episode_0021

And the next morning.

“….”

With eyes still heavy from several days of early morning shifts, I quietly rose from the bed.

The usual early waking time was now meaningless as there was no need for early kitchen duty starting this morning.

There was no need to chew hundreds of garlic cloves or prepare vegetables.

After Aeria and Alicia received punishment (violence under the name of discipline) from Harold, some adjustments were made to our work schedules, mine and Katarina’s.

Firstly, Head Maid Melissa sincerely apologized to me and Katarina as soon as all the work was done.

She expressed regret for not uncovering the truth of the recent incident sooner, especially considering how Katarina Rain had suffered for over a year.

“No, Head Maid. Since the truth has been revealed properly, I consider that fortunate enough.”

“I-I also… Just having the false accusations lifted is satisfying enough for me…”

As a maid manager, she couldn’t fully grasp everything that happened among the lower maids, so I didn’t feel the need for her to apologize. Nevertheless, being the highest-ranking person in our profession, I accepted her apology on a whim.

Katarina seemed content just to have the false accusations against her removed.

Even last night, Katarina suddenly appeared in Isabelle’s and my room, nearly startling me as she bent down apologetically.

“Oh, thank you so much for today, Miss Relise! I will serve you diligently for life! If you ever have any troublesome tasks in the future, please let me know! I will handle them all by myself…”

“…Alright, get up quickly. What are you burdening yourself with suddenly? Imagine if Isabelle saw you like this while she’s away in the bathroom, what would she think?”

“B-but… When I think about the wrongs I’ve committed against Miss Relise, I can’t help but feel endlessly sorry…”

“Enough, just get up!”

To be honest, her loyalty bordered on excessive, but her nature seemed good, albeit excessively fragile and naive.

Someone like Katarina, who willingly prostrated herself before me, was rather off-putting despite her seemingly good intentions.

“With this kind of personality, she must have been taken advantage of by Aeria and Alicia over the past year…”

It would have been better if Katarina had a personality more like Isabelle’s.

A comfortable distance between women, where they could share words and feelings without issue.

Of course, it was an impossible scenario since I had already lied to Katarina about being a noble lady. Still, for the next seven years, I could ensure she wouldn’t unjustly suffer as she did before.

…Honestly, it felt like I was becoming a nanny rather than a maid.

Nevertheless, being Katarina’s caretaker was slightly better than becoming Ethan’s personal maid.

Of course, there was no guarantee that doing one would exempt me from the other.

While we’re at it, I should also talk about Ethan.

Naturally, I expressed my gratitude to Ethan for testifying yesterday.

Although I may look like a thirteen-year-old kid on the outside, the fact remains that I was rescued from the abyss thanks to Edan’s testimony.

No matter how much I despised Edan in my past life, I wasn’t shameless enough to receive help and then pretend not to know about it.

Simply refusing to greet someone based on prejudice was, in a way, an affront to my own dignity.

“I sincerely thank you for testifying for me in this matter, Master Edan.”

“Oh? Is that so?”

“Yes. Thanks to your words, I was able to reverse the disciplinary action that was about to be imposed on me.”

“So, can I go to the kitchen today as well?”

“…I cannot decide your whereabouts, Master, but if you come to the kitchen early in the morning, I won’t be there.”

“Why?”

“Melissa, the head maid, said she would take responsibility for this incident and handle the early morning kitchen duty alone.”

“…Is that so?”

“Perhaps the head maid is more skilled in cooking than I am, so if you wish, visiting her would be acceptable.”

“No, forget it. I won’t go then.”

…What’s with this uneasy response?

It almost sounds like I came to the kitchen not because I was hungry but because I had some ulterior motive.

The positive feelings I had towards Edan quickly dissipated into an unsettling reaction.

Pull yourself together, Relis. Even though you received help this time, the fact remains that Edan, who humiliated you at the Luminor Academy, hasn’t changed.

At any moment, if a switch is flipped incorrectly, it wouldn’t be strange for the route of Edan’s humiliation of Relis to start again.

As long as this character named Relis maintains this appearance, there’s always a possibility that Edan’s strange interest could be piqued at any time.

Even if dirt gets in my eyes, I won’t allow an ending like Edan’s assistant.

Anyway, the long day that started with a dawn scuffle finally came to an end.

Not even six hours had passed since I lay down, and waking up at four in the morning was my current situation.

It was quite early, with most of the servants in the mansion already asleep.

Feeling particularly tired due to the events of the day, I managed to get up from bed since I was already awake.

“Relis… It’s already time to go to work?”

“No. Isabelle can sleep longer. It’s only four in the morning.”

“Huh…? What about you, Relis?”

“I have somewhere to go for a bit.”

“Now you also have to start work at six o’clock, Relis…? But still going out…?”

…Well, the starting time did change to 6 a.m.

It was arguably for something more important than that.

“Yes. If the upper bunk is uncomfortable, come down to my place and sleep.”

“O-okay…”

After quietly descending the ladder and checking on Isabelle buried under the blanket, I, now dressed in maid attire, immediately headed out of the bedroom.

Instead of heading straight to the kitchen as I did yesterday, I walked towards the back gate of the mansion where the Blackwood family carriage was kept.

I couldn’t resist the urge to eavesdrop.

—

Finding Aeria and Alicia in the backyard of the mansion wasn’t too difficult.

The iron-barred prisoner transport carriage stood out in various ways, and today, unlike usual, it contained two people locked inside in a seemingly friendly manner.

As the guests staying at the mansion were still asleep, a stableman was harnessing the carriage, seemingly preparing to carry out the prisoner transport before the guests woke up.

Seizing the opportune moment, she approached and greeted naturally.

“Hello. You must have had a tough time since dawn.”

“Was she a maid? What’s going on?”

“Just in case, are you starting the prisoner escort now?”

“Hmm, this isn’t something I should tell anyone…”

“It’s okay. They don’t know who’s behind me. They were my seniors, after all.”

“I see…”

The mabu averted his eyes as if feeling awkward after hearing me, probably expecting a difficult request to release the two.

Naturally, I had no intention of making such a request. Instead, I just wished for these two years to disappear from my sight right now.

But isn’t it too regrettable to let them go like this?

What Ariya did to me and what she intended to do…

At least for the final journey, I should clear all regrets and bid farewell coolly.

“If it’s alright with you, could we depart just 3 minutes late?”

“…3 minutes?”

“I know my seniors are being taken away for their crimes, but as fellow colleagues, I’d like to bid them farewell. I won’t make any difficult requests to release them, sir.”

“Hmm…”

“How about it, can we?”

I clasped my hands together, feigning desperation, and as soon as I made my plea, the mabu gentleman subtly smiled and nodded in agreement.

“We’ll depart in 2 minutes from now, so if you have anything to say, please do it quickly.”

“Thank you, mabu sir!”

In times like these, Lily’s appearance does have its uses.

After thanking the mabu gentleman, I immediately approached the back of the carriage, illuminated my face through the bars, and discreetly greeted the two pitiful figures awaiting punishment inside the carriage.

“Did you sleep well last night, seniors?”

“…Huh?”

“…L-Lily?”

Draped in almost tattered rags, sporting handcuffs attached to the carriage, the pitiful duo looked like they had been thoroughly beaten, bringing to mind Harold’s violent acts during yesterday’s etiquette class.

Both of them seem to have received a good beating, much like beaten dogs.

They tried to steal Tanasia’s necklace and shamelessly pinned the blame on someone else, so in a way, it was an expected outcome.

Originally, I planned to show a slight smile to the departing seniors in their pitiful state and come to offer some comfort, but seeing them in this condition made me feel more sorry for myself, the supposed victim.

“You… came to rescue us?”

“Huh?”

“Y-You also thought this was too harsh a punishment, right, Lily? Isn’t that so?”

“I-I promise I won’t delay your tasks again, Lily, just help us this once! Please!”

What are these lunatics saying?

Although I gained some trust from Harold due to yesterday’s events, it doesn’t mean he would listen to me.

Even if he could, I never intended to help them from the start. Why would I help these fools just because they’re pretty?

“I-I didn’t go to Silverwood just for a quick peek at the necklace! It’s covered in snow up to the calves all year round, not to mention the dangerous monsters…!”

“I-I didn’t do anything serious! She stole the necklace, why am I getting the same punishment!!”

What, going to Silverwood…?

I thought at most I’d be sold into debt slavery in some decent city. Harold seems quite furious, indeed.

If they were heading to Silverwood… In fact, at this point, it was almost like they were exiting the story.

Two maids who were caught committing a crime and being dragged off to the northern territory.

One could easily imagine what purpose they would serve there without even needing to see it with their own eyes.

“What? You? When did you decide to follow me, you brat!”

“If you had known that the necklace you stole belonged to the master’s former wife, you wouldn’t have done this crazy thing, you jerk!”

“This damn guy is unbelievable!”

“Aaaah!!”

Just before letting them go, I only glanced at their faces briefly, but suddenly the two of them started fighting, grabbing each other’s hair.

It was their fate to destroy each other without me having to intervene.

Well, it was only for three days, but we had developed some camaraderie during our time together.

For the two people embarking on a long journey, I offered them advice rather than advice.

“From now on, you must not fight each other, seniors. If you want to survive in the Silverwood territory, you must rely on each other somehow.”

“What…?”

“Wait… Weren’t we here to rescue them…?”

“To rescue us? I’m not sure what you mean, but all I can offer you two is advice at best.”

“Advice…?”

“…?”

The two of them, with faces full of tension, waiting for the next words to come out of my mouth.

Smiling at them, I imparted my knowledge.

“The Silverwood territory is already cold all year round, and the northern border area is so harsh that even ordinary people cannot enter.”

“I… I know that too.”

“So what’s the big deal…?”

“That’s why near the northern border, they say there are no inns or taverns. Originally, no lady would travel that far to sell spring flowers. There are many soldiers working hard in such remote areas, which is quite unfortunate.”

“Inns? No way… right…?”

“T-that’s not it, right…?”

“But seeing such beautiful seniors willingly travel to the northern border of the Silverwood territory, it would be a great comfort to the soldiers who always endure hardships in harsh places!”

“…”

“…”

As soon as they heard my words, the two dumbfounded individuals turned pale blue with gaping mouths.

Observing their expressions with delight, I heard the voice of the coachman calling me from the front of the carriage.

“Young lady! Have you finished saying goodbye?!”

“Yes, you can leave now!”

“Alright!”

“Drive safely!”

With the sound of the reins hitting the horse’s back, the escort carriage carrying the two sinners departed.

Just before the carriage left, the two individuals inside called my name and pleaded for something, but I didn’t pay much attention.

After all, I wouldn’t see them again, and if we did meet again, they would probably be mentally broken.

As the carriage carrying the two sinners faded into the horizon, I simply waved goodbye to them without any regrets.

Sacrificing two hours of morning sleep for this reward was truly refreshing beyond measure.