Chapter 65
65
65. Paula of the Strange Baron family (3)
I don't think I'm the shortest... But I don't think I've ever seen anyone smaller than me since I came here. Oh, then maybe I am the shortest. Even five years ago... I shook my head to shake off the unnecessary thoughts.
"Your hair is as curly as mine."
"Yes, a little."
"Your bangs are crooked."
Joelly pointed to my short bangs and laughed. I touched my bangs in embarrassment. I felt self-conscious because my face was exposed, and I shrank back. The moment I bowed my head in shame, she burst into laughter even louder.
"That's good. Bring it."
"Yes!"
Gladness burst out at the answer I had been waiting for. I answered in a loud voice without realizing it and was embarrassed, but Joelly responded with laughter again this time. I smiled awkwardly, closed the closet, and ran to her.
Joelly got up from the chair and took off her gown. Seeing her smooth figure, I felt embarrassed even though she was a woman. So, I lowered my gaze slightly and helped Joelly put on her dress. I fastened all the buttons on her back and smoothed out the wrinkled fabric.
The dress that revealed her figure suited her well.
"Fix my hair, too."
"Yes."
Joelly sat back in the chair. I placed a mirror in front of her and stood behind her. Her long hair was rich and glossy. I brought a comb and carefully brushed her hair.
"Curly hair looks rich, but if you don't take care of it, it gets too messy."
"But you're pretty."
"Thank you. Is Ann not as bad as me?"
"Mine is more frizzy. Even now, the ends of my hair are sticking out."
At that moment, Joelly suddenly turned around and grabbed my hair. I was so surprised by the sudden touch that my body stiffened. Despite my reaction, Joelly didn't care and fiddled with the ends of my hair, twirling them around.
"The ends are really sticking out."
"......Yes."
"But it's cute. I won't forget it once I touch it."
After that, she fiddled with my hair for a long time. When I sent her embarrassed glances, she responded with a smile. I had to stand there awkwardly, bending at the waist, waiting for her to let go. But when there was no sign of that, I couldn't stand it any longer and asked if I could fix her hair again. Only then did Joelly smile apologetically and let me go.
Regaining my freedom, I touched her hair again. I gathered her rich hair together, twisted it up, and fixed it in place with a flower-shaped ornament. I arranged the stray hairs with small pins.
When I finished, Joelly carefully examined her decorated hair. She turned her head from side to side, looking at herself in the mirror, and smiled brightly.
"You're good with your hands."
"Thank you."
I'm glad she liked it. A satisfied smile hung on Joelly's lips. I looked at Joelly in the mirror. She was radiant with her made-up face. I guess she's more suited to be the Baroness.
"Okay. You can go."
"Yes."
I bowed and turned around. I was about to grab the doorknob when...
"Ann."
Suddenly, she called me. When I turned around, Joelly had already gotten up from the chair and was looking at me. When our eyes met, she tilted her head slightly and stretched her lips into a long smile.
"Welcome to this place."
Joelly had been smiling ever since our shocking first meeting. She seemed like someone who was used to smiling. But strangely, her smile now was strange. I couldn't even smile back as I looked at her eyes, which were deeply curved towards me.
What should I call this? If I had to say, it was more bad than good, and rather than a habitual smile, it seemed like a conscious smile to hide her inner thoughts.
But I thought it was just an unnecessary thought.
"It's an honor."
I put my hands together again and bowed deeply.
\ \ *
Whether Joelly liked me or not, I waited on her from that day on. Instead, Alicia was assigned to clean other areas. It was also a dirty place like a room or warehouse that hadn't been used for a long time. She went to Audrey several times to complain about it, but instead, her area was changed to a dirtier place that no one wanted to take on.
Anyway, Alicia is a maid. Whether she liked it or not, there was nothing she could do. Whether it hurt her pride or not, Alicia came back to her room after work and screamed, hitting her pillow as if she were going to burst it. I told her to watch her mouth.
'I was trying to get in the eyes of the noble owner and make a fortune, but why is the owner a woman! How unlucky!'
In my opinion, Joelly seemed to be the Baroness, but I didn't bother to tell her. Alicia asked me if she should run away. I pretended not to hear.
Alicia was kicked out, but Johnny was still with us. Even after running away in embarrassment, Johnny had to be called to Joelly. Unfortunately, he seemed to be in charge of Joelly like me. But rather than being waited on, it seemed like she intended to keep him by her side like an ornamental flower.
When I took out clothes or things, he helped me from the side, but when I had to touch or contact Joelly, he just stood far away. He couldn't run away because he was ordered not to go outside the room without permission. Because of this, Johnny endured with his eyes closed whenever embarrassing situations unfolded.
'How cute.'
Joelly enjoyed Johnny's embarrassed reaction. She sometimes touched Johnny with strange hands and sent him subtle glances. Every time that happened, Johnny was naturally embarrassed.
'Hey, hide me.'
'How can I hide you? Don't say ridiculous things.'
'That woman keeps looking at me strangely. Why is she looking at me like that?'
'I don't know.'
And not long after, I realized the meaning of that gaze.
Joelly brought men into her room every night. It was a new man every night. I don't know who those men are, but some of them seemed to be male servants. One day, I was sleeping and was called to the room, and there was a naked man lying next to her, which was so embarrassing.
'I like pretty things. But I don't want to force it. It's really fun when we enjoy each other. If only one person likes it, it feels disgusting, right?'
In the end, that was the reason why she kept Johnny by her side. She didn't want to force him to come if he didn't like it, so she seemed to be keeping him by her side and watching him until he felt that way. It also meant that she liked Johnny that much. The person in question only felt threatened and didn't even realize the hidden intention.
But I felt Joelly's gaze in a different sense. When I made eye contact, she had a kind light, but when I didn't, the gaze that reached me was stinging. It was like she was watching me. Whenever I felt that gaze, I couldn't help but feel nervous.
This situation was repeated for several days. Joelly acted more and more picky, Johnny was embarrassed, and I worked hard between them. At first, I was embarrassed, but as the same situation was repeated, I became accustomed to it.
But just as I got used to it, my area of responsibility changed. Suddenly, I was transferred to cleaning the rooms on the second floor. I didn't know why. Did I unknowingly offend Joelly? Anyway, I was used to cleaning, so I felt more comfortable here. Besides, it wasn't bad because I didn't have to receive Joelly's strange gaze anymore.
And Alicia took my place. How? The question was solved when I heard from the maid in charge of cleaning the same area that Alicia had begged Audrey for another chance a few days ago.
She glared at me fiercely every time she went back to her room after waiting on Joelly, but she secretly did such a thing. That proud Alicia.
'What are you up to?'
'What?'
'Why are you bending your pride and doing the waiting work?'
Alicia glared at me fiercely.
'It's because of you!'
'Me?'
'Yes! You were trying to take my place again!'
No, what did I do? As I was feeling absurd, Alicia shouted.
'I'd rather wait on that woman than be pushed back by you!'
Only then did I realize that Alicia's habit had come out. The bad habit of taking whatever I had. I knew well enough that Joelly was a picky woman, even though it was only for a short period of time. I could somewhat predict what would have happened if Alicia and I had been alone. However, Alicia didn't like the fact that I was taking her place so much that she was willing to put up with such a situation.
'And if I wait on her, I'll be able to meet other nobles later. It's annoying, but I can't help it now.'
She looked nervous, but it seemed like she wasn't acting impulsively. But I don't care.
'Do well.'
'Don't interfere with my work.'
I thought about it last time, but I have no intention of interfering.
I didn't want to come here, but now that I'm here, I just want to focus on my work. It didn't matter whether it was waiting on Joelly or cleaning. Johnny said he would give me a lot of money, so I wouldn't have to worry about the pay. Since I'm on probation anyway, I may have to leave this place later. I have to earn as much as I can until then so that I don't starve even after I leave this place.
And thanks to getting away from Joelly, I was able to figure out more about this place.
While wiping the windows in the hallway, I stared intently at the dense bushes beyond the window. As I made my way through the bushes, I could see something white. I recently realized that the white thing was another mansion of this Baron family. It was so far away that it was hard to notice unless you looked closely.
Since this place is surrounded by forests, I don't think it's the main building. Then is it the Separate Residence? It was strange that there was no garden, which is usually in a noble's mansion.
But I can't go to another mansion just because there is one. The servants here can't go outside unless Audrey gives permission. Even no one visited this place. If it were a normal Baron family, guests would come, but I haven't heard any news of anyone coming since I came here. Joelly wasn't the type to go out often either. Maybe that's why our permission to go out was strict.
The only range that we can go out to without any special permission is the front of this mansion. From the moment we enter the forest, we have to be questioned about where we are going and why we are going out.
Perhaps because we are on probation, we seem to be under strict management. Besides, after talking to the maids who worked with me a few times, I learned that all the servants in this mansion were brought in from outside like me and Alicia.
The surroundings are surrounded by forests, and I can't even go to other mansions. No, I couldn't even see the garden or anything properly. Besides, all the servants are outsiders. I have never seen the face of the Baron of this mansion, and the only one I have is Joelly, the Baroness. But why is the Baroness living in such a remote Separate Residence?
After figuring it out for a few days, I came to this conclusion.
It's a very strange mansion.
Usually, there would be one or two old servants. The place I used to work... I quickly shook my head when I thought about it. Maybe it's because of my past experience. These days, things from five years ago suddenly popped up.
It's not completely forgotten. There were also memories that I couldn't forget even if I wanted to. I sometimes thought about the things that happened in that mansion. I was sold for Gold coin, but there were still more good memories. Although the beginning and the end were not good, that's why the memories I recall from time to time are beautiful.
Sometimes I thought of that man.
The memories, conversations, promises, and our last moments that I shared with him in a short time. And the worry for him, who would have been left alone in that dark room again, sometimes shook me. It was already five years ago.
A time when a suddenly disappeared maid would be forgotten. A time when it would be thought that she might be dead. Nevertheless, there were times when I thought that he might still be looking for me.
That can't be.
'It can't be.'
Even if that were the case, he wouldn't be able to find me. He didn't see my face. How can you find someone you've never seen?
And another man comes to mind.
I immediately shook my head. The only way to shake off the depressing feeling is to shake it off. He's doing well. Everyone will be doing well. So I have to live well now too. I soothed my depressing feelings with that thought.
