I couldn’t have explained my situation in detail, so I simply laughed it off, and the maid gave me a pouty look of fondness. After all, she was the one who’d have to do the cleaning and laundry if I ended up covered in dirt.
Clicking her tongue as she brushed the dirt off me, the maid—like me—glanced at the stuffed doll on the floor and pouted.
“Honestly, how old are you to still be clinging to a doll? You’re about to get married, Miss.”
Pepe flinched at her grumbling. Afraid he might move and blow his cover in a fit of anger, I quickly scooped him up and hugged him tighter.
As I stood, a cloud of dust fell from my skirt onto the floor. The maid’s expression twisted in dismay.
“Sigh… I’ll have to get the broom again.”
I picked up Pepe and stepped aside. She returned with a broom and dustpan, immediately getting to work cleaning up the mess. As I watched her sweep, I opened my mouth cautiously.
“If… just hypothetically…”
“Yes?”
Was it really okay to ask something like this of a maid? But I had no one else—not now. The only people I could call friends were Emil… and Rossiane.
So finally, in a quiet voice, I asked.
“What if Emil… doesn’t want to marry me?”
“Oh my, is that what you’re worried about? Goodness, Miss…”
At my question, the maid burst into a delighted laugh. Maybe she felt a little better now—she even brushed the dirt off my messy hair and replied.
“Honestly, how many people in this world get married for love? Most folks just settle down and get used to each other over time. I’m the same. Unless I leave this territory, I’ll probably end up marrying one of the boys I grew up with here…”
Her voice, casual and matter-of-fact as she spoke of marriage, suddenly trailed off. Her eyes went wide like a startled rabbit.
“Oh! That reminds me—there was a job posting in the marketplace!”
“A job posting?”
“Yes! They were looking for someone with dazzling silver hair and bright green eyes—just like you! The job’s in the capital.”
It was such a strange listing that I couldn’t help but frown. Silver hair and green eyes? That was oddly specific. Unlike me, who was narrowing my eyes in suspicion, the maid looked down at my hair with dreamy admiration.
“If I had looks like yours, I might’ve been able to leave this place too… Such a shame.”
“Isn’t that kind of shady?”
“Oh, the employer was the Veil Merchant Guild. They’re the most reputable merchants in the empire.”
Her answer immediately made me feel a little embarrassed about the awful things I’d just been imagining.
‘Well, if it’s the Veil Merchant Guild, I doubt they’re trying to kidnap and sell anyone off.’
I mean, the posting didn’t say anything about needing to be slim or pretty, or ugly or fat—just silver hair and green eyes.
I nodded thoughtfully and asked,
“I see. Do they offer good pay?”
“Yes! It’s quite generous. But more than the money, isn’t the real appeal that you get to leave the estate? Who knows? Maybe love will bloom in the capital!”
“I see.”
Love hadn’t bloomed for her here—would it bloom just because she moved to the capital?
I was skeptical, but I didn’t want to crush her hopes, so I answered in a vague tone.
After seeing the maid off and quietly shutting the door, I mulled over what she had said.
‘A chance to go to the capital…’
To someone like me, who’d relied entirely on the Kleene estate for food, shelter, and everything else since childhood, this job posting sounded like a golden opportunity to finally leave the domain.
Watching me quietly, Pepe flapped his wings and spoke.
「Yvonne, what are you thinking? Don’t tell me you’re considering that shady job posting?」
“Why not?”
「Yvonne!」
I knew it sounded suspicious. Sure, the Veil Merchant Guild had a trustworthy reputation, but the fact that they were specifically looking for a girl with a certain appearance? That alone made it feel incredibly fishy.
Still…
“I can’t marry Emil.”
If I hadn’t known, maybe. But now that I’d seen it with my own eyes—Emil and Rossiane’s relationship—I couldn’t possibly hold his hand and pretend nothing had happened. I bit my lower lip.
“But it’s not like I can just call off the engagement and walk away either.”
With Countess Kleene being so adamant, there’s no way she’d simply accept it if I suddenly declared I wouldn’t go through with the marriage. Not to mention, the entire estate had already been informed that Emil and I would be wed.
Hearing my reply, Pepe flapped his little wings and asked,
「What if you tried convincing them? Told them Emil and Rossiane are in love and asked for their blessing?」
Of course, I’d considered it. But…
‘Did the Countess really not know about Emil and Rossiane?’
Even I hadn’t noticed after spending so much time with them, so maybe she truly didn’t. But my gut told me otherwise. I was starting to believe she did know… and was deliberately trying to push the two of them apart. That theory made far more sense given her behavior lately.
“She’s rushing the wedding too much. I doubt she’d listen to reason, no matter how I try to explain.”
Pepe shook his head firmly.
「No parent can truly go against their child’s will. If Emil speaks honestly, even if she’s angry at first, she’ll come around eventually.」
Of course, that might be true, but what Pepe said hinged on a very big if: Emil would have to want to convince his mother. And the Emil who’d already proposed to me. I couldn’t imagine him suddenly doing an about-face to stand against the Countess.
I replied in a gloomy voice.
“The worst-case scenario I can think of is Emil just quietly asking me to go through with it.”
If I pretended not to know, their parents would be satisfied with the marriage, and Emil and Rossiane could continue their relationship in secret. Maybe he’d even ask me to keep quiet—for everyone’s sake.
‘That’s the most horrible outcome I can imagine.’
Was that how the future me had ended up? Trapped in a miserable marriage, suffering silently until her last breath? The very thought of it made my chest go cold.
「If that brat dares to suggest that, I won’t let him off easy!」
Pepe flapped about furiously, boiling with rage at the mere idea. I giggled and leaned over to kiss his fluffy cheek.
“Thank you, Pepe. You really do give me strength.”
Even if Pepe didn’t step in, I’d never say yes to something like that. I’d rather face anything than live out a life built on lies and betrayal.
“That’s why I need a way out—some excuse to avoid the marriage. Like going to the capital for a while.”
After all, if I’m not going to be Emil’s wife, there’s no reason for me to stay in the Count’s household anymore.
Pepe nodded firmly in agreement.
「Now that you mention it, you’re right. You’ve spent your whole life here while I was asleep. You can’t just decide to marry a guy just because he’s the only one around. There are plenty of awesome men in the world.」
“Of course—but the most awesome of them all is you, Pepe.”
「Naturally.」
I couldn’t help but chuckle at Pepe’s smug expression. Then I kissed his fluffy white mane and whispered,
“I’m going to head out and check that job posting. Please wait here like a good boy.”
After placing Pepe gently on the bed, I pulled on a robe and slipped out.
* * *
Apparently, the job posting was well-known. As soon as I left the estate and asked around, people responded kindly and easily.
“There, just head to that tavern over there. Ask the tavern keeper, and they’ll send for someone from the Veil Merchant Guild.”
Following those directions, I made my way toward the tavern.
‘It’s the first time I’ve been out on my own like this.’
Ever since I began living under the care of the House of Kleene, I’d only rarely been allowed outside—and even then, I’d always been surrounded by attendants. The Countess, in particular, had been hysterical at the idea of anyone else seeing my face, so even riding in a carriage with the window open was nearly impossible.
So in a way, this was my first time walking through town on my own.
‘It’s a little nerve-wracking… but kind of exciting too?’
I walked with light steps and pushed open the door to the tavern. The sun hadn’t set yet, so the place was empty. The tavern keeper, who was wiping down a table, glanced up and asked with a puzzled expression,
“We’re not open yet.”
“Ah… I’m here because of the Veil Merchant Guild’s job posting.”
“Oh yeah? Then have a seat and wait.”
I looked around the tavern and took a seat in a corner. The tavern keeper gave me a suspicious glance—probably because of the hooded robe I wore—but then went back to cleaning.
Once I was sitting quietly, dark thoughts began to creep back in.
‘How long have they been lying to me?’
No matter how much I pondered, there was no answer. I shook my head. Still, it was a blessing to have found out before the wedding.
‘It’s all thanks to Pepe. I know what the future holds now.’
I raised my hand. Sitting around like this with nothing to do, of course, my mind would start to wander.
“Mister, can I get a beer?”
“One glass?”
“Yes. Just… a bit bored.”
“Too much trouble, just pour it yourself over there.”
The tavern keeper pointed toward a large oak barrel. Feeling a bit awkward, I picked up a cup and turned the spout. Golden ale flowed with a soft fizz, filling the glass.
I carried the gently sloshing beer back to my seat and sat down, staring curiously at the glass.
Truth be told, this was my first time drinking.
