Yet even in the politics and economics sections he guided me to next, he kept reciting similarly dreadful book titles.
“No, I mean… isn’t there anything more entertaining than these?”
Calling to mind the books I used to enjoy reading, I began rattling off titles one by one.
“Like… The Duke’s Maid Hides Her Power, The Young Master Is Way Too Harsh, The Duke Who Is Only Obsessed with Me…”
“What?”
Callius asked, sounding as though he had just heard something utterly shocking.
“Why would my father… why would he be obsessed with you?”
Ah.
“Oh, anyway, this isn’t the time to stand around! We have to hurry up and write the report!”
I said, pushing him forward by the back.
Callius looked like he wanted to interrogate me further, but unable to withstand my prodding, he had no choice but to get moving.
Leaving Callius alone in the library so he could focus on writing his attendance-waiver report, I stepped outside.
Even if I stayed by his side, there was nothing more I could help him with.
Everything that remained now depended entirely on how well he wrote the report.
Well, let’s bet on the male lead’s abilities this time too.
As I headed down toward the first floor with that thought in mind, the sound of several people descending the attic stairs all at once reached my ears.
“Oh, Lizzy.”
“Where are you going?”
It was the voices of the other maids.
“Ah, I’m just heading down to the kitchen for a moment…”
“The kitchen? Oh, so you weren’t on your way to the chapel?”
A blatant note of disapproval laced one maid’s voice.
“Didn’t you skip morning prayers as well?”
“Yes, I had some chores today…”
I tried to offer a strained smile and brush past the conversation, but they wouldn’t let me off so easily.
“Then you should at least attend evening prayers, shouldn’t you? Today is a holy day.”
In this world, the Ruler of Light was the sole sovereign deity, and piety was regarded as the highest virtue.
For that reason, regardless of social class, servants also went to pray morning and evening on holy days.
And the nobility, eager to demonstrate their devoutness, encouraged such behavior.
‘In a situation like this, it’s only natural the maids would look at me with resentment, seeing as I’m the only one who didn’t go to the chapel.’
Still, it wasn’t as if I were making excuses out of thin air; my chores were piled high as a mountain.
Ever since Mary and Dorothy were dismissed, I alone had become responsible for cleaning every area where Callius stayed.
On top of that, he called for me at all hours.
Yet the maids showed not an ounce of consideration for my circumstances, and I heard them whispering in hushed tones.
“Still, to be so busy you can’t even drop by the chapel once…”
“That’s why the Ruler’s punishment struck her, isn’t it?”
“Right… Ugh. I’d hate to catch bad luck. Come on, let’s not be late.”
I can hear every single one of you, you know.
At some point, the maids had begun openly directing their hostility toward me.
Normally, attending to the young master was assigned to a maid with years of experience.
Yet here I was, barely a month into service and blind on top of that, taking over that very post. It was hardly surprising that it rubbed them the wrong way.
“What are you all gossiping about just now?”
Just then, Tilda’s sharp voice rang out from the top of the stairs.
She came striding down with brisk, furious steps.
“Isn’t Mary and Dorothy the very reason Lizzy couldn’t attend prayers?”
Her voice was so icy that even I felt a chill run down my spine.
“Did you all forget that this girl is shouldering every single task those two used to handle by herself?”
At her words, the maids snapped their mouths shut.
Tilda was one of the senior maids, and there was no countering what she said.
When silence fell, Tilda raised her voice deliberately so that I could hear.
“Pay them no mind, Lizzy. If you had gone to prayers, there’d be no one left to serve Lord Callius his meal. The Duke himself gave his permission for that, so hold your head high.”
“Ahem…”
At the mention of the Duke, the maids looked even more uncomfortable and cleared their throats.
Ignoring them, Tilda continued speaking to me.
“And besides, Lizzy, once you’re less busy looking after the young master later on, just let me know. If you want to go to prayers, I’ll accompany you whenever you wish.”
“Yes, thank you so much, Tilda.”
To tell the truth, it always felt like a heavy burden whenever I had to rely on others just to go outside.
Because of that, I was genuinely grateful that she offered of her own accord.
“All right, then don’t push yourself too hard and take things easy.
I need to get back to my work as well…”
Just as she was about to leave, she let out an ‘Oh,’ as though suddenly remembering something.
“That’s right, Lizzy. You probably haven’t heard what the head housekeeper said earlier. In about a month, all of us are going to the nearby woods to pick raspberries. Would you like to come along? You haven’t had a proper outing in ages.”
At Tilda’s suggestion, the maids raised their voices once more.
“But Tilda! She can’t see a thing!”
“Yeah, how can a blind girl go picking berries?”
Before long, however, they fell silent; a single sharp glare from Tilda seemed to have done the trick.
“What do you think, Lizzy?”
“Hmm… I think I’ll need to ask the young master for permission first.”
“All right, go ahead and ask him then.”
“Yes, Tilda.”
Those maids might still be glaring at me with spite, but… hah!
I can’t even see you in the first place, you fools.
Shrugging off their glares, I made my way toward the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Callius had finished his report.
To wrap it up this quickly… Truly, the male lead’s capabilities were second to none.
Callius looked a bit fatigued, but he handed the report over to me in his usual tone.
“Here.”
“That’s truly amazing! To get it done so fast!”
“It’s nothing worth mentioning. I simply organized the thoughts I usually have and wrote them down.”
He said it casually, but the exhaustion in his voice proved just how much effort he had poured into it.
“Don’t worry, the result is bound to be good!”
After that, I hurried right away to hand the report over to Brandon.
“So all we have to do now is wait for the result?”
I asked him.
“Exactly. The Academy will review it and send back their reply. When that happens, I’ll be the first to come and tell you the outcome, Miss Lizzy.”
Report in hand, Brandon left for the Academy right away.
Well, I’ve done everything I possibly can.
I thought to myself as I listened to the sound of his receding footsteps.
Now, let’s leave the rest to luck and wait quietly.
…Yet that quiet did not even last a full week.
‘Ugh… why am I feeling so anxious for no reason? They said the result would take time, so shouldn’t I just relax and take heart?’
With that lingering anxiety weighing on my chest, a few days slipped by.
“Miss Lizzy!”
“Oh, Mr. Brandon!”
The moment I heard his voice after so long, I answered with delight.
“There you were. I’ve been looking all over for you.”
“You were looking for me? Did the Academy’s result finally come in?”
“Ah… no, it’s not that.”
He replied with an awkward tone in the face of my eagerness.
“However, I have something to deliver to you. It’s a letter addressed to you, not the young master.”
“To me?”
As I stood puzzled, Brandon handed me a letter.
“Here you go. Oh, if you’d like, shall I read what it says for you?”
“Yes, please.”
Brandon opened the envelope, took a quick glance over it, and said,
“It’s a letter from your aunt. She’s asking how you’ve been doing. And she mentions that she received the soap and spices you sent. Did you send a package home?”
“Ah, yes! I received my first wages last month.”
I replied, nodding my head.
The wages I earned at the ducal residence were generous enough
that even after setting aside savings, I could send daily necessities back to my aunt’s house.
‘What a relief! I was worried the parcel might get lost along the way, but it seems to have arrived safely.’
