TMGD 12

Chapter 12

The next day.

A wagon piled high with luggage stopped in front of Julieta’s annex.

“These items have arrived for Miss Janette Graham.”

At the coachman and porters’ words, the servants of the annex looked troubled.

“What should we do? The maid stepped out for a moment.”

“Should we… report it to the young lady first?”

“Well… these are personal deliveries, so reporting them feels a bit….”

Normally, there was no reason to report a servant’s personal belongings to their master.

But they had never seen such a massive delivery before.

Moreover, most of the things loaded onto the wagon were rare accessories, jewels, and dresses.

The servants hesitated nervously, too burdened to even touch them.

Then—

“What’s this? Why are you all gathered here?”

“S-Sien.”

The one who appeared grandly was Sien.

Crossing her arms arrogantly, she stared wide-eyed at the wagon full of valuables.

“What’s all this?”

“These are all items delivered for Miss Janette Graham. Where should we carry them?”

“What? Those are for that wom— no, for the maid?”

Impossible.

All these expensive things arriving for that shabby, foolish maid?

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t believe it.

Something’s strange.

Sien narrowed her eyes at the wagon before letting out a short sigh.

“Now I understand. These aren’t for Maid Janette. They must be items meant for the young lady.”

“Huh? But it clearly says Janette Graham—”

“Trust me! Janette is Lady Julieta’s maid, right? Sometimes, for anonymity, people write the maid’s name instead of the actual recipient’s.”

“But still….”

“I’m telling you, I’m right.”

Otherwise, there was no explanation.

“I’ll personally ask the young lady to review them later, so for now, please move everything into the room on the first floor.”

Sien spoke so confidently that the coachman and porters faltered.

The recipient’s name definitely read Janette Graham, yet hearing someone insist so boldly made them uncertain.

And the other servants weren’t objecting either—they were simply nodding along with Sien.

In truth, this was the result of Sien constantly acting superior whenever she mingled with the servants.

“That new maid is nothing special. The young lady doesn’t even like her. She might get kicked out at any time.”

“I’m more of a real maid than she is. The young lady treasures me more!”

“You don’t have to feel intimidated. Just because she’s a noble doesn’t mean she’s any different.”

Before the new maid arrived, Sien had been the servant Julieta kept closest to her.

Since the words came from her, no one could easily ignore them.

“Come on, hurry and move everything inside. I’ll check them briefly and then inform the young lady.”

After agonizing over it, the coachman and porters finally decided to follow Sien’s instructions.

They couldn’t stand blocking the entrance forever, after all.

Once all the luggage had been moved into the inner room on the first floor—

“Wasn’t there an itemized list?”

“No, there wasn’t anything like that.”

Hmm.

Sien’s eyes gleamed.

So there’s no inventory list?

“You all worked hard. I’ll explain everything properly to the young lady, so you may leave now.”

“Yes. Then we’ll leave it in your hands.”

“Of course. You can trust me. I’m the person the young lady cherishes most.”

After the porters and workers left the room—

Sien slowly looked around at the mountain of goods.

“Let’s see.”

Muttering to herself, she approached a jewelry box.

A sparkling yellow gem caught her eye.

What’s this?

Whatever it was, it definitely looked expensive.

After glancing around carefully, Sien slowly reached toward the jewel.

There’s so much here. Would anyone even notice if one disappeared?

She already knew the answer.

While serving as Julieta’s maid, she had secretly stolen little things here and there, earning herself quite a tidy profit already.

There had been a few close calls, but she had always managed to smooth things over cleverly.

In the end, the young lady never found out, and that was what mattered.

Letting out a quiet laugh, Sien slipped the jewel into her pocket and left the room.

At the same time—

Unaware of the identity of the gifts that had arrived for her, Janette headed toward the main building.

She intended to keep the promise she had made with the head butler yesterday.

“Thank you for inviting me, Head Butler.”

“Hoho. No, thank you for accepting the invitation, Miss Graham. Here, have a seat.”

Janette sat in the chair William pointed to and quietly looked around.

His office resembled him.

The mahogany desk, the camel-colored curtains—

Even the flowerpots placed here and there.

“It’s a lovely room.”

“I’m glad you think so. I’m very fond of this place myself.”

With a satisfied smile, he brought over a teapot.

Startled, Janette quickly stood, trying to take the teapot from him, but William stopped her with a gesture.

“I’m the host here, and you’re my guest, aren’t you? Serving tea is my role.”

At his firm words, Janette simply nodded and sat back down.

“Besides, I rather enjoy serving tea to guests.”

Unfortunately, I rarely have guests visit.

At the playful addition, Janette smiled.

“Then I’ll come visit often.”

“Hoho. I’d like that very much. Next time, come visit my estate too. I’ll introduce you to my daughter. I’m sure she’d like you very much.”

“Your daughter… do you mean Miss Bianca Vanelotti?”

“My, I didn’t expect you to know my daughter’s name.”

“Lady Julieta once told me to mem— to familiarize myself with the western nobles’ registry. That’s when I saw it.”

“Lady Julieta told you to?”

Oh? That’s unexpected.

To think the young lady had been secretly making an effort.

The Ludwig family was the most powerful noble house in the western region.

Its influence was second only to the imperial family itself, so it would not be an exaggeration to say the entire western social circle revolved around Ludwig.

That was also why the current Grand Duchess wielded such overwhelming influence in high society.

As a direct member of such a family, learning about the western nobles was considered an essential accomplishment.

But Lady Julieta—

“Why would I need to know things like that? Aren’t they all people who should bow to me anyway?”

That had always been her response.

She had never even considered learning about other families.

And yet that very young lady told her maid to study the noble registry?

It was clear that having a maid had somehow become a positive influence on her.

“I’m truly glad Miss Graham became the young lady’s maid.”

“Th-Thank you for thinking so highly of me.”

Caught off guard by the sudden praise, Janette answered awkwardly.

Being complimented was still unfamiliar to her.

Especially praise from an adult like the head butler.

Perhaps it was because of the memories she carried from the Graham family.

“You useless thing! All you do is waste food!”

“We should never have brought someone like you here.”

Those were the only kinds of words she had ever heard from adults.

“Now then, give it a try.”

The fragrant aroma of tea gently covered the bitterness of her memories.

The tea inside the delicate teacup was surprisingly pale sky-blue in color.

“The color is fascinating.”

“Isn’t it? The tea leaves came from the North, so you won’t easily find them here in the West.”

“Tea leaves from the North?”

Janette’s eyes sparkled as she held the cup.

“So tea like this comes from the North? I don’t think I ever drank anything like it when I lived near there.”

“Near the North….”

William stopped speaking there.

He had remembered the period when Janette had lived near the northern region.

The Ashlade War.

He already knew Janette was a war orphan created by that conflict.

It was only natural to investigate the backgrounds of those who worked for the Ludwig household.

Ashlade had been located in the empire’s northwest, particularly closer to the North.

Because of that, the northern people had suffered the most damage.

Janette was one of them.

Glancing sideways at William, whose words had faltered, Janette chose not to say something like It’s alright.

Instead, she quietly took a sip of tea.

A warm, comforting fragrance seeped deep into her body.

It was a scent that felt strangely nostalgic.

“It’s truly delicious. Thank you for introducing me to such wonderful tea.”

Realizing the thoughtfulness behind Janette’s actions, William smiled softly and nodded.