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Chapter 03
I quickly wiped away the tears that fell as I heard the unnamed maid’s words of thanks. My heart ached at her plea, saying she just wanted to live to care for her ailing mother.
“Good thing I packed the jewels.”
Harna had three fairly large jewelry boxes, all filled with beautiful, unnamed gems. Part of me wanted to hand over a whole box, but that felt excessive, so I restrained myself.
After completing the difficult performance, I climbed into bed, feeling a little relieved. My energy drained from acting as a villain for the first time properly, I briefly wore a blank expression before hastily fixing it. One never knew who might come, so I reminded myself to stay alert.
A sudden knock made me sit up. Brushing off my dress, I spoke in an annoyed tone.
“Come in.”
The door opened very cautiously at my permission.
“Greetings, miss. The Marquis said that if you are feeling well, you could join him for lunch.”
I nodded at the maid, who bowed politely and stated her purpose plainly.
“Please let him know I understand.”
“Yes, miss.”
“Alright.”
Even after the conversation ended, the maid remained bowed in place.
“What? Isn’t your business done? Why aren’t you leaving?”
Unsure what to do next, I cleared my throat as if nothing were wrong.
“Ahem, go on.”
“Yes?”
“I said go!”
“Ah, yes! Thank you, truly, thank you, miss.”
Her voice wavered slightly, but I successfully sent the maid out by raising my voice naturally. Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder:
“If telling someone to leave after they’ve said their piece is considered something to be thankful for, then what has Harna even been doing until now?”
I felt a flicker of fear, thinking perhaps Harna had some unusual habit not mentioned in the book.
“Am I going to get caught?”
I clenched and unclenched my fists, nervous. If anyone discovered I wasn’t the real Harna, I feared what might happen—would they torture me asking where the real Harna was, or accuse me of being a witch and burn me?
“No, I won’t get caught. I’ll survive here as Harna, no matter what!”
With renewed determination, I steadied myself.
“The Marquis… he’s my father, right?”
Father… Since losing my family in a car accident at eleven, it had only been a title I used while acting. Now, facing my father at this age left me unsure.
“What was the relationship between Harna and her father?”
Should I treat him as I did in the father-daughter role I once practiced, or should I maintain proper etiquette, as befits nobility? I had no clue.
“Even Harna wouldn’t have acted carelessly with her father, right?”
Lost in thought, a knock came at the door. Feeling sorry for the servants who were both scared and persistent, I said:
“Come in.”
Three maids entered.
“Are you feeling well?”
An older woman bowed deeply and asked about my health. Accustomed to the manners of Korea, I paused, unsure how to respond, but soon resolved to speak comfortably.
“I’m fine now.”
“……”
I replied arrogantly, lifting my chin with a proud gaze, but the maid stayed bowed and motionless. I wanted to ask the real Harna:
“How did you even treat your servants?”
Hiding my frustration, I brusquely asked the maid:
“What’s your purpose here?”
“I’ve come to assist with your bath and to help you get dressed.”
I nodded at the thin, long indoor dress I was wearing. With permission granted, the two maids behind approached. Within moments, under their skilled hands, I was undressed and placed into a bath scattered with floating rose petals. Their practiced hands made the process pleasantly relaxing.
“Ah!”
While brushing my hair, one maid accidentally tugged it too hard. A few strands pulled, and the sharp sting on my scalp made me cry out.
“I-I’m sorry, miss. Your hair was tangled, and I was trying to untangle it… I’ve committed a grave sin.”
The maid, head on the wet floor and kneeling without hesitation, trembled as I watched. Glancing at the other maid drying my body, her face had gone pale too.
“Sigh…”
By now, such reactions no longer surprised me. I simply reminded myself this was the moment to act exactly like the real Harna.
Vera, the maid who had pulled my hair, realized today was likely her last day. A month ago, another maid had made the same mistake and had been famously punished by Harna.
“How dare a lowly thing pull my hair?”
Harna had shouted sharply and immediately pulled out that maid’s hair strand by strand, smiling like a demon as the maid screamed. That story was notorious.
Vera’s hands trembled. She had felt uneasy from the start, and now her fear had become reality. Kneeling and trembling, she bit her lips to avoid screaming.
“What’s your name?”
“Vera.”
“Good, Vera.”
Harna’s icy voice froze her, making her squeeze her eyes shut.
“You hurt me, so you must be punished, right?”
“Yes.”
“Come here.”
Vera crawled forward on her knees, bowing her body before Harna.
“My head will be covered in blood soon.”
Imagining herself going bald made tears fall, but she clamped her mouth shut and waited for the punishment.
“…!”
Yet the pain was different than expected. It was only the sharp sting of a few hairs being pulled.
Vera looked up in surprise.
“There, your punishment is done. Now comb your hair again.”
“Yes?”
“Was the punishment too weak? Want me to pull more?”
A chill ran down Vera’s arms. She could have stayed still, but her startled response made her answer. She braced herself, expecting worse, but felt nothing more. Glancing up, Harna simply leaned on the edge of the bath, eyes closed.
“I’ll finish carefully, miss.”
Vera realized her mistake had been forgiven. Relieved, she slowly got up and combed her orange hair. Harna’s voice and expression were still intimidating, but her actions were no longer frightening.
After the bath, with the maids’ help drying my hair and body, I chose a dress that was ornate but less flashy than the others. Refusing makeup, I followed the maid who said lunch was ready.
Each step moved the lace of my dress like a soft dance. Memories of the dress I had worn at a ceremony before my “death” came to mind. I thought I would never wear a dress again, yet here I was, bound to wear one for life.
Walking gloomily, I noticed the maid ahead checking on me. I had sternly told her to lead the way to the dining room.
“Sorry, but I can’t help it. I don’t know where the dining room is.”
Though it might seem like I was teasing her, I had no choice. I gestured for her to go ahead. The maid, looking worried as if I might cry, led the way, bowing when we reached the destination.
I purposely snorted and walked past her into the room.
The large dining table startled me. It could easily seat twenty, yet it was piled with food for just two. Nobility really did have a grand scale.
As I marveled at the elegant statues and polished marble floor, I felt someone watching me.
The middle-aged man waiting had been silently observing me. The Marquis Juurn, a distinguished man with orange hair and golden eyes identical to Harna’s, sat there. I studied his face, then took my seat.
“Are you feeling well?”
“Sorry for worrying you. I’m fine, Father.”
“Father?”
Juurn tilted his head, confused.
“Huh? Didn’t Harna use ‘Father’ before?”
Ah! I had one familiar term left that I could use with my real father.
“Fa…ther?”
“…Let’s eat. Since you just woke, I instructed to prepare soft foods.”
“Thank you, Father!”
Though unnatural, seeing the Marquis continue speaking put my mind at ease.
“So it is Father.”
Thinking I had successfully used a familiar term, I glanced at Juurn and took my first bite of soup.
“Oh, it’s delicious.”
Realizing it was my first meal in Harna’s body made me suddenly ravenous. As I devoured the soup, I recalled the aristocratic dining etiquette lessons I had learned while practicing. I straightened my back and adjusted my spoon, finishing the soup quickly yet politely.
“Yes, this is it.”
Satisfied with the appetizer, I prepared to eat the bread, but Juurn placed an untouched bowl of soup in front of me—his portion. Smiling, I said:
“Thank you, Father.”
I recorded the new information: fortunately, Harna had a good relationship with Juurn.
It had been a week since I entered Harna’s body. Unlike the first day, I was now performing her without almost any mistakes. I had lunch or dinner daily with Father, Marquis Juurn.
Today, the maid came to escort me for lunch, naturally leading the way.
“She was so nervous just a few days ago…”
I chuckled softly at the improvement. Familiar now with the estate, I didn’t refuse her guidance. It was endearing how she occasionally looked back to check I was following.
“Have a pleasant meal.”
“Yes. Thank you again today.”
The maid’s eyes widened, then softened in a crescent shape at my sudden thanks. I patted her shoulder lightly and entered the room.
Juurn was already seated.
“I’m late, as usual.”
“I arrived earlier. Sit, Harna.”
“Yes.”
I sat with my best smile, the most practiced and radiant I could manage.
