Episode 7
Now all I had to do was secretly follow the Grand Duke.
‘Basically, I’m like his shadow—a personal spy.’
Luckily, Lillian’s body was excellent at hiding its presence. Even the sharp Head Maid couldn’t notice me moving around.
But there was a big problem…
A Maid’s Endless Work
“Lillian, start from here.”
“When you’re done, can you help over there?”
“Head Maid is coming!”
“Ah! Lillian, can you finish this for me?”
“Lillian—”
Yes.
Maids were busy.
Really, really busy.
There was so much work every day that no matter how much extra effort I tried to put in, it was almost impossible. The only spare time I could grab was during short breaks, after meals, or late at night when work was done.
‘Even that depends on how fast I finish my chores…’
If I wanted to use every second of free time to spy, I clearly needed a plan.
‘Faster! More efficient!’
So, I began sharing my little housekeeping tips with the others.
Nothing big—just things like:
- Using baking soda to wash greasy dishes more easily.
- Cleaning window corners with a paintbrush.
But even small tricks like that made our work much quicker.
And then…
“Look, Lillian’s starting again!”
“Everyone, pay attention!”
“Learn from her!”
I became… the Goddess of Dust Beating.
Whack! Whack! Whack!
With two dust beaters in hand, I swung them like tennis rackets through the blankets. I held my breath so I wouldn’t inhale dust and moved my arms at lightning speed.
Sometimes the blanket got stuck, but it wasn’t a problem—I just hit it with the other beater.
“Wow, so fast!”
“Her wrist snap is amazing!”
“What the… what is she doing?”
The maids were amazed. The servants walking by were shocked. And I… I felt proud.
‘Wait… hold on.’
Was this really okay?
I started doing this to shadow the Grand Duke, but now I was just… working harder?
For a moment, I felt angry. Did I really need to go this far just to maybe see my boss’s face? What even was life?
“Lillian, can you do this carpet too?”
“We tried once, but it’s still not clean.”
“Sure, I’ll be right there!”
…Still, work was work.
So I grabbed my dust beaters and went at it again.
The Grand Duke Notices
At the same time, on the second floor—
Raymond (the Grand Duke) stopped walking.
“…Did her hands just… disappear?”
“…How is she even…?”
“…That’s impressive…”
He heard a commotion outside and looked through the window.
And what did he see?
A brown-haired maid swinging dust beaters with flashy movements, while other servants clapped and cheered.
“…What on earth?”
His aide, Dylan, who had once fought by his side in the war, heard his confusion and answered calmly:
“She’s… beating dust out of carpets, sir.”
“I know that.”
Raymond frowned at the obvious reply. But Dylan didn’t care—he was used to his master’s reactions.
Then Dylan suddenly remembered something.
“Ah! That must be the maid Peter mentioned.”
Peter—the head chef of the mansion.
Dylan, a man obsessed with fine food after years of eating rations at war, was very close friends with the chef.
And if Peter had said something, it was usually accurate.
Raymond gave Dylan a look, telling him to continue.
“She was quiet and hardworking, but not very good at her job. Lately, though, her skills have improved dramatically.”
He listed examples: dishwashing, cleaning, laundry…
“And she’s been suggesting new methods. Something about baking soda… or baking powder? I’m not sure. But Peter seemed impressed.”
Dylan shrugged, smiling. But his master wasn’t smiling. Raymond was deep in thought.
‘Suddenly, huh…?’
Dylan continued, “Peter even said he’d like to move her to the kitchen staff.”
Before he could say more, Raymond cut him off.
“Find out.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Find out what she’s up to.”
Raymond tapped the window with his finger, eyes still fixed on the maid below.
An Uncomfortable Conversation
Meanwhile, my body ached.
Even though Lillian’s body was strong, doing two or three times more work than others was exhausting.
‘And I didn’t even get anything useful today… except praise for dust beating.’
I sighed. At this rate, I wouldn’t learn anything about the Grand Duke—not in five days, not even in five months.
Dragging my feet, I started heading back. But I felt like I was leaving work with too many unfinished tasks.
That’s when—
“Good evening, Miss Lillian.”
“Ahh!”
I flinched and stepped back, then blinked in surprise when I saw who it was.
“…The aide?”
Yes. Dylan, the Grand Duke’s aide. I’d seen him a few times but never talked directly. The maids often whispered about him, so I knew who he was.
“This is our first proper introduction.”
“Uh… yes, it is.”
Wait—why was I having a proper introduction with him of all people?
He wasn’t someone who should have time for a lowly maid.
I forced a smile, trying to hide my nerves. Dylan continued smoothly:
“Peter spoke very highly of you. Said you’re diligent and polite.”
The chef said that? I knew he liked me, but that was more praise than I expected.
“You just finished your probation period, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“For someone so new, you seem very talented. Talented enough that Peter wants you in the kitchen.”
“Oh, he’s just being nice…”
The conversation was going well, almost friendly. My guard began to lower—
But then Dylan’s expression sharpened.
“However—”
He stared straight at me.
“Why are your talents only showing up now?”
“……!!”
“And so suddenly?”
My throat tightened. I swallowed hard, terrified a scream would slip out.
“Someone who was clumsy suddenly became skilled, almost like a completely different person. Your work. Even your personality.”
He didn’t stop.
“It’s as if you’ve become a whole new person. So tell me…”
His gaze pinned me in place. My heart pounded painfully in my chest.
“…What is the reason for this change?”
