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Chapter 32
“So what exactly happened?”
[He knew exactly where the vital point was, that guy. Of course, aiming for it and actually hitting it are two different things.]
Even though he was the protagonist, Doceph had only remained at 1-Star, and he was physically weak. He had practiced swordsmanship diligently, but his skill was still trapped within that 1-Star limit.
Come to think of it, there had been something strange.
‘Before going in, Doceph wasn’t scared at all. He spoke as if he was certain he would come back alive.’
Strange. Lately, things had been really strange.
[Hmm. Well, this body did cast Sword Ice on the Krek Bear and put it into a stunned state!]
“So you did help.”
[Because you’d be sad if that guy died.]
“You’d be the one more upset than me. I’m ready to leave this place anytime.”
[Hey, what are you talking about? That troublemaker just became a 4-Star knight. Leave? This is only the beginning.]
“What are you talking about? If he awakened, it should only be 2-Star.”
Junel’s calculation sounded off. Normally, people awakened one stage at a time, didn’t they?
[That guy absorbed the spirit core from the Krek Bear’s heart. Thanks to that, he instantly awakened to 4-Star. I clearly saw four stars shining right before my eyes!]
How did he even know that? What a strange guy.
Junel added,
“That’s impossible!”
No—no, it was possible.
Doceph was a monstrous talent who would eventually awaken from 1-Star to 9-Star in an instant!
With the little time remaining, real hope finally appeared for him too.
“Why didn’t I know this? No—actually, it seemed like nobody knew.”
This wouldn’t do.
“I’m preparing Doceph’s special nourishing meal!”
At this point, the only option was to trust the “Doceph stock” I had already invested in.
Meanwhile, Getty, who had returned to the annex, gathered the maids and shared the information she had secretly overheard.
“Are you all seriously just going to sit still? She ordered twenty dresses—dresses we wouldn’t even get to wear once in our entire lives!”
The maids were just as bewildered.
“We can’t even harass her properly if we don’t know anything. We don’t know her face or even her name.”
“Right.”
No one working in the annex had actually seen Halara.
“What? Really?”
Getty found it odd. She seemed to be wandering around constantly.
Had she been walking around the main building pretending to be the young lady rather than staying in the annex?
But that thought didn’t last long.
“Oh—wait, she’s coming.”
Through the window, they spotted Halara returning to the annex.
Now it was time to knock her pride down.
“Oh—don’t look. I didn’t see her.”
At Getty’s gesture, the maids tried to peek outside, but she stopped them.
“Hey, don’t stare. If you do, she might realize I was talking about her.”
“Okay.”
The maids obediently looked away. Not all maids were equal—Getty worked in the main building, so her rank was higher than theirs.
“What’s going on? Why are there no maids in the kitchen?”
Just then, Hatsen entered and asked when he saw them gathered together. Getty spoke in a lowered voice.
“You’re the head chef, right? I’m Getty, a main-building maid. I’ve temporarily been assigned to the annex.”
She emphasized the word temporarily.
“Oh, you’re the one in charge of Young Master Doceph’s wife.”
“Yes—but also not!”
“What do you mean?”
“Sigh… anyway, since you’re the head chef, you’ll understand better. You’ve seen that woman, right?”
“No?”
“What? Why has nobody seen her?”
Halara didn’t seem like the type to stay quiet.
“Well, fine. I’ll introduce her today. Make sure you remember her face—she’s incredibly sly.”
Once she arrived, all they had to do was brand the impression into everyone’s minds.
“Oh, right—her name first. Halara Seheb. You’ve probably heard of her. She’s the temptress who came to the territory two years ago and bewitched all the men.”
Getty announced the name first.
“…Halara?”
Mei, who had been standing quietly in the corner, murmured the name. It sounded unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar.
“Come in. You’ll be staying in the annex from now on, so I’ll introduce you to the maids.”
Getty left briefly and returned with Halara.
At the sound, the annex maids became cautious. They didn’t want their peaceful workplace stirred up by some commoner pretending to be the young lady—especially if it meant nitpicking and bullying.
But that caution didn’t last long.
“Huh? Wait—what?”
Because the one who walked in was the same Halara who had prepared their breakfast that very morning.
Seeing the gathered maids, Halara flinched.
“Say hello.”
The maids never even considered that she might be the young lady. After all, she had been wearing a maid uniform in the kitchen—and Getty was speaking to her casually.
“Uh…”
As Halara hesitated, Hatsen approached her.
“I already know this girl.”
“Huh? But you said you didn’t.”
Getty looked at him as if he were talking nonsense.
At that moment, Mei stepped forward nervously.
“Didn’t you say the young lady’s name was Halara Seheb?”
“Uh… yes.”
Hearing that, Mei turned to Halara.
“Lara… so you were the young lady.”
The short-lived disguise came to an end.
It had only been three days before my maid disguise was exposed.
I hadn’t expected to be dragged here so openly and revealed like this.
“Haha… well, that’s how it turned out.”
I gave an awkward smile at the maids staring at me with wide, shocked eyes.
At this point, it was better to come clean.
“What? You all knew? You said you didn’t earlier!”
Getty, still unaware of the situation, asked from the side, but I had no time to deal with her.
“Then why were you wearing a maid uniform?” one of the maids asked.
“I’m sorry. Chef, everyone—I didn’t mean to deceive you, but circumstances just turned out that way.”
“What maid uniform? You were walking around wearing one? That’s why everyone thought you were a maid?”
“Yes.”
I answered Getty honestly.
“Huh… No wonder it was strange that nobody knew.”
Getty muttered with a hollow laugh.
“Well, it suits you, but you’ve clearly decided to drag the family’s dignity down. Walking around in a maid uniform? I’m going to report this.”
I was just about to say she could report it if she wanted.
“That’s because of me.”
Mei stepped forward and stood in front of me.
“I thought she was a newly arrived maid, so I gave her the uniform.”
“Stay out of it.”
“It’s my fault. She was wearing commoner clothes, so I didn’t think much of it.”
Mei, you really are an angel. Good thing I’ve been cooking meals for her these past few days.
“But she still pretended to be a maid.”
“That’s because of me—”
“Shut up! You’re just an annex maid!”
Getty shouted, her face flushed red. All the maids flinched.
It seemed Getty really did outrank them here.
[Should I just throw her out the window?]
Honestly, I wanted to say yes—but I shook my head at Junel.
“Speak.”
This time, Hatsen stepped forward.
“I’ll report this to Madam as well—that you failed to provide proper clothing, which led to this situation.”
“Chef?! Are you attacking me right now? She’s the one at fault!”
“And also the fact that while you speak politely to me—a lowly annex chef—you used casual speech toward the young lady we serve.”
Getty tried to argue, but everything Hatsen said was correct.
She staggered as if struck.
“That’s because she’s a commoner! What’s wrong with everyone? Do you all like her just because she’s the young lady?”
At that, Mei replied:
“I do.”
“What?”
“I like that Halara is the lady I’ll serve.”
Mei… I was the one who deceived them, yet she said that much for me.
“Me too!”
“Me too. I like her.”
One by one, the maids raised their voices.
Everyone… those meals I cooked really paid off.
“What?! You actually like her? Have you all gone crazy?”
“That’s enough rudeness, Getty.”
Hatsen stepped forward in front of her flushed face.
“Chef—don’t tell me you like her too? That commoner?”
“Whether she’s a commoner or not, she is now the young lady we serve. Besides, seeing how you look down on us even though you’re also a commoner, it seems you’re in no position to judge our lady by status.”
“That—!”
As Getty raised her voice again, Hatsen lowered his head and whispered into her ear:
“Getty, do you still have something to say? Shall I report to the young lady what you were saying before she arrived?”
