Chapter 4

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Chapter 4

TL: Jenn

“I said let go.”

“Okay, please just go over here.”

I grabbed Chloe and almost dragged her to the table. The little girl was put on a chair after much effort.

I clucked my tongue inside when I saw her wrist exposed under the sleeve of her dress.

There was no fat at all. How could she block my strength with frail arms?

“Come on, eat this.”

Chloe had a very unpleasant expression. She didn’t even receive the bread I offered, as she kept staring at me.

I didn’t retreat my hand in front of him. Then I came up with a solution.

“Lady, how old are you?”

“……”

“Sixteen, right?”

I asked him even though I already know that. Of course, Chloe’s size could never be seen as sixteen. She looks maybe around 12.

Phew, I’m upset everytime I think about it.

I shook off my thoughts and said,

“Should I feed you?”

“……give it to me.”

As expected, Chloe took the bread from my hand with a terribly displeased expression. I thought this would work, but I didn’t expect it to work this well.

I couldn’t help smiling at this victorious moment. If Chloe’s face hadn’t wrinkled more when she saw my smile, I would have smiled for a long time.

She obediently ate after that, I shook my hand after feeding Chloe all the bread and eggs I bought.

I’m so proud of myself! It’s only three slices of bread and two eggs, but it’s enough for now right?

At least I fed her something much better than the previous meal, so it’s fine.

“I’ll bring more next time.”

Chloe paused while she was cleaning her mouth.

“……don’t bring it next time.”

“What, why?”

“If you bring it, I’ll throw it away.”

There was some coercion, but Chloe ate well. I tilted my head because I couldn’t understand her.

She ate well but why couldn’t I bring something more next time?

“It’s all for you—“

Chloe interrupted me before I finished talking.

“If I don’t want you to bring it, then don’t bring it.”

Chloe got out of the chair and headed back to bed. The girl, who looked so fragile, made anyone who saw her feel pity.

Her two legs standing on the ground were too thin to be regarded as the body of a sixteen-year-old girl.

So I murmured without realizing it.

“But when you’re so thin…”

I was speechless in an instant.

I made a mistake. That’s all I could think of.

Chloe looked back at me with an expressionless face. Her eyes were looking at me fiercely.

Her gaze seemed vague enough to mistook her as a boy.

It was a strange thing. I can’t believe people look different just by the gaze in their eyes.

“Get out.”

I opened my mouth but quickly shut it again. This was completely my mistake, so I don’t need to give her excuses.

Chloe must have not wanted herself to be that thin as well.

I’m sure she thought that way. I was careless this time. I quietly cleaned the table and left Chloe’s room.

I banged my head on the wall next to the door after going out.

“You idiot.”

The face I saw before I left the room didn’t leave my head.

What should I do, I think I hurt the heroine’s heart…

***

Chloe was out in the garden today.

I looked at her at the corner. And I wiped the apple that had already been polished to shine once more. An apron was useful at times like this.

“Apples for an apology*”

*An apple and apology is both 사과 in korean.

By the time I was enjoying making a pun, Chloe came nearer to where I was at.

I counted inside and suddenly appeared in front of her.

Chloe still looked at me fiercely. Ah, it stings.

“What?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I won’t eat it.”

“Please take it at least.”

“I don’t want to.”

It was the answer I expected. So I said the word I had prepared in advance.

“I was wrong.”

Chloe, who was trying to get out of my way, paused. I didn’t miss the opportunity.

“It’s my fault, lady.”

“……”

“Okay? I know you’re hungry.”

It should have been like this from the beginning.

I shouldn’t have said that I brought food to her because she was thin, but because I know that she’s hungry.

Chloe was silent on my plea. Then she turned around slowly.

“I told you not to bring it, didn’t I?”

“You don’t have to accept my apology. But please accept this apple.”

Chloe’s face is crumpled again.

“Are you joking with me?”

“It sounded like a joke, but I mean it, lady. You can’t collapse.”

I waited for Chloe to receive my apple.

But she suddenly asked me a question,

“Are you from the main building?”

Why is she asking that? Did she think that I am a spy?

I answered after thinking for a while.

“No, I’ve been in a separate house since the beginning.”

I wasn’t Chloe’s maid from the beginning but it’s true.

Chloe’s expression softened when she heard my answer. It was a small difference, but I saw it clearly.

“You’re unlucky huh?”

Chloe, who muttered, only took the apple out of my hand. I quickly followed her.

“Did you take it because you felt sorry for me?”

Her small shoulder flinched after I said it.

I could understand based on what Misa told me on the first day.

The fact that I was assigned here, not the main building, means that I was thrown away. Most of the servants who work here were the leftovers or had no backing at all. Some people might have been pushed out of the main building because of hatred and many other things as well.

I was assigned here from the beginning, so I might have been really unlucky like what Chloe said. According to Misa, working in the separate house of the Duke of Bicester couldn’t even be counted as a work experience.

“Who am I supposed to feel sorry for?”

I was thinking about the scars all over Chloe’s body, and I shrugged my shoulders,

“That’s possible. I’m glad that you pity me.”

“Huh?”

Chloe looked back at me as if she didn’t understand me.

“That’s why you accepted my apology.”

“I didn’t take your apology because of that.”

Before Chloe turned around, I pointed at her hand.

“But what’s that in your hand?”

Chloe’s was now frowning.

“This…an apple.”

“Right. It’s an apple, isn’t it?”

Chloe was speechless and I was satisfied.

Then, Chloe turned around and walked away. I think she wanted to get rid of me somehow.

“You.”

“Yes?”

“Why are you following me?”

“Of course, I’m your exclusive maid after all.”

I said it, but her response was strange.

I groaned softly.

“No way, you didn’t know that?”

I even greeted her on the first day. I gave her my name. Also, I’ve been trying to get closer to her for days.

Chloe was silent for a long time, perhaps because she felt my injustice.

“…don’t follow me.”

“It’s already been a week! Lady!”

This is a little sad!

Chloe quickly ran away.

I stayed here and called her anxiously. I do it because she told me not to follow her.

It’s been a week since I became the heroine’s exclusive maid. I was barely recognized by my master.

***

There was a noble lady sitting in front of me.

It was Chloe’s stepmother, Duchess Bicester, who allowed me to be her maid.

She looked very young and beautiful with her shiny blonde hair.

However, she had an adult son and abused the illegitimate daughter. Wow, she looked so young.

As expected, we couldn’t judge people by its appearance. I didn’t expect that stepmother who treats Chloe like a bug would be so beautiful.

In <The Lady and the Dog> Chloe’s mother was said to have been killed by the Duchess of Bicester. The Duke brought Chloe back himself, and she couldn’t have killed her. That’s why they keep her in a separate house and constantly bully her.

Right, there was nothing wrong with the son.

If I think about it, isn’t the Duke in the wrong? Chloe’s mother was in such a situation after she had a one-night stand without knowing that he was a married man or someone with a family.

That’s very unfair.

“So, you’re the maid that Chloe’s close to these days?”

The Duchess even had an elegant voice. I was admiring it, but I belatedly focused on her words.

A maid close to her? I think there’s one more Chloe’s exclusive maid I don’t know.

Chloe only recognized my presence yesterday, she didn’t even know I was her exclusive maid.

Moreover, our relationship sadly only consisted of my approach.

“I hear Chloe’s pretty nice to you?”

I couldn’t bear to answer this time again. So I quietly recalled the past.

The memory of being hit in the face by a pillow, the memory of being ignored while talking, and the memory of being kicked out after cleaning, and many more…

Sad memories flooded and the corners of my mouth sank.

If she said kind twice, I would’ve become Chloe’s companion in my next life. Of course, Chloe is the heroine, so I’m the only one going to the next world…

“Right, isn’t life in the annex hard?”

Perhaps because she saw my bitter expression, the Duchess asked with a very friendly and warm voice. Finally, it was a question about my working environment.

However, it is something even a newborn in the society will not be able to answer right away.

The moment I say I’m tired, she’ll say, ‘Really? Then you’re fired’. She’s not going to sympathize with me who is struggling!

I knew it was that kind of question.

If I was a tactless maid, it would have been hard for me.

“No, not at all.”

I answered with a polite smile.

Then, the Duchess’ expression was subtly different. She seemed to think that I had seen through her.

“Really?”

She asked me with that elegant voice, but it feels like a sword was pointing at me.

The Duchess reached out her hand to the maid standing next to her. Then, the maid gives something to her in a polite manner.

“Name, Blea Thorpe. Oh my, a fallen noble that became a maid. Eighteen years old…”

“……?”

The maid must have given her a document with my personal information written on it.

The Duchess read my personal information one after another. Now she’s reading a part about my parents and two younger brothers.

Wow, she really investigated me thoroughly. I can’t believe it.

…but why? She knew everything I didn’t say at the interview, she must have done a background check on me.

Because I’m Chloe’s maid? But isn’t it too much?

“With your age, you’ll have to think about getting married soon… yes, you need a dowry.”