“Are you always like this?”
“W-What do you mean…?”
“Clumsy. Torn clothes. Scraped skin. Dropped dishes.”
“……”
“It only seems to happen when I’m around.”
I had no response. He wasn’t wrong.
Without a word, I crouched down and hurriedly began gathering the shattered pieces of the plate and teacup set. Thank goodness the ones we used today weren’t from the lady of the house’s cherished collection. If they had been, this contract and everything else would’ve been out the window. I’d have been kicked out of the Aspania estate on the spot.
As I transferred the shards of porcelain and glass onto the tray one by one, Lord Callinan lowered himself in front of me. When he gently took hold of my hand, I looked up in surprise to find his brow furrowed in displeasure.
“Are you picking these up barehanded?”
“I’m in a rush.”
“That’s enough. Get up.”
“No, you’re the one who should move back, Lord Callinan.”
If anyone’s going to get hurt trying to help, it’s him.
This sort of thing should be left to the professionals. Like me. After all, I’d earned the unofficial title of ‘Master of Cleaning Up Broken Dishes’ thanks to my unfortunate talent for shattering them.
But knowing it wasn’t something to be proud of, I wisely kept that to myself.
After a short standoff, he let out a resigned sigh and began picking up the broken pieces, one by one, placing them carefully on the tray. The heir to a noble house, kneeling to collect shards—I was so taken aback I stared for a moment before quickly moving my hands again to help clean up.
I heard the hurried footsteps of the sub-head maid rushing toward us. Before she could see anything, I stood up and took a step back from Lord Callinan. He too rose slowly to his feet.
At the top of the stairs, Meg appeared, fire in her eyes—only to spot Edward Callinan before anything else. Her gaze took in the tray filled with broken crockery, the shards still glinting between the rug fibers, and then the two of us standing amid it all. In an instant, she grasped the situation and offered a proper bow.
“Lord Edward Edwin Callinan. I sincerely apologize. One of our staff seems to have caused trouble. I hope you weren’t injured?”
“I’m fine.”
“It was the butler’s duty to escort you. My apologies—he must have stepped away.”
Though I rarely saw Matthew the butler accompany Lord Callinan on his visits, I understood what Meg meant. If the heir had walked in so confidently, there must have been a prior arrangement with Lady Dianther. And with the duke and duchess away today for business, he’d likely been allowed to bypass any formalities.
I moved to stand quietly beside Meg. Her gaze shifted to me. Guilt surged in my chest. I bowed my head, clutching the tray full of unrecognizably shattered china.
“……”
“……I’m sorry.”
I murmured the apology softly. Once Lord Callinan left, I was sure Meg would let me have it. I sighed quietly.
According to the terms of my contract, I had to remain in Lady Dianther’s service until her engagement was officially broken off. But if I kept spacing out like this, I might get kicked out long before then.
One glance at the broken dishes, and regret came crashing in.
That was when the lady’s door opened.
Lady Dianther stepped out, accompanying Lady Rabian, who had come to visit. Both of them quickly caught sight of Lord Callinan. I clearly saw the surprise bloom on Rabian’s face the moment her eyes met his.
“Edward. You came.”
“Dianther. You had company.”
“Yes, allow me to introduce you. This is Lady Rabian of the House of Chamber, the count’s youngest daughter. Rabian, this is my fiancé—”
“Lord Edward Edwin Callinan? Oh my, it’s truly an honor to meet you, my lord!”
Rabian stepped forward, eyes gleaming with excitement. Her flushed cheeks actually suited her curly short bob rather well. Lord Callinan’s expression was unreadable at first, but soon he offered her a pleasant smile.
Ah. There it is. The sales smile.
“The honor is mine.”
“I hope this isn’t presumptuous, but truly, there’s no couple in all of Martina that suits each other as well as you two. Everyone says so!”
“You flatter me. Thank you.”
Yeah… he didn’t sound thankful at all.
When I first met Edward Callinan, I thought he was just as unreadable as our lady. But now, after several conversations, I was starting to get a feel for him.
The way he talked, the way he looked at people—it was all so easy to see through. And yet everyone still fell for it.
Then again, with a face like that, who wouldn’t?
Rabian was still gazing at him with starry eyes, hands clasped to her chest. I’d thought she was just a devoted fan of Lady Dianther, but now it was clear she had quite a lot of interest in Lord Callinan too.
Not that I could blame her. There probably wasn’t a young noblewoman in the entire kingdom who wasn’t interested in him. Honestly, it would be weird if they weren’t.
Lady Dianther smiled behind her hand, clearly amused by Rabian’s reaction. Lord Callinan turned back to her.
“Dianther, I’ll come again another time.”
“Oh no, there’s no need! I was just about to leave anyway.”
“You don’t have to go on my account, Lady Rabian.”
“Nonsense! I couldn’t possibly interrupt your time together. Then, I’ll take my leave. Lady Dianther, Lord Callinan—please enjoy the rest of your day!”
Lady Rabian, ever tactful, finally left like a gust of wind. (She also flashed me a bright smile on her way out, which caught me completely off guard.) Taking advantage of the moment, I slipped out behind Meg and left the two of them alone as I rushed back to the kitchen.
James’s face when he saw the tray full of broken dishes and cups was something else entirely.
“Oh dear, Amel, you’ve gone and done it again. What did I tell you? Stay focused.”
“I’m already repenting, believe me…”
“Doesn’t look like it to me.”
“I’m really sorry, Head Maid.”
“What were you thinking, doing that in front of guests… Haa. Never mind.”
Meg shook her head in exasperation as she stepped into the kitchen. I’d been sure she’d scold me more, especially since those dishes were expensive, but she didn’t say much at all. She really had changed. I fiddled with the broken pieces as if trying to fix them, then gave up and dumped them in the trash with a sigh.
Meg left the kitchen. Lord Callinan was still in the mansion.
It was going to be a long day.
I loitered in the kitchen, pretending to look for tasks, hoping I wouldn’t be summoned again.
But I knew how my luck worked.
“Amel. The lady is asking for you. Upstairs.”
“…Of course.”
So much for that.
Resigned, I followed Meg in silence. Watching her walk ahead, I found myself speaking without much thought.
“Hey, Meg.”
“What.”
“You’ve… changed a little recently. Is something going on?”
“…….”
She didn’t answer. I wasn’t really expecting one, so I didn’t press further. But then, to my surprise, she opened her mouth.
“…The head maid resigned.”
“Head Maid Susan? Resigned? But she was supposed to return this month…”
“That was the plan. But I guess things with her nephew weren’t resolved.”
“…Oh.”
It had been three weeks since Susan left for her hometown. Things had been hectic, with only Matthew and Meg keeping the house running. But to resign so suddenly?
Meg looked serious as she continued.
“I spoke with the duke and duchess. It seems they’ve decided to accept Susan’s resignation.”
“Then… the head maid position?”
“Will probably go to me.”
Wasn’t that what Meg had always wanted? But she didn’t look particularly happy. I offered a congratulatory smile.
“Congratulations, Meg. You’ve worked hard. You deserve it.”
“Hmm. Getting promoted only after Susan leaves doesn’t exactly scream competence.”
Ah, so that’s what’s bothering her.
I wasn’t particularly close to the head maid, but Meg and Susan had worked closely for years. It made sense she’d feel conflicted.
She was strict and hard to please, and once even believed I’d stolen something and nearly had me kicked out, but I never disliked Meg as a person. Seeing her so troubled made her seem more human.
“Susan worked here for a long time. Maybe I was always stuck as sub-head maid because of her.”
Meg muttered the words almost to herself, her tone tinged with melancholy. I said nothing and quietly followed.
“…Whatever happens, I’ll do my best as head maid. So, Amel, get it together. You know I don’t play favorites. You know my nature best.”
“I will. And… good luck, Meg.”
She let out a faint snort, but the mood wasn’t bad. After all these years, I was still discovering new sides of her.
“I don’t know why the lady keeps calling for you lately. But make sure you act with dignity, Amel Kiselle.”
Just before I knocked on Lady Dianthe’s door, Meg spoke again. I flinched.
She’d noticed. The lady never used to call the same maid repeatedly. Meg must’ve been the first to pick up on the change. How exactly was I supposed to maintain “dignity” as a maid when I was in a secret contract with my employer?
I pressed my lips shut and raised my hand.
“This is Amel Kiselle. May I come in?”
Meg was Meg, but now it was time for my part to begin again.
I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
