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Rich cream, a savory scent of high-quality milk.
Bananas were said to grow only on islands across the wide sea, and this fruit had such a unique flavor.
How could it taste like this when combined with chewy caramel cream frosting on top and crispy cookies at the bottom?
‘Yummy…!’
Radis was entirely hooked on the magnificent taste of banoffee pies.
And seeing Radis like this, whose eyes would crinkle up with every bite she took of the pie, Berry’s legs shook countless times beneath her skirt.
‘Lady Radis! You’re so so so cute…!’
After taking only a few bites of the banoffee pie, Radis put down her fork, thinking that it was a waste to scarf it down, then took a sip of her tea.
Then, she said in a very calm voice.
“This dessert is really good, Berry. Can you give my compliments to Brendon?”
“I shall do that, Lady Radis!”
After closing the door behind her, her steps giddy, Berry squealed.
“What do I do…?!”
The Marquisate was originally a place that had the best working conditions for the maids in the mansion.
Aside from the generous salary and the satisfactory benefits, the biggest advantage was that there were fewer people to serve.
The usual Marquisate was like this—there was the marquis, the marchioness, the couple’s sons and daughters. Then, there’s also the concubine of the marquis, the children of the marquis and the concubine, and then the marquis might have also sired sons and daughters outside the household with lovers.
It’s bound to be gruesome. In a family like that, whale fights would inevitably break out every day, and it would be common for employees under them to be like shrimps who’d end up busting their backs several times a day.
On the other hand, the family lineage of House Russell was just simple.
It was just Marquis Russell alone.
And more than that, the marquis was so busy that it was difficult for the employees to even see his face.
He was an employer who gave a generous salary, satisfactory benefits and a leisurely working environment without the throes of house politics!
It was already a great workplace, but Berry liked it even more when Radis became part of her days.
Expressing her joy by hopping down the stairs with a lilting step.
“La-dy-Ra-dis! She’s-so-ve-ry-cute!”
As she arrived in front of the kitchen, she peeked into the open door and shouted.
“Mister Brendon! Lady Radis absolutely loves the pie!”
Brendon, who was kneading some bread dough, smiled broadly and shook off the flour from his hands.
“Isn’t that a relief? I think she can eat more, so please give her another piece!”
With his nose twitching from the fluttering flour, Brendon replied.
“My word, with a kid as skinny as her. I can’t imagine it.”
Hehe, Berry laughed, too.
When the marquis said that he would bring home a lady, everyone became nervous.
The employees’ imaginations grew rampant, and what they thought wasn’t that different from what Mariel had assumed.
Everyone thought that Marquis Russell had fallen for some lady and brought her home.
In other words, a marchioness candidate!
But in fact, the person who appeared was a beautiful-looking boy who seemed somewhat downcast.
Of course, it was quickly revealed that Radis wasn’t a boy. Even so, Radis’ lonesome-looking appearance was enough to catch the attention of the sympathetic maids.
What else should they think when there was a skinny, short haired girl who looked like a boy, and had sad eyes?
’Treat Lady Radis kindly and gently!’
That gorilla, Allen, usually didn’t look like he cared that much about Radis whenever anyone saw them, but it couldn’t be denied that he looked like a doting grandmother looking at her grandson, especially with the way Allen made such requests from the other servants.
For that reason, the people of the Marquisate, including Berry and Brendon, were desperate to give something extra to Radis, just as though they were treating a baby kitten that was shivering in the rain.
‘We really have to treat her well!’
A happy smile tugged up on Berry’s lips as she placed another slice of banoffee pie on the tray.
Even if it wasn’t Allen’s request, Berry liked Radis.
Her red hair looked so sweet like strawberry jam, and her black eyes looked like glimmering onyx gems. Such features were rare in these parts, so she looked so pretty and wonderful in Berry’s eyes.
‘I’ve seen a lot of pretty and cool people while working in the Marquisate, but Lady Radis is the best. Won’t she become such an incredible beauty in the future?’
Berry had a dreamy look in her eyes.
Berry adored pretty people, that’s why she had wanted to go to the third prince’s birthday banquet that was held in the annex not too long ago.
She wanted to see Prince Olivier, who was rumored to be a beautiful individual. Even if it was just from a distance.
But then Berry lost the rock-paper-scissors match that day, so she was stuck at the central mansion and was tasked to arrange the dishes.
It was Radis who healed Berry’s slighted eagerness due to the missed opportunity.
Radis was like a red rose whenever she stood still, and an angel whenever she smiled.
Whenever she was lost in thought, she looked like a handsome boy who had his own crosses to bear. She even sometimes took a night walk alone, and had a dangerous charm like a simmering fire.
Really. Berry’s eyes were in delight.
Excitedly, Berry knocked on Radis’ door.
“Lady Radis, there’s one more pie…!”
After opening the door, what Berry saw before her eyes gave her no choice but to cover her lips in shock.
¡
“What’s this?”
“It’s a theatre play ticket.”
“A play?”
“Yes.”
Yves Russell, who was wearing a black frock coat, faced Radis.
In the marquis’ hand was a pretty envelope with gold trimmings, and as he was showing this, there was a rare playful smile on his lips.
“Have you ever seen a play?”
“…No.”
“I heard this is a very popular play these days. It was pretty hard to get tickets.”
Radis tried to look at the envelope with an aloof expression, but her eyes couldn’t hide her indescribable curiosity.
Yves Russell spoke in a tempting tone.
“Would you like to go?”
Seeing the starlight basically shooting out from Radis’ eyes, Berry was like, “Oh my gosh…!” and she had to cover her mouth with both hands tightly so she wouldn’t shout.
“But! There’s a condition.”
“Condition?”
Yves Russell pointed towards Radis’ tattered pants.
“Not like that! You have to wear a proper dress!”
Radis gulped.
She had never done anything related to cultural arts.
A theatre play for someone like her who never had a book she wanted to read!
‘I don’t think I need to wear that pink sponge again, it’ll be just a dress.’
Radis nodded.
“I understand.”
Yves Russell smiled satisfactorily as he tucked the tickets back into his coat’s inner pocket.
At this, Radis’ eyes shook.
“The… ticket?”
“What? Did you think you’re going alone? We have to go together, of course.”
“Ah, is that so?”
Excited by the mention of a theatre play, Radis seemed to harbor no doubt.
The smile on her face was like a white daisy blooming on a grass field.
‘Lady Radis, your smile! Please, smile at me, too!’
Berry rushed in with the tray.
“Lady Radis, here’s another pie.”
Radis smiled brightly with that smile at Berry.
“Thank you, Berry.”
It was a truly heavenly smile.
Setting down the pie, Berry smiled and took a step back.
‘Oh, I think all the impurities of my heart are being washed away. I’m so happy…’
Berry stepped back with a happy smile, but then she suddenly came into sight of a black devil who was looking down at Radis.
Berry hurriedly rubbed her eyes.
‘W-What? A devil?’
But as she looked again, it was Berry’s employer, Yves Russell.
With the collars of his black frock cloak raised, his head tilted to the side while the corners of his lips secretly raised into a devious smile… Yves Russell literally looked like a devilish duke.
* * *
‘A theater…!’
Radis felt like her heart was fluttering as it did when she was a child.
She recalled the occasional stories she heard from her younger brother, David.
Whenever Radis had left for the subjugation in David’s stead, David had to hide away from prying eyes.
However, David seemed to have disguised himself and gone outside anyway because he hated being trapped in the mansion.
In particular, he seemed to like going to plays because he was immersed in them.
One day, Radis heard David talking about a play at the dinner table.
Radis was so curious about his words as she glanced at him.
’Everyone was surprised that it’s like it all turned upside down. But suddenly when she looked over everyone became excited. Madam Luvinec came with her lover and was so surprised that she fainted. It was crazy.’
And this was what Yurhi asked.
’Madam Luvinec’s lover, you mean that violinist?’
‘Maybe.’
Radis asked, too.
’How did the fairy come down from the sky?’
When she asked, David only crumpled his expression the same way he did when he was younger. It was exactly the same face whenever he said, ‘I’m going to tell mom!’
’If you’re curious, why don’t you go see it yourself?’
But Radis couldn’t go see the play.
She didn’t have any money or time to hang around leisurely like David. And she didn’t have any clothes to wear to such a place.
More than that, after her skin had become discolored with a shade of purple, Margaret became even more harsh on her, so it was more difficult for Radis to go outside the mansion.
But now, that was all in the past—no. It was never going to happen again.
‘I’ve really… broken away from them. I’m far away from Tilrod.’