Episode 84
She took off the mask she was wearing. The face revealed was identical to Sylvia’s, but the expression wasn’t one Sylvia would make.
That haughty look and the smile that seemed to be contemplating how to dispose of the maid before her…
Prea Seirthe.
The person in front of me was Prea, disguised as Sylvia. A cold sweat ran down my back as I realized that.
The hand gripping my wrist pulled me closer. A voice, whispering in my ear, warned me clearly,
“Don’t even think about running away. Why do you think I brought you all the way here? To make sure you, with that small body of yours, can’t escape.”
Prea’s smile made me even more nervous. I wanted to bite my lip, feeling the unsettling silence around us.
‘Why did I foolishly follow her? I should have run away inside the auction house as soon as I felt something was off.’
I briefly regretted it, but it was too late.
I had anticipated that she would be angry since I didn’t follow her instructions last time. But I hadn’t expected her to come looking for me like this.
There were plenty of other pawns she could use.
And Prea wasn’t someone who had the time to personally deal with a mere maid. That’s why I had only been wary of her around Sylvia…
I barely managed to stop my mind from going blank at this unexpected situation.
‘Calm down, Lily. Prea is watching my every reaction. I have to act natural and figure out why she’s here, what she’s planning.’
Regardless of the circumstances, I was currently acting like I was interested in Prea, who had approached me, wanting to befriend my mistress. So showing open hostility wouldn’t be appropriate.
“What’s this? Are you… Lady Seirthe…?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Oh my, why are you disguised as my mistress! Did she ask you to play along with a prank? She’s so playful sometimes, it catches me off guard, but this is truly surprising!”
As I feigned surprise, Prea narrowed her eyes and touched her chin with her fingertip.
“You seem quite surprised.”
“Yes! I never imagined you would do this! And what did you mean earlier, telling me not to think about running away?”
“You know why. You disobeyed me, despite being just a maid.”
Her hand slowly reached out and touched my eye. A chill ran down my spine.
‘Don’t touch my eye! I’m scared! I’m really scared!’
Despite my inner turmoil, I continued speaking naturally,
“Gasp! I-I’m sorry. I actually lost the note you gave me and was planning to send a message through Miss Sylvia, but… it was a secret between you and me, so I had no way to contact you. I disobeyed you… despite being just a maid… I broke my promise…”
I deliberately drew out my words and thought of something sad.
‘Tears, come to me, please.’
I bit my lip and lowered my head.
“I’ve committed a grave sin.”
A tear rolled down my cheek as I spoke. My acting was so perfect that there was no way she would suspect anything.
I waited for Prea’s reaction, and a cold, indifferent voice pronounced my doom.
“A grave sin, you say? You certainly have.”
‘Uh… I don’t think it worked.’
I thought only my bad owner was heartless. It seemed like the villainess was the same.
“So, I’ll have to borrow you for a while.”
‘Borrow me? What does she mean?’
“Pardon?”
“You’ll have to stay at my mansion for the time being, Valerie.”
Her words were unexpected.
It would be easier for her to threaten me now and use me to trap Sylvia. I wondered why she was bothering to take me to her mansion.
She was cruel enough to have me killed without a second thought if she wanted to.
“At the Seirthe Marquisate? If you need someone to attend to you, I won’t be of much help. I know how capable the servants there are. I don’t want to be a burden and cause trouble for Miss Sylvia.”
As I spoke, acting like an ideal maid, I assessed the situation.
Prea, personally seeking me out and wanting to take me to her mansion… something was definitely wrong.
Her tone was calm, but I knew she would drag me away by force if I refused.
‘It seems like I’m going to be kidnapped…’
My instincts blared warning signals. I had been through so much, and now I was being kidnapped? That wasn’t part of my plan.
As I lamented my misfortune, her hand stroked my head.
“I don’t expect that from you. What can you do, running around with that small body of yours? You just have to smile and chatter when I come to you.”
That sounded like… a pet bird. Chirping and entertaining its owner, obediently following every command.
Neither Cesar nor Sylvia treated me like a pet bird after I became human. And yet, it seemed like that was my destiny after all.
A sense of instinctive rejection welled up within me.
“B-but Miss Sylvia will be worried…”
“Don’t worry about that. She won’t even know you’re gone.”
There probably won’t be a place for you when you return, Valerie.
Her voice, calling my name, was gentle, but her words were chilling.
Prea, putting the unconscious maid in the carriage, turned around and asked,
“That guild member arrived safely, right?”
“Of course. I’ve received confirmation that she successfully boarded the carriage and is heading towards the Veronica County mansion.”
“Good.”
“But why are you bothering with a lowly maid like that? It would be cleaner to just get rid of her.”
Prea sneered and replied,
“Are you suggesting I have Lady Veronica killed? You have to be discreet. If that guild member is caught, they’ll look for this missing girl next.”
“That’s what I’m saying. If that maid escapes alive, it will be troublesome…”
Prea sighed briefly and snapped her fingers. The man who had been speaking suddenly started coughing and collapsed.
Another man appeared and bowed his head.
“I apologize, my lady. I told him not to cause you any displeasure in front of such an important person. Please forgive me; I’ll take responsibility.”
Prea turned away dismissively.
“Just get rid of him. I can’t stay here long; it will complicate things.”
“Understood. But I’m a little curious. Is there a reason you’re going through all this trouble?”
“…I’ve always been satisfied with your clean and efficient work, but you’re quite talkative today.”
“I apologize.”
Prea, looking at the carriage, said,
“If she’s dead, I can’t use her. I’m planning to frame that maid. Of course, I could just eliminate her without a trace so she can’t defend herself, but… it’s more amusing this way. And I want to keep her around for a bit.”
Her eyes curved into a smile, like she had found a new toy.
“I quite enjoyed our time together.”
“Is that so? Then please be careful on your way back.”
After the man’s words, Prea got into the carriage.
Watching the carriage leave, he added,
“But don’t keep her for too long. It seems like some rather influential people are interested in that maid.”
Some of them dangerous enough to take a life if provoked—.
I nuzzled my face against the soft pillow, tossing and turning. The pillow felt unusually soft and fluffy today, like a cloud.
‘Hmm… I should get up.’
Even though I knew I had to, I lingered in bed.
After counting a few more seconds, I finally opened my eyes.
“An unfamiliar ceiling…?”
It was the classic unfamiliar ceiling scene you would expect in a typical reincarnation story. I suddenly felt respect for my past self, who had readily accepted reality after waking up in a bird’s nest.
But where was this, exactly?
My mind was still foggy with sleep. Just as I was about to lie down again, thinking I should sleep more if it was a dream, the memories from before I fell asleep came flooding back.
“Gasp!”
I had been kidnapped, hadn’t I? That’s why the bed felt so comfortable and inviting.
I cautiously looked around the room. Fortunately, there was a small window.
It was too small for a human to fit through, but it was big enough for a small bird.
‘Should I transform into a bird and fly back to Sylvia?’
I stared at the window and then shook my head. It was better to be cautious; there might be someone watching.
If they found out I was a bird, they might even block the window.
‘I should wait for someone to come in. This doesn’t seem like a prison; the bedding is luxurious, and everything is spotless.’
And my body felt clean, as if someone had washed me. I was wearing a soft nightgown, not the clothes I had been wearing yesterday.
Realizing this, I quickly checked my neck. The necklace-shaped artifact had to be there.
I breathed a sigh of relief, finding it intact, and the firmly closed door opened.
“You’re awake, Valerie.”
“Lady Seirthe… uh…”
“What is it? Are you going to ask me to let you go?”
Prea’s voice turned cold in an instant. I quickly changed the subject.
“No! The servants’ quarters are so luxurious! I was just admiring them!”
I chuckled, and Prea, her expression unreadable, sat down beside me. She lifted my chin with her index finger and asked,
“Did the Veronica County make you sleep in a hard, smelly place? I only give the best to those I cherish.”