“Is he really *that* handsome? Elena, are your eyes floating above the heavens, or do you not even look at people’s faces?!”
“No, there’s no one in the empire with a face that beautiful!”
The maids protested Elena’s words, saying, “There’s no young man as handsome as the noble lord in the whole world!” They grumbled, “Even if we were reborn in another life, we wouldn’t find such a face.” For a long time after, they earnestly explained to Elena the importance of appearances, holding her attention.
The next morning, Elena stood before the grand young lord’s office, having listened the previous night until her ears formed calluses about him being the most handsome man on the continent.
*Does he look a little different today?*
She was curious if the young lord’s face would seem different after her colleagues’ passionate lectures. Recalling their words, “A man is all about the face!” she pressed her trembling lips together firmly. The guards standing at the door glanced at Elena.
“Are you Miss Elena Lewis?”
Elena responded politely and handed Lady Willa’s letter to the knight.
“Please wait a moment.”
After verifying the letter, the knight went inside. Soon, a man with dark blue hair and clear blue eyes emerged, calling Elena’s name.
“Miss Elena Lewis?”
“Yes, Sir Steward.”
It was Robin, the famously handsome steward of the young lord Carl. Elena had heard all the personal details about the palace’s heartthrob the previous day.
“Please come in.”
The young lord’s office was spacious and tidy. The wooden furniture gave a warm feeling. There wasn’t excessive decoration or extravagance, but the atmosphere was calm and elegant.
*If I’m not careful, I could lose months of my salary!* Elena thought, mindful of her movements as she eyed the expensive furniture.
There was also a large table and chairs, likely used for meetings.
“My lord, this is the new maid for managing the bedroom.”
“I’m Elena Lewis.”
Elena greeted with a slight curtsy.
“Thank you for your efforts.”
Carl noted that Robin had deliberately appointed Elena as the bedroom maid. Having a point of contact made it easier to determine if she was a spy or truly talented.
“I’ll now hand over the duties and return.”
After the young lord acknowledged Elena, Robin led her outside.
In the garden, he said, “Do you know the location of the young lord’s room? The view from the balcony there is beautiful. You’ll see, Miss Lewis.”
The young steward spoke continuously without pausing as they walked. Elena felt flustered by his formal, respectful tone, but he told her not to mind it, as he always spoke this way.
“The young lord isn’t difficult to work with. He may seem cold, but he doesn’t treat his servants with disdain. In fact, he takes great care of them. You’ll find working here easier than in the side wing.”
*It doesn’t seem that way to me.*
Everyone praised the young lord as generous and kind, but Elena noticed he might maintain that image only because he found everyone around him bothersome. Despite his kind words, his eyes always seemed cold and emotionless.
Elena let the steward’s chatter pass through her ears without much interest. Yet, he didn’t care about her reactions and continued talking about the young lord’s greatness all the way to the room.
*The people in the duke’s household really talk a lot.*
Elena tried to maintain her smile without yawning as she listened to the endless praise of the great young lord since the previous day. It wasn’t just Robin—other servants she’d recently met were also incessantly talkative. At this point, she began to wonder if having the skill of excessive chatter was a prerequisite for working in the duke’s household.
*He doesn’t seem like an ordinary servant.*
Though Robin’s appearance wasn’t particularly striking, his trained physique and aura were extraordinary. Despite the duke’s household offering fencing lessons, some of the workers she’d seen during her daily tasks surpassed the average standard. Even Rowen and Bessie clearly possessed skills close to a master’s level.
Even the servant’s hands looked like those of someone who’d spent a long time wielding a sword. From his light steps and body movements, he seemed to prefer light swords over heavy ones.
*Could the reason I was chosen for this position be that I seem competent?*
She began to suspect that Rowen and Bessie, who enjoyed watching her progress during training, had played a significant role in her selection for this job. Elena felt no loyalty to the duke’s household and disliked getting involved in troublesome matters, so she considered toning down her training intensity.
“Here we are, this is the young lord’s wing. The middle room is the bedroom, the left side has the bathroom and dressing room, and the right room contains a small library. The young lord dislikes anyone touching his library, so you don’t need to worry about it. I clean it personally, so never enter there.”
Robin explained the instructions for keeping the young lord’s wing clean as they walked.
“Understood, I’ll remember that well.”
While listening to his detailed notes and instructions, Elena examined the room. It was tidy and clean, as expected, but it seemed to lack soul or vibrancy, reflecting the coldness of its owner.
“Cleanliness is the foundation. As servants of the young lord, we must maintain our appearance and behavior as well. It’s true you won’t serve him directly, but that’s the basic standard for someone working close to a direct family member. The most important point is to not harbor any hopes.”
Robin began lecturing on proper servant behavior but watched Elena closely as he spoke.
“Hopes?”
*Hopes? Why would I need hopes to complete cleaning tasks?*
Elena couldn’t understand the servant’s sudden words. *Is he alright?* She looked at him with concern, as if checking his condition, causing him to cough awkwardly to break the tension.
“What I mean is… if someone tries to catch the young lord’s attention… or perhaps has greedy dreams of becoming the future duchess…”
A moment of realization flashed in Elena’s eyes, reassuring Robin. As he’d expected, she was quick to grasp the meaning.
“I understand.”
Elena said with a wide smile. Most servants believed Mary, the previous maid, had entered the young lord’s room to seduce him but was killed for being suspected as a spy or assassin. However, Elena was certain Mary had indeed tried to assassinate him.
There was no need to reveal her knowledge; going along with the conversation appropriately was best. Elena tried to show an expression full of confidence and reassurance.
There was no chance she’d fall for the young lord. Perhaps they could become fencing friends, but as a romantic partner? That would never happen.
Unfortunately, the young lord wasn’t Elena’s type at all. She preferred warm, bright-smiling people over those with cold, rigid faces.
“I have my own tastes, you know? The young lord simply isn’t my type, so don’t worry.”
Elena said this with a relaxed smile directed at Robin, laced with genuine sincerity free of any hidden motives. Robin felt relieved but also slightly puzzled by her demeanor.
“Haha, is that so?”
Robin tried to respond with a weak smile. But behind the open door, Lord Carl stood, glaring at Elena with evident coldness, making Robin feel a sudden heat, as if sweat were trickling down his back.
“I could never, under any circumstances, think of attracting or seducing the young lord. To me, he’s just a handsome statue, nothing more. You know, people don’t fall in love with statues, right?”
With clear confidence, Elena continued. As she spoke, Robin inwardly cringed.
Elena did her best to reassure Robin of her innocence, fully aware that the young lord’s aura was approaching the room. She thought her words would be enough to dispel any suspicion from him.
Still, Robin began looking at her as if he wanted to say, *Wouldn’t it be better to stop now?* But she ignored him and continued speaking with growing confidence.
“I swear to God I won’t fall for him. You can trust me completely. The young lord just isn’t my type at all. Anyway, my job is simply to clean the room every morning, right?”
As Elena rambled on, the young lord’s eyes, hidden behind the door, narrowed gradually. At the same time, a slight, crooked smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth, making Robin realize instantly that this was an expression signaling imminent danger.
“Oh, no! This is bad!”
“Uh… right! The young lord wakes up early, around six in the morning. He trains a bit, then returns to the room around eight for breakfast before leaving.”
Seeing the young lord’s changing expression, Robin was struck with panic as he explained Carl’s schedule to Elena.
“From eight in the morning until four in the afternoon. Unless there’s special business until five, the young lord won’t enter the room, so you can clean during that time. As I mentioned earlier, he can’t stand any mess, so make sure the room is spotless, without a speck of dust.”
The more the young lord’s face darkened, the more Robin wanted to slam the door shut immediately.
“Yes, I’ll do that.”
“The servants have done the cleaning, but it’s best to start managing things today. Thomas, the young lord’s personal attendant, will hand over the care instructions and tasks.”
Robin left the task of following up to Thomas, who stood by the door, then fled the room as if in a hurry. The door closed quickly before Elena could turn and meet the young lord’s glaring eyes, his expression tinged with displeasure.
*He heard everything.*
Robin let out a deep sigh.
“Why did you run off like that?” the young lord asked, showing his displeasure.
“Hahaha, my lord, why are you here? Do you need something? I can go in and fetch it if you’d like.”
“I heard everything.”
Robin’s muscles froze instantly.
“You were working hard in the office, so why did you suddenly come here?”
Robin’s lips twitched with unease, and he began to grumble. He tried to smooth things over with flattery, but it didn’t work.
“I came to give you a warning, but instead, I heard something very interesting.”
The young lord’s eyes gleamed as if he’d found a new toy. Robin felt a genuine sense of foreboding for Elena’s future.
