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Chapter 15
I met those suspicious eyes with a gentle smile.
“The fact that the maids are young means they’re easy to exploit. Rachel would never pass up such an opportunity.”
“Ah.”
Denok nodded slightly, as if he understood what I meant.
There was no doubt Rachel would first try to bring the mansion’s maids under her control.
She’d use them as her eyes and ears, and slowly tighten her grip on the entire ducal household.
And eventually, she would try to become the true mistress of the house, controlling everything from behind the scenes.
‘Because that’s exactly what happened in the original story.’
It wouldn’t even be an exaggeration to say she took over the entire ducal estate.
“There’s only one way to stand against her: I need to wield more influence than she does.”
I added calmly,
“And for that, I need to win over the maids. Not as some head maid, but from a position of the true lady of the house.”
Denok pondered a moment, then asked,
“Do you have a plan in mind?”
A slow, confident smile curled my lips.
“Of course.”
The next day, the maids heard an unexpected announcement from Vernon.
“Starting today, anyone who wishes to receive lessons after work will be granted access to the library and an opportunity to learn how to read and write.”
The head butler’s words caused murmurs among the maids.
Some widened their eyes in surprise, others glanced around skeptically.
They were all girls who had started working from a young age just to survive.
It wasn’t rare to find those who couldn’t even write their own names.
They weren’t ashamed of their ignorance—after all, they were all in the same boat—but that didn’t mean they hadn’t longed to learn.
They had simply never been given the chance.
Vernon silently observed their reactions before adding quietly,
“Since the main building is quite far from the annex, we will also prepare a rest area in the main building.”
A wave of emotion rippled across the maids’ eyes.
“And maids who show notable improvement will receive a special reward.”
“…!”
Now they were staring with their mouths open, captivated. Vernon concluded with gravity,
“All of this stems from My Lady’s generous intentions. Be sure to remember her kindness well.”
From that day on, quiet changes began to ripple through the mansion.
The first thing to change was the creation of a small break room for the maids.
The unused room at the end of the west hallway, which had long been forgotten and used as a storage area, was transformed.
After Vernon’s announcement, the room was furnished with a long sofa, a small stove, and thin yet warm blankets.
“Stock the shelves with books that are easy for children to read.”
At Edith’s instruction, fairy tales and beginner books were placed on one side of the library.
Even after exhausting work, the maids would drag their tired bodies to the library to borrow books.
Then, in the break room, they would huddle together, share biscuits brought from the kitchen, and read.
Those who could at least read a little would stumble through the stories and teach others how to read.
The tension that used to linger in the mansion began to dissipate.
The girls, who had once lowered their heads in fear whenever they saw Denok, began to quietly greet him and Edith when they passed by.
At first, they had no sense of loyalty—after all, they were there just to earn money. But now, their gazes held a faint sparkle when they looked at Edith.
Their hands moved more diligently, and their steps grew lighter.
“I’m so glad Her Grace came to the mansion!”
At her roommate’s excited voice, Melissa looked up from the book she was reading.
“You’re that happy?”
Maid Rika seamed brightly.
“Yeah! I can write my name now!”
Cradling the notebook where she had written her name for the first time, Rika chuckled softly.
“Honestly… when my mom sent only my older brother to school, I cried and threw a fit. I begged to go too.”
“…”
“I cried my eyes out even when I first came here. I said I’d rather die than serve at the ducal house of monsters!”
She giggled, carefully slid the notebook under her pillow, and lay down, exhausted.
“But now, I think I’m lucky. I got this opportunity.”
Suddenly, Rika scrunched her face.
“Ah—except for Head Maid Rachel… ugh.”
She had been run ragged all day again.
No matter what they did, Rachel nitpicked over every tiny detail, constantly nagging that “At the Certia estate, they do this,” or “At the Certia duchy, they do that.”
The maids had become so tense that even hearing the syllable “Ra—” in their sleep would jolt them awake.
Melissa nodded grimly in agreement.
Then—
Knock, knock.
The door creaked open, and a maid timidly peeked inside.
“Melissa. Head Maid Rachel… she wants to see you.”
A heavy tension settled in the room.
Rika panicked and smacked her head as she tried to get up from bed, while Melissa’s face stiffened.
“Now?”
“Yeah… she’s waiting in her room.”
The maid’s face was filled with worry as she looked at Melissa.
Melissa slowly set her book down and stood up stiffly.
Her navy-blue hair, braided into two thick plaits, swayed heavily.
Shortly after—
“Head Maid, you summoned me?”
Melissa stood before Rachel and bowed deeply.
It was an absurdly lavish room for a head maid.
Rachel, seated on a large sofa, smiled with her usual thick sweetness and gestured to the seat across from her.
“You’re here? Please, sit down, Miss Melissa.”
Her gaze swept briefly across the table.
There sat a mysterious pouch made of fine fabric.
It looked heavy, clearly containing something substantial.
Melissa swallowed hard.
As the sun dipped below the horizon…
It was time for all maids to be in bed, except those on night duty.
Melissa quietly got out of bed after confirming that her roommate Rika—who slept like a log—was sound asleep.
She slipped into the hallway’s shadows and silently headed toward the ducal couple’s quarters.
In her hand was a small notebook, its pages filled with carefully written notes.
— Light remained on until late at night.
— Bed sheets rumpled in the morning.
— Reddish heat marks on neck area.
“Lady Edith must conceive a child as soon as possible. That will stabilize the household.”
Ever since Rachel had said those words while placing a hand on Melissa’s shoulder, Melissa had been tracking Edith’s movements without fail.
‘This is all for My Lady’s sake.’
She repeated the thought to herself, trying to ignore the heavy fabric pouch she had stashed in the corner.
She would do anything for the money—to buy her sick brother’s medicine.
Soon after, Melissa arrived at Edith’s bedroom door.
In another noble family, knights would be stationed outside.
But the Luciano Dukedom was different. It had once been a powerful magical family, and the estate was guarded by intricate defensive spells.
‘As long as I don’t enter the room, I won’t get caught.’
Melissa pressed her ear against the door.
Faint sounds began to filter through the wooden barrier.
“Mmgh!”
Was kissing always supposed to feel like you were about to be devoured?
I barely managed to endure the heat of his crashing lips.
He’d said we needed to make noise in case someone was eavesdropping outside…
“Haa…”
As Denok’s tongue delved deep into my mouth, swirling persistently, my vision began to blur with warmth.
When he first kissed me, it had been nothing but a timid peck.
But ever since I told him “It has to look real,” he’d improved dramatically.
Perhaps it was instinct—him being drawn to me, someone who could soothe his magic.
When I unconsciously turned my head away, his hand gripped my jaw and pulled me back into the kiss, locking me in deeper.
