Episode 15
“…You’re not falling for her or anything, are you?”
At that, Ian clicked his tongue like Jack was saying something ridiculous.
“I just thought she was kind of cool.”
“Cool?”
Jack shouted like he was about to explode.
“Is it cool that I got beat up like this?”
“Can you not use such rough words? ‘Got beat up,’ ‘eyes punched out’—try to speak more nicely. What if you see her again later—”
Thump!
Jack slammed the jam jar onto the table in frustration.
“I got all injured, and you’re just smirking and saying she was cool or whatever. And you expect me to sit here calmly?”
Ian shrugged. Jack pounded his chest a few times, frustrated with Ian’s calm attitude. But he knew that no matter how much he complained, Ian wouldn’t take his side or speak badly about the woman. So, in the end, Jack had to swallow his anger.
“…Fine, whatever. I guess it was my fault for sneaking in in the first place.”
“Good. You understand.”
“……”
Jack glared at Ian and tore a piece of bread, shoving it into his mouth.
“Still, that temporary maid… she doesn’t feel like a regular maid. We should look into her.”
Her strength was one thing, but even her gestures weren’t like those of a normal maid. There was something about her—a presence that was hard to explain. It felt overwhelming, like she wasn’t someone you could treat lightly.
Ian replied,
“She’s Baron Van Sen’s wife.”
“…Ah, I knew it. She’s from a noble family—wait, what?”
Jack, who had been trying to guess the maid’s background, suddenly froze and sat up straight.
“What did you say? Baron Van Sen’s wife?”
“Yeah.”
“The same baron who died recently?”
“Yep.”
“The one who worked as a mining safety inspector?”
“That’s him.”
Jack’s confusion grew.
“Why would his wife be working at our mansion? As a maid?”
Then a suspicious thought hit him.
“Don’t tell me… you brought her here?”
“No.”
“Then how?”
“Coincidence.”
Jack gave Ian a doubtful look, but Ian didn’t even look up from his papers.
“I said it’s just a coincidence.”
“That’s too perfect to be a coincidence.”
“Maybe it’s fate.”
“…Cough!”
Even though he hadn’t drunk any water, Jack started coughing like he had choked.
“F-Fate? What’s going on with you today? You’re creeping me out.”
Jack rubbed his arm like he had goosebumps. Ian just clicked his tongue and dropped the papers.
“Just pretend you don’t know.”
“Don’t know what?”
“That she’s Baron Van Sen’s wife.”
“Nobody else knows?”
“If she hasn’t said it herself, there’s no need to announce it.”
“…Fair enough.”
Jack nodded slowly and pressed the cold jam jar to his forehead.
“Still… she’s got a noble vibe, but it’s not the kind you’d expect from a country baron’s wife.”
Then he tilted his head again like something didn’t quite add up.
“But for someone with that kind of grace, she sure knew how to swing that cutting board like a pro.”
It didn’t feel ‘ladylike’ at all.
“Don’t you think, Ian? That kind of reflexes and speed… only people with real combat experience have that.”
For the record, Jack used to work with a well-known mercenary group in the Miller region. He wasn’t the one who did the fighting himself—he managed clients and contracts—but he was still good at recognizing trained fighters.
“Are you sure she’s really Baron Van Sen’s wife?”
“I’m sure.”
“Absolutely sure?”
“I told you, stop asking.”
After the same question was asked five times, Ian sighed deeply.
“Seriously, stop.”
Jack leaned back and muttered,
“Well, nothing about her makes sense.”
Honestly, even Ian had to agree with that.
“Should I look into the baron’s wife a bit?”
He had planned to ask Jack to investigate once he returned anyway.
Estella Van Sen.
She didn’t feel like a commoner, but she didn’t seem like high society either. She belonged… somewhere outside both categories.
Ever since Ian heard who she was, one thought had stuck in his mind:
A secret relationship built on a contract…
Ian lowered his gaze and quietly said,
“Yeah. Look into her.”
“I’ll ask Wilbur to get her identification documents first.”
****
After finishing cleaning the second floor, Estella was on her way down when Wilbur stopped her.
“Estella, about your weekly wages…”
“Yes, what is it?”
“I forgot to ask when you started—do you have a bank account?”
Estella blinked, confused.
“A bank account?”
Seeing that she clearly didn’t, the elderly butler explained.
“You’re staying at Kamilla’s house, right? Then you probably don’t have a proper place to keep your money.”
True enough.
“If you have the documents to prove your identity, we can help you open a checking account.”
Estella understood what banks and accounts were. But they were usually only for the upper class—people with confirmed status and a lot of money to deposit.
So, for someone like her, that had always felt like a distant idea.
“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t have the funds to make a deposit, so I think it’d be difficult.”
“Don’t worry about that. Our young master has made a special agreement with the Rosetta Bank in eastern Chameron. The interest rate is low, but they’ll let you open an account with no deposit.”
Apparently, both the head butler and the red-haired secretary she met earlier had opened accounts this way too.
“Most of the staff are locals, so keeping their money here is easy. But for people like Jack and me, it’s harder. We can’t carry cash every time we go between the capital and Chameron.”
Wilbur and the secretary moved from place to place like migratory birds, following their employer seasonally.
“Think it over and let me know.”
It definitely needed more thought, but it did seem like the safest way to keep her money.
“Yes, I understand.”
****
Estella came home early again that day, holding bread and fruit in both hands.
She shared dinner with Kamilla’s family and casually brought up the topic.
“Kamilla, have you ever heard about opening a bank account from the mansion?”
“Bank account?”
Kamilla looked like this was the first she’d heard of it.
Guess they didn’t mention it to her either.
So, the offer really was only for Estella?
That felt a little strange, like she was getting special treatment—but Estella calmly explained what the account was and how only the butler and secretary had one due to not being locals.
“Oh, I see. That makes sense. Our family’s from Chameron, after all.”
Since bank accounts weren’t common knowledge yet, Kamilla didn’t seem bothered about not being offered one.
“I think it’s a great offer for you, Estella.”
“Yes, it really is.”
Normally, a generous employer like that might seem suspicious…
But they also give us leftover bread and fruit every day. It kind of makes sense now.
They consistently showed kindness. Instead of making less food, they always made extra—clearly considering the staff.
So, all things considered, the offer didn’t seem that strange.
Still, it bothers me to keep a large sum of money under someone else’s roof.
Estella was starting to lean toward opening the account. She looked at Ayla, who was quietly eating her soup.
But even if I open one… should it be under my name?
It would be better if I could use Ayla’s name.
Not because she was being overly kind. But just in case anything happened.
If money was in the name Estella Belmont, it could be taken from her at any time.
But if it was under Ayla Van Sen’s name and Estella managed it until Ayla was of age—it might be safer.
With one condition: Estella could only withdraw money with Ayla’s approval, and Ayla had to be present.
“Ayla.”
Estella called her gently. The girl carefully set down her orange and looked up.
“Did you understand what Kamilla and I were talking about just now?”
Nod…
She still responded with gestures, not words. Well, habits built over years don’t change overnight.
“You need to answer with words.”
“Ah…”
Ayla’s eyes widened like she had just realized something and quickly replied,
“Yes…”
She was a smart child.
If Estella explained the banking system properly, Ayla would understand. Even if someone tried to trick her, she wouldn’t fall for it easily.
“Good. That’s all.”
Estella thought to herself that she’d take Ayla’s birth certificate with her tomorrow and ask about opening the account under her name.
