I used Bella’s seal to cross the Mana Tunnel and head west. The noble residences were closer to Mana Tunnel, so I was able to reach Hamilton March in no time. Just like that day five years ago, I stood before the March.
I changed my face to a completely different look. Brown hair and black eyes, with an extremely ordinary appearance, to not stand out.
“Who are you?”
“I heard that March is recruiting servants, so I brought a letter of recommendation.”
The story of recruiting servants in March Hamilton was information I had already obtained from the maids. So I showed the knight my letter of recommendation with Bella’s seal.
“Go in.”
“Yes.”
With a bow, I went inside. Upon reaching the front of the March after a long walk, I saw a woman looking around.
That person. It was something that had already passed for a while, but I remembered it clearly. Even though it was already five years later, she was definitely the maid of this mansion who had the name Chelsea.
“Excuse me,”
“Hmm?”
“I got a letter of recommendation. For the new servant.”
“Aah, you’re here for the interview?”
“Yes. Here…” I handed over the letter of recommendation.
“Um, did you work for Gracie Duchy?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“The seal is certain. You don’t even need to have an interview. Follow me.”
Chelsea led me straight to the maids’ quarters. There were clothes to change into and simple cleaning tools.
“My name is Chelsea, the maid of Hamilton March. Your name is…”
“My name is Mel.” I spewed out a name I made roughly.
“Yes, Mel. Anyway, you’ll be in charge of serving the little Madam.”
“Little madam…?” I raised my head in wonder. Serving the owner was usually only for those who had worked in the mansion for a long time.
“Because there aren’t enough maids to work with.”
“…Aah.”
I roughly agreed. On the other hand, I couldn’t hide my doubts. According to Sera, this family was one of the noble families servants wanted to work for the most. But why are there not enough maids to work? I tilted my head slightly.
Chelsea, who looked at my expression momentarily, opened her mouth. “Why are young people quitting so well these days? They even ran away without telling me.”
It looked like that wasn’t the case five years ago.
She grumbled, confiding in things I hadn’t asked.
“First, change your clothes and come out.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Responding politely, I draped the maid’s uniform over my clothes. It might have been better for me to meet Magorit. Being closest to her, I would be able to uncover her mask. After tidying up my clothes, I went outside.
“Come on, let’s go.”
Chelsea led me to Magorit’s room. On our way to her room, we passed by the kitchen. For an instant, my memory of Selli, who was my friend, flashed into my mind.
“Excuse me, Ma’am.”
“Hmm?”
“Wasn’t there a maid named Selli in this mansion? She worked in the kitchen…”
At that moment, her expression was blatantly crumpled.
“Mel.”
“Yes.”
“If you want to work here for a long time, there is something to be careful about.”
“…Des.”
“Don’t wonder about the people who disappeared from here.”
People who disappeared. My heart dropped with a thud.
“Disappeared, people…?”
“If you don’t want to disappear either.” Chelsea smiled and turned her body away coldly.
So you killed Selli too…
A light sigh leaked out between my fingers as I covered my mouth with my hands.
They dealt with Selli, who brought me into the mansion… Magorit and Kriella. Those two women.
My hands that fell from my lips slowly clenched. The tips of my well-groomed nails dug into my skin, but I preferred to feel this kind of pain.
Selli died because of me. I’m sorry, Selli.
I closed my eyes tightly. Despite my heart suffering from the pain, we arrived in front of Magorit’s room.
“Little Madam, a new maid has arrived.”
“Aah, come in.”
A weak voice flowed through the door’s crack, like a silver bead was rolling. At that hateful voice, I clenched my lips tightly.
I will pay Selli’s share in my revenge as well.
Then I followed Chelsea into the room slowly. Inside, Magorit was graciously tilting the teacup with a large pudding in front of her. Eyes that seemed to be admiring the dress turned toward me. She then looked at me from head to toe and nodded approvingly.
“Um, good. Your name?”
“… It’s Mel, little Madam.”
What on earth is good? It was chillingly unpleasant. But it wasn’t the time to do something. So I responded calmly, trying to suppress my anger.
“Okay, Mel. I’ll give you the first order.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Take this pudding to my lovely daughter, Merilly.”
At the name ‘Merilly,’ my brows trembled.
“It’s made by special order from the chef.”
“…Yes. Can I bring it to her now?”
“Ah, hold on.”
When I tried to lift the plate of pudding, Magorit stopped me. Then she got up and took a little silk pouch from the table drawer.
“Be delicious.”
Margaret smiled like an angel and sprinkled white powder on the plump pudding.
“It’s a magical spell.”
Seeing the grains shining, it seemed to be sugar.
Was she really raising Merilly with all her heart? Suspicious eyes turned to the pudding. The unidentified white powder shimmered like a diamond.
“Report back to me after you see her finished eating it.”
“Yes, little Madam.”
I took the pudding plate and headed straight to Merilly. Because I’ve used invisibility magic many times, I knew my way well. With each step I took, my heart thumped at the anticipation that I would see my daughter.
Did she grow taller in a few days? Please, I hope nothing happens.
Trying to calm my pounding heart, I went upstairs and knocked on Merilly’s door.
“Lady.”
But there was no response coming from the room.
“Lady Merilly,” I called my child’s name once more. After a while, the door slowly opened.
“Uh…?”
She seemed to be enjoying her nap. Her silver hair was disheveled.
“Who are you…?” asked Merilly, looking straight at me.
It was the first time our eyes met so vividly, as I had always been watching her with invisibility magic.
“…My name is Mel, the new maid.”
The end of my introduction made me tremble involuntarily. My throat was choked, and my eyes were red. Right now, I just wanted to hold my lovely daughter in my arms and cry.
“…This pudding was sent by little Madam.”
But I had to put up with it. I pressed down my sorrow and longing, placing the pudding on the table.
“She… told me to go after seeing Lady eat everything.”
“Ah…”
At that moment, Merilly’s expression darkened sharply when she saw the pudding.
“Where do you feel uncomfortable, Lady?”
“Ah, no. It’s nothing…” The child blinked her rabbit-like eyes and shook her head.
She then sat down at the table. I stared at Merilly like that before opening my mouth instinctively.
“That, by any chance…”
“Yes?”
“Before Lady eats the pudding, would it be alright if I get your hair done…?”
I wanted to be a little greedier now that I could touch, not just look at her. Waiting for her answer, I gulped down my dry saliva as I was nervous.
“…Okay. Please tie it up nicely.”
Fortunately, the child smiled. Seeing her lovely look, I also smiled along with Merilly.
I immediately headed to Merilly’s dressing table to find a comb and ribbon strap. Uh…? However, the dressing table was empty.
That made me remember my dressing table in the Gracie Duchy. Various fragrance oils, high-end cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry accessories that can be worn simply, and ribbon strings made of silk. It was full of those pretty and shiny things. It was the same with Bella’s dressing table.
“Ah… My mother took it all to fill it up with a new one. I forgot,” said Merilly awkwardly.
I thought about what to do and suddenly remembered that I had brought the ribbon from the gift box that Frinel had given me. “…I happen to have one, Lady.”
I pulled up my skirt lightly and rummaged through my pockets. It was an emerald ribbon sting that shimmered like Merilly and my eyes.”
“It’s the same color as my eyes.”
“Do you like it?”
“…Yes. It’s so pretty.”
Fortunately, I searched the corner and found a small comb left. I spoke in a low voice as I gently brushed Merilly’s hair. “Ah, it was given to me by my previous master. It’s a new one that I’ve never used before. If Lady likes it, I will give it to you.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you, Mel.”
“It’s nothing.”
As I had learned from the noble family, I pulled Merilly’s hair halfway up and tied it with the ribbon.
“You look much prettier.”
“Wow. Thank you.” The child smiled brightly.
If I had to compare, Merilly was like Bella. She was cute and bright, like the sun. I smiled warmly and pointed to the pudding. “Ah, Lady should eat the pudding.”
Then I placed the spoon in the child’s small hand. My heart trembled even with a slight touch of warmth. How pretty would she be when she was eating? Wanting to see her deliciously eating the pudding, I moved my seat slightly in front of Merilly.
“Ah, yes…”
Merilly squeezed the spoon tightly. The child’s expression, which had been bright when I tied her hair, had darkened again.
“…Lady, if you’re not feeling well…”
After all, was there something wrong? She was worried when I tried to ask about her condition. I lowered my head so much that I accidentally pushed the pudding plate with my elbow. Clank, the plate broke, and the pudding was all crushed.
“Gasp, I-I’m sor—”
I lay flat on the floor, raking the pudding roughly with my hands over the dirty floor.
Huh…? In the moment of a strange sensation, my startled eyes shifted towards the fingertips. A shiver ran down my spine like hundreds of insects crawled over my body.
The white sugar sprinkled by Magorit on the pudding was vividly alive on my fingertips, without melting under the warmth of human body heat.
