Chapter 69. Testing And Trial, Part X
Translator: Khan
Editor Group: Liber Reverie
"Do it. You can take two days off, so enjoy it."
"... is that true?"
"Yes. I'll call Jessie, who's been off for a long time. It looked like she was bored."
It didn't matter if Jessie wanted to participate in the festival. It wouldn't be too inconvenient if there would not be their serving. Cleaning and washing water would be done by other maids in the mansion, and drinking tea or changing clothes could be done by herself.
It would not be nice to be seen doing what a maid was supposed to do since she was the daughter of the family of Count Roscent, but it would be better than a rumor that she was persecuting and afflicting her maids. Annie looked pathetic, and her cheeks were colored rosy.
"Thank you very much, miss!"
"No, it's nothing. Talk to me when you want to rest from now on. I have two maids, so even if one takes a break, I'm not that uncomfortable."
"Miss..."
If she could express Annie's face, she was deeply moved. It might be because few owners, like Aria, easily gave their maids a vacation.
Aria of the past had made some maids do useless things all day long, and made a false accusation and got angry. It had been excessive, but besides her, there were several aristocrats who had used their own maids as emotional garbage cans.
A position in the family of a noble was not easy to get, so most of them put up with it, but if they had a chance to move, they would quit without regret.
"Oh, and."
"Yes?"
"Or you can wear my clothes if you need to. I can't lend the clothes I got as a gift, but the clothes I bought are fine. And the jewelry, too."
"... are, are you serious?"
Annie's face turned into an embarrassment as if she had never imagined it. At best, everything she had bought in a boutique was all. They were all right to dispose of because they were clothes she did not want to wear and would not wear anymore.
There was no need to do this, but it was more like making patronage with the clothes she would throw away because it did not cost her any loss by being nice to the spy of Mielle. As she wore makeup and a golden brooch, there were already some maids who were envious of her. She was young, but she dressed up beautifully and went to meetings with her master.
In addition, unlike in the past, the wicked woman behaved in a calm and quiet manner. It was a festival that many masters would carry their maids around all day long, and if she gave her a vacation and lend clothes, it must be beneficial to her. Annie's vacation was for promotional purposes.
"I hope you'll go with your close maids."
"Haha, yes. Is that right?"
Of course, there wouldn't be a maid in the mansion of the Roscent family, who could enjoy the festival with her. The count and countess were stingy on the vacation for maids, and Mielle would not arrange her maid to Annie, who was on vacation from the wicked woman.
The festival day came and Aria spent the day with Jessie after a long time.
Annie dressed herself up from the morning and left the mansion. She picked out the cheapest clothes Aria had and put them on. The more gorgeous she was for promotional purposes, the more Aria's position would rise.
"Don't you want to go to the festival, Jessie?"
Aria, who had been reading books all day because she had no schedule, asked. Jessie, who didn't know she would be asked such a question by Aria, shook her hand in embarrassment.
"No! I'm fine, miss."
"Really?"
"... yeah?"
"Are you saying it's okay not to go or you don't want to go?"
"Ah..."
She was willing to let her go if she wanted to. Even if she didn't use her vacation, if she went for a while, it didn't matter. As Jessie lingered and unable to answer, she asked her intentions again, and Jessie confessed her real heart carefully.
"I'd love to go, but... but I have to serve you."
"If you want to go, you can go."
"...!?"
"If you want to go, go. All I have to do from now on is to read books anyway."
She drank a lot of tea and didn't want to drink anymore until she went to bed. So there was no need for Jessie's serving anymore. Fresh water was full in the water bottles, so if she drank it, then it would be done.
"But I am worried about you... Annie's out, too..."
"I would be only at home. What are you worried about?"
Strictly speaking, staying in a mansion would be the safest and least to be worried about. Even at Aria's facial expression for her to go quickly, Jessie couldn't answer easily but then clapped her hands as if something had come to mind.
"Well, why don't you come with me?"
"Where?"
"Festival! It's not going to be dangerous because it's still early. There will be a lot of guards on the festival day."
'Going to the festival? Me? I've never thought about it.'
"Don't you want to go?"
That was the question Aria had just asked. If she wanted to go or not... she might have wanted to go when she had been very young. But she couldn't go at that time. It had been similar even after she had joined the Roscent family. Being a noblewoman, she didn't go because she thought she should avoid the play of the common people.
'And now... may I go now?'
Her heart suddenly fluttered and pounded when she thought about it. Whether her cheeks had been flushed, Jessie began to get ready to go out before she could even hear the answer. Aria stood up with the words "wait a minute" as she stared at the out-of-the-way clothes and ornaments Jessie had brought.
"... miss? Are you sure you're not going out?"
Jesse's face turned sour again. In the past, Aria had done mischievous acts to her many times, and Jessie seemed to be looking forward to going out with her owner.
'In the past, how could I be so cruel to such a child?'
"No, these outwear clothes are so noticeable, and let's go out in plain clothes. It wouldn't be a good idea to make a rumor of it as a nobleman's walk." Then, Jessie's face turned red.
"Miss!"
"Get ready quickly. I'll be back before dark."
"Yes!"
Wearing neatly braided hair and unmarked dress, Aria touched her hair still. She felt strange as if she had gone back for more than a decade.
'If I'd lived this normal life before I came to the mansion of the Roscent family...'
'If so, would the future have changed a little?' She shook her head thinking. As long as the demonic Mielle had been there, she would never have been able to live a decent life. She had begun to hate her and the countess for a ridiculous reason, and it seemed to have come to a similar end.
She stared out of the window, shaking her regret off that had already been late. The view continued to move up and down, perhaps because it was a carriage used by the servants. She felt sick and her butts hurt. She thought it was only yesterday when she had slept on the rock floor. This was nothing to her.
As Aria stared out of the window without saying anything, Jessie, who sat on the opposite side, spoke cautiously.
"You're not comfortable, are you? You should have ridden in a proper carriage..."
"No, it's okay. I don't have to try to stand out."
Young children or young women were more likely to be exposed to danger in places with large crowds, so she had to refrain from any noticeable action. Therefore, only one knight had been brought in. It would be suspicious if two strong men were attached.
Sitting in the carriage seat and now invisible, the knight who first came with Aria had a very nervous face. No matter how recent rumors about her have abated, the nickname "evil woman" has not dropped.
However, as he sat in the driver's seat and was not seen right now, the knight who accompanied her for the first time had a very tense face. No matter how the rumors of her had softened recently, the title of a wicked woman was not taken away.
"Miss, I think we've arrived."