Whether she cared or not, the nerve war between Anna and Ivy continued.
“Hmph, when someone’s blinded by greed, there’s nothing they can’t do.”
“Could you do something like that to His Highness the Grand Duke? Huh?”
“I’m different from you!”
“What’s so different? You’ve only been here a year yourself.”
“No, but why are you the one getting all worked up and making a fuss? Got something to feel guilty about?”
“What? You’re the one throwing your weight around because the head maid has your back!”
“Why you—!”
Just as the agitated Ivy was about to lunge—
“You there.”
At the all-too-familiar voice, we reflexively looked toward the door.
There stood the head maid with a cold expression.
Startled, we hurriedly straightened ourselves.
So did Anna and Ivy.
Instead of scolding this noisy atmosphere further, the head maid pointed at me and spoke.
“His Highness the Grand Duke is looking for you, Lilian.”
* * *
Gulp.
I swallowed without realizing it.
‘So in the end…….’
Standing before the Grand Duke of Pellium, I struggled to calm my nerves.
Meanwhile, the Grand Duke, who had summoned me to his study, leisurely looked over some documents.
Rustle—
In the suffocating silence, only the sound of thin pages turning echoed.
I fidgeted with my fingers for no reason, then soon recalled the conversation I’d had with the head maid while walking down the corridor.
‘Um, may I ask…… what a personal maid is supposed to do?’
At that question, the head maid stared at me for a moment.
Then she answered in her blunt tone.
‘Follow only His Highness the Grand Duke’s orders. Whatever they may be.’
It was an uncertain, ambiguous answer—unlike her.
‘Follow whatever he says…….’
No, but how would I know what the Grand Duke might order?
I decided to try guessing the Grand Duke’s intentions.
‘Considering the position of an ordinary maid, the Grand Duke of Pellium’s personality, and my media experience from my past life…….’
The Grand Duke in my imagination rose from his seat and strode over.
Then he roughly loosened his tie and spoke.
‘You dare say you like me? Then prove it.’
‘H-how……?’
‘With your body.’
Nooo—!!
My face contorted reflexively, and my fists trembled.
The imagination that had started lightly was already spiraling out of control.
Tap.
Just then, the Grand Duke, having carefully checked even the last page of the documents, finally set them down.
“Lilian.”
At that low voice, my shoulders flinched.
It was the first time he had called me by name.
‘Sh-should I answer?’
As I briefly deliberated, the Grand Duke’s words continued.
“Your full name is Lilian Shields. Currently the youngest daughter of the fallen Viscount Shields. With the family ruined and even your relatives dead, it must have been quite hard at a young age.”
Wait.
Lilian was of noble birth?
It was a fact I had no idea about.
There had been no such indication from the traces Lilian left behind or from the behavior of those around her.
‘Did she hide it on purpose?’
Well, considering Lilian’s true profession, that made sense.
A spy had nothing to gain from standing out.
“After that, it seems you drifted from one relative’s house to another. But it appears you weren’t treated merely as a maid? Judging by how clumsy you were at the work here.”
Somehow, it felt strange.
Because the real Lilian’s circumstances felt similar to mine.
Enough that I wondered if that was why I had possessed this body.
Tap, tap.
He tapped the documents he had set down with his index finger.
“Well, though a few sheets of paper like this can’t fully judge a person’s life.”
The Grand Duke stared at me intently.
‘This is…….’
It was the gaze of someone observing another’s reaction.
In my past life, I had received it so often I was sick of it—that look.
But there was one difference: strangely, no malice could be felt from him.
Separate from the pressure and tension.
“Hmm…….”
Silence fell once again.
The Grand Duke watched me without a word, and I kept bowing my head to avoid his eyes.
After quite some time.
At last, the Grand Duke spoke first.
“Let’s begin, then.”
“……!”
In that instant, I snapped to attention.
The outrageous imagination I’d had just minutes ago rushed back like a tidal wave.
And then, clunk.
The Grand Duke actually rose from his seat.
He was even striding toward me!
‘W-what do I do!’
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Was his intention really what I’d imagined?
Then what should I do?
Should I just run?
But right now, Lilian is a girl in unrequited love with the Grand Duke!
Stop.
At some point, the Grand Duke stood before me.
I kept my eyes shut and clenched both hands tightly.
Now the Grand Duke would roughly loosen his tie—
“From here to here.”
Huh?
I opened my eyes to slits and looked up at him.
The Grand Duke’s long finger was pointing not at his tie, but at either side of me.
‘Bookshelves?’
Large bookshelves filled both walls came into view.
And the books densely packed within them.
Unable to understand his actions, I tilted my head.
Then the Grand Duke spoke again.
“Organize the bookshelves. It would be good if they’re easy to find things in and tidy.”
All of this……?
I unconsciously stared at him with bewildered eyes.
At that, he let out a small exclamation as if understanding, and gestured.
“Ah, the ladder is over there.”
Thud.
The thick study door closed.
Having personally even pointed out the ladder’s location, the Grand Duke left just like that.
Leaving only me behind.
“Ah……?”
What is this?
This situation?
I was definitely summoned as a personal maid, so why did I suddenly end up organizing bookshelves?
‘Even if I have to do whatever he says…….’
Is this really right?
Unable to understand the flow at all, my body refused to move readily.
Why is the Grand Duke making Lilian do this?
And so abruptly.
“N-no way?!”
Is he testing me right now?
Whether I do anything suspicious or not.
No, maybe he’s hidden confidential documents among these books.
Like very appetizing bait.
‘If that’s the case—’
There was only one action I could show.
Whoosh, I turned my head and glared at the two massive bookshelves.
And at the tremendous amount of books stuffed in there.
I pressed my lips together and heaved up the ladder the Grand Duke had left behind with all my strength.
* * *
Several days passed like that.
I realized a fact that was both natural and astonishing.
‘Bait, my foot!’
I think I’ve just been singled out by the Grand Duke.
Why do I think so?
‘Cough, cough!’
First, as you know, on the first day, I organized the bookshelves.
The books were all heavy, I kept sneezing from the dust, and on top of that, I had no idea how to organize them—but I sorted the books by recalling my memories of working as a library assistant when I was a student.
‘Back then, I only did it because they gave out gift certificates.’
To think it would be useful like this.
Truly, there was no such thing as a useless experience in this world.
‘Now that it’s all organized, it’s kind of satisfying!’
Hehe—
Back then, I smiled without a care.
Not knowing that this was only the ‘beginning’……
‘The bedroom’s layout is really bothering me. I might as well change it while I’m at it.’
From the crack of dawn, I overturned the positions of all the furniture and objects in the Grand Duke’s bedroom.
I don’t know what exactly was bothering him, but anyway, that’s what happened.
‘There are a lot of wrinkled clothes over there. Since there’s no telling when they’ll be worn, iron them all.’
I pulled out all the clothes that had been carefully stored because the Grand Duke never wore them and ironed them.
As he said, I had no idea when they’d ever be worn, but anyway, that’s what happened.
‘There’s still pollen on it. Again.’
I had to redo the cleaning because I failed the Grand Duke’s inspection, which was stricter than even the head maid’s.
Again and again.
‘That damn “again,” “again”!’
Clench.
My hand gripping the curtain tightened on its own.
But soon, at the sound of a rip, I flinched and released the tension.
And this is hardly a cheap curtain!
