Jane, who is 20 years old this year, lost her parents in an accident at the age of six and moved between relatives’ homes.

A distant relative’s cousin’s couple, who were practically strangers, happened to have no children and adopted her. That’s how Jane ended up living in the Grand Duke Wilboyer’s mansion.

Jane was welcomed by many, as the servants living in the mansion had no children.

The child deserved to be loved just for existing, and Duchess Grace, who had been raising two stoic sons, adored the sharp and cute Jane.

Just, to the extent of doting on a young maid.

So when news came that the princess of Glishia was coming to the mansion and the duchess decided to leave for the capital, Jane came to hate the princess she had never met.

The duchess occasionally traveled between hot springs and the capital for her second son, Kyler, and took her maid Elizabeth and Jane along to make the long journey less lonely.

But this time, she didn’t bring Jane.

“You have work to do here.”

The day before leaving, the duchess called for Jane.

“Jane, since you grew up in Wilboyer, you must know well what Beltoa means to us.”

Of course, Jane knows well.

Beltoa, who ostracized and abandoned Wilboyer by framing them for treason and heresy.

The wicked ones who cut the lifeline of ability users who can’t survive without blessings, plunging an entire family into suffering.

Anyone who has seen the Wilboyers suffering from the side effects of abilities would curse Beltoa.

“They are deceiving Wilboyer again.”

The duchess whispered sorrowfully, furrowing her beautiful brow.

“After pushing my son and the people of Wilboyer into suffering, now they’ve sent a princess rumored to be incompetent. How can the Glishia royal family, called God’s messengers, be so evil and shameless?”

Jane sympathized with the duchess’s feelings.

“I can’t bear the humiliation of smiling and welcoming the princess like this. Especially thinking of Kyler struggling in pain.”

“My lady.”

“Jane, there’s something you need to do for me. Show that shameless princess that the Wilboyer mansion is not to be trifled with in my stead.”

The duchess whispered, sobbing.

“The duke cannot defy Beltoa because he has abilities. He had no choice but to allow this. That must be a fateful shackle we cannot understand. So we must step up. To make the princess leave this mansion as soon as possible.”

As Jane grew up, the duchess’s calls for her had been decreasing.

Feeling that the affection had faded compared to before, Jane wanted to follow the duchess’s words somehow.

If she did well this time, maybe she could regain favor. She might even become a close maid.

Jane confidently promised.

“Yes, just trust me, my lady. I’ll do my best so you can return as soon as possible.”

“Jane, you really are on my side. I can leave believing in you.”

Seeing the affectionate gaze, Jane made a vow.

To torment the princess of Glishia. To make her leave in disgust.

So after the duchess left, Liam arrived.

* * *

The carriage carrying Liam passed through the main gate.

Usually, when someone from the main family returned from a long trip, everyone would greet them at the entrance, but today no one was there.

Due to the duchess’s request disguised as an order, the employees just glanced at each other while working.

There was an unusual tension in the kitchen. It was time to wrap up the day’s work, but everyone kept their mouths shut.

“Only the deputy butler and Mr. Ethan are out!”

A maid who went out to scout returned running and announced the news from the entrance.

“Even the head butler didn’t come out?”

“His Excellency probably won’t welcome the princess either.”

As whispers spread, someone couldn’t hold back and spoke up.

“Couldn’t we just watch secretly? It’s not like we’re greeting her.”

“I-I guess so?”

“It’s not like we’re disobeying the madam’s orders.”

The maids united and rushed out of the kitchen.

The stairs behind the entrance and corners were already occupied by employees.

“Excuse me, I’m supposed to attend to the princess.”

Jane squeezed through them and poked her head out.

Liam entered carrying a small-framed woman.

A cold gaze swept over the entrance where the deputy butler and Ethan were standing, then met the eyes of the hidden employees.

Liam didn’t act arrogant or overbearing towards the employees. He was especially gentle with Jane, whom the duchess adored.

‘Lord Liam?’

Jane’s body trembled at the cold gaze staring at the employees.

She had seen Liam training in swordsmanship or sparring with knights before, but now he was colder than then.

This was the first time Jane experienced Liam’s anger.

‘There’s no way Lord Liam would be angry at me. It’s all because of the princess. The madam said people with abilities are weak against Beltoa.’

“We must drive her out as soon as possible.”

Jane’s determination grew stronger.

And finally, she was able to enter Ormia’s bedroom.

* * *

Ormia regained consciousness four days after her fever broke.

The village doctor diagnosed it as malnutrition and accumulated fatigue.

Jane was finally able to attend to her ‘properly’.

She had a plan.

‘Royalty or nobility, it must be the same.’

The duchess adored Jane but was a picky royal.

Everything she used was of the highest quality that ordinary nobles couldn’t even dream of, and she would easily get irritated if not attended to according to her preferences.

The skilled maid Jane recalled the parts where the duchess had been fussy.

Nobles hated insubordination.

Especially when someone of lower rank tormented them, they got very offended.

Even if Jane tormented her a little, she wouldn’t be able to act recklessly towards people of the family she was indebted to in a foreign country, and if she had a nasty temper, that would make things easier.

Although Reina became her lady-in-waiting and was around, Jane’s actions were very minor torments.

Even if the princess raised her voice first, it would be hard to find evidence.

“Your Highness, I’ve prepared the washing water.”

Scentless, crude soap, washing water not heated despite the morning still being cool, and cosmetics not prepared at all.

“Thank you.”

Ormia washed her face with cold water and wiped it with a rough towel while thanking Jane.

If it were the duchess, she would have been irritated just by touching the washing water with her fingertips and would have yelled to change the towel before even touching it.

‘Right, since it’s the grand duke’s family, she’ll put up with the inconvenience at first.’

Jane decided to torment her more viciously.

For meals, Jane ate and only gave Ormia stew.

The duchess would get very irritated if the same food came out consecutively.

“The chef is skilled. Please tell him I enjoyed the meal very much.”

Princess Ormia ate her meal with satisfaction. She was quite a formidable opponent.

But Jane had an ace up her sleeve.

Although Princess Ormia hadn’t left her bedroom yet as she was still recovering, nobles never forget teatime even on the battlefield.

Oatmeal cookies that don’t go well with tea, tasteless and dry and not sweet! With no raisins so not sweet at all, which the duchess detested as commoner food.

She served those as dessert, which even Jane disliked for not being sweet.

‘Now she’ll get irritated!’

“To think I’d get to eat these cookies again! Thank you, Jane. These are cookies I really like.”

…This isn’t right.

Why does she like everything?

* * *

Even after dinner was over, the mansion’s kitchen was busy.

The maids chattered about everything while working, from the grand duke’s favorite horse having a date with a mare in the remote stable to the young male employee who newly joined the shop district.

The recent hot topic was undoubtedly Princess Ormia Beltoa.

Normally, Jane would have been chattering about what the princess was like and how she tormented her, but today she kept her mouth firmly shut.

The maids who had been subtly agreeing with Jane’s actions and feeling schadenfreude urged her while giving her snacks and fruits.

“Jane, what did you do today?”

“Did the princess who was enduring well finally lose her temper?”

“She had good reason to. Those were actions the madam detests. Her noble blood must have been patient until now.”

“Jane, tell us quickly. Did you get scolded?”

“Wow, to see Jane so dejected. How harshly did she speak to make you like this? Did she hit you somewhere? Your face looks fine though.”

“If that happened, Jane would have cried and called for people.”

“True, our Jane is good at that.”

“Stop it!! You don’t know how I feel!!”

Jane burst out at the words that were unclear whether they were teasing or comforting, then stormed out of the kitchen.

“At least tell us what happened before you go!”

“Leave her be. She must have really gotten it today.”

‘That’s not it!’

But it was awkward to explain.

Although Ormia is a foreign princess, she is family of someone at the top like the duchess.

They had pride and nobility befitting their bloodline, confidence and a special aura of the royal family.

But Ormia Beltoa was different.

Of course, she was beautiful.

Perhaps because she had been bedridden due to illness, she looked frail and sorrowful.

She used even poor quality items without complaint, but that seemed more like the attitude of someone used to having nothing rather than a flexible personality.

Jane was familiar with it too, having lived a similar life.

“She’s like the kids I saw when I was young.”

She had briefly stayed at an orphanage while moving between relatives’ homes.

There were countless children there who had lost their parents or been abandoned like Jane.

Although there was an extreme difference in status with Princess Ormia, looking at the princess reminded her of those children.

‘Like children watching out for fear of being abandoned. Resigned to discomfort and poverty…’

A sense of guilt rose up. Biting her nails, Jane pressed down on the unpleasant and sticky lump remaining in her heart.

‘But she’s a princess.’

There’s no way a princess would have lived such a life.

If Princess Ormia doesn’t scold Jane, it becomes one-sided bullying. She ended up doing something she herself disliked.

“Should I do worse? Then maybe she’ll get angry and scold me.”

At that moment, head chef Victor suddenly appeared.

“That princess won’t scold you.”