It was surprising that a woman was wearing a uniform, and that she was a doctor. After passing through the gate, everything was full of surprises.
The woman nodded slightly as if she was very familiar with that gaze and introduced herself.
“I’m Second Lieutenant Nora Wilson of the Army Battalion. As you can see, I’m a woman. I’m also a soldier and a doctor.”
“Ah, I… … .”
As Hermia was about to speak, Nora immediately added:
“I received a regular education at a university, obtained a medical license, and passed the same exam as others to enlist. Please rest assured that there was nothing illegal in the process or outcome.”
The voice that spat out words at a rapid pace, as if it wasn’t the first or second time, even felt boredom. Hermia rolled her eyes and then finished greeting him.
“I am Hermia Bahnsen. I am also a woman. As you can see… … ?”
“yes?”
“… … ?”
For Hermia, who was more accustomed to the prejudiced stares than anyone else, Nora was surprising but not awkward. Perhaps because it was not the expected reaction, Nora made a surprised expression and then smiled awkwardly.
“I’m sorry. I thought you’d react angrily, but I was too hasty in my judgment.”
“What is it?”
“No, it’s not.”
Nora crouched down, hastily unbuckling the belt of her leather bag.
“Let’s start with the feet. Wow, there’s a lot of bleeding.”
First? Hermia frowned with an anxious expression. Nora suddenly changed her attitude from before and began examining the wound as if she were a god.
She wiped her heel with an alcohol swab, applied ointment, carefully put on a bandage, and then sent the maid out. When they were alone, she turned her eyelids, looked inside her mouth, and played with her hair while asking questions.
Hermia was so shocked that she did as she was told, repeatedly moving and answering while lifting her clothes.
Finally, when the treatment was over, Nora scribbled something on a file and stepped aside.
“Thank you for your hard work. Please be careful not to let water get on the wound. And… I apologize for my rudeness earlier.”
Rude, what do you mean? While I was still confused, a knock was heard.
“This is a message from the master to bring the young lady as the meal is ready.”
“Oh, Miss Emily. Please pass this on to the Colonel.”
Nora folded the piece of paper she had written down twice and handed it to the maid. The maid, named Emily, hid her hands behind her back.
“I think you should just tell them directly. They asked everyone else to attend as well.”
“Me too? The company dinner is definitely next week… … .”
The maid, who had silenced Nora with her murderous gaze, smiled again.
“Today. Company dinner.”
“Oh, yes. I see.”
Hermia sat up, watching Nora move unnaturally as she went out.
I didn’t think I was that clueless, but seeing as I had no idea what was going on the whole time, I guess that’s not necessarily the case.
She vehemently refused the crutches the maid brought her and slowly walked out into the hallway wearing fluffy slippers.
The mansion was spacious and luxurious on the inside as well. Well, that’s to be expected, since there was a reception room that could be accessed from outside.
The living room I just came out of was big enough for 50 people to enjoy tea time. It had two double doors and even had antique patterns engraved on it.
‘I should stop hesitating now.’
The rustling green curtains beckoned Hermia to come and take a look, but Hermia followed the maid, looking straight ahead.
I also saw servants I had never seen outside before walking up and down the long hallway. They were not walking side by side, but quietly walking in a line in front and behind each other.
At the count’s residence, there were always close maids walking around arm in arm or gossiping with each other.
Since the owner of the mansion is a soldier, I wonder if the servants are also subject to similar rules. While thinking about this, I arrived at my destination.
* * *
[Symptoms of malnutrition and anemia. No signs of corporal punishment.]
Walter checked the note Nora had handed him, then immediately crumpled it up and handed it to Aiden.
“Thank you for your hard work. Go and sit down.”
“yes.”
Nora, who had given a brief bow, moved to a seat in the middle of a long table. Walter’s adjutants were sitting side by side in their assigned positions according to rank, and Nora also took a seat naturally while receiving eye contact from them.
A little later, the door to the banquet hall opened and Hermia and Emily came in. The soldiers who had been sitting and turning their heads to look at Walter immediately stood up as a group as soon as he stood up.
Hermia flinched in surprise at the sound of dozens of chairs being pushed back. The sight of the dark soldiers staring at me in a group was almost overwhelming.
‘It’s a surprise. What’s so scary?’
As I was shaking off my startled feelings, Walter came walking towards me with a stomping motion.
“Is it okay to walk already?”
“yes?”
“If anyone saw you, they’d think you had a broken leg, Walter.”
Mel, who was the only one sitting at the group table, giggled and said.
The place where Mel sat was just to the right of the Duke’s seat at the head of the table. Hermia knew what that meant.
Since the Countess always sat on her father’s right, Mel would naturally know that that was the seat where the head of the household sat.
‘Is this how you tell things? It’s a little disappointing.’
It was like there was no contact until I came to see her in person, and Mel kept calling me by my name without any formality.
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t help but conclude that my marriage with Walter had already happened.
Hermia smiled sheepishly and sat down in the empty chair in front of the door. But Emily, the maid who had brought her in, grabbed her arm and lifted her up.
“Oh my. Why at the very end… … .”
“?”
The place she was moved to again was across from Mel. So, if we compare it to the count’s residence, it was the place where the couple’s children lived. Even greater confusion arose.
Walter sat between the two women, and the rest of the soldiers were all seated as well.
“Henry… you said sir? Nice to meet you again.”
I greeted the familiar face sitting next to Mel, and he nodded with an indifferent expression.
‘You rascal. What good will it do if you at least talk back to me?’
Mel spoke cautiously to Hermia, who was feeling embarrassed.
“If you feel uncomfortable sitting with me… … .”
“Huh? Ah.”
Mel seemed to be asking permission to sit at the same table as Hermia, perhaps worried that Hermia might be offended, since she had only recently been her maid.
But as she spoke, she glanced at Walter, suggesting that she hoped he would tell her that it was okay instead.
Hermia responded calmly, as she didn’t mind being treated like a brat by Mel.
“I heard from the Duke that you were Melissa. I also knew for sure that you were the Count’s daughter.”
“I didn’t mean to hide it on purpose… … . It was only recently that my memories started coming back little by little… … .”
Mel’s eyelids blinked incessantly. It was hard to tell if it was a natural reaction of embarrassment or a thoroughly calculated foolishness.
“Let’s talk about the details later. Let’s eat first.”
Walter cut her off gently and looked at Mel.
As Mel nodded, the door opened and trolleys filled with large and small plates began to file in.
Hermia sipped the drink that had been prepared in advance and watched the food filling the table.
A turkey roast, dripping with oil, caught my eye, then a meat pie with honey and jam, and a trout as big as my arm, drenched in a sweet sauce, were placed in the center of the table.
A creamy stew with pine mushrooms was being quickly moved next to the individual plates placed in front of us.
When everything was ready, Walter raised his crystal goblet as if he were about to make some grand speech.
Whatever it was, I hope it didn’t take too long, he thought, as he opened his mouth.
“Don’t eat.”
“yes!”
The subordinates who answered loudly began to eat all at once. The men moved their hands and mouths recklessly as if they had no interest in anything other than eating.
“I hope you can taste everything, even if it’s just a little bit, out of consideration for the chef’s sincerity.”
Walter urged Hermia, who was still standing still, and Hermia, who was momentarily taken aback, finally picked up her spoon.
“thank you for this food.”
Everyone’s movements stopped at the habitual words, then resumed. Hermia didn’t notice and started eating her stew.
“…it’s good.”
At the softly muttered words, this time the servants’ movements became more hectic.
Cuts of turkey and fish were placed on Hermia’s personal plate, and before she could finish it, other food was added to it.
This was her first time eating this way, so she was a little taken aback, but everything tasted so good that she moved her fork diligently.
* * *
Meanwhile, as the maid who had taken the plate Hermia had used went out, the other maids rushed in.
“She’s really different from Helen in The Thief’s Tale?”
“They say you’re picky and only take one bite of anything, but that’s not true either.”
“What noble lady in the world would say hello before eating!”
“Sir Henry says that the stepmother was a terrible tormentor to the countess at her residence.”
After whispering for a while, Aiden came walking over, coughing in vain. He looked at the maids lined up in an instant and handed me a crumpled piece of paper.
“Just throw it away.”
“Yes, butler.”
After seeing the maid accepting it politely, Aiden disappeared back into the banquet hall.
The servants gathered around the maid who had unfolded the paper as if it were a given. Then, after checking the contents, they all sighed at the same time.
“Oh my god! Malnutrition!”
“She’s so pitiful! But why did she appear as a villainess in the book? The author must have ill feelings toward people of commoner origins!”
“In that sense, I support Miss Hermia. Maybe it’s because we come from the same background that I support her more.”
“Actually, Miss Melissa… started manipulating us as soon as we got here.”
The atmosphere quickly became tense as soon as someone brought up Mel’s story. They continued their conversation cautiously.
“I know you’re happy that you’ve been restored to your status after being a maid all your life… … .”
“Isn’t that a bit too much?”
Eyes quickly moved back and forth in agreement with what someone had said with courage.
“Even though we are childhood friends of the master, we are not Miss Melissa’s personal maids.”
“I told you I even gave you a foot massage a few days ago.”
“Shouldn’t you go back home and get that?”
“When I first saw the thief Youngae, I felt sorry for her, but to be honest, I don’t understand why she wants to enjoy the reward for her hard work here.”
“What I’m saying is.”
The maids sighed deeply and quickly dispersed to their places.