Episode 6
Ayla must have had a very long and tiring day — the moment they returned to the inn, she fell fast asleep.
Estella thought about waking her up and at least washing her quickly before bed… but she let it go.
“It was a hard day for me too.”
And if it had been tough for her, how much harder must it have been for a small child like Ayla?
She stood over Ayla’s sleeping figure, quietly watching her.
No kind-hearted employer in the world was going to hire a woman dragging a child around.
So even though she didn’t like it, Estella would have to start leaving Ayla alone at the inn while she went out to find work.
“You’ll be okay on your own, right…?”
Her head began to throb again.
Feeling a headache even with a full stomach meant only one thing — the day had been very stressful.
And in the end, it all led to the same disappointing outcome.
“Sorry, but there’s no work right now. Haha… maybe you should try something else.”
No work, really?
Housemaid positions were the kind of job that always needed people — like a well that never dried up.
But every single one of them refused to refer Estella for the job.
The reason was always the same: she looked like a noblewoman.
“Sigh… to be honest, I’d be in trouble if I introduced someone like you. Do you even know how tough this job is?
Actually, you would know — you’ve probably seen your maids work at home, right?
But now you’re going to do that work?”
“I’m not a lady. I can do hard labor just—”
“Yes, yes, I get it. You must be going through something…”
The man’s eyes ran down her black dress.
“Either way, I can’t help you with maid work.”
Why?
Because noblewomen — even grieving widows — were unwelcome in the maid world.
Most of them were known for being picky, prideful, and unwilling to actually work.
“Not all of them, I guess. But yeah… most.”
“I’m not like that. I wasn’t even born noble—”
“Yes, yes. I hear you. Still, maybe try something more fitting, like a governess job.”
Estella fell silent.
If that were an option, she would’ve done it already.
Government jobs paid better and were less physically demanding than maid work — so why wouldn’t she want that?
But she had no connections to help her get a governess job.
And even if someone referred her, she didn’t have the manners, education, or refinement expected of someone teaching children.
Unaware of this, the job broker shooed her out of the office.
“Let me be honest. Wherever you go, it’ll be hard to find someone who’ll hire you as a maid. You’ve still got that noble air.
Makes people uncomfortable — no one’s going to hire that.”
He slammed the door shut.
“Haa…”
After the fifth rejection, Estella leaned against the alley wall, drained.
She had only bought some bread and milk for Ayla earlier and left it in the room.
Estella herself hadn’t eaten anything all day.
She’d planned to buy a bit of bread for lunch… but with the way things were going, she didn’t feel like eating at all.
“This isn’t easy.”
She glanced down at her hands with frustration.
She had deliberately not worn gloves today — wanting to show her rough, calloused hands, hoping it would convince people she wasn’t noble.
But it didn’t work.
“Noblewoman, my ass…”
She had grown up in an orphanage, scavenging in dirty alleys before catching the eye of a mercenary band and ending up on the battlefield.
And yet… somehow, people still saw her as a “noble.”
It wasn’t because of her background — but her body.
To survive, she had trained herself to be strong and balanced. As a result, her posture was always upright and her movement graceful — which, to others, made her look like a noblewoman.
On top of that, years of danger had made her calm and composed.
People mistook that for noble elegance and charisma.
‘Still, it wasn’t this bad a year ago.’
Back then, her sun-darkened skin and ragged clothes kept people from calling her noble.
At most, she looked like an “unusual woman.”
But after becoming the second wife of Baron Vansenne, and living in his peaceful countryside estate…
Her naturally pale skin had returned, and now she looked exactly like a proper “lady.”
Estella glanced down at her plain but neat black dress and muttered:
“Should I sell this and buy something a maid would wear…?”
But that idea had its problems.
The Vansenne family was a fallen noble house in a rural backwater, and Estella had never worn fancy clothes made of fine fabric.
Even if she did sell her current dress, how much would it fetch in a big city like this?
And maid clothes, even cheap ones, were still new clothes — they cost money and time to get.
So even if she sold everything she owned… it was unclear if she could get a proper uniform in time.
“Too complicated.”
Another headache hit.
“Ugh… whatever. I need food.”
Her job search was going nowhere, and now her hunger made her head feel like it was going numb.
Before her irritation exploded, she needed to eat something.
She turned and headed for a shabby but cheap bakery she’d passed earlier.
Sure, she hadn’t even had breakfast. A good lunch sounded great right now… but—
“…It’s not like I have money for that.”
She muttered bitterly.
But just as she came out of the alley, a small, soft-looking woman suddenly appeared in front of her.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!”
They almost collided, but Estella instinctively moved aside just in time.
However, the basket of apples the woman was carrying was not so lucky.
“Ahh!”
The basket tipped over, and bright red apples rolled in every direction.
“My apples!”
Estella reacted quickly and caught two of them mid-air.
The woman gasped at her quick hands.
“Wow, you’re really fast!”
Estella gave a little smile and gently put the apples back into the basket. Then she bent down to help pick up the ones that had rolled away.
“Here. I saved a few, but some are pretty bruised.”
The woman blew out a puff of air and said cheerfully:
“Oh well! I’ll just secretly toss those. Can’t be helped!”
She smiled again.
“Anyway, thank you so much!”
“No problem. Actually… Can I eat one of the damaged ones you were going to throw out?”
The woman blinked in surprise at the unexpected request.
Estella shrugged casually.
“I’m just really hungry, and it’s a long walk home.”
The woman looked dazed for a second, then quickly snapped back and handed her some apples.
“Of course! As many as you like!
They might’ve fallen, but they’re really good apples.”
Estella gratefully took two of them.
“Thanks.”
Maybe it felt a little like stealing… but who cared?
She had just gotten free food — and that mattered more right now.
“I’ll enjoy it.”
She ended the conversation with a polite nod, and the woman bowed again in return before hurrying off.
Estella brushed some dust off one of the apples and took a big bite.
The sweet-and-sour juice rushed into her mouth, cooling and refreshing her instantly.
“Haa…”
The crunch, the taste — it cleared her head.
“It’s really good…”
She took another bite. Her head tilted back with joy, and the dull ache that had filled her skull finally faded.
She closed her eyes and let the juicy flavor fill her mouth.
“Seriously… so good.”
Estella wasn’t very expressive by nature.
She didn’t get overly emotional, nor did she have many hobbies or favorite things.
But if there was one joy in her life… It was good food.
And now that her craving was satisfied, she felt just a little bit stronger.
“There’s gotta be someone in this big city willing to hire me… right?”
“Let’s keep trying a bit longer.”
If not, she could always head to the southern part of Chameron tomorrow.
She had just found her resolve and was about to walk forward again when—
“Ugh…!”
Was there some kind of race happening today?
Someone else came running out from around a corner and nearly crashed into her again.
“Ah, I-I’m sorry…!”
It was a man — soft voice, nervous energy.
He looked around quickly, then froze when he saw Estella in her black dress.
Awkwardly, he asked:
“Um… did you happen to see a woman pass by here just now?”
