The two people sprawled on the floor shouted.
"What are you doing! It hurt, you know!"
"Who do you think we are? Just because you're a mere maid!"
Mio neither showed anger nor laughed.
She simply spoke calmly and matter-of-factly.
"You are also maids. And I am the head of the servants as well."
"Huh? That's completely different. I served the third prince at the royal palace and was recruited by the Granado family, the wealthiest in the country and future dukes."
"...So, the head of the servants here is me."
"Ha! You're just an old-timer, right? We were recruited. We are the lord's maids, and you were just the daughter of a poor baron!"
"...This morning, I was the one who made the assignments."
"Ohohoho, there's nothing you can do, Hanna. After all, it's well-known that the duchess is a barbarian, a roadside prostitute who made her illegitimate child a maid."
"Oh, is that so? Wasn't she an orphan abandoned on the roadside?"
"How should I know? I've forgotten. But it's the same. It's impossible. To be a maid in a count's castle without a last name is inappropriate from the start."
"That's right. Our lives are different from yours, a noble."
They sat on the floor, looking up at the sky, and laughed loudly with their mouths wide open.
Mio stood still, aligning her feet, and only slightly lifted the corners of her mouth.
"...I see. You are real fools."
"What—What did you say!?"
Ilza raised her high-pitched voice and raised her hand to strike Mio.
Ah, dangerous, you! — Of course, there was no time to stop her, and Ilza spun in the air, landing with a thud on the floor.
"—Guh"
She let out a sound like a crushed frog and fell silent.
Hanna, with her eyes and mouth wide open, just stared up in shock.
"Since I'm at it, you too."
Mio picked her up and threw her down the corridor.
And so, my room, which was full, became very quiet.
Mio bowed lower than anyone else and apologized to me.
She said that due to her inadequate supervision, I had suffered greatly.
The castle would dispose of all the items and provide new ones as needed. She would immediately wake the lord and come to me.
Thomas and Toppo, understanding the situation, tried to comfort me. Toppo said he would make more sweets, and Thomas played a song from his hometown that lifted my spirits.
But I was smiling.
"It's okay. I'm fine."
It wasn't the forced smile of resignation I had shown before.
"—Mio, don't apologize. I have a favor to ask."
"...Yes. What is it... anything?"
"I want to borrow scissors, a needle, and thread. I have an idea."
Everyone was taken aback.
Their expressions were so funny that I burst out laughing.
In the morning, I water the flowers in the garden, and at night, I pull weeds. During the day, I take care of the vegetable garden. This seems to be gardener Johann's daily routine.
Of course, he doesn't do it alone, but managing and maintaining this vast garden, I think Johann is a real hard worker.
I approached him quietly as he bent over, checking the new sprouts.
"Johann"
When I called out, Johann turned around and his eyes widened at the sight of me.
"Oh, my lady...! Why are you here?"
"Johann, you said you would show me your vegetable garden. I really... wanted to see it."
That's right... last night, I realized for the first time what I 'liked'.
Growing and eating delicious vegetables.
For the sake of the household, it was the only thing left, so I had to do it—this is what I always thought when I was with the Chedelan family. But it was wrong.
I liked it. I liked eating, growing things with my own hands, and getting dirty in the soil.
Saying it was for the sake of selling was just an excuse. I wasn't very good at it, and it wasn't efficient, but I did it because it was actually... very enjoyable.
I didn't realize it when I had to do it.
I realized it when it was forbidden. I—had something I truly liked.
When I tried to approach the field, Johann hurriedly stopped me.
"My lady, that won't do. I just watered the area, and your hands and shoes will get very dirty."
"Hehe, it's okay."
I pointed to my feet.
Today, I wasn't wearing a dress but a short house dress. I had rolled up my sleeves and was wearing old gloves. From the knees down, I had wrapped my feet in a makeshift barrier—old cloth shaped like socks, resembling long boots.
"Since they're already in tatters, it doesn't matter how dirty they get. And since they're mine, I don't have to worry about the castle."
Johann looked confused and furrowed his brow for a while, but when he saw me stomping through the dirt, he seemed to give up.
He blew out a breath through his round nose.
"What, you just needed shoes that could get dirty? I could have given you as many servant shoes as you wanted."
"Oh, that's right, yes! I forgot about that option."
"Huh—You should have said so from the beginning. Well, come on. Next, we're going to start pruning the eggplants—"
"I can do eggplants well. Can I help?"
"Hmm, let's see your skills then."
Johann's full white beard rustled at the corners of his mouth. Then, he crinkled his sunburned face and smiled at me.