Translator and Editor: Bunny and Wyvern

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Chapter 10

Flinch—

I suddenly stopped changing clothes when I felt a chill. “What’s that?”

Did someone curse me? I paused for a moment.

Knock knock.

“…!”

Oh, that surprised me.

My body stiffened unconsciously. I was startled because the knock was different from what I usually heard. No one would come to the house before, and even if there was, it would only be bad people.

I only ever waited for Dad to come, besides Mom and Dahlia. I didn’t even expect that someone would knock on my door…

I ran and turned the doorknob without changing my clothes, but before I could turn the knob, the door opened.

“Oh?”

“Oh my.”

It was a maid with black hair like me who opened the door from the outside. Unlike me, though, she had brown eyes. I vaguely remembered her from yesterday.

She slapped her face as if surprised. The dark-haired maids’ eyes widened then turned into crescents. “You are awake.”

I nodded quickly..“It’s already morning.”

The maid smiled at me and hurriedly placed the tray she had brought on the table, folding her hands afterwards and bowing to me. “Please forgive me for not greeting you earlier as I thought you were still sleeping because you seemed tired. I will come here earlier to do my work.”

I shook my head at the maid who apologized. “No, I can get up on my own.”

“Ah.” The maid stared at me with her mouth wide open.

My answer might have been too much for her, so I spoke again in a small voice, “I can really get up on my own…”

Then the maid knelt in front of me and looked at me. Thanks to that, she was at my eye level. When she saw me standing still, she smiled. “You were really dignified when I saw Young Miss yesterday, but… do you remember me? I can only greet you today. I am Calpine, and I will be serving you from today and onwards.”

“Cal… pihne?”

The maid’s smile grew brighter. “Yes, you can call me Pihne for convenience. It is my job to wake you up and help you prepare breakfast so you don’t have to worry. You can speak to me comfortably.”

Her gentle voice was like a lullaby.

I nodded after confirming that she wasn’t hostile towards me. Observing people had been my longtime habit. “Okay, Pihne.”

“Yes, miss. I brought you bath water and I’m going to prepare it for you. Is that alright?” Pihne seemed to ask me for permission each time.

‘Miss! You need to wash your face!’

I remembered Dahlia, who would wake me up shouting my name.

“Then I’ll bring you some bath water. Please sit on the bed for a moment.”

I nodded again.

Pihne got up from where she knelt, opened the door, and told the people outside to bring the water in. Soon, two maids entered.

“These two are Lucy and Luna. They are twins and they will help you bathe.”

Lucy and Luna, who brought hot water, looked very similar, only their hairstyles were different from each other.

“Greetings. I am Lucy, Luna’s older sister.”

“I am Luna. I will serve you with all my heart in the future.”

“Lucy, Luna. Hi,” I greeted them awkwardly.

‘Can I greet them just like this?’

It was still awkward for me to talk to strangers

“Kyaa… You are cute!” Luna put her two hands on her cheeks while looking at me with shining eyes as if she would eat me right now.

I took a step back unconsciously as soon as I met those eyes.

“The rumored young miss is surprised.” Lucy pushed her sister.

“I-I’m sorry… I came to this mansion and only did laundry. It’s my first time to serve someone so cute, so I was happy…”

Seeing these two, Pihne buried her face in her palm. “I’m sorry, miss. I’ll get these two kids out right away.”

“Uh, it’s okay.” I quickly shook my head.

Though they were a little crazy, it wasn’t because they had bad intentions. I just had to get used to it now.

They were as good at their work as Dahlia. The large, heavy-looking water tank filled the bathtub with water instantly.

In the meantime, I grabbed the end of my sleeves to take off my clothes, pulling out my arms from inside. There were three buttons on the end of the sleeves, and while I was unbuttoning them, I met the eyes of the three maids looking at me. They just stared at me without saying anything.

“Why…?”

‘No, why does everyone keep looking at me like I’m pitiful? I only took off my clothes.’

“Miss,” Pihne calmly called me. “Have you already prepared to wash by yourself?”

“Hmm.”

There were times when Dahlia helped me, but I mostly did it alone on the days that my mom was very sick.

Pihne was still speechless. She stared at me for a long time then dragged me to the bathtub. “You’re so dignified. Young Miss is the most dignified person I’ve ever seen until now.”

‘Oh, is that a super compliment?’

I couldn’t stop my cheeks from blushing, and I pouted, embarrassed. “I-it’s nothing.”

Watching the maid unbutton my clothes reminded me of my father’s forgotten existence. “What about… Dad?”

‘Did Daddy wake up okay? Did he faint from his hangover? No, is he still alive?’

However, unexpected words came out of the maid’s mouth. “Ah, His Excellency went out early in the morning. I will tell Butler Dante so he can inform you as soon as he arrives.”

Eh? The number of bottles I had seen through the door seemed to be about ten… How did he manage to go out early in the morning?

‘Great, first of all, Daddy is fine.’

My father was a human but it also seemed like he wasn’t. Was it because he was the male lead? I shook my head, knowing the answer to my question.

“No, it’s fine. It seemed like Daddy doesn’t like me that much… Let’s get to know each other slowly, okay?”

“Miss Mariette…” She scrunched her nose at my words and put on a face as if she was about to cry. The maid behind me was no different.

“I’m really fine.”

The twins clasped their hands and they said to me as if reciting an oath:

“I will definitely inform you when His Excellency arrives!”

“I will tell His Excellency that Miss Mariette was worried about him early in the morning!”

“I will try to check in advance when His Excellency will arrive so Young Miss won’t feel uncomfortable.”

Even Pihne.

I had no choice but to agree with what they were saying. It seemed like all the people in this mansion were nice except for my father…

As soon as I took off my clothes, a warm towel covered my body instead of the cold air that always greeted me early in the morning. I blinked my eyes at the quick process.

“Please come in, lady. The temperature was set appropriately; it will be warm.”

“Stand on this towel to avoid slipping.”

The maids were busy even after I took off my clothes. For the first time, I finished preparing breakfast without lifting a finger.

* * *

The morning bath was very satisfying, except that Luna and Lucy cried every time I said something. It was a little different from the original plan, which was to just wash my face.

As promised by the maid I met yesterday, my clothes came back very clean. Not a single ribbon or button had disappeared.

Pihne said there were new clothes coming soon, but I liked my own. Mom made clothes for me to fit until next year.

Unlike last night, breakfast could be eaten in the room. As soon as the bathtub was drained, a large cart of food entered the room. However, I only had a few slices of bread for breakfast and I couldn’t even finish the plentiful food left behind.

If Pihne hadn’t been urging me to eat more, I would have stopped at three bites. I got out of my room with her permission as soon as I finished breakfast.

“Dad will be home late. When is Kuhn coming? Shall I move alone first?” I hummed to myself, hurrying to the front door.

When I was looking for a piece of wood yesterday, I noticed that the house was so big that I had to hurry to look around the surrounding area by lunchtime.

I didn’t know how long I’d stay here, but I had to be aware of the layout while I was here.

I was just about to run after checking the front door when—

“Oh!”

The front door opened by itself, and I met my father. I stood still instead of running away.

“…”

“…”

‘This… Should I say hello?’

It was somehow more awkward than yesterday. Dad came through the front door and walked in front of me.

I paused, took a step back, and covered my nose.

Staring at me, he tilted his head. “Why are you like that?”

I thought for a long time about how to answer his question. “Dad… smells like blood.”

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