match them.
Sasha bit her tongue to keep from saying, “Why not just use those wings as brooms?”
Still, no matter where she looked, every servant was working diligently. The mansion was sparkling clean.
It was strange. Too smooth. Too perfect.
But Sasha forced herself to think:
“Don’t doubt it. Good work is good work.”
Compared to her first day, when not a single servant had shown up on time, this was amazing progress.
Though honestly… she had something far more important on her mind right now.
Her chest thumped nervously.
Today was her first official report to the duke.
“Sha-sha, the duke said you must give him a report every week from now on.”
“W-what?”
“The first one is today.”
“WHAT??”
That morning, Eki had said this casually, when Sasha hadn’t even rubbed the sleep from her eyes yet.
It wasn’t as though she wasn’t prepared. She had written down every single task and result.
But facing an employer… always made anyone nervous.
Before she knew it, she was standing outside his office.
‘Hooo…’
She knocked carefully.
Knock knock.
“Duke, this is the head maid. May I enter?”
“Come in, Sasha.”
Her nervous thoughts melted away the moment his voice touched her ears.
Gone was the cold, flat tone she remembered.
Now it was smooth. Gentle. Almost… tender.
She opened the door like she was under a spell.
The duke sat across the room, one leg crossed, his crimson eyes half-lidded and unreadable as always.
She froze. His gaze felt like it pierced through her, even though his eyes held no reflection at all.
Finally, she bowed, clutching her files tightly.
“Y-your Grace, it is an honor to see you.”
Her voice trembled like a goat’s bleat. Why now? Not even during my interview did I stutter like this!
Thankfully, her head was still lowered, hiding her scrunched-up face.
When she looked up again, the duke was already gesturing to the seat before him.
“Sit here.”
“Yes, sir.”
That same jeweled chair again… Sasha sat down cautiously.
She was relieved she had changed into a freshly laundered uniform this morning.
“How is the mansion?”
“Very satisfactory!”
Too broad of a question. She had no idea what he meant—but she answered quickly, and truthfully.
The mansion was, after all, spotless.
The duke gave her a brief glance, then reached for a teapot.
To Sasha’s shock, he poured tea into her empty cup.
He said nothing. But when he rested his chin on his hand and kept watching her, she understood:
“He wants me to drink it.”
“…Thank you.”
The tea was pitch-black, with strange floating lumps.
Her stomach turned.
Am I even supposed to drink this? Will I… die?
But his eyes were on her. She lifted the cup, pretending to sip.
“D-delicious. Haha…”
It wasn’t delicious. She hadn’t even swallowed.
The duke’s lips curved. His eyes bent into a crescent moon, beautiful but chilling.
Tok tok.
His gloved finger tapped the table.
Faster. Louder.
Toktoktoktoktoktok.
Unable to bear the pressure, Sasha suddenly blurted:
“I really love this mansion, Your Grace! The servants all obey me so well!”
Tok.
The tapping stopped.
“I see… Very well.”
He nodded as though he understood.
But Sasha’s heart pounded wildly. She couldn’t look at him anymore.
She remembered this atmosphere. Back at Baron Armond’s estate, right before payday, when the baron would call her in only to cut her wages in half.
And now…
Weekly reports. That ominous tea. His sharp gaze.
“Is he looking for an excuse to cut my pay?”
The silence dragged on. Sasha’s mind raced with a thousand prepared answers.
She cursed herself for not adding a special clause in her contract to forbid wage cuts.
Finally, his lips parted.
“But tell me—why is it that you never clean my office… or my chambers?”
“…..”
Her jaw dropped.
The file slipped from her trembling hands and fell to the floor.
My defeat.
