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Chapter 20
From the moment she learned she would be working for the infamous Lilith, Anne had braced herself for at least some degree of cruelty.
‘But this is beyond “some degree.”’
Anne bit down hard on her lower lip.
It went without saying that one must never meet her eyes. Standing upright in her presence was forbidden. Initiating conversation was out of the question. Every movement had to be as smooth as flowing water—perfect, without a hint of hesitation.
Of course, what qualified as “perfect” depended entirely on the lady’s mood.
The same action, the same meal, could be met with wildly different reactions. Daily insults were a given, and beatings were frequent. More than once, Anne had seen blood drawn by edged weapons.
Even the maids’ appearances and voices weren’t exempt from her whims.
“Sigh…”
Anne let out an irritated sigh, recalling a maid who had been whipped and thrown out just the other day simply because her newly sprouted mole offended Lilith’s eyes.
Anne was only enduring this because her mother had worked so hard to secure her a position here. At first, she’d thought she might grow accustomed to it—but six months in, it was still just as hellish.
Even when it wasn’t happening to her directly, having to watch others be beaten, cursed at, and thrown out took a massive mental toll.
“It’s already this late…”
She stole a glance at the clock. The dining room had to be cleaned before dinner. Today, Anne silently prayed that the young lady’s temper would be more subdued.
Just as she was about to leave her room, she realized she hadn’t opened the package on her desk. Sitting back down, she tore off the wrapping to reveal a small wooden figurine.
“Why’d she send something like this?”
Anne wasn’t a devout believer. Apart from the two forced temple visits her mother had dragged her to, she’d never even been inside one.
“Still… since it’s here.”
It was probably Beth, trying to cheer her up because she knew how hard things were. Anne set the small carving on her desk.
“If there really is a god…”
Then please, let me win the lottery. Or let the ducal house be destroyed. Or maybe turn that young lady into a literal angel. Anything—just get me out of this godforsaken life. Please!
She squeezed her eyes shut and muttered her wish. When she opened them and looked at the figurine again, it sadly looked no different than before.
“Anne! Are you done yet?”
“Coming!”
She jumped to her feet at the sound of someone calling from outside. Grabbing the doorknob, she cast one last glance at the wooden carving, feeling a strange chill.
The god wore a benevolent smile, but Anne couldn’t help thinking that smile wasn’t meant for her.
“Why’s it raining so much?”
Several days had passed since she’d received Beth’s gift. Another dreary morning had come, and Anne grumbled as she looked out the window. Rainy days made everything feel damp and clammy—conditions that made the young lady even more irritable than usual. At least two people were bound to get fired today.
But curiously, all the maids assigned to attend the young lady in the morning were huddled in the main hall.
“What’s everyone doing here?”
“She told us not to come today.”
“…Seriously? Why?”
Anne asked with a puzzled expression, but the other maids all shook their heads. They had no idea either.
No one ever dared to wake the young lady. Yet, if they were even one second late when summoned, they’d be subjected to her wrath. So they usually just stood silently outside her bedroom until she awoke.
Her waking time varied a bit, but never like this.
“Is she sick?”
That was the only plausible conclusion they could reach. But even if she were, no one could call a doctor without her explicit permission.
“Not that I’m complaining.”
“Right? Let’s take a breather.”
They knew from experience that it wouldn’t last. She’d probably call for them by lunch, then get mad and ask why they actually listened when she said not to come. Still, they spent the morning chatting, speculating on how she might react.
But to everyone’s surprise, the young lady stayed locked in her room for a full week.
Just when people began to seriously suspect something was wrong, she summoned the head maid to her room.
Unfortunately, the head maid was down with a nasty cold, so Anne went in her place. As she entered the room, she was startled to find both the knight captain and the rarely-seen butler present.
The young lady was seated in a cozy armchair. Though her eyes looked heavy with fatigue, her face remained cold and expressionless.
Her golden hair was so pale it could be mistaken for white, and it shimmered with a strangely piercing chill. Her crimson eyes, filled with deep thought, felt as sharp as shards of ice.
“There is something I must apologize for.”
She spoke with a soft sigh.
Anne couldn’t believe her ears. Apologize? She shot a sidelong glance at the butler and knight, but they looked just as bewildered.
‘What kind of cruel joke is this now?’
Sometimes Lilith played twisted games—childish, idiotic plots meant only to make others miserable.
“You all know that I went to the temple a week ago.”
There was a slight tremor in her voice, but it quickly subsided.
“I confessed and repented.”
Anne’s eyes widened. She quickly looked up at Lilith. The young lady’s gaze was oddly calm.
“I came to understand how you all must have felt, and how selfish I’ve been. I’ve had a realization.”
The words she spoke were nothing like the person they knew.
“I didn’t realize how my impulsive behavior could affect others.”
Her voice had taken on such a strange tranquility, it almost made one wonder if she’d gone mad in a different way.
“I now understand how wrong my actions were. I know I’ve caused you wounds that may never heal. And I truly want to apologize.”
Anne was flabbergasted. So were the butler and the knight beside her. Frankly, it felt more natural to assume this was just another ploy.
But it seemed Lilith even anticipated that reaction.
“I won’t offer excuses. I want to change. And I will.”
In six months of working in the duchy, Anne had never seen that kind of sincerity in her eyes.
Later, she heard from the other maids that Lilith had said similar things to them, too.
‘How long could it possibly last?’
Anne’s instinct, honed from her time in the mansion, was screaming not to trust it.
Surely, this was a setup. Some elaborate farce before a bigger disaster.
Anne didn’t believe Lilith. No—she couldn’t believe her. No matter who the person was, it would have been the same.
But a week passed. Then a month. Then two.
And the charade never ended.
“She’s acting strange.”
Marie, who was sewing beside her, tilted her head.
“She really hasn’t yelled or lost her temper at all.”
The change wasn’t dramatic. But it had a profound impact on the mansion’s atmosphere.
The constant tension that used to hang in the air had melted away like snow. The mansion now felt like a place where people actually lived.
In the past, even during breaks, no one dared to chat freely. But now, the maids gathered in small groups and talked naturally.
“Hey, Anne. My uncle says a lot of people have changed after visiting the temple.”
Marie, noticing Anne’s unease, leaned in with a serious face.
“You know Rult Queen in the central market? Used to be a total scumbag who leeched off merchants.”
“That place?”
“Yup. But after a problem with her donation records, she was forced to go to the temple. Came out crying her eyes out and turned into a philanthropist. It’s not as rare as you’d think.”
The more she talked, the more excited Marie got.
“I’m still nervous. What if she suddenly decides to punish us all for the past?”
“Elly says she even goes to the temple for volunteer work every week now. So try to relax.”
“I’d like to believe it too…”
Lilith still didn’t go out of her way to be friendly or kind. But she didn’t curse or hit anyone anymore either.
‘Can I really trust this? Did the gods actually hear my prayer?’
Something about it still didn’t sit right.
A week later, Anne was granted some free time and went into town. As she wandered around, a strange man approached her.
“You’re the Crescent young lady’s maid, right?”
“…Who are you?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he silently handed her a pristine white card.
“Give this to her.”
The moment Anne took the card, the man vanished. She looked around, startled, then glanced down.
The card was covered in unreadable symbols. Though she didn’t understand it, she felt an odd certainty—it needed to be delivered. If not, something terrible might happen.
“Young lady, this card is for you.”
Anne gently handed the card to Lilith, who was in the garden. Lilith stared at it in silence before turning back to Anne.
“Who sent it?”
“…I don’t know. He didn’t reveal himself. I’m sorry.”
Anne fidgeted. The way Lilith’s expression stiffened as she stared at the card was unsettling.
Did I do something I shouldn’t have? Unease swelling, Anne hurried away from the garden.
“Ugh.”
As the carriage pulled up to the banquet hall, an involuntary sigh escaped her lips. Between the card she’d received yesterday and the fact that she’d been up since dawn getting dressed, she was exhausted.
‘Who even sent that thing?’
The card with the indecipherable text… Just looking at it gave her a splitting headache, so she’d tossed it aside.
‘Creepy. But there’s no way to know.’
And right now, there was no time to dwell on it.
“Tch.”
With the help of a duchy knight, she stepped down into the garden of House Espen—and immediately clicked her tongue.
Her mood turned foul at the sight before her.
That damn man was trailing behind yet another noble lady like a lovesick puppy.
