The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 60

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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 60

“What do you mean by that?”
“Exactly what I said. I have no intention of being friends with you, so stop pretending to be so close to me.”
Julietta Ludwig’s words were as cold as a bitter winter wind, and she turned on her heel without hesitation.
“Don’t follow me. I’m eating lunch alone today.”
“But—”
“This is an order, Janet. From the moment you left the Academy, you became my maid, didn’t you?”
Julietta Ludwig shrugged her shoulders and spun around, walking away with a sharp turn.
Janet stood frozen in place, watching Julietta Ludwig’s retreating figure.
Theo approached Janet as she trudged back to the classroom.
“Did you two have a fight?”
He too had been sensing an odd tension between them for the past few days.
It seemed as though Julietta Ludwig was unilaterally avoiding Janet.
Had it finally exploded into the open?
But Janet shook her head firmly.
“No, it’s not like that.”
“Then…?”
“She’s doing it on purpose.”
Janet exhaled a long sigh and leaned her back against the chair.
“On purpose?”
“Yes. I think she believes that because of her, I can’t make friends.”
Theo fell silent for a moment at Janet’s words.
Janet can’t make friends because of Julietta Ludwig?
“Hmm. That’s partially correct.”
“Even you, Theo?”
“I can’t deny something that’s true.”
It was a remark befitting the vice-captain of the Information Guild, who worked with speed, precision, and reliability.
“If even a third party like me can sense it, then Julietta Ludwig must have been aware of it for some time.”
“I suppose so. That’s what I think too. But—”
“But?”
“I’m really not interested in friends like that.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Janet’s answer was unwavering.
“What does the number of friends matter? It’s not about quantity—it’s about having good friends.”
“That’s a good perspective.”
Theo nodded in agreement, then casually added a question.
“By the way, does that ‘good friend’ include me?”
“Of course. For me, having just you and Julietta Ludwig is enough.”
“I feel the same way. Janet and Julietta Ludwig are more than sufficient.”
The two exchanged glances and let out a soft laugh.
“For now, I think we should go home and have a proper conversation.”
Just as Julietta Ludwig said, the moment we stepped outside the Academy, our relationship would shift to that of maid and mistress.
Which meant we would become inseparable, whether we liked it or not.

However.
My plan to go home and discuss things calmly with her fell through completely.
“Enough. Stop talking about this. No matter what you say, my mind won’t change.”
Julietta Ludwig, unusually firm, cut me off before I could even properly voice my thoughts.
“But, Your Highness—”
“I said stop, didn’t I?”
Julietta Ludwig’s eyes narrowed sharply as she glared at me silently.
Then, with a deep sigh, she continued.
“You’re a good maid to me. That won’t change. But I have no intention of becoming friends with you.”
Unable to say anything, I stood there dejected, and Julietta Ludwig averted her gaze slightly.
“Starting tomorrow, there’s no need to acknowledge each other at the Academy.”
“What? Why not? Even if we’re not friends, we can still talk to each other.”
“No. You keep overstepping, and I won’t have it. Besides, I’ve already made a friend to spend time with.”
“…You’ve made a friend?”
“Yes. So don’t bring up this nonsense about friendship again.”
Faced with Julietta Ludwig’s unwavering resolve, I had no choice but to surrender.
With her being so firm about this, I began to wonder if my assumption that she was deliberately avoiding me for my sake had been entirely mistaken.
Besides, if Her Highness truly had made a new friend, that was something to celebrate…
Yet I couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

***

“Julietta Ludwig!”
“Audrey.”
Audrey let out a bright, crystalline laugh and naturally linked her arm through Julietta Ludwig’s.
Those passing through the corridor glanced at them with curiosity.
The notorious villainess, walking arm in arm with someone?
“You’ll have lunch with me today too, right?”
“Yes. Let’s do that.”
“Mm. I really, really like you, Julietta Ludwig.”
At Audrey’s affectionate words, I simply smiled without responding.
Just then, I caught sight of Janet approaching from the opposite end of the corridor. Janet spotted me at the same moment.
Her dark eyes shifted from Audrey at my side and fell away.
“Julietta Ludwig. Where are you going—”
“Janet! What are you—oh, oh my.”
Just as Janet was about to speak to me, a classmate cheerfully called out to her and approached, then stopped short.
She had spotted Julietta Ludwig standing before Janet.
“Um, that is…”
At the sight of her stammering and lowering her gaze, I let out a scoff.
“Janet.”
“Yes, Julietta Ludwig.”
“Didn’t I tell you not to speak to me? You haven’t forgotten already, have you?”
“…No. I haven’t forgotten.”
“Good. Then that’s settled. Let’s go, Audrey.”
“Yes. Julietta Ludwig!”
With her cheerful response, Audrey tightened her grip on my linked arm.
Janet watched the two of us grow distant with a dispirited gaze.
“Sorry, Janet. Did I get in the way of something?”
At the classmate’s cautious question, Janet shook her head.
“It’s not like that. So why did you call me anyway?”
“Huh? I didn’t really have anything in particular—I just called out because I was happy to see you. Oh, I have an appointment, so I’ll be going!”
The classmate who had approached so noisily hurried away without any real business.
Left alone in the corridor, Janet heaved another deep sigh.
Days passed, yet the awkwardness between Janet and me remained unresolved.
The more thoroughly I ignored her at the Academy, the more that same atmosphere seeped into daily life.
With each passing day, our relationship deteriorated further, and Janet’s sighs only multiplied.
Sigh.
“At this rate, the ground itself will cave in.”
At Theo’s worried words, Janet collapsed onto her desk listlessly.
“I almost wish the ground would cave in.”
“The situation seems quite serious.”
“Yes. Very much so.”
I worked hard and passed the entrance exam to attend the Academy with Julietta Ludwig.
But with each passing day, our relationship has grown worse.
‘Did I come here for nothing? Should I just quit now?’
But I couldn’t do that.
I had to monitor Lishar during Swordsmanship Department classes. I couldn’t leave the Academy until I completely resolved his affairs.
“Still, it’s wonderful that Julietta Ludwig has made a friend.”
…No. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was something to be happy about.

“Julietta!”
“Audrey.”

Watching the two of them call each other by their names so casually, linking arms, having become far closer to each other in such a short time than they were to me, my heart ached.
Though it was presumptuous of me, I felt as though my precious best friend had been stolen away.
“I can’t help it. I’m having such dark thoughts that I should go wash my face.”
“…This side of you, Janet, is new to me.”
“Yes. It feels new to me too.”
Setting aside memories from my past life.
In this life, Julietta Ludwig was essentially my first real friend.
Yet here I was, in this state. The emotional blow was far greater than I’d anticipated.
Shuffle, shuffle.
I arrived at the Restroom with heavy steps and walked to an empty sink, splashing my face with cold water.
Only then did I feel my reason returning.
‘That’s right. I’m the young lady’s maid.’
No matter what anyone says, I mustn’t forget my duty.
Just as I was trying to steel myself like that.
Creak.
“Audrey, you’re really amazing. Are you actually going to succeed in becoming that woman’s maid?”
“Well. I’ve always been resourceful, haven’t I?”
“If you really do become a maid, you have to introduce me to some nobles too, right?”
“We’ll see.”
“Come on! That’s not fair!”
At the sound of their hushed conversation, I instinctively hid myself in an empty Restroom stall.
Just in case, I left the stall door only half-closed rather than shutting it completely.
From outside, it would look as though no one was inside.
Soon, their voices drew closer.
“Is anyone here?”
“No. Doesn’t seem like it.”
Once the two of them confirmed the Restroom was empty, they continued their conversation.
“But that woman is weaker than I thought. The moment you suggested that her maid was being ostracized because of you, she just folded like that.”
“It’s always the way with girls who seem prickly on the surface—they’re soft inside.”
“True enough. But don’t forget my contribution either! Every time you walked with the princess, I made a point of acknowledging Janet right in front of you. Do you have any idea how difficult it was to get the timing just right?”
Every time Audrey and the princess walked together, he appeared before me as if on cue?
As Janet turned those words over in her mind, a familiar face flickered through her thoughts.

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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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