Chapter 14

“Kyaa…”

Thud.

And of all things, it was a stocking.

It fell onto someone’s face.

Elena and the maid simultaneously stared ahead with startled faces.

Slowly.

The stocking that had been draped over someone’s face slid down.

“Gah…”

The maid let out a sound as if her breath had stopped.

Elena swallowed hard.

“Maxim…”

Maxim let out a breath and blinked slowly.

The maid, not knowing what to do, threw herself flat on the floor, and Elena covered her mouth.

Maxim looked back and forth between the two and then stared at the pale thing that had fallen to the floor.

He could roughly guess what had happened.

“…Why are you doing this?”

“Maxim, I’m sorry. We—no, I… I was just talking with her for an amicable agreement, and of all things…”

You happened to pass by here.

Elena swallowed the words she could not finish.

“…Elena, this is the maid’s job. That child has been assigned as your attendant.”

“B-but I did not come here to enjoy such things. Besides, I’ll be leaving soon…”

This naive woman seemed to have no idea of Hazel’s grand plan.

Somehow, feeling like a fellow victim, Maxim’s mood improved slightly.

And to think she had seemed so meek—she had this stubborn streak too.

Maxim smiled crookedly.

“Whether it’s for a short while or not, you are a guest here. And yet, as a guest, do you intend to break the rules of this mansion? By snatching the maid’s work, are you trying to take that child’s job away?”

Elena whipped her head around to look at the maid lying flat on the floor.

The maid was now glaring at Elena with resentment in her eyes.

The maid, who had been on the verge of tears, bowed her head to the floor again.

“Master! No, that’s not it. I am truly a useful person! Not just laundry—I’m good at cooking too… and I have a talent for sewing as well! Please don’t send me away!”

Elena turned pale.

Maxim’s words just now had sounded like he intended to fire the maid.

If that happened, then just as Maxim said, this poor maid would lose her job because of Elena.

For Elena, who had a family to support and had been searching for the highest-paying jobs possible, this was unacceptable.

“I-I never intended anything like that! Maxim, please don’t do that.”

Elena hurriedly set the laundry she was holding down into the laundry basket.

Then she shot to her feet and smiled brightly.

“The maid has plenty of work to do.”

“I see. That’s a relief. I thought Madame Greta had hired surplus staff.”

Elena quickly shook her head.

Those words sounded like a threat that, if things went wrong, the sparks would reach Madame Greta as well.

Elena fidgeted with her fingers.

She still thought this was something she should do, but for now, it seemed she had to yield.

“Where are you coming from, Maxim?”

Elena quickly changed the subject.

“I just stopped by to pick up some documents. You should do what you need to do.”

“…There’s nothing I need to do.”

Maxim smiled crookedly again.

If he thought of the murderous schedule Hazel had in mind for Elena, such words would not come out.

Well, ignorance is bliss for now.

He could see exactly what Hazel was thinking.

Maxim gazed for a moment into Elena’s blue eyes.

What was it?

What on earth made that woman appeal to Hazel?

The deep blue eyes gazed at Maxim.

Within them rippled waves as if they might swallow Maxim whole.

At that moment.

[Maxim. I only taught that woman her place. That woman needed to know clearly where she belongs.]

A weeping woman, a viciously snarling Camellia, and a party venue turned into a chaos.

Such scenes flashed by like fragments.

Maxim ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth.

Sometimes the future appeared to him in fragments like this.

It was one of the abilities passed down through the imperial bloodline.

In the previous generation, Hazel had inherited this ability, and in this generation, Maxim had inherited it.

When it passed to Maxim, Hazel’s ability disappeared.

Hazel had used this ability for the sake of the country, but Maxim used it mostly for private purposes.

Thanks to that, his department store business was booming and satisfying investors—how fortunate.

In any case, it had always had a 100 percent accuracy rate, so this too would surely come to pass.

It seemed Camellia, Elena, and Maxim himself were all going to be troubled.

Maxim clicked his tongue.

“Soon, there will be something you need to do, Elena.”

Maxim added.

“Be careful of parties.”

Elena nodded with a startled face.

Maxim brushed past Elena and the maid.

After Maxim turned the corner and disappeared, the maid and Elena met eyes again.

The maid, her nose red, glared at Elena.

“Are you going to steal my work again?”

Elena quickly shook her head.

“Absolutely not!”

“Then that’s fine.”

The maid, speaking primly, shot up with the laundry.

Elena, having helped the maid, caught hold of her.

“…I’m truly sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

This guest was far too kind.

It was the first time she had seen a young lady so readily apologize to a maid.

Besides, the maid knew Elena had not meant any harm.

How could someone whose heart was so plainly visible have any hidden scheme?

The maid swallowed a sigh and spoke.

“It’s all right. But I have a lot to do today.”

Elena nodded and released the maid.

Watching the maid walk away, Elena bowed her head sullenly.

He said to do what I need to do.

What should I do?

What I need to do right now.

As Elena was worrying as if something had broken, a maid came running to her.

“My lady! My lady! Leana has a fever!”

The maid, who had cried out in a shrill voice, grabbed Elena and pulled her along.

Startled, Elena gathered her skirt and ran.

Yes, there was something she needed to do.

Elena gritted her teeth.

* * *

“Elena went out?”

“Yes, madam.”

“Hmm.”

Hazel stared outside with worried eyes.

It was just about to rain.

To go out in this weather…

“And Leana?”

“Leana is sleeping now. She seemed to have a slight fever since yesterday. After Lady Elena gave her medicine, the fever has gone down a little.”

Hazel pressed her temple with quiet eyes.

The doctor who had previously cared for Leana in Rebunto had said that if the child took her medicine, she would live somewhat longer, but if not, she would not live long.

The image of Elena muttering with a pale face came to mind.

How much must her heart be burning inside?

The young people of this era seemed to suffer too much.

Hazel let out a sigh.

“Who is serving as the physician at the Adeloff ducal house these days?”

“It is Mr. Miles.”

“Is Mr. Miles good with young girls as well? According to Elena, it’s an illness she’ll carry for life.”

“Well… after that incident, the prince became independent from the imperial palace, and the empress personally selected and assigned him.”

That meant he was overseeing Maxim’s mental health and overall condition.

“For now, contact Mr. Miles and have him examine Leana. Greta, do you understand why I brought those children here?”

“How could I presume to judge?”

“Greta, they say connections are unknowable. I am thinking that perhaps those children may form a deep connection with us.”

Madame Greta nodded.

It meant she understood.

Since that incident, Maxim had grown cold, as if sunk to the bottom of a lake.

If Hazel intended to bring Elena, she would have considered many things.

“Do you understand why I am telling you this now?”

“I will look into finding a nanny to care for the child, as well as a new physician. We can redirect the remaining budget.”

“Do not worry about the budget. If funds are needed, the empress herself will provide them.”

It meant even the imperial household was invested in this matter.

Madame Greta carefully brought up a suggestion.

“Then how about inviting Mr. Ollen?”

“Ollen?”

“Yes.”

“That is a good idea.”

Ollen was counted among the finest physicians in the empire.

He currently worked as an imperial physician, responsible for the health of the imperial family.

If it was Ollen…

‘There might be a way.’