“Ah, this is...”
Just as Elysia was trying to come up with an excuse, Sheyla's eyes sharpened.
It was similar to the first time they had met.
As if she already knew Elysia had been hurt.
She abruptly let go of her hand and stared at her.
Her gaze clearly demanded an answer.
“......”
After hesitating, Elysia forced a smile.
“I accidentally forgot it... I'm sorry if it upset you. I'll go bring it right away.”
Naturally positioning herself in front of the cart, Elysia hid both hands behind her back and bowed her head.
Sheyla silently watched her for a moment before turning around and going back into the room.
Is she letting it go?
After staring at the closed door for a moment, Elysia hurried toward the kitchen without wasting any time.
After that, Sheyla coldly drew a line between them.
[Leave the food at the door and go.]
[Don't talk to me.]
As if she had no intention of showing them twice, Sheyla crumpled the notes she handed Elysia after she read them.
Elysia was confused by the sudden change, but there was nothing she could do.
Joshua still spent time with Sheyla, yet Elysia wasn't even allowed into the room anymore.
“...Should I tell the Grand Duke?”
She kept worrying about it, but no solution came to mind.
Even when she asked Joshua before bed, his answers were all similar.
“Today? Today I read a mountain of books!”
“Didn't you do anything else?”
“I asked Lady Sheyla to go to the garden with me, but she said no. I wonder why?”
Joshua's shoulders drooped sadly.
Elysia patted his back to comfort him, but her thoughts wandered elsewhere.
Even the laptop hadn't changed.
And no other solution appeared.
***
The next day.
About an hour before Sheyla's lunch was supposed to be delivered.
Elysia was sweeping the courtyard behind the kitchen when Greta approached her.
“Elysia.”
“Yes, Head Maid.”
Elysia immediately stopped sweeping and hurried over.
“Someone else will be delivering Lady Sheyla's lunch today, not you.”
“Ah... I understand.”
The news left a bitter feeling in her chest, but she had no choice.
After saying what she came to say, Greta was about to leave when she noticed something strange about Elysia's appearance.
Her brow furrowed.
“And keep your uniform clean. You should have been given spare work clothes.”
Elysia glanced down at herself.
There were soup stains all over her sleeves and skirt.
Carefully, she replied,
“I'm sorry. I was never given a spare uniform.”
“You were never given one?”
“...No.”
Greta's eyes narrowed slightly.
As though she had just discovered something that wasn't right.
Was I supposed to pick one up myself and missed it?
Holding the broom tightly, Elysia lowered her gaze.
“I see.”
Greta didn't press the matter any further.
She simply turned and left.
What does she mean by that?
Did something go wrong?
Elysia stood there blankly for a moment before returning to her work.
“...The bruises on my knees are slowing me down.”
Normally, she would have finished cleaning the courtyard and still had plenty of time to help the chef prepare lunch.
But the more injuries she accumulated, from her knees to her elbows and shoulders, the slower she became.
She couldn't openly complain about it.
All she could do was swallow another sigh.
“Though... am I getting fired?”
At least Sheyla had previously allowed her to leave meals at the door.
It had almost been two weeks since Elysia became her attendant.
I worked so hard to get this job.
With a worried expression, she continued sweeping.
Then—
“Ahhh!”
A sharp scream echoed through the estate.
Elysia immediately looked up.
The sound had come from the second floor.
A bad feeling washed over her.
Looking around, she realized the commotion was coming from near Sheyla's room.
Immediately, two people came to mind.
Not just Sheyla.
Joshua was in there too.
Throwing down her broom, Elysia rushed inside the mansion.
Despite limping, she ran as fast as she could.
By the time she reached the room, she could already hear shouting through the open door.
“Stop it!!”
Joshua's voice.
A chill ran down her spine.
Trying to catch her breath, Elysia looked inside.
Then her eyes widened.
The scene before her was nothing like she had expected.
Bowls and plates were scattered across the floor.
Several maids knelt among the mess, covered in food.
And in the middle of it all stood Sheyla, trying to throw another cup and plate while Joshua desperately tried to stop her.
“What in the...?”
As Elysia stepped toward the room, she met Sheyla's fierce gaze.
The meaning behind that look was obvious.
Don't come in.
It was a warning.
The coldness in those eyes made Elysia hesitate for a split second.
But Joshua's desperate cry snapped her out of it.
“Noona!! Help!!”
Holding tightly onto Sheyla's arm, Joshua called out desperately.
The moment Elysia saw him, she stepped inside without hesitation.
Ignoring the warning.
Seeing her enter anyway, Sheyla's mouth opened briefly before closing again.
Despite Joshua's efforts to stop her, she threw another plate.
Crash!
“Aah!”
The maids flinched and covered their ears as the plate shattered.
When Sheyla tried to throw a glass next, Elysia quickly stepped forward and took it away.
“Lady Sheyla, please calm down.”
Kneeling in front of her, Elysia looked up at her.
Breathing heavily, Sheyla turned and glared at the maids.
Only then did Elysia recognize them.
They were the same group that had been bullying her.
And among them, the one in the worst condition was Branda.
Her neatly braided hair was ruined, soaked with food.
When Branda met Sheyla's eyes, she flinched.
Then she noticed Elysia.
Grinding her teeth in frustration, she lowered her head.
A faint clicking sound escaped her clenched jaw.
Elysia looked away from the maids and focused on Sheyla.
“I heard someone else was assigned to bring your lunch today, so I wasn't the one who delivered it. But when I heard shouting, I had no choice but to come. Could you tell me what happened?”
Her voice remained calm.
But Sheyla completely ignored her.
She only stared at the maids.
Then she roughly slapped Joshua's hand away.
Joshua stumbled back a step before speaking hesitantly.
“Lady Sheyla asked them to bring the food back... but those noona's said they were busy and told her to just eat it. So we were going to eat it anyway, but then Lady Sheyla got angry. I don't know why she got angry though. They whispered something, I think...”
“That little brat doesn't know anything.”
Branda muttered under her breath.
Joshua didn't hear her.
Looking frightened, he continued.
“A-And then... those noona's kept laughing. They said something to me, but their mouths were moving too fast and they talked really quietly, so I couldn't understand. And then Lady Sheyla threw all the food...”
Joshua looked like he was about to burst into tears.
But there was no time to comfort him right now.
The room remained tense.
The sound of someone quietly sniffling filled the silence.
Then Sheyla pointed toward the door.
Her gesture was clearly directed at the maids.
Get out.
One by one, the maids hesitantly got to their feet.
Elysia was about to stand as well.
She needed to comfort Joshua.
And she couldn't disobey Sheyla.
At that moment—
Sheyla grabbed Elysia's arm.
As if saying:
You stay.
Elysia awkwardly froze in place.
Branda immediately noticed.
And finally showed her true colors.
“Lady Sheyla, we did nothing wrong.”
Sheyla's eyes turned icy.
But Branda didn't back down.
Instead, she raised her voice.
“We were only teaching that ignorant country maid how to do her job!”
Her gaze shot toward Elysia.
“Yet you suddenly summoned us, humiliated us, and destroyed the room! If His Grace the Grand Duke finds out about this, he'll be deeply disappointed in you!”
