IVFV 12

Chapter 12

“When that happened, Madam ordered us never to show the young lady’s injuries to a doctor.”

“……”

“It wasn’t the young lady’s fault—it was entirely yours. If you had any conscience, you could’ve at least secretly applied some ointment. But you kept your mouth shut, didn’t you?”

“H-But…! How could I, when Madam was watching us with her eyes wide open?”

“I happened to glance at the young lady then—it looked like some other girl gave her ointment. So it wasn’t you, huh?”

“And what about you! As if you treated the young lady well!”

Mocked, Samantha raised her voice in agitation. The accusations immediately continued.

“When the young lady was first moved into that tiny room, we were the ones who cleaned it. What were you doing back then?”

“What was I doing?!”

“Wow, look at you. I guess it was such an everyday thing you don’t even remember.”

Now that she was on the offensive, the maid spoke triumphantly.

“Don’t you remember pretending to clean while dumping dirty water everywhere and running off? You laughed your head off, saying the young lady would clean it all up herself.”

“……”

“And now you’re trying to act friendly? Don’t you think that would make her feel awkward?”

“Do you think the young lady has no thoughts of her own? She forgave everything—that’s why she keeps me by her side!”

With the tacit approval of the second mistress, all the misdeeds that had long been buried burst forth like a dam collapsing.

“No! I never did that!”

The atmosphere grew more and more heated until the maids began grabbing each other by the hair and fighting.

Since every one of them had something to hide, no one stepped in to stop it. If anything, they joined in, grabbing hair themselves.

“Back then, the young lady was too soft-hearted to make a fuss about it…!”

“And what about you? Are you so innocent?!”

Just then—

The door burst open, and another maid rushed in, pale as a sheet.

She was so flustered she didn’t even react to the chaos before her.

“H-Hey! This isn’t the time for this!”

At the sudden shout, the maids turned their heads while still clutching each other’s hair.

“What?”

“What is it? It better not be something trivial!”

“I-It’s the young lady…!”

Fierce gazes shot toward her.

Intimidated, the messenger maid clamped her mouth shut.

The short-tempered maids pressed her.

“What about the young lady?”

“Spit it out! Can’t you see we’re busy here? Ow! Don’t pull so hard!”

It was utter pandemonium.

As the maid holding her hair gave it a subtle yank, she snapped, ready to throw a punch at any second.

The messenger maid, now pale for an entirely different reason, stammered,

“The young lady…!”

The moment they heard what followed, every maid hurriedly released the hair they were holding.

The fury drained from their faces, replaced with shock and fear.

It was an emergency.

When they rushed into Lumina’s room, they found Joseph, Theresa, the head maid, and the butler already standing there.

Sensing something was seriously wrong, the maids ran toward Lumina without hesitation.

“Young lady, are you all right?”

“Young lady!”

Lumina, seated in a chair, looked at them with wide eyes.

Beside her stood a doctor in a white coat—a face none of them recognized, likely someone brought in from outside.

“…In any case, running will be difficult for a while. Even walking lightly should be done with care. There are other concerns as well, so make sure you eat regularly.”

“Yes, I understand, Doctor!”

Lumina answered brightly, smiling.

There was no trace of pain on her face. Yet her leg was wrapped thickly in bandages.

And not just her leg—small cuts marred her face, covered with ointment and bandages.

She was injured all over.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

“Yes. I’m in no state to see you out. Ah, Mia, please escort the doctor.”

“…Yes, understood.”

One of the maids, who hadn’t been able to join the conversation, responded blankly.

“That won’t be necessary. I can find my own way. I’ll simply accept the young lady’s kindness.”

He declined curtly.

Casting a cold glance at the maids, the doctor gathered his bag and strode out.

The maids, realizing this was not the moment to offer hollow words of concern, stood quietly.

As the doctor brushed past the line of maids pressed stiffly against the wall, he muttered in a voice only they could hear,

“Just how are the maids managed in this household?”

Tsk.

Clicking his tongue, he left.

Only then did the maids take a look at themselves.

Hair disheveled from pulling and fighting. Clothes untidy.

Some even had torn hems from how fiercely they’d brawled.

They had heard that Lumina was seriously injured after the balcony railing gave way and she fell.

They had rushed over in such haste that they hadn’t even had time to fix themselves.

Anyone could see they had just been fighting.

As maids of a noble house, it was a disgraceful sight.

Only now did they realize—far too late—that they had shown such a shameful appearance to an outsider.

Their faces flushed with humiliation.

“Where were you all? I called and called, and no one came. I almost thought today was some kind of holiday.”

As they hurriedly smoothed their hair and straightened their clothes, they heard Lumina’s bright voice.

The girl, covered in wounds, looked at them with the same innocent gaze as ever, as if she didn’t mind at all.

But the meaning behind her words could not be ignored.

“Ah, well…”

“I called your names several times. Loudly. I really needed you. But not a single one of you came to help.”

Busy tearing each other’s hair out, there was no way they could have heard her properly.

They were well aware they had done something unforgivable during working hours—that was why they had rushed over in a panic once they heard.

“Ahem.”

Joseph, standing near Lumina, cleared his throat.

“It’s fortunate this was only the second floor. Had it been the third, it could have been truly disastrous.”

“……”

“And had I not gone looking for Lumina, she might have been left there unattended. How exactly do you attend to your master?”

Growing more emotional, Joseph’s voice rose.

“Butler, Head Maid! Explain yourselves! In the Melkan household, such a thing would be unthinkable!”

“…We have no excuse.”

The head maid stepped forward and bowed her head to Joseph. Watching silently, Lumina shook her own head.

“Uncle, I’m fine. It was an accident. And the maids must have had other duties to—ah.”

Perhaps trying to prove she was fine, Lumina rose from her seat.

But her injuries were not so light. Limping, she lost her balance and collapsed.

“Lumina!”

Joseph rushed forward and caught her, then barked angrily,

“What was her assigned maid doing? Should she not be glued to Lumina’s side, acting as her hands and feet?”

Lumina did not have just one assigned maid.

Including Samantha, the maids glanced at one another, subtly shifting blame.

“The head maid and butler are also at fault. To hire and retain such incompetent staff—I begin to question your qualifications.”

The arrows of blame now struck not only the maids but every servant present.

“And to be unaware that the balcony railing was unstable? Preposterous.”

“……”

“This matter cannot be overlooked. Including the head maid and butler, it would be best if you all left this household. None of you are fit to serve Lumina!”

On the surface, it sounded like an overprotective relative’s outburst. But Joseph harbored darker intentions.

He planned to dismiss all the servants and replace them with his own people.

At that point, Theresa, who had been listening, stepped forward.

“Count Melkan, dismissing everyone seems excessive.”

“Lady Vales, may I ask what you find excessive about it?”

Crackle—

Their gazes clashed sharply.

They already represented two factions with poor relations.

Neither intended to yield, each believing this conflict would determine dominance.

And amid the uproar, there was one person watching it all with calm eyes.

Lumina.

‘I knew Aunt would step in the moment dismissal was mentioned.’