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

The Peaceful Life Of A Maid Who Hides Her Power And Enjoys It, cover 2.

<Episode 125>

 

* * *

Few things were as important as being polished without a speck of dust in social life.

In that respect, as the head of a household and a woman, it was my duty to maintain a dignified appearance wherever I went.

 

Makeup, hair, clothing, accessories, shoes, bags, hats, gloves, and more – everything had to be at the level befitting of the ‘Weatherwoods Household’ to avoid appearing shallow. Dignity was also the pride of the nobility, as the Head Maid often said.

 

And that pride was also the driving force that pushed the Head Maid out of the Weatherwoods estate, who’d stayed in it like a deeply rooted tree for years.

 

“If you’re so anxious, why don’t you go back to Midwinterre? I’ll be able to get a maid to take care of me in moderation even in Ragel. The bigger the city, the more available labor there is.”

 

Upon hearing those words, the head maid, who was meticulously smoothing the wrinkles on my hat hanging on the wall, turned her head.

 

The gaze that met mine was burning with a fierce determination I had never seen before.

“I absolutely cannot tolerate that. If they lack skill or even make you appear tacky, it’ll be even worse than not having a maid! Now, your presence is no different from my own pride. I can’t bear to see you, the master, wandering around in a lowly backstreet appearance, especially not in Ragel City.”

 

Despite her firm assertion, the maid still couldn’t move away from the wall.

The reason she lingered near the shadows was simple.

 

She was afraid of being near the window.

 

“Just draw the curtains. Then your face won’t be exposed outside, right?”

“Absolutely not. This townhouse will become a cradle for numerous visitors who will come to see the master in the future. Even if it’s not always open, it should never appear secretive or dark. The hunting season is like your debut in society, and first impressions are crucial.”

 

The Head Maid’s determination was so strong that there was only one thing I could do.

 

“Please make sure that my maid’s face is not exposed to the outside..”

Two servants bowed deeply and replied, “Please leave it to us.”

Thanks to the repentant assassins following us, security shouldn’t be a problem. Still, even though it’s the capital, they won’t sneak into someone else’s house without permission.

 

That’s how it was.

 

The place we were staying in was a townhouse located a little away from the city center of Ragel, the capital of the Penrotta Empire.

 

The Head Maid was very disappointed with the location of the townhouse, but there was nothing we could do about it. Even this was a house we managed to obtain hastily, thanks to Malcolm’s efforts.

 

‘They say if you don’t have enough funds, you usually have to live in another family’s house.’

Thanks to Malcolm, I was at least able to save face as Viscount Weatherwoods.

 

The head maid, avoiding the windows, adjusted my hair and clothing here and there and smiled with satisfaction.

 

“This style suits you well too. You don’t have to stick to an innocent and clean image.”

 

I looked at the mirror.

A fierce-looking woman with her bangs neatly tied up and a navy blue brimmed hat tilted sat in front of me.

 

Her lips, which were not fully red but closer to black, looked almost like a vampire’s.

 

“It looks like my personality would be very dirty.”

“Wasn’t that the original concept?”

“Well, yeah. It’s not that I don’t like it. It’s good to leave an impression that others can’t easily approach.”

 

“I’m glad you like it. Don’t go out today and rest comfortably at home. There are many people who are keeping an eye on the master due to the various rumors circulating these days. In such cases, it’s best not to show your face in advance and make a grand appearance during the hunting festival.”

 

“I’ll have a line of wealthy ladies who are overly interested in my marriage next to me.”

“That’s even better. It’s a perfect opportunity to monopolize the attention of the upper-class nobles who hold the power in Penrotta. You can bask in the glory of Duke Zenail and your blood relation to the Hero Andert. There hasn’t been a bigger buzz in the social circles in the past four years than this.”

 

I focused on the head maid’s words, moving my lips, which looked plumper than usual, up and down.

 

Over the past week, I’d received information about the Imperial Society until my ears were bleeding.

 

In fact, compared to what I vaguely knew before, there was nothing particularly special. Politics happened even in the blood-soaked battlefield. It meant that wherever people lived, it’s all the same.

 

If there was an unpredictable problem, then it was…

 

‘I’m sure it’ll be fine.’

 

Rue left for Calepa for a while.

Before leaving, he assured me that he would come to see me personally in Ragel after restoring his balance. Rue’s confident appearance was both reassuring and somewhat intimidating at first glance.

 

I wonder how he’ll surprise me this time.

 

‘..When you think about it, it’s not just Rue who’s the problem. Natasha and Raphael, too, if you look closely.’

 

It wasn’t easy to predict everything.

Well, since when did I ever predict everything?

 

In the end, I could only trust myself.

 

If I believed in myself, any crisis would eventually become nothing more than something that had already happened. It was the most certain truth I realized after crossing the two walls.

 

That evening.

When the clock struck midnight.

 

A very discreet movement was felt inside the townhouse. It was so quiet that even the former assassins didn’t notice.

 

I wondered what kind of troublemaker had come on the very first day, but instead of coming, they were leaving.

 

It was none other than Jean.

‘…Where are you sneaking off to like that?’

 

With my eyes closed, I focused on the sound of the faint footsteps that fell through the gap in the window.

 

It was an unexpected situation. If it were her usual self, whether it was a secretive matter or not, she would have directly asked me for permission to go out.

 

That’s why I was even more puzzled. Doing something different from her usual behavior usually meant that there was a problem.

 

‘Should I pretend not to know?’

 

If I considered it Jean’s private life, that was the right thing to do.

But I was Viscount Daisy Weatherwoods, responsible for the happiness and safety of the members of the Weatherwoods household.

 

Daisy – Jean’s employer, mentor and guardian.

 

‘That means I have the right to secretly follow her if she sneaks out without saying anything.’

 

I grabbed the cardigan that Rue had left behind for me and left the townhouse.

 

From a distance, I found that a sword was hanging from Jean’s waist. Could it be that she was going to assassinate someone? Maybe she had an enemy in Ragel.

 

Jean practically flew through the darkened city with light steps and stopped at a place that was especially filled with a heavy silence.

 

『Ragel National Peace Center』

 

I heard the cry of an owl.

As I stared at the inscription engraved at the entrance of the National Peace Center, I followed Jean into the cemetery, taking slow steps.

 

Endless rows of gravestones.

 

But my heart was not disturbed. I didn’t hear the screams of the dead, nor did I feel a chilling hallucination gripping my ankles.

 

There was another presence that unsettled my mind.

 

“Your Highness.”

The man Jean called.

The owner of the shadow on the ground, hidden in the darkness.

Standing among the gravestones was none other than the Swordmaster, Jurian Berkeley-Gratten.

 

‘…oh shit.’

The moment I sensed the man’s unique static energy, a hypothesis that upset me more than I thought it would formed in my mind.

 

Was Jean still working for the swordmaster?

 

Had she been fooling me all this time?

That Jean? To me?

 

Unfortunately, the speculation didn’t last long.

 

– obey.

 

An energy accompanying a murderous resonance made its way towards my neck.

 

“Your Excellency!”

 

Jean’s scream and my body twisting to the side in urgency happened almost simultaneously. I narrowly avoided the attack, but the clothing near my right shoulder was torn.

 

I staggered backward, clutching my tattered nightgown and cardigan.

 

“Your Highness, what on earth are you doing!”

 

“Quiet down. Do you intend to wake up all the deceased?”

 

The swordmaster’s voice as he responded to Jean was so calm that one could momentarily forget the way he’d just wielded his sword.

 

Jean, who rushed towards me with her own sword drawn, looked at me with an embarrassed face.

 

“My Lord, why did you follow me?”

“…why did I follow you? It’s because you sneaked out. What business do you have with the swordmaster at this hour?”

“That’s…”

 

I could hear the crunching of fallen leaves under leisurely footsteps.

 

“Step away, Jean.”

“Do not threaten the Viscount. She followed me without knowing anything.”

“Without knowing anything?”

 

The clouds cleared, revealing a bright white moon.

The black shadow that had covered the swordmaster’s face in the moonlight disappeared. His cold gaze pierced through Jean.

 

“Don’t speak foolishly, remember the oath engraved on your arm.”

 

“….”

 

Jean’s gaze towards the swordmaster remained unwavered.

 

I remembered the traces of oath that had been marked on Jean’s arm when she was first employed by the Weatherwoods.

 

“This mark is a burden I must bear on my own. I swear on my soul that I will never bring harm to the Weatherwoods family.”

 

The vow that she’d made, saying she would never cause harm to the Weatherwoods.

The swordmaster demanded of Jean.

 

“Say it with your own mouth, Jean. What oath do we truly share?”

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Yes, that beautiful man is indeed your favorite blue-haired lunatic wizard/conman.