~Chapter 13~
“Your Grace?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
He roughly scratched the back of his head.
‘No way.’
She’s just a child born and raised in a remote village. She’s probably just not familiar with imperial clocks.
‘Looks like I’m the one still wandering the battlefield.’
A faint, self-mocking smile brushed over his relaxed face for just an instant—so brief no one could notice.
I was startled.
“W-what is this?”
The burly maid sisters suddenly showed up holding sharp tools. No way I could stay calm.
“What do you think? We’re here to tidy up your messy hair,” Hazel said with a gentle smile.
Every time the scissors clicked, her muscular arms flexed.
Wow… a tofu-soft face with a body that’s anything but.
“You’re going to cut my hair?”
The words slipped out before I realized. I tugged my hair forward as if to shield it, and the maids’ eyebrows drooped.
“Oh, Lady Rubian, you’ll hurt your scalp.”
Hazel treated me like I was a fragile straw doll that could fly away with one puff of air.
“Your back hair is uneven, and your bangs are long—aren’t they uncomfortable? I saw them keep falling into your face at dinner earlier.”
“Hmm…”
The back of my hair was like this because I’d once run into a black magic beast that used fire. It burned it into a clump, so I roughly cut it myself.
“Do you dislike it?”
“It’s not that I dislike it…”
Still, I didn’t feel up for it.
‘Strange. I’ve never cared about hair before.’
I sat on the edge of the bed, thinking, before reluctantly answering. Hazel met my eyes and waited calmly.
It felt rude to keep her waiting.
“Uh… alright.”
Hazel’s face brightened instantly.
“Then shall we move over here?”
“Yes!”
A large, soft chair had been prepared by the window where warm sunlight streamed in.
Sitting with my hands neatly folded, I felt a soft cloth drape over my shoulders.
“Hm? Lady Rubian, are you feeling hot?” Hazel asked as she tied the cloth behind my neck.
“No?”
“Then why are you sweating so much?”
She sounded puzzled.
‘Oh? She’s right.’
I wiped my neck with my hand and found it damp.
‘Am I hot?’
If anything, I felt a little cold.
I tilted my head in confusion while the maids debated whether or not to open the window.
“Rubian! Come to my room to play cards—what the…?”
Void appeared at the door, eyes sweeping the room before locking on mine. His brows furrowed slightly.
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, young master.”
“Hazel!”
He charged in and glared fiercely at Hazel.
“Why are you bullying my sister?!”
“What? Bullying? I’m just trimming Lady Rubian’s hair—”
“Lies!”
What’s with him? I stared at Void blankly.
Then—knock knock. Every gaze shifted to the door.
“So this is what the noise was about…”
“My lord.”
“Such a tiny room, yet so crowded. Feels like a marketplace.”
The master of the house leaned against the doorway, arms crossed.
“Father!”
Void dashed over to him, and he looked down at his son with slightly furrowed brows.
“Void, why are you here at this hour—”
“Rubian is scared!”
“What?”
Our eyes met in mid-air.
I blinked in confusion.
His gaze swept the room slowly but thoroughly.
Void spun around and pointed—not at me, but at Hazel behind me.
“The scissors.”
“….”
Oh… was that it?
Awkwardness filled the room.
The most flustered person was, of course, Hazel.
“L-Lady Rubian, were you scared of the scissors? Is that why you were sweating?”
Hazel quickly put the scissors away.
Then she came closer, crouching to meet my eyes. Her face was on the verge of tears.
“Oh no… I didn’t realize…”
“No, I didn’t either…” I shook my head awkwardly.
‘Come to think of it, I was tense.’
A stranger holding something sharp, standing right behind me.
Even though Hazel wasn’t a bad person, I’d been a little scared.
Maybe that’s why I didn’t feel like cutting my hair.
“Put it away.”
Uncle stepped forward and gave the order with a cold voice and expression.
“Y-yes.”
The maids hurried to comply.
“It’s fine though… it was just for a moment.”
“I’m sorry, Lady Rubian. I should’ve been more careful… I startled you,” Hazel apologized again.
I sat in the big chair, fidgeting with my fingers, feeling like I’d been acting overly childish.
“Really, I’m fine. I’m not even sweating anymore.”
“Rubi.”
A large hand landed gently on my head. When I turned, dark violet eyes were looking straight at me.
“You don’t have to do anything you dislike.”
“But…”
“No one can force you—not even me.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I just nodded.
“Cut it later. Any problems with it now?”
“It keeps poking my eyes.”
“Then don’t pull it forward.”
Someone muttered, “A hairpin would be nice…”
Hazel immediately stepped up.
“I’ll go buy one right away!”
“Wait.”
Uncle spoke to her as she was about to rush out.
“…Check the east room.”
“Pardon?”
“There should be something usable there. Bring it.”
“…My lord.”
The one who spoke then was Butler Adolf, standing quietly nearby.
But Uncle didn’t seem to mind.
“Adolf, give her the key.”
“…Yes.”
With tight lips, Hazel and Adolf disappeared into the hallway.
‘What’s in the east room?’
I racked my brain, trying to remember if this was in the original story. Nothing came to mind.
Just then, Void came over and pressed my cheek. His bright violet eyes were full of concern.
“You okay? Your face is like dough.”
Come to think of it, he’d been the first to notice—before even I realized.
“Uh… I’m fine.”
Is he unexpectedly sharp?
Either way, thanks…
“Thanks.”
Void snorted like it was nothing.
Uncle, who’d been watching us, suddenly spoke.
“By the way, Void.”
“Yes, Father!”
“Your sword training?”
“Eh?”
“Training.”
Void froze, then started edging backward.
“Riiight now…”
“Now?”
“I’m going!”
And with that, like a kid caught skipping class, he bolted away in a blur.
“….”
Uncle scratched his eyebrow as he watched Void vanish.
“I just asked a question, so why’d he run?”
“Maybe you threatened him with your eyes?”
With that fierce face and a low voice, of course he’d be scared.
“Ah, I forgot to soften up.”
He scratched his eyebrow again, looking troubled.
“This is hard.”
His voice carried a hint of real frustration.
“Haa…”
Hazel, maid of the Jebert Duchy, was gloomy.
‘I didn’t realize because she looked fine.’
Her face was clouded over as she replayed what happened earlier. Her footsteps down the hall were heavy.
‘Idiot.’
She had checked carefully, but this still happened.
She suddenly remembered the master’s instructions to the staff:
“Don’t touch her without permission, and don’t bring up her past. She doesn’t like it.”
Hazel’s brows drooped even more.
‘Did something bad happen to her?’
She’d heard Lady Rubian was rescued from a village destroyed by a black magic beast.
She was so small and thin—how hard must it have been?
‘I need to do better.’
Hazel sniffled, trying to steel herself.
“I was honestly surprised His Grace mentioned that room,” a fellow maid walking beside her said.
She was holding an old but untarnished key.
“His Grace must really cherish Lady Rubian.”
“Of course. She’s adorable. When she greets you with eye contact in the morning, it’s pure bliss!”
“I heard from Sir Leon that on the way to the North, she gave gifts to all the knights—homemade ointment.”
“My goodness. And so capable too.”
“Right?”
Hazel pictured Rubian’s sparkling blue eyes and mysterious silver hair.
Her creamy, soft-looking skin, her round, cute features, her tiny hands and feet that never stopped moving…
“She’ll definitely grow up to be beauti—”
Hm? Hazel stopped mid-sentence without meaning to.
“—a wonderful…? Dignified man…?”
Somehow, it didn’t quite roll off the tongue.
Though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly why.
