As a reward for behaving well during her bath, Ariante was in a delightful state after indulging in a caramel, a nougat, and even a sugar-coated violette.

While Ariante thoroughly bathed until her skin became silky, Maiana also got soaked from head to toe.

“Oh, my lady! What are you eating? Oh, caramel?”

Maiana’s voice reached Veinti’s ears as she was tidying up the bathroom. She turned her head.

“You’re here so quickly. Didn’t you just come after spending the entire day?”

At this point, Ariante and her had exchanged glances and observed Veinti, who was opening a bag.

“Oh, I was just joking. I came a little while ago and barely managed to assist Lady Ariante with her bath. Make sure Lady Ariante doesn’t eat all the caramel.”

At this, Ariante, who became the surveillance target, hurriedly approached.

“I didn’t eat all of it! Veinti gave me one!”

Ariante declared as Veinti, now the target, chased after her.

“No, I didn’t give it to her! Since Lady opened the bag first! It’s a snack for Lady! Where’s the fairness in accusing me like this?”

“I just opened it to take a look!”

“What did you say!”

The two were fighting at an equal level, Maiana thought.

She roughly dried her hair, which was dripping water, and stood up. Then, after twisting her skirt tightly to wring out the moisture, she went outside. Since she couldn’t use Ariante’s bathroom as it was, Maiana had to use the bathroom prepared for the maids.

“Veinti, Lady hasn’t fully dressed yet. Help her put on the dinner dress. I think I should wash first since the Duke summoned me.”

“Well… alright.”

Veinti, who had recently become a gentle sheep in front of Maiana – and also secretly ate caramel – quietly took Ariante to her bedroom. Maiana headed to the servant’s bathroom outside, locking the door behind her.

Originally, servants had to share one bathroom among several people. This was the case for any noble family, and even the royal family.

In the Porbeck Manor, not only was it impossible to use warm water freely, but also soap for washing hair or body wasn’t properly provided. The soap made from horse or sheep fat emitted a foul odor and was as hard as a rock. Winter, in particular, was a severe ordeal.

However, the Valtamishter Duke’s residence was much better off. Especially on the east side, there was more flexibility in using leftovers such as perfumed oils or slightly diminished soap, which the servants could use freely.
When Jocelyn used to interfere in the affairs of the east side, that was already challenging enough, but now that she couldn’t involve herself in the east side, Maiana could enjoy the bathroom conditions more than any other mansion servants.

Maiana dropped a few remaining drops of old perfume into the water before immersing her body up to her chin. Perhaps due to crying, when the warm steam touched her, the inside of her eyes stung and felt stiff.

‘Why did I do that earlier?’

With her wet head, Maiana pondered deeply while counting the tiles on the ceiling. The sudden and intricate sadness was so enormous that it left an enduring aftermath, not fading away even now. Like being scratched continuously by the claws of a large beast, the wounded area seemed to throb persistently.

If it weren’t for Ariante, Maiana might have locked herself in her room immediately upon returning to the mansion and vented her frustrations.

‘Was it because someone treated me kindly for the first time in a while?’

Maiana recalled Luke’s blushing face as they parted ways on the street. Large eyes, clear brown irises, a prominent nose, and trustworthy-looking lips. She couldn’t deny that he was quite a handsome and well-built man.

However, she could never give him what he wanted… in other words, it was impossible to become the lover who exchanged sweet letters with him, went on dates on holidays, or even further, his wife.

Even disregarding the fact that she never once considered building a family here, everyday events in life felt vaguely unrelated to her, as if they were someone else’s affairs.

It had been the same when she was very young. When she realized that she died inexplicably in her past life and, for some unknown reason, gained a new life somewhere she didn’t know…

As if something had been pierced through. Maiana thought that she always embraced an unfillable emptiness. Even when she laughed, cried, felt anger, happiness, or excitement, that gap remained in Maiana’s chest, never disappearing.

“I should stop thinking about this now.”

As if making a resolution, Maiana mumbled to herself and stood up. Water droplets flowing down her skin tickled pleasantly. Along with the water streaming down towards the drain, Maiana hoped all her shadowy emotions would disappear.

When she finished bathing and came out, Veinti and Ariante were nowhere to be found. Seeing that one bag on the table had disappeared, it seemed the two of them had secretly collaborated to share the treats. Whether Ariante tempted Veinti first or Veinti tempted Ariante first was unknown…