Chapter 25
“My friend.”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
As soon as I got kicked out of Lu’s room, I went straight to Able’s room to report what had happened. Able crossed her arms and thought for a moment, then let out a sigh.
“He really doesn’t care about Dericsha at all…”
Her tone, as if everything were ruined, made me pause. Wouldn’t it actually be better if the original sub-male lead who used to interfere with them disappeared?
Able, lost in thought with her hand on her head, glanced at me and lowered it.
“Alright, Lily. I’ll tell you this just once. It’s a time when I really need your help.”
“I thought you weren’t going to tell me to avoid messing up the original story?”
“Forget that. I’m tired of agonizing over it alone.”
Able spoke as if she had given up entirely. I sat in a chair and focused on what she was saying.
“In the original story, around this time, Dericsha would enter as Lu’s exclusive maid.”
“What?”
I blinked in surprise at the sudden remark. Why now?
“Am I getting replaced?”
“No. You’ll continue as Odin’s exclusive maid. After a brief change, everything will return to normal.”
Why go through all this trouble? My expression must have betrayed my confusion, because Able began to explain carefully.
“In the original story, Lu finds out that Odin also likes Dericsha and intentionally tells Odin that he himself likes Dericsha. Then, wanting to be with Dericsha, he asks Odin to let Dericsha serve as his exclusive maid.”
“And Odin agrees to this?”
“At first he refused, but Lu mocked him, which made Odin snap and just agree. Lu says things like, ‘Doesn’t the older brother like Dericsha too?’ or, ‘If she becomes the Duchess as a commoner, the one who’ll suffer is Dericsha.’ Odin was struggling with such thoughts at the time, so he thought it was better to let go of his feelings and just agreed.”
“Lu would really say something like that?”
I couldn’t imagine it at all. The Lu I knew wasn’t the type to say something like that, no matter how bad his character was.
Just as the shock of the original story settled in my head, Able slammed the table and pointed at me.
“What’s important here is your role.”
I flinched slightly at her charismatic expression. What help could I, a side character, possibly provide in the main couple’s romantic struggles?
“The Lily who becomes Odin’s exclusive maid in Dericsha’s place gives him a lot of advice about his feelings. Thanks to Lily’s guidance, Odin realizes he can’t let go of Dericsha’s heart and brings her back. It’s a time when the male lead’s love strengthens. If you miss this timing, Odin might completely give up on his feelings for Dericsha.”
“…”
It was a heavier responsibility than I had expected. If one side gave up before their feelings were confirmed, nothing would work.
I nodded seriously.
“Then… what can I do right now?”
“You need to help Lu realize Dericsha’s absence, but the problem is that Lu currently has no interest in her.”
Hearing the whole story, I realized the situation was indeed serious. I let out a sigh similar to Able’s earlier one. For Dericsha and Odin to be safely together, we had to follow the original story.
The problem was that I had already ruined that story. At this point, wasn’t I the real trash?
“I’ll try to persuade Dericsha and Odin. You just help with convincing Lu. He never listens to me.”
After a brief moment of self-reflection, I nodded. Able stretched with a relaxed expression and then flopped over the table.
“I was really at a loss… I’m so glad you’re here…”
Her words, almost like a mutter, made me smile. I wondered how hard it must have been for her to agonize alone over more than ten years. I reached out and played with the tips of her hair.
I felt the same way as Able. I knew from experience how frustrating it was to be tied up in the original story and struggle alone.
Just as Able drew comfort from me, I was also deeply grateful to her. It wasn’t easy to willingly shoulder such a difficult task purely for Dericsha’s sake.
Able tilted her head and looked up at me, smiling. Her eyes were sweet and teasing, but her tone was firm.
“Alright, go then.”
“…Where?”
“To persuade Lu.”
“…I got kicked out twice today already, and you want me to go again?”
Time had passed while we talked, so Lu might already be asleep.
Able got up from her seat.
“It’s later than the original story, so it’s better to act as soon as possible. I’ll go see Odin now, so meet me in my room in thirty minutes.”
“What about my shift…?”
I asked with a pout, but Able just smiled and left the room.
Right, that’s how things go with matchmaking…
Resigned, I headed toward Lu’s room. It was just two steps from Able’s room anyway.
I knocked politely, then swung the door open and approached Lu, who was lying on the bed.
“Master Lu.”
“Please, just let me sleep…”
Lu mumbled in exhaustion, his blanket pulled over his head. I ignored him and yanked the blanket away.
He lay there with a disgusted expression, covering his ears.
“Can’t you just let me leave work…?”
“I want to too! Come on, get up. I have something to say.”
Lu dragged himself up with a look of pure reluctance. His hair was all messy from lying down.
“What is it…?”
His drowsy mumble barely made sense, but I cleared my throat and spoke.
“Please fire me.”
“What?”
Lu’s eyes snapped open. He looked genuinely shocked. I held my palms up in a calming gesture.
“From being your exclusive maid. I want to serve someone else instead.”
“Who?”
“Odin. Dericsha will come work in my place.”
Lu’s expression turned incredulous.
“Why are you doing something like that?”
“…It’s a project to make everyone realize how important each other is.”
I didn’t even fully understand it myself, but I had come this far, so I decided to push forward recklessly.
“Anyway, please switch me over. Not forever, just a few weeks?”
“…Did I do something wrong?”
Lu asked cautiously, but I shook my head.
“It’s all for a reason. It’s a maid’s deep plan. You just follow along.”
“Ha…”
Lu sighed and ruffled his hair. Seeing him wake up looking so conflicted made me feel a twinge of guilt.
“Alright, fine. Just get out.”
“Yes, sir.”
I bowed slightly and left. I had set a new record of being kicked out three times, yet somehow, I wasn’t happy about it.
Glancing at Lu, I noticed a trace of complexity in his expression.
My imagined version of Lu would have just been annoyed or frustrated, not wear such a dark look.
Could it be that he disliked Dericsha?
I shook my head immediately. There was no way anyone could dislike Dericsha.
The situation had been resolved, but a lingering unease remained. I pushed the subtle feelings aside and returned to Able’s room.
“Honestly, I don’t get it.”
Dericsha was making the same confused expression that Lu had worn yesterday. Whatever Able had said to persuade her, she had now accepted that she would serve as Lu’s exclusive maid starting today.
I stood beside her as she guided me to Odin’s room, listening to her continued remarks.
“I’ve been working peacefully for months, and suddenly they’re changing my assignment?”
“I’m sure they have a reason.”
“That’s fine, but Anna isn’t changing at all! Why just us? I can’t understand it. Monica wouldn’t have done something like this on her own…”
“Monica?”
Her sudden mention of the head maid’s name made me pause. I had thought Able was persuading Dericsha directly, so why was Monica involved?
Noticing my confusion, Dericsha looked at me.
“Didn’t Monica tell you too? She came to me directly last night.”
“…Ah, yeah. That’s right.”
I nodded absentmindedly, starting to grasp the situation. Able, that clever lady, hadn’t asked in person. She had used Monica to adjust the work assignments instead.
Yes, it was more of an order than a request. Subordinates can’t argue when the superior commands it.
I silently apologized to Monica for unintentionally putting her in the role of villain.
“Alright, here we are. Starting tomorrow, I won’t guide you anymore, so don’t get lost. Stay on track.”
“Am I a child?”
“In my eyes, yes.”
Reaching Odin’s room, Dericsha wagged her finger at me like a scolding teacher.
“First, prepare the tea and place it on the desk. Add a little milk in the morning, but never put milk in before brewing the tea. No sugar either. Take the indoor clothes from the second section of the third wardrobe, fold them neatly, and place them on the bed. He hates people touching the desk, so don’t touch it while cleaning, but tidy up around it. Make sure the blanket doesn’t hang off the bed. Ventilate three times a day, but since it’s cold now, just twice…”
“Wait!”
I quickly covered her mouth. Dericsha stopped mid-sentence and glared at me.
“There’s so much! Why is making tea so important? Just give it to him!”
“I’ve only told you the morning schedule so far. If you’re his exclusive maid, you should at least know Master Lu’s tea preferences.”
Tea preferences?
I stared at Dericsha in disbelief. Lu drank anything silently. Once, as a joke, I brought orange juice instead of tea, and he drank it without complaint. He never worried about small details.
I couldn’t understand why she was making a meticulous plan for everything, when cleaning could be done freely.
“…Alright, I didn’t expect you to memorize everything anyway. Do you have anything to tell me about Master Lu?”
I blinked. Tell her about Lu? I had nothing to share, really. Scratching my cheek in thought, I suddenly had an idea.
“If you annoy Master Lu, you can leave early.”
“…”
Dericsha frowned and walked away without replying.
It had been a useful tip, at least.
I stepped into Odin’s room, feeling a bit dejected.
