As I stood there shivering, Granada wrapped several towels around my body.
“Don’t get into bed; stay warm in front of the fireplace.”
“Yeah, I understand.”
I went to the fireplace obediently.
Meanwhile, the maids of Ronheim Castle came in and out several times to change the bath water.
Their faces clearly showed their displeasure at me for making them take two baths of water.
Granada quietly watched the maids, who had been watching closely, lower their eyes and quickly carried out the tasks they had been instructed to do.
Granada sent the maids and took me to soak me in new water.
I opened my eyes wide in surprise, not knowing that she, who was feeling unwell, would try to wash me herself.
“Why does the head maid do this herself instead of having the other maids do it?”
Granada tied her waistband and pulled up her skirt to keep it from touching the wet floor.
The wooden prosthesis was clearly visible beneath the hem of her raised skirt.
"They should have been back home with their families, having dinner together, and going to bed by now. They volunteered to stay, rejoicing at the news of their master's return. They didn't stay to work."
“Is that so?”
Without realizing it, my gaze briefly touched Granada's prosthetic leg and then dropped.
Then, my eyes met with Granada's, and I confessed in shock, as if I had been caught doing something bad.
“I’m sorry for looking at you.”
“Don’t worry about it. People are naturally surprised and curious by things they are not familiar with.”
“But that’s not polite.”
“It’s okay, even if it’s not a nice gaze, there’s no need to feel bad about being looked at without realizing it.”
That was a very generous remark.
Despite her indifferent expression, her hands were very delicate.
She was so careful, as if she thought that if she touched me with just the slightest force, my arm would break.
Maybe that's why her touch felt ticklish.
It was so different from the palace maids who would rub my skin as if they were going to peel it off.
'I think you're worried about me.'
I felt it even though I didn't say anything.
For some reason, I felt good and smiled. Just a moment ago, Granada seemed scary, but once I was actually served, it wasn't.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Yes? Oh, no. It’s just. It tickles a little.”
“Are you hurt? If you are, please tell me.”
“It doesn’t hurt at all.”
Granada asked curiously, seeing the red marks that looked like they had been scratched by something.
“What are these marks? They look like they were just made.”
I felt embarrassed and laughed.
“I cleaned it with a brush that was in the bath basket, and that’s what happened.”
At my words, a vertical wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows.
“It is a brush used to scrape off dead skin cells from the soles of the feet.”
"Ah..."
After that, silence fell on the bathroom.
I kept my mouth shut in embarrassment, and perhaps Granada was speechless at my ignorance.
Like the nomad children, she probably saw me as a well-grown Princess who didn't know how to do anything.
I sat there sullenly hugging my knees, staring down at the rippling water in the bathtub. Then, feeling that I needed to turn my attention to something else, I found a question and asked it.
“Do all the employees of the castle commute to work?”
“Usually, yes.”
“There is no one living there?”
“Except for a few people, including me, Butler Mainz, and the chef, everyone takes turns on duty.”
“I see... Why didn’t you hire a resident employee?”
"It's not that we don't hire them, it's that no one is willing to do so. The castle is always short of workers. The people of Ronheim prefer hunting to earning money through labor, providing food for their households."
"Yes?"
It was an incredibly unfamiliar story to me.
In Arrental, every house had a live-in maid.
The maids were afraid of losing their jobs, grumbling that there were too many workers and too few jobs.
So, I often followed my employer's unreasonable instructions.
For example, a drunken husband orders his wife to be tied to a bedpost all day.
I shook my head, startled by the painful memories of the past that suddenly came flooding back to me. I wanted to shake them off.
“Why are you doing that?”
“No, nothing.”
Granada tilted her head in puzzlement, but asked me without further questioning.
“Please cherish your workers, as they are being held captive by begging them not to quit their jobs.”
“I see. I understand.”
I looked back at Granada and smiled.
“Thank you for the detailed explanation. It will be helpful. I look forward to working with you in the future.”
“Ah... Yes.”
Granada, whose eyes met mine, seemed to pause for a moment. Her hands suddenly quickened.
'What?'
As I was coming out of the bath with Granada's help, someone knocked outside the room.
“I’ll go out and take a look.”
Granada limped over to the door and opened it, revealing Alex and Brentian behind it.
Granada, who had a brief conversation with Brentian, turned to me and shouted.
“They say they brought Madam’s things.”
"Thing?"
I was startled to see the teddy bears and cushions in their hands.
'I was so focused on not crying that I forgot about that!'
I couldn't believe that I was just wasting all my money and all my revenge money.
Even though I was in my pajamas, I ran over and asked the two people for help.
“Thank you so much for remembering to bring it to me. Could you move it inside?”
"Yes."
Alex carefully placed the teddy bear and cushion on my bed.
Then, after hesitating for a while, he closed his eyes tightly and confessed.
“The teddy bear got a little dirty. I didn’t take good care of it... I’m sorry.”
I nodded generously, thinking that the doll's shell wasn't important.
“It’s okay. Thank you for taking responsibility and taking care of me.”
Alex stared at me.
“Really... are you okay? I’m sure it’s a precious item...”
“Don’t worry about it.”
I said it with a smile on my face, hoping he wouldn't worry, but his eyes looked a little strange.
It seemed like he wanted to hear a different answer from me.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, no. I’ll be going now. Get some rest.”
“Yes, Sir Alex too.”
Alex turned and walked towards the door.
Through the crack in the door that Granada had left open, Brentian was seen waiting for Alex with his arms crossed.
Alex seemed to have seen Brentian, too.
For some reason, when his eyes met Brentian's, he flinched and turned around to come back to me.
Granada narrowed her eyes, glancing between Brentian and Alex. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who found their behavior awkward.
Alex spoke with his eyes downcast, not meeting my gaze.
"The doll got quite dirty during our trip. Since you entrusted it to me, would it be right if I took full responsibility for it and washed it thoroughly?"
“No, you don’t have to. I’m fine.”
"Let's clearly refuse," Alex said, glancing at Brentian again.
“It’s quite heavy for a doll and cushion, so it would be very difficult for the maids to carry them.”
I noticed Alex was openly flirting with me, probably at Brentian's direction.
'They noticed there was something inside.'
What should I say? How should I say it so that it doesn't sound suspicious?
As I was thinking carefully about what to say, Alex let out a small sigh and suddenly bowed his head deeply in greeting.
"No. I feel like I've disturbed your rest for no reason. I apologize."
I smiled awkwardly and told him it was okay this time, and he ran out of the room at a brisk pace.
I saw Brentian glaring at Alex with wide eyes.
Then Granada, with his characteristic blank expression, told me that she would be out for a moment.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“What are you doing?”
Granada, who came out of the hallway, glared fiercely at Brentian and Alex.
"Brentian, why are you being so rude, so uncharacteristic of yourself? No matter how much you dislike her, she was brought here by the master."
The maid, Granada, spoke to Brentian as if he were her subordinate.
"I won't tell you to do your best, but shouldn't you at least show some courtesy? At least for the sake of your master's reputation."
Instead of getting angry at Granada for being rude to him, who was of a lower status than him, Brentian explained to her politely.
“That’s not it, Granada.”
“Call me without your name.”
“...Yes, Granada. Anyway, I thought there was a dangerous weapon hidden inside that doll and cushion, so I checked the Princess’s reaction.”
"What?"
Granada burst out laughing out of nowhere when she heard that.
“Don’t get into bed; stay warm in front of the fireplace.”
“Yeah, I understand.”
I went to the fireplace obediently.
Meanwhile, the maids of Ronheim Castle came in and out several times to change the bath water.
Their faces clearly showed their displeasure at me for making them take two baths of water.
Granada quietly watched the maids, who had been watching closely, lower their eyes and quickly carried out the tasks they had been instructed to do.
Granada sent the maids and took me to soak me in new water.
I opened my eyes wide in surprise, not knowing that she, who was feeling unwell, would try to wash me herself.
“Why does the head maid do this herself instead of having the other maids do it?”
Granada tied her waistband and pulled up her skirt to keep it from touching the wet floor.
The wooden prosthesis was clearly visible beneath the hem of her raised skirt.
"They should have been back home with their families, having dinner together, and going to bed by now. They volunteered to stay, rejoicing at the news of their master's return. They didn't stay to work."
“Is that so?”
Without realizing it, my gaze briefly touched Granada's prosthetic leg and then dropped.
Then, my eyes met with Granada's, and I confessed in shock, as if I had been caught doing something bad.
“I’m sorry for looking at you.”
“Don’t worry about it. People are naturally surprised and curious by things they are not familiar with.”
“But that’s not polite.”
“It’s okay, even if it’s not a nice gaze, there’s no need to feel bad about being looked at without realizing it.”
That was a very generous remark.
Despite her indifferent expression, her hands were very delicate.
She was so careful, as if she thought that if she touched me with just the slightest force, my arm would break.
Maybe that's why her touch felt ticklish.
It was so different from the palace maids who would rub my skin as if they were going to peel it off.
'I think you're worried about me.'
I felt it even though I didn't say anything.
For some reason, I felt good and smiled. Just a moment ago, Granada seemed scary, but once I was actually served, it wasn't.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Yes? Oh, no. It’s just. It tickles a little.”
“Are you hurt? If you are, please tell me.”
“It doesn’t hurt at all.”
Granada asked curiously, seeing the red marks that looked like they had been scratched by something.
“What are these marks? They look like they were just made.”
I felt embarrassed and laughed.
“I cleaned it with a brush that was in the bath basket, and that’s what happened.”
At my words, a vertical wrinkle appeared between her eyebrows.
“It is a brush used to scrape off dead skin cells from the soles of the feet.”
"Ah..."
After that, silence fell on the bathroom.
I kept my mouth shut in embarrassment, and perhaps Granada was speechless at my ignorance.
Like the nomad children, she probably saw me as a well-grown Princess who didn't know how to do anything.
I sat there sullenly hugging my knees, staring down at the rippling water in the bathtub. Then, feeling that I needed to turn my attention to something else, I found a question and asked it.
“Do all the employees of the castle commute to work?”
“Usually, yes.”
“There is no one living there?”
“Except for a few people, including me, Butler Mainz, and the chef, everyone takes turns on duty.”
“I see... Why didn’t you hire a resident employee?”
"It's not that we don't hire them, it's that no one is willing to do so. The castle is always short of workers. The people of Ronheim prefer hunting to earning money through labor, providing food for their households."
"Yes?"
It was an incredibly unfamiliar story to me.
In Arrental, every house had a live-in maid.
The maids were afraid of losing their jobs, grumbling that there were too many workers and too few jobs.
So, I often followed my employer's unreasonable instructions.
For example, a drunken husband orders his wife to be tied to a bedpost all day.
I shook my head, startled by the painful memories of the past that suddenly came flooding back to me. I wanted to shake them off.
“Why are you doing that?”
“No, nothing.”
Granada tilted her head in puzzlement, but asked me without further questioning.
“Please cherish your workers, as they are being held captive by begging them not to quit their jobs.”
“I see. I understand.”
I looked back at Granada and smiled.
“Thank you for the detailed explanation. It will be helpful. I look forward to working with you in the future.”
“Ah... Yes.”
Granada, whose eyes met mine, seemed to pause for a moment. Her hands suddenly quickened.
'What?'
***
As I was coming out of the bath with Granada's help, someone knocked outside the room.
“I’ll go out and take a look.”
Granada limped over to the door and opened it, revealing Alex and Brentian behind it.
Granada, who had a brief conversation with Brentian, turned to me and shouted.
“They say they brought Madam’s things.”
"Thing?"
I was startled to see the teddy bears and cushions in their hands.
'I was so focused on not crying that I forgot about that!'
I couldn't believe that I was just wasting all my money and all my revenge money.
Even though I was in my pajamas, I ran over and asked the two people for help.
“Thank you so much for remembering to bring it to me. Could you move it inside?”
"Yes."
Alex carefully placed the teddy bear and cushion on my bed.
Then, after hesitating for a while, he closed his eyes tightly and confessed.
“The teddy bear got a little dirty. I didn’t take good care of it... I’m sorry.”
I nodded generously, thinking that the doll's shell wasn't important.
“It’s okay. Thank you for taking responsibility and taking care of me.”
Alex stared at me.
“Really... are you okay? I’m sure it’s a precious item...”
“Don’t worry about it.”
I said it with a smile on my face, hoping he wouldn't worry, but his eyes looked a little strange.
It seemed like he wanted to hear a different answer from me.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, no. I’ll be going now. Get some rest.”
“Yes, Sir Alex too.”
Alex turned and walked towards the door.
Through the crack in the door that Granada had left open, Brentian was seen waiting for Alex with his arms crossed.
Alex seemed to have seen Brentian, too.
For some reason, when his eyes met Brentian's, he flinched and turned around to come back to me.
Granada narrowed her eyes, glancing between Brentian and Alex. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who found their behavior awkward.
Alex spoke with his eyes downcast, not meeting my gaze.
"The doll got quite dirty during our trip. Since you entrusted it to me, would it be right if I took full responsibility for it and washed it thoroughly?"
“No, you don’t have to. I’m fine.”
"Let's clearly refuse," Alex said, glancing at Brentian again.
“It’s quite heavy for a doll and cushion, so it would be very difficult for the maids to carry them.”
I noticed Alex was openly flirting with me, probably at Brentian's direction.
'They noticed there was something inside.'
What should I say? How should I say it so that it doesn't sound suspicious?
As I was thinking carefully about what to say, Alex let out a small sigh and suddenly bowed his head deeply in greeting.
"No. I feel like I've disturbed your rest for no reason. I apologize."
I smiled awkwardly and told him it was okay this time, and he ran out of the room at a brisk pace.
I saw Brentian glaring at Alex with wide eyes.
Then Granada, with his characteristic blank expression, told me that she would be out for a moment.
“I’ll be back soon.”
***
“What are you doing?”
Granada, who came out of the hallway, glared fiercely at Brentian and Alex.
"Brentian, why are you being so rude, so uncharacteristic of yourself? No matter how much you dislike her, she was brought here by the master."
The maid, Granada, spoke to Brentian as if he were her subordinate.
"I won't tell you to do your best, but shouldn't you at least show some courtesy? At least for the sake of your master's reputation."
Instead of getting angry at Granada for being rude to him, who was of a lower status than him, Brentian explained to her politely.
“That’s not it, Granada.”
“Call me without your name.”
“...Yes, Granada. Anyway, I thought there was a dangerous weapon hidden inside that doll and cushion, so I checked the Princess’s reaction.”
"What?"
Granada burst out laughing out of nowhere when she heard that.
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