MLWR 05

Chapter : 05

“Your Highness. I’ve brought the servants.”

“Come in.”

Marianne sat on a plush chaise longue and watched the slowly opening door. Led by Amelie, the servants she had only briefly seen before walked in.

The three of them stood in a line at a respectful distance, their faces tense, bending at the waist so deeply it was almost excessive.

Even after Amelie explained, they probably found it hard to believe she wasn’t some kind of brute but just an ordinary person. Well, rumors can be frightening.

Marianne smiled awkwardly.

They might even think that holding this introduction so late was a form of power play because she was dissatisfied with the mansion.

‘But that’s a bit unfair to me too.’

She had only meant to lie down for a moment, but fell asleep immediately—never imagining that she’d end up greeting the mansion’s staff properly the next day.

When she woke up in the morning and saw the bright light outside the window, she’d been utterly dumbfounded.

‘It felt like I just closed my eyes and opened them again, and it was morning.’

Still, thanks to sleeping so well, her body felt much lighter. Trying to think positively, Marianne cleared her throat.

“Nice to meet you. You probably all know already, but I’m Marianne. I look forward to working with you.”

When she deliberately used a brighter, gentler tone, all three looked thoroughly flustered.

After a brief silence, the maid who seemed the least startled smiled warmly and replied.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you yesterday, Your Highness. Please call me Chloe.”

Following Chloe, the other two hurriedly introduced themselves.

“Ah! Hello. My name is Laurent. I may be lacking, but I’ll serve you diligently.”

“……Julia.”

They all seemed very different in personality, as much as they differed in height and age.

But even if their personalities were different, Marianne knew that servants tended to share a similar nature.

In the original story, Chloe, Julia, and Laurent didn’t have large roles, but they appeared as Cedric’s most trusted maid and attendants.

That meant that even after the real Marianne mercilessly drove them away, they all returned later to the mansion when things grew even worse.

‘And Amelie, of course, is still a capable and wonderful head butler in the future.’

“Julia is a good friend, Your Highness. She looks blunt like this, but she’s actually nervous and shy, so she speaks briefly.”

“T-that’s right! Big sister Julia is kind!”

“…….”

Chloe smiled softly and gently pinched Julia’s cheek. She must have been worried Marianne would get the wrong impression of the taciturn Julia. When Laurent chimed in as well, Julia’s ears turned red and she covered her face with her hands.

“Yes. Everyone in the mansion seems warm and kind.”

Marianne replied with a smile in her voice.

‘If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have endured staying in this ducal estate and would’ve left long ago, like the other servants.’

Thinking about the past made her heart ache slightly. And then Marianne realized that, surprisingly, she didn’t remember seeing Miel much when she read the novel.

Why? He seemed like a knight extremely loyal to Cedric.

‘Did he die because of Marianne? No… I don’t remember reading anything like that.’

As she tilted her head in thought, Amelie stepped forward a couple of paces and gestured to Chloe and Julia.

“Chloe and Julia will be in charge of attending to Your Highness. I sincerely apologize that we lack enough maids.”

“No.”

Marianne shook her head.

“There’s no need to assign personal attendants.”

At the sudden refusal, the atmosphere sank slightly.

Laurent and Julia went pale, and even Chloe, who had looked the brightest, drooped her eyebrows.

“……May I ask the reason, if you don’t mind?”

But Amelie, having already experienced Marianne yesterday, remained calm.

“Um.”

Even so, Marianne found it a bit awkward to explain.

She couldn’t exactly say she came from a world where people were praised for handling everything on their own.

“I’m more comfortable alone.”

In the end, Marianne stated half the truth plainly.

Then, noticing that Amelie and the others looked completely unconvinced, she scratched her cheek.

After a brief moment of thought, Marianne decided to be a little firmer.

“I mean it. And if the two of them attend to me, who will manage the mansion? I’d feel uncomfortable knowing the maids needed elsewhere are stuck by my side. This is an order as the Imperial Princess, so follow it.”

“……Understood. However, please allow the two of them to attend to you for essential matters such as meals and bathing.”

At her firm tone, Amelie hesitated before agreeing.

Calmly saying yes, yet still slipping in a ‘however’—as expected of a veteran head butler.

‘If I argue any more, the atmosphere will really freeze, won’t it?’

Thinking she’d just use bathing as an excuse later if needed, Marianne nodded.

“Alright. It’s absolutely not because I dislike Julia or Chloe. I just don’t want them to be overworked, so please understand.”

“Yes. We don’t misunderstand. You’re being considerate of us.”

“……Thank you.”

Fortunately, Chloe and Julia seemed more or less satisfied with that explanation. Laurent’s expression brightened as well.

“But please call us anytime you need us.”

“I will.”

“Hehe. Your Highness is truly gentle. Right, Julia? I don’t know why such rumors spread in the capital.”

“Chloe…….”

As Chloe spoke with a smile bright as sunshine, Julia jabbed her in the side in a panic.

Marianne chuckled along with Chloe.

“It’s okay, Julia. Well then, since introductions are over, you may all go.”

At her polite dismissal, the servants bowed respectfully and left the room.

“Where’s Cedric?”

Marianne asked while drinking the water Amelie poured for her after stopping her from lifting the kettle herself.

Placing the kettle down neatly, Amelie answered in an even tone.

“He is quite stable now. He should be awake by this time, however…”

Uncharacteristically, Amelie trailed off.

Marianne realized Amelie’s gaze had gone to the bandage wrapped around her hand. She seemed concerned about the palm Marianne had injured while shielding Cedric.

It’s fine. Marianne set the glass down and lightly waved her hand.

“Thanks to you treating it while I slept, it doesn’t hurt at all. Oh, and thank you for the fireplace too.”

“……It was nothing.”

“Good. I’ll have my meal with Cedric. Is that alright?”

“Of course. You may look forward to today’s meal.”

Amelie answered with an oddly resolute expression.

Yesterday’s food had been… a little subtle, for both an imperial princess and the duke’s heir. It tasted fine, though.

‘……Come to think of it, Ben told me to have lunch at the mansion even though he clearly knew its situation?’

Vowing to knock out all his teeth if she ever met him again, Marianne stood up from the chaise longue.

“I’ll guide you.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s close, I can go alone.”

“Hmm… yes. Understood.”

Marianne waved to Amelie and stepped out into the corridor.

The tip of her nose felt a bit cold, but thanks to the thick shawl Amelie had wrapped around her beforehand, it wasn’t cold enough to make her shiver.

“Cedric. Hi.”

After briskly walking down the hallway, Marianne opened the black door and greeted him with a bright smile.

“Huh?”

Contrary to her expectation of seeing him immediately, Cedric was nowhere in sight.

“Cedric?”

She passed the table and headed toward the space where the bedroom was.

In the wide, arched opening, a thin curtain hung instead of a wooden door.

It seemed they had removed the door entirely so Cedric could move around more easily.

“Uh….”

Marianne gently drew back the curtain to look inside.

On the bed positioned in the center—similar to the duchess’s bedroom—there was a round mound of blankets.

From within that cute nest came the sound of Cedric mumbling.

His voice was so faint she might have missed it if the room hadn’t been so quiet.

“Cedric, did you sleep well?”

“Ow!”

Suppressing her laughter, Marianne lifted the edge of the blanket.

Cedric looked up at her with wide, startled eyes, shrinking back.

“We met yesterday too, right? Oh, come to think of it, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Marianne.”

“Uh?”

“Ma-ri-anne.”

She enunciated clearly for him, then reached out to smooth Cedric’s messy hair.

Flinching at the sudden touch, Cedric soon relaxed under the warm hand gently stroking his head.

“There, all done.”

Marianne withdrew her hand after finishing.

It was still a bit tousled, but much better than before. She’d brush it properly later.

“You must be hungry. Let’s get up, wash your face, and eat.”

“Uh, uuh….”

Cedric, who had been squinting like a purring cat, wiggled his fingers.

Then, emerging from the blankets wrapped tightly around him, Cedric hopped down from the bed and toddled toward the door.

With every quick step, the faint clinking of chains echoed softly through the room.

That sound tugged at her heart, and as she watched him for a moment—

“Uh?”

Stopping in front of the curtain, Cedric turned slightly. Then, seeing Marianne still by the bed, he tilted his head.

“Are you asking me to come with you? That makes me happy.”

Or maybe he meant, why are you alone in my bedroom? Well, better to take it the nice way.

Marianne smiled softly and walked toward Cedric, who blinked at her instead of answering.

For no reason at all, her steps felt light.