“Haa...”
The House of Count Ellesia, the {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} family she had sacrificed everything for. It couldn’t have just disappeared over those 300 years... right?
“Ugh, whatever.”
Not like it’s my problem anymore. There probably isn’t a single familiar face left there.
Ceres flopped onto the ground and stared blankly up at the clear, cloudless sky. A hollow feeling settled over her, heavy and unpleasant. It was like being toyed with by some unknown force, only to be struck hard in the back of the head at the end.
If Enoch were here right now, he would’ve run for his life already.
He was usually a bit slow and gentle, but when it came to reading the room, he was frighteningly sharp. Maybe that was why he always fled faster than anyone else whenever she got like this. He knew very well how troublesome things would become if he got caught.
“Hey, wash this one too.”
It was then—
“This one as well.”
“You can at least manage this much, right?”
Faint voices drifted over from the distance.
Curious, she pushed herself up and looked over. A few people had gathered off to one side. One of them was someone she recognized immediately.
Jay?
It was Jay, the maid who attended her. The others gathered around her looked to be servants of the estate as well.
What are they doing?
Ceres decided to watch for a moment.
“These clothes are very important to Madam, so handle them carefully.”
“Wash them properly, and be grateful while you’re at it.”
“If you have any conscience, you should already be doing that. You know who’s keeping the Drow household from starving, don’t you?”
Madam...
Ceres quickly pieced it together.
Unless Ceres’s mother, who had died in an accident years ago, had somehow come back to life, there was only one person here who could be called Madam.
What was her name again... Agne?
It was her aunt’s name. Those three were probably brought in by Agne.
Just as she had suspected, Ceres Drow was a noble lady.
In fact, she was acting as the head of the household.
Because she was still young and deeply shaken by her parents’ deaths, her formal succession as a baroness had been postponed again and again.
They say Agne cried loudly, saying how cruel it was to burden such a young child so soon.
“But seriously, what’s with her clothes? Why do they look like that? Has she been wearing the same thing forever... does she even wash them?”
“They’re like that because they’re worn out. No matter how much you wash them, it won’t help.”
“Good grief, if it weren’t for our Madam, this entire household would’ve starved to death.”
“You should’ve met a good master.”
True enough. No matter what you do, life is easier when you have the right person above you...
...Wait.
Ceres, who had been nodding along, suddenly realized something and froze.
Jay’s master... isn’t that me...?
...Are those rascals talking shit about her right now?
The corners of Ceres’s lips slowly rose as she stared at the three maids.
“Agh! Lady Grace, please don’t smile like that!”
For some reason, it felt like she could hear the disciple screaming, but it must be her imagination.
***
“What are you doing? Get moving already.”
“We’re busy. Hurry up.”
“Wash them properly. I’m telling you again, Madam treasures these clothes.”
“...Alright.”
Jay, with her head bowed low, finally took the bundle of laundry the other maids shoved at her. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, so there was nothing new about it.
At least they’re not hitting me today.
On normal days, they would “accidentally” drop something sharp on her feet or toss heavy things her way. Brushing past her just to shove her shoulder had long since become routine.
But being used to it didn’t make it okay.
Feeling tired by it all, she let out a quiet sigh without realizing it. The three maids’ expressions immediately sharpened.
“Wow, look at her. Did you just sigh?”
“This is ridiculous. Did we ask you to do something awful? We’re busy, so we asked for help. And you’re giving us an attitude?”
“Ah...”
“Geez, you’re so slow! We told you we’re busy, so stop dragging your feet and—”
Splaash!
“Aaah!”
“Kyaaaa?!”
“W-what is this?!”
Jay, who had been biting her lip, snapped her head up at the sudden screams. Her mouth fell open.
All three maids were completely drenched.
What... just happened?
“Hm... not enough water?”
At that moment, a familiar voice rang out.
Still reeling, the three maids snapped their heads around. Only then did they notice who was standing behind them. Their eyes widened.
“Lady Ceres!”
Ceres stood there holding a large, empty bucket, looking like she was seriously contemplating something.
As soon as they realized she was the one responsible, the three maids rushed at her.
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
“Did you just throw water on us? Ha!”
“Unbelievable! What is this supposed to be?!”
The three maids were speechless. They couldn’t believe that Ceres, of all people, had splashed water on them.
Had she lost her mind after nearly dying? This was someone who couldn’t even lift her head under their constant scorn. What kind of outrageous behavior was this all of a sudden?
“Why? You told Jay to do the laundry.”
“...What?”
“So I was going to wash the clothes you’re wearing too. You have to soak them first, right? It’s my first time doing laundry, so I might be wrong.”
“What are you saying?!”
“You’re going to do the laundry right here?!”
“Yeah.”
...Wait. Did she just nod?
“Is there a problem?”
There were too many problems to begin with!
The three maids could only gape, their mouths opening and closing without a word.
Watching them, Ceres tilted her head as if she truly didn’t understand why they were so stunned. Then she stepped forward and picked up the soap from the wash basin.
“You said you were busy. It’ll be faster if you wash them while wearing them.”
“...Huh?”
“The sun is strong today, so they’ll dry quickly.”
“Th-that’s ridiculous!”
“How could anyone wash clothes while still wearing them...?!”
“Don’t joke around!”
“What? A joke?”
The corners of Ceres’s lips curled upward.
“Are we close enough for me to joke around with you? I wasn’t aware.”
“—!”
The three maids swallowed dryly.
What... is that expression...?
Has she finally lost her mind? Was she really going to do the laundry right here?
There wasn’t a hint of a smile in her eyes. Her indifferent gaze made it clear she meant every word, making it all the more terrifying.
“Why? You don’t want to?”
“O-of course not!”
“Is that so?”
Tilting her head like she couldn’t understand what the problem was, Ceres took a step closer.
“Then take them off.”
“...What?”
“I said, take them off.”
Step.
Flinch.
All three maids stumbled back at once. Even they didn’t understand why.
Why did we step back?
Were they really scared just because Ceres stepped closer? Of someone they had always looked down on?
“If you don’t want to wash the clothes while wearing them, then take them off.”
“Th-that...!”
Step.
Flinch.
They had no choice but to admit it.
They were afraid of her. It didn’t make sense in their heads, but their bodies were reacting first.
Those eyes...
They weren’t the timid eyes they were used to. Not the ones they had always dismissed so easily.
Just meeting that emotionless gaze sent chills down their spines.
“You asked her to do the laundry, didn’t you? So...”
Step.
“Take them off.”
“Th-that...!”
“N-no!”
“We’ll wash them ourselves!”
The three maids scrambled away from her without thinking. If she grabbed them, it felt like they really would end up being washed on the spot.
“Why? Didn’t you say you were busy?”
“No! We’re not busy!”
“That’s right! Not busy at all!”
“Hm... not busy?”
“Yes!”
As the three maids nodded frantically like their lives depended on it, the corners of Ceres’s lips curled again.
“So you weren’t busy, but you pushed your work onto someone else?”
“Th-that’s...!”
“We thought we were busy, but now that we think about it, we’re not busy at all!”
“Yes! We were mistaken!”
The three maids babbled out excuses, barely aware of what they were saying.
“Is that so?”
Ceres watched them in silence, then clicked her tongue in disappointment. She pressed the soap into the nearest maid’s hand, then took the laundry from Jay and handed it back to them.
“Then get to work.”
After reminding them to wash everything properly, she turned and walked away as if nothing had happened.
“M-My lady, wait for me.”
Jay, who had been watching cautiously, hurriedly followed her.
“.....”
“.....”
“.....”
After the two of them left, silence lingered for a while.