Chapter 8
Madam Howard’s face distorted even further.
“Come out this instant! Are you coming out or not?!”
But there was no way the culprit would show up on their own. Mad with rage, Madam Howard threw a fit of fury.
“Is anyone there?! Go find the culprit, right now!!”
At that urgent demand, other servants came running.
“What’s happening?”
“My goodness, were you hit with dirty water?”
Meanwhile, watching the noisy servants, Cecilia’s heart suddenly sank.
‘What if Milena gets caught?’
Madam Howard was quite ruthless toward subordinates. If Milena were captured, she would be in serious trouble. In the end, Cecilia spoke up while pretending to know nothing.
“Nurse, I know you’re angry, but why don’t you go inside and wash up first?”
“Pardon? But…!”
“The weather is still cold. It would be a big problem if you caught a cold.”
Cecilia looked at Madam Howard, faking a worried expression.
“We can always find the culprit later by sending people out. You’re shivering from the cold right now, aren’t you?”
It was true. Madam Howard’s shoulders were shaking pitifully. Eventually, the nurse left the scene with the help of other maids, acting as if she were giving in.
“Seriously, just wait until you’re caught! I won’t let this go!!”
As those shrill screams faded away, Cecilia looked up at the third-floor balcony with wide eyes. At that moment, a golden crown of hair suddenly popped up over the railing. It was Milena.
Milena, who was peeking out to check the surroundings, locked eyes with Cecilia. Milena asked with a silent hand gesture:
‘Are they gone?’
Cecilia nodded instinctively. Then, Milena straightened up and stood up from her spot. She flipped the empty bucket over, shook it lightly, and held her index finger to her lips.
‘Shh.’
Cecilia’s blue-green eyes shook violently as if an earthquake had hit. Giving one last bright smile, Milena vanished back into the building. After waiting a moment, Cecilia saw Milena running toward her after coming down to the first floor.
“Milena!”
Milena asked, gasping for breath.
“What happened to Madam Howard? I couldn’t check because I was hiding. But seeing how angry she was, it seems like the water hit her properly.””U-uh? Yes, she was completely soaked, but…”
Answering blankly, Cecilia belatedly snapped back to her senses.
“Did… did you really do that?”
“Yes.”
Milena nodded proudly, gave a short laugh, and lifted her chin.
“In my heart, I really wish she’d catch a terrible cold.”
“W-why did you do that?”
Because she was so surprised, Cecilia stuttered a bit without realizing it. Milena answered with a face that asked why she was even questioning something so obvious.
“Well, that person was being too rude to you, my Lady.”
“Really?”
Cecilia blinked blankly. Just for that reason? …To take my side?
“Of course! Even if she is your nurse, it’s not right to treat the Young Lady so rudely like that.”
“T-that… she’s the nurse that Mother personally assigned to me, so…”
“Does being that kind of person mean she’s allowed to be disrespectful to you?”
Milena’s eyes flashed fiercely.
“It doesn’t matter who assigned her. What matters is how that person acted toward you, my Lady.”
“……”
It was the first time. A person getting angry for Cecilia’s sake. Everyone else tells her she needs to try harder. They say she won’t be loved otherwise. But Milena tells her that Cecilia deserves respect as a matter of course. …For some reason, that fact made her truly happy.
“And if she’s a nurse, shouldn’t she always be by your side? Why do I feel like this is the first time I’ve seen her?”
“That’s… because she’s busy because of Brother.”
Cecilia tried her best to smile. Meanwhile, seeing that weak smile, Milena’s face crumpled even more. So, she was busy sucking up to the Young Duke, that damn ‘real son.’ And Cecilia was treated like an outcast?!
‘I mean, the original story described the discrimination in detail.’
But seeing the blatant favoritism with my own eyes made my stomach churn. Besides, what’s with all that “Real Cecilia” talk at every turn? I’m starting to understand why Cecilia sharpened the blade of revenge. …The problem is that I’m the target of that revenge!
But then.
“Still… thank you.”
A very tiny whisper landed on my ear.
‘Huh?’
Milena looked at Cecilia with wide eyes. As if wondering when she had ever said thank you, Cecilia was looking away, pretending to be busy with something else. Her snow-white ears had already turned bright red.
“Pardon? My Lady, excuse me, but what did you say?”
Feeling playful, Milena feigned ignorance and asked back. Cecilia returned to her usual coy expression and snapped:
“If you didn’t hear it, then forget it.”
Then she began to walk ahead quickly as if she were running away…
‘Ha, what should I do?’
Why is this? In the original story, she was definitely a cool and haughty beauty. Why does she just look like a feisty little kitten to my eyes?! Milena suppressed the laughter trying to break out and quickly chased after Cecilia.
“My Lady? My Lady! Wait for me!”
Since the day I poured dirty water on Madam Howard’s head, Cecilia’s attitude had become strangely soft.
“Doesn’t it hurt your legs to stand like that? Why don’t you just sit here?”
Even while reading alone, she would insist I sit beside her.
“Say, Milena, what kind of food do you like the most?”
She would also subtly ask questions about me. Today was the same. She suddenly declared she would have tea time and laid out a table full of all sorts of desserts.
Tarts topped with plenty of strawberries, fluffy whipped cream cakes, chocolate eclairs filled with custard, cookies, and even thick-filled sandwiches. The desserts, crafted with great care by the Baron of Trangsie’s pastry chef, looked delicious, of course, but…
‘Isn’t that way too much for one person to eat?’
Just as I was looking at the tea table with a suspicious face, Cecilia suddenly gave a small nod of her chin toward the mountain of desserts.
“This is too much.”
Yes, it certainly looks that way… At the same time, Cecilia looked straight at me.
“Sit down.”
“Pardon?”
“I can’t eat all of this by myself.”
“But…”
“It would be a waste to leave it.”
After replying like that, Cecilia dropped her head over her cake plate, pretending to be unbothered. Seeing her desperately trying to avoid my gaze, I suppressed the chuckle that was about to escape.
‘Ah, she prepared a lot on purpose so she could eat with me.’
Well, even so, it seemed like a lot… I sat down, acting as if I had no choice. Cecilia glanced at me sideways and then slid a plate toward me. It was a tart with red strawberries shining like jewels.
“This one was delicious.”
“Thank you, my Lady.”
I didn’t refuse and picked up my fork. The savory, crisp tart shell, the smooth custard cream, and the fresh strawberries. I was a little moved by the symphony of sweet flavors harmonizing in my mouth.
‘Wow, this is really good!’
Meanwhile, Cecilia, who was watching me intently, suddenly asked:
“Is it good?”
“Yes, it’s really delicious!”
I met Cecilia’s gaze with sparkling eyes. Cecilia’s face brightened like a sky after the rain.
“Really? It’s good?”
Then she quickly managed her expression and added coyly:
“W-well, then eat more.”
A pound cake filled with nuts and dried fruit was placed in front of me. Of course, I didn’t refuse.
