🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 3
After that, Adrian looked at Nina properly. Whenever she met him, Nina always smiled brightly.
At some point, Adrian also began to smile back. It was an elegant smile, fitting for a noble.
The shadow in his eyes did not completely disappear, but still, it was fine.
‘What did the original say again?’
Nina, now used to the low chair, sat with her legs spread slightly and peeled potatoes. According to the description of Fiona, the original heroine, Adrian was like this.
[The Duke of Luvuaene was a perfect gentleman, despite his infamous reputation. An elegant smile, a gentle tone, and a flawless noble manner. A relaxed voice that carried ease.
But Fiona felt cold anger behind that perfect smile and delicate kindness. She felt hatred.
That was why Fiona could never come to like the Duke of Luvuaene.]
But our young master isn’t at that stage yet!
After tossing the smooth potatoes into the water one by one, Nina stood up with the basket. As she returned to the kitchen and set it down, the other maids were whispering.
“So he called the jeweler again?”
“Yes, this time he bought a moonlight pearl necklace from the northern Badun Island.”
“Oh my, moonlight pearls. Just hearing it sounds amazing.”
“One of those pearls is worth enough to feed us for life.”
“He also hired a new swordsmanship teacher for young master Gerald.”
The two talking noticed Nina.
“You finished peeling? Good job. There should be some bread left in the cupboard.”
“Thank you.”
After greeting them, Nina quickly took bread from the cupboard.
One good thing about being a kitchen maid was that she would not starve. All leftover food from the master’s family belonged to them.
Other servants were also kind to the kitchen maids because they needed food as well.
Nina tucked the bread into her arms and went to Adrian.
Over the past year, Adrian’s treatment had become even worse. The Duke no longer invited him to family meals.
Or rather, it wasn’t that the Duke didn’t invite him—the Duchess made sure he did not attend.
When Adrian didn’t appear at the table, the Duke would simply ask, “Where is Adrian?” and the Duchess would reply, “He seems uncomfortable eating with us.” That was the end of it.
‘What is wrong with them?’
Nina wanted to split open the Duke’s head and look inside. Accepting a bastard child was no small matter. Yet after acknowledging him, they still neglected him.
On top of that, the Duke had remarried and even gained a new heir. At this point, it would be easier to settle the succession properly, but he did not.
From what other maids said, the Duke was indifferent not only to Adrian but also to his other sons.
Perhaps that was exactly what made the Duchess even more furious.
Of course, the Duke was also indifferent to the Duchess. He did not interfere at all with how she ran the household, handled finances, or managed staff.
According to Adrian, the Duke had called him to a private room only once.
“Your mother is dead.”
That was all he said.
‘At least there were people around him then…’
Before marrying the Duchess, Adrian had been the only young master in the mansion and was treated with care.
‘Or so I heard.’
In any case, because of the Duke’s attitude, Adrian’s situation only kept getting worse.
It wasn’t enough to exclude him from the dining table; the Duchess even interfered with the food given to him.
After she told the cooks, “Since Adrian does not dine with us, there is no need to prepare meals for him,” he was only given servant-level food.
Because no one dared to bring him food under the Duchess’s watchful eye, Nina secretly carried meals to him.
Even basic supplies were no longer allocated. Without Nina sneaking things in like a mouse, his life would have been even harder.
“Young master.”
Adrian, who had been reading an old book in his room, looked up. Nina took bread from her arms and split it neatly in half.
“This half is yours, young master.”
Adrian reached out and swapped her hard, crust-heavy piece with his softer one.
“I’m fine with this.”
“But it’s hard.”
“I’m older, so I’m stronger.”
Adrian smiled lightly and closed his book.
Since he was being ignored as if he didn’t exist in the mansion, he was actually able to go anywhere freely.
As long as he didn’t run into the Duchess, Gerald, or Jaden.
The mansion library was one place those three never entered, and Adrian enjoyed that privilege fully. He read obsessively and trained in swordsmanship.
What hurt Nina the most was that he was growing up while eating so poorly. Chewing on hard bread crusts, she said,
“The Duchess called the jeweler again. She bought a moonlight pearl necklace. Do you know what that is?”
“I heard it has a soft silver glow. They say it shines faintly at night.”
“I see.”
Nina’s eyes widened. The world had so many amazing things.
She hesitated before speaking again.
“And she is hiring a new swordsmanship teacher for the eldest young master.”
“I see.”
Adrian replied with a small smile. Nina puffed her cheeks.
“I also want to change our swordsmanship teacher. Every day he…”
Nina bit her lip.
The reason Adrian was covered in bruises was because of that teacher.
He always used “lessons” as an excuse to beat Adrian. Sometimes he hit him until bones broke.
“Still, it’s better than having none.”
Adrian swallowed the hard bread. Bread and water with no butter or jam—that was his meal.
‘Someday, I’ll eat soft bread as much as I want.’
That was Nina’s dream too. Even if things were hard now, she had a dream.
Adrian opened his book again and said quietly,
“Nina, you should go. It’s not good to stay too long.”
“Alright. I’ll come again next time.”
After smiling and saying goodbye, Nina left the room.
Adrian looked up after she left and stared at the door for a long time before letting out a sigh.
He worried that the Duchess might find out about Nina. But even so, he couldn’t bring himself to tell her not to come.
He forced his gaze back to the book.
It was a rare day off. Nina had nowhere to go, but the kitchen maids were busy dressing up.
“Nina, don’t you have anything to ask for?”
“No.”
Now twelve years old, Nina still wore her hair in twin braids.
“How do I look?”
One maid showed off the lace on her dress hem. It was a masterpiece lace made after a year of effort.
“It’s really pretty, sister. What if a noble proposes to you?”
“Oh my, you.”
They laughed, pleased despite themselves. Another maid said,
“Strange how everything Nina says sounds true.”
“Because I say it sincerely.”
When Nina blinked her round eyes, they all laughed. The maid in the lace dress said,
“Who knows? Maybe if you go out like that, some noble might notice you.”
“What’s the point? Look at that kid.”
“That kid.”
They were referring to Young Master Adrian.
“His mother was an opera singer, right? A great beauty, always surrounded by gifts and flowers in her dressing room.”
She clicked her tongue.
“So what? The child turned out like that. The Duchess is too much too. She knew he existed from the beginning, didn’t she? She must have married with that intention.”
“Shh, be careful what you say.”
“Ugh, forget it.”
They hushed themselves and spoke to Nina.
“Did you understand?”
“Pardon?”
“You, behave properly. For people like us, one wrong move and it’s over.”
“Right. You should stop playing with that boy.”
“But I like the young master.”
At Nina’s carefree answer, they stopped scolding her.
“Oh dear.”
“I give up.”
The maids laughed it off and left, promising to bring back candy. They were all kind people.
At that moment, the cook Karin entered and saw Nina still preparing vegetables.
“Why are you still here?”
“I don’t have money to go out and play.”
“Don’t make a mess in the kitchen.”
“I won’t.”
Nina answered seriously. Karin glanced at the vegetables Nina was preparing and said,
“When you’re done, there are snacks in the right cupboard.”
“Wow!”
“But don’t tell the others.”
“Yes!”
Her hands sped up. Nina finished preparing the vegetables faster than usual and quickly secured the snacks.
