Episode 27

"When we were young, we often behaved this way. Back then, we would cause quite a commotion over who would get to eat what was on the plate..."

"Hmm, is that so?"

"In the end, Carl always conceded, but I was rather... greedy."

"Ah, I see."

Lady Evangeline seemed slightly taken aback by Clara's calm response.

However, Clara was genuinely unperturbed.

'After all, the first person the count visited in the morning was me.'

If that were all, she might have felt a bit unsettled.

But that wasn't everything.

Clara recalled what Sonnet had told her in secret while arranging her hair.

'Oh, then you probably didn't hear what the master said.'

'What did he say?'

'Ah, I'm really embarrassed to say it myself...'

'What was it?'

'You can probably guess, Madam.'

'Just tell me, what did he say?'

'Hmm...'

'Do you want anything? A raise, perhaps?'

'He said 'I missed you.''

Pfft.

'Did that imposing man really say that?'

A small laugh escaped her plump lips.

At that moment, a sharp voice echoed through the hallway.

"Madam, do you find this... amusing?"

Oh dear.

'I completely forgot.'

The woman before her trembled as if she had suffered a great insult.

Her clenched fist quivered ominously.

---

'No way.'

Is she going to strike her here?

I can't let my guard down.

'Some people lose their sense of reason when their eyes cloud with rage.'

I slowly closed the distance between myself and the madam.

Just in time, Lady Evangeline's hand rose sharply.

'Not the face! A face like our madam's is rare!'

I quickly positioned myself in front of the madam.

But things didn't go as I anticipated.

Thud!

"...Huh?"

"Huh?"

It wasn't me or the madam who collapsed onto the carpet in a dramatic pose.

The hem of a silver dress spread out pathetically on the carpet.

Lady Evangeline clutched her shoulders as if someone had abused her.

What is she doing alone...?

"What is going on here?"

"Carl!"

Oh no.

I turned my head, trying to keep as discreet as possible.

Behind the madam, the owner of the mansion and his aunt were approaching.

"Lady Evangeline, what happened here?"

The cunning Countess rushed over with a deeply furrowed brow to support the lady.

The hallway's atmosphere instantly froze.

"Madam, an explanation is required."

"...An explanation, from me?"

"Who else is more appropriate to elucidate this situation than you?"

The madam's shoulders stiffened at the cold remark.

Then, the lady who had been sitting down limped toward us.

'What a show.'

Having fallen myself, I knew that the thick carpet in this mansion wouldn't hurt from just sitting down for a moment.

'Unless her bones are made of spaghetti noodles.'

Lady Evangeline's delicate hand lightly pulled the man's elbow.

"It's nothing. Please don't scold the madam too harshly, Carl, no, Count."

"It's nothing? We must not back down like this. Carl?"

"Yes, Aunt."

His black eyes were cold.

The man sighed deeply before speaking.

"...Madam."

"No! Don't do that! How irritated must the madam have been with me? I am indeed a close friend of Carl, but..."

The atmosphere already assumed that the madam had pushed the lady.

The madam was too shocked to say anything.

'I've seen this scene in novels.'

The male lead misunderstands, and the female lead is wrongly accused.

Ultimately, what could have been resolved in the next chapter drags on to the next volume...

'I won't let that happen.'

However, if I, the madam's loyal maid, claimed she didn't push the lady, it wouldn't be trusted.

So instead...

I looked at the lady who was squeezing tears out of her eyes.

'Enjoying yourself, huh?'

But the essence of acting is—

"Count!"

"Yes. Now, let’s hear your explanation—"

"I pushed her! I'm sorry!"

It was about impact, dear lady of a noble house.

I knelt down with both hands clasped.

Since it wasn’t expensive fabric, unlike the lady's, my skirt didn't spread out dramatically.

"I was trying to stop Lady Evangeline from pushing the madam, and I reflexively pushed her instead, however...!"

"Sonnet!"

"What?"

A soft palm covered my shoulder.

I gently pushed the hand away and bowed my head.

"I will gladly accept any punishment!"

"What's... Do you think that makes sense?"

Why wouldn’t it make sense?

With my eyes and neck moistened, I drooped my eyebrows.

"Of course, as a maid, it is unforgivable to harm a guest! No matter the reason!"

"..."

"However, I was just trying to protect our dear and precious madam!"

"..."

"If this delicate and fragile person were to get hurt, oh, I would..."

The count's pupils trembled.

I closed my eyes tightly and shook my head.

"Just the thought of it makes my heart ache..."

"The intent to protect your master is admirable, but Lady Evangeline...!"

Countess Cavlette, who had remained dazed, tried to regain control—

"If the madam's fair skin gets bruised, how painful that would be? Yes?"

But this was already my stage.

'Do you think this is the first time I’ve knelt down?'

I could crawl around the mansion on my knees if I had to.

I pitifully crawled toward the count, pleading.

"I will gladly accept any punishment!"

Of course, if you actually tried to fire or cut my pay, you and I would both die.

"But master, please don't blame the madam."

"..."

"It's all my fault for not controlling my strength properly...!"

"Sonnet...!"

"Madam...!"

Pink eyes filled with tears rushed toward me.

Delicate arms wrapped around my shoulders.

"That..."

"Punishment? What did you do wrong!"

"First..."

"Sonnet, you always..."

"Ahem, ahem, ahem!"

When I looked up, I saw the owner's disheartened black eyes.

The man muttered with a strangely tired expression.

"First, I'd like to... speak... for a bit."

---

Lady Evangeline's nonsense ended with me getting a slap on the wrist.

If you could call it that. It was more like a meeting with the head maid.

"Next time, be more careful with your words."

"Yes."

"And..."

Her thin lips hesitated for a moment before parting.

"Well done."

With that, the head maid turned on her heel.

'Not bad.'

Using the excuse of education, someone else temporarily replaced me beside the madam.

With no pay cut, this was practically an unexpected vacation.

'Perhaps I'll visit Sir Ute to see his face, no, to report the situation.'

As I walked towards the clinic, I felt a strange glare.

It had been like this for days now.

It's not like they were pickpocketing my money, but...

'It would be problematic if they followed me to the clinic.'

I spoke into the empty hallway.

"Do you have something to say?"

"...Eek!"

"Why do you keep following me? Are you that free?"

I squinted at the person approaching hesitantly. She wasn't unfamiliar.

"I, uh... wanted to apologize."

"Apologize?"

"I'm very, truly sorry."

Karen.

The mid-ranking maid who almost got fired by the madam.

Why now? Did she receive a three-year pay cut?

Karen explained quickly as if she read my thoughts.

"When the madam arrived, many colleagues were fired and people changed... I felt uneasy."

"..."

"Then you came along, and seeing you get along well with the madam made me angry. My friends lost their jobs overnight because of her."

"..."

"So, even though you did nothing wrong, I picked on you."

In short, stress clouded her judgment.

'I can relate.'

Not with her, but with the dismissed colleagues who left.

"But seeing you taking a risk to protect us before the madam... I was touched."

Huh?

A misunderstanding?

I never risked anything, nor did I act for their sake.

However, Karen continued earnestly.

"Your generosity! Magnanimity! It made me feel ashamed."

"..."

"So, I decided. Sonnet Posa, I will do anything for you!"

"Is that necessary...?"

"Just say the word!"

"No need—"

No, wait a minute.

Karen, a ten-year maid of the Edwell mansion.

Currently, she handles...

"Can you truly do anything?"

"As much as I can, by any means necessary!"

"Then..."

---

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