/
“Annie.”
I looked at the head maid who raised her glasses with one hand while seeming to contemplate what else she would find fault on me today.
“Come here. I have something to say.”
When I stood awkwardly in front of her, she wiped the dust off my shoulder and opened her mouth.
“From here on out, you’ll be in charge of serving the young master.”
“Wh-why?”
“Didn’t I tell you not to talk back?”
I couldn’t even ask a question?
The stocky head maid was shorter than me, but she was a scary person with sharp eyes like a predatory bird. I nodded in fear even though I was dissatisfied with her order.
“I understand.”
“Very good. The young master is looking for you so go up to his room.”
The head maid smiled satisfactorily at my answer and tucked my baby hair behind my ears.
“Yes.”
I heaved a sigh and turned my body to climb the stairs.
“Ah, I really hate that jerk.”
The only son of the Viscount, the man whom the servants call young master was a greasy and oily human as if he had put butter on his face instead of lotion.
I was someone who didn’t want to serve him let alone meet him face to face, but I was just a maid.
‘I still have to follow orders…..’
After all, he was an aristocrat.
Although they were a humble viscounty, they were able to live in this small territory just because they were nobles, and the Viscount had enough money to hire more than ten maids.
‘Of all the people I could possess why did it have to be a maid!’
It’s been two years since I came to possess this body, yet I was still angry. Living in a civilization where there was rice cooker and washing machines, I struggled to adapt to the job of a maid.
When I thought of the possession novels I used to read before I died, I thought of the female protagonist, a villainess who was against the protagonist, or if not, an extra who possessed a character around the protagonist.
‘Why did I possess a maid who doesn’t even appear and is far away from where the main characters are active?’
“Ahem.”
I stood in front of the young master’s door, holding back the tears that were about to pour at the injustice.
Knock, knock.
“Who is it?”
“Young Master, it’s Annie.”
“Oh! Come in.”
A greasy voice permitted my entrance. When I opened the old wooden door, Donovan, who was sitting in his armchair, lifted his head.
“I called you for tea.”
“Ah.”
I turned to the tea table at Donovan’s words who spoke with a grin.
‘The teapot and cup are there. Will it break his fingers if he pours them by himself?’
Anyway, I guess that’s an aristocrat for you….
I lamented on their laziness but I smiled brightly and grabbed the teapot.
“Shall I bring some desserts to go with your tea?”
“No, your face is sweeter than any chocolate.”
“Ah…….”
Yes, whatever.
I just shook my head while wearing a pretentious mask at Donovan’s flirtation which I was already accustomed to.
“You’re so pretty today as always.”
‘And you’re greasier today as well.’
“Thank you.”
Annie, whom I possessed, was quite a beauty even though she definitely didn’t appear in the novel. Donovan was a typical playboy aristocrat who sheds light on that matter.
In this small country town, I was not given the duty to do the dirty work due to my remarkably pretty face but I had to endure Donovan’s greasy flirting instead.
“I’m the only one drinking. Sit down.”
At Donovan’s offer, I immediately glued my butt on the sofa opposite side of him. The mild scent of flavored tea made me feel a little better.
“So, did you think about it?”
“What do you mean?”
“About the proposal to be my concubine.”
Pfft.
It was a disrespect that I should not dare to commit in front of a noble young master, but I couldn’t help but spit out all the tea from my mouth.
“I’m s-sorry!”
I sprang to my feet and began wiping Donovan’s wet frizzy hair with the apron.
“It’s all right, my little baby bunny.”
‘Shut up! Don’t call me that!’
I almost ripped off his hair at the disgusting name that came out of his mouth.
“What’s your answer?”
I barely endured because my life was precious and I shook my head with a polite smile.
“I’m sorry. How can a lowly maid like me become your concubine, young master?”
Donovan was a greasy man, but I was confused about whether he was a liberal person or a brainless one because as long as someone had a pretty face regardless of whether that person was a noble, a commoner, or a slave, he would go for them.
However, his father, the Viscount was different.
He was noble enough to live up to the words he said that his family, Oily, enjoyed the title of a Count in the distant past.
“Oh, Annie. Status cannot separate our love.”
There was no love to separate, and I shook my head, thankful that the Viscount was a person who upholds the status system of nobility.
“The Viscount will not approve, young master.”
“Ah, if we have children first, then my father has no choice —!”
‘Oh god. This jerk must have gone mad.’
I hardened my face and looked at Donovan seriously, who was turning red.
“Then, I would be kicked out together with the child.”
“Damn it! Why did I bring you here in the first place!”
My eyes widened at Donovan’s exasperated cry full of regret.
‘........Bring me here?’
“What do you mean you brought me here? Didn’t you say I was a maid who worked here from the beginning?”
I had become ‘Annie’ but I didn’t remember her life.
My last memory was of dying in a lonely hospital room with no one looking after me.
‘Though it doesn’t feel like I’ve died a long time ago.’
Maybe because I had no regrets in my past life so I didn’t feel particularly sad.
Unable to grasp the situation, I wandered aimlessly in the forest where I opened my eyes and encountered Donovan who had gone out to hunt.
‘You, you’re….!’
‘Do you know me?’
Since I was starved for a long time, I hastily ate the beef jerky he gave me.
He looked at me suspiciously as I didn’t know the name of the forest I wandered in nor my own name and made an excuse that I woke up in the forest and lost all of my memories.
‘That’s why you can’t recognize me. You’re my maid.’
Donovan had suddenly told me.
‘Maid?’
‘That’s right. You’re my maid, Annie.”
He told me that I had a hard time with the work of a maid and that I tried to run away and he came to the forest to catch me.
‘..........Of all people I had to possess, it had to be someone who had a debt.’
I resented God again, but what could I do?
I guess it was fortunate that I could avoid the difficult tasks because Donovan was afraid that I would run away again.
“Ah, ah. What I’m saying is – I was the one who hired you as a maid. I’m talking about the past. When you were still very young.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, I guess you still can’t recall?”
Donovan’s argument made sense since most nobles tend to bring in young girls who suited their tastes and educate them to become their maids.
He patted his thick lips and continued speaking.
“I personally paid a fortune to your parents and bought you. So, your master isn’t my father but me.”
‘Why don’t I believe this?’
They weren’t words I couldn’t particularly believe but I was suspicious. I narrowed my eyes and stared at Donovan, then he frowned.
“What’s with that look?”
“Pardon?”
“Are you doubting what I’m saying?!”
“N-no, young master.”
“Damn it, as long as the concubine’s face is pretty, why is there a need to bother about the status!”
Fortunately, he turned the arrow to his father. I lowered my head, scared of Donovan’s sudden anger, and left the room quietly when the opportunity came.
“Phew.”
Someone grabbed my shoulder as I leaned in the hallway, heaving a sigh.
“Annie, are you okay?”
I nodded my head as I met with sensitive eyes. Lindsay swept down her curly brown hair and caressed my cheeks.
“I heard the young master called you again. It looks like he asked you to serve him.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
I tried to smile at Lindsay’s question. Most servants did not like me because Donovan openly favored me.
“Phew, that’s unfortunate.”
Lindsay was the only person who was kind to me from the start.
She said that she reminds me of her younger sister who was forcibly taken as a concubine by a Count notorious for his ugliness.
“It’s the fate of rural women that beauty only brings misfortune. What else can we do?”
I nodded at Lindsay’s lament. She pulled me by the shoulder for a hug and patted me.
“Why don’t you just get married so that the young master doesn’t covet you? That would be better.”
“Who will I marry?”
“Who would reject you when you just put your mind to it?”
‘I don’t think I’m that beautiful.’
I grinned at Lindsay’s words.
“Oh my, look at this girl. Why are you smiling?”
“I mean, don’t you think it’s funny? If all the men in the world like me, would I be a maid of the Viscount until now?”
“That’s because of the young master!”
Lindsay, who was about to say something, found a servant entering the hallway and promptly closed her mouth.
“Follow me.”
She pushed me into the corner of the hallway, looked around, and lowered her voice.
“Anyway, it should be with a man who has a higher title than the young master.”
‘I guess I just need to marry any man as long as they have a higher title.’
Although I thought that, Lindsay’s face was so serious that I had no choice but to listen to her words.
“It’s just a rumor but I heard the Grand Duke is going to visit our territory.”
“Grand Duke?”
“That’s right. I’m talking about that Lagrange.”