The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 82

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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 82

‘I never expected Oscar to send me a gift.’
To be honest, my connection with Oscar was limited to a few chance encounters while resolving matters related to Jeron.
And what he’d sent was a pocket watch that clearly looked quite valuable.

「Happy birthday, Miss Graham.
I’m counting on you to look after my siblings going forward.」

The birthday card bore an elegant script with those words.
‘Siblings?’
I could understand Julietta, but was he including Jeron as well?
Yes, it seemed that way.
As for his other siblings…
‘They’re not people I’d be asked to look after.’
Nodding to myself, I carefully folded Oscar’s birthday note and tucked it into a drawer.
Now, for the remaining boxes…
“These are all from the Marquis of Byeon.”
Ha. Just looking at the quantity made me laugh despite myself.
The gifts were remarkably diverse.
Summer dresses perfect for warm weather, and hunting attire suited for hunting season.
Several pairs of shoes and gloves.
Precious jewelry including bracelets and necklaces.
Even toys that children would enjoy playing with, much like what Julietta had given me.
‘Wow. There really is everything here.’
I rolled a wheeled carriage toy across the floor, and my lips curved upward in a soft smile.
Watching this brought back memories of not long after I’d entered the Ludwig Family.
That incident when Theo had sent an avalanche of gifts using the Marquis of Byeon’s name.
‘Thanks to that, I was able to capture Sien.’
In any case, these gifts were from the real Marquis of Byeon, not Theo.
“You really didn’t need to send so much.”
Yet something felt strange.
If I’d received such gifts from anyone else, I would surely have felt burdened, but instead, joy overwhelmed any sense of obligation.
With my nose tingling at the emotion, I gathered the bear doll Julietta had given me and the rabbit doll Liam had sent, hugging them tightly.
‘Could this all be a dream?’
From the moment I opened my eyes this morning, joy had overflowed so abundantly that it felt almost frightening.
I feared that if I closed my eyes and opened them again, all of this might vanish like a dream.
But fortunately, the soft texture of the dolls against my face felt remarkably vivid.
Feeling as though that sensation was proof this wasn’t a dream, I buried my face in the dolls for a long while.

***

…Yes, this is good.
So this is my true dream.
Gazing at the scene unfolding before me, I closed my eyes tightly, then opened them again.
Yet the reality remained vivid.
“My, why is everyone just standing there? Please, do have your meal.”
With a soft laugh, Rosina spoke.
To Janet, Julietta Ludwig, and both Theo and Lishar.
‘Could it really be that Rosina invited these two people?’
And under the guise of her own birthday party, no less. No matter how I thought about it, this felt like a dream rather than reality.
“Since guests have arrived, I invited them to join us for dinner. Parties are always more enjoyable with more people, don’t you think?”
“Yes. I share that sentiment. Thank you for the invitation, Miss Rosina.”
“…Thank you.”
Bow.
As the two men lowered their heads in gratitude, Rosina smiled gently and gave a slight shrug.
“I’ve prepared guest rooms as well, so feel free to stay the night.”
“Oh no, we couldn’t possibly….”
“Thank you.”
Just as Theo began to decline with a smile, he stopped mid-sentence and spun around to look at Lishar.
“What? You’re staying here tonight?”
“She invited us to stay.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean we actually have to….”
Sigh.
He exhaled sharply and turned back to Rosina with his response.
“I appreciate your kindness. I’ll impose upon you for just one night.”
“Please, think nothing of it.”
In truth, from Kendrick’s perspective, it was like staying at his own home.
“Well then, shall we all raise a toast? Janet has come of age today, after all—surely a congratulatory drink is in order?”
At Rosina’s familiar take-charge manner, Julietta Ludwig cast a puzzled glance in her direction.
‘But why is Rosina throwing a birthday party for Janet?’
It was a question that Janet herself shared.
In any case, each of them raised their glasses high, their questions lingering unresolved.
“To celebrate Janet’s coming of age. Cheers.”

***

“Are you alright, Janet?”
“Oh, Theo!”
Kendrick steadied Janet’s swaying arm with careful support.
One’s first encounter with alcohol was deceptively perilous—doubly so when it came in the form of sweet wine.
Without knowing one’s own tolerance, drinking wine as casually as juice could lead to sudden intoxication.
Much like Janet’s current state.
“Did you come looking for me?”
“You went out for fresh air and never returned, so I came to check on you.”
“Haha, sorry about that. The night breeze felt so nice, I lost track of time.”
Janet sat on a Garden bench, gazing up at the sky.
“What about the others?”
“Everyone except Rosina has fallen asleep.”
“I thought as much. They all looked drowsy earlier.”
“Not drowsy—drunk.”
That was the truth.
Despite my earlier warnings about the dangers of drinking for the first time, I actually had a relatively strong constitution when it came to alcohol.
Julietta Ludwig and Lishar had flushed crimson long ago, lost in a daze.
Both of them, despite their appearance suggesting otherwise, had surprisingly weak tolerances.
“Phew. You know, Theo? I was truly happy today.”
“Were you?”
“Yes. I never knew birthdays could be this wonderful.”
Janet laughed, her face more relaxed than usual, her smile loose and unguarded.
Faced with that smile, Kendrick felt heat rising to the crown of his head and averted his gaze.
“Hey, Theo.”
“Yes, Janet?”
“Should we drop the formalities between us?”
“…Pardon?”
“I mean, you and I are friends, and Julietta and I are friends too. But you speak formally to me while you use casual speech with Julietta. It doesn’t make sense.”
Janet pouted uncharacteristically, her eyes narrowing as she fixed Kendrick with a pointed stare.
“Unless… we’re not just friends, but something more complicated?”
“Hush. Someone might misunderstand.”
“Huh? Misunderstand what?”
Blink, blink.
Faced with her innocent, clueless expression, Kendrick found himself at a loss for words.
Right. What could anyone possibly misunderstand?
Sigh.
As I exhaled deeply, a faint trace of alcohol rose from the depths of my throat.
“Janet.”
“Yes?”
“If that’s what you want, I’ll drop the formalities.”
“…Huh?”
“I can give you anything you want.”
“…W-what?”
Janet blinked in surprise.
“Wait, hold on.”
“What? Don’t you like speaking casually anymore?”
“No. It’s not that I dislike it….”
It wasn’t that I disliked speaking casually.
It was just that an inexplicable shyness made it difficult for me to do so.
“Ahem.”
At the sight of Janet clearing her throat and pretending to look away, Kendrick let out a soft laugh.
‘Time has already passed like this.’
It was just past ten o’clock.
In two more hours, Janet’s birthday would be over.
Kendrick fingered the gift in his pocket.
If I’d known she’d get tipsy like this, I should have given it to her when Lishar did earlier.
Lishar had pulled out his gift just as the meal was reaching its peak.
It was a large bouquet of flowers and a summer shawl.

“It’s said to be nice to wear when the sun is hot.”
“Did you choose this yourself…?”
“…Yes. It’s your gift, after all.”

No matter how I thought about it, he was a curious fellow.
Only the commander and I knew that Janet might be Genia.
After the Luna incident, or rather, thinking back on it, even before that, Lishar had openly favored Janet.
Fortunately, it didn’t seem to be romantic affection.
When Shane had jokingly asked if he had an unrequited love for Janet, he’d genuinely recoiled.
“Janet.”
“Yes, Theo.”
Good, it seemed she’d decided to go back to formal speech.
“Happy birthday. I mean it sincerely.”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
“This is the gift I prepared for you.”
A soft exhale.
With that shallow breath, I took out the box from my pocket and handed it to her.

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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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