The Peaceful Life of a Maid Who Hides Her Power and Enjoys It

<Episode 106>

 

‘If it’s Ashernik… isn’t he that weak prince Natasha often talked about?’

 

Natasha’s brothers, the Imperial Princes, could usually be categorized into two types.

The ones Natasha called ‘trash’ and the ones Natasha called ‘blood-relatives’.

 

I didn’t remember the name Anastasia, but Ashernik, I certainly did.

This was because he was the only one who took care of Natasha like a sister, even when she was weighed down by her other brothers.

 

‘He has risen to the throne.’

Come to think of it, where did Natasha go? Why hadn’t I heard any news about her?

 

“Head Maid, do you know Natasha as well?”

The Head Maid gazed at me with a hesitant look. It seemed that it wasn’t a topic she particularly liked.

“That’s a foolish question. We’re technically siblings, so how could I not know her? My turn is over, right? Jean, I’ll leave the rest to you.”

 

Jean looked around at us with her characteristic upright gaze.

 

“I am Jean. I was abandoned with my younger brother early in my childhood, way before I could even properly speak. So I don’t have a surname. I learned swordsmanship with the sole goal of killing The Great Wizard Mephisto, and eventually stepped onto the path of a sword demon.”

 

“…Sword demon?”

The head maid looked at Jean with a somewhat guarded gaze.

 

“I’ve heard that one can lose their sanity if they become one.”

“That’s correct.”

“Are you still learning the sword?”

“Yes. But you don’t need to worry.”

 

As Jean turned her head towards me, the other two followed suit.

“If it’s my senior, she can stop me. That’s why I’m not afraid… And earlier, I couldn’t say it.”

Jean cleared her throat softly and spoke with a slightly smaller voice.

 

“After visiting Astrosa… I’ve become certain that I can see a wider world with Senior. And above all, I’m happy to stay as the butler of Weatherwoods. It feels like an ordinary, unremarkable everyday life…”

 

Her words trailed off.

The perplexed expression didn’t leave Malcolm’s face, but the Head Maid’s reaction was different.

They hadn’t been very big words, but her emerald eyes noticeably softened. It was as if she deeply empathized with Jean.

 

 

“Now it’s Miss Daisy’s turn.”

Three pairs of eyes turned their focus to me.

 

‘Thank you, Head Maid.’

Thanks to you, I feel like the reaction would be lukewarm even if I were to reveal my past. Indeed, a hidden origin was the secret of secrets.

 

“My name is Daisy Fager, as everyone knows. I was born on Queen Island and participated in the magic war under the name of Andert Fager.”

 

Was it because I’d already been caught by Desherro?

Even though it was a secret I had been carefully hiding and nurturing for several months, it effortlessly spilled out.

 

“In the end, I had a showdown with Mephisto. I then died.”

“…Are you saying you’ve died once?”

“Andert… Fager?”

“Yes?”

 

The three of them looked at me with eyes of disbelief.

Well, if someone who was supposed to be dead was alive and well, I would be shocked and dumbfounded too.

 

“It’s in the past tense. I thought I was dead, but it turns out I wasn’t. After being asleep for four years, I woke up a few months ago and found a few problems in my body, so I came to Midwinterre…”

 

“Wait, hold on.”

The Head Maid hurriedly interrupted my words.

 

“Your real name is Andert Fager?”

“If you want to get technical, it’s not my real name…”

“Not just any Andert Fager, but Raphael’s sword and the hero of the Alliance, Andert Fager?”

“I feel like I’m being called that a lot after coming back to life…”

“Andert Fager, the God-slayer who killed Mephisto?”

 

What an embarrassing nickname. Who the hell came up with it?

 

When I didn’t respond due to the ickiness, Malcolm stepped forward and doubted my identity.

“I can’t believe it. Are you really the hero Andert Fager?”

 

“Miss Daisy, are you joking with us right now?”

“Andert Fager was a man. I even saw him with my own eyes once, albeit from a distance.”

“He was described as cheerful, honest, polite, yet approachable, and people always surrounded him. And of course, he was exceptionally skilled in speaking. It can’t be Miss Daisy.”

“Aren’t you just someone from the alliance with the same name as the hero?”

 

Oh, there are just too many doubts.

If that’s the case, there’s no other choice. I have to show them through action.

With a rustling sound, I drew my pearl sword and looked at Jean.

 

“How about a round, Jean? Let the hero Andert Fager face your pitiful swordsmanship.”

Jean ran her tongue over her dry lips.

 

“Maybe I’ll be able to learn a thing or two.”

“No, wait! How can you fight in this small room…!”

We swung our swords at each other. One using the lightest move and one the most serious.

 

And, as expected.

 

“Kkhuk!”

With a horizontal strike, Jean flew like dust, crashing into the wall and falling down. Blood trickled down Jean’s mouth as she momentarily lost conscience, perhaps because of the force I applied.

 

I felt a bit guilty, but there was no other choice. People only behaved well when you were a little aggressive.

 

“Now, do you believe me a bit?”

If they still couldn’t believe it after I defeated the Jean Berkeley-Gratten in one move, it would be even more troublesome.

 

“I am Andert Fager. You know I can’t lie under the Blood Oath, right?”

With eyes devoid of spirit, the head maid blinked slowly and then parted her lips.

 

“Sign.”

“Sign?”

“Sign, an autograph…”

 

What? An autograph? Was she referring to what actors or singers drew on paper?

“I have no such thing like that.”

 

As I began to reject her, Jean, who’d stood up from the floor, rushed towards me.

“Andert, please teach me one more move!”

“Well, master. If there’s no autograph, then even if you have to create one…”

 

“Wait. Everyone calm down. There’s something more important. Viscount Weatherwoods.”

 

 

Fortunately, Malcolm stepped forward and calmed down the unruly employees. He approached me cautiously, his face filled with both mild astonishment and curiosity.

 

“By any chance… Are we the only ones who know your true identity? What about Duke Raphael Zenail, whom you will meet tomorrow? Does he know?”

 

Malcolm’s point was very good.

 

“No, he doesn’t.”

Raphael was, in fact, the greatest problem I currently faced.

 

“Then let me ask one more thing. Do you plan to continue hiding your past? Or do you intend to reappear in the world in the near future?”

 

To reappear in the world.

It was a great expression of words.

At the same time, it was a sentence that had absolutely nothing to do with me.

 

I didn’t affirm or deny.

Instead, I lifted a wooden chair from the floor and comfortably took a seat.

 

“Well, I actually have a lot to say about that. Since we’ve established some trust with each other… Shall we begin the meeting regarding the trip to the Zenail Duchy?”

 

 

* * *

The dawn of the day I leave for the Duchy of Zenail.

 

“Haah.”

I took a deep breath and tightly held onto the bedpost. It wasn’t a particularly pleasant feeling to feel your ribs and waist being constricted.

The Head Maid, who tied the final ribbon on my back, hurriedly took a look at my garment and spoke.

 

“That should be enough. Fortunately, people these days don’t tighten their waists as crazily as before. You should consider yourself lucky.”

 

“But it’s still uncomfortable. Do I really have to do this?”

“Is there a reason not to?”

“Everyone behaves well in front of a fist anyway.”

 

“That’s true. However, master, the reason I cinch your waist isn’t to showcase how beautiful, lovely, and striking you are to the world. It’s to make you look like an ordinary noble.”

 

“What’s the difference?”

 

“People… especially the upper-class nobles of Penrotta, put tremendous effort into making a great first impression. Also, when judging someone, there’s nothing more important to them than one’s appearance.”

 

That’s right.

They were the ones who said that even at a war, one must maintain a minimum level of dignity (although I don’t know what kind of dignity they meant).

I’ve never really considered it a bad thing either.

I could somewhat understand why the maid was putting so much care into my clothing.

 

“So, to quietly blend in without drawing attention, it’s best to follow their rules. Ordinary noblewomen wear ordinary but expensive tailored clothes. Sophisticated or slightly rustic earrings with large diamonds. A leisurely gait and a calm smile. Subtle gazes…”

 

“It’s too difficult to learn all at once.”

 

“That’s why you should pay even more attention to your appearance, at least on the surface. As this is your first appearance as Viscount Weatherwoods.”

 

I looked at myself in the mirror, wearing a surprisingly fitting silk blouse, jacket, and a blue gored skirt.

 

‘These are the clothes Rue never ended up wearing. It seems the time has come for them to be of use.’

 

It was fortunate that they were made to fit my size.

Jean, who was standing near the door, said quietly.

 

“Still, it’s good that the head maid can be of great help to you, Viscount. You’ll be well-versed in royal etiquette and noble manners.”

---

 

Again, I’m using Viscount bc Viscountess is mostly used for the wife of the count. She’s the head of the family.