Originally, it is customary for the head maid to select maids, but the young Madam Heather, who had just come to Gracian, was so enthusiastic that she took charge of even minor matters.

When Deborah first met Madam Heather, she thought her luck was terrible. She figured the mistress would be stricter than the head maid. But…

“Good. I like you. To think you’ll be the first servant I employ. This is special!”

Considering the wealthy’s dislike for bringing in people of unclear origins, Madam Heather’s decision was groundbreaking.

“I look forward to working with you, child.”

“The pleasure is mine, madam.”

“Hoho. Indeed!”

Unlike her sharp appearance, Madam Heather was a lively prankster, like a spring breeze scattering flower petals.

“Deborah! Come and have some of these sweets before you go.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t possibly have such precious things…”

“What do you mean? I want to give them to you. Here, eat your fill. You need to gain some weight. And grow taller too!”

She gave the working maid an armful of expensive sweets.

“Now, when I say ‘Fate, come to me!’ here, you should shout ‘Nonsense!'”

“How could I dare say such a thing to you, madam.”

“This is acting, Deborah. Acting!”

She taught her lines for her own acting play.

“Got it? This is a Geman insult. Deborah, you’re so good-natured that you’ll never hear such things, but if by chance some lunatic says this to you, kick them away!”

“Madam…”

She taught her Geman, including swear words.

“And then tell me about it! Understood?”

She hugged Deborah, who was a maid.

These were truly pleasant and good memories. Weren’t maids supposed to be those who endure and bear a monotonous life?

But thanks to Madam Heather, the quiet but kind master, and friendly staff, every day was fun for Deborah.

‘My heart and body are abundant.’

Of course, not everyone was kind to Deborah.

“Deborah. What are you doing there?”

Sage was a maid who had been hired three days before Deborah. She was the same age as Deborah, but far from being friends, she despised Deborah terribly.

“I’m petting the cat?”

“Ha. While some of us have been working hard hanging laundry, you’re leisurely petting cats?”

“I just finished waxing the hallway moldings.”

“So what? Are you saying you did well?”

“No, I’m saying that at least I finished my work before slacking off. So why don’t you take a break too if you’re done with your work?”

“Who do you think has time to spare like you?”

Sage snapped like that and stomped off on her way, grumbling. Sage really picked fights with Deborah at every chance.

Deborah found such Sage a bit cute. Like a cat baring its teeth sharply.

‘Still, it hurts to be disliked.’

Deborah thought such peaceful days would last forever. No, she hoped they would.

As time passed, when the two had just turned eighteen.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Sage said to Deborah, who was handing out bread to begging children in the alley behind the mansion.

Sage’s lips trembled, as if Deborah was doing something terribly wrong.

“Well then, thank you! May God’s blessings be with you.”

“Yes, thank you. May you be blessed too.”

Sage’s face flushed at Deborah, who was smiling and waving to the children. She felt as if Deborah was ignoring her.

“Did you just hand out the mansion’s bread as you pleased?”

“The chef entrusted me with disposing of the leftover bread.”

“So you’re playing nice with the mansion’s property?”

“Isn’t it better than just throwing it away?”

At Deborah’s answer, Sage gritted her teeth and said.

“Then you should have at least given it out away from this mansion. Or changed out of your maid uniform before giving it!”

Sage continued, huffing.

“From now on, begging children will keep hanging around the mansion because of you! What will you do then? Pray for bread to be left over?”

“Hmm, then I’ll share my portion.”

“Ha. Do you think you can feed all the beggars in the capital with just what you eat?”

Deborah also thought that was unreasonable. But is it so important that you can’t feed everyone? If even one child can have a meal for the day, isn’t that enough?

“If those children keep coming to the mansion and become a nuisance, I’ll tell everyone it’s all your fault. Then even Madam, who dotes on you, will have no choice but to throw you out!”

Sage shouted that and turned on her heel, heading back to the mansion. Deborah smiled awkwardly. Honestly, she had never thought of that, but it was a possibility.

‘I really made a mistake. That would be troublesome.’

Deborah let out a deep sigh, slumping her shoulders. But well, it’s not like that has happened yet.

‘What’s the use of worrying in advance?’

Deborah quickly shook off her worries and gestured towards the inner alley.

Then, from a corner that seemed empty, came the sound of leaves crunching underfoot.

Deborah took out a handkerchief-wrapped cookie from her pocket. And with a bright smile towards the darkness, she said.

“Come quickly, I saved this for you.”

“Young lady?”

At the maid’s soft voice, Deborah lifted her heavy eyelids.

“Will you wake up now?”

The maid gently asked the dazed Deborah.

“Ah, yes… Thank you for waking me.”

The maid smiled kindly at Deborah, who answered with a voice still thick with sleep.

‘It’s been a while since I recalled the old days.’

It’s not often that one recalls the past, not an illusion, in dreams.

‘Anyway, I’m glad I could recall a good past among the past.’

Rubbing her eyes, Deborah struggled to get up.

‘Oh my.’

If there hadn’t been a maid nearby, she would have let out a groan.

‘I must be getting old too. Just three hours of nap isn’t enough to recover from staying up all night.’

She would likely be drowsy until night comes.

As Deborah quickly covered her mouth, about to yawn unconsciously, the maid carefully asked.

“Young lady. Are you really not feeling unwell?”

“No! Not at all. I’m just lacking sleep.”

“Ah, then would you like to sleep more?”

“Hehe. Honestly, I’d like to sleep more, but if I do, I won’t be able to sleep at night. I’ll try to endure.”

As Deborah answered with a smile, the maid uttered the magic sentence to wake her up.

“Actually, the master was looking for you.”

Deborah blinked rapidly with round eyes.

“Mr. Baker?”

“Yes. He asked me to tell you when you wake up.”

Why was Zen looking for her? Did he read all her requests? Did he read them and think they were no good?

‘It would be troublesome if he suddenly withdraws his offer to listen.’

But why didn’t Zen wake Deborah? Someone like Zen wouldn’t hesitate to wake someone sleeping during work hours.

‘Anyway, I might get scolded. Zen doesn’t tolerate servants wasting time.’

Although small worries were welling up, Deborah decided to put aside matters concerning Zen and resolve what she had been curious about first.

“Come to think of it, I didn’t ask your name.”

As Deborah carefully asked, the maid answered, placing her hand on her chest.

“My name is Shelley.”

“Shelley! That’s a pretty name.”

Deborah smiled, her eyes crinkling prettily, then continued with a sheepish face.

“Shelley. Please don’t call me ‘young lady’ anymore. I’ve been hired as the dedicated maid for the madam who will be arriving soon.”

“Oh my. Not only did you pass that impressive interview, but you also got an even more impressive position. How wonderful.”

Shelley clapped her hands together and chuckled. Deborah felt embarrassed. Honestly, Deborah had passed the interview thanks to backing. It was a kind of employment irregularity.

‘Of course, I didn’t want to be hired for this job, and it was an extremely forced and one-sided irregularity.’

Unable to explain such circumstances in detail, Deborah smiled slightly and changed the subject.

“Actually, I should have told you this earlier, but I was lazy, wasn’t I? Still, please don’t hate me, and I look forward to working with you.”

Shelley kept smiling as she listened to her story, but she was quite surprised.

It was a fact known to all the staff here that Deborah had interviewed for the position of dressing maid, and that the master had canceled all subsequent interviews.

Yet Shelley hadn’t thought Deborah would be a ‘normal employee.’ Anyone would misunderstand like Shelley if they saw Zen’s attitude.

‘But is this really a misunderstanding? It doesn’t seem so.’

Shelley recalled what happened just after Deborah had fallen asleep.

It happened shortly after leaving Deborah’s room. When she hadn’t quite reached the end of the corridor, Zen came walking quickly, unlike his usual self.

Startled, Shelley hurriedly pressed herself against a corner of the wall and lowered her head.

Zen was a strict person. If everything was perfect as a servant, including ability and etiquette, he would pretend not to see, but if there was even the tiniest flaw, he would cut people off mercilessly. Several had been fired just last month.

So when Zen specifically addressed her, Shelley felt her heart sink to the floor.

“Hey.”

Shelley answered, trying hard to hide her trembling.

“Yes, master.”

Her mind was in turmoil. What did I do wrong? No matter how much she thought about it, she hadn’t done anything wrong to Zen. They hadn’t even met separately, and she was someone who definitely did her job well.

‘Did the young lady perhaps give some hint to the master?’

Deborah was always smiling, but that smile didn’t guarantee ‘satisfaction.’ So, if there had been some conversation between the young lady and the master earlier…

‘This is bad.’

Shelley really needed the money. That’s why she became a maid in the Baker household, which paid high wages. If her family circumstances hadn’t worsened further, she wouldn’t have quit the household where she had been working fine.

I can’t be fired, I can’t be… As Shelley was repeating this in her mind, Zen asked.