You Said I Was a Persecuted, Terminally Ill Grand Duchess? - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 6

“Oh my~”

“What’s all this about?”

“Her Grace the Duchess and her maid have finally met!”

Before long, a crowd of servants had gathered around Rene and Katarina, watching the spectacle.

As Katarina sharply turned her head in surging irritation, one of the maids who met her eyes flinched in shock and quickly looked down.

Through the murmuring that pierced her ears, a sneer flickered across the lips of a manservant across from her.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as they say.

Because Katarina had been so tyrannical, the servants of the Duke’s Castle had no particular fondness for her.

The servants were subtly taking Rene’s side, mocking her.

As if they found it absolutely delightful!

‘Detestable creatures! Those who wouldn’t dare make a peep in front of me, how dare they!’

Feeling unbearable humiliation, Katarina opened her mouth again.

Suppressing her rising anger, with a somewhat artificial voice.

“Are you upset that I didn’t come to see you? I’m sorry. As a maid, I should have sought out my mistress first…”

“Is that so? I wasn’t particularly… concerned about it. I’d be happy to have a companion to talk with. But it would be difficult to come to the Annex wearing that dress.”

“…”

This time she couldn’t even respond.

Having clenched her jaw so tightly that it ached, fine tremors began to occur.

Regardless.

“When you come to talk with me, it would be better to wear more comfortable clothes.”

Rene looked straight into Katarina’s eyes until the end, speaking in a gentle voice.

It appeared quite affectionate.

But Katarina knew the sharp blade hidden within.

‘Is she saying I’m wearing clothes that don’t suit my station?’

It wasn’t just being stabbed by the blade.

She was being thoroughly butchered in front of everyone!

“…Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“When you come, let my maid Betty know. I have other business to attend to, so I’ll be going now.”

Just as she had appeared quietly, Rene disappeared leisurely.

Left in the lobby were Katarina, trembling alone, and the servants who remained, still murmuring as if enjoying a good show.

Wrapped in humiliation, Katarina stood as if rooted to the spot, mulling over Rene’s words.

‘My maid? I’m the higher-ranking maid. How dare she call someone other than me her person!’

Just then.

“Pfft!”

Katarina, who had only grabbed the hem of her innocent dress, fluttered her long eyelashes and swallowed dryly.

Then, as always, she shouted in a shrill voice.

“Who was that?! Who laughed? How dare you!”

At the scream-like shriek, those who had been exchanging glances began to scatter and return to their places.

But it was certain that Katarina’s status as an object of fear among the servants had been greatly shaken from that day forward.

* * *

For some reason, after passing through the bustling lobby, when I reached the corridor on the 1st floor,

Betty, who had pretended ignorance and returned to being a silent maid, called out to me.

“Your Grace, you really are extraordinary.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been wondering all this time… Since things have come to this, I’ll just ask outright. Do you really not know? Or are you pretending not to know?”

“…I really don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Betty shook her head back and forth.

Then she immediately burst out laughing, “Pahaha!”

“Even if you didn’t intend it, I feel so refreshed I could die! She’s also a maid, yet how she oppressed the servants. There were more than a few maids crying every day because of her!”

She seemed to be talking about what happened earlier.

I pondered thoughtfully about the woman named Katarina who had introduced herself as my maid.

My first impression was…

‘She’s incredibly beautiful!’

For someone like me who’s a sucker for pretty faces, her beauty was quite appealing.

Among her features, her bright blue eyes were particularly captivating enough to draw everyone’s attention.

The clothes she wore also suited her perfectly, as if they were made just for her.

‘A beautiful person. I like that.’

As someone who prided myself on being somewhat of an aesthete, I was quite pleased that my maid was such a beautiful person.

“And she spends half the day every day preening like a peacock! They can’t do other work because they’re busy helping her dress up until she’s satisfied.”

“A peacock? That’s cute. She does seem to resemble one a bit? She was an incredibly glamorous beauty.”

“What good is being pretty when her personality is trash?”

“I’m not sure about that. She spoke very kindly, didn’t she? I’d like her to come visit in comfortable clothes. It would be a shame if such a pretty outfit got ruined on the dirt path.”

When I tilted my head, a very deep sigh escaped from Betty’s mouth.

“Well, this seems to work on her too. It might not be bad for you to stay just as you are.”

“…? Okay. Thanks…?”

“We’re almost there.”

After receiving such a merciless evaluation, I followed Betty around the corner in a dazed mood, and a large door decorated with ornate patterns came into view.

Seeing how large this door is, the library must be quite substantial?

“Here it is.”

“Oh…”

But…

The patterns that would have been shining brass when first made were now green with rust from the passage of time.

Just from this, you could tell at a glance how neglected this place had been.

“The door… will open, right?”

“I wonder. I’ve worked at the Duke’s Castle for about ten years, but I’ve never been inside this place.”

That long?

So this door hasn’t been opened for at least 10 years?

Gulp. I swallowed nervously for no reason.

“I see. Well, it’s fine. Let’s give it a try. You must be busy, so thank you for showing me the way, Betty. You can go now.”

I had only asked Betty to guide me, so from now on it was my responsibility.

Phew, shall I try?

As I resolutely rolled up both sleeves, Betty somehow hesitated and lingered in place.

Oh, that expression. The same expression she had when she was startled to see me holding an axe!

Soon after, Betty couldn’t stand it anymore and pointed at the heavily rusted door, blurting out words rapidly.

“How could you possibly open that door, my lady? With your delicate body, you’ll only get hurt! Look at all that rust. What if you get scratched and catch tetanus?”

“…”

…She seemed to be seriously misunderstanding something.

I spoke in a quite firm voice to correct the facts.

“Listen, Betty. I’ve been thinking since earlier, but you seem to see me as some kind of newborn chick.”

“A baby bird? I thought of you as a baby rabbit, but… a baby bird suits you quite well too. Your downy fur is so fluffy…”

“Betty!”

“Haha! I’m joking. My lady… you may look like a baby rabbit and baby bird, but your heart seems quite strong.”

This is a real compliment, right?

Somehow uncertain, I narrowed my eyes and looked at her, but Betty smiled as if she found me cute.

Then she spoke in a somewhat bitter voice.

“I’ll be honest with you. Actually, even though the Duke’s Castle is large and there’s a lot of work and everyone’s busy, it’s not that we don’t have enough people to clean the library for Your Grace to use.”

“Really?”

“Yes! Didn’t you see all those people crowding around to watch earlier?”

“I did think there were a lot of people, but the mansion is so vast.”

“What on earth has my lady been through… Anyway, I think I misunderstood you too. Honestly, I was being cautious around you. But…”

Betty’s eyes were filled with remorse.

I smiled gently.

“It’s okay. I had no idea.”

“Even so, making arbitrary judgments about Your Highness and acting on them was a grave mistake as a maid. I’m truly sorry…”

“Most people do that. Maybe I have that side too. So don’t feel too guilty. I’m actually grateful that you apologized.”

“…How could someone treat such an angelic person like that… I’m such a fool! I’ll atone with my death!”

I’ve been thinking this for a while, but Betty has quite an extreme side to her…

I shook my head and patted Betty’s shoulder.

“How about repaying me by helping me instead of dying?”

“Of course! I’m your maid after all!”

“Then I feel reassured.”

We looked at each other and grinned.

Somehow, it felt like I had made my first real friend since coming to this place.

“Now then, shall we start renovating the Library? Heave!”

I cheerfully threw open both doors wide.

“…Hnngh!”

No, I attempted to throw them open.

But no matter how hard I pushed, the doors wouldn’t budge.

“…Please step aside.”

In the end, Betty rolled up her sleeves and showed off her well-defined forearm muscles as she threw the Library doors wide open.

And at that moment.

“Aaah!”

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