Chapter 1 – D—DAY

[March 4, 09:00]

Yes.

That day, the sky was unusually clear.

“Rike! Did you hear that? The famously renowned second son of that ducal house is coming to our Earldom this time!”

“Is that so?”

When she nodded, Angela said excitedly,

“Everyone has been talking about it nonstop, you know? They say he is incredibly handsome! But are you not interested?”

As if.

Angela had no idea that Rike was excited.

Her real name was Jeong Ah-yeon.

Originally, she had not been a maid, but an ordinary person with South Korean nationality.

She had been born the second child in a middle-class family, graduated from a decent university, and entered an ordinary company. Because of that, the things she had heard most often since long ago were—

1. You seem like you would live a long life without any trouble.
2. You really do not have any ups and downs.

—that.

Her only strong point had been that she adapted to environments far too quickly. The fact that she was the only one among her fellow new hires who survived at the company despite having nothing particularly exceptional was proof of that.

So although it had been a somewhat boring life, a truck that suddenly cut in had ruined it.

‘Your job is to clean the mansion. Stay beside Angela and help with her work. Young Master Arthur will be returning from the academy soon, so do not make any mistakes in front of him. All right?’

‘Me?’

‘Then who else? Were you not the one who applied to be a maid at the Earldom?’

Her confusion had lasted only a moment before she realized that she had transmigrated into a romance-fantasy novel called <Rike Likes the Duke>.

And of all people, as the heroine, Rike Stafen!

The contents of the novel were ordinary enough.

A typical romantic comedy in which a blonde-haired maid with nothing special about her falls in love with an arrogant Duke.

‘Rike. Today, wash Young Master’s bedsheets, wipe the mansion windows, and then put away the unused dishes. You did not forget to clean the corridor too, did you?’

Now, after hiding her excitement and enduring all kinds of menial work and waiting on others—word came that the male lead she had been waiting and waiting for, Daemon von Garsevan, would be visiting the Earldom today.

How many times had she reviewed the original story for this moment? Once she went out into town, she would happen to meet Daemon after he got into a carriage accident on the roadside.

A small incident would happen there, and they would leave an impression on one another. At first the Duke would ignore her, but before long he would go through a phase of denying his growing feelings.

And finally, the ending?

She would become the happy wife of a wealthy and peaceful ducal house!

“Kyaaak!”

But the sharp scream that suddenly rang out from right behind her shattered that happy fantasy.

“What is it?”

“L, look at that.”

Katrina, who usually spoke little and did not mix with the other maids, pointed at the floor with a pale face.

“My goodness.”

“There are so many bugs.”

Under the jar was a horrifying number of dead grasshoppers.

At the disgusting sight, one she had never seen before, Rike’s whole body felt itchy too.

“There are not a lot of larvae around here either, are there? If those larvae hatch later…….”

Someone said,

“Do not say something so horrible! First, clear away the carcasses. And spray something around that insects would hate.”

Angela, the oldest one there, took charge of the situation.

“Just in case, I will check under the other jars too.”

“Would it not be better to leave something like this to Mr. Raybold?”

The maids tried to dump the work on Raybold, the gardener. What generous hearts they had.

“Do you know Mr. Raybold is busy taking care of the garden? The Young Lord is coming, so hurry! Rike, do not just stand there pretending you do not know either. Until all of this is cleaned up, do not think you will be going out.”

With a tone that was close to a threat, neither Rike nor the other maids could resist.

* * *

“What in the world is all that commotion?”

Earl Dehill, who had been in the study, asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought the mansion seemed rather noisy.”

At Earl Dehill’s words, his son Arthur looked toward the closed door. Unlike what his father said, it was quiet beyond the door.

“Never mind, it must have been my imagination.”

The Earl looked again at the documents in his hand. This time, cooperation with the Garsevan ducal house was very important in the mining industry.

But the one visiting his residence today was neither the Duke nor the eldest son, but the second son.

Of course, rumors had long circulated that the second son of Duke Garsevan’s house was no ordinary man. It was said that not only was he beautiful in appearance, but he was also sociable and possessed all kinds of abilities in equal measure. 

But no matter how outstanding he might be, it had long been the custom among nobles for the eldest son, the heir of the family, to bear responsibility for important matters.

“To think he dares send his second son for such an important collaboration. Could it be that he is looking down on me?”

“Still, he came as the representative of the ducal house. It should be easier to persuade the second son than that fearsome Duke from the rumors. Think of it as an advantage for us, Father.”

“You really are too carefree.”

The Earl shook his head. His pride might have been hurt, but his son was not wrong.

“Do not act too relaxed in front of others, Arthur. You are the only child of the Dehill Earldom, and you are of my blood. Do not leave any openings.”

“I will handle it.”

“And yet you are hounding a single maid as if cornering a rat?”

“Hounding her as if cornering a rat?”

Arthur smiled blandly.

Beside the mouth of his rather pretty face, which contrasted with his large build, a cute dimple sank in.

“There are rumors going around the mansion. That you make one maid around your age do all the work. That pretty youngest one with the blunt face. Her name was…….”

“Rike. Rike Stafen.”

Arthur cut off the Earl’s words.

“Surely you are not interested in that child?”

“I merely gave Rike the tasks that only she could do.”

Arthur was not lying.

Starting with light requests such as asking Rike to bring him juice.

Since he could not sleep, asking her to read him a book in her own voice, draw him a portrait, tie the ribbon on his sleeve neatly, and so on, he had only asked her to do things that only she could do.

“You talk big. No matter how pretty she is, she is still a maid.”

“Rike is not merely pretty.”

“Talking with you only raises my blood pressure.”

The Earl let out a sigh.

“Watch your tongue in front of the Young Lord. He will be arriving soon.”

“Of course. More importantly, Father.”

Arthur, who had been perched on the edge of the sofa, rose to his feet.

The smile vanished from his face when he noticed something.

“The windows need to be cleaned.”

“What?”

Turning around at his son’s words, the Earl saw the wide window covered all over with flies.

Just then, one fly that came buzzing over crashed straight into the glass, unaware that the window was closed.

“It is the first time I have seen a fly commit s*icide.”

Arthur sounded genuinely fascinated.

“This feels ominous. Surely that second son is not some fool who knows nothing of the world and will make unreasonable demands? It would be troublesome if he is the sort one cannot reason with.”

A chill ran down Earl Dehill’s spine at the unease.

The time the Duke’s son was supposed to arrive was ten in the morning.

There were about twenty minutes left.