The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 57

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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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Chapter 57

“Look over there. Marquis Ortea has arrived.”
“Do you think he came to see his son, Lishar?”
“But why would he come to the special enrollment ceremony just to see Lishar?”
All eyes turned toward Marquis Ortea as he made his dramatic entrance. Even those hurrying to leave the Grand Hall paused to catch a glimpse of him.
As the man responsible for the border between the Northern Region and the Demon Kingdom, his presence in the Capital was rare indeed.
Yet scarcely had the crowd settled when another remarkable figure appeared.
“Janet!”
“Julietta Ludwig?”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I came. It’s simply unacceptable for my maidservant to stand alone like this.”
Behind her, as she toyed with her golden hair that fell below her shoulders, two young maidservants followed, each carrying an enormous bouquet.
“So Sandy and Mary came too.”
“Yes. We asked if we could come along because we wanted to congratulate you on your enrollment, Maidservant.”
“Congratulations on your enrollment, Maidservant.”
The two girls smiled brightly as they presented the massive bouquet.
“I specially ordered this bouquet and brought it… But what? Why are you already holding one?”
Indeed, Janet was already cradling a large bouquet in her arms.
“Ha ha! It seems the young lady arrived a step too late! I’ve already taken care of Janet’s bouquet.”
“You are…”
Julietta Ludwig trailed off, her expression becoming peculiar. Janet, quick to read the meaning in her face, whispered softly.
“It’s Marquis Ortea.”
“What? The Marquis?”
As expected. She hadn’t known who he was.
“But why did the Marquis give Janet a bouquet?”
“Well, of course I had to! I am Janet’s one and only patron, after all!”
The Marquis’s confident response sent a ripple through the surrounding crowd.
Those who had been pretending not to look suddenly fixed their gazes entirely upon Janet.
A maidservant to Julietta Ludwig, and patronized by a Marquis.
“Son, watch her carefully and befriend her.”
“Daughter, you need to make a good impression on her?!”
Urgent whispers of parents hastily disciplining their children erupted from all directions.

***

Inside the rattling carriage.
Janet glanced around at the other passengers, then squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again.
Marquis Ortea and Julietta Ludwig.
And Theo as well.
‘What on earth is this combination?’
The four of us were currently heading toward Marquis Ortea’s townhouse in the Capital.
“Why must we go there specifically? We could simply proceed to the Ludwig townhouse.”
“My apologies, Miss Julietta. The Marquis insisted on showing you his residence.”
“…Tch. I’m not pleased about this. But who exactly is that man?”
A sidelong glance.
Julietta Ludwig peered at Theo from the corner of her eye as she asked.
Given his impressive height and striking features, she would surely have remembered him had they crossed paths in High Society.
Of course, Julietta Ludwig rarely attended social gatherings.
In any case.
“He doesn’t appear to be nobility. Unless… could he be the Marquis’s illegitimate child—”
“Absolutely not. Please don’t say such frightening things, Miss Julietta.”
“Hmph. It matters little. My father has four illegitimate children, after all.”
When she put it that way, there was nothing left to say.
“So who is he really? Do you know him?”
“We both receive patronage from the Marquis.”
“…Are you close?”
Close?
In that moment, Theo’s body, which had been staring intently out the window, flinched slightly.
It was a reaction Janet didn’t notice, but it clearly registered in the Marquis’s field of vision.
At the sight of the Marquis’s snickering expression, Theo shot him a sharp glare.
But the very next moment.
“Yes. We’re close.”
The moment my answer came, the intensity in his eyes melted away.
Even as the Marquis’s laughter grew louder beside me, his gaze remained soft.
Meanwhile, the carriage arrived at the Marquis Ortea’s townhouse.
Though not quite as grand as the Ludwig residence, Marquis Ortea’s townhouse was nonetheless among the most impressive in the Capital.
“Come now, do step inside.”
It was just as we crossed the threshold under the Marquis’s guidance.
“….”
Lishar, dressed in traveling clothes as if about to depart, came face-to-face with our group at that very moment.
“Oh, Lishar. Where are you headed?”
At the Marquis’s question, Lishar fell silent.
Regardless, the Marquis continued with what he had to say.
“What a shame. I had arranged for all of us to dine together this evening to celebrate Janet and Theo’s admission to the Academy.”
“…Dinner?”
“Yes. Ideally, I’d like you to join us as well, but if you have other plans, feel free to—”
“I don’t have any.”
“Hmm? You don’t? Anyone can see you were about to head out.”
“You’re mistaken.”
Mistaken? The person in question stood right before my eyes.
Yet Lishar remained grave and resolute.
“Then I’ll see you at dinner.”
*Nod.*
Lishar offered a light bow and turned back the way he’d come.
“Janet.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“Something seems off about everyone from the Marquis’s side. Is your patron treating you well?”
At Julietta Ludwig’s sincere whisper, Janet offered an ambiguous smile.

***

“Do you have any foods you dislike?”
“No, I don’t.”
As Janet answered the Marquis’s question, Theo beside her added lightly.
“Miss Janet is quite fond of meat.”
“Oh, you like meat? What kind?”
“She enjoys all varieties without preference.”
“…I didn’t ask you. You fool.”
Julietta Ludwig, arms crossed firmly, fixed Theo with a disapproving glare.
‘How irritating.’
There was something oddly familiar about him, yet it grated on her nerves.
But no matter how hard she thought, no one came to mind.
‘His face is unfamiliar. His voice is one I’ve never heard before.’
Was it merely her imagination?
Kendrick’s heart raced beneath Julietta Ludwig’s piercing gaze, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
Since Jeron’s Birthday Ball, Kendrick had pressed Owen to add voice distortion to the cognition-resistance artifact.
To conceal both his face and voice perfectly.
Of course, the facial cognition resistance seemed ineffective against Miss Janet.
‘Fortunately, the voice function appears to be working.’
But Julietta Ludwig was his one and only twin sister, separate from Janet.
Born on the same day, at the same hour, beneath the same mother—might she not recognize his true identity?
“Tsk. Never mind. You there, man. Don’t get any ideas about our Janet. Understand?”
Well, that was an unnecessary worry.

Meanwhile, while the twin siblings bickered back and forth, Lishar’s gaze remained fixed solely on Janet.
“Is there something you wanted to say to me?”
“Father has decided to become your official patron.”
“That’s right. The Marquis Ortea graciously offered to become my patron.”
“Yes. I see.”
Lishar nodded briefly in response.
‘He doesn’t seem displeased about it.’
I had worried that he might resent his father making the sponsorship decision unilaterally.
But that didn’t appear to be the case.
Still, with his perpetually vacant and cold expression, reading Lishar’s thoughts proved remarkably difficult.
Before long, the dining table where everyone had gathered was laden with food.
Meat dishes, which Janet had mentioned enjoying, dominated the spread.
“Eat plenty, Janet. And please, help yourself generously, Lady Julietta!”
“Thank you for the meal.”
Janet bowed respectfully before surveying the dishes arrayed before her.
Every single item looked delicious.
Knowing it had all been prepared for her made it all the more appealing.
“Please enjoy your meal, Lady Julietta.”
“You enjoy it too. And remember, you’re the guest of honor today, so don’t worry about anything.”
Julietta Ludwig spoke in a slightly mischievous tone, observing how Janet remained mindful of her duties even at a celebration arranged in her honor.
“Besides, once you’re at the Academy, you won’t be a maidservant anymore anyway.”
Ahem.
Julietta Ludwig gave a light cough and added while poking at her food with her fork.
“There, you’ll simply be a f-friend. You need to start getting used to that.”
Janet smiled and nodded at the way Julietta Ludwig broached the subject while pretending it was nothing.
“Yes. At the Academy, I should be your friend entirely.”
At Janet’s response, Julietta Ludwig brought the food she’d speared on her fork to her mouth.
The corners of her mouth kept curling upward as she chewed.
Just as Janet, who had smiled softly, was about to begin eating.
Clink.
Two plates slid toward her all at once.

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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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