Chapter 63: Maid of the Black Dahlia Family (1)[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 63: Maid of the Black Dahlia Family (1)[R-18]
5:00 AM.
Frederica, the Head Maid of the Black Dahlia Family, opened her eyes.
The sun had not yet risen, but a maid’s morning starts early.
This was especially true for someone like Frederica, who held seventeen different positions—including Head Maid, Chief Butler, and Head Guard—covering almost every role except for the chef.
As she changed from her nightclothes into her maid uniform, Frederica glanced out the window and murmured to herself.
“...It’s about time I called for a gardener.”
Swish—
A staggering mountain of paperwork sat piled high on her office desk.
If she hadn't already wound down most of the businesses led by the Black Dahlia Family, leaving only the leasing business, Frederica would have collapsed from overwork long ago.
Despite this insane workload, the thought of leaving the Black Dahlia Family had never once crossed her mind.
Was it because of the money?
No.
Of course, she received a salary so high it was hard to believe a maid was earning it, but money wasn't that important to Frederica.
As proof, even though Frederica—acting as the de facto Chief Administrator of the Black Dahlia Family—could have embezzled as much of the fortune as she wanted, she had never touched a single cent.
Then why did Frederica remain at Black Dahlia?
“...My Lady.”
It was her loyalty to the Black Dahlia Family.
It was Lord Gilbert, the previous head of the family, who had saved Frederica when she was being beaten nearly to death after getting caught pickpocketing.
Lord Gilbert hadn't stopped at just saving her, either.
He allowed Frederica to stay at the residence without asking for anything in return, and he even hired a home tutor so she could learn to read and gain the knowledge necessary to survive in the world.
Because she had received such an excellent education, the wretched child from the back alleys was now able to serve as the Chief Administrator of Black Dahlia.
‘I doubt Lord Gilbert acted with this specific situation in mind, but...’
Naturally, Frederica was as loyal to Estelle as she had been to Gilbert.
From the Young Lady’s perspective, it would have been understandable to be angry—some girl with no background had rolled into the house and started sharing the attention of the Family Head and the Madam...
‘Oh?... It’s Big Sister Frederica!’
‘...Big... Sister?’
‘Yeah!... Big Sister!’
But the Young Lady had been so kind and full of laughter; she wasn't jealous in the least. Instead, she called Frederica "Sister" and treated her like a real sibling.
But...
That bright Young Lady changed completely after the previous Family Head and the Madam passed away in a carriage accident.
‘Ah!... Ah!... Ugh, ah!... Aaaah!!.. Sob!... Aaaah!!.. M... Mommy!... D... Daddy..!!.. Huaaa..!!.. N-No!... No!... No!!..! I hate it!!.. N... No..!... Da... ddy... Mommy.. hic....!’
Frederica would never forget the sight of Estelle, her small body clinging to the coffins, screaming and desperately calling out for her parents.
‘...Fre...derica.... Sister..!.. Sob... What... what do I do... I... I’m... all alone.. hic!... I’m the only one... left...’
‘....It’s okay. My Lady, I am here by your side. And look. A letter has arrived. Your uncle says he is coming to get you. You’ll likely be adopted into his home.’
‘...A... Adoption?... Hic... I... I don’t... want to... leave... I... sob...!’
‘My Lady... I understand how you feel, but I’ve heard many good things about Lord Jeffrey. They say he donates a lot to orphanages and does volunteer work often... And you’re still young, My Lady... I think it would be best for you to be with family.’
‘Hic... sob... Th-then... what about you, Sister?... Hic.. If I... go to be adopted... will you... also... disappear... like Daddy and Mommy?’
Squeeze—
‘...Don’t worry. I’ll follow you. I will stay by your side until the very end.’
‘Ah...! Aaa...!... Hic... sob!... Hic!... Hu... huaaa... Sister!’
Not long after, Lord Jeffrey arrived with his family to adopt the Young Lady....
‘...You’ve been through a lot, Estelle. From now on, I will be your father. Though I can never replace my brother... I promise to do my absolute best.’
Lord Jeffrey’s entire family was massacred in an ambush.
It was a gruesome scene where the whole family was slaughtered.
Lord Jeffrey, in particular—whatever they did to him—was so mutilated that they couldn't even find his body, except for his left leg.
Having lost all her family and being left entirely alone, the Young Lady inherited a vast wealth, but...
‘...Si... Sister?... S-Something... is wrong with me.’
Compared to the misfortune that befell the Young Lady, all the gold in the world would not be enough to compensate her.
‘I.... I.... sob!... My... my legs won't move... hic!... I... I can't feel... anything.. hic!....’
‘It’s okay... I... I will definitely... make you better... You’re just... in shock... That’s... that’s all it is...’
From that day on, Frederica tried every means and method possible to treat Estelle’s legs, but every attempt ended in failure.
The death of her parents, the massacre of her uncle’s family, and lower body paralysis.
Was it the succession of misfortunes—any one of which would be too much to bear—that changed the Young Lady?
Slap—!
‘...You can’t even brush my hair properly without scratching my body!!!’
At some point, the gentle Young Lady vanished. She stopped tolerating even the slightest mistakes from the servants and began to hand out excessive punishments.
As the Young Lady’s behavior grew worse by the day, the servants who couldn't endure it eventually left, but Frederica remained until the end.
Then, one day...
Clatter—!
Frederica, who had been handling all the servants' duties alone, dropped a teacup due to accumulated fatigue.
‘Ah! ...M-My Lady!... I’m so sorry! Are you hurt anywhere...’
Slap—!
‘Don’t put your filthy hands on my body!! Get out of my sight this instant!!’
‘....My... Lady?’
‘Shut up!! Didn't you hear me tell you to disappear? You’re fired! Get out right now!’
‘...Why... why... are you doing this... My Lady.. pl... please... don’t... I... I was... wrong..... I... I won't... make a mistake... again...’
‘Why? You’re asking why? Shouldn't you be grateful I’ve kept a bitch like you, who rolled in from the back alleys, for this long?’
‘.....’
‘Ha... I guess you still want to cling to this house even after hearing that? Fine, I suppose you would. Where else would take in something as lowly as you? Fine. If you want to stay, stay. But don’t you dare show your face to me ever again.’
‘...Yes. My Lady.’
Even now, Frederica didn't know why the Young Lady had said those things.
But there was one thing...
She knew that the words spoken that day were not the truth.
Ding— Ding—
“...My Lady!?!”
At the sound of the call bell—which she couldn't even remember the last time it had rung—Frederica bolted upright from her seat.
There was still a mountain of work and documents to handle, but to Frederica, nothing was more important than a call from the Young Lady.
“...Whew.”
Arriving in front of Estelle’s door, Frederica let out a deep sigh.
When they were young, it was a room she entered and exited so naturally, but now she was afraid even to knock.
Knock, knock—
“...Come in.”
“Excuse me.”
The Young Lady’s face, seen for the first time in a long while, was noticeably brighter than when she had last seen it.
“...Frederica.”
“My Lady...”
“...It’s been... a while.”
“...Yes. It has. It’s been a long time.”
Frederica felt like she might burst into tears at this conversation—their first in so long—but she forced them down, not wanting to ruin this moment.
“Ah! But what is the matter? Is there something you need?”
“....Yes. There is.”
“Just say the word! If you wish it, My Lady, I would pluck the stars from the night sky for you.”
“...I don’t need anything like that... Just....”
Trailing off, the Young Lady spoke in a small voice.
“...I just... wanted to... learn how to... make macarons...”
“.....?.......!!”
Flushed ears, a nervous voice, a sudden summons, and above all, the upcoming ‘St. Ellis’s Day.’
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The moment the puzzle pieces clicked together, Frederica heard bells ringing in her head.
“My Lady!!! C-Could it be... St. Ellis’s Day is coming up..., d-do you... have someone you like?!!!”
“....!!”
Even without hearing the Young Lady’s answer, Frederica knew the truth.
The moment the question was asked, not just her ears but her entire face turned beet-red, and hearts practically poured out of her.
It was almost impossible to believe she was the same person who had spat out those heartless insults with such a pained expression that day.
“Wh-who is it! Who is the lucky man who captured My Lady’s heart!!”
“...I haven't said I like someone yet.”
“I can tell just by looking! No, more importantly, why macarons? When you think of St. Ellis’s Day, it has to be chocolate!! If you’re going to convey your feelings, you have to do it with chocolate!!”
Clap—!
Frederica clapped her hands together and continued.
“That’s right! Rather than conveying ‘specialness’ with macarons, it’s better to confess ‘love’ with chocolate.”
“....No. I... this is... as far as I go... Chocolate... is out of the question...”
“Why! What is My Lady lacking! Family! Looks! Figure... is.... ahem, anyway, men would be lining up for you!! Go with chocolate!”
“...Frederica... stop it... Even macarons... are more than I deserve.”
“Ugh...!!”
When Estelle called her name, Frederica flinched, her body trembling.
Tremble—
Frederica was intentionally acting over-the-top, pretending she didn't care at all about what had happened that day, but it seemed it had indeed become a trauma.
“Haha... I’m sorry... My Lady. I guess I got too excited.”
In the end, Frederica stepped back and apologized.
Even knowing those words hadn't been sincere, her heart might truly break if she had to hear the Young Lady say something like that to her again.
“...It’s okay. Then... could you get the recipe for macarons... from Uncle Ramsey? It would be... appreciated... if you could prepare the ingredients in the kitchen, too.”
“Yes! I’ll do that. Oh! But... could I help you while you make them?”
“.......”
She had expected an immediate rejection, but seeing Estelle hesitate for longer than expected made Frederica swallow hard.
“....No... I can't do that... Let’s... continue to avoid... seeing each other... as much as possible, just like we have been.”
“Ah... Haha... Of course, right? I just thought I’d ask.”
She had hoped this might be a chance to go back to how things were between them...
“...I’m sorry...”
“Oh, no! There’s no need for you to apologize, My Lady. I just said it on a whim. Hahaha...”
“...Yes. But... Frederica.”
“Yes... My Lady...”
“....Sometimes.... just once in a while.... will you talk to me like this?”
Whoosh—!
At Estelle’s final words, Frederica replied with a bright, beaming smile.
“Of course, My Lady!”
