The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 1

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

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Prologue

#Chapter. The Worst Day of My Life

“It’s time you repaid your debt to the family.”
Earl Graham’s icy voice made Janet swallow hard.
“Father, what do you mean…?”
“Your betrothed.”
A paper fluttered down.
The Earl had cast it at her feet. With trembling hands, she picked it up.

「James Berdin」

Beneath the name written in bold letters, the biographical details of Count Berdin were listed in succession.
Age: seventy.
Children: three.
The eldest was forty-two.
He had divorced his fourth wife days ago, and his third wife had died under mysterious circumstances during their marriage.
“For an orphan like you, it’s an exceptional match.”
“…”
“Commit everything about the Count to memory so you don’t commit any tactless blunders later.”
Janet could offer no response to the Earl’s words. She could only clutch her racing heart and bite her lips in silence.
“Now, leave.”
At the Earl’s dismissal, Janet turned away. Tears streamed down her ashen face.
That day was the worst day of my life.
And on that very worst day.
I recalled the memories of my past life like a thunderbolt.
It was a bonus to discover that this world was the world from a book I had read in my previous life.
Though I couldn’t quite remember the book’s title, its detailed plot, or who the protagonist was, it didn’t matter.
The scattered scenes I did remember contained the information I needed.
“…Ilinia.”
I had to go to Ilinia first.
Clutching the Count’s biographical paper, I murmured softly to myself.
Episode 1

#Chapter. How to Become a Villainess’s Maid

“What is it you want?”
The man’s voice was glacial as he posed the question, his narrowed eyes piercing through his counterpart like daggers.
A pallid, gaunt face. Hair and eyes as dark as the night sky itself—a deep indigo that seemed to swallow light.
Her body and expression were rigid with tension, yet her gaze burned with an unmistakable vitality.
The woman answered, her voice steeled with determination.
“I said I wish to become a lady’s maid to the Princess Julietta Ludwig. So I’m asking you to show me how.”
A soft exhale.
Janet released a quiet breath after speaking.
This was the secret reception room of the Empire’s premier Information Guild, Ilinia, and the man before me was the guild’s vice-director.
To be honest, I was quite taken aback when he first appeared.
‘Why would the vice-director himself come for a request from someone like me?’
Objectively speaking, I hardly seemed like a client important enough to warrant such attention.
But my surprise was short-lived.
I did everything in my power to achieve my objective.
As I clenched my fists tightly, trembling slightly, the man posed another question.
“What’s your reason?”
“What reason do you mean?”
“Your reason for wanting to become that woman’s maid.”
Tap, tap.
The man’s long fingers drummed against the table.
“I hear her temperament is violent and she despises people. They say she’s a dangerous woman—cross her and there won’t even be bones left to bury.”
These rumors were well-known to me as well.
But.
“Rumors are merely rumors. I don’t concern myself with them.”
“And if the rumors are true?”
“…It doesn’t matter. No matter what happens, I must become the Princess’s maid.”
“That’s quite strange.”
Hmm. The man exhaled lightly, tilting his head to one side.
“I simply cannot fathom why you’re so desperate to become that woman’s maid.”
At his final question, I blinked once.
Simultaneously, the tension that had lingered dissipated, and a sharp edge crystallized in the corners of my eyes.
‘Why must I become Julietta’s maid to such an extent?’
That’s simple.
First.
“I need funds to become independent.”
Second.
“I need a place to hide.”
Before the man’s brow could furrow at this cryptic answer,
I withdrew a crumpled piece of paper from my bag and handed it to him.
“I’d rather die than become the fifth wife of a man like this.”
That’s right.
This was precisely why I had to come to Ilinia.

***

“Well then, I look forward to working with you.”
After Janet offered her parting words and left.
Hobbs, one of Ilinia’s executives, approached Kendrick, who now stood alone in the reception room.
“That was unexpected.”
“What was?”
“The request. I thought you’d refuse it.”
As Hobbs spoke while adjusting his glasses slightly upward, Kendrick shrugged.
“Well, that was my initial intention.”
Janet Graham.
Regardless of how a VIP-level cipher had ended up in the hands of the Graham Earldom’s adopted daughter, the moment the name “Julietta Ludwig” was mentioned, I had decided to reject this request.
The reason was simple.
Julietta Ludwig was my twin sister.
The vice-commander of Ilinia and the third child of the Ludwig Grand Duchy.
Kendrick Ludwig.
That was the man’s true identity.
‘She wouldn’t have come here knowing that.’
The fact that I was the vice-commander of Ilinia was information known only to a select few executive-level members of the organization.
But still.
“No matter how coincidental it seems, it leaves a bad taste, doesn’t it?”
Of all things, to receive a request asking me to become my sister’s lady’s maid.
What kind of cruel jest of fate was this coincidence?
“But why did you change your mind?”
“That’s because….”
Because?
“The reason was quite compelling.”
“Pardon?”
Kendrick handed a piece of paper to Hobbs, who wore a puzzled expression.
After reviewing the contents of the paper he’d received, Hobbs clicked his tongue.
“Personal information on Count Berdin, sir.”
“Right. I heard he’s Janet’s prospective fiancé.”
“Ugh. Truly?”
Hobbs made a retching sound as he asked.
And for good reason—Count James Berdin was an elderly man who had just turned seventy this year.
He had recently completed divorce proceedings with his fourth wife, who was thirty years his junior, and had already begun searching for a fifth wife candidate—.
“I never thought he’d set his sights on such a young lady.”
Janet Graham’s coming-of-age birthday was still half a year away.
In other words, Janet Graham was still a minor.
“Right? I never thought there could be someone worse than my own father.”
“Mm….”
At Kendrick’s self-deprecating murmur, Hobbs averted his eyes. He lacked the courage to speak ill of the Grand Duke, even indirectly.
Ahem.
Hobbs cleared his throat awkwardly and continued naturally.
“In any case, Earl Graham is quite something. To think he’d sell off his adopted daughter to such a man, no matter the circumstances.”
“That’s what happens when inhuman creatures conduct their affairs.”
Hobbs nodded at Kendrick’s cold remark.
“True enough.”
Three years ago.
Shortly after the ‘Ashleyde War’—which had raged for three years—ended in the Empire’s victory.
Nobles strapped for coin by the war began adopting orphans of age instead of hiring servants.
It was to burden them with unpaid household labor.
Children adopted this way rarely received proper treatment, let alone recognition as family members.
Janet was one such case.
“So that’s why Miss Graham sought to become a lady’s maid to Princess Julietta? While serving an unmarried Grand Princess, marriage and betrothals are strictly forbidden.”
“Exactly. It’s a rather clever plan. A maid in the Ludwig household would earn substantial wages.”
Tap, tap.
Kendrick’s lips curved into a leisurely smile as he lightly drummed the table.
“Yes, it is a sound plan, but….”
Hobbs’s doubts remained unresolved.
Certainly, for Miss Graham, ‘becoming a lady’s maid to the Ludwig Grand Princess’ was the optimal choice to escape her current predicament.
However.
‘Isn’t accepting this commission a separate matter entirely from that?’
“Desperate people make for excellent trading partners.”
Ugh.
Kendrick read the unspoken question from Hobbs’s expression without difficulty, and Hobbs asked with an exasperated look.
“Trading partners?”
“Yes. A trade.”
Seeing the smile spread across his face, Hobbs sighed.
“So you didn’t simply accept the commission in a straightforward manner.”
“Of course not. How could I lightly accept a matter involving my sister?”
Ah, that makes sense.
“So what trade did you strike?”
“I told her I’d make her a lady’s maid to Julietta Ludwig in exchange for signing a contract.”
A contract?
Kendrick gestured with his chin toward the table. A single sheet of paper lay face-down upon it.
Hobbs reached out and flipped the paper over.
“This is….”
As I murmured, the letters on the contract began to shimmer faintly.

***

「Contract Document
Party A: Ilinia
Party B: Janet Graham

Party A shall assist Party B in becoming a lady’s maid to Julietta Ludwig.
Should Party B become a lady’s maid to Julietta Ludwig with Party A’s assistance, Party B shall dutifully uphold the following terms.

1. Party B shall not betray Party A.
2. Party B shall not betray Julietta Ludwig.
3. Party B shall serve Julietta Ludwig.
4. Party B shall make every effort to protect the safety of Julietta Ludwig.

Party A shall provide all resources necessary for Party B to uphold the above terms.
Upon the contract’s natural expiration, Party A shall pay Party B 500 million Ecles.
(However, Party A may refuse the above payment should Julietta Ludwig’s orders cause Party B severe harm to life or honor.)

Should either Party A or Party B violate this contract, they shall face punishment worse than death.

This contract shall remain in effect for the duration of Party B’s (Janet Graham) service as a lady’s maid to Julietta Ludwig.」

“No. This is truly remarkable…?”
A magical contract that inscribes glowing letters.
I examined the luminous contract repeatedly, letting out a small exclamation of wonder.

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

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