YLTVRM

Closest

"Haa, it's hard"

I sat on the sofa, moving my shoulder in a circular motions, which has began to stiffen.

A few days have passed  since I began swordsmanship training.

No matter how good the physical strength talent of your bloodline have, you will still be tired after overworking all day long. I frowned and spoke, whimpering.

"Annie, give me some water."

"Yes."

I felt alive after drinking some cool water. The water infused with fresh lemon juice went well along with my throat without any fishy taste.

"Haa, it's good."

".........."

I put the glass down in a refreshed mood, Annie stared at me.

I asked with a puzzled expression as I felt that she had something to say.

"Why?"

****

Annie Cerus knew her position well.

She first started working for the Duke of Carpoem at the age of sixteen.

Annie's parents were nobles who succeeded the barony. However, it was only an honorary position given to their predecessors in recognition of their contribution in resolving the drought, and when her parents succeeded that position, their business failed and collapsed.

Her parents eventually sold their titles, and left along with the money. Annie, then decided to took the letter of recommendation so that she could work as a maid from a good family.

Annie, who have no experience as a maid, felt very lucky to work at the Duchy with a single recommendation letter.

Annie was exhausted when she first came to the Duchy.

It was because she had everything at such a very young age that she did not realize that she was lucky.

Her parents, who failed at business eventually became buried in debt. There's no way to stop the private lenders from coming at them and causing a scene.

They sold their title to pay off the debts, and in the end, they were left with no money.

Annie declared her independence and left. Becoming a maid overnight.

The etiquette she learned all her life since she was young as a noblewoman were of no use at all.

What Annie did as soon as she arrived at the mansion was to wash a laundry full of blankets.

In addition, she washed various of dirty sheets and laundries.

Annie's house was poor, so they didn't have many servants. So she thought that her life was worse than any other noble children. But the maid's work was harder than what she have imagined.

Tired of working everyday, she lay down in a small room with only one bunk bed and barely slept.

There were quite a few children from the fallen nobility like Annie at the Duchy.

But she didn't regretted the years being with them (1) and being nostalgic about the past. Though she was unhappy in the past, she realized that being pessimistic about her situation won't do her any good.