Chapter 05 …
‘Impressive.’
Ilena only moved her eyes to check outside after Karl’s presence had faded away.
Silver hair and purple eyes.
They were the traits of the direct line of the Duke House of Beckman. Judging by his age, he was likely the famous young duke. Karl Beckman, the unrivaled genius swordsman of the Empire. Only then did Ilena remember the lightness of Karl’s movements.
If she asked him to have a match, would he allow it? Should she say it had been her lifelong wish to meet him? Please swing your sword just once.
Even while calmly thinking about how Derek would try to stop her if he knew, Ilena was 고민ing how to naturally request a spar. She briefly forgot her resolution to live as an ordinary maid number one, and her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
The drowsiness that had been swallowing her whole body vanished in an instant. To be able to witness another Sword Master’s swordsmanship—she must truly be blessed.
Ilena felt deeply moved by how smoothly her life was turning out. If she stayed in the ducal estate, there would surely come a day when she could watch and learn his swordsmanship.
The teacher, moved by Ilena’s suddenly shining eyes, began the lesson with renewed passion.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
Ruin looked at Ilena, who was on the verge of melting into a puddle, and laughed.
“Is it hard?”
“I didn’t know history could be this terrifying.”
“That teacher gets a bit too passionate sometimes. Shall we begin the handover in earnest?”
At Ruin’s words, Ilena straightened her posture. She prayed it would be an easy assignment.
“Has my department been decided?”
“You’ll see when you get there.”
Ruin led Ilena and opened the door to a small annex. Inside, five people in servant uniforms stood in polite formation. When the two entered, they bowed deeply.
“Welcome.”
Ruin and Ilena slightly bowed back in greeting.
“This is Ilena Lewis. From today onward, she will be the chief administrator of the annex.”
At the introduction, Ilena looked at Ruin in shock.
Me? The chief administrator? she mouthed silently. Ruin shrugged as if it was nothing.
“Report your daily routines as usual, and from now on follow her instructions.”
“Yes, sir!”
Ruin waved lightly as if wishing them good luck and left. Ilena only later learned that servants brought into noble households were often placed directly into important positions. Unaware of this, she awkwardly smiled at the unexpectedly high-ranking appointment and met the eyes of the remaining staff.
The next morning, Ilena, who was in the annex management office, called for a maid.
“Could you gather everyone for me?”
“Yes.”
The maid quickly left and brought the servants together. The annex staff entered cautiously.
“Everyone, feel free to sit.”
Nobles did not sit together with commoners. So the lower-ranked servants cautiously perched on the edges of their chairs at Ilena’s words.
“I’ll ask a few things about your duties. Cleaning windows every day, sweeping floors, washing bedding, cleaning furniture and decorations—all five of you clean the entire annex, correct?”
“Yes.”
Ilena thought it was excessive for five people to clean an entire two-story building all day. This wasn’t even the main building used by the ducal family; it was only used when guests could not be accommodated in the main residence.
“May I ask why you clean it this way?”
“The previous manager said it had to be spotless, not even a speck of dust. Since then, we’ve assigned areas and cleaned daily.”
“So this wasn’t the main family’s instruction?”
“No. It was just the former manager’s order.”
One of the servants quickly added, as if he had been waiting for the question. Even though it was a two-story building, it had more than five rooms including a dining room, reception room, study, and bedrooms. With attached bathrooms, hallways, and stairs, the workload was far too heavy for the number of staff.
On top of that, they had to undergo training and sword practice classes, leaving them exhausted. The former supervisor had even threatened them not to say unnecessary things to the main house.
“I checked with Lady Wella, and she said annex management is up to the administrator’s discretion. She said it just needs to be kept clean. You’ve all worked hard. The annex is truly very clean. Lady Wella also knows that the annex staff are very diligent.”
At Ilena’s words, the servants’ expressions brightened. Being recognized by the lady-in-waiting lifted the weight off their hearts. It felt like they might even receive better evaluations in the next assessment.
“Still, with physical training and classes in between, you must be collapsing as soon as you return to your rooms, right?”
At her smiling question, they all nodded.
“We’ll divide cleaning zones by day of the week. You’ll rotate every three days. And when guests come, the entire building will need to be cleaned, so make sure you maintain things properly so there are no issues later.”
Ilena handed out a schedule she had placed on the desk.
“It’ll be much easier than before.”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ve watched you work—you’re all quite fast. Let’s work properly for two hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. Or you can choose to work more relaxed schedules, either all morning or all afternoon. Sounds manageable, right?”
The servants nodded vigorously without realizing it while looking at the schedule.
I-Is this really okay?!
With tasks divided by time and area, it was clearly much easier than before. One maid asked in a trembling voice:
“A-aren’t we working too little?”
“You should aim for maximum efficiency with minimal work. What do you think? Do you like it?”
“Yes. I’d even want to work with Lady Ilena for the rest of my life.”
At the maid’s serious answer, everyone struggled not to laugh.
“From today onward, follow this schedule. But that doesn’t mean you can slack off, understood? Pay more attention and be thorough. If you finish early, you can rest in the break room or study.”
“Thank you very much!”
The servants left the office with bright smiles. Ilena sat down on a chair near the window.
Chief administrator of the annex…
It had felt like a burdensome position at first, but it turned out to be nothing more than a role that gave her time to adapt to the estate. Servants who entered as commoners started from the very bottom, so by the time they became maids or butlers, they were highly skilled.
The problem was noble young ladies and young masters—those who were nobles but had never done any real work. Even from Ilena’s perspective, it was difficult to immediately put someone like her to use. She hadn’t even learned how to properly serve yet.
Even being a personal attendant or conversational companion required dexterity and quick thinking. Ilena hoped to remain in a position unrelated to the direct family. The annex, where she only had to manage things, was exactly what she had long wished for.
At worst, she wouldn’t be criticized, and since the main positions were already filled, she could comfortably “rot” here for at least a few years.
Ilena leaned back in satisfaction.
“Is this paradise?”
Thinking of Derek rolling around on the training ground made her smile. Earning money through sweat sounded far less efficient than this. With the warm sunlight coming through the window, her eyes slowly began to close.
Just a little nap. I wish every day could be like today.
She fell asleep comfortably in the chair, a peaceful smile spreading across her face.
To the Duke of Beckman.
It has already been nearly two years since you both left the capital. When you departed, you said you would briefly check on matters in the territory and return soon, so I hope those matters have been resolved safely.
Of course, I believe Father has handled everything perfectly. Your work has always been so flawless that I deeply admire it. Since your departure, Gloriana and I have been wishing for your well-being and waiting for your healthy return.
Gloriana has been happily assisting the merchant guild in my place while I remain busy with the knight order. Mother, when you return and see her achievements, you will surely be pleased. She has accomplished so much that even I am surprised. She is so capable that it might be better for her to inherit the family head position instead of me.
I miss you both dearly. You haven’t forgotten about us, have you? The season is soon turning warm. The harsh winter of the territory must have passed as well. How about spending this summer in the capital?
I look forward to the day we meet again.
—Karl Beckman.
While the Duke couple of the Beckman territory laughed heartily at their son’s letter, which politely but clearly begged them to return, Karl was receiving a report in the capital mansion.
“Is there any promising talent among the new servants?”
“It’s still too early to judge, but there are a few notable individuals. Among the commoner-born servants, there are some with exceptional talent in accounting and administration.”
“Those positions are always understaffed. Remove them from general duties immediately and assign them to administration.”
“Understood. As for swordsmanship, there is nothing notable yet. They are all average, but none stand out. However, there is one somewhat ambiguous maid—we should observe her a bit longer.”
“If any unusual traits appear among the servants, report immediately. How is the Imperial Concubine faction?”
“The financial flow is strange. They seem to be urgently gathering funds from multiple sources, so we’ve deployed more personnel.”
“Keep a close watch. We don’t know what they’re planning.”
After the report ended, the shadow melted away into the air as if dissolving into nothing.
We need more capable personnel. Karl hid his thoughts and continued reviewing documents as if nothing had happened.
