Side Story Episode 3. Wish You Were

Swan didn’t look the least bit surprised to see Lillian standing there. It was as if she had expected her to come—no, it was more like she had been waiting for her.

And Lillian… she wasn’t surprised either.

Even seeing Swan awake, waiting for her in the dim moonlight, she felt no shock. She only furrowed her brows slightly.

“You’re still up? You should be sleeping early, especially when you’re not well.”

If Swan’s health worsened again, it would be a disaster.

That was why Lillian had wanted to come as soon as possible.

But unlike the orphanage, the Maynard estate had servants patrolling in shifts well into the night, making it impossible to slip away earlier. It wasn’t until after midnight that she finally managed to reach Swan’s room.

Lillian didn’t know it yet, but that vigilance was a scar left on the household after the loss of both the Duchess of Maynard and her daughter.

The servants had never been able to shake the fear that someone might infiltrate the estate again, that their master would suffer another loss.

Now that Swan had been found, that fear had only intensified.

Of course, Lillian, unaware of all these details, had simply grumbled about how no one in this place seems to sleep.

Swan, watching her, stifled a laugh before motioning for her to come closer.

“I had a feeling you’d come. Besides, I’ve already slept a lot. Everyone keeps saying I was asleep for ages.”

“That wasn’t sleeping. You were sick.”

“Still.”

As soon as Lillian hopped onto the bed, Swan pulled her into a tight embrace as if she had been waiting for this all along.

The lingering warmth from where she had been resting wrapped around Lillian.

Soft black hair brushed against her cheek, carrying a sweet, soapy scent.

“I missed you, Lily.”

“…Really?”

“Of course. I expected you to be there when I woke up… but you weren’t.”

Swan pouted slightly, her voice laced with childish complaint, and tightened her arms around Lillian.

Normally, Lillian would have hugged her back without hesitation.

But today, for some reason, she hesitated.

After a brief pause, she lifted her arms and carefully returned the embrace.

The familiar scent of soap tickled her nose—a gentle fragrance of lilies, the kind used in the Maynard household.

Of course, Lillian had bathed with the same soap.

But for some reason, the scent always smelled softer, sweeter on Swan.

I probably don’t smell like this.

Her thoughts didn’t linger on the scent for long.

What truly caught her attention was the way Swan felt in her arms.

Swan had always been on the slender side.

But now…

Now, she was even thinner than before, the toll of her long illness clear in the way her frame felt beneath Lillian’s arms.

Lillian absentmindedly ran her fingers through Swan’s hair before her tone turned firm.

“Swan, starting tomorrow, you have to eat bacon. No exceptions.”

“Haha! Alright, alright. But only if you eat with me.”

“…Me too?”

It was then that Lillian remembered why she had come here in the first place.

Of course, the biggest reason was that she had missed Swan.

But there was another reason as well—something they needed to talk about.

Because Merrifield Orphanage was no longer under Winston’s control.

Lillian had been there when Cedric went to retrieve Swan.

She had seen Winston arrested for embezzlement.

She had witnessed everything that happened after.

As Lillian recalled everything that had happened, she gently pushed Swan back and asked,

“Swan, did you hear? Mr. Mill was appointed as the new director.”

“Yeah, I heard. And Maynard is going to be the official sponsor, right? Father told me.”

It had been a straightforward process.

After Winston and the corrupt teachers were removed, the Maynard family took over the orphanage’s funding.

Cedric had wanted someone familiar with the orphanage to take over its management.

Someone who could step in immediately and care for the children properly.

And since children were often more honest and reliable sources of information about such things, he had asked Lillian for advice.

— Lillian, is there any adult aside from the teachers who knows the orphanage well? If anyone comes to mind, tell me.

— There is… but I don’t know him well. Someone else might know better than I do.

That was when Lillian introduced Theo to Cedric.

After that, she had run straight to check on Swan, so she didn’t know all the details of what was discussed between them.

But she had heard bits and pieces.

“Theo told me. Mr. Mill is the new director, and Theo is going to work as a squire.”

She left out the part where Theo had puffed up with pride while telling her this.

Because right now, it didn’t matter that Theo had ruffled her hair, calling her impressive, or that he had become a squire.

“What’s more, since Maynard is sponsoring the orphanage now, those who want to can work for them—like Theo did.”

“Yeah, and if they want to, they can even go to an academy. Isn’t that great, Lily?”

“It is. That’s why… I was thinking of working as a maid for the Maynard household.”

That was the decision Lillian had spent the entire evening agonizing over.

When she really thought about it, she realized the truth—she was just afraid of being separated from Swan.

So as long as they could stay together, any way of doing so would be fine, wouldn’t it?

A lady and her maid—such a hierarchy wouldn’t change anything between them.

Lillian firmly believed that.

And so, she carefully voiced her thoughts.

“Back at the orphanage, I was always looking after you anyway. I did the cleaning and everything… so it wouldn’t be that different. Of course, there might be times when I have to speak formally to you—”

“What are you even saying, Lily?”

She was cut off.

By now, Lillian’s eyes had fully adjusted to the dark, and she could clearly make out Swan’s face.

For the first time that night, she saw true shock written all over it.

Swan, who hadn’t even blinked when Lillian had opened the door, now looked utterly stunned.

“A maid? Why would you even think that?”

“Huh? Well… if I want to stay with you, then—”

If she wanted to be with Swan, wasn’t that the obvious choice?

As Lillian tilted her head in confusion, Swan let out an exasperated sigh.

“Ahh, Lily, you fool. I should have told you this first.”

Swoop.

Swan lightly bonked her fist against Lillian’s head—softly, without any real force.

Then, she smiled.

“I told Father I want us to be family. Real sisters.”

“…Real sisters?”

“Yes. We’re family, Lily. I can’t even imagine being apart from you.”

But if Lillian became a maid, they would inevitably be separated due to her duties.

Swan held Lillian’s hand tightly.

Even in the darkness, her striking blue eyes shone.

The same eyes that had always, from their very first memory together until now, gazed at Lillian with unwavering affection.

“Lily. If you’re not with me, then becoming the Lady of Maynard means nothing.”

No matter what name she bore, no matter what status she held—

Lillian was what mattered most.

“Do you remember? That opera house we talked about.”

The one with fifty chandeliers, where the most breathtaking songs were performed.

Of course, Lillian remembered. How could she forget?

Swan had always dreamed of going to the opera house.

And she had always said—

“I never wanted to go there alone.”

Going alone meant nothing.

It only mattered if she and Lillian went together.