The inside of the carriage was utterly desolate.
The duke, his gaze fixed on a small book.
The young duke, Elias, resting his chin in boredom as he stared out the window.
And Cecilia, sitting silently as if perched on a bed of thorns.
It was the Lucert ducal family, just as always.
Not a single word of conversation—this strange feeling as though they were all scattered far apart from one another.
“Cecilia.”
At that moment, the duchess calmly spoke.
Startled, Cecilia reflexively straightened her posture.
“Baroness Trancier is my friend. So behave yourself properly.”
The duchess gave the warning gently.
Cecilia quietly lowered her head and answered politely.
“Yes, Mother.”
Just then, the carriage came to a stop.
A servant of the Trancier household respectfully opened the carriage door.
“Welcome, House Lucert.”
Escorted by the servant, the family began stepping out of the carriage one by one.
Cecilia merely stared blankly at their backs.
It felt as though someone were squeezing her throat with all their strength.
…She could barely breathe.
And so, a week passed.
I’d been terribly nervous about accidentally running into the Lucert family, but surprisingly, it had been easy enough to avoid them.
After all, the paths of high-ranking nobles and a mere maid hardly ever crossed.
And there was even some good news.
“I heard the honored guests went out to enjoy the hot springs today. They’re not expected back until evening.”
My friend Amanda whispered the information to me.
And so, currently—
I was alone in the backyard of the Trancier estate.
Officially, maids don’t really get breaks, so you have to sneak in moments of rest like this whenever you can.
Besides, I’d already told Amanda to call for me immediately if anything happened.
Nothing should go wrong.
“Uwaaaahhh.”
As I stretched deeply, a strange groan escaped my mouth on its own.
“Ugh, I’m sore to death.”
I rolled my shoulders and tilted my neck side to side, and only then did my stiff body begin to loosen up a little.
“Still… it’s kind of cold.”
I rubbed my arms lightly.
The crisp air felt nice, but since it was still early spring, the weather was rather chilly.
Still, I didn’t want to go back inside already.
I’d spent the entire day trapped in the baron’s mansion, cleaning like crazy.
‘Maybe I should take a walk?’
And just as I began wandering wherever my feet took me—
I suddenly stopped.
“…Hic.”
I’d heard someone’s muffled sob.
As if they were barely managing to pour out grief they had kept buried for a very long time.
It was a tiny, fragile cry.
‘What?’
Without thinking, I turned my head toward the sound.
And in the end, I saw it.
A purple dress peeking out from behind a large tree!
Just from one glance, the owner of that expensive-looking dress had to be…
‘Amanda!’
I screamed internally.
‘You said all the guests went to the hot springs todaaaay!!’
My mind raced desperately.
There were only two people in the mansion who would wear such luxurious dresses.
First, the Trancier baron’s only daughter.
Second, the heroine of the original story—Cecilia… though I desperately wanted to believe it wasn’t her because that would be too horrifying.
Even if I tried to think positively and assumed the lady was the Trancier young miss—
‘Doesn’t this mean I just witnessed a noble lady crying?’
This is the worst…
Noble girls generally have enormous pride.
They’d consider it humiliating just to have someone discover them crying!
‘No. I didn’t see anything.’
I swallowed dryly.
If I quietly retreated now, it would be as though nothing had happened.
That mysterious lady would probably prefer that I pretended not to notice too.
Wasn’t that why she’d hidden herself all the way out in this secluded backyard?
Thinking that, I slowly began backing away.
Crack!
‘Ah… no way.’
I squeezed my eyes shut tightly.
Please, anyone—tell me that wasn’t a twig I just stepped on.
Seriously, nothing ever goes right!
“Who’s there?!”
A sharp voice rang out clearly.
At the same time, the figure hiding behind the thick tree suddenly sprang to her feet.
Then she glared over in my direction with fierce eyes.
‘Wow.’
Even amid my panic, I was rendered speechless.
Almond-shaped eyes forming perfect curves.
Pure white skin without the slightest blemish.
A long neck like a deer’s.
Her moist turquoise eyes resembled a summer forest after rainfall, while her thick wheat-colored curls called to mind a golden wheat field.
Across both my past and present lives, I had never seen beauty this overwhelming before.
Wasn’t she practically an angel descended from heaven?
…The problem, however, was this.
Cecilia hated her wheat-colored hair and turquoise eyes with all her heart.
No matter how desperately she polished her appearance, it could never compare to Milena’s radiant golden hair and vivid green eyes.
Those dull colors seemed to prove that she was merely Milena’s imitation.
No matter how hard she tried, it felt as though she could never reach the “real daughter”…
That’s right.
The worst-case scenario had arrived.
‘Why is Cecilia hereeee?!’
Cecilia growled viciously.
“You—how long have you been here?”
“J-Just now.”
At my answer, Cecilia stared at me suspiciously.
I hurriedly added,
“I’m serious! I just came out for some fresh air, and then I heard a strange sound…”
Oops.
The instant her gaze sharpened even more, I trailed off.
Apparently, she was deeply embarrassed about being caught crying.
But honestly, it was obvious she’d been crying.
Her eyes were reddened and swollen, and her lips were pressed tightly together.
Her fluttering eyelashes were soaked with tears.
“You.”
After a brief silence, Cecilia suddenly called out to me.
Then, in a dark voice, she continued,
“…Just try going around and telling people about me. I really won’t let you off.”
“Yes, of course.”
I nodded fervently.
“I didn’t meet anyone today, and I didn’t see anything at all.”
Yet Cecilia’s face remained cold.
“How can I trust you?”
Ah, has she been betrayed too many times?
Well, the heroine still doesn’t know this yet, but—
my life goal is “never get involved with the original story.”
But Cecilia, who had no way of knowing that, glared at me even more coldly and muttered threateningly,
“If you go around saying I cried or anything… sniff.”
…Sniff?
For a moment, I doubted my ears.
Did this ice-cold young lady… just sniffle?
“…!”
Cecilia stiffened her shoulders for a second before hurriedly pulling out a handkerchief to compose herself.
But her beautiful face had already turned as red as a ripe tomato.
Her wavering turquoise eyes soon shot toward me with terrifying intensity.
‘I-I’m doomed.’
I mean, I’m not even the one who made you cry…
I’m the one who wants to cry here?!
‘Wait.’
At that moment, my eyes widened.
Right now, Cecilia just doesn’t want anyone to find out she cried.
Which means—
wouldn’t it be fine as long as Cecilia wasn’t the one crying?
A passionate storyteller who loves creating immersive worlds and captivating characters.
