Chapter 2

―Jeremy Ryles―

Life as a maid was more peaceful than any of the days Velita had lived.

Life here was simple. All Velita needed to do was avoid slacking off, stay busy, and focus solely on serving her mistress.

Quick-witted, Velita knew that her survival in this place depended entirely on winning Selina’s favor. After all, Selina wouldn’t shower her with affection forever just because she had once helped her in the slums.

Fortunately, Velita genuinely liked Selina, the woman who had saved her. That made the task much easier.

As a maid, Velita observed Selina closely, almost as if she were following a man she loved. She paid attention to every detail of Selina’s preferences and habits, and at night, in her cramped room, she would jot down everything she had memorized during the day.

Selina had a sweet tooth but barely ate, and her delicate ankles and frail build made Velita doubt whether she had ever truly run on her own two feet. Her stamina, too, was pitifully weak.

To care for someone as pampered as Selina, Velita knew she needed to prove herself worthy. Among all the maids in the Ryles estate, none had come from the slums like Velita.

When Velita left everything behind and came here, she expected that even if they accepted her, she would likely end up doing nothing more than endless laundry for the other maids.

But unexpectedly, Velita was assigned as Selina’s personal maid.

The fact that Velita had once saved Selina, who had snuck out of the house without any escort, became both her greatest weapon and shield.

When dawn broke and a sleepy Selina met Velita again, she recognized her instantly and opened her arms wide in welcome.

[I’ve been waiting for you.]

Those words sounded like a goddess throwing open the gates of heaven in welcome.

For some reason, Selina was especially fond of keeping Velita by her side. Thanks to that, Velita was spared the hazing often inflicted by other maids. Velita, in turn, worked hard to live up to her mistress’s favor. She needed to stay in Selina’s good graces to avoid being cast out.

That was why Velita was now intently observing Selina, who was enjoying her dessert. The sight of Selina nibbling on a cake with thick layers of whipped cream was utterly charming, like a beautiful scene from a painting.

Velita’s gaze drifted to the fork in Selina’s hand. Its handle was lavishly decorated, as though it were a piece of jewelry. Her eyes traced the fork to Selina’s face, then to the ribbon tying her hair. Even the ribbon was made of fine silk. And the delicate earrings she wore casually around the house…

“Velita.”

“Ah… y-yes, my lady!”

Caught off guard as she had been staring at Selina, Velita stammered in surprise.

Oh! no. I already get looked down on because of my lowly background… What if I seemed even more foolish?

Feeling disheartened, Velita carefully studied Selina’s expression. Thankfully, there were only the two of them in the room, and Selina was a kind and tolerant mistress.

With a soft laugh, Selina beckoned her closer. Like an obedient puppy, Velita stepped to her side. Selina held out a half-eaten slice of cake.

“Here.”

“… Pardon?”

“Hurry up and take it. What are you waiting for?”

“Ah, should I clean it up?”

Had she misspoken again? Selina covered her mouth, laughing innocently like a child.

“You’ve been staring at it like you wanted to eat it this whole time.”

“Oh…”

“If you want to eat it, go ahead. I can never finish it anyway.”

At Selina’s pure, unintentional kindness, Velita’s face flushed bright red.

“N-no! That’s not it, my lady! I wasn’t looking at it because I wanted to eat it…”

“Every time I eat something, you’re always staring at me.”

“That’s….”

“And whenever I leave food behind, you glance at it like it’s such a waste.”

“…”

Velita was at a loss for words. While her primary reason for watching Selina eat was to understand her tastes and preferences better, she couldn’t deny there was also a small part of her that was curious about the food’s flavor.

Everything Selina ate was freshly made, warm, and plated beautifully. The aroma alone was enough to make one’s mouth water. To say she had never thought about tasting it would be a lie.

“Want to try it?”

Velita wasn’t in a position to cling to pride, and even if she were, the temptation of the cake in front of her was overpowering. Swallowing hard, she glanced at Selina for approval before carefully picking up Selina’s fork. She scooped up a small bite of the cake and hesitantly put it in her mouth.

“How is it?”

Selina’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly waited for Velita’s reaction. However, much to her mistress’s chagrin, Velita couldn’t respond right away. She had never tasted anything like this before and didn’t know how to put it into words.

For a long time, she had thought the guests who visited the Ryles estate were overreacting with their extravagant gestures and praises about the food. But now that she had tasted it herself, she realized they hadn’t been exaggerating at all.

“The cake… it melts in my mouth, my lady…”

“If you want more, you can have it all.”

Overwhelmed by the soft and sweet flavor she had never experienced before, Velita pushed aside her sense of propriety and began eating the cake slowly, savoring every bite. Selina rested her chin on her hand and watched Velita curiously, finding her fascination amusing.

Even though she tried to eat sparingly, the small slice disappeared quickly. Velita pouted at the empty plate but quickly looked to Selina with a shy smile.

“Thank you for letting me try something so delicious, my lady.”

“You’re such a peculiar one. You act like you’ve never eaten cake before…”

“…”

“…Wait. Don’t tell me this is actually your first time?”

Velita awkwardly nodded her head. If she had tasted cake without Selina by her side, she might have shed tears of joy in solitude. Her life up until now had been sustained by dry barley bread and thin oat porridge. She recalled a time when her mother had held her close and spoken these words:

“If it weren’t for you, Killian and I would have had no hope left and ended our lives.”

Those words carried two meanings.

First, their family was so desperately poor that suicide had seemed like an escape.

Second, in a household burdened by poverty, a pretty girl like Velita was seen as a valuable asset.

Of course, at the time, Velita had no idea that her mother’s words would later mean selling her off to an old, wealthy man.

“Come on, you’re joking, right? Who in this world hasn’t had cake even once?”

Velita could only offer an awkward smile. There was no need for Lady Selina, who had only ever known beauty and abundance since birth, to learn that some people barely survived by scavenging scraps that wouldn’t even compare to what she considered food.

“From now on, I’ll share my desserts with you. I can’t finish them on my own anyway.”

Selina had always been kind to the maids, but her particular fondness for Velita was obvious. Today, however, she seemed in an unusually good mood, her cheerful demeanor lingering throughout the day.

“Um… My lady,” Velita ventured cautiously.

“Yes? What is it?”

Velita hesitated, then asked carefully, “Is there some good news?”

Selina, her complexion as pale as porcelain from seldom venturing into the sun, smiled again, as though she had received delightful news.

“It’s because you enjoyed the food so much. It made me happy to see.”

No mistress would be genuinely delighted simply because her maid ate well. Velita kept a wary eye on Selina, whose expression grew slightly awkward before she finally confessed.

“My brother is coming back soon.”

The eldest son of the Ryles family, heir to the estate—Jeremy Ryles. Velita had only ever heard of him in passing. His reputation as a shameless philanderer who pursued beautiful women of any rank or age was infamous.

“You must be fond of your brother… I mean, young master Jeremy?”

“Of course, he’s my brother,” Selina answered without hesitation.

“…”

“There was a time when we were distant due to some misunderstandings… but no matter what, my brother is truly kind and a wonderful person.”

Despite the sordid rumors about Jeremy Ryles that painted him as a scoundrel, Selina’s words described him as a courteous and kind gentleman. This contrast piqued Velita’s curiosity, making her wonder just what kind of man he truly was.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

『Hello, Daniel.

It’s been a while since I last wrote, hasn’t it? I’ve been so busy adjusting to life at the Ryles estate that I couldn’t find the time. Today, I had cake for the first time. I finally understood what sweetness tastes like.

Lady Selina was so surprised when I told her it was my first time eating cake. She couldn’t believe that someone had never tasted it before.

I suppose it makes sense. Born into a good family and living under constant protection, she wouldn’t have any way of understanding our way of life. Sometimes, when I look at Lady Selina…』

Velita paused and, after a moment, scribbled over the last sentence so heavily that it was illegible. Then, with a sigh, she tore the paper to pieces and threw it in the trash.

She hadn’t meant for it to sound like she was criticizing her mistress, but it left a bad taste in her mouth nonetheless. All she wanted to convey was a sense of envy, but it had come out too negative.

Straightening up, Velita picked up a fresh sheet of paper to rewrite her letter to Daniel. But after sitting for a moment, she put down her pen and leaned back in her chair.

It had been about three years since Daniel had gone to the battlefield.

Back then, Velita’s country, Barowel, had been demanding tributes from the defeated nations. One such tribute, a dancer, had attempted to assassinate the emperor. This enraged the aging emperor, and when rumors spread that the defeated nations were allying to prepare for war, Barowel hastily assembled an army.

But those sent to war were not noble elites; they were poor and powerless boys.

Lords and nobles selected knights to fight in their place. When that didn’t suffice, they offered substantial rewards to recruit more boys and men. And when even that wasn’t enough, they resorted to forcibly abducting boys under the guise of patriotism and loyalty to the nation.

For Velita, Daniel was her only family, even if they weren’t connected by blood.

She didn’t remember when she first met Daniel, but the moment of their first encounter was vivid in her mind. One cold winter night, Velita had been thrown out of her house because her mother had brought a man home. Sitting outside, she noticed a boy around her age who had also been cast out of the house across the street.

The two children, both outcasts, stared at each other as if looking into a mirror. The only difference was the boy’s flushed face, and the way he blinked sleepily. Velita quickly realized that he wasn’t simply drowsy—he was on the verge of collapse.

Without hesitation, Velita took off the tattered blanket barely keeping her warm and draped it over the boy. He struggled to lift his head, weakly looking up at her.

For a long moment, the two children held each other’s gaze. That was the first moment their bond was formed.

But now, the friend Velita had relied on for most of her life was no longer by her side.

[They say if you join the war, you can become a knight of the imperial guard, regardless of your status.]

That naïve boy, so innocent it was almost hard to believe he had grown up in the same slums as her, volunteered to go to the war.

[Don’t go, Daniel…]

Velita had tried to stop him. Who in their right mind wouldn’t try to stop their only family and friend from heading into such danger?

[I’ll come back as a great knight.]

It wasn’t as if Daniel had ever dreamed of becoming one of those romantic knights from fairy tales. Yet, he spoke with the confidence of a foolish boy.

Velita eventually cried and begged. If there was one person who could be softened by her tears, it was Daniel.

[Don’t leave me alone…]

[Nothing will change if things stay like this.]

[Even if you go to war, nothing will change!]

[Trust me, Vel. I’m leaving to make you happy.]

In the end, when Daniel said he would leave, Velita couldn’t hold back her resentment and lashed out.

[Come back as a great knight? Do you think someone like us could ever get that lucky? You’re just going to die! You won’t come back alive!]

The fear of being left alone and the despair of potentially losing Daniel forever pushed Velita to her limit. In the heat of the moment, she ended up saying things she should never have said.

That was when Velita noticed the faint tremble of Daniel’s fingers—a boy who had always shown nothing but optimism, like a knight out of a fairy tale. She regretted her words the instant they left her mouth. But her desperation to stop him was so great that instead of apologizing, she drove the wedge even deeper.

[I’m not going to greet your corpse.]

But Daniel, despite her sharp words, replied gently and firmly.

[I’ll definitely come back to your side.]

He even put on a playful smile, pretending not to be afraid.

[Alive, of course.]

And Velita still regretted those words she had said back then—the cruel words that he would die.

If Daniel didn’t come back alive, she didn’t think she could ever forgive herself for saying such a thing.

‘So, I’ll believe in you.’

You don’t have to come back as a great knight.

Just come back safely.

Velita lived each moment replaying the regret and longing from the day they parted, waiting for someone whose return date was uncertain. For three years, she wrote letters to him as though her diary was meant for him. She didn’t believe in gods, but she believed in Daniel. She believed he would keep his promise and come back.

It might have been cowardly, but Velita, with no other support in life, clung to Daniel as a source of hope. Perhaps that was why she looked to him, fighting in the war, as her last glimmer of hope.

[I’ll come back with wealth and power, and I’ll take you away from this place.]

Daniel’s vow had become Velita’s own wish.

Some might call it foolish hope, saying it was naïve to still hold on to someone’s life after three years of silence. Others might call it stubbornness or delusion.

But Velita felt that if she didn’t believe he was alive, she wouldn’t be able to endure. The reason she fought so desperately to survive, to keep going, was because there was someone she needed to wait for.

So Velita continued to wait for Daniel.

Just as she was pondering what to write in her next letter to him, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching from a distance. Quickly, she stashed her pen and ink in the bottom drawer of her desk. At that moment, the door opened, and her roommate, Janice, entered.

“What’s this? Writing a love letter again at this hour?” Janice teased the moment she saw Velita sitting at the desk.

Velita responded firmly, “It’s to a friend.”

“Oh, come on. From the way you write, it might as well be a letter to a lover.”

“Do you always see every relationship between men and women that way?”

Among the other maids, Janice was the one who treated Velita the most casually, which made things comfortable most of the time. But Janice’s intense curiosity about people’s romantic lives could sometimes be exhausting.

“Velita, I’m not saying this with any ulterior motives. It’s just the truth. When a man and a woman share a special bond, it’s usually because one of them secretly wants to kiss the other, or they’re both hiding it. It’s one or the other.”

“I can’t with you, seriously.”

“Think about it carefully. That ‘friend’ you’re always writing letters to….”

“Janice!”

Velita cut her off firmly, and Janice mimed zipping her lips like a seashell. Velita, fanning her slightly flushed face, quickly changed the subject.

“More importantly, I hear the young master of this household is coming back?”

“Oh, you mean our young master Jeremy?”

“Our young master Jeremy?”

“My dream is to catch young master Jeremy’s eye and spend at least one night with him.”

“Janice, seriously…!”

While Janice was typically cautious and prudent at work, she had a tendency to cross the line with bold remarks like these when no one was around, often leaving Velita feeling anxious.

Velita, shocked, clapped her hands over Janice’s mouth even though they were alone. But Janice snickered and continued speaking, undeterred.

“You know it as well as I do. Young master Jeremy is notorious for being indiscriminate with pretty women. Honestly, we should just be grateful he doesn’t go after men too, shouldn’t we?”

“Still, surely he wouldn’t mess with a maid who works in his household?”

“Oh, Velita, you’re so naive. Of the maids I know personally, more than five have been involved with him.”

“What?!”

Janice grabbed Velita’s arm, pulling her closer and lowering her voice as if someone might overhear.

“One of them went berserk and caused a suicide scare after he broke things off and got kicked out. Another claimed she was pregnant and demanded money, but when it turned out to be a lie, she was dismissed too. All that drama within the household was why the count sent him away to study abroad. It wasn’t really ‘studying abroad’—it was practically exile.”

Velita had heard of Jeremy’s infamous reputation as a libertine, but this was worse than she imagined.

“Emma must be thrilled,” Janice added casually.

“Emma Collin? Are you talking about her?”

“She’s one of the young master’s playthings too. But unlike the others, she didn’t demand love or money, which is why she’s still around. The count can’t kick out every woman Jeremy gets involved with, so quiet little Emma was allowed to stay.”

Emma Collin, like Janice, had been a maid at the Ryles estate for a long time. While she didn’t outwardly bully Velita, she had made her dislike clear in subtle ways. Velita tried her best to avoid confrontation.

“That’s probably why Emma dislikes you.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re pretty.”

“Janice, don’t say things like that!”

Unfortunately, there was a mirror across from where they were sitting. Velita glanced at her reflection, her crimson eyes meeting her gaze, and she quickly looked away.

“Honestly, if I were you, I wouldn’t waste this opportunity. Young master Jeremy was so beautiful as a child that people mistook him for a girl. And, according to rumors, he’s very skilled in… nightly pursuits.”

“I don’t care about things like that.”

“Not only that, but he’s known for being generous with money when it comes to his partners. If I had a face like yours, I’d enjoy myself for a bit and leave with a hefty sum.”

Janice meant it as a playful jest, but Velita couldn’t bring herself to laugh or play along.

The memory of her mother’s voice, haggling over her price with an older man, came flooding back. Her mother, veins bulging in her neck, had insisted that her daughter’s beauty was rare and deserved a higher price.

Velita refused to let herself be sold for a handful of coins. If even her own family, the ones who should have been her greatest supporters, could reduce her to a price tag, she couldn’t allow herself to fall into the same trap.

More than anything, Velita fervently wished that young master Jeremy would have no interest in her at all.