“If you’re worried about getting lost, you don’t need to be. Since I went to the kitchen earlier today for some related work, I know the way.”
He added this as if to dispel the question that had come to my mind.
“If that’s the case, it’s a relief not to have to worry about getting lost.”
Once that concern was resolved, another thought quickly followed. I wondered whether it was alright to accept his offer.
He must have been just as tired as I was after today. It might just be something he said out of courtesy.
As if he could see right through my thoughts, he suddenly spoke.
“It’s dark to go to the kitchen alone. I’m just worried.”
He had said this much—there was no reason to keep arguing and delay going to the kitchen.
“Then, I’ll just ask you to accompany me to the kitchen.”
The moment I calmly accepted his offer, Leon began walking ahead. Without any further hesitation, I quietly followed behind him.
“There are so many paintings…”
As we walked through a long hallway that seemed endless, rows of framed paintings appeared on the walls.
Among those I passed by, I didn’t see a single landscape painting. They were all portraits.
Those that weren’t portraits depicted many people gathered closely together.
“Miss Yvonne, are you interested in paintings?”
Just as I was alternating between turning my head slightly to look at the portraits and walking forward, I bumped my forehead with a thud.
When I opened my eyes, which I had instinctively shut tightly, I saw his upright back, and Leon’s voice followed.
As he turned around, he glanced at the portrait hanging beside us.
“I only asked because you seemed interested in the paintings here, so no need to feel uncomfortable, Miss Yvonne.”
It must have looked to him like I was flustered. In truth, I had only been briefly pondering how to answer.
“I was just looking because I found them fascinating.”
“What did you find fascinating?”
With his gaze still fixed on the paintings as if examining them closely, I responded.
“Because there aren’t any landscape paintings here… It was interesting that most of them are portraits, some with just one person, others with several.”
When I turned back to look at the paintings, I felt as if I made eye contact with the people in the frames.
‘That’s impossible.’
They’re merely the pupils of ‘people in paintings’—there’s no way they could meet your gaze.
As I tried not to think too much of it, Leon’s voice came from beside me.
“All of these pieces were selected by the Marquis. Now that you mention it, there really aren’t any landscapes. It seems the one who chose these paintings liked people more than scenery.”
That was the end of his remark. Leon turned his body again as if he had no particular interest in the paintings.
“Shall we continue?”
I gave a slight nod in response to his question.
‘The head maid never explained anything to me about the paintings.’
She told me how many rooms there were, but never how many portraits were on the third floor, or who had chosen them.
Almost as if I didn’t need to know.
But Leon, who started work the same day as I did, seemed to know all these details.
Was it just a coincidence? Or did some other kind servant mention it to him in passing?
I had a lot of questions, but with time pressing, my head was soon filled with other thoughts.
Walnut pie. Don’t forget the walnut pie. And the fruit juice too. I mustn’t mess up something this simple and earn Miss Juliet’s dislike.
I repeated those words over and over in my head like a spell as I followed behind Leon—but for some reason, I felt like the gazes from the paintings were following me.
* * *
「<The Rosépina Household’s Work Regulations>
Article 2.
This mansion houses several paintings.
If you happen to encounter a ‘painting’ while passing through the hallway, please avoid making eye contact with ‘them’ depicted in the artwork, and simply walk past.
If you do make eye contact with ‘them,’ it is recommended that you offer a brief compliment, such as ‘What a beautiful painting,’ before moving on.
Should you act in this manner, ‘they’ will abandon their intention to approach you with a merciful heart.」
* * *
The head chef, who had been summoned back to the kitchen the previous night without warning, did not show any particular anger. As if used to this kind of situation, he simply prepared what was asked of him.
“It tastes even better because it’s been a while.”
As expected, Miss Juliet was pleased. And after finishing everything, she made one more request. She insisted that she must have the same items again the next day at noon.
“As long as I don’t suddenly fall asleep, it should be fine, so make sure to bring the same things.”
I didn’t know what she meant by suddenly falling asleep, but now, with time having passed, I prepared the requested walnut pie and fresh fruit juice once more and headed to her room.
“What’s this?”
In the quiet of midday, Miss Juliet looked at me with a bewildered expression as she faced the items.
“These are what you requested last night, Miss. You said you wanted to have them again today at noon. Don’t you remember?”
I asked just in case.
“Juliet never asked for such things! Why are you insisting that Juliet ordered something she didn’t?”
I almost blurted out, ‘Excuse me?’ but managed to swallow the words.
She claimed she never requested these things. Then, were the words I heard last night just a hallucination?
And now she was accusing me of forcing a lie.
I didn’t know what to say to her reaction, especially since she’d only mentioned it once.
‘She didn’t use third-person last night, so why is she using it now?’
Rather than being resolved, the questions only piled up.
‘Not just the third-person—something about her whole demeanor seems different.’
But regardless, this lady in front of me was someone I had to serve, whether I liked it or not. That meant I had to follow her words exactly as they were, without objection. That’s the easiest way to avoid trouble while working.
“Now that I think about it, I must’ve remembered wrong. I’m sorry, Miss.”
I quickly clasped my hands and bowed to apologize, but even that didn’t seem to please her.
“Earlier you said I asked you. Now you say it’s not true? Isn’t your story changing too easily in front of Juliet? What if Juliet says she did ask—are you going to follow Juliet’s word then? Hm?”
She didn’t seem pleased with how easily I flipped my stance.
“No, Miss Juliet.”
I once again offered a quick apology. There was nothing to gain from provoking her any further.
From this point on, everything was my fault—my fault for upsetting Miss Juliet.
I was worried that I might be punished for making her upset, when—
“That’s enough. Juliet doesn’t like walnut pie, so take it back. Leave the fruit juice. Juliet will drink that.”
Thankfully, her anger didn’t last long and was quickly resolved.
“By the way, you said Juliet asked for these things last night, right? Then tell me everything that happened last night with Juliet from beginning to end. Don’t leave anything out.”
With her arms crossed, she asked casually.
It didn’t make sense that she couldn’t remember what she did, but for now, I decided to answer what she asked.
“Miss Juliet called for me after dinner. It was during the time when the employees were being checked to see if they were in their rooms as scheduled. The head maid came to inform me that Miss Juliet was asking for me.”
I recounted the events to the best of my memory. Then, the scolding expression she wore just moments ago hardened into something else.
“Ha, The head maid came to find you?”
“Yes, Miss.”
She seemed to stammer, almost like she had bitten her tongue.
“That woman came and what did you do? Did you greet the head maid before going to see Juliet?”
I didn’t understand why she was suddenly asking that, but I shook my head lightly at her serious tone.
“No. At the time I was called, I was occupied with something else and couldn’t respond for about ten minutes. When I left my room, the head maid had already gone, so I went straight to your room, Miss Juliet.”
I didn’t think it necessary to mention the “promise” made during dinner, so I explained vaguely, and her expression softened a little.
“And then? What did you do after meeting Juliet?”
The conversation returned to its original topic.
“Miss Juliet said she felt exhausted after using her head for the first time in a while and wanted to eat something. She asked what her favorite foods were, and when I listed them, she chose the walnut pie, even though it wasn’t on the list.”
That was all I knew.
“So while Juliet was gone, ‘Juliet’ did all that?”
Biting her index finger in thought, she soon let out a deep sigh.
“Leave. Juliet wants to rest.”
Then, as if to signal me to leave the room, she waved her hand carelessly.
“Didn’t you hear? Juliet wants to rest. Take that unsightly walnut pie and disappear!”
She seemed to be seriously angry now.
“Wait a moment before you go.”
Just as I was about to quietly exit, following her demand—
“Since you told me about last night, let me give you some advice. That person who you said they came to your room last night—stay away from them if you can.”
“Pardon?”
She took a deep breath and then spoke in a firm voice.
“The head maid—it’s better for your well-being if you avoid her.”
That was a suspicious warning if I’d ever heard one.
* * * *
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