Chapter 1: The Berkshire Family Became Her Lifeline Part 4

Thinking that Marien should have learned her place by now, Sarah came to a halt as she returned to the stable with Will.

She had witnessed the entire scene of the young master speaking with Marien.

Narrowing her eyes, she wondered if there was anyone other than the family’s knights with whom Tamilan exchanged even that much conversation.

He always treated the servants with indifferent glances and said only a few words out of necessity.

Even though they were too far to hear their conversation, just seeing Marien gazing after him endlessly after he left made Sarah scoff in disbelief.

How long had she been working here before she dared to set her sights on the young master?

Sarah had indeed been surprised when she first saw Marien.

A girl so beautiful that one couldn’t take their eyes off her had joined as a maid. The other maids had reacted similarly, so it wasn’t just her impression.

For that reason, she had been a bit wary, but Marien never acted out or flaunted her looks. She seemed to quietly adapt to maid life, which made Sarah rather like her.

But so that was all a façade.

“Acting all innocent… Turns out she’s not a bear but a fox.”

“Who? Me? Marien?”

“…….”

Will’s clueless response irritated Sarah, but she didn’t bother to answer.

She had worked at Berkshire longer than most of her peers. She had trained new maids like Marien countless times before.

The image of Marien snapping at her when Lisa got hurt was still vivid in her mind.

Whether it was because she trusted Lisa or not, Sarah couldn’t stand Marien’s audacity.

If she let Marien’s brazen attitude slide, other maids might start pushing boundaries, and a second or third one would imitate her behavior.

That would be quite a hassle.

Sarah, unable to tolerate a mere week-old maid threatening her position, shot Marien a fierce glare.

Was she supposed to sit back and watch a girl with an innocent face dare to challenge her and slyly try to catch the young master’s attention like a fox?

The answer was “No.”

Troublesome shoots should be cut down early, before they could climb any higher.

***

“You know we’re changing curtains and bedding right now, so there’s a ton of laundry. Could I ask you to handle it all, Marien? Do you think you can manage?”

Sarah’s harassment, thinly veiled as a request, continued into the next day. It seemed she’d been waiting for the embroidery work to end.

Marien was about to tell her to stop, but she decided to endure it until Lisa recovered. She didn’t want to cause trouble that might make things worse for Lisa.

The laundry area was piled high with thick bed sheets, and Marien let out a long sigh.

“When am I ever going to finish this…?”

Glancing around, she spotted a long stone bench with a backrest and a table not far away.

If things got too hard, she thought, she could rest there.

Rolling up her sleeves and tying her skirt up to her calves, Marien poured soapy water into a large tub until the sheets were fully soaked.

Even that alone made her arms ache and took a long time.

Once the sheets were thoroughly soaked, Marien washed her feet clean in the soapy water before stepping into the laundry tub.

It was a relief that the water wasn’t too cold, thanks to the early summer weather. As Marien worked hard stepping on the laundry, she heard footsteps approaching.

She lifted her head absentmindedly, then hesitated slightly when she saw who it was. Though it was the third time seeing him, today felt a bit different from before.

In their previous two encounters, he had always been impeccably dressed.

That appearance gave off an impression of austerity and coolness, as if a tightly wound energy lay hidden beneath the surface.

But today, his attire was more casual. He wore only a shirt with a vest, without a cravat, and his collar was loosely open.

His usually sharp and clear blue eyes showed a hint of fatigue.

When their eyes met, Marien, unlike before, tried to step out of the laundry tub and greet him naturally with a bow.

She imagined she’d do it smoothly, but instead, her body moved awkwardly and stiffly, making her cheeks burn as if scalded.

“…Hello, Young Master Tamilan.”

Receiving no response from him, she looked up nervously and met his gaze.

It wasn’t just her who had paused upon meeting the other’s eyes.

Tamilan hadn’t expected to see her here either, so he stopped for a moment.

Marien Reed.

She stood out quite a bit, likely because of her appearance.

This was a secluded area behind the training ground, a place where few people ventured.

Other knights might have come, but they all knew this was where Tamilan came to rest, so no one else dared approach.

The laundry area nearby was the same; the servants usually came in the morning, so he expected to have this time undisturbed.

Finding her here was rather bothersome, and Tamilan hesitated briefly. This was the one time and place where he could rest without disturbance.

After considering what to do, Tamilan quietly asked Marien,

“Is anyone else coming here?”

At Tamilan’s question, Marien blinked a few times and tilted her head slightly, as if puzzled. As she did, her platinum hair cascaded smoothly over one shoulder, and his gaze naturally followed it.

“No. I’m the only one working here.”

Tamilan watched her hair catch the glow of the sunset, turning into a rich golden hue.

Again.

Again, she effortlessly drew people’s attention.

Marien Reed had left an impression on him so strong that he couldn’t look away for even a moment.

The maid, following the head housekeeper with feather-light steps while curiously gazing around the estate as if seeing it for the first time, seemed like someone completely unburdened.

It should have been of no concern to him, but Tamilan found it difficult to tear his gaze away from her.

Her soft platinum hair swayed in the breeze, and her round, arching eyes shimmered like red gemstones filled with sunlight.

And when those eyes turned toward him, Tamilan was overcome by an indescribable, strange sensation.

The lingering memory of that first impression would surface at odd moments, leaving his chest feeling tight and uncomfortable, prompting him to loosen his cravat.

It was an uncommon experience for him, and because of it, Tamilan wasn’t particularly eager to encounter her again.

Deliberately averting his gaze, Tamilan made his way to his usual resting spot.

Though he didn’t want anyone to see that the heir of Berkshire found comfort in such a remote place, it wasn’t something he needed to hide from servants.

Nobles didn’t concern themselves with how they appeared to servants.

Tamilan, too, didn’t care much as long as the maid, Marien, didn’t disturb him. He settled on the long stone bench, propping up one knee, and drew his dagger from his coat.

Then he lightly traced the dagger through the air, reviewing the sparring scenarios from the training ground.

“…….”

Marien’s gaze was fixed on the laundry, but she was acutely aware of his presence behind her.

Marien wanted to turn and look, but she focused intently on stepping on the laundry. They were in the same space, yet neither spoke a word.

After a long while, unable to resist, she stole a glance at Young Master Tamilan. He sat comfortably with one arm resting across his forehead and one knee raised, his eyes closed.

His complexion did look fatigued today, and perhaps because of that, a languid aura emanated from him.

Even though she had only looked for a moment, Tamilan must have felt her gaze, for he slowly lifted his heavy eyelids.

His drowsy eyes shifted lazily to her, and Marien lowered her head again and resumed stepping on the laundry.

Marien, who had been acutely aware of Tamilan’s presence, found herself unable to continue like that. The growing pile of laundry spurred her on.

As dusk fell and she finally caught her breath, Marien paused from the tiring work.

Is Young Master Tamilan still here?

When she glanced toward the stone bench, it was already empty. Though she had expected him to be gone by now, Marien felt an odd emptiness and disappointment.

*+*

“Marien, why are you coming back so late these days… Is Sarah bullying you?”

“No. There’s just so much work, and I’m still slow at finishing. How about you?”

While changing her clothes, Marien asked Lisa about her ankle.

“Your herbal tea works better than the medicine from the monastery doctor. As long as I drink that, the throbbing is bearable. But it’s a secret from the doctor.”

“I’m glad. But I think it’s more effective because the doctor saw you too. Try to move as little as possible.”

“If I recover this quickly, they’ll be surprised, don’t you think?”

Marien nodded as she slipped her arm into her sleeve.

“I’m glad you’re getting better.”

“I was bored and asked for something to embroider, but the head housekeeper flatly refused. She said if I could even manage half of what you do, she would’ve given it right away.”

After changing clothes, Marien climbed onto the bed with a smile.

Sitting upright, she pulled out her mother’s keepsake handkerchief from her bosom and prayed for peace in the place where her parents had reunited.

It was a routine she performed every night. Lisa, having seen it so many times, wiped the playful look from her face and spoke seriously.

“Aunt Jane must have gone to a good place.”

“Thank you. I’d like to hold a requiem mass, but that’ll be difficult this year, right? My mother said she did one for my father too….”

Lowering her gaze with a forlorn expression, Marien carefully tucked the handkerchief back into her bosom and lay down.

When Lisa gently blew out the faintly glowing candle, a quiet darkness descended upon the room.

Adjusting her eyes to the dark, Lisa slowly turned toward Marien.

“They’ll grant you leave after a year. Until then, there’s no choice. When we get time off, let’s go together. I want to pray for Aunt Jane too.”

Marien turned toward Lisa as well.

If she hadn’t come to Berkshire, where would she be living now? She probably wouldn’t be enjoying such safety and comfort.

Marien was being protected at Berkshire. There was no need to worry about the men in the village of Middelheim.

So even though Sarah’s harassment was a little difficult, it wasn’t overwhelming.

“Lisa. If it weren’t for you… I can’t imagine what would’ve happened to me. I probably wouldn’t be living this comfortably. Thank you…”

A warm smile spread across Lisa’s lips as she faced Marien. Marien also smiled quietly. It felt like her whole body was warming, as if she had just sipped a bowl of warm soup.