As she burst through the door, those three maids who were happily chatting turned with a start to look at Camilla, their eyes opened wide. It was as if the conversation they were having up until that point hadnât taken place at all, the room had fallen that quiet. You couldnât even hear them breathe.
âPrepare my clothes to go out and act as my guides. Do you know what time Lord Alois is coming back? We should return before he does.â
The three maids looked at each other. Camilla felt herself growing annoyed with just how frightened they seemed. They had no problem saying whatever they pleased just a moment ago, so why is that theyâre suddenly so mute in front of the person in question?
âU-Umm⌠Do you mean all three of us?â
After a silence, one of the maids asked with a trembling voice. She didnât look at Camilla, only at the other maids. She was constantly blinking and shifting on the spot.
âIs there some problem?â
Whenever Camilla said anything, silence smothered the room. The three maids kept looking at each other in cowed silence, then the same maid that spoke before opened her mouth first. It wasnât the small maid that Camilla had called out to before. It was the slender, slightly tall maid, who seemed to be the eldest of the group.
âUmm, well, weâre doing some other work nowâŚâ
Right? She nudged the shoulder of the maid next to her, who nodded in a hurry.
âT-Thatâs right, thereâs a lot of things we have to do before the Master comes back.â
âI-Iâm very sorry, b-but youâll have to find another personâŚâ
âYouâre working right now?â
Camilla sighed, exasperated. Utterly barefaced lies. Did they even remember what they had been saying up until she walked in?
âI wonder why you would come to the break room in order to work, is what Iâd like to ask you most of all!â
Camilla shifted her glare towards the small maid, who was trying to hide behind the back of her older friend. A short girl, with brown hair like a bay. As soon as Camilla caught her eyes, she began to tremble.
ââŚâŚ..D-Do you mean me?â
She shook terribly as she asked her that as if she were a small animal. Whatâs more, her short height, childish features and black eyes only enhanced that image.
âAfter refusing to assist me, here you are in a place like this. Do you really hate the idea of walking with me that much?â
âN-NoâŚ. UmmâŚâ
âShe was just taking a short break before going to her next job. Isnât that right?â
One of the other maids stepped in to protect her as she began to falter. It wasnât the older maid either. She was slightly chubby but had a charming looking face.
âSo, itâs already time to get going to our next job, alright? So, weâre very sorry, Mistre- Lady Camilla, but we have to be going. Because weâre awfully busy, weâll excuse ourselves now.â
As the chubby maid said that, she winked at the other two. âPlease excuse us,â the other two said, bowing as they took the hint from their friend and set off towards the door.
âStop right there.â
The three of them didnât listen to Camillaâs order at all, leaving the room as quickly as they could. They intended to just run away like that.
But, they didnât notice that Camilla kept walking after them.
As they kept walking, unaware, the two older maids tried to cheer up the younger one between them.
âHey, are you alright?â
âSheâs just awful, eavesdropping on us like that. So despicableâŚâ
âSheâs really a horrible woman, just like the rumours said. Donât worry, you didnât do anything wrong.â
âHonestly, you would have probably had a rougher time if you hadnât refused her.â
Walking in between the two other maids who consoled her, the shorter girl didnât say anything.
ââââI can still hear everything you are saying!
They think theyâre going to escape like this? Camilla thought that to herself.
The maids were about to round the corner. Just before they passed out of her sight, Camilla raised her voice.
âStop right there!â
They were deep into the estate, with all sorts of hustle and bustle about. The sudden scene involving the three maids drew the eyes of plenty of servants who were coming and going. As people gathered around, Camillaâs voice cut through the air like a knife.
âI did not give you my permission to leave! Stop at once!â
The three maids stopped in their tracks, turning around to look at Camilla. Drawing closer together, the three of them exchanged frightened glances.
As they huddled together, Camilla approached them in an angry stride. Camilla wasnât an especially tall girl, but when she stood in contrast to those trembling maids, that intimidating atmosphere made her look like the biggest person in the room.
âWho are you calling despicable!? Arenât you the ones speaking poorly of me behind my back, like I canât hear you!?â
âN-No, we didnât mean it like thatâŚâ
The older maid spoke first. The plump maid couldnât speak because of how sudden this situation was, whilst the smallest of them simply looked at her feet, her shoulders shaking.
âThen, what exactly did you mean? And did you not hear what I was saying before? Do you have some kind of excuse to be skipping work?â
âThatâsâŚâ
âDo you have something to say for yourself? By all means, do so!â
As Camilla glowered at them thunderously, the maids fell silent. The older maid looked at the growing group of people watching, whilst the chubby maid was doing her best not to meet Camillaâs gaze. That attitude, as if they were just waiting for the storm to pass, only made Camilla more incensed.
âWhy are you suddenly falling so silent!? Donât you have something to say!? Did you three suddenly forget how to talk!?â
Sheâs furious. Utterly enraged with these three who are suddenly so quiet. All they had to do was say something and it could have done something to calm Camilla down.
âSay something! If you donât, I wonât hesitate to tell Lord Alois all about this! Youâll be out on your ear!!â
ââŚâŚâŚ.noâ
A small whisper was almost drowned out by Camillaâs bellowing.
It was the small maid who spoke in such a quiet voice. Where were the two maids who were supposed to be supporting her? She looked around anxiously, hugging her shoulders with her hands.
âDonâtâŚâ
Her small voice trembled.
âIf all youâre going to say is âdonâtâ, I canât understand you. If you have something to say, why donât you say it?â
As Camilla spoke sharply, the maid raised her fear stricken face. That face like a small animal looked terrified, her eyes wet with tears.
She opened her mouth to say something, but the words caught as a lump in her throat. She breathed out two or three times as she tried to talk, but no words ever came out, the tears in her eyes welling up more and more.
They began to streak down her face. She turned her face back towards the floor, trying to hide her tears.
âAre you okay?â
âYou alright?â
The two maids tried to comfort her. They spoke soft words and soothed the sobbing little maid. Then, the whispers began to stir around them.
To think sheâd be shouted at like that. She went too far. That poor thingââââ.
ââââââLiselotte!
Her blood boiled as she saw red. It was the day of the ball. Camilla had driven Liselotte to tears. Her beautiful brown hair tied in a braid, at the time that girl had collapsed to the floor, weeping as she stared at the ground. As countless eyes in that ballroom had watched the scene, it was only Camilla who noticed itâŚ
In a way that only Camilla could see, Liselotte had curled her mouth up into a grin.
âââDonât think you can buy my sympathy with that display, tears are a cheap thing.â
It isnât Liselotte in front of her now.
Unlike her, this isnât an opponent who can stand up to the power of Camillaâs fury. She wasnât that girl, who was so determined, flexible and uncompromising in her goals.
This time, sheâs only against a maid. No matter how small and sly she might be, a girl with a weak mind like this canât say anything when faced with a person like her. There was no ulterior motive in her tears, she was simply sobbing out of true fear of Camilla.
Even if Camilla knew that, it didnât settle down the feelings raging in her heart.
âIf you wish to cry, then cry. But, donât expect me to simply turn around and forgive you with just that!â
The crowd stared at Camilla. Then, she began to hear a voice near the back. It was one of the senior servants, drawn over by all the commotion. But still, Camilla didnât hold back, taking another step towards the maid.
The maids wanted to draw back, but they were frozen to the spot. Camilla continued striding forward without paying any mind to it, even when the senior servant tried to get in between them.
âYouâŚâ
Please calm down! Someone said, as they caught Camillaâs arm. That servant had stepped in between her and the maids to protect them.
âYou three, canât you say even a single word of apology to me!?â
âPlease calm down, Lady Camilla!â
Camillaâs words, shouted out with passion, were, in turn, drowned out by the yell of the servant. âPlease calm down!â, the servant said again as they pulled Camilla away from the maids she seemed threatening to grab at any moment as if those were the only words he knew.
As Camilla was held back by that servant, the maids quickly disappeared into the crowd.
Camillaâs rage still hadnât burned away and as she watched the maids disappear, all the servants around her stared at her with suspicious gazes.