Chapter 2
Sertia’s delicate brows gradually furrowed. It was because Anna had yet to arrive, despite a considerable amount of time having passed.
Was preparing a meal supposed to take this long?
No matter how she thought about it, the answer was no.
A vague sense of unease suddenly surrounded her.
She couldn’t just sit still, overcome with worry.
In the end, Sertia rose to her feet, bracing her slightly trembling knees, and left the room. The kitchen wasn’t far. Just as she reached for the door to open it—
She heard voices from inside.
“Hey, you got lucky.”
“What do you mean?”
“The young lady woke up. If she had just died, you would’ve been kicked out. A bit of a shame, honestly.”
Before Anna could even respond, another maid chimed in.
“Honestly, I don’t get it. If she was living a life of luxury as a noblewoman of the Elionne family, she should’ve just been satisfied. Why go and try to die?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Nobles, I swear, their way of thinking is beyond me.”
“You two, don’t say things like that in front of her. What if she tells the young lady?”
“Oh, please. Let her. What power does a discarded lady have?”
At that moment, a maid, who had seemingly just returned from an errand, stopped abruptly in front of Sertia, dropping a basket of fruit with a thud. Her gaze wavered as she looked at Sertia.
‘She must’ve heard everything.’
Sertia slowly raised a finger to her lips, signaling for silence.
But of course, the maid had no intention of obeying.
Panicking, she stomped her feet anxiously before turning toward the kitchen.
Sertia, however, remained calm and released a small pulse of magic.
“I told you to stay put. Why won’t you listen?”
She spoke sharply as she approached, binding the maid to the floor.
Only then did the maid realize something was terribly wrong, and she trembled, pleading for mercy.
“A-Ah, my lady….”
Sertia ignored her and entered the kitchen.
For a moment, the maids inside were startled by her sudden appearance.
But then, as if regaining their composure, they scoffed and sighed.
“Did you… overhear our conversation?”
“Oh, come on. No way. Even if she wasn’t properly educated, she wouldn’t have been so ill-mannered as to eavesdrop.”
Despite their insolent words, Sertia maintained her composure and checked on Anna.
Her lower lip was trembling faintly.
Rage surged within Sertia. A churning, nauseating anger.
The memories of Anna enduring silent torment just to bring her simple bread and soup flashed through her mind like an afterimage.
“How dare you….”
Sertia clenched her fists tightly, her aura exuding a chilling intent to kill.
Still, she took a deep breath, forcing her emotions under control.
But then—
“Anna, why are you still dawdling? Hurry up and finish.”
The maid’s shameless words snapped the last thread of Sertia’s restraint.
“You.”
The maid flinched at being called out but feigned composure.
“Hah, what kind of tone is that—”
“You need to learn some manners.”
Sertia’s cold, emotionless voice froze the air in the room.
The other maids exchanged uneasy glances.
Then, belatedly, they scrambled to make excuses.
“Please, calm your anger, my lady. She’s just too blunt by nature.”
“Yes, that’s right. You’re kind, aren’t you, my lady? Surely, you’ll understand.”
Sertia let out a small laugh at their audacity.
Who was to blame, really?
The biggest problem was that she had tolerated this behavior for far too long.
“…Understand, you say.”
She murmured, as if rolling the words over in her mind.
She had died once and come back.
No more pretending to be kind.
If she was going to change, she had to start somewhere.
And now seemed like the perfect time to make an example of someone.
Having reached a decision, Sertia looked directly at the maid she had called out earlier.
“Choose.”
“…Choose what?”
Still defiant, the maid glared at her in displeasure.
Sertia stepped closer, lowering her voice to a whisper.
“Kneel. Or get beaten.”
“…What are you saying?!”
“I said, choose.”
Fear gradually crept into the maid’s eyes, and Sertia smirked.
But she didn’t rush her.
She leisurely crossed her arms, waiting.
Meanwhile, the other maids, who had been inching toward the door to escape, suddenly found themselves immobilized.
Realizing that the source of the power restraining them was Sertia, they lowered their heads without resistance.
As for the maid Sertia had singled out, she still hadn’t come to her senses.
“I-I’ll tell the master about this!”
“Go ahead.”
“…What?”
“If you can leave this place alive.”
Without warning, Sertia grabbed the maid by the back of her head and shoved her into a magically conjured sphere of water.
“Ghh…!”
The other maids let out strangled gasps, quickly covering their mouths with their hands to stifle their screams.
For the first time—
The once-smiling, ridiculed young lady looked like a monster.
“There won’t be a next time.”
“Agh…! Mmph!”
“If you dare act insolent before me again, I’ll send you straight to the grave.”
Sertia casually let go, dropping the maid like discarded trash.
She then let out a soft chuckle—one that sent chills down the spine.
“You seem to think my personal maid is beneath you.”
Faced with the piercing gaze that felt like hands wrapping around their throats, the maids couldn’t utter a single excuse.
Kneeling was the only way to save themselves.
“W-We’ll never… let this happen again.”
“We spoke out of turn. P-Please forgive us, my lady.”
Sertia, however, felt only emptiness.
Her past self’s cowardice was utterly shameful.
‘I should have done this sooner.’
Before tears of regret could fall, she quickly wrapped up the situation.
Forcing her pounding heart into submission, she exhaled a deep sigh.
“Good. I’m glad to see you reflect.”
Predictably, the maids’ faces lit up with relief.
But flowers bloom only to wither.
“Thank you fo—”
“But you still need to be punished.”
At those words, the maids instinctively took a step back.
Sertia’s presence was ominous.
And sure enough—
“From today on, you’ll be assigned to the stables. I’ll personally inform the head maid.”
“A-Ah, my lady!”
The Elionne estate’s stables—
A confined space where they would be forced to work day and night, cleaning filth while dealing with rough stablehands.
It was essentially a form of exile.
Sertia remained firm. She shot a stern glare at the maid who feebly tried to protest.
“Don’t speak unless I permit it.”
“….”
“How dare you.”
The maid clamped her mouth shut.
Having settled the matter, Sertia left the kitchen without hesitation, holding Anna’s hand tightly.
Back in her room, Sertia sat on the sofa and gestured for Anna to do the same.
“Sit.”
Anna hesitated before perching on the opposite sofa, warily watching Sertia.
“My lady….”
“Wait.”
Sertia cut her off before speaking again.
“I’ll ask first.”
“…Yes.”
“When did the harassment start?”
Anna hesitated.
Sertia’s expression softened into a slight frown.
“Anna, if we don’t trust each other, we won’t survive in this house.”
Anna pressed her lips together, trying to hold back tears.
She didn’t know why, but she liked this new Sertia.
Warmth suddenly touched her lips—Sertia gently brushing her thumb over Anna’s lower lip.
“You’ll hurt yourself.”
“My lady….”
Anna finally burst into tears, overwhelmed by years of hardship.
Sertia softly patted her back as she sobbed.
“Tell me everything, Anna.”
“Hic…”
“So I can understand your pain and fix the cause.”
Trembling, Anna finally spoke.
“The bullying started when I became your personal maid.”
“…Before that? When I first brought you in, was it okay?”
“Yes. They only harassed me behind your back then.”
Hearing that, Sertia let out a deep, bitter sigh.
“I’m sorry, Anna.”
“Huh? But why—”
“Because my actions made me a bystander.”
She had prioritized the duke’s favor over everything.
Perhaps, in her arrogance, she had ignored Anna’s suffering, believing she would never leave her side.
In a way, she had been Anna’s biggest betrayer.
But now, her purpose was clear.
If Anna had suffered because of her, she had to free her—even if it cost her everything.
With a serious expression, Sertia brushed back her hair.
“Anna. I’m giving you a choice. Listen carefully.”
“…Okay.”
Anna, still bewildered, nodded.
Sertia then spoke.
“First, live as things are.”
“Second, single out those who tormented you and take revenge.”
“Third, report everything to the head butler and request action.”
She paused briefly, then smiled—a breathtaking, almost unnatural smile.
It was so dazzling that Anna blushed without realizing it.
“And the final option—leave the family behind.”
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