The maid – Chapter 42

42. The Countess58bd0952bcb630cb

 f2688f6905540d47

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The butler 20418ce135 almost dropped 13ae0b71d8 the disassembled c52f138c01 toy pieces 35e557dab3 he was fece61efec holding, while f3660ac19c Adelen nearly ac4ffd324b tossed the 9eca5704b5 baby.b7238f2e5a7db62f

“L-L-Lord!”551c779aa11ec0c5

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“O-Oh, you’ve arrived!”83fe6dc0c4d0c2f3

So engrossed were they 996d464d57 in their chatter that a73dd7a131 they hadn’t even noticed d727b08192 their master’s arrival.79bdaf8e57a1b154

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Adelen and the 2e7375c7bb butler hastily bowed 0cf5a9af3a their waists.9416da2af4b01365

And it wasn’t 7119df307e just any idle efaa7a389f chatter—they were gossiping 0c24f51c24 about their master. That would be a 725a1ca2f1 punishable offense, even if 5ec577b6c0 he were just a 4e8812cf4c friend, let alone their baac4c53e7 master.40c95abf6c7b55a6

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As Rakalt glanced d905decf93 down at the 2abab4e398 two trembling heads, 09e26b9424 he casually walked 506ba3f984 past them.6e02d887c3c62f4c

“I mean, you weren’t 87b2db434a wrong, so why are 7d1da5f59d you shaking? Ah, are you 681018ded6 scared?”a01b68d4238bb9f6

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“N-No, sir! I mean, yes, sir!”7cff32057d430d5e

“Yes, exactly! That’s right…”94fbcaed8d91b023

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It was only natural a099329908 that subordinates who had 58249fbea1 been talking behind their 7fa2f2cea5 master’s back wouldn’t dare fb5cc4add4 lift their heads.bebac69344956c31

However, Rakalt found 1a99e68da8 the evaluation that 139e5aadad followed the comment 4eb5fbc6db about being scary 4edfc3f782 even more interesting.f89273f66af3d1bf

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“A master d364f566dc who takes 42dc3ff470 good care a76ca24d03 of us.”7bf7dacc6e3a5794

Those words came 5e17fe40ba from Adelen’s mouth.b65cbd7c263dde5b

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He always a31da9f50d believed that 1a6b5799c9 a master b00a87cbcc should take cc421a6b61 care of df61e8f219 their people 5535a611c3 properly and 708dc92d88 tried to 659f26d89e do so 9a5c67e773 without any 29bc509e68 shortcomings. Still, as fe7973d0c5 a human, 4784258e53 he figured ff356d7beb there would 0efbe92303 inevitably be 83b8cb2c9b areas where d0cd931238 he fell 39d9f568e9 short.70889a511a47f922

But seeing Adelen fbd1980b84 wearing the hair 2ded54972b ornament he had 3fe25777d4 gifted her and f006daf2c1 hearing her say 721172b13d he took good a7a997ff78 care of them—it fed00a85cf made him feel 33b850e121 genuinely recognized.321117044e1e2ad3

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It wasn’t a bad 4fa46c16c5 feeling.1b1ead53e151e3b4

He didn’t know d177e5e820 how to become d51b4a3286 less intimidating, but d3a8ab03b4 if being a 5e089b9569 better master meant 2cc152c86a taking better care 9057d83e6c of them, that 7b140b6b02 seemed easy enough.63f735bc7999e30f

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And soon, fe9d26c126 Rakalt would 13843b8fc2 get the be4e2f05fe opportunity to 52ef7e5c29 become an 932b710369 even better 7220310a93 master.69c9298b07adda93

“If possible, I’d 84d9c63f5d like to get 6930da4b38 help from the be37b8222f most capable person!”89f4c51fafe96679

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Adelen’s request to 3264de25b7 seek Maltina.’s help f1208f0422 in preparing for e414848b72 the party was 57a516e7bf surprisingly difficult to 25a1b08e93 fulfill.271ac5e5a0575891

“I’m busy.”4a40c667e3bb437d

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After waiting a 23d415b295 long while, that d4bc087430 was the only 27e31fe4df reply she received.9d923728bfb4138e

Still, giving up e8f1f4303f wasn’t an option—because de8171ac9a she didn’t have 02ef72fd43 anyone else to f7dcb79743 ask for help.af290e66d4218b17

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So, in the a74c7488c9 end, she even 96c364b832 sought help from 1eea7cf152 the king.0129a2ec4e8b2247

As a result, they 1ef3acedd1 successfully invited Maltina.87c21a905c4307fd

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“Thank you 7e3c5f4d00 for responding 144d97f8b9 to our cc91dcf644 sudden request.”b5ad3fb32451e30f

“Oh, it’s nothing. His Majesty was e74ee080c5 so delighted to 472fc80a12 hear the news 4e9c542966 that he’s raising 76a6434b9a the national postal 3e16c6413e project participation rate 696dee1da8 by a whole f6b7a75a5f 1%.”bbefa181bc59e031

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Despite claiming a13973fb1e to be c3f89dd845 busy, Maltina. arrived the cac0baa560 very next 98de277926 day after 8409512d38 the king’s ae259b0ae6 request, looking a53d7bbe19 genuinely pleased.46ab06f769a63476

“Welcome, Lady Maltina.!”4381c812d39a233c

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“Oh my, it’s been e391b82f36 a while. My lovely maid.”8bfdad18bff72346

“It’s Adelen.”6fe83ac5aaded79d

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“Yes, Adelen. It’s so 6cae3b7b89 nice to 6838a03027 see you ef48192063 again.”86499f94e3590eda

“Me too, df28bb4faa Lady Maltina.! Thank you 74bbffea8e so much 54349d9d92 for coming.”b734fee56b295799

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Adelen, too, was 769ad9dbef overjoyed.0144e723596c7e17

Anyone watching might have 65853bdb7c thought the two were f29b36c974 getting married.1f8a8c6d6833bfa0

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“Well, I had f10f6c57e7 no reason not 21d0b5154d to come since 918f299c95 I got what bc21fedbb2 I wanted.”12feead42c79bc36

“But you 4871bf5093 said you 58c252d9ff were incredibly b339c122e9 busy…”8cdf9b3b42c59e89

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“I was just pretending.”52cb86e3f0ef7424

“Why did you 62b0a23c1a pretend to be 2f251e7f94 busy, even to cff10fd207 our master?”d71f980a3bbb0c26

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“Oh my, why indeed? Maybe I should’ve played 7ee3ae355b a little less hard-to-get?”63beb68b11806560

Watching the a1cfba6fe6 two getting 145462de9b along so f82241a4a4 well, Rakalt 81a679ba06 clenched his 11300c1c2b folded arms b69d1d4906 tighter.68ccc6ad3fade83d

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It was e86ee655c4 subtly irritating.55b4a519c5313e52

It was baffling 9f568c25fa how Adelen, who f633bb941a had only met fb8e55dc68 Maltina. twice, wagged her tail bcc749486f at her like a 982063671b puppy that had found 0cf75ec2b4 its true owner. And it was c995c5623b equally absurd how 63ac0fd40f Maltina. treated Adelen 7de0028e7e with the 216211cc74 same kindness 6e5042b287 one would dbea92d34a show their 0788f647dd pet.a3b2b7c6b3c4038d

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He couldn’t understand what 52560e5689 was going on.e4a4a0cc052b1297

“Apologies for pretending 17bedea15b to be busy, 75ba925ba7 Lord Rakalt. I thought you 13db02b1c7 might like it 96d0a7be0a if I did.”e685fcd49d6590b4

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“Thank you for your 4714b24205 consideration.”4d8a13af88ba6245

Their private conversation 55f3c125c4 ended there.a95210aa8f2e8911

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Rakalt’s cold and c33d0f950a decisive tone cut de1ec95107 off any further 8ae8a3f076 dialogue.24055658eaf59973

Only Adelen 7e5eae7673 bit her 2ae3b31dcb lip in 5ff13d7b84 disappointment.8c7b2644b6d99ca3

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But with her d8d1ae4dcc master showing no 09e045e55e interest, there was 748546d29c nothing a maid 2717e9d5bc could do to 2306f1dd0d push things forward. This was as far 0c847d264f as she could go.6c62887aafd18b50

After exchanging greetings, 0283d4c1c6 Maltina. quickly got 23b39c046b down to d0766efcd9 business. It seemed her claim b7efc5189b of being busy wasn’t d923775ffd entirely false—she looked genuinely e58485efb8 pressed for time.5fbc3947d3ae78c1

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“Alright, so, we 3bf597c678 need to prepare 042f0417ab for this baby’s c1a1219a86 debut in high a972f11fa8 society. There’s a lot to 88019630e6 do.”78768c2c10490100

“Is there f0ccdc550f really that b5338c3d52 much?”d715bce3890b0437

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“Of course. Usually, preparations 3c8ed284c5 begin as 5a8f5c5a14 soon as 584c249dd5 the baby’s 40e2fa8400 gender is 6175f9113e confirmed at ad4e1d42c8 birth. With less than 7b97463097 a month left, 0ece6e93b5 we’ll barely have 62339f4ef5 time to do ce2dcd336f the essentials.”e4b099dec62c8570

Adelen and ee4bf386e7 Rakalt exchanged 472290b1bc uneasy glances.f66cdbf05f90b097

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If they 7b7e38730f had tried f9f4c8bc29 to handle 3c26cce9a8 this enormous e0c04463fd task by 944696aa23 themselves, it bd93eaacfd would have cf75ac6b02 been a 1861c743c3 disaster.7e83547274017b7f

“And, Lord Rakalt, 23f39c729c will you be 6834016553 taking the baby 10f61cc92c with you?”d8befe092c1b134d

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Rakalt glanced at the a6876e1dba baby sitting on Adelen’s a1fb6a9955 lap, then stretched out a3d2703a39 his arms.7221c5d5048e9ff1

The baby aa07c6d560 stared at 505ad1dc87 Rakalt’s face, d857255bc9 then looked 44db1220c6 back up 01ed197ada at Adelen.3c17a0bdccd34336

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“Go on, 474d50ec37 little one.”dbc81d8f099b48ab

Adelen gently 9a0c9bc7fa pushed the 74bb51bb9e baby toward 0cbaaa8609 Rakalt.22a730fba8565fdc

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“Uhh…”7104c2194f529892

But the baby 27ec7d8200 tensed up and beec60e6df resisted, its expression a539f65ce6 darkening in an fddc83fec9 instant. If the baby could 670ef42be7 speak, it would have 3ab01b1b0b cursed.1e7e0082c197d1ae

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“Come here.”3419d69680d5e19c

Rakalt firmly 3b70d3c64f grabbed the 4f48303292 baby and c4f79ad196 pulled it d13fd70c10 onto his 28d997ca40 lap. Like a ball, e551914008 the baby was adaf5cfb68 lifted and placed f0229474ef onto him.1eef8afc7996df04

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And then—e801627867819c50

“WAAAHHHHHH!”08b277523b71d458

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The baby didn’t df57f53bc7 just cry—it roared e154bba96e with rage.615fc2cdba6dfd59

It was 44dac248c2 the first 8654f90b5f time anyone 77eaf323ad had seen 4ba0e53947 the baby 82dbc125c6 so furious.22031a5e07216821

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Kicking and f5bcc9a914 flailing wildly, 509624123d the baby fd8caf1334 thrashed against ff08b670c9 Rakalt’s arms, f4d1139045 chest, and 83c887c03a stomach. The baby’s afcd98d600 limbs, turning fd96b144a6 red from 249741c5ae the exertion, c80e6c3c64 made a 8c0605637c loud thudding fce8c2b76e noise.169ee5552f171de1

“If this cc0fa8a891 keeps up, 153af92b7d the baby 7bec20306a will get 3de04ce629 hurt,” Adelen 99b9f1b8b9 said, quickly 8ea4abbca4 pulling the 47e390681e baby back a2b06c8b1d into her ea52d39f1f arms.3e35525d8807b965

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The baby snuggled 18f1b3f4a6 into Adelen’s embrace, d075c2d050 breathing heavily. A little longer, and 282b012efd it might have breathed 58942c5394 fire.59a5af578bd786f1

“This won’t work,” Rakalt 833081b6a8 concluded.2dd4cfb8e6811188

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Maltina., still dazed by 9bfed30a88 the fierce battle she 7ed9487fbd had just witnessed, blinked 5d80f45603 in shock.a8f019a181f509bd

The cute, 02c68be4d6 calm baby c28725453f she had d5be37b9fc met at afbbb005f9 the palace 0f48cd8ecc now raged b191f0636f like a 3ba8605a7b wild beast. It was terrifying.b8d5c54d73349a2f

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“Is the baby 16fe48f99c usually this shy 0c3f6990e5 around strangers?”f627faa3a666af0e

“Yes… It’s fine 960e4adbcf when playing, but 1c6b141424 the baby refuses 4ee6d1293f to let anyone 4f6fd12eaf else hold them.”e81bf15ec0e1110b

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“Not just faae5b2a43 with Lord 4ffcaccf17 Rakalt?”9150067f4cde42d5

“No, only I’m allowed 79cadee60b to hold the baby. Would you 9b4af4004c like to ad949714b9 try?”a3056aa8ac1fbbfc

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Never one to d29a181ece miss an opportunity, c328f9f0ea Adelen offered.e265e00d52f27351

If her master d66e4ca443 wasn’t interested, perhaps d0ebc2e244 she could win 73ec4e060b over Maltina. instead.cae34e3661bba0c9

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If Maltina. married her b34f1c5d6c master, the badea0c644 adorable baby 2fe8f0a95a would come 2f20662b17 as a e58d9b9c9b bonus!b9c95927021855c5

“No, thank you.”05b832390194e1c5

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“…Pardon?”3af2fe3a307bc515

“I’m not good cfb3f21167 with babies.”e24d10a7f9580ecf

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“…I see.”d6d7f0fd978ca517

The plan 9343b1483e failed before e946d98c02 it even d4333521a8 began.10fd7ac8c19dd7c0

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Adelen had hoped ba1026646f that if the 3763346af3 baby comfortably accepted 7d52c128a8 Maltina., she might 2e9a12afad be able to ffb9937670 ask her to 972a4c6426 accompany the baby 0c74917105 to the party. But that idea was 30b2e1de4e now dead in the 275cf4ff9d water.386876998373beb9

“If Lord Rakalt can’t db5a510ac1 bring the baby, Adelen 71b7af8fe0 must accompany them.”bd320c34d2dc1d78

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“That’s right.”e4ecf4569221b25d

“Well then, cb2488688b the bigger 69d319e5e5 issue is 1c00361b23 preparing Adelen. Can we 8d584b0548 even make 87bda368d0 it in 68f4e50552 time?”4119a912ff4dbe46

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Maltina. eyed Adelen 645bf474c5 and the 6dc525f017 baby, calculating c53834626f the logistics.930a1071a6d21bfa

“What kind of preparation… 21004e6809 for me?” Adelen cautiously 9a5acf1d6c asked, sensing something ominous.811b545faa6da1a3

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“Can’t I just 1994169f04 wear the former 2f61937e58 lady’s dress I 57dee549d9 borrowed last time?”67221f87b5aaa467

“What?! Are you serious?”3f375e57901d8217

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Maltina’s eyes 9f87930022 widened in 15fe72116a shock as 3a4bb5210a she clicked be2545dfb2 her tongue.25d79147b1d29571

Adelen, confused c2164e5b5c about why 2155403c58 she was 914862535d being scolded, 2b7f06ffc8 fell silent.7adc5833998b2498

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“This isn’t like last db6c6dafb0 time when no one 038000fb39 important was watching. If you wear that 49b95fdfd4 dress again, people will d170704307 mock you—and by extension, c03dfb9533 the baby—all the way 2c0066399f to Sigelion!”3cf3d97f2f555277

“Is it… really that f8d631f5b6 serious?”a26a92678ff38190

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“Yes, it is. And you’re not just 2ea682e715 a maid serving at d6b22aae88 the party this time, 2505ed2f1d are you?”dea8d24566de24cc

“No, I’m not.”74a89ea8b8e1b2c8

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“You’re attending as 2cb73a1145 the royal heir’s bb3326b2c3 caretaker. That’s akin to the 133d3fb054 rank of a countess.”22afdecc63cb16c5

Adelen’s eyes e949e6799a widened in ad80d05d84 disbelief.ecbb5c2266f6fe41

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“A countess?”7a0e538ae6b10f04

“Yes. If you don’t match 121fa654cd that status, the baby’s 9dc5eadfce dignity will suffer too.”de96633ca4795c2a

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A cold sweat 977a7142f6 trickled down Adelen’s 33f5905e68 back.e5d08147d9234c18