Episode 06
Even after passing through the main gate, the carriage ran for a long while before stopping.
Before Janet could open the door, a footman who had rushed from somewhere opened the carriage door for her.
“Mind your step, my lady.”
The footman extended his arm to her.
She was flustered for a moment at the first-class treatment she’d ever received.
“Thank you.”
Janet took the footman’s arm as if accustomed to it and stepped down from the carriage. As soon as she stood on the ground, the footman hurried away.
Janet tried not to look around too much.
But even keeping her eyes straight ahead was difficult.
The pressure she felt down her spine was considerable. Today was the first time she realized that one could feel intimidated by a ‘space.’
‘Yes. This is what Ludwig is.’
It finally sank in where she had set foot.
The only Grand Ducal household in the empire, whose head was the current emperor’s older brother.
The king of the western social circles, and the greatest tycoon among the empire’s noble families.
Janet straightened her back as much as possible and took a step forward.
—
***
—
“Good. The documents are in order.”
Nova Morgan.
The head housekeeper of Ludwig.
Her family, the ‘Earl Morgan’ family, was one of the meritorious noble families that had sworn allegiance to the emperor for generations.
Born as the eldest daughter of the Earl Morgan family, she became a maid to the current Grand Duke when he was still a prince, and after moving to Ludwig, she also briefly worked as a governess for the second son and the first daughter.
With her accumulated experience and the Grand Duke’s trust, Nova finally succeeded in securing the position of head housekeeper.
She had never married and had buried her bones in Ludwig—it was worth it.
Though it had only been a little over a year since she became head housekeeper, her authority within Ludwig was considerable.
‘-so it was written in the notebook Theo gave me.’
The original information Janet recalled was only a fraction.
Meaning there was almost no information that would help her do her maid work.
In contrast.
‘This is really useful. It was worth reading in advance.’
The notebook Theo gave her was extremely useful.
*Bang.*
Nova stamped the documents Janet brought with the head housekeeper’s exclusive seal.
“Janet Graham.”
“Yes, Head Housekeeper.”
“From now on, you will work as the personal maid of Lady Julletta Ludwig. You are aware of that, yes?”
“Yes. I am aware, Head Housekeeper.”
It was also in the notebook that Nova preferred polite people.
It was also in the notebook that she preferred to be called ‘Head Housekeeper’ rather than simply ‘Housekeeper.’
“Your quarters have been prepared in Lady Julletta’s separate villa. Unlike other servants, maids are to stay in their master’s villa. Why do you think that is?”
“I believe it is to serve the Lady at the closest proximity.”
“Correct.”
Nova answered elegantly.
“Working hours are from eight in the morning to seven in the evening. However, if the Lady requests it, you must come running even outside working hours.”
This meant she might have to work day and night, but it didn’t matter.
During her time in the Graham household, Janet had been forced to do all-night work to the point of exhaustion.
“For today, unpack your things in your room and wait. If the Lady calls for you, go to pay your respects. If she does not call, do not go looking for her.”
“Yes, Head Housekeeper.”
“Your official duties begin tomorrow. As a proud maid of Ludwig, do your utmost to attend to the Lady.”
At Nova’s sharp warning, Janet bowed.
“I will keep that in mind.”
Nova’s one corner of the mouth twitched upward as she stared at Janet’s bowed crown.
“And.”
Her voice, which had been sharp throughout, suddenly became gentler.
“If any problems arise during your work, you may come to me. Despite appearances, I am the type who takes good care of her subordinates.”
“Yes. Thank you for your concern, Head Housekeeper.”
At Janet’s greeting, Nova nodded with a kind smile.
It was time for her to be dismissed.
But instead of telling her to leave, Nova abruptly began stroking her own neck.
“Oh my. My neck feels rather empty today.”
Nova, ostentatiously stroking her neck, checked Janet’s expression.
The Janet before her eyes was…
“Hm?”
Just blinking her large eyes and tilting her head.
Her innocent expression seemed to say, ‘Why would your neck feel empty?’
‘Oh dear. A clueless fool has arrived.’
Most people would have taken the hint and offered a piece of their jewelry at this point.
Even if not that, they would have at least sent a signal like ‘I will repay your favor.’
*Hoo.*
Nova let out a faint sigh, her eyebrows twitching irritably.
‘Now that I look at her, she looks penniless too?’
Since she came with a letter of recommendation from the Marchioness, she had expected someone from a wealthy family, but her appearance was utterly shabby.
*Tsk.* Clicking her tongue, Nova glared and said.
“You’re still here? Your business is finished, so leave now.”
“Ah, yes! I’ll take my leave then. I look forward to working with you, Head Housekeeper.”
Janet, who had been waiting with her hands clasped over her stomach, left the room with a polite bow.
*Bang.*
After the door closed, Nova’s expression crumpled completely.
Leaning back in her chair irritably, she fiddled with her well-manicured long nails and muttered.
“Dumb as a mule, and penniless too? As expected, that Grand Duchess and her maid are a perfect pair.”
She certainly didn’t look like someone who had any money to squeeze out.
*Tick, tick.* Flicking her nails, a sharp smile formed on Nova’s lips.
‘But it doesn’t matter.’
Janet’s master was none other than Julletta Ludwig.
The eccentric villainess!
As she endured her finicky temperament, the time would come when she would want to ask for help.
And even if she didn’t—
“There are many ways to make people suffer.”
Picking the pockets of naive children who entered the Grand Duke Ludwig household with illusions was her hobby and specialty.
She would torment them so severely that they would come begging for help on their own.
Of course, she wouldn’t grant the request of anyone who came empty-handed.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
Maids, footmen.
Valets and maids.
No matter how penniless a child seemed, when desperate, they would find money from somewhere.
*Heh heh.*
A cheerful humming flowed from her crooked lips.
—
***
—
**«Nova Morgan – Fond of bribes»**
—
Hmm, so that was true too?
After leaving Nova’s room, Janet was once again impressed by the notebook’s accuracy.
‘But I never expected her to make such a blatant demand.’
Since it was only written briefly as ‘Fond of bribes,’ she couldn’t have known the method of demand.
Seeing her openly mutter, “My neck feels rather empty,” had made it quite difficult to keep a straight face.
Now, what to do.
Following the standard approach, giving Nova a bribe wouldn’t be bad. There was no harm in getting on the head housekeeper’s good side.
However, Janet wasn’t particularly drawn to that method.
‘Bribery is bad!’
—It wasn’t because of such innocent thinking.
Of course, she did feel somewhat uncomfortable with the act of bribery, but there was a bigger reason.
Namely.
‘Doesn’t her shamelessness remind me of Graham?’
The Viscount and Viscountess Graham, and Simon Graham.
Their behavior of doing nothing while taking money from the weak to satisfy their greed was exactly like them.
She didn’t have some grand, righteous resolve to get rid of her.
‘But I also don’t want to obediently give her a bribe.’
Hmm.
After thinking it over, Janet quickly came to a conclusion.
Let’s not give one.
Now that her employment was confirmed, the dismissal of a maid was fundamentally under the jurisdiction of each master.
Dismissal during an ongoing contract wasn’t common either, so it meant there was virtually no risk of being fired.
As long as she wasn’t fired, there wasn’t much to worry about.
The next morning.
Janet rose from her bed as soon as the sun came up.
She had been worried she might not sleep due to nerves on her first day, but the fluffy bed and soft blankets put those concerns to rest.
She could count on one hand the times she had slept this refreshingly in her life.
*Stretch.* Janet, who had stretched, blankly looked around the room.
Neat wallpaper and curtains, a fairly large personal wardrobe, and a sturdy-looking desk and chair.
Moreover, the room itself was not small.
It took eight full steps just to go from the bed to the desk.
“…This nice room is my room.”
