Chapter 13

It seemed that it wasn’t just Doah who felt it; the maids exchanged glances, gauging her reaction.

“Come in.”

The warm air, as heartwarming as the midday sunlight streaming through the window, turned cold in an instant.

Doah, maintaining her softened expression, opened the door and silently stared at the person who appeared.

The woman looked to be in her forties.

‘Head Maid, Angela.’

Behind her, five unfamiliar maids were waiting.

“Good morning, Miss.”

After Angela spoke without much courtesy, she scanned the maids surrounding Doah with a disapproving gaze.

“You there, all of you.”

“Yes, Head Maid!”

“Didn’t you hear the news that dedicated maids have been assigned to Lady from today? Return to your respective positions right away.”

The maids exchanged glances.

It was the first time they had heard about it.

There was no mention of selecting new dedicated maids, and when was this decision made secretly?

Moreover, they were being expelled so unilaterally.

But the orders from above were absolute.

Most of the maids showed uncertain expressions but prepared to step back from their positions.

“Lady hasn’t finished her meal yet.”

However, one maid didn’t immediately comply with the order and steadfastly spoke.

It was because she found the Head Maid’s behavior rude to proceed with the work without even asking for Lady’s opinion.

Doah looked at that maid closely.

“So, are you saying you disagree with the order?”

“It’s not that, but it means there’s no need to do it right away.”

“Yes, that’s right!”

Ruby, who had been quietly observing, chimed in as well.

“…”

“Uh, I mean… It just seems that way.”

When the Head Maid glared at them with icy eyes, they quickly retreated and nervously bit their fingers, but at least they felt they had tried their best.

“Meals will be taken care of by the newly assigned maids. Don’t stubbornly insist on unnecessary matters; just do your work.”

Upon the Head Maid’s words, the two maids pursed their lips, bit them, and then lowered their heads.

As they raised their heads again, their eyes met with Doah, who had been staring in that direction.

Ruby smiled brightly, and another maid was startled, bowing her head even lower.

“You, what’s your name?”

“Candice, ma’am.”

“Hmm, a sweet name.”

What did I just hear?

Candice cautiously raised her head, and Doah’s eyes were gently folded.

“It’s easy to remember.”

Candice forgot what she was going to say in response to that smile and froze.

Doah’s words sounded like a promise to remember her.

Ruby, feeling somehow left out and disappointed in the background, pointed to herself with her finger and silently appealed.

What about me, Lady? What’s my name?

“Uh, I’ll step back now.”

Candice, who belatedly came to her senses, grabbed Ruby, who was doing another foolish thing, and hurriedly left.

Doah responded without showing any signs of annoyance.

“Yeah, take care. See you again next time.”

It seemed like another promise to remember.

Candice felt her heart flutter somehow and quickly left the room.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t only Doah who remembered Candice.

Angela, displeased, stared at the impudent maid who dared to contradict her.

“Lady, I think you’re aware that the maids assigned to take care of you have already been decided, and there’s no turning back.”

Her tone was threatening.

“Who decided that?”

“What?”

“I asked whose jurisdiction you were under to do such things.”

Doah coldly questioned as if she had never shown a gentle smile, changing her tone, expression, and atmosphere in an instant.

“Selecting maids falls under my jurisdiction naturally.”

The Head Maid, who hesitated for a moment, quickly responded.

“All of them are under your jurisdiction?”

“Yes.”

“Does that mean you’ll take full responsibility for this?”

She even used the heavy expression “responsibility.”

However, Angela, twisting her mouth, responded with a teasing tone.

“Well, whatever you say.”

The Head Maid, Angela, knew Bunny’s true identity. Currently, heads of other departments were also aware that she was a fake lady.

However, Doah wasn’t overly concerned.

‘Certainly, I thought someone taking on a leadership position would have the ability to discern right from wrong.’

But now that this had actually happened.

Was the Head Maid suddenly going crazy?

Or, since Bunny came to the main palace, did she lack the intelligence to realize she needed to be treated politely as a lady, unlike when she was confined?

‘It seems to be neither of those.’

A beak reminiscent of a vulture.

Historically, it was believed that those with such a typical appearance possessed outstanding qualities.

But the eyes were crucial. Good eyes were associated with bravery and wisdom, but evil eyes were said to belong to a cunning swindler with a good head for wicked deeds.

In Angela’s case, it was the latter.

‘Is there a place I can trust?’

Like a reliable support. If so, there might be a separate mastermind.

‘What to do?’

Doah scrutinized the physiognomy of the maids Angela brought. They seemed as of low quality as the maids who were driven away.

‘It’s really tiresome.’

A maid isn’t someone who idly sits by. They handle meals, laundry, cleaning, bathing arrangements, and preparations for going out.

Everything in her daily life depended on them.

‘They can naturally blend into all aspects of my daily life and, if provoked, shake the foundation of my survival.’

Of course, now she would act with discretion.

However, Bunny, the fake lady from the trash heap, was like a flickering lantern in the wind.

It was unpredictable when they might turn hostile again. She couldn’t be subject to their whims her entire life.

Doah quickly made her judgment and spoke.

“Do you think it makes sense for me to receive maids’ services without knowing where they came from or what they’ve been doing?”

“We can’t change the maids who have already been assigned….”

“No, I mentioned that before. What I mean is, bring me the maids’ resumes.”

“….”

Angela couldn’t respond immediately.

Having sensed her hesitation, Doah, with an amused tone, rested her chin on her hand and whispered casually.

“You claimed they were under your jurisdiction, but I believe you won’t say you don’t have them.”

“…Even if I have them, I cannot show them at my discretion.”

“Under your jurisdiction, so why? Who dares to monopolize your affairs? Shall I go and give them a piece of my mind?”

As Doah chuckled as if teasing, a sound of footsteps could be heard from above.

“And bring all the resumes from the other maids. Of course, including yours.”

“…What?”

Perhaps Angela didn’t expect that she would demand even her own.

Now Angela seemed to have an openly confused expression, as if thinking, ‘What on earth is this nonsense?’

“I didn’t make an unreasonable demand, did I?”

“…,”

It was as Doah had said.

‘If she had asked to see recommendations, it might be understandable.’

Recommendations could reveal who was vouching for them and where they were applying.

But resumes only provided basic personal information and their work history, lacking any significant details.

‘Why on earth would she demand that…?’

Angela felt uneasy for some reason.

However, without any grounds to refuse, she instructed the maids to transcribe hundreds of resumes.

“Hmm….”

Doah handed over the documents with an expressionless face.

There was no need to scrutinize all of them.

She simply selected resumes from Angela and the four maids that she had brought in.

Judging from their physiognomy, it seemed that one of these maids had an extraordinary horoscope.

‘As expected, everything is written, including the birthdate and time.’

In this world, the moment of ‘birth’ was considered quite important because it was regarded as a sacred event.

Thanks to this perspective, there was a custom across all classes, be it royalty, nobility, or commoners, to record their date of birth and ‘time.’

For Doah, this was a stroke of luck.

Astrology was based on the year, month, day, and time of birth.

Moreover, the Earth and the concept of a year with twelve months and 365 days were the same. Similarly, the division of a week into seven days was consistent.

This allowed for a conversion between solar-based yangli and lunar-based yinli calendars.

Finally, Doah spoke.

“There’s no way this could be your horoscope….”

It was an incomprehensible statement.

As a result, Angela reacted a beat later.

“What?”

Doah re-examined Angela’s horoscope and then scrutinized her physiognomy once more.

“….”

She was just staring blankly, like a child.

However, Angela felt as if her flaws were being revealed piece by piece.

‘Why? Why do I feel this way?’

She clenched her fist and swallowed the rising anxiety.

Then, at a certain moment, unable to endure the suffocating silence any longer, she burst out with a loud voice.

“I’m sure you’re satisfied enough now! Well, there’s no more time to waste. You need to dress appropriately for Kredel. It’s time to put on suitable attire.”

Then, she gestured to the maids who had been waiting behind her.

They were tasked with monitoring, controlling, and reporting on Bunny’s daily activities as the fake lady.

The efficient maids moved with determination to undress Bunny.

Doah remained completely unfazed.

“Head maid.”

Rather than doing so, Doah merely flicked her finger, as if gesturing for Angela to come closer.

Then, leaning in stiffly next to me, Angela’s ear, Doah whispered,

“Are you pretending to be a dead person?”