Episode 61

“Miss! Please wake up.”

Tara woke me up much earlier than usual.

Last night, I had fallen asleep while working late, making it hard to open my eyes.

“Ugh… just five more minutes…”

I buried my face in the soft pillow and whined, but Tara was firm.

“No! Today is the day you visit the temple!”

“Temple…? Oh!”

Suddenly, I was wide awake.

‘That’s right.’

Finally, the long-awaited temple volunteer work.

Today marked the official start of the original storyline and the first step in my third plan, ‘Making a Lot of Money!’

As I quickly got up, Tara swiftly slipped her hands under my armpits and lifted me up.

“To the bathroom, Your Grace!”

When we arrived at the bathroom, Kona and the other maids were already gathered there.

“Good morning, Miss!”

“Good morning to you all too!”

I rubbed my eyes and greeted them, causing the maids to clutch their chests and mutter incomprehensible words.

“Oh, my heart…!”

“Our young lady just woke up… she’s the cutest in the universe…!”

“This house really knows how to take care of its people.”

I ignored their remarks, but I was a bit puzzled.

‘What’s going on with everyone so early in the morning?’

I soon found out why they had gathered so early.

“Alright, everyone, let’s get started!”

At Tara’s command, they began to scrub and polish me with renewed determination.

They applied and washed off unknown packs on my face and hair several times.

Just when I thought I was finally free from the bathroom, they moved me to the adjacent room.

By the way, my room’s dressing room couldn’t accommodate all the items that the Duke and Edwin had bought for me, so I had been using the adjacent room as a second dressing room and powder room for quite some time.

“How about this dress?”

“What about the shoes?”

“Today, we’ll go with the full set: tiara, necklace, bracelet, anklet…!”

The maids kept pulling out clothes and accessory boxes, trying them on me with serious faces.

It felt like they were preparing for Diana’s visit to the Duke’s house.

As they deliberated, they brought out a stunning red dress that left me speechless.

I couldn’t take it any longer and shouted.

“That’s enough…! I’m going to wear this today!”

I dashed to the corner and grabbed one of the casual dresses.

Compared to the dresses that filled the closet, it was a plain beige dress.

It was meant for comfortable wear around the house.

The maids looked flustered and asked urgently.

“Why, Miss? Don’t you like this dress?”

“No, it’s beautiful! I like it!”

If I were really five years old, I might have happily worn the dress they picked out.

But I was an adult who knew how to distinguish between times and places.

“But today, I can’t wear something like that!”

“Wh-why not…?”

“We’re going to the orphanage! None of the kids there wear clothes like these.”

“…”

At my words, the maids’ faces became solemn.

I appreciated their desire to make me look as pretty as possible, but I wasn’t going to show off how well-off I’d become.

Moreover, if a child who had luckily found sponsorship showed up in an expensive dress, it would undoubtedly rub some people the wrong way.

The maids glanced at each other, fumbling to apologize.

“We’re sorry, Miss. We didn’t realize…”

“It’s okay. We can play princess dress-up when we get back!”

“That sounds wonderful!”

I wasn’t sure why they seemed more excited than I was, but thankfully, the maids regained their enthusiasm and asked.

“Then, should we remove all the accessories too? Even the tiara that Young Master Edwin gave you?”

“Yes!”

Although all the jewelry was precious, it was best to leave my favorite tiara behind, especially since there were not only good kids but also some troublesome ones at the orphanage.

“Still, you must wear your ID bracelet, Miss. The Duke ordered that you always wear it when you go out.”

Tara brought out the bracelet, determined not to budge on this matter.

The Duke, hearing of my upcoming outing, hadn’t interrogated me or the coachman about the destination. Instead, he had given me a bracelet through the butler the next day.

Although it was an ID bracelet, it was quite elaborate and overwhelming for its purpose.

But since it was given out of concern, I had to wear it.

“Alright.”

Reluctantly, I extended my wrist to Tara.

Click.

The cool platinum bracelet, studded with small rubies, fit snugly around my chubby wrist. Inside, my name and the Duke’s crest were engraved.

With the dress and jewelry settled, the preparations were quickly completed.

I returned to my room with the maids, who were also reflected in the mirror, looking unusually neat and tidy.

‘It looks similar to what I wore at the temple.’

At least in terms of color and style. The dress I wore now was far superior in quality and beauty compared to the coarse fabric from the temple.

Since arriving at the Duke’s residence, I had been eating well and living comfortably, not looking like an orphan at all.

My once rough hair now shone with health, and my cheeks were plump and rosy.

‘Looking like this, I don’t resemble an orphan at all…’

I sighed softly, and Tara immediately looked worried.

“What’s wrong, Miss? Do you not like it? Should we change back into a dress?”

“No!”

I shook my head vigorously and looked up at the maids, asking.

“Do I look plain?”

“Of course not! No matter what you wear, you’re the prettiest and most eye-catching!”

“But I don’t want that…”

“Why?”

The maids pressed, but I couldn’t bring myself to explain.

‘What I want is to just look plain.’

In my past life, back when I was still living in the temple…

First, Diana, who went to the Marquis’s house, came every year in pretty clothes for the goddess’s birthday.

Of course, she didn’t dress conspicuously since she was meeting with nobles.

Her clothes were similar to what I am wearing now.

Even so, to the eyes of the orphans, Diana and other noble children looked no different.

I was so envious and jealous of her that I felt like I was going to die.

So, after going to the Duke’s house, I wore excessively glamorous dresses every year on the goddess’s birthday.

Naturally, people’s reactions were not good.

“Is she that girl? The orphan who got lucky enough to be sponsored by the Duke’s family?”

“Honestly, can you turn a pumpkin into a watermelon just by drawing lines on it?”

“She lacks the abilities Diana has but is full of vanity…”

Nobles, priests, and the orphans alike all looked at me with disdain.

“You keep getting criticized because you dress like that.”

“Every year, your healing powers are decreasing, yet you come dressed like royalty. It’s ridiculous.”

One day, someone made these remarks to me as I was crying in a corner of the temple.

Only then did I start paying attention to my excessive attire.

But once people’s perceptions are set, they don’t change easily.

When I toned down my dressing and stopped wearing dresses, a new rumor spread that I was imitating Diana.

‘Come to think of it… there was someone who said those things to me back then.’

The memory suddenly resurfaced, leaving me with mixed feelings.

I don’t remember who it was, but their tone was definitely blunt and rude.

However, thanks to them, I understood why I was being criticized.

Of course, knowing that didn’t change my personality overnight.

‘But how did they know my healing powers were decreasing every year?’

A sudden question furrowed my brows.

If they saw me every year, they couldn’t have missed it.

As the years passed, my healing powers deteriorated to the point where even healing small wounds became difficult.

But everyone was so busy comparing me to Diana and putting me down that no one questioned why my powers were diminishing.

Not even the Duke or Edwin.

‘Was it just an offhand comment? Or…’

I was deep in thought when suddenly, there was a knock at the door.