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Chapter 10
“So they’ve been engaged for five whole years… How could His Grace cast Lady Delailou aside so heartlessly?”
“It’s all because of that country girl. They’re even getting married next week.”
“What?! Seriously?”
The maids’ hushed whispers gradually grew louder.
“See? I told you I was right. Isn’t that true, Lady Emily?”
All eyes turned toward Emily, who had been quietly listening to the conversation.
“Hmm… Yes.”
She smiled faintly.
“That’s right.”
A chorus of shocked gasps erupted.
“Lady Emily, you’ve been serving Lady Dahlia, haven’t you? Tell us what she’s really like!”
Emily hadn’t expected everyone’s curiosity to be directed at her.
She hesitated deliberately.
“Well… I’m not sure if I should say this, but… Lady Lea…”
A faint smile flickered in her eyes.
“Oh… never mind.”
“I’d feel guilty speaking badly about the lady I serve.”
She knew perfectly well that stopping midway only made people more curious.
As expected, disappointed sighs immediately escaped the maids.
“Please tell us!”
“You know we can keep a secret, Lady Emily.”
“We won’t tell anyone.”
Emily pretended to hesitate before lowering her voice.
“Well… if it’s truly a secret…”
“The truth is… Lady Lea looks down on me.”
“What?”
“Why?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“I only wanted to help her settle into House Felix…”
“But perhaps she misunderstood my kindness.”
Emily lowered her eyes sadly.
Her performance was flawless.
The maids became so animated that their excited voices echoed throughout the corridor.
“Everyone…”
Emily quickly raised her hands.
“Please lower your voices.”
“If His Grace hears this, I’ll be the one in trouble.”
At her urging, the hallway gradually became quiet again.
“…Sigh.”
Emily sighed softly.
“Lady Delailou was always so kind whenever she visited…”
The conversation naturally shifted toward praising Delailou.
“That’s true.”
“She always brought gifts for all of us whenever she came.”
Delailou’s careful efforts to cultivate a good reputation among the servants were finally paying off.
Hidden behind the corner of a wall, Lea listened to every single word.
A dry laugh escaped her lips.
So… this is how they’re planning to isolate me inside this castle.
She quietly glared at Emily before turning away.
It doesn’t matter.
None of it changes anything.
Emily could spread rumors.
She could turn everyone against her.
Lea Eleanor didn’t intend to remain in House Felix forever anyway.
Their relationship was nothing more than a contractual arrangement.
Once she achieved her goal…
She would disappear from this castle without hesitation.
No matter what rumors spread after that, it wouldn’t concern her.
Still…
Emily is impossible to forgive.
Even her appearance resembled a cunning fox.
Everything she did irritated Lea.
Biting her lower lip, she descended the staircase.
She wanted to walk proudly through the corridors.
Instead…
She simply wanted a little peace of mind.
She would spend some time downstairs before returning to her room.
She wasn’t avoiding anyone.
She just didn’t want to be seen.
Without any particular destination, she wandered the first-floor corridors.
There was a quiet loneliness in her retreating figure.
***
Bright morning sunlight streamed through the windows.
Lea frowned as the light reached her tightly closed eyes.
Still exhausted, she pulled the blanket over her head and buried her face deeper into the soft pillow.
Click.
She heard the window latch being undone.
Then—
Slide.
The window opened.
Chirp.
Chirp, chirp.
Birdsong immediately filled the room.
Unable to hide beneath the blanket forever, Lea slowly peeked her head out.
…Sigh.
I stayed up so late last night.
After overhearing Emily’s conversation with the maids, she hadn’t been able to fall asleep.
She had tossed and turned until dawn before finally drifting off.
Now she sat up looking utterly exhausted.
The first person she saw was Emily, smiling brightly at her.
I honestly can’t find a single thing I like about her.
“You’re awake, Lady Dahlia.”
“His Grace has gone to the Imperial Palace today, so you won’t be dining together.”
“Oh…”
Lea nodded slowly.
She hadn’t known Caspian was going to the palace.
“Where would you like to have breakfast?”
“In my room.”
Since Caspian wasn’t here, there was no reason to go all the way to the dining hall.
Eating here would be much more comfortable.
Besides…
She’d probably be eating nothing but vegetables again.
“Very well.”
“I’ll have it brought up.”
“Would you like to get dressed first?”
“Sure.”
Lea followed Emily while casually looking around the room.
Besides Emily, two maids assigned to her on the first day were also present.
The one who had just left for the kitchen…
Her name was Sarah.
The one cleaning the room…
Jane.
As Lea slowly recalled their names, her gaze returned to Emily.
A cold light flickered in her eyes.
I’m sure Emily has already turned those two into her allies.
As long as Emily remained in this castle…
Lea doubted she could gain even a single supporter.
Yesterday beneath the cherry tree, the other maids had remained silent even while Emily lied.
That alone was proof enough.
…Come to think of it.
I wonder how Ashley is doing.
Her thoughts drifted toward Ashley—the one person who was unquestionably on her side.
Before being forcibly teleported away, Lea had given Ashley the herb that allowed her to transform into a human.
Yet there had been no news since then.
I begged her to come find me…
Maybe convincing Ashley was impossible after all.
She lowered her eyes sadly.
“…Lady Dahlia!”
“Lady Dahlia!”
Emily’s slightly irritated voice snapped her out of her thoughts.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
“Your meal has arrived.”
“This way.”
Sarah had already returned and was placing dishes on the table.
Feeling hungry, Lea cast one brief glance at Emily before walking over and sitting on the sofa.
The silver lid was lifted.
A fresh green salad appeared underneath.
“Sarah.”
“You forgot the fork.”
Emily picked one up herself and handed it to Lea with a gentle smile.
“Here you are, Lady Lea.”
Then she turned toward Sarah.
“I-I’m sorry…”
Sarah lowered her head in panic beneath Emily’s reproachful gaze.
“It’s all right.”
“Just be more careful next time.”
Emily behaved as though she herself were the mistress of the room.
Shouldn’t Sarah be apologizing to me instead?
Lea couldn’t understand why Sarah was apologizing to Emily.
Even more absurd was the fact that Emily accepted the apology as though it were perfectly natural.
They’re all on the same side.
Lea felt completely ignored.
Like a sack of grain someone had carelessly dumped in the corner.
She stabbed a leafy green with her fork.
Crunch.
The fresh lettuce made a crisp sound.
The salad was the only thing on the table.
She lifted a bite toward her mouth.
“…Ugh!”
A small groan escaped her lips.
She had expected the salad to be lightly seasoned with a pleasant balance of salt and vinegar.
Instead—
“What is it, Lady Dahlia?”
Emily looked at her with an innocent expression.
Lea slowly raised her eyes toward her.
Anger began bubbling inside her.
She had only taken a single bite.
Just one tiny leaf.
Yet the instant it touched her tongue…
An overwhelming saltiness exploded in her mouth.
Her tongue still burned from it.
Emily…
You’re tampering with my food again?
It wasn’t as terrible as before her regression…
But it was still impossible to eat.
I’m already surviving on nothing but vegetables because of you… and now this?
The very woman who had once made Lea fear unfamiliar food was once again using food to torment her.
…I see.
So this time you’re being direct about it.
She had clearly waited until the master of the house was away.
The realization ignited Lea’s anger.
This time…
She decided she wouldn’t endure it.
After all—
Lady Lea Dahlia no longer had to.
“Emily.”
“This salad is far too salty.”
“Bring me another one.”
“Pardon?”
Emily blinked in apparent confusion.
“That can’t be right.”
She turned toward the two maids.
“Sarah. Jane.”
“Come taste it.”
Instead of replacing the salad as ordered, Emily summoned the other two maids.
“Well?”
“Is it salty?”
Jane, whose eyes always seemed slightly unfocused, answered first.
“No.”
Emily’s lips curled upward almost imperceptibly.
“And you, Sarah?”
“N-No…”
Sarah hesitated.
“It’s not salty either.”
