Adjusting to life after her regression, time passed quickly.

Icarus was preparing to leave for work early in the morning. He worked as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the kingdom.

“My lord, are you heading to work?”

The way Ertel addressed him had changed from “Duke” to “My lord.”

Icarus didn’t like the outfit she was wearing. He had bought her plenty of luxurious dresses, yet she had chosen to wear a maid’s uniform instead.

“Have a safe trip. I’ll be cleaning the mansion while you’re away,” Ertel said, holding a rag in one hand.

Icarus frowned slightly, shielding his eyes from the sunlight streaming through the window. He spoke in a tone that made it clear he was dissatisfied.

It was a day of unusually brilliant sunshine, the kind of weather that could lift anyone’s spirits.

“With such a beautiful day like this, are you really going to just stay indoors and mop the floors?”

“The mansion is so beautiful that I lose track of time just being here.”

“For today, why don’t you take some time to rest? You could go shopping or read a book in the library.”

“Oh, I’m fine.”

“What?”

“Even when my lord is away, I will fulfill my duties as a maid.”

At this, Icarus let out a deep sigh.

“How long are you going to keep playing the maid?”

“……”

“That’s not why I brought you here.”

“The treatment I’m receiving is more than I deserve. For someone like me, picked up off the streets, isn’t this only natural?”

“‘Picked up off the streets’? I’d prefer if you didn’t use such expressions.”

If there was one thing different from before her regression, it was that she had once indulged in Icarus’s overflowing affection to her heart’s content.

However, after being killed by him once, she thought it best to maintain as much distance as possible from him.

“Don’t worry too much, my lord. I’m enjoying my life here in my own way.”

“For some reason, I can’t help but worry.”

“You should hurry and get on the carriage. You’ll be late.”

Before stepping out the front door, Icarus stopped once more. He looked at Ertel and spoke as if making a vow.

“Just wait a little longer.”

“What?”

“I’ll propose to you soon.”

With those words, Icarus closed the door behind him.

At that moment, applause erupted from behind.

“Wow.”

Sounds of admiration and envy followed. The maids, who had been silently observing the scene, clapped their hands.

“Ertel is so lucky…”

Being openly marked by the Duke of Juan—what could be more enviable for a woman?

Under their mixed gazes of jealousy and admiration, Ertel struggled to keep her expression neutral.

‘There’s nothing to envy.’

She decided it was best to get back to work and was about to head to the courtyard.

“Wait a moment.”

Icarus’s aide, Amar, blocked her path. With his arms crossed, he looked down at her as if he couldn’t understand her.

“You’re really unusual, you know that?”

“What do you mean?”

“The Duke is treating you like that, and yet you’re completely unfazed?”

“……I’m not sure.”

Amar, thinking this woman still didn’t understand the grandeur of the Juan family, raised his voice.

“The Duke of Juan is someone everyone in Tiamor knows. He’s famous for rejecting even the most prominent noblewomen in the capital, Elruk. And yet, you act so indifferent?”

“I’ve never acted indifferent.”

“For a man like the Duke, who wouldn’t find any woman unworthy unless she were royalty, you shouldn’t behave this way. Do you think the mercy he’s showing you—a woman with no connections, picked up off the streets—is free? Or are you just pretending not to know?”

“I’m not pretending.”

“Then?”

“I’m just being cautious.”

Amar grumbled irritably, but Ertel didn’t dislike him. That didn’t mean she particularly liked him either. Compared to Icarus, he was tolerable at best.

Before her regression, Amar had never harassed her. In fact, he had often helped her in small ways. Even in front of Icarus, who wanted to kill her, Amar had remained relatively neutral.

Ertel asked him,

“Then why are you acting like this, Sir?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you hold your great master in such high regard, why do you want him to end up with someone as insignificant as me?”

Ertel continued to press him.

“By your logic, shouldn’t you wish for him to be with a noblewoman instead of me?”

“Well, that’s…”

Amar was momentarily at a loss for words. He scratched his head as if trying to hide his embarrassment.

No matter how neutral he tried to be, he was ultimately on Icarus’s side. That’s why he was dutifully supporting his master’s plans.

“Well… you see…”

Ertel smiled calmly, as if she already knew the answer.

“Then I’ll go fetch a rag.”

Ertel headed to the courtyard and made her way to the barn. But suddenly, she felt a chill.

‘SPLASH!’

In an instant, a large amount of water poured down from above, drenching her completely.

“Ha.”

Caught off guard, Ertel stood there soaked, looking like a drowned rat. She even dropped the rag she had been holding.

The culprit was none other than a maid named Lisa. She leaned out of a window on the upper floor, her face peeking out.

“Oh my, I’m sorry! My hand slipped, Ertel.”

“……”

“This happens sometimes, but I didn’t think you’d be passing by. It was really an accident!”

But it was clear from Lisa’s wicked smile that it was no accident.

Lisa burst into laughter, delighted by Ertel’s state.

Ever since this woman had entered the mansion with her master a week ago, everything about her had been irritating.

“Serves you right, haha! I didn’t like you from the moment I saw your face. Just stick to mopping the floors and leave already!”

Even the Duke of Juan, who never showed anyone a warm smile, treated Ertel generously.

Hearing their earlier conversation, Lisa had caught the phrase “picked up off the streets.” That meant Ertel was of even lower status than a maid. Yet the Duke favored her, which made Lisa seethe with jealousy.

“……”

Ertel glanced down at her soaked self, her anger slowly boiling at the childish prank.

She raised her head slowly and glared at the third floor with sharp, menacing eyes.

Lisa shouted nervously,

“W-What? I said it was an accident, an accident!”

“……”

“What are you going to do, glare at me like that?”

“……”

“Who do you think you are, you lowly maid picked up off the streets!”

Lisa, a noble by birth, took pride in her status. She couldn’t stand the thought of someone like Ertel surpassing her.

Reading Lisa’s thoughts clearly, flames of anger ignited in Ertel’s eyes. She grabbed her soaked skirt with both hands and headed for the stairs.

She could have let it go, but for the sake of her future life in the mansion, she couldn’t. Anything that stood in the way of her revenge would be dealt with.

‘I’m not the same as before my regression. I won’t endure this.’

As she climbed the stairs, Ertel’s face grew red with anger.

In no time, she reached the third floor and walked straight up to Lisa.

Lisa, who had been laughing smugly just moments ago, shrank back at the sight of Ertel’s wrathful expression.

“W-What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“……”

“D-Don’t come any closer! I told you it was an accident—ugh!”

Ertel grabbed Lisa by the neck and lifted her off the ground. Lisa’s breath caught as her neck was squeezed. Her pupils dilated in shock, and she flailed desperately, grabbing at Ertel’s wrist.

“Kaack… L-Let me go…”

“An accident, you say?”

Anyone could tell it wasn’t an accident.

“Ugh…”

Even as Lisa’s face turned pale, Ertel didn’t loosen her grip. Instead, she tightened it further, cutting off Lisa’s air.

It was easy to overpower a single woman. If necessary, she could kill her.

Part of her wanted to strangle this tiny, pathetic woman to death. She already had enough to deal with, and now this.

‘How dare you take me lightly?’

Ertel bit her lip.

“You said it was an accident, didn’t you?”

“Y-Yes, it was… Please, let me go…”

“Is that true?”

“Yes, really! I’m sorry… I’ll apologize…”

Ertel had never killed anyone before. She had never even thought about killing anyone.

But if she ever did, Icarus would undoubtedly be her first target.

Still, maybe she needed to practice beforehand.

That thought crossed her mind briefly.

But causing a commotion now would only be like cutting off her own foot.

“Fine. I understand.”

‘Thud!’

Lisa, who had been lifted off the ground, was thrown hard onto the floor.

“Ha… Ha…”

As her dazed mind cleared, Lisa couldn’t believe what had just happened. She hadn’t expected such ferocity from a maid who looked so weak.

Meanwhile, Ertel calmly extended her hand to Lisa.

Lisa took her hand and stood up. Then Ertel leaned in close to Lisa’s ear and whispered in a cold, menacing voice.

“I’ll let it go this time since you said it was an accident.”

“T-Thank you…”

“But if this happens again…”

“……?”

“I’ll kill you.”

The low, chilling threat drained the color from Lisa’s face.