Chapter 5
Chapter 5
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: The Personal Maid
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The sight before her was utterly unfamiliar.
Judging by the pitch-black darkness outside the window, it seemed to be night, but thanks to a softly lit lamp, she had no trouble making out her surroundings.
Lucillea slowly sat up. The plush sensation beneath her palms was distinct.
‘Oh…’
Lucillea sighed with a stoic, unimpressed expression.
A cozy scent of sunshine wafted gently from the bed her body was nestled in, and the texture of the blanket in her hand was as soft as holding a cloud.
Lucillea pressed down on the blanket a few times before pushing it aside and getting out of bed completely.
As she did, a pure white canopy, which had been flowing gracefully along the square frame to create a dreamlike atmosphere, swayed above her head.
‘What’s this now?’
Of course, it wasn't to Lucillea's taste.
Lucillea brushed the canopy aside and lowered her legs to the floor.
Once the canopy was out of the way, the full view of the room came into sight.
Matte black wooden furniture was arranged along the walls, and on a display cabinet sat a row of ornaments carved from amethysts that emitted a mystical glow.
The crest engraved on the ornaments was the same as the one on the side of the Grand Duke’s carriage she had ridden in, so she assumed it was the symbol of the Grand Ducal family.
Whenever the moonlight filtering through the window struck the ornaments, they sparkled like ice crystals.
Then she spotted a birdcage occupying one wall, and inside, Cookie was dozing off.
‘So Cookie made it here safely too.’
Before using the gate, Lucillea had asked Elbadin to let her bring Cookie along.
Even for a small bird, she felt she should get permission.
Elbadin had readily agreed, and Lucillea had called for the hidden Cookie to travel through the gate with her.
And then, darkness. She had no memory of what happened after that.
‘Come to think of it, why did I suddenly lose consciousness?’
Lucillea looked around for a dark-colored blanket. After covering part of the cage with it, she returned to the bed.
For some reason, her body felt weak, and she was tired after just a short walk.
Just as Lucillea was tilting her head in confusion, the door opened.
A woman in a maid’s uniform entered, humming a little tune.
“Oh! You’re awake, Lady Lucillea?!”
“...”
Lady Lucillea?
Lucillea blinked her large eyes with a puzzled expression.
The woman looked young, as if she had just come of age.
Her skin was so fair it seemed cool to the touch, and her black hair, braided down to her waist, was perfectly neat without a single stray strand.
Her gently curved eyes seemed fixed in a soft smile, barely changing.
For a moment, a glimpse of light green irises appeared between those slender, curved eyes before vanishing.
The maid placed the tray she was carrying on the bedside table and bowed her head to Lucillea.
“Hello, Lady Lucillea. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Mei, and I’ve been assigned as your personal maid starting today. Whenever you need help, just call out ‘Mei’~!”
A high, clear voice, and a bright smile that seemed ingrained with kindness.
She was a person who radiated incredibly positive energy.
But something felt strange.
Although her smiling eyes were gentle and her tone was affectionate, she felt a strange shadow behind that smile, one that was hard to put into words.
Lucillea tilted her head with a sense of inexplicable wariness before offering a greeting.
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”
“It’s my pleasure to be working with you!”
Mei dipped a washcloth she had prepared into a bowl of water and gently dabbed Lucillea’s forehead.
“You were asleep for a full day.”
“What? A whole day?”
“Yes. They said you lost consciousness due to the side effects of the gate. Sir Irevan even stopped by. Everyone was so worried. Oh, Sir Irevan is His Highness the Grand Duke’s personal physician.”
“...”
Side effects from the gate, of all things.
‘Was that even a thing in this novel?’
But still.
‘My personal maid…?’
Lucillea vaguely recalled something Riat had told her before they passed through the gate.
A child chosen by the Elite Corps was to be treated as equivalent to an imperial baron.
Therefore, upon entering the Grand Duke’s household, she would be assigned a personal maid.
-“Of course, we must first go through a final confirmation process to prove that there isn’t a single lie in your words. Only after His Highness the Grand Duke gives his official approval will you receive a personal maid and the support of the Grand Ducal family. We can discuss the finer details after we arrive at the residence.”
-“Of course, we must first go through a final confirmation process to prove that there isn’t a single lie in your words. Only after His Highness the Grand Duke gives his official approval will you receive a personal maid and the support of the Grand Ducal family. We can discuss the finer details after we arrive at the residence.”
-“Of course, we must first go through a final confirmation process to prove that there isn’t a single lie in your words. Only after His Highness the Grand Duke gives his official approval will you receive a personal maid and the support of the Grand Ducal family. We can discuss the finer details after we arrive at the residence.”
Lucillea tilted her head.
‘That process was supposed to be this fast?’
In just one day?
Lucillea asked Mei.
“Does the fact that you’re my personal maid mean His Highness the Grand Duke has given his permission for me to stay at the residence?”
Mei nodded in response.
“Yes! That’s right, Lady Lucillea! That’s why everyone at the residence is so surprised! It’s not something that’s usually handled overnight.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Mei naturally helped Lucillea out of bed and guided her to the bathroom as she answered.
“Normally, when someone chosen by the Elite Corps arrives, there’s a verification period of at least a month.”
During that time, they would handle agreements between the children’s parents and their villages, as well as any remaining paperwork.
There were several other procedures, and only after completing all of them could one be officially recognized as chosen by the Elite Corps.
Lucillea’s eyes widened at Mei’s explanation.
‘I see. It wasn’t over just because I was chosen by the Elite Corps.’
This was another detail that had never been explained in the original story.
It made sense. Why would the novel focus on the tedious details of a villainous family that disappears early on?
‘In any case, that ‘verification period’ was drastically shortened, wasn’t it?’
Perhaps the fact that I have no ‘real’ parents to discuss my future with had a significant impact.
‘And my connection to Mille Village was a bit ambiguous to begin with.’
Meanwhile, Mei had Lucillea stand next to the bathtub and dipped a hand into the water as she continued speaking.
“But His Highness the Grand Duke’s approval came through overnight.”
Splash, splash. Mei checked the temperature of the pre-filled bath with her fingertips, then turned around.
“It’s cooled to the perfect temperature. Now, Lady Lucillea. Shall we get in? I’ll help you with your clothes first. Arms up, please!”
Mei raised both her arms toward the sky as if cheering.
But Lucillea couldn’t bring herself to raise her arms so easily.
“Ah… um…”
Lucillea hesitated.
‘That’s a bit…’
In truth, showing the wounds and scars on her body to someone she had just met today was not an easy thing to do, regardless of her mental or physical age.
Because it brought back shameful memories for Lucillea.
Lucillea watched Mei’s expression and fidgeted with her fingertips.
“I can… wash by myself. Please let me wash alone…”
“...”
At that, Mei knelt to meet Lucillea’s eyes.
“Lady Lucillea.”
“Yes…”
Mei’s voice became even softer.
As if she understood Lucillea’s heart, she spoke in a soothing tone.
“Actually, it was a request from His Highness the Grand Duke.”
“...A request?”
Mei nodded.
“Yes. His Highness the Grand Duke is a very perceptive man.”
She then gently took Lucillea’s hand. Looking down at the dark bruises on the back of Lucillea’s hand, Mei continued.
“He wants me to find out your exact condition. He also said it would be helpful in dealing with… no, in assessing the people of that village and your foster father who was chosen by lottery.”
“Ah…”
Lucillea thought for a moment, then nodded to show she understood.
‘She just said ‘dealing with’.’
Although Mei had quickly corrected herself with the word ‘assessing,’ Lucillea understood what she had meant.
‘Right, if it helps in dealing with Shured and Mille Village, then this is nothing…!’
Besides, she had been feeling a little regretful about leaving so hastily.
Lucillea immediately squeezed her eyes shut, threw both arms into the air, and exclaimed.
“Arms up!”
There! Go on! I’m ready!
At the sight, Mei let out a small laugh and gently removed Lucillea’s outer clothes.
“Very good…”
In that instant.
Mei’s words of praise trailed off, and the smile on her lips quickly stiffened.