The Peaceful Life Of A Maid Who Hides Her Power And Enjoys It - Chapter 13

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 13

I pride myself on having met quite a variety of human types throughout my life.

Especially having spent my youth on the battlefield, I experienced various connections that I couldn’t have encountered on the island.

But I swear, an egg was a first.

‘A master made of an egg…’

I sat squarely in the middle of the large bed, carefully examining the size and appearance of the egg that seemed to be at least half my height. It was pretty for an egg, though.

‘Could this be some kind of Weatherwax family joke?’

The real Weatherwax Baroness would emerge from inside the room while I was confused.

Just in case, I acted surprised with exaggerated gestures.

“Oh my!”

But no matter how long I waited, nothing like the real Weatherwax Baroness appeared. Hmm. Perhaps my reaction was too lackluster.

I looked at the Head Maid for advice, but couldn’t bring myself to speak. The Head Maid’s face was far too serious.

Thanks to that, I was able to return to the reality I had been avoiding.

The white egg neatly placed on the bed.

‘This egg is really the Weatherwax Baroness.’

I straightened my back and faced the egg.

Wasn’t this the first meeting between a maid and her master? I had to make a good impression.

I gently stroked the shell of the egg—no, the Weatherwax Baroness—and greeted her.

“Baroness.”

How smooth.

Naturally, no answer came. Only a soft pulsing like a heartbeat was transmitted from inside the eggshell.

“How is it, Miss Daisy?”

How is it?

“Soft and smooth. Warm and cozy.”

The Head Maid, who had looked surprised for a moment, covered her mouth and burst into loud laughter.

This was the first time I’d seen the Head Maid laugh so heartily, so it felt a bit awkward.

“You really are…”

Ahem. She cleared her throat awkwardly and looked at the egg with somewhat relieved eyes.

“I first saw the current Weatherwax Baroness four years ago. Back then, she was really smaller than a chicken egg, but now she’s grown so much that I can barely hold her in one armful.”

She’s been growing continuously for four years?

“She looks soft, and even though you can feel a heartbeat, the shell itself is incredibly hard. Probably couldn’t be pierced by an ordinary sword.”

Is this egg really alive?

The Head Maid, who had been quietly observing my expression, whispered softly.

“Don’t doubt it, Miss Daisy. This egg was personally entrusted to me by the Previous Baroness, who asked me to ‘please take good care of my successor.'”

“Mm.”

“Grey Weatherwax Baroness is the Previous Baroness’s only successor. The Previous Baroness died in battle during the Mage War. She was a hero of humanity, a great figure of the Empire, and the pride of our family. She devoted herself for a full ten years, sacrificing all her wealth. She willingly gave four estates to the Conscription Corps and built orphanages throughout the Empire to care for children who had lost their parents and families. I remember she received many medals during her lifetime.”

While the Head Maid smiled softly with eyes that traced the past, I slowly removed my hand from the egg.

‘The Mage War.’

This place, Midwintry, is a city far removed from the southern front lines, a land with little connection to the Mage War.

That’s how war usually is. It certainly has a clear influence throughout the land, knowingly or unknowingly, but even that varied greatly by region.

The citizens of Midwintry probably only felt the reality of war through things like forced conscription.

In Midwintry’s scenery, solid and seamlessly clean like a completed puzzle, the smell of death was faint. There were no traces of collapsed buildings or crematoriums for burning the war dead.

So after settling here, my past of surviving on the front lines sometimes felt distant.

‘I wonder if I ever encountered the previous Weatherwax Baroness on the battlefield?’

Though I first heard the surname Weatherwax after coming to Midwintry, it wasn’t impossible that we had met by chance during the war.

Since she was such a devoted person who generously shared her family’s wealth. We surely must have crossed paths at least once.

‘There was a reason why the interior of the estate was so shabby, unbecoming of nobility.’

Good people always leave early.

This is an unchanging truth.

If the previous Weatherwax Baroness had survived, she would have been revered as a hero who achieved great merit and elevated the family’s prestige. But when you die, only medals and honor remain.

Moreover, the only successor isn’t even a person but an ‘egg’…

“The Previous Baroness even got married during the war. Wasn’t she quite romantic?”

The Head Maid’s gaze turned to the wall opposite the bed.

As she approached the wall holding a lamp, a large portrait hidden in the darkness revealed itself.

“Her partner was Enart Rosebell. The only son and successor of the Rosebell Baron Family. Not long after the Previous Baroness died in battle, he followed her in death shortly after.”

In the portrait stood two people, a man and a woman.

The blonde pair were ordinary except for being noticeably young. The leisure characteristic of the upper class emanated from their fine clothing and gentle expressions.

“When the current Baron Rosebell passes away, all of the Rosebell family’s title and wealth will belong to our Baroness.”

Baron Rosebell was a name I knew as well. He was a veteran who had roamed the battlefields alongside Duke Buckley Graton, the Sword Saint.

‘He must still be in good health.’

Though we weren’t closely connected, just the news of his survival made me feel pleasant.

“Actually, quite a substantial portion already belongs to the Weatherwax family. The previous Baroness brought an enormous dowry. However, due to pre-marital contract terms, the previous Baroness’s dowry is tightly bound. Currently, no one can use it. Not even Weatherwax Baroness, who is the legal successor.”

For the Weatherwax family, it was like one misfortune after another.

“What the assassins are after is probably that wealth. The current Weatherwax family is suffering from very diverse and… creative yet malicious rumors. Well, it’s natural since the new successor of such a prestigious family isn’t engaging in any activities.”

‘The previous Baroness’s wealth.’

It’s not like she was the only wealthy noble in the world. They sent assassins multiple times just for some tied-up wealth?

Suspicious, very suspicious.

I didn’t bother telling the Head Maid, but I thought the reason for sending assassins wasn’t solely about the wealth.

“Are these secrets I’m allowed to know?”

The Head Maid, who had been quietly looking up at the portrait, turned to me.

“What can’t be done when we’ve even made a vow? From now on, the person who needs to be careful with their words isn’t me but you, Miss Daisy. It feels so refreshing to reveal everything honestly. You have no idea how hard it was to keep my mouth shut for four whole years.”

I turned my head to examine the huge egg on the bed.

Why is the previous Weatherwax Baroness’s successor an egg?

Of all the many things, why specifically an egg? And what’s inside this egg?

It would be fortunate if, after a little more time, the egg hatched and a person was born. But if something else were to be born…

‘No. Logically, that possibility is slim.’

Rather, the assumption that the successor was being protected inside the eggshell seemed most plausible.

The Weatherwax Baroness couple, worried about emergencies, had placed a ‘protective barrier’ around their successor who would have been an infant.

If a child could grow safely inside an unbreakable egg, there would be no threat from relatives blinded by wealth.

In short, this egg was truly the Weatherwax family’s successor.

“Are the secrets of Weatherwax burdensome to you?”

“Not particularly.”

“That’s a relief. I thought Miss Daisy would be fine with it. You’re, um. Well. A little… strange, aren’t you?”

“That’s a rude expression.”

“Don’t take it too badly. Still, Mr. Lu is stranger than you.”

That’s true.

“Miss Daisy seems to live each day earnestly, which is nice to see. I’m curious about what drives you to live so vigorously. Can you tell me?”

An unexpected question that somehow felt even philosophical.

‘A driving force. Is Dian Ket’s legacy my life’s driving force?’

That was my life’s goal, but couldn’t be called a driving force.

I’m not living because of Dian Ket’s legacy.

Even if there had been no hope of fixing my soul, I would have lived fully through the three years given to me. I couldn’t commit suicide just because I had no goals or driving force, right?

“Perhaps you have nothing at all?”

“Nothing comes to mind particularly.”

“I see. That’s why I chose you.”

“…”

“Usually people like Miss Daisy don’t betray others. Those who have no interest in others and no interest in themselves. Come to think of it, it’s interesting. Is it that they don’t betray because they have no interest?”

I thought she might be mocking me for living thoughtlessly. But the Head Maid seemed to have her own firm standards for judging people.

When I just stared silently, the Head Maid smiled somewhat sheepishly and returned to the bedside to extinguish the lamp.

“I’m sorry. I think I was too rude in my assumptions. I hope you’ll forgive me generously. For some reason, I became quite talkative with you today. Well then, let’s head back now, it’s late.”

We left the bedroom and returned to the first floor.

The Head Maid, perhaps intending to relight her half-smoked cigarette, passed ahead of me and went out the back door through the kitchen. I also followed her out to the backyard of the estate.

Since there were chores that needed to be taken care of.

“Oh my. Come to think of it, what about those guys.”

Passing by the Head Maid who had paused before even lighting her cigarette, I hoisted the two bundles onto my shoulders.

I didn’t forget to give another knock on the head to one of the assassins who was stirring and trying to wake up.

As I lightly leaped up onto the fence, the Head Maid urgently asked me a question.

“What do you plan to do with them?”

For now, I planned to leave them with the Assassin Butler, but the specific method of disposal would need to be discussed with him.

Considering the special nature of the Eshuler Estate—that is, the house across from us—it would be best to keep them there for the time being.

…Since explaining all that would take too long, I gave a brief answer.

“Burial.”

Leaving behind the pale-faced Head Maid, I crossed over to the Eshuler Estate.

Whether I should call it fortunate or not, the Assassin Butler seemed to welcome the existence of the two bundles. He said he was just short-handed or something.

Several days later.

I slapped Baron Fedegail, who claimed to be a close friend of the previous owner, and was sued for assault and intimidation charges.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————