Episode 10
Roxana spread both hands and focused.
After a moment, power gathered in her palms and a small whirlpool started to spin. The little swirl was about the size of a cherry.
She reached toward the picnic basket set a short distance away.
At her will, the basket lid popped open and the drinks and bread inside floated up in order.
Beads of sweat formed on Roxana’s forehead.
She pulled her scattered concentration back together and set each thing down in front of her, one by one.
“Phew, this is tiring.”
She wiped her forehead with her bare hand and a small smile flickered, then went away.
Her spirit power was still barely usable. She couldn’t help feeling impatient.
Compared to the power she used before, this was almost like a baby flipping over — maybe, barely.
“Don’t rush it,” Roxana told herself.
Her stomach growled.
Using that energy made her hungry. She started on the iced tea and bread she’d just summoned with the spirit power.
“I’d like a sandwich. That’s not going to happen, is it?”
If she taught the cook different ways to make sandwiches, she could probably get one whenever she wanted.
But she reminded herself that her goal was to be an unassuming duchess.
A little later, Khalid handed Roxana a sheet of paper.
“This is the list of applicants for the maid positions.”
Roxana scanned the list.
There were ten applicants in total — from county-level families down to baron-level ones.
Seven of them were from families that served House Kailani; the other three were daughters from families in other regions.
“There were more applicants than I expected.”
Given the Kailani house’s influence, the number was small. Khalid knew that but didn’t argue.
The young duchess had never been in society before. She hadn’t had a debutante season, nothing.
She’d been orphaned when her parents died in an accident. Because she was underage, the Avelio barony title had passed to the crown, and all she’d been left with was the family home. She had no close relatives to care for her.
The former duchess had taken the girl in after helping her parents at some point.
If that former duchess had still been alive, things might have been very different.
Over the past seven years, Roxana had been watched and was clever, but she’d stayed largely uninterested in worldly affairs — quiet and almost invisible.
“Pick as many as you need, madam.”
“How many do you think I should choose?”
“I think two will do.”
Roxana surprised him. He’d expected she’d pick at least three. Even though she’d once worked as a maid, she wasn’t clueless about noble life or etiquette.
The number of maids a noble household employed varied by rank and wealth. High-ranking mistresses typically had three to five maids.
“Interview dates?”
“I’ll hire without interviews.”
Khalid looked puzzled. Roxana read his expression and explained.
“I don’t want girls from outside the region — I don’t know what their intentions are. Even among servant families, I excluded those with bad reputations or different political leanings from us, like the Daleck house.”
“I agree.”
“Then two suitable families. Let’s take Miss Christine Phillips and Miss Marina Brin as my maids.”
“Understood.”
Khalid liked her choices.
The Phillips house was known for horse breeding; the Brin house handled ironwork and made weapons. Both did business with House Kailani from time to time.
“Madam, are you sure two maids will be enough?”
He worried she might be looked down on in society for having so few attendants.
Roxana understood his concern. But she had no intention of accepting invitations except when attending events with her husband, so she didn’t need a big retinue. She wasn’t someone who loved flashy dressing up anyway.
“Yes, two will be enough.”
Three days later, Christine Phillips and Marina Brin sat side by side on a sofa in the receiving room on the first floor of the duke’s house.
The two young women, who had seen each other in society, waited for a butler to show them in.
Christine sipped the tea and couldn’t hide her excitement.
She’d be near Asterion Kailani every day — the man she secretly admired.
When she’d first heard of the scandal—that the duke would marry a former maid—she’d been shocked.
She’d wanted to run to the estate right away, but felt she had no right.
Then she overheard her father, the Baron Phillips, and her brothers talking.
They said the vicious gossip about the Kailani duke and the pressure from the Crown Prince’s faction couldn’t be ignored.
The duke had been forced to speed up the marriage. The fact that the bride was once a maid was likely because the crown didn’t want Kailani’s power to grow.
That explained why Asterion hadn’t proposed to someone like Christine — a wealthy, beautiful girl.
“The tea smells lovely.”
Marina, who loved pretty things more than anything, spoke first. She wanted to say the cup itself was gorgeous, but kept it light.
“Yes, it does.”
Christine agreed.
Marina couldn’t help comparing her own family’s wealth to the duke’s. The Brin barony was rich, but not as rich as the duke’s house.
Marina adored small, pretty things.
If she wanted that teacup set for herself, her family would have to work nonstop forging iron for at least a month.
Her family supported her taste but didn’t understand it. Her constant hobby had become a burden.
So the Baron Brin told his youngest daughter, tearfully, to start earning her own money. He pushed her to apply for a maid’s position in the duke’s household. Marina refused at first.
But Baron Brin secretly submitted her application.
A few days later, a letter arrived offering Marina the maid position.
Marina wailed and kicked before her father slid the acceptance letter to her. He pointed out a critical detail.
The monthly pay was fifty gold, ten times her usual pocket money.
Marina stopped crying. That amount would let her buy pretty things without begging her family.
She reluctantly signed a contract accepting a pocket of 2 gold 50 silver a month—half of her pay—to herself, and came to the Kailani house.
Khalid led the two women into Roxana’s sitting room, attached to her room.
“This is Marina Brin.”
“Christine Phillips.”
They bowed to Roxana.
Christine quickly scanned the duchess. Roxana had rare black hair and emerald eyes — a pretty face and a smaller frame than they expected.
They said she was our age, but she looks much younger.’
If they hadn’t known her age, Christine might have thought she was fifteen.
“I’m Roxana Kailani.”
Roxana’s calm voice cut into Christine’s thoughts.
“Madam, we’ll take our leave now.”
Roxana nodded at Khalid, who left the room. The two girls sat on opposite sofas.
Daisy, a maid, brought tea and snacks to the three.
Christine wore the flashiest dress and jewelry among them and stood out the most.
She thought she was being subtle, but Roxana noticed Christine’s sharp, appraising gaze.
Marina wore a cute pale-pink dress with modest lace trim — girlish and fitting.
After a sip of tea, Roxana spoke.
“Were your rooms explained to you already?”
“Yes, Duchess.”
Only Marina answered.
Roxana looked at Christine.
“Miss Phillips, didn’t anyone show you to your room?”
“I was shown,” Christine said, pouting.
Khalid having left, Roxana noticed Christine’s attitude had shifted and chose to ignore it.
“Oh, I see. I thought you hadn’t been shown a room since you didn’t answer…”
Roxana’s face held a faint smile.
Christine went silent, realizing her mistake but unwilling to apologize. She didn’t want to bend.
“Duchess, are there only two maids?”
Marina’s voice saved the situation.
“That’s right.”
“Only two maids for the duchess…?”
Christine jumped back into conversation, sounding concerned but sneering beneath it — mocking the duchess for having only two maids.
Roxana looked the girl squarely in the eye.
She’d decided to keep a low profile, invisible if possible — but she wouldn’t stand for petty jabs.
She wasn’t naive — she’d expected envy and jealousy when a fallen noble became duchess.
“You don’t need to worry about the house’s reputation, Miss Phillips. And even with two maids, there won’t be that much work.”
Roxana’s tone was cold. Christine and Marina stiffened.
Seeing Roxana’s expression not soften, Marina subtly nudged Christine.
Christine finally spoke, grudgingly offering an apology.
“I was rude. Please forgive me.”
It was a small step — better to apologize and keep her place in the household than be sent away.
