Episode 37

Her deep amethyst eyes trembled.

The woman gently caressed the handle of her teacup and took a deep breath before nodding.

“I will do it. Whatever it is.”

“Even though you are unaware of my request?”

“What difference does that make?”

It was neither out of malice nor hypocrisy.

Evangeline Menes smiled with more sincerity than ever before.

“If you can just extricate me from this wretched swamp, I’d lick your shoes right here.”

“What?”

Two pairs of luminous eyes turned to me.

I quickly covered my mouth and bowed deeply.

“Ah... I apologize. That was discourteous of me.”

Servants should never intrude upon their employer’s conversations.

‘Not even as a beginner did I commit such a mistake.’

Even if a spider were to crawl into my mouth, I must remain still.

“Please forgive me.”

“It’s fine, Sonnet. Speak.”

“No, Madam. Please continue your conversation.”

“You have something on your mind, do you not? What is it?”

“It’s nothing... really.”

“Nevertheless, I would like to hear your opinion. Look up.”

Her dense silver eyelashes once again formed a gentle curve.

The eyes revealed beneath them were as serene as ever.

“It’s really not a big deal...”

I glanced at the guest sitting across from the lady.

When our eyes met, her posed shoulders flinched.

“Until a few days ago, you seemed to hold such pride in very high regard.”

“...”

“I just thought it was abrupt how your values changed so swiftly.”

Because of that pride, she had tried to ruin the count’s house by speaking of ‘true love.’

Evangeline Menes retorted, piqued by my gaze.

“You can’t stake your pride on uncertain possibilities.”

“Ah, I see...”

“The madam's proposal is certain.”

“...”

“Besides, even if I asked Count Edwell, he wouldn’t help.”

“You said you were childhood friends? If you had explained properly from the start, he might have lent a hand.”

“To be honest, we weren’t that close.”

Silver strands tilted.

Evangeline explained straightforwardly.

“It’s true we were quite close when we were young. Our families even discussed marriage... But that’s all.”

“Didn’t you say he was your first love?”

“Well... memories tend to be fabricated.”

“You said you were childhood friends! And that you were once the closest of friends.”

“I hate to say this, but Carlyle doesn’t have friends...”

In other words, Evangeline was the top student in a school with only one student.

The Madam's raised shoulders suddenly fell.

“Truly, it’s purely because of money?”

“Yes. Purely, without any impurities, it was because of money. I’m really sorry to you, Madam... but I’m desperate as well.”

“You never had feelings for him? Not even once?”

“He’s a decent person, but... the count has changed a lot since he inherited the title.”

Her flashy eyes awkwardly softened.

“I prefer a cute country girl to a blunt city man.”

“Lady Evangeline, could it be that you...”

“Ronda isn’t the countryside, is it? And I don’t touch married women.”

But she had no problem with married men.

I bit my lip hard to prevent my true feelings from escaping again.

“Ha, because of that...”

“This, I can guarantee. The count has never once treated me the way he treats you, or looked at me as kindly.”

“That issue is then settled...”

Her voice was oddly weak.

I quickly cut the cake into bite-sized pieces and placed it in front of the Madam.

Her plump cheeks moved as she munched on the strawberry cream cheesecake. Only after finishing did she speak.

“Let’s get to the point.”

“...”

“I won’t pay off the entire amount.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll repay the amount Sonnet first discovered. That should extinguish the immediate fire.”

“Even that much is—”

“And, I shall purchase all the bonds Leopold holds.”

Her amethyst eyes widened.

The Madam continued calmly.

“I will not pressure Lady Evangeline like the bank.”

“In that case...”

“Ten years.”

“...”

“I’ll extend the repayment period without interest. Make sure to pay it back within ten years.”

It was a generous offer.

‘If it were me, I would create a 20-year slave contract and have her sign it.’

It was a sum that even a royal official couldn’t save up in 20 years of just working.

Lending that kind of money without interest...

‘Not even family would do this.’

Evangeline, who had been stunned, quickly nodded.

“I will repay it.”

“Is that s?”

“I will definitely repay it. I swear on the honor of Menes.”

“...”

“What do I need to do?”

“First...”

This was where the real business began.

The madam turned her head to exchange glances with me. I gave a small smile.

With her arms crossed proudly, the madam spoke.

“Apologize to Sonnet.”

“What...”

“Madam?”

I bent my knees and whispered in the madam's ear.

“Madam, you didn’t mention this.”

What about all the plans we made until yesterday?

The madam, without looking back at me, repeated firmly.

“This is the first requirement, young lady.”

“She has no reason to apologize to me.”

I wasn’t the only one bewildered.

Evangeline looked back and forth between me and the madam with a perplexed expression.

‘I don’t understand what’s going on either...’

Despite saying she would do anything, Evangeline’s mouth didn’t open easily.

‘Of course.’

People of higher status believe the sky would split open if they apologized or thanked a servant.

The longer the silence, the colder the pink eyes shone.

“Did I give you such a difficult task?”

“Madam, I’m really fine.”

There was no reason not to be fine.

Suddenly, her gentle eyes sharpened.

A soft palm gripped my wrist firmly.

“You belittled Sonnet, incited the maids to ignore her, and created incidents to trouble her.”

“...”

“Apologize, immediately. Sincerely.”

“...”

“Otherwise, there’s nothing more to discuss with you.”

It was a firm stance.

‘Seriously, an apology?’

This wasn’t something to extort from a debtor young lady.

‘People always look down on servants.’

It wasn’t something to bring to the negotiation table.

Yet, the madam acted as if nothing was more important than this.

“Madam, you mean it?”

“Do you think I’m joking?”

“This is too...”

“You can lick my shoes but can’t bow your head to Sonnet?”

“...”

“Do as you please. It is not me who will be crushed by debt.”

Her shiny face crumpled terribly.

The red lips moved slowly.

“S, S, So...”

“...”

“Sorry. For my careless actions... that put you in trouble.”

Her platinum head tilted forward very slowly.

Her earlobes turned red.

What was this?

“Will you accept my apology?”

I looked away from her densely packed hair.

The madam shrugged. She was allowing me to do however I desired.

“...I’ll accept it.”

The person who belittled me apologized to me.

Naturally, the sky did not split open.

---

“Why does your face look like that?”

A small hand grabbed my cheeks firmly.

Her brown eyes pitifully filled with tears.

“Your eyes are so red!”

“Is that what you say after months?”

“How could I not? Didn’t I tell you not to hold it in?”

Iris dropped her straight eyebrows, annoyed.

‘She wasn’t like this at first either.’

When we worked in the same mansion, she couldn’t even make a proper request, always hesitating.

‘Come to think of it, she’s similar to the lady in some ways.’

A bright face, gentle demeanor, and a voice like silver bells.

Only after a long scolding did Iris get to the point.

“Here. What you asked for.”

“Thanks.”

The thick paper was filled with information on the upper class who resided in the capital.

Names, appearances, characteristics—everything was flawless.

I looked at my friend who had compiled this in just two weeks.

“What, what?”

“Nothing, I’m just impressed at how well you know these things.”

“W-well, you pick up things when you listen.”

“You haven’t been doing this for long, and you’ve never been in charge of high-ranking people, right?”

Her hazel eyes spun clockwise.

“Perhaps you...”

“I-I have to go now! You said you were in a hurry!”

“...Right.”

Iris quickly stood up and handed me an envelope in a fluster.

“The person you’re looking for, you can meet them here.”

---

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