The aroma of freshly baked bread filled the kitchen. Catherine placed neatly sliced bread on a plate and arranged it on a tray alongside a warm bowl of soup.

After entrusting the tray to a maid, Catherine headed upstairs. At her destination, she straightened her crumpled sleeves and apron before knocking on the door. Permission to enter came promptly from inside.

“Good morning, young master. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes.”

The room’s occupant answered dryly without looking at Catherine. The maid who had followed set a simple breakfast on the table and left.

Catherine drew the curtains wide open. The boy sitting on the bed had bright golden hair that gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.

He closed the book he was reading and got off the bed.

“You seem to have woken up early again today.”

“Yes, I couldn’t sleep.”

The boy sat at the table and stared blankly at his breakfast.

Catherine knew her master’s habits well—he generally had little appetite, especially in the mornings. She stepped back and waited patiently without rushing him.

“I’ll have lavender tea prepared for you after dinner.”

“…All right.”

Catherine glanced at the clock. There were still several hours before the child would arrive.

The boy remained motionless with his hands on his knees. Catherine, who had been looking down in silence, suddenly spoke.

“We’ve hired a new personal maid dedicated to serving you, young master. She’s arriving today.”

“…I believe I said that wasn’t necessary.”

“She’s a child around your age, from Therion.”

“Hmm…”

The boy responded with an uninterested expression.

His pale, slender hand moved to the table. The spoon idly stirring the soup clinked against the bowl.

“I’ve heard Therion people are vulgar and barbaric. They eat monsters, don’t they?”

“My goodness, who told you such things?”

“Who else would I hear such things from in this place?”

“…I’ll need to re-educate the maids.”

The boy’s lips, which had curled up slightly in amusement, quickly returned to their original position.

Finally taking a spoonful of the still-hot soup, he turned his gaze toward the window.

The sky was exceptionally blue, without a single cloud.

* * *

Catherine led Cordelia to a room in a secluded corridor on the first floor. It was simple but clean and well-organized.

Strong afternoon sunlight streamed through the window. Dust particles floating in the air sparkled in the light.

Cordelia liked the sight of her very first room.

“Let me formally introduce myself. I’m Catherine Taylor, the head maid of this mansion.”

Cordelia realized Catherine was telling her name. She took out a notebook and pen from her pocket.

「I’m Cordelia Green.」

“Yes, Cordy. I’m truly delighted to be working with you.”

Catherine smiled warmly at the crooked handwriting.

“This will be your room from now on. All the maids’ rooms are along this corridor, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask me or the other maids anytime.”

“…”

“In this villa, we serve only one young master. He’s been staying here for several years due to poor health. You’ll be attending to him.”

“…”

“You’ll help with his meals, baths, changing clothes, and occasionally accompany him on walks or run errands… Oh my.”

Catherine abruptly stopped her explanation. She had momentarily forgotten that the child was unfamiliar with the Imperial language, realizing this when she met Cordelia’s puzzled expression.

“Perhaps I should learn Therion language…”

Catherine muttered quietly before shaking her head. The work itself could be demonstrated physically. She quickly set aside her concerns.

“Unpack your things and make yourself comfortable.”

With gestures to accompany her words, Catherine conveyed her message and left the room.

Cordelia explored every corner of the small room before unpacking her meager belongings. Then she flopped down on the bed.

The bed was softer than the one at the inn. She rolled once to the left, once to the right. Her small body tumbled across the narrow bed.

While enjoying her new bed and feeling the pleasant texture of the blanket, Cordelia took out her notebook.

The pages were filled with Imperial language words and sentences in winding handwriting. The kind innkeeper had taught them to her, preparing the child for work in an unfamiliar place.

‘Maid, mansion, attend, young master…’

Cordelia’s eyes stopped at one particular entry.

She recalled the boy she had seen earlier. Despite his simple attire, she recognized him immediately. He was the young master she would be serving.

The Obenhart ducal family, one of the most powerful houses even within the mighty Rihardt Empire, had a sickly young lord.

The young lord, whose health was too poor to venture outside, had been recuperating at this Asteris villa since childhood—since before Cordelia had immigrated to the Empire.

Everyone in Asteris knew of the Obenhart young lord’s existence, but no one had ever seen his face.

Various rumors circulated: that he wasn’t actually ill but too hideous to show himself, or that he was a monster with beautiful features who lured and devoured humans.

Cordelia, too, would never have seen him if she hadn’t become a maid here.

His dazzling golden hair and deeply pensive eyes.

She felt strange. It was as if someone had squeezed her heart tightly before letting go.

Would it be insulting to admit feeling a sense of kinship with such a noble young master?

Yet Cordelia couldn’t take her eyes off him. If Catherine hadn’t called her then, she might have kept staring at him endlessly.

Had she been inappropriately excited? She didn’t even know the name of the emotion contained in those eyes.

Cordelia squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them and returned to reading her notebook.

* * *

Catherine came to find Cordelia again when the persistent summer sun was finally beginning to set, after spending the afternoon showing her around the mansion.

“The uniform suits you well.”

Catherine commented approvingly as she looked at Cordelia in her maid’s uniform. Since there had been no young maids in the villa, they had hastily altered the smallest available outfit, which fortunately fit well.

“Let’s go introduce you to the young master.”

After checking the items in her white apron pocket and her neatly tied hair, Cordelia followed Catherine.

Before going to the young master’s room, Catherine filled a basin with lukewarm water. She carefully explained, with accompanying gestures, the tasks Cordelia would be performing.

Understanding only a few words, Cordelia followed with the washbasin, mentally reviewing Catherine’s gestures.

Catherine and Cordelia climbed to the second floor and stood before a large door at the end of a wide corridor.

Catherine knocked twice—neither too slowly nor too quickly.

“Young master, it’s Catherine.”

“Come in.”

Catherine nodded to Cordelia and opened the door. The child’s shoulders tensed with nervousness.

The boy, who had been drinking tea, frowned when he saw Cordelia.

“This is the newly hired personal maid for you, young master. This is Caspian von Obenhart, the young lord you’ll be serving.”

Cordelia bowed deeply in greeting. Caspian set down his teacup.

“Young master, this child is…”

“Cathy.”

“Yes, young master.”

“I clearly said this morning. I don’t need one.”

Caspian spoke with an expressionless face, as if it had never been furrowed. His young voice fell coldly.

Catherine responded calmly, without showing any sign of distress.

“But young master, you cannot go without a personal attendant indefinitely. As you know, this mansion is short-staffed, and I’m busy enough just overseeing all the servants.”

“I’m telling you I don’t need anyone attending to me.”

“Learning to properly command subordinates is also a virtue of nobility.”

Catherine showed no intention of yielding. Caspian let out a brief sigh.

Cordelia’s blue eyes, standing behind Catherine, carefully examined Caspian.

His fair skin was rare in Asteris, his bright golden hair was as smooth as silk, and his eyes were the color of summer foliage—a nostalgic shade. They resembled the forests of her beloved Ernel, which she could now only see in dreams…

Cordelia, who had been staring absently at Caspian, suddenly flinched. Caspian, too, had been gazing at the child.

For a moment, Cordelia felt dazed. She wondered if this was how it felt to encounter a monster said to enchant humans. The young master, seen up close, was truly beautiful.

As Cordelia maintained eye contact without saying anything, Caspian tilted his head slightly.

Catherine then continued what she had been about to say.

“This child cannot speak.”

“…What?”