“The cleaning will be handled by the other servants and maids. You’ll only be responsible for managing the young lord’s personal belongings. There won’t be much difference between the main residence and the side wing.”
Those were the words spoken to her. Elena felt she might not be capable of this. She cast a pleading look that said, *Please, can it be someone else?* But Lady Willa took it as mere exaggeration and pretended not to notice. There was no reason for Lady Willa to refuse an order from above without justification.
“My lady, what if I can’t control my strength and damage the lord’s valuable items?”
Elena looked at Lady Willa with eyes full of desperation, but it seemed the decision had already been made, as she smiled steadily.
*The good days are over.*
The side wing. Or rather, *her* side wing. Her sweet rest time. Her training time. Her naps! Elena suppressed a sigh that was about to burst out.
She loved the side wing so much. A place no one cared about, where she only had to keep it reasonably clean! She’d been enjoying a comfortable life in the side wing with a small, select group of servants. The thought of giving up that precious time to someone else made her feel an odd sense of injustice.
“M-My lady, it’s only been a few months since I joined the duke’s household. Will this be alright?”
Lady Willa listened to Elena’s words while sipping her tea elegantly. She nodded, as if encouraging her to continue. Elena desperately tried to explain why she needed to stay in the side wing.
“I don’t even know how to properly manage the side wing yet. I’m still learning how to organize and clean with the help of the other servants.”
She was receiving training as a servant, but she’d been aiming for grades just high enough to avoid lowering her evaluation. Elena began listing reasons why she was unfit to serve as the young lord’s bedroom maid.
“There must be valuable items in the young lord’s room, and I’m not skilled enough to handle them. I’m worried I’ll be a burden to your decision, my lady.”
Elena masked her regret for losing her rest time and her reluctance to get involved in troublesome matters, crafting excuses that sounded reasonable. She cast a pleading look, begging for the decision to be reversed. Her humility seemed to make Lady Willa feel satisfied with her judgment of people, believing she’d been right in her assessment.
“Elena, do you know how challenging it is to manage that vast side wing alone? I’ve heard from the servants that you organized the work in a way that made them more comfortable than before, and they praised you greatly.”
Lady Willa recalled the evaluations she’d received about Elena. It wasn’t just managing the side wing—her handling of materials was impeccable, her paperwork was clean, and even the administrators viewed her positively.
“I know how much you care about the side wing. There’s no need to downplay your responsibilities. You’re doing your job very well.”
Even Sir Hansen, the head servant, had praised the side wing, saying it had improved significantly. Lady Willa tried to reassure the anxious Elena as she spoke. *No, that’s not what I want.* Elena couldn’t hide her flustered expression and smiled awkwardly.
“Oh, really? But I’m still new here. If I take on managing the young lord’s room, won’t that cause conflict with those who’ve been waiting for a promotion for a long time?”
Elena pulled out her final argument, one she’d hoped she wouldn’t have to use. Her pleading looks, begging to be left alone, failed to sway Lady Willa. *Should I just make a complete mess?*
She considered it, but it was hard to find a place with salaries and benefits as good as the duke’s household. Elena’s goal was to do easy, inconspicuous work as much as possible. Conflicts among servants were what troubled the superiors most, as those petty disputes could disrupt the entire household’s atmosphere.
“Do you think those who know nothing about the matter can talk like that? If such rumors spread, I’ll clean them up thoroughly.”
A chill emanated from Lady Willa’s narrowed eyes.
“I understand your concerns. But as long as you don’t neglect your basic duties, no rumors will arise among the servants.”
Lady Willa hid the fact that the young lord’s bedroom was the top place servants avoided. She felt a bit sorry for Elena. Since everyone shunned the task, it had fallen to Elena, the newest in the group. Moreover, there was a strong recommendation from Robin, the young lord’s head servant.
Robin had said the young lord saw Elena as a talented individual and requested she be given a chance to get closer to him. Lady Willa thought the timing was perfect.
There were terrifying rumors among the servants that Mary had tried to seduce the young lord, entered his room naked, and was beheaded on the spot. In truth, Mary was an assassin, but those involved didn’t bother correcting the rumors. Thanks to this incident, attempts to manipulate the young lord would quiet down for a while.
When Elena heard Lady Willa’s resolute words, she couldn’t respond. *She doesn’t seem like a shy person, so is the young lord that frightening?* Lady Willa hid her embarrassment and began thinking of an alternative plan.
“Oh, really?”
*Of course not! The young lord’s room is the most avoided among the servants!* Elena knew the rumors circulating among the staff. She didn’t want to cause trouble by stepping into an uncomfortable position.
“Elena, don’t worry. The young lord’s room only needs to stay clean. It’s not like the lady’s or the miss’s rooms. Manage it as you do the side wing.”
Elena continued to hesitate despite Lady Willa’s repeated reassurances. There wasn’t enough compelling reason to make her budge.
“Some people don’t want to mingle with high-ranking nobles.”
As Elena kept refusing the task, Lady Willa assumed she feared being put in a bad position due to her association with a high-ranking noble. Some people rushed toward power, while others avoided it. It seemed Elena wanted to stay in the side wing for this reason.
“Serving the young lord will be the responsibility of male servants. You’ll only enter the room when he’s absent, manage it, and leave, so there won’t be any chance to confront him.”
As she finished speaking, Elena’s previously grim face brightened slightly. Seeing a glimmer of hope on her face, Lady Willa decided to play her trump card.
“And besides, your salary will be double what it is now—exactly double! I heard you’ve borrowed quite a bit of money. If you make no mistakes and continue working, won’t your salary increase with years of experience?”
“I’ll do it!”
The response was immediate. It was as if light radiated from Elena’s face. Lady Willa could swear she’d never seen Elena’s face so bright since meeting her. In the end, money was the eternal truth.
“I’m relieved, as I believe you’ll do a splendid job.”
“I’ll do my very best to never disappoint you.”
Elena thought that with double her current salary, she could not only manage the young lord’s room but even coat it in gold and clean it daily until it shone.
With the salary increase, all her fears and worries vanished. *Double the salary, exactly double!* That meant she could pay off her debts quickly.
With Elena’s resolute response, Lady Willa felt relieved as well. She seemed easily swayed by money, but from Lady Willa’s perspective, Elena wasn’t the type to engage in illicit activities. It was better for her to have ambition than hidden intentions.
As Elena left the room, Lady Willa hoped she would pass the young lord’s test successfully.
The news spread quickly through the palace that Elena had been appointed as the maid responsible for the young lord’s bedroom. The rumors were deliberately spread as soon as Elena signed the contract, ensuring she couldn’t easily resign.
“I heard Elena was chosen as the young lord’s maid.”
“Really? Isn’t she afraid for her life?”
“I heard she borrowed a lot of money.”
“Doesn’t everyone have a conscience? Everyone refused the task, so it went to Elena, the least experienced.”
There was a lot of chatter about Elena’s promotion wherever the servants gathered.
“What’s the use of a conscience?! You have to survive first!”
Life was more important than conscience or money for everyone. Money didn’t guarantee survival.
“Are you okay?”
“Well, since the decision’s been made, I’ll just do my best.”
Elena answered her worried colleague with a smile. Even if she wasn’t okay, she had already signed the contract, lured by the salary.
The salary, unimaginable even in the Lewis estate, had blinded her. There was no reason to regret it later. She planned to retire with a high salary after becoming the perfect maid for the young lord’s bedroom.
“I heard the work is very easy. The young lord is barely in the room, and the servants handle the heavy tasks. But if there’s any hard work, make sure to tell the head servant or Lady Willa.”
“Haha, I’m not going to my death. Why all this worry?”
They offered condolences and encouragement as if she were heading to a battlefield. When Elena smiled, saying she was truly fine, the faces around her grew somber.
*She’s heading to her death, so it’s fine…*
Everyone wished that the kind and friendly Elena Lewis would emerge from the young lord’s room alive. She had a good reputation among the servants, always being the first to help those in need. They all hoped Elena would maintain her respect for the young lord and work with him for a long time.
“The young lord is more lenient and kinder than you think. And most importantly, he’s handsome!”
“Yes, the young lord is handsome! Even if he’s not my type, isn’t a handsome man always right?”
One of the maids tried to lighten the gloomy mood by pointing out the young lord’s merits. Despite his intimidating presence, his perfect handsomeness was a strong asset.
“We might not see him often, but if we do, it’s a lucky day. Everything will go well.”
“It’s like magic. No, a miracle.”
“Is he really *that* handsome?”
Elena recalled wide eyes and harmonious features. Carl was the most handsome man she’d ever seen in her life.
