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Episode 1
My connection with the young master started when I joined the Hamilton household as a servant at fourteen.
“Congratulations on passing the first interview.”
The head maid, her pure white hair neatly tied up, clapped lightly.
Out of a hundred applicants who applied to become servants of the Hamilton family, only seven passed the first interview.
I was one of those seven.
Only seven made it…’
Even though it was called an “interview,” we’d just had a short conversation with the butler.
I tried to remember everything and replayed the conversation in my head. The first question was about my background.
“I’m Mary, fourteen, from Millerton village!”
“Millerton… that’s quite far. Why have you come all the way here?”
“Ah… um… It’s for personal reasons.”
Of course, they asked the hardest question first, so I awkwardly laughed it off. Luckily, the butler didn’t press me further.
“Alright. Next, may I ask why you applied to be a Hamilton servant?”
“My reason… is because you provide room and board, and the salary is the highest!”
The butler nodded with a gentle smile, seeming satisfied with my answer.
“Thank you for your honesty. Lastly, could you briefly tell me about your ambitions while working here?”
“Ambitions…? Sorry, I didn’t go to an academy, so I don’t really know fancy words. What does ambition mean?”
“That’s fine. Ambition is basically your plans or hopes.”
“Oh! Plans… I’ll save money here to buy a house. And I want to marry someone I love, have a cute child, and make a happy family!”
The butler turned his head slightly and let out a faint laugh.
I hadn’t meant to be funny, so why was he laughing?
Anyway, the whole interview went smoothly, and I passed the first round. If I passed the second round, I could officially become a Hamilton servant!
I anxiously waited for the head maid to speak.
“The final interview will be conducted by Lady Lianne herself.”
Lady Lianne? The Duchess herself?’
I screamed silently in my head.
Lianne Hamilton, the Duchess, had lost her husband in an accident and had been living alone ever since.
I’d heard that she used to attend every social event and mingle actively, but after losing her husband, she had locked herself away in the mansion and hadn’t been seen in public.
Because of that, rumors had started floating around.
Some said she went crazy after her husband’s death, or worse… became a monster.
‘Come on… If she really were a monster, how could she even do an interview?’
Just thinking about meeting the rumored Lady Lianne made my heart pound.
Who was she, really? I was both curious and scared.
My turn was number seven—the last one.
I waited nervously, watching the first interviewee enter Lady Lianne’s room with the head maid. But not long after…
Aaah!
A shrill scream echoed through the hallway.
‘What… what was that scream…?’
Everyone’s eyes widened, and we exchanged looks. Then the door opened, and the first interviewee ran out as if fleeing for her life.
She looked a year or two older than me, trembling violently, tears in her wide eyes.
‘What on earth happened in there for her to come out shaking like that?’
My mouth went dry as I watched the second interviewee go in.
He was a big, burly man. Normally, nothing could faze him, but as soon as he entered the room, a piercing scream erupted.
When he came out, his face was twisted, muttering:
“Damn it.”
He stomped off, and the hallway was filled with tension. No one knew what had happened inside, making it all the more unnerving.
Eventually, two applicants around my age went pale and gave up, leaving the interview entirely.
That meant my turn came sooner—but I wasn’t happy about it.
‘Everyone was so excited to pass the first interview… and now they’re all terrified and running away.’
Get a grip. This isn’t the time to worry about others!’
I slapped my cheeks lightly to shake off the jitters. And just like that, it was my turn.
“Mary, please come in.”
Following the head maid’s guidance, I carefully stepped into the room.
“Wow…”
I couldn’t help but gasp. The room was huge—bigger than I imagined—and filled with all sorts of expensive-looking items.
Colorful paintings, smooth vases, and a bookshelf crammed with books.
I was so distracted, I didn’t even notice the head maid lightly touch my back.
“Mary.”
Finally, I snapped back to reality.
“Oh! Sorry! The room is so big, and there are so many pretty things…”
I quickly bowed.
“Hello! I’m Mary, an applicant!”
I probably said it too loudly from nerves—the voice echoed in the room, and I felt embarrassed.
I finally looked up, facing the rumored Lady Lianne.
She wore a long, flowing black dress.
Black lace gloves peeked from her sleeves.
A black veil shadowed her face.
Covered in black from head to toe, she stood stiffly in the center of the room and gestured to me.
Was she signaling me to come closer?
“Oh! Yes!”
I hurried over. Lady Lianne gestured again. I didn’t know why, but I stepped closer.
I wondered if she would ask something like during the first interview…
“Lady Lianne?”
She silently removed her lace gloves.
Her hands were covered in strange black marks, like moldy bread or a branch infected with blight.
They looked like old, cracked tree bark. Slowly, her hands reached up to my cheek. I felt the rough texture on my skin, like sandpaper, but it didn’t hurt.
Why is she touching my face?’
I blinked, unsure what to do.
“Does this feel uncomfortable?”
A clear, beautiful voice came from behind the veil.
I shook my head quickly.
“Aren’t you more uncomfortable, Lady Lianne? You’re crouched down.”
If I were taller, she wouldn’t have to crouch. I worried her knees might hurt because of me.
“Ah, should I climb on that desk? Then you could touch my face comfortably.”
I pointed at the desk beside her.
I’d been taught that a servant should always make things comfortable for their master. If touching her face was uncomfortable, I had to fix it!
I didn’t get a response. Her silence made me nervous.
Had I said something wrong? Should I apologize? I panicked.
Suddenly, she lifted the veil from her face. Her face, like her hands, was covered with the same strange marks.
Her silver eyes, as white as a frozen winter lake, looked at me.
“Does my face scare you?”
I answered without hesitation.
“No, it doesn’t. Rather…”
Could I really say this? I risked sounding rude, but I asked carefully:
“It looks like it must hurt a lot… are you okay?”
Her silver eyes widened slightly, then softened again.
“You’re the first child to ever say that to me.”
She put her gloves back on and stroked my hair.
“Thank you.”
I didn’t know why she was thanking me, but her gentle touch made me smile slightly.
I wondered if this was how it felt to be praised by my mother.
“Lisa.”
She called someone’s name. The head maid at the door responded:
“Yes, milady.”
So the head maid’s name was Lisa.
“Let’s send this child to the annex.”
“Huh?”
Lisa’s eyes widened.
“To the annex? But this child is still—”
“It’s fine. This child can handle it.”
A strange look passed between Lisa and Lady Lianne. I didn’t know what it meant, but one thing was clear:
I have to do well here if I want to become a Hamilton servant!’
