Chapter 36
“Such a precious thing… I’m fine. You should have it, miss.”
Hermia, startled, firmly shook off the hand that tried to return it and turned her bright face away.
“I already received five bottles. Just take it.”
“Miss! Can I please have just one bottle? I want to give it to my mother!”
Andy appeared out of nowhere, her eyes sparkling as she politely extended his palm.
What did she leave with me? She keeps reaching out.
“You can have one bottle for 100,000 Persos.”
“What? Are you joking?”
“100,000 Persos.”
Her gaze was steady, showing no hint of a joke. Andy, who had been secretly hoping for something, pouted her lips in disappointment.
“Tch.”
“Andy… Let’s go now…”
Lucy, who had just come out with the luggage, patted Andy on the shoulder.
‘Why are you so clueless!’ It was as if I could hear those words in her silent glare before Andy reluctantly backed away with a face full of regret.
After hesitating for a moment, Lucy handed the key to the pantry to Hermia.
“Are you sure there’s no problem…? What if, later on… someone questions why I gave you the key…?”
“I told you it’s fine. Do you still think I’m crazy?”
Though Lucy had doubts, she recalled the commotion from a few days ago when Hermia returned home and shook her head vigorously.
At that time, everyone was so tense they could hardly breathe.
Count Vansen rushed in at his wife’s call and yelled without patience.
He raged about how the ungrateful child was rebelling after being dressed in fine clothes and fed expensive meals.
The noble lady ran around the house while the timid master shouted with veins popping in his neck.
This was already the second time. The first was when the young lady’s name was splashed across the front page of the newspaper.
But how did the lady react to that?
“Just, just go away, I don’t ever want to see you again, so just leave.”
When Hermia’s voice spilled out through the wide-open door, the maids were aghast.
“The lady must really be crazy!”
“She must be pregnant with the Duke’s child!”
“I’m doomed!”
There was no other way to explain this rebellion of an illegitimate child.
The quiet child who usually stayed calm suddenly seemed possessed by an evil spirit. Then she stuck her head out to the swarm of servants and shouted,
“Are you all watching? You all can pack your things too!”
With a beautiful face like that of an evil spirit, she gave Lucy a chilling smile.
“But I’m still a ‘Vansen,’ right?”
“That’s certainly true…”
Surprisingly, her statement was correct. Despite all the chaos, Hermia was still the daughter of Count Vansen.
In fact, rather than being kicked out of the mansion, her demands led Count and Countess Vansen to decide on an early summer vacation.
It wasn’t hard to understand. If Hermia got married and didn’t want to be disowned, it was a choice they had to make as a couple.
Due to this astonishing incident, the servants of House Vansen could no longer treat Hermia with disdain.
Whenever they heard a bell ring from her room, they would arrive before the sound finished and always knock before entering.
They would then come out with pale faces after being hit by her sharp tongue.
This was progress for some and a retreat for others.
It was something Countess Vansen emphasized while trying to hold back her husband, but for the servants, it felt completely different.
To them, this situation felt like a ‘change of regime.’
Just then, Countess Vansen opened the carriage window and sharply shouted,
“What are you all doing inside? If we miss the train time, know that everything will be canceled!”
At her thunderous command, people remaining with Lucy poured out of the mansion like a receding tide.
Only Philip remained behind, looking worriedly at Hermia.
“How about calling someone from the Rockford family to come?”
“It’s fine. I’m used to watching over the house alone.”
With her firm reply, Philip turned away helplessly while repeating what he had said yesterday.
“Make sure to check the mailbox every day so that mail doesn’t pile up. Also, keep lights on inside when you go out. When you return, don’t walk alone; make sure to use a carriage.”
Typically, some staff would stay behind while others took turns going on vacation, but Hermia insisted everyone leave.
Since she had suddenly become the influential lady of the house and ordered them to leave without any explanation, they had no choice but to leave in confusion.
“Be sure to lock up tightly at night and pay special attention to the back door of the kitchen…”
“I got it; just hurry up and go,” she said impatiently.
Even the elderly butler was pushed out by this young authority figure.
“Have a good rest. Stay healthy.”
“I’ve never emptied this mansion all at once before; it’s strange.”
Finally sending off all the servants after Philip left, Hermia lifted her head happily.
The sky had entered a brief calm but was filled with hazy clouds; however, it was clear outside and droplets clung to flowers in the garden.
Hermia inhaled deeply the scent of wet grass as she waved goodbye to those leaving from Count Vansen’s residence. Her gesture was lively and cheerful.
“Goodbye! Take care!”
The carriage carrying the Count and Countess rolled over the wet ground, and the people walking away became smaller and smaller.
As she watched their backs, now too far away to hear their voices, she raised both hands high and waved them side to side.
“Goodbye for real! Forever goodbye!”
After shouting cheerfully, she skipped lightly back inside and closed the front door, bringing an oddly profound silence.
Hermia really liked the thick stillness that settled over the mansion.
“Phew…”
As she looked around the quiet room, she slowly began to move her feet.
It was no longer the cautious steps of someone who felt like they were stepping into a strange place after six years.
With her hands clasped behind her back, she took big strides, pressing down firmly as she walked. Suddenly, she turned around and looked down. The footprints were clearly marked on the new carpet.
She liked it just as much as before. A refreshing smile spread across her lips.
Hermia ran straight into the living room and threw herself onto the long sofa. Lying back with her legs up on the spot where the Countess usually sat, her eyes widened in surprise.
“So this is what the ceiling looks like.”
She knew it was painted with colorful and loud designs, but it was her first time seeing it up close.
A naked man riding a golden chariot flying above the clouds, surrounded by women with wings playing instruments—this was a picture whose meaning Hermia couldn’t grasp at all.
I wonder if the Duke has a body as good as that man in the painting? She suddenly regretted not checking that last time.
After letting her mind wander like this and quickly getting bored, she got up and lay down on the green sofa tucked under the window. This was where the Count would sit and occasionally smoke cigars.
She put her mouth to her empty finger like her father used to do and cleared her throat.
“The end times, oh dear. How is the world turning? Oh my.”
Even to herself, it sounded quite similar, making her chuckle. Then suddenly she stopped and clicked her tongue. It was too similar for comfort.
Shaking off that unsettling feeling, Hermia started running up the stairs. After reaching the top, she stomped down heavily before going back up noisily again.
“Look at me! I’m running around! A grown lady stomping about without decorum. Ah. This is tiring.”
The only sound filling the empty house was her heavy breathing. Hermia clung to the railing for a while to catch her breath before descending quietly. This time wasn’t very fun.
Her next destination was the kitchen.
She had instructed that food be prepared that could last in the hot and humid weather, but all the cook made were hard breads and cookies piled high. Still, it was better than nothing.
Hermia grabbed a basket of biscuits and some jam and hurried to the dining room. There awaited a lavishly set dinner for her.
Humming a tune, she sat down at the head of the table and lifted a goblet adorned with vintage patterns.
“Cheers to Hermia’s successful rebellion! And here’s to new beginnings.”
As she gulped down orange juice like it was wine, she felt pleasantly light-headed.
When I earn a lot of money later, I must hire a chef.
She made a firm resolution while looking at all the plates filling the table.
After finishing a satisfying meal, she simply covered up what was left without any regrets and stood up. Then she neatly gathered up the empty plates and took them back to the kitchen to wash them skillfully.
Her hands dried them with linen cloths as naturally as flowing water. She knew she would soon get bored again, but for this moment, she decided to enjoy it willingly.
As she finished tidying up and took off her apron tied around her waist, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
Hermia stared at the untied white apron for a moment before absentmindedly starting to twirl it around in her right hand.
“…Ah.”
Only after wrapping it completely around did realization hit her late. That realization quickly turned into nostalgia.
‘Our daughter won’t have to do such things later; she’ll be of noble status so there’s no need for me to help.’
‘There it is again. I will definitely marry a rich man for my mother’s sake.’
‘But not just any rich man.’
The two women who had paused washing dishes exchanged glances and simultaneously blurted out,
‘A young and handsome rich man!’
Just then, creaking open, an old door swung open.
“Donna! My queen!” came a sweet voice as her mother loosened her apron and wrapped it tightly in her hands.
“Damn Craig Nocturne! You went boxing again! Want to taste my fist?”
With her chest puffed out like an angry pufferfish, Hermia’s mother stormed out of the kitchen, looking just like yesterday.
Hermia leaned against a shelf reminiscing about joyful memories while shaking off wrinkles from her apron before hanging it up.
A young and handsome rich man…
If I married Walter who perfectly fits that condition, my mother would surely be delighted.
Moreover, he seemed to like me quite a bit—maybe even more than that.
“But Queen Donna… I think your pretty daughter would rather be happily alone than risk an uncertain happiness that could disappear at any moment.”
So I must definitely accept the money Princess Elisabeth gives me.
Muttering this as if making a vow, Hermia turned around and left the kitchen.
Outside, raindrops began falling once more—one drop, then two. Soon after, a sudden gust of wind rattled against the shutters uneasily.
