Home/My Youngest Keeps Bringing Me Male Leads/ch 16

Chapter 16

The horse's mane streamed in the wind between her fingers.

The arm around her waist was firm. Even when Agnes swayed slightly, he caught her right away.

Her loosely flowing hair kept brushing against her cheeks.

But she didn't mind it.

The landscape of the fields rushing past, the blue sky spreading above when she tilted her head up, and the white clouds drifting on the wind—all filled her vision completely.

She felt as if she finally understood why Silmare found the carriage so stifling.

The horse ran lightly.

Unfettered by reins, the horse galloped joyfully on its own, and Silmare and Agnes, seated atop it, only needed to keep their balance.

When they occasionally veered off course, Silmare whispered in a language that flowed like droplets of water.

And the horse would unfailingly correct its direction.

Toward the Laverose estate—Agnes's home.

Tucking back her wildly blowing hair, Agnes beamed.

It felt as if she were dreaming.

Could she ever have imagined something like this?

Like a horse unbound by anything, it felt as if she had cast off the ropes that had been binding her whole body.

Forgetting even Silmare behind her, she reveled in the wind with abandon. Silmare watched her, as if dazzled.

It was the first time he had seen Agnes laugh like this.

She had always been weighed down by heavy burdens, her expression rigid, restraining herself, controlling even the twitch of her brows.

But now, in this moment.

Agnes was laughing like a child.

"Do you like it?"

As he whispered, Agnes met his gaze over her shoulder.

Her eyes sparkled with a fresh green, like new shoots.

"Yes! I love it!"

Stroking the horse's back, covered in silky fur, Agnes raised her voice, afraid it might be carried away by the wind.

"I've always wanted to ride!"

"I see."

"Since I was very young. But my father said it was too dangerous!"

The memory was vivid.

The brown horse she had vowed to ride someday.

When she had to part with 'Rose,' the one she had claimed as her own, she held back the tears that threatened to spill, and only when she was alone in her room did she cry her heart out.

After her mother passed away, there were countless such moments.

"How about it, Agnes? Will you now accept me as your fortune?"

His whisper sounded somehow urgent.

That was why she couldn't answer lightly.

In truth, she had so much she wanted to say that she couldn't reply at all.

If a beautiful deer came to the shore of an empty lake that had nothing to give and whispered to her, it might feel like this.

It's okay if you give me nothing.

Just let me stay by your side.

Not only laying flowers of unknown origin and playing beautifully nearby, but even sprinkling moisture on the parched ground—how could she refuse?

'How could I possibly refuse? If anything, I'd beg you to stay by my side.'

So Agnes said nothing, merely curving her eyes in a smile.

---

Meanwhile, the day before Agnes arrived.

The four new employees reached the Laverose estate.

As soon as they stepped off the carriage, they all let out a sigh at once.

Because it looked even more desolate than they had heard.

"Heh heh... heh heh heh."

In particular, Oliver, hired as a gardener, just laughed in a daze.

The three others cast sympathetic glances at him.

"Um... that's not a garden, it's a wasteland, isn't it?"

"Can it even be restored?"

Ben and Pavel, hired as estate guards, looked at Oliver with concern.

"It has to be done. Well, there's a lot of work, so they'll pay us well."

Oliver was surprisingly quick to recover.

Lilia watched him with an awkward smile.

Lilia, hired as a maid, was the only woman among the newly hired employees.

During the carriage ride, with nothing else to talk about, they had shared their life stories. Oliver's situation was this:

'I was just an ordinary farmer, but I lost my family to monsters that appeared from the Cracks.'

'Oh dear. You must have been devastated.'

'In any case, I'm glad they hired me. Doing something, anything, helps keep my mind off things.'

Pavel and Ben had parents, but they lived in a small village in the Laenheim territory.

Lilia, however, was different.

Born and raised on the outskirts of Calben City, Lilia had five younger siblings.

Her parents worked hard to support their six children, but with only the two of them working, it wasn't enough.

As a result, Lilia had to take on all sorts of odd jobs from a young age to earn money.

Given her status, she had never even dreamed of working as a maid in a noble's household.

'You're going to the Laverose estate? Are you out of your mind? If you work hard and don't get paid, what are we supposed to do?'

Her mother had confronted her when she heard Lilia was going to the Laverose estate.

Lilia barely managed to convince her.

'Maybe I can get a letter of recommendation and go somewhere else.'

For the sake of her younger siblings, who were still too young to find stable work, she would do anything if it meant earning good money.

Of course, she hadn't expected to be working at such a run-down estate.

Looking at the mansion that was practically abandoned, Pavel and Ben murmured worriedly.

"I wonder if there's even anything to guard."

"Well, they did say we could patrol the village if there's nothing else."

"I suppose so."

The two had been guards in Calben City.

That work was also quite grueling, so they seemed to have moved to a position that paid relatively well and seemed easier.

Whether it would actually be easier remained to be seen.

Guided by the butler Alfred, the four headed to the employees' quarters.

Only after entering the room did Lilia let out a relieved sigh.

It had been empty for a long time, so dust was piled up everywhere, but for Lilia, it was her very own room—something she'd never had before.

She would have to share it later if another maid came, but even so, it was incomparable to the house she'd lived in in Calben City.

"The young lady seemed kind, too."

She had given them generous travel expenses, so she'd been able to leave some for her family to buy good food.

Though the work ahead seemed daunting, Alfred, the butler, told them they could rest today and start tomorrow morning since they must be tired.

Somehow, she had a good feeling.

Lilia fell asleep with a contented heart.

The next day, Lilia woke up early. When she went outside, Marta was already up and moving about.

She was Lady Agnes's former nanny and had continued to look after the children of the Laverose estate.

Now she seemed to be working as a maid in the household.

"Welcome, you're Lilia, right?"

"Yes."

"First, we need to clean the guest rooms. Can you do that?"

"Of course!"

"After that, you'll need to help with meal preparations, so hurry!"

Not just Lilia, but the other employees were busy from morning as well.

Oliver went out to inspect the garden, and Pavel and Ben carried the delivered groceries to the storeroom before helping Oliver.

That morning's meal was unexpectedly generous. There was plenty of food for the employees as well.

Elena's cooking was surprisingly good, thanks in part to Lilia and Marta's busy assistance.

'They're all good people.'

Whether they were new or old, seeing the employees help each other without complaint made Lilia smile contentedly.

But they weren't the only ones living in this mansion.

While meal preparations were in full swing, Marta, who had come to the kitchen, prepared a separate meal. It was three servings.

"Who is this for?"

When Lilia asked, Marta smiled wryly.

Marta didn't answer the question but asked Lilia to help carry the meal.

Only after they stepped into the hallway did Marta tell her where they were going.

"The Viscount Laverose has four children."

"Four?"

"Yes. Lady Agnes is the eldest, and the missing Lady Amy is the youngest. The two of them are kind, but the others are what you might call... difficult."

"I see."

"First, let's go to the second daughter's room."

Marta stopped at Elizabeth's room first. Knock, knock. When she knocked, a voice came from inside.

"Come in."

Entering nervously, there was a girl with long, curly brown hair sitting at the vanity.

It looked as though she was preparing to go out.

Despite her beautiful face, her sidelong glance was gloomy.

Dark circles under her eyes suggested she hadn't slept well the night before.

"There's a new face?"

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Lilia."

"A new maid?"

"Yes."

In the meantime, Marta set the meal on the table.

"Please eat, my lady."

"What's this? The meals have been extravagant since yesterday."

"Lady Agnes said we should make sure you eat properly now."

"So, after locking us in our rooms because she couldn't spare a penny, now that she has some money, she's acting generous?"

Marta said nothing, only bowing her head.

Perhaps wanting some kind of reaction, Elizabeth continued.

"Still not a word to us?"

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