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Chapter: 4
The city had only briefly been noisy with the public execution.
In the meantime, many small and large events had occurred. For instance, the disappearance of the young Duke Schultz.
I stared blankly at the headline of the daily newspaper delivered to my house.
“
Young Duke Schultz who suddenly vanished—whereabouts unknown?
”
Johannes Schultz……
I frowned without realizing it. That man, who had seemed unfazed, had not been free from the death of his father either.
Of course, there could be other reasons.
“Haa….”
I placed the crumpled newspaper on the table and sat down on a chair.
Defeat in war, war reparations, public execution, and now even the disappearance of the young duke.
Müssen, which had once been peaceful beyond measure, was suddenly struck all at once by hardships too great to bear.
The first few days had been chaotic. However, reality is not generous enough to care about those who remain stuck in the past.
People quickly returned to their daily lives, and Müssen, though not as it once was, regained its liveliness.
So I too had to pull myself together quickly.
How much would be left after paying the overdue taxes?
As I counted the death insurance payout my father had received from the state, I realized that the money wouldn’t even be enough to live on for a month.
‘Studying will have to wait for now.’
I had been studying pharmacy, but tuition costs were quite high, so my daily life had always been tight.
Until now, I had been able to continue my studies thanks to my father’s diligent support……
‘I’ll have to find a job.’
Crying had to end here. My father hadn’t raised me to be weak.
My mother had passed away right after giving birth to me, but I grew up without even having time to feel her absence.
Though not wealthy, I could confidently say I had received as much love as any noble child.
However, I never expected that would end up holding me back.
‘There aren’t many things I can do.’
At most, I was confident in a few basic pharmaceutical knowledge and household chores. I had no suitable relatives to seek help from either.
In the end, I went to Mrs. Pensler, the neighbor I was on friendly terms with, to ask for help.
“Could you help me find a job posting?”
“Suddenly? Why are you looking for one?”
“Ah… I think I need to earn some money.”
As I said that while rubbing the back of my neck, Mrs. Pensler’s eyes widened. She looked very worried.
“Ithis, you haven’t been seen much lately, and you look so unlike yourself—why are you so down? Money? Is your father not sending money these days? He’ll be back home soon anyway, so what are you worried about?”
“Well……”
“Don’t say that. My friend’s husband was visited by the military recently, and they told her he had died on the battlefield. Oh dear, what kind of bolt from the blue is that?”
Instead of answering, I gave a bitter smile. Soon, Mrs. Pensler seemed to sense something was wrong.
Her cheerful, talkative expression quickly stiffened. As if trying to convince herself her thoughts were wrong, she forced the corners of her mouth upward. The corners of her lips trembled slightly.
“Ithis… it’s not…?”
Her voice trembled. When I neither denied nor confirmed it, she looked as though she had become certain her suspicion was correct.
“Oh my… what should we do……”
“I’m fine.”
“S-sorry. I—I didn’t know… I should have noticed when you seemed so down……”
Her gaze wandered into empty space before finally dropping to the floor.
“No, it’s okay. I think I’m fine now. At first it was painful, but I’ve managed to pull myself together somewhat.”
“Oh, Ithis……”
“It was something I was bound to face eventually. My father wouldn’t have lived forever anyway. I just think I went through it a little earlier than expected, that’s all.”
I smiled to reassure her.
“I’ll just live as usual. Like when my father was at the front lines.”
“……”
“I’ll eat meals as usual, go shopping, chat with you, and so on. The only difference is that I’ll be earning money……”
Suddenly, she pulled me into a tight embrace, preventing me from finishing my sentence.
I really am fine.
Forcing a smile, I buried my face into her shoulder. Then I gently patted her back. It felt like something I should do.
Foolishly, absurdly so.
And only after I noticed her shoulder becoming damp did I realize.
“Ah……”
I’m the one crying.
“What should we do… Heaven really is so indifferent.”
“……”
“Ithis, stay strong.”
Her sighing voice scattered into the air, and the harsh reality pressed down on me.
I still wasn’t okay.
In Dochilia, the general perception of “Müssen” was as follows:
It was wealthier and more peaceful than other cities. Therefore, it was always lively, with relatively many job opportunities, and people were relaxed and kind.
“That’s all in the past now. Since the defeat, the whole country has been in turmoil, so Müssen is struggling too. And since it’s the Duke Schultz’s city, its reputation isn’t good either.”
Mrs. Pensler said with a frown.
She explained that most factories were filled with men. The places women could go were limited.
“Most either go to bars or work as maids for nobles. Or they become housekeepers in wealthy households. Right now, most of those positions are filled, so it’ll probably just be bars left. Ithis, you absolutely must not set foot in such places!”
So, I had only one option left.
“It was about a month ago…? I think a job posting has been up since then. They’re looking for a maid to take care of the elderly lady at the Russell Marquis household in Bölne, but not many people have applied. It might be because it doesn’t require living in.”
The Russell Marquis family of Bölne.
A family effectively led by an elderly lady with exceptional business acumen, who had struck it rich through railway business.
Not only that, the lady was said to be a major figure in finance, controlling vast amounts of capital and meticulously weighing gains and losses. Rumor had it that even the royal family couldn’t easily interfere with her.
Someone that demanding would undoubtedly be difficult to please.
“However… there are many rumors that the temperament of the Russell matriarch is quite formidable. Apparently, more than a few people have quit. Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
Mrs. Pensler asked repeatedly, but I didn’t have the luxury of weighing options.
It required a full three-hour train ride, but the salary conditions were good, and even the train fare was to be paid by the Russell Marquis family, so there was no reason not to go.
I could just cut down on sleep a little.
Moreover, if she truly had a difficult temperament, I could adapt and endure it. If I were hired, I would have enough to cover living expenses and even continue my studies comfortably.
When I finished my thoughts and came to my senses, my steps had already taken me to the post office.
The bustling streets were no different from before I had heard the news of defeat.
“Fresh tulips hard to find in winter! Half price today only!”
“Latest edition of society gossip!”
Listening to the voices of people shouting, my gloomy mood vanished in an instant.
Pushing through the busy crowd, I entered the post office, where there were a huge number of people waiting.
After waiting a full hour, it was finally my turn. I approached the counter and quickly spoke to the employee, who had a tired-looking face.
“I’d like to make a phone call. Please connect me to the Russell Marquis household in Bölne.”
“Calls to other regions start at 30 rubles. Is that okay?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“After 10 minutes, it will be charged at 1 ruble per second, so please take note.”
After explaining the charges, the employee connected the call.
The butler of the Russell Marquis household was an extremely strict person. He thoroughly questioned my personal information, even asking about any illnesses or medications I was taking.
He also warned that if I lied, my employment could be canceled.
After answering diligently, I finally managed to schedule an interview.
Even before ending the call, the butler emphasized repeatedly that the elderly lady was very displeased when appointments were late or canceled arbitrarily, and urged me to arrive on time.
When the call ended, I felt as though I had done physical labor. It surely wasn’t just my imagination.
I began to understand, even if only slightly, why the Russell Marquis job posting had remained open for so long.
But I wasn’t afraid. Rather, I felt motivated.
The fact that I now had to handle everything on my own was frightening, yet somehow also relieving. Staying idle would only leave me with unpleasant thoughts; being physically active seemed better.
‘Yes, how long are you going to stay like this?’
I steeled my resolve once more.
As I was about to leave the post office, heading toward the entrance, the headline of today’s newspaper pinned on one side of the wall caught my eye.
“
Windsor Royal Family strips the Schultz ducal house of its financial authority.
”
“
Missing Young Duke Schultz—will he return the massive embezzled funds to the state?
”
Johannes Schultz was still at the center of attention.
Everyone was simply believing the royal family’s announcement and tearing into him.
Were they just looking for someone to attack, or did they truly believe it as absolute truth?
Even if the former Duke Schultz had embezzled a massive sum, the young duke had been on the battlefield and had nothing to do with it.
There was no guarantee that the embezzled funds were even in his possession.
Furrowing my brow at these complicated thoughts, I raised my head.
“…Huh?”
I spotted a large figure blocking my view and slightly opened my mouth.
Then I alternated my gaze between the newspaper headline and the person in front of me several times.
Well-groomed golden hair that seemed to hold sunlight, deep blue eyes like the sea, and flawless features that would never be forgotten once seen.
“I heard you were missing…?”
It was Johannes Schultz.
