Side Story 2. Tender Affection (2)

Though I tried to maintain a suspicious glare, the maids’ warm smiles quickly disarmed me.

“Of course not,” one said with a laugh.

“We were just saying how wonderful it is that you’ve become Madam.”

“It’s been quite a while since I became Madam, though…”

The maids chuckled and gently nudged me forward, clearly amused by my confusion.

“Let’s go! If we hurry, you’ll catch a ship crossing the river,” one of them urged.

“A ship?”

Curious, I let their teasing slide and quickened my steps. Sure enough, when we arrived at the dock, a ship was approaching from the other side of the river.

“Wow, it’s enormous!”

“Isn’t it?”

I had imagined something small, like a rowboat, but this was a proper large ship—far grander than I’d expected. My eyes widened as I marveled at it.

‘How do they build something so massive out of wood without modern tools, steel, or waterproof paint? And how does it keep from rotting in the water?’

I couldn’t help but be fascinated. Having come from a modern world where everything was pre-made, seeing these intricate structures in this society was awe-inspiring.

As the ship slowly cut through the water and docked, passengers disembarked, where they were promptly met by soldiers from the Stewart estate, who began inspecting them.

‘So, they check everyone’s identity the moment they step off the ship.’

It was especially striking to see any dangerous weapons in their luggage promptly confiscated. Perhaps I had been staring too intently, as one of the maids began explaining.

“They’re inspecting for longsword permits. Without a proper permit, you’re not allowed to carry such a dangerous weapon.”

“I see.”

“They also check for travel permits. Some lords, rather than dealing with troublesome criminals themselves, issue travel permits to send them off to another estate, which is why these inspections have to be thorough.”

“Wow, talk about passing the buck.”

I was stunned. Criminals weren’t punished by their own territories but sent elsewhere? That was a solution I’d never considered.

‘If there were a national database to keep track of criminals, it’d make managing this much easier. But in this system, if someone causes trouble and moves to another estate, they could just start over.’

I was lost in thought about potential solutions when one of the younger maids, her eyes sparkling, turned to me.

“You seem so interested in everything, Madam. I didn’t expect you to watch the ship for this long.”

I hadn’t been staring at just the ship, but I shrugged and replied casually.

“It’s fascinating. I don’t understand how a wooden structure can float on water like that.”

“You should mention it to the Master. If you’re interested, he’d probably buy a ship just for you.”

“I’ll pass on that.”

It was bound to be outrageously expensive, and even if we owned one, I’d have no use for it.

Hearing my response, one of the maids pulled out a notebook and furiously began writing something down—only to erase it and rewrite it over and over again.

‘Are they spying on me right now?’

Narrowing my eyes, I watched the maid scribbling furiously. Seizing an opportunity, I snatched the notebook out of her hands.

“Ack! Madam, you’re not supposed to see that!”

“What’s there that I’m not allowed to see?”

I replied coolly, flipping the notebook open. Sure enough, it was filled with notes about me.

Or more specifically…

– Watched the ship for a long time, possibly wants one. Said no to purchasing when asked—requires confirmation of intent.

“…Don’t tell me Percy asked you to write down everything I might want?”

When I shot the question at her, the maid froze, a guilty expression on her face as she nodded. I let out a disbelieving laugh.

“He could’ve just asked me directly. Why is he making you all go through this trouble?”

“He probably wanted to surprise you, Madam.”

“Well, I’m already plenty surprised.”

I flipped through the earlier pages of the notebook. It wasn’t just today—there were detailed notes about me going back quite some time.

– Prefers flowers that are small but strongly fragrant.
– Likes purple and green.
– Also fond of pale pink clothing.
– Enjoys sweets but seems to feel guilty while eating them (?)

‘So this is why they always know my preferences so well.’

No wonder the maids catered to my tastes so perfectly. They’d been observing me like hawks.

Thinking about how many people had been meticulously studying me made me flush with embarrassment. Even notes about my low blood pressure and grumpiness in the mornings were written down. It felt like my secrets had been exposed, leaving me blushing to my ears.

Handing the notebook back, I sighed.

“Next time, if you’re curious about something, just ask me directly. I’ll tell you. There’s no need to go through all this trouble.”

I thought they’d appreciate my suggestion, but to my surprise, the maids were adamant about continuing.

“Oh, no, Madam. We enjoy this! It feels like being detectives.”

“And the Master rewards us generously for good information.”

“Please don’t worry about us. Just live as comfortably as you always do, Madam.”

“…”

What am I, an endangered species? Are they getting bonuses for observing my daily life?

‘I’ll have to talk to Percy about this later. It’s so embarrassing, he needs to stop.’

Still, knowing the maids’ attentiveness ultimately stemmed from Percy’s care for me made my face grow warm. His concern followed me everywhere, even in ways I hadn’t realized.

As I stood there feeling flustered, the maids watched me and Percy’s relationship with fond smiles. One of them, fiddling with her lips, finally spoke.

“The Master is full of surprises. I always thought he’d be the type to never relinquish control, even after marrying, and just bulldoze through everything his way. But with Madam, he’s completely at your mercy.”

“Percy?”

I tried imagining Percy being overbearing or ignoring my wishes, but the thought didn’t align with the man I knew. Tilting my head, I asked the maid, “Isn’t he always thoughtful? Or am I wrong?”

It felt like a natural question within the flow of conversation, but as soon as I asked it, one of the maids froze, her eyes trembling like there was an earthquake in them. Nudging the maid next to her with an elbow, she whispered urgently.

“Hey, what are we supposed to say to that?”

“We should probably say he’s always been kind, right? That’s the image the Master is going for.”

“But the Master’s a bit aloof, isn’t he? No matter how affectionate he acts around Madam, she must’ve picked up on his true nature to some extent.”

“True. Besides, isn’t it nice when someone is stern with others but warm with you?”

“So should we go with, ‘The Master isn’t naturally kind’ as our answer?”

“No, but that feels like it goes against the image he’s trying to maintain.”

I let out a deep sigh.

“Girls, I can hear ‘everything’ you’re saying.”

At my words, the maids abruptly stopped their chattering and tried to act nonchalant, as if nothing had happened. By now, I was so used to their antics that I couldn’t help but laugh.

‘So Percy’s cold toward others, huh?’

That certainty made my heart flutter a little. It meant I was the one special exception in his life.

‘I feel… happy.’

I wanted to show him my appreciation as well. Feeling determined, I stepped forward with a lively stride.

“Come on, let’s explore the marketplace. There’s something I want to buy.”

“Yes, Madam!”

The maids’ eyes gleamed with excitement at the mention of me wanting to buy something. I could practically feel their eagerness to figure out what it was and report it back to Percy for a potential reward.

‘What I’m planning to buy is a gift for Percy, though.’

What kind of face would he make when he received my gift and heard about this from the maids? Would he feel the same warmth and excitement I was experiencing now?

‘I hope he’ll be happy. I’m always thinking about him, after all.’

* * *

The marketplace in the Stewart estate was just as bustling and well-stocked as the capital’s. Honestly, I had pictured a small, rural market, so I was surprised by how lively and diverse it was.

‘It definitely feels like a place where ships come and go—there are so many traces of exotic cultures.’

I blew gently on a piece of bread fresh from a stone oven before taking a bite. It was sweetened and baked with sugar inside, reminiscent of the ‘hotteok’ from my original world. This kind of bread didn’t exist in the capital.

The maids, trying the bread with me, chattered excitedly as they chewed.

“I thought it’d be dry since it’s just plain dough baked in a stone oven, but it’s surprisingly chewy!”

“What’s this inside? It’s sweet and gooey. I want to buy a few and send them to my friends in the capital.”

“The capital girls are already desperate to come work near Madam!”

 

 

₍ᐢ . ̫.ᐢ₎♡₍ᐢ. ̫ .⑅ᐢ₎

☕ Hi, friends! Your support means the world to me. If you’d like, you can buy me a coffee here: Click the link on the image!

Thank you for keeping me inspired! 🌸

* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚* ੈ✩‧₊˚