Chapter 32
“What’s the matter, Milady? Why do you look so serious?”
“Huh? Does it look that way?”
I didn’t realize, but I guess I was frowning. Realizing that, I quickly relaxed my features and donned a smile.
“Yes, just now.”
Rona nodded.
“If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I’ll help you in any way I can.”
“It’s nothing you can help with, really.”
I shook my hand in the air as if to dismiss her, but I suddenly felt a chill.
“Milady…”
In front of me, Rona suddenly burst into tears.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden?”
“I can’t be of any help…”
“Huh? What are you talking about?” I said, taking out a handkerchief and wiped away Rona’s tears.
“I’m always ready to help you, Milady, but you think I’m useless…”
Whimpering, Rona sniffed and blew her nose on the handkerchief.
“That’s not it, Rona,” I said, trying to calm her down. “Would I ever think of you like that, hm?”
Nevertheless, her sobbing continued.
“I just thought that Milady is finally being so confident and energetic, so I wanted to help you somehow…I want to help you become the real madam of this house.”
“…How come?”
It didn’t feel like she was lying, though, at the same time, I couldn’t fully believe Rona’s words.
In this vast mansion, the only person I could trust was myself.
“Milady, y-you saved me.”
“…You still remember that?”
That happened a relatively long time ago. It was when I first entered this household, and during an outing given once a month so I could see my siblings. As I passed through an alley in the carriage I was riding, I could hear someone screaming.
When I tried to see where it came from, I saw Rona there, being dragged away by her hair. And then, she was thrown into a black carriage that sped away quickly.
[ Follow them. ]
Without thinking about it, I instructed the carriage driver to do so, and sure enough, the black carriage arrived at what looked like a slave market where debtors lurked.
In the end, I bought Rona from there with the money that I was supposed to bring home for my siblings.
It was a highway robbery, except I did it to myself. Come to think of it, what I did was extremely reckless, though I couldn’t just turn a blind eye.
[ I needed a maid, so I brought her here. Please give me some money I could send home. Please. ]
It was the first and last time I asked something for myself from Camilla.
Camilla was initially annoyed that I took the initiative to bring Rona in as a maid since she was from the slums, but she eventually relented after she looked into some things.
That night, Rona and I held hands and cried all night, overjoyed that we could stay together in the mansion.
‘That was so long ago, though, goodness.’
Truthfully, it was only two years ago, although the memory felt rather distant now…
Firstly, it’s because so many things had changed.
“You are my benefactor, Milady, so I’m ready to do anything that you ask of me. My life belongs to you! If you didn’t save me back then…”
“Well, it was an impulsive decision on my part, so…”
I had been so nervous handing over the money that was supposed to be for my siblings. Still, I really couldn’t just let slave traders have Rona. Nobody else would have helped her.
“You should thank Mother, too. In fact, I couldn’t have brought you into the mansion without her permission.”
The Duchess’ attendants, maids and other servants all had verified identities, their origins proven to be clean—Which was why I couldn’t believe it when Camilla said she’d allow Rona to stay in the mansion, considering her background.
Besides that, I was shocked when she heeded my request and paid for my siblings’ child support again as well.
I was a little touched, really. Camilla acted so uncharacteristically that I thought she might have been sick that day. And I berated myself for a little why, thinking that I misunderstood such a benevolent person.
However, of course, Camilla turned back to normal after that.
“But, it was Milady who saved me. Thank you, once again,” Rona said firmly, wiping her tears away.
“Then…can I ask you for a favor?”
I gazed at Rona, my heart skipping a beat as I considered a gamble.
“Milady.”
Gently opening the door, Rona came into the room and called out to me quietly.
Although No one else was there to listen, there was a reason why she was being so cautious like this.
“Did you get it?”
My voice was equally as discreet as Rona’s.
“Of course.”
She grinned and reached into her apron pocket.
“Who do you think I am, Milady?”
There, in her hand, were the pills I asked her to get.
“And this, too.”
Taking out another thing, it was the potion that Amoide regularly took.
“Good job.”
Rona huffed up her chest at the praise she received.
“Just how did you manage to get these?”
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login