Chapter 6
Episode 6
“Mrs. Marsha, Mrs. Marsha! I heard from the knight outside earlier—this woman is that famous ‘Lancaster Duchess!’”
“What? The Lancaster Duchess?”
Marsha's eyes widened as she scanned Edel up and down once more.
However, she had no intention of showing Edel any respect. If anything, it was the opposite.
“My goodness, to think the day would come when I'd get to order around a duchess. Hohoho!”
Marsha, with a sly smile, magnanimously commanded the maid giggling beside her.
“We must follow the count's orders anyway. Mina! For now, wash her up, feed her, and put her to bed. There's that room at the very end of the corridor, right? Give her that one.”
“Yes, ma'am!”
“And you, new girl. What's your name?”
*Spoils of war*
*Duchess*
Edel had no particular complaints about being called 'new girl' by the head maid. She would have been even happier if she could be absolutely certain she wouldn't be summoned to Laslo's bedroom, but without that assurance, she couldn't quite manage a smile.
She answered in as gentle a voice as possible.
“Edel, ma'am.”
*Written by ruly lemon frog*
Not attaching 'Lancaster' or 'Canian' to her name felt awkward yet strangely comfortable.
“Oh my, how elegantly you respond, as expected from nobility. Hohoho! You need to keep acting that politely from now on.”
Marsha's eyes gleamed as if anticipating something enjoyable, then she signaled to the young maid and turned to leave.
And the young maid named Mina, unlike when Marsha was present, lifted her chin arrogantly and looked down at Edel haughtily. It was just like Marsha after Laslo had left.
“What a mess you are. Follow me, ‘Duchess.’”
Even at her mockery, Edel's feelings weren't particularly hurt. She had heard far worse ridicule and slander in high society than this.
- 2 -
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In fact, Mina seemed busy and took her straight to the bathroom without further teasing.
“Hoo...”
“This is the water bucket, this is the ladle, this is the soap, this is the towel. Surely you can figure out how to wash yourself with just this much explanation?”
The water was fuller than she had braced herself for.
“No. But I have no change of clothes... Do you perhaps have any spare maid uniforms?”
A breath she hadn't managed to hold back escaped through her chattering teeth.
“There might be some left by maids who quit... I'll find something, so wash up for now. I can't stand the smell.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
*Wash up quickly. As fast as possible.*
“Heavens, even giving thanks. You still have some leisure left in you?”
Edel wrung out the handkerchief from around her neck, lathered it with soap, and vigorously scrubbed her body, soaked in sweat and grime for so long.
Mina snorted at Edel's response but didn't skip any necessary explanations.
As she scrubbed her body vigorously in the dim, quiet bathroom, a hollow laugh suddenly burst out.
“Once you're done washing, go to the room at the very end of that corridor over there. That's your room. I'll bring your meal ahead of time, so eat it, and bring the tray to the kitchen tomorrow morning.”
It had only been three weeks since maids had attended her bath...
“What time should I arrive at the kitchen tomorrow morning?”
“Seven a.m. They'll cane you if you're even a little late, so absolutely don't be late.”
It felt not like three weeks ago, but three years.
“Understood.”
Come to think of it, she had been a flower in a greenhouse.
Even on the day the duke's household's defeat became clear, she had worried about the future while soaking in a copper bathtub, entrusting her body to warm water infused with scented oils and the hands of maids.
When Edel showed no signs of anger or humiliation, Mina, frustrated, added one more jab.
‘From now on, even in the depths of winter, she'll have to wipe herself down with cold water like this. The Crisus Count Estate doesn't provide warm water to servants, it seems.’
“You'd better sleep soundly tonight. Tomorrow, you'll learn just how much hardship the maids you used to order around endured.”
She might even get frostbite, so wiping with a wet towel would be the best she could do. By spring, dry scales might form on her skin.
With that, she left Edel alone and turned to leave.
It was humiliating beyond imagination for a duchess or countess's daughter, but it was a reality she would have to accept from now on.
She had wanted to see Edel seething with suppressed rage, but compared to Head Maid Marsha, she still seemed far too naive.
*I'm not dying. And it's not so hard that dying would be better.*
*Even so, that's pretty kind of her. Bringing clothes and food, too.*
Until coming here, she had intended to give up her life, but she wasn't so desperate to die either. All living things with a stake in survival possess the instinct to live on.
Edel was grateful even for such small considerations.
As long as she wasn't reduced to a plaything for sordid lusts, she wanted to live.
After all, in the old days, a traitor's accomplice would have been stoned to death in the square—a grave criminal. It was understandable that people harbored ill will toward her.
She didn't ask for a grand life.
She only hoped to quietly tend to herself and live modest days—that was all.
For now, wash up. As that maid said, she reeked terribly.
That was why Edel saw hope in Laslo handing her over to the head maid as 'additional staff.'
In fact, she had tried to maintain some cleanliness, but compared to the days of luxury lotions and perfumes, she kept feeling like her body smelled.
*Anyway, it seems he has no immediate plans for me... So I'll stay alert and work hard to learn.*
Though it was late October and washing with cold water was daunting, it was better than stinking, so Edel gritted her teeth and poured the cold water over her body.
She carefully undid her braided hair and washed it with soapy water. If it had been warm water, the grime-clumped oil would have washed out easily, but with cold water, it seemed to cling even more.
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