‘How did Father manage to get such a good job…’

Georg used to boast that he had been a soldier of the empire in his youth and had even fought in the Battle of Trevalta twenty years ago, but in truth, Aila knew he had been a bandit.

It was during that period that her foreign mother had been kidnapped and forced into marriage with her father.

“How long are you going to dawdle? Do you want another beating?”

At his angry roar, she hunched her shoulders and hurriedly began packing.

There wasn’t much to take.

A few sets of her father’s clothes and handkerchiefs, old cloth scraps and sewing tools, and linen thread for making lace were all there was.

Aila finally picked up the stained lace piece. She had washed it, but it still wasn’t in good enough condition to sell, yet she couldn’t throw it away either.

‘I’ll take it.’

After tucking the lace piece into her skirt pocket, there was nothing else left to bring.

Just as Aila tied up the old cloth bundle properly, Georg grabbed the door handle.

“F-Father.”

“What now?”

He turned around with his face scrunched up. Aila fidgeted and moved her lips hesitantly.

“To go out, you need to u-unlock this…”

Only then did Georg’s gaze turn to the chain bound around Aila’s ankle.

From childhood, he had tamed Aila with fear so she couldn’t even imagine running away. Even so, the reason he had put shackles on her from a certain day was due to someone’s secret advice.

“Wouldn’t it be good to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances? If you raise her well without blemish, she’ll be quite helpful in the future.”

The round shape that person had made with his fingers had gleamed like a gold coin.

After that, Georg had made every effort to keep Aila from falling into the hands of lustful men. The fists he had thrown in his younger days proved quite helpful.

Though he did lay hands on her occasionally, that was nothing.

“Damn it, I’m busy to death and you’re being a nuisance. Why didn’t you speak up earlier with some sense!”

Anyway, the shackles had served their purpose. He had found a much better job than selling her off for a few coins of bride price.

“Hurry up!”

Thud, the key fell at Aila’s feet. She quickly picked up the key before Georg’s patience ran out completely. The shackles came off with a clanking sound.

“You know what happens if you try anything funny outside, right?”

Whoosh, at the sharp blue dagger spinning menacingly before her eyes, Aila nodded with a pale face.

Georg, having thoroughly intimidated her to prevent any escape attempts, bared his teeth in a vile grin.

“Stay right behind me and follow.”

Her range of movement had been limited to the yard near the house, as far as the chain’s length allowed. So it had been truly a long time since Aila left the house.

Her eyes widened at the bustling scene.

The clear winter sky was bright, and the streets overflowed with such vitality that even the cold winter air seemed forgotten.

Aila’s eyes moved busily here and there. Like a small child holding their mother’s hand and seeing the unfamiliar outside world for the first time.

Then when Georg snapped at her not to gawk around, she would hurriedly quicken her pace, repeating this pattern.

“Damn it, why are carriage fares so expensive?”

Georg, who had been haggling over the price with the coachman, grimaced and raised his voice. It was loud enough for passersby to stare.

However, the coachman didn’t care and shrugged his shoulders, then leaned his head forward with a smirk.

“You’re going to work at the ducal castle, right? Lucky you. Everyone’s eyes are bloodshot trying to get in there, so how on earth did you manage… With that kind of money, this carriage fare is practically free, isn’t it?”

Damn it, Georg cursed under his breath.

Mentioning their destination directly had been the problem. In his excitement over the opportunity to make big money, he had forgotten that there were street thugs everywhere looking to fleece people.

“Even if you try to find another carriage, it won’t work. Everyone already knows where you’re going. Well, if you really don’t want to pay, you can walk.”

With an attitude showing he had nothing to lose, Georg’s gaze, grinding his teeth, turned to the bundle Aila was carrying.

Right, there was that.

“Ah!”

He snatched Aila’s bundle and rummaged through it. He was looking for the lace piece.

The delicately woven palm-sized lace was quite popular in this area. Popular enough that the madam of a boutique dealing only in luxury fabrics would provide high-quality linen thread and place orders.

However, when no lace came out no matter how much he searched, Georg frowned.

“Where did you put the lace?”

“T-that, yesterday… it got dirty…”

Before Aila could finish fumbling to take the lace from her skirt pocket, Georg snatched it away.

“This should roughly cover the fare.”

Finally, the two were able to board the carriage heading to the ducal castle.

“Damn it, that precious thing…!”

In front of Georg, who was venting his anger and throwing a tantrum, Aila held her breath and erased her presence like a non-existent person.

“Even when you’re working there, don’t think about slacking off and make sure to weave lace in your spare time and bring it. I’ll get you the thread. Understand?”

“Y-yes…”

The carriage crossed through forest paths on the outskirts of Ishelbach territory and reached a large lake. Beside the lake, which would be covered with transparent thin ice in the depths of winter, a solitary castle stood quietly in the forest.

Because several spires that rose sharply into the sky were a striking blue color, locals also called it the castle with the blue roof.

Surrounded by winter forest, the ducal castle emerging above the light mist was like a landscape painting. The gray-white stone exterior walls gleamed palely in the clear winter sunlight.

While Georg, who had gotten off the carriage, explained their reason for coming to the soldier guarding the main gate, Aila stared blankly up at the ducal castle she was seeing for the first time in her life.

The glass windows that sparkled like jewels were fascinating, and the delicate carvings on the exterior walls were amazing. Among them all, what she couldn’t take her eyes off was the blue-gleaming roof.

It resembled the unfathomable eye color of that boy…

“What are you doing? Hurry up and come!”

Georg was already entering through the gate with the soldier. Hastily pulling her gaze from the roof, Aila hurriedly followed behind them.

* * *

“Butler, the new servants have arrived.”

The butler, who was on the younger side, was a gaunt man with a pale complexion who gave off a strangely vile feeling.

His small, sharply slanted eyes glanced at the two people from behind his glasses, then slowly looked Aila up and down.

At his gaze that seemed to be appraising her value, Aila unconsciously hunched her shoulders.

“How unusual.”

The man, who had muttered something incomprehensible, turned his gaze toward the door and called for someone.

Shortly after, a tall, slender woman entered.

She had cold eyes and sharp features. Because she had pinned up her red hair high and wore a head covering, her neckline was visible despite wearing high-collared clothing.

“Show the new maid what her duties are.”

“Of course.”

It was an ice-cold reply.

Just as Aila was about to follow the woman out of the room, Georg gave her one last glare with his bulging eyes.

It was a silent threat not to forget what he had warned her about in the carriage.

Aila nodded almost imperceptibly and turned around.

“Follow me.”

The voice that sounded cold for some reason made her shrink automatically.

Had she done something wrong, or was there something about her that displeased the woman?

Worry appeared on Aila’s face as she looked at the woman’s back.

It was because she wanted to lighten the atmosphere even a little that words unconsciously slipped out.

“Um… what kind of person is the Duke?”

Suddenly, the woman who had been walking ahead stopped abruptly and whipped her head around.

“What business is that of yours to know?”

Startled by the sharp retort and cold expression, Aila faltered.

She was too flustered to say anything.

The woman, perhaps realizing that her reaction had been excessive, soon composed her expression and spoke.

“He’s someone you’ll never even encounter, being just a laundry maid. Don’t be curious about him, and don’t even think of mentioning him. You’ll only invite unnecessary misunderstandings.”

The thoroughly intimidated Aila quietly answered yes.

She didn’t want to earn hatred from someone who already seemed to view her unfavorably.

After that, she simply walked quietly with her head bowed in silence.