“Haah…….”
I couldn’t sleep a wink after all.
I rubbed my thoroughly darkened under-eyes and let out a deep sigh. Just then, Anna, who was beside me, approached.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Anna, who had been there when I first opened my eyes after possessing this body, still seemed worried about Lilian.
“No, I just couldn’t sleep well…….”
At that, I trailed off and waved my hand as if it were nothing. Even though something had, in fact, happened.
‘Oh, no, right? Huh? Tell me it’s not true, Lilian!’
Last night.
Because of a single secret letter left in Lilian’s room, my new life plan had been completely ruined.
‘Lilian, who I thought was an ordinary maid, was actually a spy?’
That means I’m a spy now!
Faced with a reality I simply couldn’t believe, I denied it for the time being.
‘Come on, it can’t be…….’
With that innocent face that looks like she couldn’t even kill a single ant.
Hadn’t the other maids testified just the other day? That she was a bit shy, but a kind friend who helped others well.
‘Right, just because she received a suspicious piece of paper doesn’t necessarily mean she’s a spy!’
Unlike my reason, which was desperately trying to spin a hopeful narrative, my body—dominated by instinct—was already rummaging through Lilian’s room from top to bottom.
As a result.
I found two well-sharpened daggers, a dark purple potion presumed to be poison, and along with assorted memorization notes, even a black cloth.
No matter what anyone said, these were spy-like items.
‘I want to cry, seriously…….’
Tears pricked at my eyes.
Wasn’t suffering enough in my past life? Now I have a second job here too? And as a spy, no less?
For someone with a liver the size of a bean like me, it was far too cruel a treatment. I’m the kind of person who, even in Mafia games, always prayed to be the innocent citizen!
Swoosh—
Meanwhile, as time passed, the letters on the secret letter disappeared as if they’d been waiting for it. It seemed to use a special ink, and even this was so spy-like that I grew even more sorrowful.
“Lilian!”
While I was blankly recalling last night’s events, Anna called me again. Then she promptly snatched away my broom.
“Ugh, this won’t do. Go wash your face or something and come back.”
Anna waved her hand as if telling me to hurry. Her tone was somewhat grumbling, but I knew this was her own way of being considerate.
“Thanks. I’ll be right back!”
My head had been a mess all along anyway, so this was perfect.
I quickly moved my feet in the direction Anna had indicated. It was the so-called shortcut that avoided running into the head maid.
Click, click.
My shoes echoed through the quiet hallway. Since everyone was busy working at this hour, there was no one in the corridor leading to the annex.
‘It was right here, wasn’t it?’
The Pellium Grand Ducal estate in the capital consisted largely of the main building, two annexes, and a garden.
The main building was, literally, the space where the master of this estate, the Grand Duke of Pellium, resided. It was also where Anna and I had been diligently cleaning until just now.
On either side were the east annex and the west annex; the east annex was used by the knights, and the west annex by servants like us.
‘A street urchin couldn’t even work here.’
The main building, of course, and even the annexes and garden were vast. At this rate, shouldn’t we honestly call it not a mansion but a palace? Maybe then people would have some sense of awe.
‘Anyway…….’
Who on earth had left that secret letter yesterday?
Once I was alone, my thoughts naturally drifted in that direction. It was only natural, really. This was a matter concerning my future identity!
‘Did someone sneak in from outside? Or is there another spy like Lilian?’
Maybe it wasn’t even a person but an animal. You know, in movies, they train birds or rats to be used.
‘No, wait.’
Before that, there was something I needed to think about first. The most fundamental question at this point.
‘Who on earth sent this body as a spy……!’
Lilian might know, but ‘I’ don’t!
My head throbbed. At this rate, I was going to end up doing spy work I wasn’t suited for, under someone I didn’t even know.
‘Should I search Lilian’s room once more?’
Yesterday was a bit rushed, after all. If I searched slowly again, I might be able to find hints about the mastermind.
‘Yes, let’s start there first!’
I clenched my fist firmly and urged on my now-slowed steps. I had to hurry back, at least for Anna, who would be cleaning alone.
That was when it happened.
‘Hm?’
Lilian’s sharp senses caught an unfamiliar presence. At that, I reflexively turned my head.
“Ah…….”
The first thing that caught my eye was a dazzling head of golden hair. The hair, sparkling in the sunlight, looked as if it had been melted down from gold itself.
Beneath it continued delicate, finely drawn features. Sharp eyes, a straight nose, and slightly closed lips were as beautiful as if they had stepped out of a masterpiece painting.
But what was most striking of all were his eyes.
‘Red…….’
The breathtakingly vivid crimson eyes made it impossible to look away from him.
As I stared blankly at him, the man gazed at me with an unreadable expression and tilted his head. Then he slowly parted his lips.
“How long do you intend to keep staring?”
In that instant, I snapped to my senses.
I hurriedly bowed my head toward the man.
‘If my guess is right, this man is…….’
The master of this estate, Grand Duke Raymond Pellium.
The other maids had said he was young, handsome, and the most beautiful man when viewed from afar.
Especially, I became certain this man was the Grand Duke from that last point.
‘He’s scary!’
He was certainly beautiful like a sculpture, but that only made him more frightening. His intense gaze and cool tone of voice contributed to that as well.
I hurriedly opened my mouth to avoid further provoking this frightening master’s temper.
“I-I greet Your Highness the Grand Duke.”
You…… you fool! Of all times to bite your tongue, why now!
My face flushed in an instant. I even thought it was fortunate that my head was bowed.
“……”
“……”
A silence that felt like exactly fifty minutes for five seconds passed, and he spoke as if something had just occurred to him.
“I heard there was an accident a few days ago.”
An accident?
At the somewhat abrupt question, I stole a glance at the Grand Duke.
Was he talking about Lilian collapsing? Or some other accident I didn’t know about?
Because the question was so broad, when I couldn’t readily answer, the Grand Duke added another word.
“You, I mean you.”
Ah, so it was about Lilian after all.
It was a little surprising. I hadn’t expected him to remember a maid who had only been here three months. He seemed to have just returned after being away from the estate for a while—when had he even heard about it?
Admiring his rapid information network, I answered simply.
“It wasn’t a big accident, so I recovered quickly.”
Though I had been lying unconscious for two days before possessing the body.
There was no need to tell the Grand Duke that far. No, I must not tell him.
With that, I bowed my head again.
‘I wish he would leave soon…….’
No matter how handsome he was, a one-on-one interview with an employer was bound to be uncomfortable and awkward.
Besides, I had already delayed quite a bit. At this rate, forget washing my face—I’d feel sorry for Anna even if I went straight back.
As I rolled my eyes while thinking these thoughts, the Grand Duke suddenly lowered his posture and asked me.
“Are you all right?”
It was an unexpected remark.
I hadn’t expected to receive worry from him, who was rumored among the maids to be cold-hearted. Still, it didn’t feel particularly bad.
“Yes! I’m fine.”
I nodded vigorously to mean I was truly fine. At that, the corner of the Grand Duke’s mouth curved up slightly.
Well now, it seems our Grand Duke also has a thoughtful side—
“That’s a relief. It was troublesome having to find a new maid every time.”
Pardon?
