Home/The villainess's personal maid is very good at her job/ch 7

Episode 7

In the Graham household, Janet's room had been the attic. With no proper staircase, she had to climb up a wooden ladder to get there. The window that let her see the sky was nice, but everything else was utterly miserable.

'Well. It used to be a storage room, after all.'

To them, Janet was exactly that kind of use and meaning—an existence to be stowed away in a storeroom like a useless object.

Now, at last, she had a room where she could lie down and rest in comfort.

"Let's do my best."

Steeling herself, she moved quickly.

After washing up, she neatly tied back her long, voluminous hair. She also put on the clothes she had prepared the night before.

Though a little worn, it was the neatest outfit among all the clothes she had brought.

'I'll have to buy clothes first once I start earning money.'

Or maybe she could ask the payroll officer if an advance was possible.

Since the estate was so large and employed so many people, Ludwig had separate departments for each function.

That was fortunate.

Having decided not to give Nova what she wanted, it was obvious she'd make things difficult.

Being able to speak directly with the payroll officer without having to go through the head housekeeper was a significant advantage.

'I'll go see them tomorrow or the day after.'

Putting her thoughts aside, Janet smoothed her outfit one more time.

After confirming her neat appearance in the full-length mirror, she curled the corners of her mouth upward.

"Good."

This much was perfect—well, maybe not perfect, but decent enough.

It was finally time to meet the mistress she would serve from now on.

The Empire's infamous villainess.

Julietta Ludwig.

'Ah, but before that……'

---

«The Ludwig Grand Ducal House, the foremost noble family in the Empire.

The history of the Ludwig family is not particularly deep. That is only natural, as the current Grand Duke is its founding patriarch.

Maverick Ludwig.

Originally the first prince, he was widely regarded as a crown prince candidate.

Since the second prince—the current Emperor—was also exceptionally capable as a prince, many expected a bloody struggle for the throne.

However, Maverick chose peace over warring with his brother for the imperial seat.

He declared he had no interest in the throne, and instead requested that he be allowed to establish his own independent house.

And so the Grand Ducal House of Ludwig was born.

Of course, it was entirely Maverick's own ability that elevated the house to its current prestige.

But this remarkably capable man had one fatal flaw.

He was excessively fond of women.

The Grand Duke had six children in total, and among them, only two shared the same mother.

The first son, Oscar, child of the late Grand Duchess.

The second son, Zephyr, child of the current Grand Duchess.

The first daughter, Rosina, born to a mistress from the House of Helden.

The twins—third son Kendrick and second daughter Julietta—born to a famous actress from a traveling troupe.

And finally, the youngest son, Geron, born to a young widow.

Fortunately, with the youngest son now six years old, there would be no more children added to the family.

The Emperor's patience, which had silently tolerated his brother's dissipation after he had peacefully ceded the throne and even gone to war on the frontier, had finally run dry.

Moreover, the late Grand Duchess had been the current Empress's younger cousin. Even though she had passed away, one could only imagine how the Empress must have felt knowing her former husband had fathered one illegitimate child after another.

The Emperor ultimately issued an imperial decree.

It was essentially: "Enough, brother!"

Fortunately, the Grand Duke accepted his brother's decree without much resistance.

But even if no more children would be added, the existing ones weren't going to disappear.

The Grand Duke's children were distant with one another. If anything, their relationship was closer to hostility.

With different mothers and having grown up under a Grand Duke who showed no interest in them whatsoever, it was only natural.

This was also why each of them lived in their own separate villa.

In any case, the conclusion was this:

The Ludwig family was a crumbling house held together by a gilded exterior.»

---

Just before heading to see Julietta in earnest.

'……Reading this, it sounds like it was written by someone who harbors some resentment toward Ludwig.'

Janet tilted her head as she reviewed the information about Ludwig one more time.

Did Illinia dislike Ludwig?

Or did Theo?

'Perhaps this might be related to the contract clause about protecting Lady Julietta.'

……No.

She'd decided not to pry into unnecessary matters.

Snap. She closed the notebook with a sound, hid it deep in her desk drawer, and left the room.

---

"I greet Her Lady."

When Janet first faced Julietta, she struggled to suppress her agitation.

It was because Julietta's beauty was overwhelmingly striking.

Her flour-white skin bore not a single blemish. Her jawline traced soft curves, and the nose that rose proudly in the center was perfectly balanced.

Her moderately full lips curved upward even when she wasn't smiling, and her similarly upturned eyes combined with her large pupils to give off a catlike, haughty air.

'I'd heard she was beautiful.'

After all, rumors of Julietta's misdeeds were always accompanied by the epithet "a woman more beautiful than a rose."

She'd wondered just how pretty someone had to be for even the worst gossip to include compliments about her looks, but……

Julietta was truly a beauty beyond imagination. Just facing her made her heart pound.

At this point, she even wondered: perhaps people mistook the pounding of their hearts from awe at Julietta's beauty for fear?

As Janet was internally heaping praise upon Julietta's looks—

"So. You're my handmaiden?"

"Yes. I am Janet Graham, who will serve as your handmaiden from now on. I look forward to working with you."

Oh. Janet snapped to attention and finished her introduction with a smile.

"Hmm."

Julietta, lounging half-sprawled on the sofa, gave Janet a cursory once-over. Her indoor slippers dangled precariously from her swinging toes.

Soon—

"I've never even heard of a house like Graham. Well, you must have crawled up from some rural backwater, I suppose?"

The corner of her mouth that had spat out the venomous remark twitched upward, then dropped flat.

"I don't like it. Someone like you, my handmaiden?"

Tsk. Clicking her tongue, Julietta closed her eyes.

"From the look of you, I doubt you can do a single thing properly. I wonder if you'll prove useful in any way."

"……"

At the lack of response, Julietta chuckled inwardly.

'She's scared, I see.'

Just from that much.

Julietta detested the very idea of having a handmaiden. If she could, she'd never have one for the rest of her life.

But—

'That doesn't mean I can dismiss her on my own.'

Having a handmaiden was her father's will. Dismissing her arbitrarily could be seen as defying his wishes.

So, there was no choice.

She'd have to make her leave on her own.

'Judging by her reaction, it won't take long.'

She had frozen up and couldn't even answer after just a few harsh words.

But that was all Julietta's misconception. Janet's silence meant something entirely different from what she expected.

'She's quick-witted, isn't she?'

Finding so many faults in such a short time was a talent in itself.

Or perhaps it was rehearsed dialogue? If so, her preparation was thorough.

'I had braced myself for worse, so I'm relieved the intensity is milder than expected.'

Julietta's words left no mark on Janet.

For three years, she had grown up hearing verbal abuse from the Grahams every single day.

Unlike Julietta's barbs, which were free of vulgar curses, their abuse often included words that nobles would never utter.

Janet had endured and endured even those without flinching.

After a life so harsh, she was no longer susceptible to anyone's venomous words.

"As you say, I still have many shortcomings. However, I will strive to learn and improve so that I may serve you comfortably, my Lady."

"Ha?!"

Julietta's eyes shot open and she stared at Janet in disbelief.

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