TRHLV | CH 05

Chapter 5: The Way Back

“You’re going to teach her how to read and write?”

“Yes.”

It was dinner time. The old lady calmly answered her surprised grandson.

“I didn’t know maids needed to be literate. Many maids can’t read.”

“There are no such maids in this mansion. Anyone serving the Blansé name, even the lowest worker, must have basic intelligence. I won’t spend too long teaching her, so don’t worry.”

‘She doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time…’

Looking down, he watched his grandmother wipe her mouth with a napkin.

‘That girl is dangerous. Teaching her anything is a risk.’

“You don’t want her to learn because you think she’s dangerous? You brought her here, but you’re treating her coldly. She may act rough, but she seems like a kind child.”

He felt a sharp pain. His hand holding the knife shook slightly.

‘Grandmother, that girl will destroy our family. You’ll die because of her… in a terrible way.’

Ten years later, the Blansé family is destroyed as traitors. The mansion is burned, and the old lady is dragged to the front yard and beheaded. It’s all Elika’s doing.

“…I think we should send her back.”

No matter what happened elsewhere, they couldn’t let that girl stay here.

* * *

That night, Jacqueline, the head maid, called Elika to her room.

She had heard from the old lady that the Duke planned to send the girl away. But still—

‘She seems like a smart child. Even if she leaves, she should at least know how to read.’

Elika didn’t know she was being sent away yet. She just kept fiddling with the pencil, fascinated by it.

“Put it down. It’s not a toy.”

Elika quickly did as told.

“Sit straight, keep your knees together, and raise your head. Always sit properly, whether you’re in or out of the mansion.”

“Yes, Head Maid.”

Elika fixed her posture. Jacqueline handed her the pencil.

“This is how you hold it.”

She held Elika’s hand and showed her a letter.

“Now copy this.”

“Yes, yes!”

Elika copied it carefully.

“This is the letter ‘A’. Say it—‘A’.”

“A!”

Her eyes sparkled like stars.

‘The letters… make sounds!’

“Next, this one is ‘B’.”

“B.”

She followed along again, without needing much help. Jacqueline smiled, surprised at how quickly she learned.

Thanks to Elika’s sponge-like mind, she quickly learned to read and write simple sentences in just one night.

Jacqueline knew then—this girl was too talented to just send away.

But as just a maid, there wasn’t much she could do. So she simply gave Elika a small notebook and five pencils.

“I… I don’t have any money…”

“It’s a gift. Study hard.”

“A g-gift? It’s my first gift! Thank you!”

With wide eyes and a blushing face, Elika suddenly hugged her.

* * *

Letters became stars in her eyes and a light that stayed in her heart.

Only after discovering the light did she realize she had lived in darkness.

Unable to sleep from excitement, she opened the “Maid Manual.” She planned to read it all night.

‘If I read the whole thing, the Head Maid will be surprised. She’ll see I’m useful!’

She lit a candle by her bed, but—

“Ugh… it’s too bright…”

Her roommate Marie mumbled in her sleep. Elika panicked, grabbed her book and candle, and moved to the shared bathroom.

She sat quietly in a corner and read. Washing, cleaning, how to serve nobles… It was all so fun for her.

Around midnight, just one page left, she started to fall asleep.

Then she felt a sudden heat and woke up.

“Oh no!”

The manual had touched the candle and caught fire. She quickly put it out, but half the book had already burned.

“What do I do… It was the Head Maid’s book…”

She didn’t know there were many more copies. To her, it was a precious book.

Afraid of being kicked out, she panicked—then remembered the notebook and pencils.

She ran back to the room, grabbed them, and returned to the bathroom.

She sat on the floor and opened the notebook.

“Chapter 1: Structure of the Blansé Mansion.”

* * *

“Charon went out for social hunting. He told me many times to make sure Elika is gone before he gets back.”

It was early morning. Jacqueline had just finished reporting the household matters to the old lady.

“Are you really sending Elika away?”

“He brought her and he says to send her back. What choice do I have? I’ve given her address to the coachman, so you just need to escort her out at the right time.”

If Elika found out, she would cry and throw a fit. Jacqueline didn’t want to be the one to handle it.

But she had no choice. The Duke was her superior.

“…Yes, ma’am. I understand.”

* * *

That uneasy morning passed, and noon approached.

‘The Duke will be back soon. I can’t delay anymore.’

Jacqueline walked toward the maid’s room. But Marie was alone.

“Marie, have you seen Elika?”

“Hmm? No. I thought someone else called her.”

“No one did…”

Jacqueline felt her mouth go dry.

That morning, there had been no usual maid roll call because the old lady had called her early.

‘Did she find out she’s being sent away? Did she run off?’

Whatever the reason, she had to find the girl before her master returned.

* * *

The whole mansion’s staff searched.

“Here she is!”

They found her in the shared bathroom, fast asleep.

“Elika!”

Jacqueline ran to her. Elika, startled awake, quickly stood up.

‘When did I fall asleep? What time is it? I’m late!’

She grabbed her scattered notebook and pencils, bowing her head repeatedly.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

To her, being scolded meant getting hit, yelled at, or kicked. She braced for it and shut her eyes.

“Elika.”

A warm hand touched her shoulder.

“Get up.”

The soft voice made her slowly open her eyes.

And then came the words—

“It’s time to go home.”

Words that felt like a death sentence.

* * *

“Head Maid, please don’t send me away! I’ll do better!”

Elika cried and begged, but Jacqueline turned her head away.

“I won’t sleep in again, I promise!”

Strong servants pushed her into a small carriage.

“Head Maid! It’s my fault she overslept! Please punish me instead and let her stay!”

Now Marie was crying too. Jacqueline walked up the mansion stairs, ignoring the scene.

“Head Maid! Head Maid!”

Her heart ached, but there was nothing she could do.

‘I got her address. I’ll visit her soon…’

It was a promise she wasn’t sure she could keep. She sighed and walked back inside.

Then she saw something on the floor. Elika’s notebook and pencils.

‘She must have dropped them while being dragged off.’

It was a gift from Jacqueline. She wished Elika had taken it with her.

She picked it up—then saw something inside.

‘What’s this?’

She flipped through it and saw detailed notes from the maid manual. Had she copied the whole book by hand?

As she kept flipping pages, her eyes widened.

‘This is…’

* * *

Elika was thrown into the carriage by the coachman. She tried to get up, but the door was already shut from outside. The carriage began to move.

“Please! Open the door!”

She banged on the wall where the coachman sat, but there was no response.

She opened the window—and saw the Duke riding into the mansion.

“Your Grace!”

She didn’t know he had ordered her to be sent away. She cried out with all her strength.

“Please help me! Please!”

The carriage passed close by him. Close enough to see each other’s eyelashes.

But the Duke turned his head away. Like he couldn’t see her, or didn’t want to.

‘The Duke…’

She didn’t want to think it.

That he had abandoned her.

Because if she did—it would hurt too much.

“…Sob.”

This time, she didn’t hold her tears back. She let them fall.

She was truly alone now. But at least, no one would scold her for crying.