Chapter 63

“Huh…? Is it just in case you know the name? It’s Viscount Stien!”

It felt like the blood all over my body was cooling off. Fortunately, it was not Cassius Brudenell. Nonetheless, I could not be reassured.

Because…

“As expected, she’s my fiancée, of course. She’s so lovely.”

“…Still, I think she needs to practice singing a bit. What was that?”

It was because the conversation I had accidentally heard at the wedding proposal came to mind. Viscount Stien was a friend of his who attended the wedding proposal and had a rather friendly conversation with Cassius.

As the silence grew longer, Meg’s voice frantically hurled questions.

“What’s the matter? Was it the aristocrat you saw before? How was he? Talk to me!”

“…I don’t know. I’m hearing this name for the first time.”

“Well, the Capital is wide like they said. Are you done eating that, by the way?”

Saying that, Meg reached out to the apple for dessert.

I shook my head and pushed the apple to her. After all, my appetite had run away from the moment I heard that a nobleman was coming.

‘I have to do something…’

I bit my lip.

It was only at the wedding proposal ceremony that Viscount Stien saw my face. Still, it would not be too difficult to recognize me again.

‘I should not have left a strong impression…’

A sigh came out on its own. However, in this situation, I could not just sit still.

“Marina, where are you going?”

“I’m going to take a break.”

“Okay. Thanks for the apple!”

Leaving behind the cheerful Meg without knowing my heart, I quickly exited the dining room and headed for the hall alone. Meanwhile, my head was busy spinning.

‘…I cannot say I am quitting.’

In fact, if it was not for the advantage of being able to borrow Marina’s identity, I would have quit right away. Although I could not completely abandon the great advantage of avoiding Viscount Stien.

…So, there was only one way I could choose.

* * *

“What…? Vacation? No.”

The head maid firmly shook her head. At that, I was a little flustered and glanced away. Even though I already thought it would not work, I did not think I would be rejected so quickly like this.

But, I was not the one to give up.

“When the vacation is over, I’ll double my work. It’s okay if I don’t have a holiday at all. So…”

“You don’t understand me. That’s not going to solve the problem.”

“Then, what is it?”

“….”

The maid squinted her eyes and looked at me before opening her mouth, “You’re not as sensible as you look?”

“Don’t tell me…”

“Yes, I’ll tell you. When you touched the butler’s cousin, I thought you’d prepared for it, but you hadn’t thought of it at all.”

I had nothing to say. In fact, it was true that I kicked him without much thought at all.

“Well done.”

“…Yes?”

“Well done.”

I lifted my head at her words. The head maid smiled contentedly.

“That bastard, I wanted to give him a hand as well… Thank you very much.”

At the same time as I was confused, I was starting to see a little bit of hope. Turns out, that bastard had been the head maid’s long-standing nuisance.

“Then, can I go on vacation?”

“No.”

The maid immediately denied it.

“Not because of the butler.”

“But…”

“You’re officially on probation right now, so the butler can’t say anything. However, if you go on vacation in this situation, you may never be able to come back. I don’t think you’d want that, do you?”

I swallowed dry saliva.

…Yes, the head maid was not wrong. Currently, I was branded by the butler’s cousin’s situation, so going on vacation in such a situation was truly self-defeating.

“There’s nothing I can do, then. Instead, I’ve got a request.”

“Tell me. I’m in a good mood, so I’ll listen to it if it’s not too much.”

The twitching corners of the maid’s mouth indicated that she was really not in a bad mood.

“You told me I’m on probation, right?”

“Yes.”

“Cleaning up the garbage is also part of it.”

“That’s right.”

“You’d try to get me out at a suitable opportunity, wouldn’t you?”

“Exactly.”

“Please, don’t do that.”

“…What?”

The maid gazed at me with a really surprised look as I said that and asked.

“Why?”

“…I don’t want to associate with anyone from the capital.”

“Huh.”

The head maid clicked her tongue openly, and she questioned me again, “There’s something with Viscount Stien, isn’t there?”

“No.”

I answered with an uncomfortable voice.

“But, it’s true that we have an acquaintance. I’m afraid that he’ll recognize me.”

“I see.”

At my explanation, the head maid nodded her head.

“If that’s the case, then you should’ve told me earlier. There’s a good solution.”

“What’s it…?”

“Start working in this room tomorrow.”

“….!”

Surprised, I covered my mouth.

“There’s nothing much to do. It’s just some cleaning… Help me organize the data. If you don’t go out of this room, no one will notice you. How about that”

“Can I do that?”

Asking back, I was dumbfounded. It was also because I could not think of any reason why the head maid would give me such a generous offer.

Suddenly, she hardened her face and questioned me.

“Why, don’t you like it?”

“Oh, no!”

I answered quickly.

“It’s really good. Still, it’s so good so I can’t believe it—”

“Believe it.”

The head maid replied briefly.

“I’ll tell you everything, so don’t worry and start working here tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

I kept saying thank you again and again.

“…only because of such a girl.”

“Yes?”

“Better things will happen soon, so hang in there.”

My eyes widened in a circle.

For some reason, I thought it would not necessarily be good, but there was nothing less productive than worrying and being concerned.

“I’ll do my best.”

As I replied so, the head maid looked at me with a pleased face and rose from her seat, “Then, go and rest today. I’ve something to prepare.”

“Yes!”

I hurried back to my bedroom — still a bit dazed from the unexpected luck. I could not believe that kicking some crotch would lead to such a result.

The world is truly full of things we never know.

* * *

As the head maid said, the job was really easy. All I had to do was sweep and wipe the floor that was not that dirty and organize the materials the maid gave me.

“You’re doing a good job.”

“Thank you.”

Instead of saying that anyone can do something like this well, I just muttered thanks like a parrot. It was because I did not want to get kicked out because I seemed hateful.

“The Viscount said he would return the next day.”

“That’s a relief.”

I was relieved. I was worried that he would stay in the mansion for a long time, but luckily, it did not seem that was the case.

The head maid squinted her eyes.

“There’s no other problem, right?”

“What do you mean, other problems…?”

“Other than debt. Did you kill someone or something?”

“It can’t be…!”

“Okay then.”

Even though she said so, she then mumbled to herself, “Actually, it doesn’t matter if you kill.”

“…I didn’t kill anyone.”

“Yes, yes.”

At that, she waved her hand and ended the conversation.

“If you say so.”

The next moment, she handed me a piece of paper.

“Read it.”

“….?”

I quickly read the paper. At first, it felt a little burdensome to see the black letters filling the whole single sheet of white paper. However, the moment I grasped the content, I could not believe my eyes and read it over and over again.

The content was clear.

Informant recruitment letter…

“…What’s this?”

“Didn’t you already read the contents?”

The head maid, who now only seemed kind, smiled and continued, “Congratulations. I’ve recommended you to the place where everyone wants to go.”

“…It’s a spy, isn’t it?”

I returned the paper to her.

“Oh, my. Let’s call it an informant instead.”

Even though I immediately rejected it, the head maid did not seem offended at all.

“I can’t do it because I don’t have the skills. Besides, I’ve no desire to do something so dangerous.”

“That’s what everyone says at first.”

The head of the maids suddenly opened her mouth in a serious voice.

“Nevertheless, everyone fell for the master’s persuasion. There was not a single case where they didn’t fall for it.”

“….”

Only then did I understand why this good-conditioned mansion often hires employees. It was because employees who seemed to be able to work moderately were put into the informant organization.

“No matter what you say, I don’t think it’ll change my mind.”

“That’s what everyone seems to think so.”

As she said that, the head maid let out a smirk before ringing the bell on the desk. It seemed to be some kind of signal.

“Take it slowly, because he’s not an easy person.”

I grimaced my face. I am sure he was a great guy, but what would it have to do with me? Regardless, I would turn it down right away.

After a few minutes—

Hearing the door open with the sound of gentle footsteps, I glanced at the doorway involuntarily and froze.

A man with dark hair, a pale face, and golden eyes that glisten like a beast… A man who looks so incredibly emaciated and demented, even if he has not slept or eaten in months… Nevertheless, the man who still exudes such an alluring atmosphere—

…Yes, it was Cassius Brudenell.

“…Evelyn.”

A voice I never wanted to hear again pierced my heart.

“Evelyn…”

Cassius slowly approached me.

Instead of responding properly to him, I turned to search for the head maid. However, she had already disappeared. At that moment, reality struck me.

…I was locked up alone with Cassius in a room that was not very big.

Instinctively, I ran towards the door but stopped at the sound of his words.

“Are you trying to run away?”

The next words follow immediately.

“It would be impossible. In a matter of days, your face will be spread around the entire Empire. You won’t be able to hide long enough to dye your hair black.”

And, another remark followed.

“Come back with me, Evelyn.”