Chapter 2
“As you can see, this place requires many hands. It’s even more so since there’s no mistress.”
“I will work hard.”
“Good. Then I’ll take my leave now. Charles here will show you your duties, your room, and give you a tour of the mansion.”
“Please follow me.”
Raila bowed deeply once more and turned toward Charles, the butler standing by the study door.
Lucy hurried to stretch her small strides to keep up with her aunt. She kept glancing back over her shoulder, feeling a chill run down her spine—until she flinched and nearly jumped.
The boy who had been at the chessboard earlier was glaring at her sharply.
“Lucy. If you cling to me like that, Auntie can’t walk properly.”
“S-sorry…”
“Are your legs tired? Do you want me to carry you?”
At her aunt’s gentle words, Lucy nodded wildly and reached out her arms.
To the small and frail Lucy, Raila was a fortress and a warm home that would protect her from everything. In her aunt’s warm, soft arms, she felt she could be safe.
Seeing this, Charles offered to carry their small bag, making it easier for the two to move along the corridor.
Lucy buried her face into her aunt’s shoulder, hugging her tightly—only to jump again when she turned her head.
The boy was standing just behind the open study door, staring at her with that same piercing gaze.
“This will be your room from now on.”
How many winding corridors had they passed while following the butler? At the far end of the mansion, opposite an old staircase, there was a lone door attached to the wall.
Seeing it, Raila let out a soft sigh. Of course, she thought.
No matter how kind the masters seemed, they were nobles at heart—most never felt the need to treat their servants well. She had worked in many mansions since she was young; she was prepared for whatever bleak room lay behind this door. Her only worry was her young niece.
“Go in, put down your things, and come back out. I’ll introduce you to the other staff.”
“Yes, understood.”
Once the butler turned and disappeared down the stairs with elegant steps, Raila adjusted the worn strap on her bag and turned the doorknob.
“Auntie! There’s a bed! Two of them!”
The first thing to greet them was the sunlight streaming in through a large window.
Lucy, momentarily dazzled, was the first to run and jump onto the bed.
The room, lined with wooden floors and walls, gave off a calming earthy scent.
Raila set down the bag and walked closer to the large dresser between the two beds, then peered out the window.
A flock of ducks was wandering around the yard, looking for food, and white tablecloths, freshly washed, flapped in the breeze.
Standing on her tiptoes, she could see a vast orchard sprawling down the hill beneath the mansion grounds.
“Auntie! Can I use this bed?”
“Yes, of course.”
At Raila’s nod, Lucy felt as if she could fly.
Compared to the room at their last house, this was a dream. That place had been a dark, sunless basement—freezing in winter and with just one creaking bed that felt ready to collapse.
While Raila unpacked and tied on her apron, Lucy rolled across her new bed, savoring her joy. The sheets smelled like sun-dried grass.
“Lucy. That’s enough, come stand in front of me.”
“Yes!”
Lucy jumped down lightly and spread her arms wide as she stood before her aunt, who looked at her with a warm, loving smile.
Raila took off the tattered hat and the thin, barely useful coat, folding them neatly on top of the dresser. She then wrapped an apron, big enough to cover half of Lucy’s tiny body, around her dry waist.
Raila thought to herself that once Lucy got used to her work, she would make her a new apron—one just for her. She double-checked Lucy’s clothes and her own appearance.
“Let’s go. The butler must be waiting.”
“Yes!”
Holding her aunt’s warm hand, Lucy hummed a little tune, her small steps full of excitement.
Her aunt had been right.
This mansion was truly the best place they could have ever hoped for.
“I apologize for being late.”
“Our master is a very diligent man. He expects his servants to be the same. Please keep that in mind.”
“Yes, I will.”
At the gentle reprimand, Raila lowered her head, steeling her resolve once again.
This was not a place they could afford to lose. Even Lucy, so young, already understood that.
“There are twenty rooms in the mansion. There are five dining rooms in total. Adding the reception rooms and the halls for guests and rest, there are over forty spaces to manage. However, we have enough staff, so it shouldn’t be too burdensome. Even so, please keep all areas clean beyond your assigned section. Our master has an extreme dislike for filth.”
“Yes, understood.”
Lucy listened closely to the butler’s calm instructions too.
If her aunt missed anything, it would be up to her to remember it.
If she failed to do her part, no matter how much her aunt begged, they would be thrown out without mercy—so she had to do well.
Tightening her grip on Raila’s hand, Lucy repeated the butler’s instructions in her head again and again.
“Breakfast is served separately in the master’s and young master’s rooms. Lunch is at noon, dinner at five in the evening. Once the masters have been served, the servants are given an hour for their own meal. During that time, you don’t need to do any work—you may eat and rest.”
It was an unexpectedly generous arrangement. An hour just to eat and rest.
But there was still more that left Raila and Lucy even more astonished.
“Every servant receives fabric to make new clothes once a month. Also, after six months, you will receive fifty silver coins. After one year, you will receive one gold coin. What you do with that money is entirely up to you. The child will start receiving this at fifteen.”
“Gasp…”
As Charles walked with his hands folded behind his back, he turned slightly at the quiet gasp behind him.
There was the new maid, who until now had shown no reaction, staring wide-eyed with her hands over her mouth.
When their eyes met, her green eyes darted around nervously before hiding behind her red lashes.
A moment later, a tiny, “I’m sorry,” escaped her lips.
Charles, surprisingly, let out a soft laugh.
“Our master is a very generous man. Consider yourselves lucky to work in this household.”
“Yes, thank you very much.”
Clutching her apron with trembling hands, Raila hurried to keep pace with the butler.
Fifty silver coins every six months—one gold coin every year.
That meant they could save at least a gold coin and a half each year.
With about thirty gold coins, they could buy a small house on the outskirts of the countryside.
If they managed to stay here, they could live out their later years in a cozy home of their own. Lucy could even have a decent dowry when she married one day.
For the first time in her life, Raila’s heart stirred with real hope for the future.
“Now, let me introduce you to the rest of the staff.”
When Charles turned the double handles of a large door, bright sunlight flooded a spacious hall.
It was probably used for banquets. Lined up inside were easily more than fifty servants, all standing at attention.
Realizing how many people they had kept waiting made Raila feel a twinge of embarrassment. She quickly stepped up to stand by Charles’s side.
“This is Miss Raila and young Lucy, who will be working with us from now on. Please help them settle in.”
“Yes!”
The response was so loud that Lucy instinctively covered her ears. The warm-faced lady at the front row laughed kindly at the sight.
Embarrassed, Lucy pretended to fix her hair and stood at attention.
Auntie always told her to keep a smart expression.
But when she squinted and furrowed her little brow, she looked no fiercer than a sulky squirrel—making the other servants chuckle softly.
“This is Mrs. Diana, who will guide Miss Raila for the next month.”
“Nice to meet you. If you have any questions while you work, just ask me.”
“Ah, yes… Thank you very much.”
“Everyone, back to your duties now. Miss Raila, please follow me.”
At the butler’s instruction, the gathered servants quickly scattered until the grand hall was empty once again.
Seeing how orderly and efficient the staff were, Raila resolved to learn her tasks quickly so she wouldn’t fall behind.
“By the way, did you hear anything about our master from the Lowell Count’s household?”
“Ah… no. They just said it was a good place and told us to go.”
“Our master’s family were merchants for generations. They had no noble title until recently. But our master’s abilities were recognized, and he was granted both land and a title. Our main income is from wine. From here all the way to the foothills beyond the estate—it’s all vineyards and wineries. The servants you met are just the household staff. There are hundreds more working in the vineyards and wineries.”
“I… I see. That’s really amazing.”
“It is, isn’t it?”
Proud of his master, the butler’s lips curved into a soft smile.
Raila stared blankly for a moment, then blinked and stepped closer.
Beside her, Lucy caught a sweet scent on the breeze and dashed to the back garden.
There, spread out before her eyes, were endless rows of vineyards she hadn’t seen from their room.
“Wow…”
The unripe green grapes were already large and plump, visible even from afar.
Workers moved among the vines, tending the leaves, spreading fertilizer, and watering under the warm spring sun.
Will I ever get to walk down there someday? Lucy clenched her small fists, her heart swelling. She truly loved this mansion already.
“In addition to the grapes for wine, there are also orange, apple, and lime trees. Our master plans to expand the business further and is always researching new products.”
“May I ask who your main buyers are?”
“The royal palace, of course. Our master’s wine has a flavor and aroma unmatched anywhere in the empire. It’s so sought after that other nations compete to import it. Even the specially designed bottles, which preserve the taste and scent no matter the conditions, are our master’s unique invention. No one else can replicate it.”
“I see…”
It was all too vast for an ordinary servant like Raila to grasp, so she simply nodded in awe.
She could only hope the master’s business would flourish even more—so they could keep working here for a long, long time.
“Come this way, please.”
Charles turned and led Raila and Lucy away from the vineyard view and back into the shade of the mansion. The interior was cool compared to the sun-drenched grounds outside, and Lucy blinked her eyes a few times to adjust.
Passing through the back hallway, they reached a large pantry. Rows of fresh bread, jars of jam, dried herbs, and neatly stacked vegetables filled the shelves. The faint smell of warm flour and dried lavender hung in the air.
“This is where you’ll help prepare meals,” Charles explained. “Mrs. Diana is in charge here, but you’ll assist her with whatever she needs. Lucy will help carry things or clean, as she’s able.”
“Yes, thank you for explaining.”
Raila bowed her head. Beside her, Lucy nodded too, her eyes wide as she stared at the baskets of food.
Charles gestured toward another corridor. “The laundry room is this way, next to the servants’ quarters. If you’re not in the kitchen, you’ll help there as well.”
“Yes.”
“After you finish your daily tasks, you may rest in your room. The schedule is strict, but you’ll find the work fair. Keep your aprons neat and your shoes clean. Our master is strict about cleanliness.”
Raila could only bow again. “I understand.”
“Good. Then, please join Mrs. Diana now. She’ll explain today’s work. Lucy, stay close to your aunt.”
“Yes, Sir,” Lucy said softly, grabbing the edge of Raila’s apron.
Mrs. Diana, waiting at the pantry entrance, welcomed them with her round cheeks flushed from the warm kitchen. “Let’s begin. There’s bread to knead and vegetables to peel for tonight’s stew. Lucy, you’ll help me bring water from the well.”
“Yes, Madam!” Lucy replied with a small but brave voice.
The older woman laughed kindly. “Oh, aren’t you polite! Don’t be scared. You’ll get used to everything soon enough.”
Raila placed a gentle hand on Lucy’s back. “Go on, Lucy.”
The child nodded firmly. She knew she couldn’t fall behind.
By the time the sun began to sink behind the distant hills, the kitchen was filled with the smell of freshly baked bread and simmering soup. Raila wiped her damp forehead and glanced at Lucy, who sat at the corner table, her cheeks puffed up with pride.
Lucy had helped carry water buckets, scrubbed potatoes until her small hands were raw, and even stirred the stew under Mrs. Diana’s watchful eye.
“You did well today,” Raila whispered, stroking Lucy’s hair.
Lucy’s eyes sparkled as she looked up at her aunt. “I like it here, Auntie. It’s warm. And everyone’s so kind.”
Raila smiled faintly, but her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Yes. We’ll do our best, so we can stay here for a long, long time.”
Outside the kitchen windows, the orchard stretched out under the soft purple dusk, and the air was filled with the quiet sounds of workers finishing their chores for the day.
It felt like a promise — that perhaps, for once in their difficult lives, this place might truly be their home.
