“I brought it! Miss Ariadeline!”
“Good job!”
As the maids and I all looked at Rodi, she tilted her head in confusion.
“I can’t be the only one who gets to dress up like this.”
“Huh?”
“I have to show them that I can do everything they can’t. If I’m taking away their precious daughter, I can’t show that I’m not inferior.”
Saying this, I pulled out items from the paper bag that Dolly had set down.
Inside were a pretty dress suitable for Rodi and a pair of clean shoes that fit her small feet perfectly. Rodi’s eyes widened in surprise.
“C-can I really receive something like this?”
“Of course. Besides, there’s no one else who would wear it anyway.”
The child began to tear up again. I gently wiped her reddened eyes and smiled softly.
“If you keep crying, Santa won’t give you any presents this year.”
“W-what’s Santa?”
Oh, right.
“Um, he’s a grandfather who sneaks in at night, leaves presents, and disappears?”
The maids looked at each other with puzzled expressions, tilting their heads.
“I’ve never heard of such a story. A thief who leaves presents? Is there really such a kind person?”
“Well, after living a bit outside the capital, I’ve heard various tales.”
I mumbled that vaguely and nudged Rodi to try on the dress and shoes.
After a little while, I exclaimed, “Rodi! It looks so good on you!”
The deep green dress had a lace ribbon around the neck and a brooch. The brooch was made of opal, sparkling and changing colors whenever it caught the light. The shoes, perfectly fitting her tiny feet, were utterly adorable.
I approached Rodi and gently brushed her hair back.
“You look like a precious young lady.”
“I-I couldn’t possibly.”
“People change like that when they are treated with respect. You need to choose what kind of treatment you receive.”
Rodi pressed her lips together tightly.
“Of course, there may be situations where you cannot choose, like when I wanted to be treated like a duchess but couldn’t.”
In my words, the maids looked glum. Why are you all looking so down?
“But you can choose. Whether to part ways with a family that doesn’t respect you or not.”
“Yes, yes.”
The child made a determined expression. I smiled bitterly and held her hands, fiddling with them.
“I hope you can be an ordinary adult who is happy and okay here.”
“…T-thank you.”
“Now, let’s go.”
Since we’re already here, let’s just get this over with. I told the maids, “Go tell the butler to send over the servants. He should have received the message already.”
“Understood.”
With that, I firmly held Rodi’s hand and went down to the first floor. When we arrived, the carriage I had called for was waiting.
“Carlothian, you really know how to keep up the rhythm without knowing what I’m planning.”
The carriage was large and extravagant, the kind used for going to the palace. Anyone who saw it would think royalty was passing by. Anyway, the more extravagant, the better, so I nodded in satisfaction.
“Miss Ariadeline! I’ve brought the servants!”
“Oh, good job. Let me see.”
I looked at the line of servants, who were all very tall and muscular. Oh, they’re not just tall but also broad-shouldered. Each of their arms was as thick as my waist.
“How can I not trust you?”
Then one of the servants spoke up.
“I’ve heard about the situation. I will do my best.”
“Thank you.”
Rodi was tearing up again at the fact that everyone was stepping up for her. I gently wiped her tears away with my gloved hand and said, “Don’t cry, or you’ll turn into a frog!”
“M-Miss Ariadeline…”
Rodi started crying even harder. I couldn’t help but think she was adorable when she was like this.
While I was lost in such thoughts, the servants opened the carriage door. One of them picked Rodi up by the waist and placed her inside the carriage.
“Wow, wow!”
It was Rodi’s first time in such a carriage, and she was mesmerized by the extravagant interior. I patted the seat next to me.
“Come sit here.”
“C-can I really sit there? Shouldn’t I sit on the floor?”
“Are you planning to dirty your new dress?”
“Oh, no! I can’t dirty the dress you gave me, Miss Ariadeline!”
“Then sit nicely on the sofa.”
After that, three large servants entered the carriage, and one of them sat next to the driver.
Thud! Thud!
When a servant knocked on the carriage wall, it started moving smoothly. The carriage was so spacious that even with two women and three men inside, it felt roomy.
“I’m sorry to have called you for something like this.”
When I said this to the servants, they shook their heads.
“Rodi has helped us out here and there, so how could we not help her?”
“B-but I haven’t done much.”
“No, Rodi. At times like this, you should just confidently say, ‘Of course!’”
“Is that how it is?”
“Yep.”
As Rodi and I were chatting casually, one cheerful-looking servant smiled widely and said, “Ah! When Rodi grows up a bit more, how about the Madam using her as your personal maid?”
At that, the atmosphere inside the carriage turned a bit cold. The servant who spoke looked bewildered. Such a kind but clueless friend.
“Hey, I’m no longer the Duchess.”
“Excuse me? But these days it seems like…”
Another servant mercilessly elbowed the cheerful servant in the side. The surprised servant bent over with a grunt.
“Haha, I’m sorry. This guy sometimes says thoughtless things.”
“No, it’s okay. That can happen.”
I waved my hand dismissively. Lately, since I’ve been sharing a room with Carlothian, maybe that’s why. I felt embarrassed and scratched my cheek.
‘Come to think of it, is it really okay to keep sharing a room like this? How will I get back to my own room?’
Right now, I’m just a guest here, but he is a Duke who supports the Empire and needs an heir. I’m just a burden since I’ve lost my noble status.
What would happen if Carlothian got engaged or married to another woman?
A pang of sadness hit me. Why am I feeling this way? I rubbed under my collarbone and tilted my head.
‘Well, if that happens, I won’t be able to stay in the mansion anymore. That would be such a shame.’
I’ve grown close to many of the servants, and I wouldn’t be able to see them anymore. Still, we’ve shared some bonds, so surely Carlothian wouldn’t just throw me out without a second thought, right?
He has a lot of money; he could just buy me a house.
I was having such shameless thoughts as I briefly stared into space. Ah, I’m a sinner, so I need to return to the temple. Life in the temple is really boring.
As I quietly looked at the floor, I didn’t even think that Rodi and the servants would notice me lost in thought.
“Um, um, anyway, I’m really enjoying my time with you, Miss Ariadeline!”
Rodi’s sudden exclamation pulled me out of my reverie.
I looked up and patted the child’s head.
“Oh, really? Thank you.”
“Someday, I’ll be able to follow you like the other maids!”
Rodi spoke as if she had a grand dream. I smiled at her words and replied.
“That’s something I can definitely make happen.”
“Really?”
“Of course. I have three maids now; why couldn’t I have four?”
“If you let me, I’ll work really hard!”
“If it’s you, Rodi, you’ll do great.”
As we chatted, the carriage began to enter a narrow alley.
The carriage, which was a bit too flashy for the dirty alley, caught the attention of passersby.
People bowed their heads as the carriage passed by. No, that’s not necessary. I felt embarrassed and closed the curtains of the carriage window.
Before long, the carriage came to a stop with a creaking sound. The servant sitting next to the coachman jumped down first and opened the door, followed by the other servants who lined up to get out.
Wow, they look like they’re intimidating from behind. I got out of the carriage with the servant’s escort and looked up at Rodi’s house.
I already knew from Rodi’s stories that their living situation wasn’t very good.
The house was old, with mold growing in several places. The door didn’t fit its frame properly, and it looked like the wind could blow right through it.
At that moment, perhaps having seen the carriage through the window, the door opened, and I saw people inside rushing out in a flurry.
“Ah, oh dear, why is such a distinguished person here in a carriage…?”
It was a middle-aged man who appeared to be Rodi’s father. He knelt down, and following him, a young man and a middle-aged woman came out and also knelt, bowing their heads.
The middle-aged man emitted a terrible smell of alcohol. Ariadeline grimaced at the scent.
“The smell of alcohol is overwhelming.”
“I-I’m so sorry…!”
While apologizing, he subtly lifted his head and rubbed his palms together. Our eyes met, and in that moment, I couldn’t suppress my disgust.
“It’s disgusting.”
His beady eyes, filled with a desire to grovel and beg, made me want to lash out at him.
“Excuse me?”
He seemed to think my words weren’t directed at him and pointed to the moldy house.
“Ah, haha. Most houses where commoners live are like this. It must look a bit off to a distinguished person like you.”
“No.”
I raised my head and looked down at him.
“No, I mean you.”
Tilting my head slightly, I put a twisted smile on my face.
“Normally, I wouldn’t even glance at places like this, but I came because someone wanted to meet you.”
