~Chapter 7~
“Everyone is busy.”
“Then… is my brother busy too?”
“Of course.”
Mrs. Howard drew a firm line.
Then she added in an irritating tone,
“Well… if you tried a little harder, wouldn’t your family come looking for you?”
“Th-That’s…”
“I’ve told you many times. A daughter of the noble Lucerte Ducal family must be perfect in every way.”
Cecilia couldn’t reply.
Mrs. Howard narrowed her eyes and smiled.
It was a smile full of malice.
“‘The real Cecilia’ was truly like an angel…”
“……”
“If you want to fill even a little of her place, shouldn’t you at least become a proper lady?”
Cecilia bit her lip until it almost bled.
At the same time, Mrs. Howard glanced at me.
“And who is that rude girl daring to glare at her superior?”
In that moment, my mind turned white with anger.
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
“Well… I don’t think I want to hear that from you, Madam.”
“What?”
“You clicked your tongue in front of the lady you serve.”
I tilted my head slightly.
“Do you really have the right to call me rude?”
“How dare you talk back to me?!”
Mrs. Howard’s face twisted in anger.
“Milena, stop—”
Cecilia hurriedly tried to intervene, but at that moment—
Mrs. Howard suddenly raised her hand.
“You foolish girl who doesn’t know her place!”
Hearing that sharp shout, I shut my eyes tightly.
But even after a moment, no pain came.
‘Huh?’
I slowly opened my eyes—
and froze in shock.
Cecilia was gripping Mrs. Howard’s wrist tightly.
“Lady?”
Mrs. Howard called out in confusion.
Cecilia straightened her posture.
Her teal eyes looked directly at Mrs. Howard.
“Nanny, she is the maid I chose.”
At that moment, I saw it—
her thin shoulders trembling.
“I know I am lacking in many ways. But…”
She spoke firmly,
“She is my person. If anyone is to punish her, it will be me.”
“……”
I knew how much pressure Cecilia was under.
It had been described many times in the original story—
how much she was controlled by every word from her nanny.
How afraid she was—
that Mrs. Howard might say something bad to her parents and brother,
and make them hate her even more.
And yet—
‘She stood up for me.’
A complicated feeling filled my chest.
Frustration, guilt, gratitude… and something painful.
Mrs. Howard stared at Cecilia in shock.
It was only natural.
Cecilia had almost never openly defied her before.
“My lady. Of course, choosing a maid is your right.”
Mrs. Howard spoke as if trying to calm her.
“But before taking in a servant, shouldn’t you have asked for advice from your elders?”
“……”
“I believe it is this kind of selfish behavior…”
She looked at Cecilia with disapproval and sighed.
“That makes the Duchess keep her distance from you.”
Cecilia’s face darkened instantly.
Meanwhile, I couldn’t hide my disbelief.
‘What kind of nonsense is that?’
Unable to hold back, I opened my mouth again—
“What are you even—”
“Milena.”
Before I could finish, Cecilia called me firmly.
I looked at her with shaking eyes.
“Go inside first.”
“But—!”
“Now.”
She urged me again.
I pressed my lips together.
I wanted to snap back at Mrs. Howard—
but seeing Cecilia’s trembling eyes, I couldn’t insist.
“Yes, my lady.”
In the end, I stepped back quietly.
I understood how she felt.
She was trying to protect me in her own way.
And also—
‘She doesn’t want to show weakness in front of me.’
After all, she was the only princess of the empire.
Showing herself being scolded like that—
it would hurt her pride.
But she also couldn’t openly oppose her nanny.
Because—
‘She’s afraid of being disliked by her family.’
That’s how it was in the original story too.
Mrs. Howard constantly drove a wedge between Cecilia and her family.
‘Still… does she have to just endure this?’
At that moment, my eyes moved to the third-floor balcony.
‘Wait.’
A sly light flashed in my eyes.
‘If this goes well…?’
After Milena left,
Mrs. Howard became even more aggressive toward Cecilia.
“My lady. How long do you plan to act so immature?”
“……”
“You just stood there while your maid disrespected me! A servant’s fault reflects the master’s weakness.”
“……”
“Is your goal to keep disappointing your family forever?”
“……”
“No wonder the Duke and Duchess avoid you!”
Cecilia’s shoulders flinched as if struck.
Mrs. Howard muttered loudly on purpose,
“‘The real Cecilia’ would have acted much more wisely.”
Something hot rose in Cecilia’s throat.
She barely swallowed it back.
If I try harder… will anything change?
Mother, Father… even my brother…
You’ve never once looked at me.
How long do I have to struggle and beg for your attention?
At least… if you would listen to me—
At that moment—
From the third-floor balcony, two arms suddenly appeared holding a bucket—
Splash!
With a loud sound, dirty water poured down.
And it all landed directly on Mrs. Howard.
“Kyaaaah!”
All her talk about dignity disappeared instantly.
She screamed loudly enough to shake the entire guest house.
“W-What is this?!”
The dirty water got into her eyes, and she couldn’t even open them.
She shouted angrily with her eyes tightly shut.
“Who did this?! How dare you!!”
Black water dripped from her entire body.
Her neatly styled hair was ruined,
and her elegant dress was completely soaked.
“My lady! Did you see who did this?!”
Cecilia’s lips trembled slightly.
She glanced quietly toward the third-floor balcony—
then answered calmly,
“No. I didn’t see anything.”
Oops😗