ASDEF 22

Chapter 22

A huge piece of gossip began to spread through the Benson household.

It was the news that the new young madam would be personally selecting her own exclusive maid.

It seemed to be quite an unconventional procedure in the Benson household, where personnel assignments were usually determined by the head maid’s recommendations.

The servant quarters, where everyone gathered in small groups to whisper, soon caught the attention of the Duke of Benson. However, he made no mention of it during any meal.

Neither did Elisa.

Elisa seemed to dismiss me as someone ignorant of the ways of the world.

Now, only one task remained for me: concluding this rather chaotic interview process.

But there was a problem. It was the embarrassingly small number of applicants.

The applicants were Lucy Asta, recommended by the head maid, and Iso Beldren and Hannah Samburn, brought by Willie. Just those three.

Of course, I only needed to choose between the two maids Willie had brought under Daniel’s orders, but…

I simply couldn’t bring myself to choose between them.

First, there was Iso Beldren.

“Young, young madam, p-please try this black tea…”

“Oh, no! Let me carry it!”

“Then I’ll clear this tray…”

“P-please don’t touch anything! You’ll spill it!!”

She looked so frail, so emaciated that she seemed like she might collapse in a gentle breeze, making it impossible to assign her any task.

Next, the contestant with the innocent-looking eyes, Hannah Samburn.

“If I become the young madam’s exclusive maid, I’ll get 30 gold a year, right?”

“That’s right. And you’d get even more if you took bribes in exchange for feeding someone information about me. Well, not that you’d ever—”

“Goodness! That’s ridiculous. But how much would they give?”

“…”

She seemed somehow far removed from the standards I had set.

This familiar feeling, of throwing honesty and integrity to the dogs… Hey, that overlaps with my own character!

I had no choice but to confront Willie, who had brought me nothing but hopeless candidates.

“Why did you only bring people like this? They’re all…”

“Not very perceptive, are they? Haha. Well, that was the young master’s order. He said to select only the clueless ones!”

“Hahaha… Perfect talent, truly.”

It seemed he was worried about complications if my identity were discovered, but even cluelessness should have its limits! If I hung around with them, we’d soon be starring in a special about simpletons!

Now only one candidate remained.

Lucy Asta, who applied on the head maid’s recommendation.

Lucy was intelligent, pretty-faced, had decent awareness, and seemed quick on her feet.

It was no wonder the head maid had recommended her.

Growing desperate, I asked Willie.

“Why aren’t any other maids applying? Looking at the accounts, being chosen as an exclusive maid comes with higher pay.”

“Oh, that’s probably because the head maid is watching with glaring eyes. Anyone who knows how things work here would never apply.”

“Even to become the young madam’s exclusive maid?”

“Among the maids, the head maid’s word is law.”

“Then what about Iso and Hannah?”

“Young madam, really. They’re the ones with no clue!”

“…”

Stunned by his blunt remark, I had no choice but to press my lips shut.

With no other options, I eventually went down to the garden to pluck cosmos petals. I decided to leave the choice between Iso and Hannah to the luck of the petals.

It was my first time walking through the Benson mansion’s garden since arriving.

Even under the scorching afternoon sun, the gardeners didn’t stop their busy hands.

I was slowly walking towards the fountain in the center of the garden when I heard murmuring voices from in front of it. It was a group of maids gathered to pick flowers for vases.

As I drew closer, their secretive conversation grew clearer in my ears.

“Did you hear? About the young madam’s exclusive maid. I heard the young madam is having a hard time because there are no applicants.”

“I heard Iso and Hannah applied, though? Earlier, I saw them arguing, each saying they’d get the position.”

“Goodness. Iso and Hannah? Pfft!”

“Hey, I laughed too.”

They were giggling, holding bunches of flowers.

“At this rate, Lucy will get it. Lucky her. She’s only been here a short while, yet she’s already caught the head maid’s eye.”

“She’s a real fox, isn’t she? How did she even think of polishing the head maid’s shoes every day?”

“Why did her previous employer let her go, anyway?”

“Anyway, things have gotten so interesting since the young madam arrived. Hey, Isabel! You’ve been listening to our whole conversation, aren’t you going to respond?”

‘Isabel…?’

The moment I perked up my ears at the familiar name, a maid who had been busy burying her head in the grass to pick a hidden flower finally revealed herself.

I recognized her face instantly. She was the maid who had bathed me on my wedding night.

She answered nonchalantly.

“Don’t you all have work to do? If you’re getting paid, you should be working.”

“Isabel, don’t be like that. You bathed the young madam that day, didn’t you? What is she like? Is she really strange? Completely…”

One maid chuckled and twirled her index finger around her temple.

Watching this, I immediately guessed the unspoken words she held back.

She’s a nutcase, right? That, that!!

I was rolling up my sleeves and grinding my teeth, ready to teach her a lesson, when I heard the sharp sound of Isabel’s retort.

“Who said she was strange?”

“Just look at her, she’s clearly strange. Bringing in some weird grilled dish to win the lord’s favor. Then suddenly announcing she’d personally pick her own exclusive maid.”

“So what if she did?”

“…Huh?”

“I said, so what if she did?”

Ignoring the flustered maid, Isabel brushed the grass off her apron and stood up.

“That dish was made with the spirit of noblesse oblige. And what’s so strange about choosing one’s own subordinates directly? It’s much better than just relying on complacently appointed people. Don’t you think?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

The maid, looking up at her with a stunned face, seemed lost for words in the face of Isabel’s upright gaze.

Isabel, holding a bouquet of flowers and heading toward the main building, turned her head back towards them.

“Besides, the young madam is a person of very warm character. At least, that’s what I experienced.”

“…”

“So stop with the pointless talk. What if it gets to the young master’s ears? Don’t you know his temper?”

With that, Isabel walked back towards the main building.

The dumbfounded maid immediately jabbed the maid next to her in the side.

“Hey, why is she acting like that?”

“It’s not like she’s wrong. Let’s hurry up and go in too. If we’re later than Isabel, we’ll just be the ones to get scolded by the head maid for no reason.”

“That stubborn mule.”

The grumbling maid picked the remaining flowers and followed after Isabel.

They probably didn’t know. That I had heard every single word of their conversation without missing a beat.

A peculiar glint had begun to form in my eyes as I watched them.

Because right now, the perfect person I had been hoping for had appeared.

“Someone who possesses both honesty and integrity. That’s you…!”

With a satisfied look, I turned back the way I came. My steps were much quicker than before.

Because I absolutely had to meet Willie before the day grew dark.

—

* * *

That evening, I secretly summoned Isabel to my room.

Once inside, she bowed her head, showing the crown of her neatly tied hair.

“Young madam, I heard you summoned me.”

“Yes, come in. We know each other, don’t we?”

Sitting at the table, I gave her a gentle smile.

Isabel bowed her head once more.

“I am truly sorry about what happened that day. If you wish to punish me, I’ll gladly accept…”

“No, I was actually grateful to you. For keeping my scars a secret.”

“Then… may I ask why you called me again…?”

Watching her blink and ask, I calmly picked up the teacup placed before me.

‘I must win you over tonight, without fail.’