“Simone, no way.”
Kaylee looked at Simone suspiciously.
“You’re not planning on hiring that healer as an ‘employee’, are you?”
Simone glanced at Kaylee.
"What are you talking about?"
“You were looking at him with interest.”
Simone shook her head. Of course, she thought that she would like to have someone with that level of skill by her side because there would be no chance of getting hurt like now in the future, but it is better to let people who live for a greater cause do whatever they want.
The reason Simone looked at him with interest was because, as the healer had said, she was surprised that there was such a healer in this outskirt village.
“Kaylee, ask the butler for that healer’s name. I might have to see him again soon.”
"Yes, got it."
Kayley answered Simone and cleared the table.
When Kaylee noticed the blood soaking the white cloth on the table, she flinched and stopped her actions.
Now that she's feeling better, she's sipping tea as if she never did, but Simone's finger was completely crushed just now, so she couldn't bear the pain and ended up crying.
'It must have hurt a lot.'
He said he was in pain, and his dull and obnoxious face took on a sad look.
'To save Anna.'
That's what happened when she faced the curse of having to pretend not to know just for the sake of the lowest servant.
Kaylee stood upright and looked at Simone.
“Hey, Simone.”
Simone, who was completely exhausted and sprawled out on a soft chair, turned her head and looked at Kaylee.
Kaylee's hand holding the dishtowel was clenched.
“Thank you for saving Anna. If it weren’t for Simone, Anna would have died like this.”
She hated Simone's unique cruelty and shamelessness. Because she thought she lied and came into this mansion.
But not anymore. Simone was not shameless, but confident.
Kaylee remembered the sight of her running away after the monster, her hands covered in blood.
Anyone who risked their life to work for this mansion deserved to be treated this way.
“And I’m sorry. I said something harsh back then.”
“Harsh words? Oh, what did you do about commoners?”
Kaylee's hand clenched tighter. She felt like she wanted to curse at her past self.
Simone said with a grin.
“There is no need to be thankful. I saved Anna because I wanted to save her.”
Simone didn't specifically save her because of Kaylee's request.
“If it weren’t for Anna, I would have followed the instructions and pretended not to know.”
Anna was the only one who treated Simone favorably after entering this mansion, so she went out of her way to rescue her.
Kaylee trembled at the words, saying that if it had been anyone else, she wouldn't have cared whether Anna died or not.
What if it was Kaylee who was captured by the monster, not Anna?
Kaylee would be dead.
Even if she died like that, Simone would not have blinked an eye.
When she realized this, goosebumps appeared all over her body.
A person who can kill or save the people of this mansion. That was Simone.
The girl in front of her looked different.
She started to get scared of her.
“Well, I am still thankful.”
Kaylee hurriedly finished speaking and cleared the table.
The human heart was truly treacherous.
'I hated it so much.'
However, Kaylee pretended not to know what was going on and left the room.
For now, the first thing to do was to find out the name of the healer, as Simone had told her to do.
***
A few days later, Anna was able to return safely.
Anna, whom Simone had not seen in a long time, seemed to have lost all her energy and looked gaunter than before.
But fortunately, the injured hand was fine.
“Thanks to the healer! When I came to my senses, my hand was completely healed, right?”
“It looks like your hand is feeling better, but shouldn’t you rest a little more?”
“Well, I can’t leave the work to the sisters forever!”
“Hmm.”
Simone looked disapprovingly at Anna, who looked strangely blank, and then stood up.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes! Sure! I'm completely fine?”
“Then let’s go.”
“Yes?”
As soon as Simone finished speaking, Kaylee stood behind her, holding her bag.
Anna looked blankly at Kaylee, who was moving quickly, and Simone, who was heading toward the door, and asked timidly.
“Um, I wonder where we should go... What do you mean?”
“We promised. Let’s take a look around the village together.”
“... Ah!"
Anna smiled brightly and approached Simone, then fiddling with her clothes.
"Then... Then please wait a moment! I'll change my clothes, pack my bags, and come back!”
“Come back.”
As Anna hurried out of the room, Kaylee came closer and asked.
“Simone, I will leave my luggage here. I will bring an escort.”
"Escort? Why the escort?”
Kaylee looked up and down at Simone's outfit.
“The village is more dangerous than you think, Simone. Especially for women and those who appear to have a lot of money. But Simone, both cases apply.”
This is a village that has suffered from poverty for a long time. It is a place where there are many people who plunder or steal money without any sense of guilt, and where people get into trouble just for wearing clean clothes.
Those who have nothing to lose and nothing to have are not afraid of anything to survive today.
So, even if they look like nobles, they will threaten you without any consideration and extort what you have.
“If Anna were alone, she would have been able to hide and walk around on her own, but since she is with someone who serves her, she won’t be able to go the way she usually goes.”
For the safety of Anna and Simone, escorts with weapons were absolutely necessary, even just for show.
“Then let me ask you a favor. Oh, shouldn’t I just go with the guards outside that door?”
Of course, it was uncomfortable to go out with people she had never spoken to, but what could she do if they said it was dangerous?
Kaylee nodded and put down her luggage. Then she left the room.
“I will report to Kelle about Simone’s outing. Please wait a minute."
Kaylee, who went to the butler Kelle to ask for permission for Simone to go out, returned a while later with a large sum of money.
She looked very nervous.
"That?"
Kaylee handed the money bag to Simone with trembling hands.
"Pin money..."
"Pin money?"
“Well, he gave it to me after I reported it to Kelle. You’ve already reported going out with Anna once before, right?”
Before the disguised rat incident occurred, Simone was allowed to go out once, but it was naturally resolved when Anna disappeared.
“They say it was money that the owner entrusted to the head butler at that time. It’s Simone’s share.”
Simone opened her pocket. This large pocket was full of gold coins.
'This much...?'
She doesn't know the currency unit of this world yet, so she's not sure if it's a lot or a little, but visually it looked like a significant amount.
“I said you were going there because you needed something and he told you to buy it as much as you wanted. Whether it’s clothes or objects...”
Kaylee couldn't take her eyes off the pockets.
Gulp.
The sound of drooling seemed to even be heard by Simone. Simone hurriedly put the purse into her bag.
"Thank you."
“Simone!”
Anna came back looking excited. She said she was changing clothes, and she only took off her apron. Instead, she was carrying a small bag, separate from the grocery bag, crossed on both shoulders.
“Then shall we go?”
Instead of answering, Simone approached Anna. Kaylee handed Simone's bag over to the guard guarding her and said to Anna.
"Thank you."
“Simone!”
Anna came back looking excited. She said she was changing clothes, and she only took off her apron. Instead, she was carrying a small bag, separate from the grocery bag, crossed on both shoulders.
“Then shall we go?”
Instead of answering, Simone approached Anna. Kaylee handed Simone's bag over to the guard guarding her and said to Anna.
“Anna, you should never go down a dangerous road. You know?"
“Yes, yes!”
“Don’t take a different route just because there are escorts. Just do your business and come back.”
Kaylee glanced at Simone.
“...I wonder if that will happen, though.”
She's a person who doesn't know where they going to end up. In addition, Anna is also prone to being swayed by Simone's words and actions, so she probably won't follow Kaylee's advice.
So Kaylee spoke again.
“Anna, you have to come back as soon as it gets dark. You know that we must prioritize Simone’s safety above all else, right?”
"Yes. I know, sister.”
“Don’t forget that she is the hope of this mansion.”
Anna's expression became even more solemn at Kaylee's words.
“I will definitely protect her!”
Kaylee gave several more instructions to the employees accompanying Simone before letting them go.
The Illestone family's curse was widespread within the Ruan Empire, and in particular, strange rumors were spread in the village that not only the family members but also the employees were cursed, so they used to wander around the village safer than people from other noble families.
This is because people did not come close in case the curse spread.
However, now that the tree at the entrance, which was considered a sign or symbol that the Illeston family was cursed, has disappeared, it may be different from usual.
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