/
It was commonplace for the employees to secretly eat the leftovers of the household’s masters.
And implicitly, it’s also permitted.
It was characteristic of aristocrats to be served numerous dishes that they normally wouldn’t even eat.
Especially as the era of peace had come, the luxury that the nobles immersed themselves in grew worse and worse over time. Perhaps it was the mentality of compensating for all that they suffered through.
Even ten years later, it had become customary for them to do this.
‘But with food that hasn’t even been touched…’
It felt like the princess had prepared all this food for the servants from the very start.
“Everyone must be sleeping now, so just call the ones working during the night shift, then leave out some for the others and heat them up in the morning.”
“But hasn’t the Young Master prepared all these for you?”
At the genuine question, Doah gave back an ambiguous reply, neither confirming nor denying.
“How can I eat all these alone?”
Her statement couldn’t be refuted.
‘And the Princess has just recovered from being bedridden.’
Salvier was known to be an older brother who cared very extremely for his younger sister, but he could not have known that a recovering patient could only eat a more delicate menu.
‘Well, come to think of it, if it’s the strong Second Young Master, I don’t think he wouldn’t know.’
The maid glanced at Doah again.
Bright red eyes reminiscent of the finest of rubies.
Long, golden eyelashes that looked as if the sun’s rays were right there.
As she tilted her head slightly to the side, her shiny hair cascaded down along with the movement, and each strand looked as if they were made with pure gold that was melted into thin threads.
The maid forgot what she was thinking for a moment, mesmerized entirely by Doah’s each and every action.
“I haven’t been able to take care of you all because I’ve been sick.”
As Doah tucked a lock of her hair behind one ear, her eyes folded into arcs. Then, she continued.
“I’m sure that it’s the first time for everyone to see me in person.”
Since all the employees had been replaced to hide Ophelia’s absence.
“It’s just… Consider it as a small token since I’ll be in your care now. Don’t feel too pressured about it.”
The maid belatedly came to her senses.
‘Did the Princess ask the Young Master to have all this food cooked just for us?’
If she had said, ‘Please cook some dishes for the servants’, then the chef and his assistants wouldn’t have done it properly.
Being the world-class chef that he was since the emperor also coveted to employ him, that chef and his students had their noses so high up.
Even when they were all employees working at the same grand duchy, they acted snobbishly and looked down on the others at any given chance.
If they had been ordered to cook for the other employees, then it was obvious that they would have still followed, but they would cook horrible dishes.
‘Yeah, that’s what would have happened. They were told that it’s going to be for the Princess just so we could eat these gourmet dishes…’
The maid ended up being teary-eyed.
Unlike other noble households, House Credel treated their servants humanely, though the treatment was still far from friendly.
This very instance was the first time that the servants had received such favor from a direct descendant of Credel.
“I understand! I shall deliver the Princess’ big message to everyone!”
As the maid clenched her fist, there was a passionate sense of duty burning in her eyes as she went out to call other people to bring the food.
‘Um, did I get away with it somehow?’
Doah recalled the maid’s face that she had just read.
‘Though she has a light mouth and easily jumps to conclusions, she’s quick to act.’
Putting it nicely, she was a pure person.
But putting it bluntly, she’s simply naïve.
‘I should at least give her some desserts later on.’
Doah didn’t even need to lie. The maid helped Doah all by herself through her misunderstanding.
As Doah thought this, she scooped up a spoonful of the soup she had set aside earlier.
At that moment, the earring inside her sleeve fell down and slipped on the bed.
‘I ended up bringing it with me.’
Ah, whatever.
She could just think about how to throw it away later.
Staring at the earring for a moment as she twirled it between her fingertips, she sighed and put it in her pocket.
* * *
“Wake up right away.”
In Doah’s sleep, it felt like she heard the second hand of a clock ticking…
But it wasn’t a clock. It was a human making that sound.
Tak, tak.
Tak, tak, tak—
When she opened her eyes, she saw the first young master, Angelus, who was tapping at the desk with a regular rhythm.
‘Am I still dreaming?’
Doah rubbed her eyes, thinking that this must be a nightmare.
However, she still clearly saw Angelus as he was arrogantly sitting in another person’s chair, tapping the desk as though he was a metronome. This sight did not disappear.
Unfortunately.
Doah stared blankly at the boy who was sitting upright with the most perfect posture.
Then, Doah spoke with a drowsy voice as she was still half-asleep.
“Young Master. You’re being a bother.”
“……”
Then, the tapping came to a halt.
He asked with an astonished tone.
“That’s all you have to say?”
Well, should she thank her for not waking her up by grabbing her by the collar?
He’s the one who barged into another person’s room and was just sitting there so arrogantly.
He was doing it so unashamedly that Doah wondered if they had previously made an appointment to meet before, but she just forgot.
Towards Angelus, who appeared out of the blue so early in the morning, Doah asked calmly.
“Have you been waiting for me?”
“What an unpleasant thing to hear. I just got here.”
In an instant, a grimace fell on his features.
Instead of replying, Doah stared wordlessly at his hand.
There’s no way this person wouldn’t come here without looking at his watch first.
Belatedly noticing her gaze on the pocket watch in his hand, he shoved it back into his coat pocket right away.