“God must truly love me. I see the handmaids arriving just in time.”

When my gaze shifted to the back, the maids quickly stepped away from me.

“…The head madam will be furious when she finds out.”

“And when exactly will that be? She’s about to be thrown out soon. In about a year? Or three?”

“……The young master will change his mind soon!”

“Not young master. You should address him as Lord Marquis. Still speaking like that shows you have no manners at all.”

If I don’t pull them out by the roots from the start, they’ll grow back like weeds and make my life difficult.

“You thought you were something special because you stayed by Mother’s side. But it’s over now. If you want to come back, come back after he changes his mind. Though whether he’ll change his mind while watching the child grow, I can’t say.”

At my words, the maids who had been arguing with me for a while flared their nostrils. They quickly pointed their fingers at Mary, who stood behind me.

“You there! You were the madam’s handmaid too. Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I am simply someone the young lady sent here. I am no one’s handmaid.”

“Ha… so you’re switching sides?”

“Not at all. But objectively speaking, it would be wise to step back for now.”

“What?”

“That is, if you don’t want to see things get ugly here. Still, I will personally relay what happened to you to her. Don’t worry.”

The maids, who seemed to have seen Mary as their last hope, had been gazing at her with a faint look in their eyes, but at her firm words, they spun around and left. Once one walked away, the rest followed one after another, like links in a chain.

I watched them disappear into the distance for a long moment, then turned around.

“Hoo. That felt good to get off my chest.”

“Do you think they’ll stay quiet?”

I answered with a smile instead of words. What could they do if they didn’t? Even if they returned to their posts as maids, I wouldn’t be here anymore.

“More importantly, you should go report to Mother as well.”

“What should I tell her?”

“Exactly what just happened. Tell her I seem to have lost my mind, that I drove all the maids out. Leave nothing out. Make it seem like you’re on their side. Then say you kept quiet because you figured staying silent was the only way to stay by my side.”

Mary nodded as though she understood.

“Understood.”

“I’ll be in the garden, so go and come back. Take as long as you need. Mother’s doorway is probably in an uproar by now.”

With that, I walked off in the opposite direction from her. Whether because I had caused such a scene, or because Mother was now confined to her room, not a single person I crossed paths with in the marquis’s hallway picked a fight with me today.

The maids were busy avoiding me, clearly reading the room, and while the servants whispered among themselves, none of them spoke to me directly the way the handmaids had.

“Karla?”

On my way to the garden alone, I ran into Karla.

It had been quite a while since I’d seen her, and she looked unusually worn out.

“Karla. Have you been well?”

“My lady!!”

“Why are your cheeks so hollow?”

“Oh, no. I think it’s just because I haven’t been sleeping well lately. But more importantly, are you walking alone?”

“Yes. I’m heading to the garden. If you’re free, would you make me some tea?”

“Am I allowed to do that? I’m just a maid, and…”

I looked at her quietly. Her hands were chapped from all the work she had been doing, and her eyes were shot through with red. Just from that alone, it was clear what kind of treatment she was receiving and what kind of work she was doing.

“Have you heard that Mother will be confined for the time being? She’ll likely be sent to the villa.”

“I, is that so…!”

“So I intend to take on the role of marchioness for a while, and if you’re willing, I’d like to keep you by my side.”

I hoped that in this life, she would live longer than anyone else. People like Karla were rare, and I was determined to make it happen.

In my past life, she had been killed for my sake, and I had resolved to make up for that.

“Re, really…?”

“Yes. My duties aren’t much. Just washing the clothes I wear and preparing my meals.”

“…I would… I would love that. I can do even more than that…”

Karla’s voice trembled as she answered, as though she had been holding back for a long time. She bowed her head low and let the bucket she was holding drop to the floor with a thud. The moment I saw the bucket packed full of laundry, I took her hand.

“Shall we go then?”

“I, I’ll just drop this off and have the tea ready for you right away.”

“Don’t do that. Come with me now.”

“Huh…? Is that alright?”

“Of course. It’s better than you going alone.”

If she went alone and told them she’d be attending to me, she’d surely hear nothing good. In fact, there was a good chance she wouldn’t be allowed to come at all.

“Thank you… You’re worried about me, aren’t you…?”

Karla, who had been walking ahead to lead the way, hesitated before turning her head slightly to speak.

“I’m not that kind of person. Don’t go thinking that…”

“I know. I know that you’re kinder than anyone… That’s why you couldn’t walk past me just now. Because you felt sorry for me.”

“Karla.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t go through life fully trusting someone just because they’re a little kind to you. They’re probably trying to use you. That includes me.”

It was a warning meant for the worst-case scenario, but Karla smiled like a child.

“That’s exactly why I say you’re kind. Someone who only wanted to use me would never give me advice like that.”

“Ha…”

I put on a slightly sterner expression than before, but Karla hummed a little tune and walked ahead.

“Let’s hurry then. I… actually, I’ve never brewed tea before… I’m so excited.”

Karla walked ahead with a wide smile, swinging the bucket.

“By the way, Karla. Whose clothes are those, anyway?”

“Th, they’re the handmaids’ clothes. The head madam said that everyone inside the marquis’s estate, even the handmaids, must all wear the same clothes… Those are those clothes.”

No wonder.

I had thought they wore clothes not much different from the maids’, and that was the reason.

“Karla. Have the people in the marquis’s estate been giving you a hard time lately?”

“Oh, no. Nothing like… that.”

“…I see.”

I felt I already knew without her saying it. I counted the days in my head for a moment.

Exactly twenty-nine days from now, Karla would die.

It had been a significant shock to me at the time, which was why I remembered exactly when she would die. If I didn’t take her out of this place, or if I didn’t send her away, Karla would be cast out of the marquis’s estate.

And then she would be killed.

“I hope Karla gets to live an ordinary life.”

“An ordinary life?”

“Yes. Try to leave this place while I’m still here, if at all possible.”

“……”

That way, I could at least make sure she left with some money.

“You really are worried about me.”

“…I’m not.”

“You say you’re not, but you keep looking at my bucket. Even now, you’re wondering whether the other maids have been leaving me out, aren’t you?”

“…If you’re a maid, act like one. Don’t speak like you can read my mind. Keep that up and you’ll end up out of favor.”

“Yes!”

I was the one saying unkind things to her, yet somehow I was the one with a nagging feeling in my chest. And Karla looked even more cheerful than before.

“Haah…”

“I’m worried I’ve made you walk too long because of me.”

“I’m fine.”

“We’re almost there. It’s not really a place suited for you, my lady…”

“Is there anywhere I can’t go? Just a few days ago, I was washing my own clothes by hand.”

Though I’ll admit, the room where the maids rested or had their duties assigned was a first for me.

“Here we are. If you wait outside for a moment, I’ll finish up and be right out.”

I gave a light nod instead of answering. Whatever had her so happy, Karla kept her smile as she stepped inside. The room was larger than I expected, and several people I hadn’t seen much of today were resting inside.

“Why did you bring the work back with you?”

Sure enough, the moment Karla arrived, the sharp voices of the maids rang out. I quietly lifted the hem of my skirt slightly and followed her in without a sound.

“Oh. It’s just that I have something to do…”

“Something to do? What do you have to do besides what you were told?”

“…The madam asked me.”

“The madam? You can’t mean the head madam who’s locked in her room, so don’t tell me… you mean that woman?”

Not even ‘young lady’ anymore. Now it’s just ‘that woman.’

Not that it would shake me.

“Wh, what do you mean ‘that woman’! She is the young madam!”

“Young madam, please. And you don’t need to do anything for that woman. Like the madam said, she’s not worth anyone’s attention. Young madam, honestly.”

How dull.

How is it that handmaids and maids alike all say the exact same tiresome things.

“Please don’t say that. She is the marchioness and the young madam.”

“Sure. Go ahead and follow your precious young madam all you like. Look at you switching sides just because the madam’s been locked up.”

“That’s not what this is!”

“Of course it is. When the head madam gets out, you’ll be the first one I tell her about.”

I decided I had heard enough, and I slowly walked over toward them.

“Is this really how the maids of the marquis’s estate carry on, so loose-lipped and oblivious?”