Whoa, I really nearly died back there!
Having escaped that creepy shop, I only managed to catch my breath after safely arriving at my room.
To think that pretending to be someone would be this exhausting.
From the moment I entered to the moment I left, it was a continuous stretch of tension.
‘Especially at the end…….’
When the silence fell inside, I really thought I was about to get stabbed.
I couldn’t forget the piercing gaze of the guard standing beside that superior of hers.
Still, it was worth it.
‘Understood.’
‘……!’
‘Since it’s a result you managed to produce for once, we can’t have you ruining that person’s grand plan over something trivial.’
Permission had fallen from that man’s mouth!
Of course, that wasn’t the end of it.
‘In exchange—’
Even if I didn’t make regular reports, I was to respond quickly to any contact from their side.
If I discovered suspicious circumstances regarding the Grand Duke, I was to report immediately.
Above all, I was to get closer to the Grand Duke.
It was a kind of conditional permission.
‘Still, that’s something, isn’t it?’
I had no ability to run away right now anyway, and with a weakness held over me, this was the best deal I could get.
‘At least I bought some time…….’
How to escape this spy profession would be something to worry about gradually from now on.
‘Keep in mind that your family’s lives depend on you.’
The weakness he had brought up until the very end.
At those words, my body trembled instinctively.
That was probably a reaction etched into ‘Lilian’s’ body, not ‘mine.’
‘Whether it’s fear or anger, I don’t know.’
Even I, a complete stranger, felt uneasy, so how much worse must she have felt?
I resolved to do my utmost to save Lilian’s family while playing the spy.
That was the bare minimum of courtesy as someone borrowing this body.
“Haahm—”
A yawn suddenly escaped me.
Perhaps because the tension had released, drowsiness came pouring in belatedly.
The dark outside had grown faintly bright before I knew it.
The sun would rise soon.
“I won’t even get two hours of sleep.”
A maid’s morning starts a little earlier than others.
Unable to bring myself to pull an all-nighter, I rubbed my stinging eyes and shuffled toward the bed.
‘Yes, let me sleep, even just a little…….’
Because starting tomorrow, I had a loooot of things to do.
* * *
“Heave-ho—!”
I moved the small ladder to the side.
Then I began diligently wiping the window right next to it.
Once with a wet cloth, once with a dry cloth.
That’s right.
Today’s task was ‘bedroom cleaning.’
Scrub, scrub—
With a sound that had become familiar by now, I moved my arms skillfully.
The window, which had already been clean, was almost transparent now.
“Phew…….”
I caught my breath and brushed aside the stray hairs tickling my face.
Now, if everyone saw up to here, they’d think it was no different from usual.
But it was clearly different.
‘Because this is part of the “Get Close to the Landlord Project”!’
Sorry to the Grand Duke, but I think I need to know a bit more about him.
For my sake and for the sake of this body’s owner.
‘Who knows when they’ll demand what from the other side.’
Having accidentally become a personal maid, I was free from the regular Grand Duke observation reports, but the mission itself wasn’t over yet.
Depending on the situation, Lilian’s position could change at any time.
‘But what if they suddenly ask about the Grand Duke’s movements or secrets?’
I needed at least something plausible to answer with.
Even if it was half-truth mixed with lies.
But with the Grand Duke on guard against me like this, what could I do?
I had to at least get somewhat close to him so I could follow him around and observe.
Thus, the method I chose, number one!
‘Everything is organized, Your Highness the Grand Duke.’
‘Ah, shall I redo it?’
‘Then while I’m at it, I’ll do that over there too!’
‘Is there anything else you’d like me to do?’
Working harder.
After all, in the workplace, the employee who works well and is pleasant is the best.
The Grand Duke is ultimately an employer, isn’t he?
He wouldn’t keep being wary of a maid who just diligently does her own work.
Is that all?
Of course not.
Get Close to the Grand Duke Project, number two!
‘Good morning, Your Highness the Grand Duke.’
‘Would you like another glass of water?’
‘Ah, if you need anything, please tell me anytime!’
Attending to the Grand Duke.
This was a slightly more difficult step than the first.
Because while not neglecting the tasks given to me, I had to make extra time separately.
‘Don’t underestimate a professional part-timer!’
I’m someone who worked three or four different part-time jobs a day because of split-shift hiring.
And on top of that, I even went to company interviews in between.
Splitting time within the same building is nothing.
‘I can do it well enough.’
First, I wake up at dawn and wait in front of the Grand Duke’s bedroom to greet him in the morning.
Then, during the morning, I thoroughly and quickly complete the tasks the Grand Duke had roughly assigned before disappearing.
Then, when lunchtime comes, I delay my own meal and attend to the Grand Duke’s meal.
He, who had never received separate meal attendance until now, looked at me with a dubious face, but I stubbornly held my position.
After the meal ends and the Grand Duke heads to his office, this time I thoroughly and quickly complete the afternoon tasks.
‘As much as possible before the Grand Duke comes to inspect.’
Then I wait outside the office and attend to him in place of the butler.
This was my daily routine these days.
‘……Enough, you may go.’
Of course, the Grand Duke still seemed wary.
‘But if he doesn’t chase me out when I attend to him, doesn’t that mean it’s okay?’
I decided to think positively.
If I went deeper, I felt like I’d want to cry…….
Click.
Just then, I heard the bedroom door open.
It was definitely the Grand Duke.
‘Huh, I’m not done yet!’
It was an earlier visit than usual.
At that, I hurriedly started down the ladder.
No, I tried to.
Stagger—
In an instant, my body swayed greatly.
I thought I had stepped on the ladder, but like a fool, I had stepped into empty air.
‘I-I’m falling!’
I unconsciously squeezed my eyes shut.
Imagining the pain that would soon come.
But then…….
‘Huh?’
It doesn’t…… hurt?
I definitely seemed to have hit the floor, but I didn’t feel the pain I expected.
I carefully opened my eyes.
“Ha……!”
The first thing I saw was the Grand Duke, standing with both hands awkwardly outstretched and wearing a hollow laugh.
Next, the ladder lying beside me.
And me, having landed stably on the floor by myself.
‘Wait. Landed?’
The moment I realized that, I recalled Lilian’s absurd reflexes.
The hand that had caught the wooden sword fragment flying at the back of my head faster than my eyes could follow.
That’s right.
Her body, sensing danger, had instinctively executed a breakfall!
‘A-are you insane?!’
What kind of ordinary maid naturally performs a rolling breakfall?!
I really wanted to grab the real Lilian by the shoulders and shake her.
Why didn’t you just fall over, huh?
But the incident had already happened, and all I could do was damage control.
My deliberation was short.
I belatedly collapsed toward the ladder.
“Ah, ouch……!”
Thud.
His eyes grew even colder.
* * *
I’m doomed.
I’m definitely doomed.
“It must have looked incredibly suspicious…….”
Probably.
It was an almost perfect breakfall, after all.
“I shouldn’t have pretended to fall at the end…….”
Why did I do that?
I tried to do damage control and only made myself more suspicious!
“Haah……. This doesn’t feel like my body…….”
Of course it doesn’t.
Because it’s not really my body.
Swiish, swish—
I muttered mechanically as I ironed.
My head was a mess from yesterday’s breakfall incident, but I still had to do my work.
‘It’s better for my mental health that way, too.’
Yesterday’s chilling atmosphere.
The employer who looked at me with an incredulous expression.
‘……Are you all right?’
‘Pardon? Ah, yes! Wow, I’m totally fine…….’
‘I see. It looks that way to me as well.’
This worst moment kept surfacing and threatening my mental health.
It was so bad that I even had nightmares at night.
