Chapter 7

"Whoa, good morning!"

Startled by the sudden voice, my body jumped.

"Are you awake? Do you want some water? Or should I go to the bathroom first?"

With a rapid-fire of questions, a girl I had never seen before was looking down at me.

It was rare, but I must have slept very deeply, as I couldn't quite grasp the situation.

Still in a daze, I got up and looked out the window, only to see the sun had risen quite high.

The shape of the window and the curtains were unfamiliar.

"Where...?"

Just as I was about to ask where, memories from yesterday came flooding back.

This was a guest room in the Bradbury estate.

Then I turned my gaze to the girl.

She smiled familiarly, but she was still a girl I didn't know.

She had the same black hair as Mira, but she was clearly younger and had a healthy beauty far removed from Mira's sultriness.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Shiki. I've been appointed as Lady Freya's personal maid."

The girl, who introduced herself as Shiki, cheerfully introduced herself and broke into a wide grin.

"Personal...?"

With my head still a bit fuzzy, I tried to digest what she said.

"Yeah. I'm mainly in charge of beauty-related tasks. Please don't hesitate to tell me anything!"

She was dressed in a recognizable maid uniform and apparently worked in the Bradbury estate, living there.

She had been sent here by Mira's orders.

Oscar and Mira also had black hair, so perhaps it was common in this region.

Not fully understanding the situation, I noticed this trivial detail.

Shiki spoke in a somewhat informal and casual manner, even though she used polite language, which was unusual for a maid serving a noble.

Despite her cute appearance, her slightly rough tone seemed out of place.

Mira also had a casual attitude towards Oscar, so he probably didn't mind such things.

"…Do you really dislike my way of speaking? Sir said it was fine, but…"

Misunderstanding my lack of response, Shiki scratched her head and lowered her eyebrows apologetically.

"No, no, it's fine! I don't mind at all, so please keep it up."

I hurriedly denied it.

In fact, Shiki's way of speaking felt strangely comfortable to me.

Since my family had always treated me with disdain, the servants had also treated me the same way.

Even though their words were polite, I could feel the thorns in them.

In comparison, Shiki's friendly attitude was a world apart.

Her behavior would have been scolded in the Viliers household, but this was the Bradbury household.

If Oscar approved, there was no reason for me to say anything.

Moreover, I felt a sense of warmth and was very happy.

"Actually, I was fired from my previous job for being too informal. But Sir found me interesting and picked me up."

Shiki said, her face lighting up.

"I know I should improve, but I tend to get lazy. If Lady Freya has any issues, please let me know."

She said with a sheepish smile, and I shook my head.

"I've been called unbecoming and useless many times."

I had so many shortcomings that I felt like I had been fired from my family.

Everything about me displeased my parents, and they had quickly decided on a marriage to get rid of me.

"So, being treated like a lady now might actually be awkward."

Because Shiki was so honest, I also revealed my pitiful past with a wry smile.

I didn't know what Mira and Oscar's intentions were in sending Shiki, but I was already starting to like this girl.

"Let's be half-finished partners."

She said, offering her hand.

"Hehe."

Shiki looked at my outstretched hand and my face, then let out an embarrassed laugh and shook my hand.

"Then I'll get started right away."

Sitting in front of the vanity, Shiki spoke from behind me.

She carefully combed and styled my hair.

I tried to refuse, saying it was unnecessary, but she replied, "This is my job," and I couldn't insist further.

"These are hair that's worth taking care of..."

Shiki's words were vague, but I knew my hair was in bad condition.

Unlike my mother and sister, I had dull red hair like my father, which I hated.

I wanted to take care of it to look a bit better, but even that was not allowed.

Since I was engaged, I was not allowed to adorn myself, and even the more expensive shampoo and oil to make my hair shine were forbidden.

My dirty red hair, which had become increasingly coarse over the years, was unbearable to look at, but as a noble, I was not allowed to cut it short, which was a constant source of insecurity.

As a form of resistance, I always tied it up loosely at the back to keep it out of my sight.

"What kind of hairstyle do you like? I recommend a half-up, but a side braid would also suit you."

"Just tie it back for me."

I interrupted her enthusiastic suggestion.

But no matter what hairstyle she did, it wouldn't suit me.

I felt it was a waste of her precious time.

"But..."

"Please."

I repeated my request to the confused Shiki.

She looked dejected but did as I asked.

Although it hurt, sitting in front of the mirror for a long time was painful.

Dressed in borrowed clothes again, I followed Shiki to the dining room.

Oscar and the others had already finished breakfast and were apparently starting to prepare lunch.

"They said to let you sleep until you woke up naturally, but if you miss lunch, you'll probably be hungry," Shiki said.

"I'm sorry for the trouble."

I realized it was around noon, which explained why the sun was so high.

Thanks to their consideration, my strength had recovered considerably.

Moreover, as predicted, I was very hungry, which was embarrassing.

When Shiki and I entered the dining room, the maids and servants were busy working.

The atmosphere was not as refined as the Viliers household, but they were efficient and very different.

The Viliers household servants were proud and often slacked off at the first opportunity.

The biggest difference was that these women were smiling and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Bright sunlight streamed in through the large windows, and I blushed, remembering my mistake from the previous night when I had mistaken this place for a vampire's mansion.

Oscar was already seated at the table, and Mira was pouring coffee for him.

"Are you awake? How are you feeling?"

Oscar and Mira looked at me as they noticed my presence.

"Good morning. Thanks to you, I feel much better."

"You look better too."

"Last night, Lady Freya's complexion was worse than ours with makeup."

"Really!?"

I was surprised by the comment about something I hadn't noticed.

Of course, it was to be expected after traveling in the cheapest carriage, staying at cheap inns, and eating cheap meals.

Moreover, I had been pale and trembling with fear the whole time, so my face must have been particularly bad.

"Just sit there for now."

Oscar pointed to the seat opposite him, and Shiki pulled out the chair for me.

I sat down hesitantly, and Mira placed a cup of coffee in front of me.

I felt humbled by their attentiveness.

"Mira's coffee is delicious."

Oscar laughed, unaffected by the sunlight streaming in through the window.

His face was healthy, and he looked like a normal young man, only slightly older than his actual age.

Despite his completely villainous appearance, he really wasn't a vampire, I thought, looking at the surreal scene.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble. And to Shiki as well."

"Just call me Shiki."

Shiki, who had started helping with the serving, immediately corrected me.

We had already repeated this exchange several times during the short time I had been there, so I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm sorry for my lack of manners."

"No, no! You're being very kind to me."

"If you say so, Sir should properly discipline you."

An older maid, carrying a small plate, laughed heartily and said to Oscar.

"Isn't that Mira's job?"

"Interfering with my training is Sir's job."

They spoke freely, and Oscar laughed without taking offense.

Not only Mira and Shiki, but the entire household staff seemed to be unreserved with the lord.

The other workers around them also laughed at their banter.

"Everyone comes to work from the villages in the domain. It's a popular workplace because it's not stuffy."

Shiki, serving food on my plate, explained.

"The pay is low, but we live well in other aspects."

Another maid said brightly.

All the maids were friendly, and my tension had completely melted away.

"It's so nice here..."

"Is it different at Lady Freya's house?"

Feeling overwhelmed, I muttered, and Shiki, sitting next to me, tilted her head curiously.

It seemed to be the norm for the staff to eat with the family.

"Our house is... well, tense..."

Saying this made me feel uncomfortable.

In the Viliers household, the master-servant relationship was clear, but since I was neglected by my parents, I was often disrespected, and the servants competed to undermine and outdo each other, creating a far from harmonious atmosphere.

Moreover, for the sake of appearances, the household was filled with young, good-looking servants.

My promiscuous sister often brought her favorites to her room.

If a servant was favored by my sister, they would receive extra pocket money, so I often witnessed their ugly disputes.

In contrast, everyone here seemed to get along and laugh together.

Everything here was different from my home, and it seemed so bright and appealing.