In the Graham household, Janet’s room had been in the attic. There wasn’t even a proper staircase, so she had to climb up using something like a wooden ladder.
The window that let her see the sky was nice, but every other aspect of the place was unbearably poor.
‘Well, it used to be a storage room in the first place.’
To them, that was exactly what Janet was worth and what she meant. Like some useless object to be shoved away in a storeroom.
Only now had Janet finally gained a room where she could properly lie down and rest.
“I’ll do my best.”
Having steeled her resolve, she moved quickly.
After washing up, she neatly tied up her long, trailing hair. Then she changed into the clothes she had prepared the night before.
Though slightly worn, they were the cleanest and finest clothes Janet had brought with her.
‘Once I start earning money, the first thing I should buy is new clothes.’
Or maybe she should ask the payroll officer if an advance payment was possible?
Because the estate was so vast and there were so many employees, each task within Ludwig had its own department in charge.
Thankfully.
Since she had already decided not to hand Nova what she wanted, it was obvious the woman would make things difficult for her.
Being able to speak directly with the payroll officer without going through the head maid was a huge advantage.
‘I’ll go ask tomorrow or the day after.’
Finishing her thoughts, Janet adjusted her outfit one more time.
Seeing her tidy appearance reflected in the full-length mirror, she curled her lips into a grin.
“Good.”
This should be perfect… well, maybe not perfect, but good enough.
It was finally time to meet the master she would be serving from now on.
The Empire’s infamous villainess.
Julietta Ludwig.
‘Ah, wait. Before that….’
“The Ludwig Grand Duchy, the greatest noble house in the Empire.
The history of the Ludwig Grand Duchy was not particularly long. Naturally so, since the current Grand Duke of Ludwig was its very first head.
Maverick Ludwig.
Originally, he had been the First Prince and a leading candidate for Crown Prince in everyone’s eyes.
Since the current Emperor, the Second Prince, was also exceptionally capable as a prince, many believed a bloody struggle for the imperial throne would inevitably break out.
However, instead of waging war against his younger brother over the throne, Maverick chose peace.
Claiming he had no interest in the imperial seat, he instead requested that a separate house be established so he could become independent.
And thus, the Ludwig Grand Duchy came into existence.
Of course, it was entirely through Maverick’s own abilities that the family’s influence had grown to such heights.
Yet this man, who appeared so competent, possessed one fatal flaw.
He was excessively fond of women.
The Grand Duke had a total of six children, and only two of them shared the same mother.
The first son, Oscar, child of the deceased former Grand Duchess.
The second son, Zephyr, child of the current Grand Duchess.
The first daughter, Rosina, born to an illegitimate daughter of House Helden.
The twins born to a famous actress from a traveling theater troupe: the third son Kendrick and the second daughter Julietta.
And lastly, the youngest son, Jerron, born to a young widow.
Fortunately, the youngest son had turned six this year, meaning there was little chance of the number of children increasing further.
The Emperor, who had long tolerated his older brother’s debauchery out of consideration for the sibling who had peacefully relinquished the throne and even gone off to fight wars on the frontier, had finally reached the end of his patience.
Moreover, the former Grand Duchess had been a younger relative of the current Empress. No matter that she had already passed away, how would she have felt knowing her husband had gone around fathering one illegitimate child after another?
In the end, the Emperor issued an imperial decree.
‘Please, for the love of heaven, stop already, Brother!’
Fortunately, the Grand Duke accepted his younger brother’s decree without much resistance.
Still, even if no more children would be added, that did not mean the existing ones would disappear.
The Grand Duke’s children were awkward with one another. If anything, their relationship leaned closer to bad.
Naturally so, since they all had different mothers and had grown up under a father who had absolutely no interest in them as children.
That was also why they each lived separately in their own annexes.
In any case, the conclusion was simple.
The Ludwig family was a complete mess hiding behind a glamorous exterior.”
Right before she went to find Julietta in earnest.
‘…Reading this makes it sound like whoever wrote it has a personal grudge against the Ludwigs.’
After reviewing the information about Ludwig once more, Janet tilted her head.
Could it be that Ilinia disliked the Ludwigs?
Or maybe Theo did?
‘Maybe this is somehow related to the contract about protecting Lady Julietta.’
…No.
She’d already decided not to dig into unnecessary things.
Snap.
Closing the notebook with an audible sound, she shoved it deep into her desk drawer and left the room.
“I greet the young lady.”
The moment Janet first laid eyes on Julietta, she struggled to hide her agitation.
Because the beauty before her was simply overwhelming.
Her skin was as white and flawless as fresh flour. Her jawline curved in a gentle line, and the nose standing proudly at the center of her face was perfectly balanced.
Her moderately full lips naturally curved upward even without a smile, and her slightly upturned eyes combined with her large gaze to create an aloof, catlike atmosphere.
‘I heard she was beautiful, but….’
After all, every rumor about Julietta’s misdeeds was always accompanied by the phrase, “a woman more beautiful than a rose.”
Janet had wondered just how beautiful someone had to be for people to praise her looks even while spreading terrible rumors about her…
But Julietta was truly astonishingly beautiful, beyond imagination. Simply facing her made Janet’s heart pound.
At this point, a strange suspicion even crossed her mind.
Could it be that people mistake their pounding hearts from being dazzled by Julietta’s beauty as fear instead?
Just as Janet was inwardly rambling in admiration of Julietta’s appearance—
“So. You’re my maid?”
“Yes. My name is Janet Graham, and I’ll be serving as your maid from now on. I look forward to working with you.”
Snapping back to her senses with a start, Janet finished her delayed introduction with a smile.
“Hm.”
Half-sprawled across the sofa, Julietta lazily swept her gaze over Janet. The indoor slipper dangling from the tip of her swinging foot teetered precariously.
Then—
“I’ve never even heard of some family called Graham. I suppose you crawled up here from some pathetic countryside backwater?”
The corner of her lips curled upward after delivering the sharp remark, only to fall flat again.
“I don’t like it. The idea that someone like you is my maid.”
Clicking her tongue, Julietta closed her eyes again.
“Just by looking at you, you don’t seem capable of doing anything properly. I wonder if you’re useful for anything at all.”
“……”
Receiving no answer, Julietta scoffed inwardly.
‘Looks like she’s scared.’
From just this much.
Julietta absolutely hated maids. If possible, she never wanted one for the rest of her life.
But—
‘That doesn’t mean I can dismiss her with my own hands.’
Taking in a maid had been her father’s order. Dismissing one on her own whim could easily be seen as defying his wishes.
So there was no helping it.
She would just have to make the girl leave of her own accord.
‘Judging by her reaction, it won’t take long.’
After all, she had frozen up completely and couldn’t even answer after hearing only a few harsh words.
However, all of that was merely Julietta’s misunderstanding. Janet’s silence meant something entirely different from what she imagined.
‘She’s quick-witted.’
If finding that many faults in such a short time was a talent, then it truly was a talent.
Or perhaps those lines had all been prepared in advance? If so, that was impressive thoroughness.
‘I was prepared for worse, so I’m relieved the level is milder than expected.’
Julietta’s words failed to leave even the slightest scratch on Janet.
For three years, she had grown up listening to abuse from the Graham family every single day.
Unlike Julietta’s cutting remarks, which at least lacked vulgar curses, the Grahams’ verbal abuse often contained words no noble would ever utter.
Janet had endured and tolerated even those words without complaint all this time.
The life she had survived was far too brutal for her to be wounded by someone’s insults now.
“As you said, I still have many shortcomings. However, I will learn, improve, and work hard so that I may serve you comfortably, my lady.”
“Huh?!”
Julietta’s eyes flew open, and she stared at Janet as though utterly dumbfounded.