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Chapter 18 …
I had a long dream.
A dream in which the people who had tormented her for so many years finally paid for their sins.
They begged for forgiveness, hands and feet clasped together.
But I felt neither joy nor satisfaction.
All that remained in my already scarred heart were wounds.
I no longer wanted to punish them or even curse them.
I didn’t want to become the same kind of person.
“My eyes… hurt.”
After crying my eyes out last night, I woke up with them swollen and puffy.
I was lucky I could sleep until ten o’clock. If I had met him like this, it would have been so embarrassing.
“Why did I cry…?”
I had no idea why the tears had come at that particular moment.
I just suddenly remembered old memories, and they overwhelmed me.
“Ugh…”
Growl—
My stomach growled loudly, signaling breakfast time.
I clutched my stomach and got out of bed.
“I should at least make myself some brunch.”
Breakfast at the mansion was served until nine, so it was already too late.
I would have to sneak into the kitchen and make something to eat.
Stretching my arms as I got out of bed, I yawned and tried to shake off sleepiness.
Just as I was about to look in the mirror at the dressing table—
“Damn it.”
Not only was there crust in my eyes, but my hair was sticking out in all directions like a lion’s mane, and my swollen eyes made my face look worse than I had imagined.
“How am I supposed to go out like this!”
Growl—
“I guess I have to…”
I pulled the bell cord to summon a servant, hoping it would be Jane and not someone else.
Knock, knock—
“Come in.”
“Miss, did you call?”
“Jane!”
I ran to her in relief and hugged her tightly.
Jane wobbled for a moment, as if losing her balance under my weight, but soon stood firm.
“But miss, your face…”
“Haha… I look ridiculous, don’t I?”
I buried my face in embarrassment.
Still, unlike with other maids, I could show anything to Jane.
“Oh my, I’ll go fetch some water for your face.”
“Mm…”
Jane quickly went outside and came back carrying a bunch of things.
“Here, let’s wash your face first. Good heavens, what happened last night?!”
“No, it’s nothing. Nothing happened. It’s just…”
“Phew…”
Jane moistened a soft towel and gently wiped my face.
I always refused when other maids offered, but with Jane, it was pleasant.
Her gentle touch almost made me drowsy.
“Now, let’s brush your hair. What on earth happened?”
Jane took a large comb studded with jewels and began to brush my hair.
My hair was wavy and fine, so it always got tangled.
Brushing it had always been a struggle.
But Jane’s hands seemed like magic.
“Wow, brushing with Jane’s help and it’s back to normal already!”
“All thanks to my long experience.”
I smiled warmly at her words; it felt like sunshine.
“All done, miss. Just put on your clothes and you’re ready.”
“Thanks so much!”
“But where are you going?”
“To the dining room… I’m starving.”
I looked at her with a pitiful expression, like a stray cat on the street.
And in the meantime, my stomach rumbled like thunder.
Jane laughed softly and patted my head.
“There’s probably nothing left to eat… hmm, oh! There’s some bread—would you like that?”
“Yes, that would be perfect. I can eat anything right now.”
Even just a piece of bread would do. As long as it wasn’t spoiled, anything was fine.
After getting ready, I headed toward the maids’ quarters.
“This is my first time going to the maids’ room.”
“It’s nothing special. Thanks to the Duke, each of us has our own room.”
The welfare here was decent. Comparable to a large corporation.
Each maid had her own room, the cafeteria was good, fresh ingredients were available daily, the library was free to use, breaks were guaranteed, and even birthday gifts were given.
“It seems nice. Is being a maid hard work?”
“Sometimes it’s hard, but it can be enjoyable. I guess that’s true for all jobs.”
We descended the stairs to the area where the maids’ rooms were clustered.
But everyone looked at me with wide-eyed surprise.
“Why… why are they staring at me like that?”
Jane whispered into my ear with a smile:
“They all like you very much. They’re shy, that’s why.”
“Like me? Why?”
“Since you arrived, the atmosphere in the mansion changed.”
“Atmosphere?”
“Yes, it used to be gloomy and dark, but now it feels… brighter.”
“Ah…”
I couldn’t fully understand, but I nodded anyway.
I couldn’t comprehend why the mansion’s atmosphere had changed because of me.
“And the Duke, too.”
“Huh?”
The moment I heard that, my head snapped up.
I seemed to react strongly to anything related to him.
“The Duke has changed a lot. He usually has no expression, but now he seems a bit… brighter?”
“What? That guy? He’s never been bright. He’s been crazy, though.”
I pouted, muttering under my breath.
Jane looked at me with an amused expression and stroked my head.
“But look how much he cares about you. It’s all the talk among the maids these days.”
“What talk?”
“The Duke and you. They even talked about it during meal time.”
I frowned in disbelief.
“For example, that the Duke looks at you lovingly.”
“What?”
“Or that he holds you carefully and cherishes you.”
“Hah…!”
Jane excitedly raised her fingers as she spoke.
Wherever she got this information from, it was all nonsense.
The Duke looking at me lovingly? Holding me carefully?
Even a passing dog would laugh.
“Are their eyes okay?”
“Oh, of course they are.”
Jane covered her mouth with one hand and laughed elegantly.
I couldn’t argue with her smiling face.
“And they even wrote a book about it.”
“A book?”
“Yes, imagining the Duke and you together…”
“Fanfic?”
“Fan… what?”
I felt a sudden headache.
This was total fangirl territory—writing stories about celebrities you like.
“This is crazy. Where’s that book? I want to see it!”
“I’ll get it for you later. There are many reservations right now.”
“Ugh…”
Even reservations… I couldn’t believe it.
I just wanted to hear the summary.
“Oh, we’re here. This is my room.”
Creaaak—
Jane’s room was neat and tidy, with white and wood-toned furniture that was charming without being tacky.
“It’s amazing… a maid’s room.”
It was the first time I had entered another room since arriving here, and it had been almost two weeks.
“Nothing special, miss. Here, take some bread.”
Jane took a loaf from the basket.
The crust was dark brown and perfectly baked.
“It was baked this morning, so it’s still soft. Enjoy.”
“Thanks.”
The moment I bit into it, the fluffy texture melted on my tongue.
And with high-quality ingredients, it tasted even better.
“Eat a bit. I’ll just go to the bathroom.”
“Okay.”
I looked around the room while Jane stepped out.
It was spotless, sunlight streaming in through the windows.
“Huh? What’s this?”
A silver heart-shaped necklace gleamed in the sunlight.
Normally, I wouldn’t touch someone else’s belongings, but I was inexplicably drawn to it.
“It’s beautiful… huh?”
As I examined it, I noticed a small seam on the side of the heart.
“Can it be opened?”
My curiosity got the better of me.
When I opened the lid with my thumbnail, familiar letters were inscribed inside.
“Elena…”
The name Elena was rare in the Empire—maybe one in a thousand.
“But why…?”
“Miss, I’m ba—”
Jane returned just then and stopped short when she saw me.
Our eyes met the moment the door opened, and we silently stared at each other.
“Miss, that’s my necklace…”
“Oh, I’m s-sorry, Jane.”
Realizing what I had done, I hurriedly set it down, my face burning with embarrassment.
No matter how curious I was, I shouldn’t touch someone else’s belongings.
“I’m sorry, Jane… it’s yours…”
“No, miss.”
Jane smiled gently, though a little awkwardly, and approached me.
The atmosphere turned tense, and I struggled for words, but Jane spoke first:
“Elena was someone I cherished greatly.”
“Ah…”
Of course. That made sense.
Ever since I saw that painting in the basement, everything had felt suspicious.
No wonder I reacted so sensitively.
“She isn’t by my side now, but I believe she’ll return someday.”
Jane smiled brightly at me.
She held my hand resting on her knee and slowly caressed it.
“She’s as precious to me as you are.”
Again…
Hearing words like this almost made me tear up.
Especially after yesterday.
But I refused to cry in front of Jane, holding back my tears.
“Mm…”
I couldn’t even thank her properly, swallowing my tears with clenched teeth.
“Ah, I’ll be going now. Thanks for the meal.”
If I stayed any longer, I knew I’d break down.
So I hurried toward the door.
“Miss…!”
Jane called after me, but it was no use.
I had already opened the door and stepped out.
Bang—
“Ugh…”
Leaning against the door, I sighed as soon as I left the room.
“Why have I been like this since yesterday…?”
I wandered around aimlessly, afraid someone might notice my secretly shed tears.
When a maid passed by, I forced a bright smile and greeted them.
“This isn’t going to do.
