Chapter 3: What She Could Do
Was it unexpected? Both surprise and embarrassment crossed the maid’s face.
“I… thought you might need it.”
“Pardon?”
“S-sorry… I was coming down and saw you with the elderly lady…”
“Ah…”
Lyra lowered her gaze awkwardly, staring at her still-extended hand. She wished the maid would make some decision, either accepting or refusing, but the girl before her just kept blinking.
Finally, just as Lyra was thinking she shouldn’t have interfered and was about to withdraw her hand, the young maid accepted the handkerchief.
“Thank you.”
The maid fidgeted with the handkerchief while stealing glances at Lyra. Though she had accepted it, she seemed unsure what to do with such a fine, soft handkerchief. She carefully asked Lyra:
“Did you think I was crying?”
“Huh? Oh… yes.”
“I see. You’re a kind person, my lady.”
“…”
Lyra’s heart twinged for a moment. While she had indeed seen herself in this maid, she had also felt satisfaction at finding something to do. To hide these inner thoughts, Lyra smiled awkwardly.
“But this is nothing after dealing with it for days. It doesn’t faze me at all anymore. Hehe.”
The girl, who looked about fifteen or sixteen, suddenly smiled brightly.
“I won’t need it right now, but I’ll wash it properly and return it to you.”
“…Okay.”
Lyra stared blankly at the chattering lips. Something about this girl, able to smile so prettily even in such a moment, struck a chord in her heart.
As her gaze lingered, confusion entered the maid’s eyes. Lyra quickly shifted her attention to the window bars, unconsciously searching for the spot Mrs. Beightle had been criticizing earlier. Then she realized why she hadn’t been able to step in until now.
‘So that’s why.’
The reason the mansion was being maintained so immaculately.
After briefly assessing the faint traces that remained, Lyra shared her cleaning knowledge with the young maid.
“For… rusted areas, it’s good to… use acidic substances.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s something I… heard before…”
Despite Lyra’s slow, drawn-out explanation, the young maid neither interrupted nor dismissed her words. Instead, her eyes grew wider as time passed.
“Oh my…”
She couldn’t hide her amazement. The maid was quickly drawn into Lyra’s words, thinking she had thoroughly misunderstood this unfamiliar lady.
* * *
“Are you going to leave things like this?”
Isaac asked Kaylon while holding out documents for approval.
“Speak plainly.”
Kaylon raised an eyebrow at the contextless question.
“I’m talking about that woman.”
“Who?”
“Miss Norris. Are you pretending not to know?”
At the voice tinged with disapproval, Kaylon glanced up briefly. His expression suggested he hadn’t expected to hear a woman’s name from someone who usually avoided casual conversation.
“What about her?”
As Kaylon lowered his gaze again, Isaac carefully expressed his concerns about the woman who had recently become the source of his worries.
“If rumors start spreading soon, won’t they reach not only Miss Claudia’s ears, but Count Almar’s as well?”
The hand moving the pen tip without hesitation turned the page with deliberate casualness.
“And?”
“If you’re trying to provoke them, shouldn’t you at least make her properly befitting of nobility?”
Isaac handed over the next document while studying his superior’s inscrutable expression.
“Is that a problem?”
“Of course it is. Miss Claudia is no ordinary fox, after all.”
“Hmm.”
A faint trace of irritation flickered across his otherwise composed face as he opened the document folder. He attributed it to hearing Davira Claudia’s name, but for some reason, the scene he’d witnessed at the entrance earlier kept coming to mind.
That woman, laughing and chattering away with a young maid about trivial matters.
What good would it do to dress her in fine clothes and provide her with a grand house? How it grated on his nerves to see such naivety, someone who couldn’t even grasp her own position.
Of course, dealing with a woman who would cause trouble even if left alone wouldn’t be difficult, but whether Lyra Norris could withstand the pressure was another matter entirely.
“What about the tutor?”
“We’re still looking. There aren’t many people who meet the requirements.”
“Is that so?”
Silence fell over the room again, broken only by the scratching of the pen. Once the duke closed his mouth, Isaac followed suit.
Eventually, when the signed documents were neatly stacked like a tower, Kaylon looked up. Leaning back comfortably in his chair, he addressed Isaac with an impassive face.
“Bring the woman here.”
* * *
“Is that really true?”
The eyes of those gathered in the stillroom shifted from Lyra, who sat demurely, back to the young maid.
Under the collective gaze, maid Letty chattered away excitedly.
“I’m telling you! The rust that wouldn’t go away no matter what completely disappeared! Isn’t that amazing? Who would have thought lemons could be useful for cleaning? I thought they were just for the kitchen!”
In her excitement to share her experience, she didn’t notice Lyra’s face turning bright red. She was too eager to tell everyone about this lady who knew such wonderful cleaning methods.
“Now we won’t need to use harsh chemicals anymore. They just damage our hands anyway.”
Letty frowned as she looked down at her peeling white hands.
“Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard about this before. Who was it that mentioned it? Oh right, it was in that pocket book that came out a few years ago—’Mansion Management Secrets.’ Didn’t it have something like that in it?”
As one of the maids seated around the large workbench chimed in, Letty’s face immediately brightened.
“See? I’m not making this up!”
Letty even shrugged her shoulders proudly. Then, turning to Lyra with a face full of admiration, she said:
“You know, my lady, I was really surprised today. I thought all noble ladies were stuck-up and didn’t want to associate with maids like us. But you’re truly kind. I feel sorry for misjudging you before.”
Letty’s eyes crinkled into crescents.
“And you’ve taught me so much. So, my lady?”
Lyra, who had been fidgeting uncomfortably, turned at Letty’s call.
“Y-yes?”
“Would you mind if I made you my role model from now on? Could you please continue to teach me?”
“Oh… okay.”
“Thank you, my lady!”
When Lyra answered reflexively, Letty flashed a bright smile showing her neat teeth.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and a man with light gray hair entered, pushing up his pince-nez.
“Miss Norris.”
At his stiff, emotionless voice, all eyes—including Lyra’s—turned to Isaac. Their faces showed less concern about having their afternoon break interrupted than shock at seeing Lord Isaac venture into such a lowly place.
Ignoring their stares, Isaac deliberately frowned at Lyra.
“The duke requests your presence.”
* * *
Standing by the window, Kaylon took in the verdant grounds with languid eyes. What had once been a bustling social spot now seemed somewhat lonely, having rejected all visitors. Yet his impassive face showed no trace of regret.
He tapped his crossed arms while contemplating future scenarios.
What would happen if Lyra Norris were to step up as a party host? How would people react to seeing this blank slate of a woman standing above noble society?
Though the reactions weren’t hard to predict, it was natural for him to consider it, given that he had enough power to make it happen.
Besides, there might not be a better way for her to establish her position as his lover.
As his golden eyes roamed over the vast lawn, he began to envision empty spaces filling with white tables and chairs, servers appearing one by one carrying food.
Sweet melodies playing, couples holding hands and dancing joyfully.
An evening ball with brilliant lights and exotic decorations, rounded flower columns and floating silk embellishments.
All eyes would focus on the woman as she ascends the host’s platform.
Gazes filled with shock. Green-gray eyes looking down coldly at them all.
If they were to clasp hands pretending to be in love, and he were to kiss his lover’s cheek…
A smirk crossed Kaylon’s lips as his thoughts continued.
“This could be interesting.”
