The evening banquet included Viola, who had been invited to the Grand Duke’s estate, and her fiancé. The employees showed interest, knowing that she was acquainted not only with the Grand Duke and the head maid but also with the knights of the guard.

Viola quickly became close to people by showing off her friendly personality. People mainly asked about Captain Vernon and Lady Weaver. Because…

“Joanna, try this too.”

“…Why are you doing this? You’re making people uncomfortable.”

Captain Vernon seemed to have some kind of awakening, suddenly starting to confront Lady Weaver head-on.

“People are watching…”

The lady looked around awkwardly, mindful of the eyes around her. But surprisingly, Captain Vernon, who had always obeyed her words, was coming on strong.

“What does that matter? As long as our hearts are sure.”

“!”

People’s mouths fell open, and Cecil and Mary secretly gave a thumbs up while making exaggerated faces. Whew, the charisma was amazing.

Viola was also impressed.

“Captain Vernon, now that I look at you, your complexion has really brightened… It seems that it’s important for a person to find their place.”

Her eyes swept past Ethan, who was eating noisily surrounded by servants at a distant table, and rested on James, who was in the midst of a heated discussion with Joseph’s assistant and Charles in the seat right below the head table.

‘Everyone’s face has brightened since coming here. That’s really great.’

As she was thinking this contentedly, she suddenly frowned. Ah, except for that person.

‘That person’, referred to as Dwayne, waved his hand wildly from across the room.

“Hello! Remember me?”

“Yes… of course.”

Viola forced a smile while suppressing something welling up inside her.

‘Is he joking?’

Dwayne was the man who had rejected her confession no less than five times. To greet a woman he had turned down, his manners were at the level of a dog.

At that moment, Viola’s fiancé spoke coldly.

“Do we really have to stay here tonight?”

“Ah, Ross. That’s…”

The reason he suddenly became sharp after being quiet all this time was because Viola’s younger sister had blabbed before they came here. When she heard they were going to the North, she said Viola’s first love was there and told her to be sure to see him. So Ross had been in a bad mood since they arrived. But…

‘That first love is talking to me…’

She had realized Dwayne was clueless when he unfailingly replied “Sorry, but what was your name again?” every time she confessed. But…

‘At this point, isn’t he just stupid?’

Viola, who had long since completely gotten over her puppy love for him, swallowed dryly as she watched Dwayne approach. She could feel the muscles in Ross’s arm next to her tensing up.

“Your name is Viola, right? Your name is as pretty as your face.”

Dwayne sat down across from Viola with a thud and smiled, showing his white teeth. At that moment, Ross’s fork clattered to the floor.

That’s when Jack and Bradley, who boasted a long history in the field of cleaning up after Dwayne, appeared and tried to turn the atmosphere around.

“Dwayne must be crazy. Ignore Viola. Oh my, sir, you look so handsome.”

“There was a reason Viola rejected all the young men in town~”

They flattered Viola’s fiancé and tried to soothe him gently. Their efforts were not in vain, and his furrowed brow relaxed a little. Just as the air in the hall became warm again, Dwayne snapped his fingers.

“I remember! Viola confessed to me before!”

“!”

“If it were now, I’d accept right away. What do you think? Interested?”

The moment Dwayne winked with a fresh smile, all noise ceased. Even Captain Vernon and Lady Weaver, who were trapped in their own world in a corner, couldn’t move and just rolled their eyes. Viola felt the aura of anger emanating from her fiancé sitting next to her and put her hand to her forehead. Damn it, it’s ruined.

Bang! Her fiancé slammed the table and stood up. Then he glared at Dwayne with only the whites of his eyes showing, turned his body sharply, and walked out of the hall. Viola sighed, covering her face with her hands.

“I saw a scene like this in a festival performance.”

Jack made a joke belatedly, but it wasn’t enough to revive the ruined atmosphere. Rita whistled softly and leaned close to Viola.

“No, your fiancé’s personality is no joke. How do you put up with it usually?”

The women of the North, who never tolerated men, nodded in agreement. Viola took her hands off her face and muttered.

“When he gets angry… I look at his face.”

“His face?”

“Then before I know it, my anger subsides.”

A sheepish smile appeared on Viola’s face, which had been completely sour, as if she was recalling her fiancé’s handsome face. The women of the North all went “Ah…” at the same time.

‘Birds of a feather flock together.’

As Rita nodded in understanding to herself, Mary whispered next to her.

“No wonder she seems to get along well with the head maid.”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

Everyone at the Grand Duke’s estate knew that Amy was weak to the Grand Duke’s face, even though she pretended to be strict. Of course, the shrewd Grand Duke was adept at gently coaxing the head maid using that as a weapon.

‘Should I say that Lord Dwayne is the only one the head maid doesn’t budge for when it comes to faces?’

Just then, Amy entered the hall. People welcomed her enthusiastically.

“Head maid, how was the festival?”

“Was it fun? I hope we can do it again.”

“The souvenirs turned out really well, did you see them?”

After responding to each of the greetings popping up here and there, Amy approached Viola. She looked around and asked.

“Where did your fiancé go?”

“Ah… to get some air.”

Viola smiled awkwardly. Amy took it in stride and sat down next to her. A maid quickly brought her food.

At that moment, Spencer entered the hall, fuming. He had been unable to enjoy the festival with Noah for even a moment due to Jack’s mischief.

After suffering all day surrounded by guards, he saw Amy and immediately scrunched up his face.

‘This must all be that head maid’s scheme. She must have been afraid I would expose her true nature.’

As Spencer glared fiercely, Amy was bewildered, not knowing what was going on.

‘Why is he like that again?’

It was an innocent face by anyone’s standards, but even that seemed like an act to Spencer, who couldn’t contain his disgust and left the hall again, brushing off assistant Charles’s restraint.

“…”

Left alone, Charles trembled in fear like a mouse with its hole blocked. Only after Joseph, unable to watch any longer, brought him to his seat was he able to calm down.

‘Phew, I really shouldn’t live like that.’

Amy inwardly shuddered as she ate her stew, and Viola’s eyes sparkled beside her.

“By the way, head maid.”

“?”

As Amy just raised her eyes to look at her, she asked with a bright smile.

“What’s your ideal type, head maid?”

“!”

Once again, silence fell over the hall. Rita thought with her mouth wide open.

‘She’s asking that so openly?’

The head table was just as shocked. As if struck by lightning, Noah stared at Amy without moving a finger. Joseph seemed to have forgotten to breathe, his face turning blue by the second.

“That’s quite a sudden question.”

Amy, who had narrowly escaped choking, muttered as she wiped her mouth with a napkin. Viola narrowed the space between them and blinked her eyes.

“I’m curious, you’ve seen my fiancé. I’m really curious what kind of person you’ll marry.”

Viola lightly shook Amy’s sleeve as if urging for an answer.

“Well…”

Amy’s expression became troubled as she looked around.

“Everyone’s eating… I don’t think they want to hear that kind of talk.”

“!”

Led by Rita, people simultaneously shook their heads. No? We really, really want to hear it? As they were pondering how to persuade the head maid, suddenly there was a cracking sound of something breaking from the head table.

Startled, they turned to see Noah wearing a frightening expression, and the wooden armrest of the chair he was gripping had broken, with powder flying everywhere.

“…”

Fortunately, Amy, who hadn’t seen that sight, couldn’t shake off the clinging Viola and fiddled with the brooch on her neck.

‘It’s not much, but…’

In fact, Viola held a somewhat unique position for Amy. When Amy would miss mealtimes and become depressed to the point of her hands trembling, Viola willingly gave up her own portion. It didn’t matter that the food was as humble as what commoners ate. She had experience surviving for years on food that even beggars wouldn’t eat before her regression.

‘That’s why I want to take care of her more.’

Yeah, what’s the big deal. Let’s just say it quickly and get it over with, she thought, and muttered in a low voice.

“I… that is, someone considerate and kind who only knows me, and above all…”

“Gulp.”

The sound of someone swallowing dryly was heard like thunder from somewhere. Without turning to check, everyone could feel the blazing heat from the head table. Amy thought for a moment and then stated firmly, as if cutting with a knife.

“…someone who doesn’t betray.”

As if she had nothing more to say, Amy bowed her head deeply and scooped up the stew with her spoon. As if to clear the strange atmosphere, Viola burst into laughter.

“Ah, I see~ Oh my, those are important conditions.”

Amy, belatedly embarrassed, spoke without even raising her head.

“Let’s stop this useless talk and eat quickly.”

“Yes!”

Viola, who had answered obediently, was about to pick up her spoon when she met the eyes of Rita, Mary, and others. They silently gave her a thumbs up.

Before that night was over, the misunderstanding with Viola’s fiancé was completely resolved. This was because the maids banded together to denounce Dwayne as trash and praise her fiancé. It wasn’t even a difficult thing to do. They just had to tell it like it was.

Anyway, they stayed the night in a very nice guest room at the Grand Duke’s estate, and left on their journey again the next morning. Noah personally handed them a money pouch to use on their travels, and Amy appealed to them until the end about getting married at the temple and finding new jobs.

“You must come back, okay?”

“Yes. We will. Take care. See you again.”

With their hands full of gifts that the people of the Grand Duke’s estate had packed for them, Viola and her fiancé left with smiling faces. When they could no longer be seen, Amy clicked her tongue and turned to enter the castle gate.

At that moment, someone’s voice was heard from behind. It was a very elegant accent with a gentle tone.

“Is Lord Dwayne Jones here?”

Dwayne? Amy unconsciously glanced back. In front of the castle gate, a tall man was talking with a guard. He seemed to be a guest looking for Dwayne.

Just then, Dwayne, who had come out of the training ground and was wandering nearby, saw him and opened his eyes wide.