Chapter 06
After the door closed, the room fell silent. Sheila, who had ended up alone with Joshua by chance, stood in a corner of the room.
The child had ultimately been unable to show her own room and, after much hesitation, had entered a different one.
Joshua glanced at her over his shoulder and bit his lip.
“My sister will be here soon.”
He tried to speak to her, but there was no response.
“I’m not a bad kid. I’m just… a bit noisy. It’s just that my hearing… isn’t very good.”
Sheila did not react. Meanwhile, Joshua sat on the bed. After a long silence, he spoke quietly.
“Does your hand… hurt?”
Only then did Sheila lift her head. Joshua’s eyes looked indifferent, yet somehow sincere.
“The Hilmaiton uncle gave this to me earlier.”
He took out a small tube of ointment from his pocket. Fiddling with it nervously, Joshua said cautiously,
“I brought it because I thought it might hurt. If you don’t like it, then later my sister can—”
Watching him quietly, Sheila clenched her fingertips.
Then, in an extremely small voice—so quiet it could barely be heard—she said,
“…Thank you.”
Sheila did not take the ointment from Joshua. But she did not reject it either.
That alone seemed to make Joshua happy, and he smiled brightly.
“You don’t… have to speak. You don’t have to… I understand.”
Joshua spoke slowly, using gestures as well. The child often explained his hearing difficulty like this.
Sheila tried to say something but closed her mouth. Joshua slowly got off the bed and approached her, silently holding out his hand. After a moment of hesitation, Sheila carefully accepted the ointment he offered.
At that moment, her mother’s voice suddenly echoed in Sheila’s ears.
“‘If you are a princess, do not show your expression or speak carelessly.’”
“‘If you smile, you will look common.’”
“‘Do not look kind either. You will only be used.’”
Sheila shook her head violently at the memory. But Joshua, who had already turned away toward the bed, did not notice.
“…Weird kid.”
Sheila whispered softly, but there was no hatred in her voice.
Joshua sat back down on the bed with a plop and simply waved with a smile.
After taking a shower, fresh clothes had been prepared. After changing into them, Elisia stepped out into the corridor of the manor.
“I wonder if Joshua is okay.”
Even as Elisia worried about Joshua, Sheila came to mind.
Sheila running toward her room in a panic. And Joshua, casually waving and saying they would see each other later.
Joshua, who had followed Hilmaiton while holding his hand, had been excited just to be in a new manor.
Elisia silently hoped her younger brother would not offend the Princess.
“Lady Elisia. I will guide you.”
While she was deep in thought, Hilmaiton approached her. Elisia quickly came to her senses.
After Hilmaiton knocked and opened the door, it was a different room from before.
It was not the reception room where she had met Yulias, but what seemed to be his office.
Stacks of documents filled the desk, and the man sitting among them, wearing glasses, looked almost intellectual.
His pen moved without pause, and Elisia quietly waited, reading the situation.
“Your Grace.”
Hilmaiton called him familiarly. Only then did Yulias lift his head, as if he had not even heard the knock, and removed his glasses.
“You’re here. Take a comfortable seat.”
“Thank you.”
Elisia sat on the prepared sofa. She had thought the conversation would begin immediately after he removed his glasses.
But Yulias continued working, not putting down his pen.
Was she supposed to wait like this?
Elisia looked at him, then turned and glanced at Hilmaiton.
Sensing her gaze, he smiled at her and gave a small clearing of his throat.
“Your Grace.”
“Oh, right.”
Yulias finally set down his pen and pressed his temple.
Only after he stood up and sat on the opposite sofa did the conversation begin.
“How is the treatment?”
“If it is the Princess, she should be receiving treatment about now…”
“No. Not the Princess. You.”
“Me?”
Elisia looked puzzled. Seeing that, Yulias sighed.
“Weren’t you injured as well? You were also covered in food.”
“No, I’m not injured. In fact, it was the Princess who—”
“Then that’s fine.”
Elisia looked at him with a questioning gaze.
He asked whether she was injured, yet seemed completely indifferent about the Princess.
Yulias, seemingly unaware of her gaze, wore a thoughtful expression.
After stroking his chin in silence for a while, he asked,
“You seem to get along well with your younger brother.”
“We do, I suppose. Our parents aren’t around, so…”
“I’m not talking about that.”
“Pardon?”
Yulias straightened his posture, lowering his hand from his chin.
“I mean your brother’s upbringing is well done.”
Upbringing?
Was he referring to how she handled Joshua?
“What kind of upbringing are you referring to…?”
“The child seems to have hearing difficulties, but he responds immediately and adapts to your words. It doesn’t look like something learned in just a few tries.”
Somehow, Yulias sounded like he was praising her. Elisia fidgeted with her hands.
“He doesn’t realize how loud his voice is to others, so… I think it’s the result of practicing at home many times.”
“How many times would ‘many’ be?”
“Um… at least a few months…”
Was he asking about training?
Elisia couldn’t quite grasp his intent and answered vaguely.
Yulias looked deep in thought.
Was this an interview? Or an interrogation? What exactly was this?
“Do you want to work here?”
“…Yes!”
Elisia answered a beat late.
Her palms were sweating so much she had to wipe them on her clothes several times.
Yulias glanced around, then looked toward Hilmaiton.
“One month.”
“One month?”
“One month of adjustment. After that, I will decide whether to hire you.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I will do my best…”
“But during that month, you will be the Princess’s exclusive maid.”
“Pardon?”
Elisia repeated in shock. Being assigned as someone’s exclusive maid was no ordinary position.
A servant’s actions reflected their master’s reputation.
That was why nobles required recommendations or insisted on hiring only those of minor noble status.
“I am not skilled enough to serve the Princess…”
“No.”
Yulias said firmly.
He clearly saw through Elisia’s attempt to escape.
However, what Elisia had in mind was closer to menial labor that others avoided.
Things like piles of dishwashing or waste disposal.
But instead, she was being assigned to serve directly beside the Princess.
Wasn’t that a matter of life rather than money?
“Your Grace, I appreciate your high evaluation, but I really am not fit to serve the Princess…”
“You are the only one who can do it.”
“…Pardon?”
What is he talking about now?
Just moments ago, she had seen a dedicated maid for the Princess.
Although that maid had acted abusively…
Elisia wore a reluctant expression, and Yulias leaned forward.
Even though a table stood between the sofas, their distance suddenly felt much closer.
“Elisia, I need you.”
After speaking those meaningful words, Yulias raised the corner of his lips into a faint smile.
