04.
“Th-This is where I’m supposed to live from today…?”
The sheer scale of the magnificent mansion made my neck instinctively draw back.
Arsène, standing close beside me, clutched tightly onto my arm. It was his first time seeing a place like this as well.
“Are you not going in?”
The duke asked from behind, as if urging us on.
Unsure of what to do, I looked at him, but he merely gazed back at me in silence.
It seemed I had no choice but to move on my own.
As I slowly walked toward the mansion, passing people who bowed deeply at the waist, not a single person tried to stop me.
When I glanced back, I saw Arsène still standing stiffly in place, unable to take even one step.
“Arsène, let’s go together.”
I held out my hand to him, but he only shook his head, glancing around nervously. This kind of situation must have felt overwhelming to him.
When I walked back and took his hand myself, he hesitated for a moment, then began trailing along closely at my side.
As we reached the mansion doors, the servants inside opened them without being told.
The doors swung open the moment I stepped forward—like automatic doors.
‘Well, I guess if you put enough people to work, there’s nothing you can’t do.’
I gave an awkward smile and bowed my head to the servants who had opened the doors for us, only to make them flustered instead.
The duke watched my every move, then abruptly placed a hand on my head and lifted it.
“Eek.”
“Do not bow so easily. You are now the proud young lady of the Featherway Ducal House.”
“But… I don’t even know what that means?”
“…….”
The duke stared at me in silence. His gaze was intimidating, but I didn’t back down and met it head-on.
He was the first to look away.
“Call the head butler.”
No sooner had he spoken than the butler who had greeted us earlier stepped forward.
His hair was graying, fine wrinkles lining his face, yet his posture and manners were impeccable.
The duke pointed toward Arsène.
“Show that child to his room. From this moment on, everything concerning him will be handled by the knight order. You are only to guide him to his room—leave the rest to Pale.”
“Yes, Your Grace. And the young lady…?”
“Guide her to the room we prepared. As for her tutor, the head maid will suffice.”
It felt as though everyone had been waiting for their cue; whenever the duke seemed to call for someone, they stepped forward at once and bowed.
“Yes, understood.”
“She will need both basic education and etiquette training. Subjects beyond elementary arithmetic should be taught by a separate tutor we will invite later.”
“Yes. I will see to it.”
The head maid bowed lightly, then approached me.
“Greetings, my lady. I am Mary, the head maid of this estate. If it pleases you, may I guide you?”
“P-Please…?”
“Do speak comfortably, my lady.”
I glanced once at the duke. He gestured with his chin as if telling me to go ahead.
I had hoped he would say it was fine out loud, but…
“But I’ve never done anything like this before… Could you give me a little time?”
The Confucian values ingrained deep inside me simply wouldn’t allow it.
At my words, the duke let out a long, displeased sigh.
That man, seriously…
“Please endeavor to grow accustomed to it quickly.”
Mary straightened and began walking ahead.
Meanwhile, the duke seemed to be giving instructions to the remaining servants, though I couldn’t hear what he was saying.
When I glanced to the side, Arsène was already being guided away by the head butler.
Following behind Mary, I quickly realized just how many staircases there were. And how enormous this place was.
At the orphanage, I could sprint for a moment and reach the front door in one go.
As I huffed and puffed trying to keep up, Mary glanced back once, then shortened her stride and slowed her pace.
The room she led me to was at the far end of the third floor.
“This will be the room you’ll be using from now on, my lady.”
When Mary opened the door, a vast room unfolded before me.
Wow… how much does all of this cost?
The interior was so lavish it looked as though it had been dipped in gold, and a massive window—so tall I couldn’t reach the top even if I stood on the sill—immediately caught my eye.
“Wow…”
I was about to step inside when I hesitated.
Could I really enter with my shoes on?
‘I walked on dirt roads… the soles must be filthy.’
As I lingered at the doorway, unable to move, Mary drew the curtains and opened the window.
“Is the room not to your liking? If you are dissatisfied, we can—”
“N-No, I love it! It’s perfect!”
“Then I’m glad to hear that.”
Redoing a place like this would be unthinkable. Absolutely not.
If this was my fate, then I’d enjoy every last bit of it.
I took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Tap.
The sound my foot made against the marble-smooth floor was weak and hollow.
Unlike me, the head maid’s hard shoes clicked crisply as she walked. Her gaze dropped to my feet.
I was barefoot, without even socks, and my shoes looked like something I’d picked up from the trash—one sole half detached.
“There are clothes prepared. Would you like to try them on? Even if the size doesn’t fit perfectly, please bear with it. We’ll call a tailor tomorrow to make you new ones.”
Mary picked up the clothes laid out on the bed and brought them toward me.
Then she briskly began removing my shabby clothes—
…Removing?
“Gah—! W-Wait! Kyaaah!”
……
When I came to my senses, I was already standing in front of a mirror, dressed in new clothes.
They were a little loose, but not unwearable.
Mary examined my reflection with a satisfied look, muttering to herself as she carefully checked every detail.
“This degree of looseness is likely due to her being far too thin… We’ll take precise measurements tomorrow and make adjustments accordingly…”
I felt like a dress-up doll, but the soft fabric against my skin felt surprisingly nice.
The shoes she put on me afterward were also a bit loose, but I figured I could manage if I walked carefully.
Once I looked reasonably presentable, Mary led me back outside.
We went down to the first floor, passed through the lounge we’d entered earlier, and headed to the dining room—where a full meal had already been laid out across the table.
Arsène seemed to have arrived earlier; he was standing behind his seat and spotted me immediately.
“Maya!”
The dining room was so quiet that his voice echoed all the more.
Pale, who had appeared at some point and was standing neatly nearby, whispered something to Arsène. I couldn’t hear it, but it was probably telling him to be quiet.
Arsène immediately clapped a hand over his mouth.
The Duke of Hyperion was seated at the head of the table. He gestured lazily to the seat before him.
“Sit.”
“Y-Yes.”
As I walked over and sat down, the duke’s gaze stuck to me relentlessly.
I was supposed to eat, but it felt like I’d get indigestion if I swallowed anything like this.
“You’re far too small. You need to put on weight.”
Why was he talking like I was livestock?
I narrowed my eyes at him, but he ignored my glare and began eating.
Watching from the side, Mary approached the duke and whispered quietly.
“Children must be handled with care, Your Grace. They are more fragile—both body and mind—than one might think.”
“…….”
Why was she stating the obvious so earnestly?
And the duke didn’t even seem to be listening.
I nearly let out a hollow laugh, but what stopped me was the feast spread before my eyes.
Perhaps he really intended to fatten me up—every dish was loaded with rich, greasy meat.
As I stared blankly at the food, the servants who had been standing around took their seats all at once, as if that were the signal to begin.
Arsène sat beside me, though there was quite a bit of space between our chairs. Even so, he tilted his head slightly and mouthed, “Were you okay?”
When I nodded, he mouthed back, “That’s a relief,” and faced forward again.
And then…
It began.
A truly battle-like meal.
As soon as I finished one dish, another appeared before me.
Once I finished that, someone insisted I try this one too.
Whenever my throat clogged and I gulped down juice, they refilled my glass, asking if I liked it.
Honestly, it was nice—but wasn’t this a bit… excessive?
By the time the meal finally ended, I was completely K.O.
My stomach was so full I could barely walk. I ended up slumping forward onto the table piled with empty plates.
Anyone watching might say I had no table manners, but they were the ones who pushed me this far.
There was no way this would’ve happened otherwise.
Gaining weight was one thing, but this felt like outright livestock feeding.
Maybe they planned to eat me later.
“It seems the young lady is tired. Your Grace, may I escort her back to her room?”
“W-Wait… moving is kind of…”
Still sprawled on the table, I waved my hand weakly in the air.
Arsène hopped down from his chair, came over, and took my hand, looking up at me.
“Then, Maya, should I take you back?”
“…Arsène.”
But Pale stopped him immediately.
“Arsène is no longer a friend who stands on equal footing with the young lady.”
“Ah…”
Arsène reluctantly let go of my hand.
“It’s fine, though.”
“You must learn to draw clear lines, my lady. Since today is your first day, it’s understandable that you don’t know yet. But there is much you must learn—and much that must change.”
Mary stepped forward and stood behind me.
“I will escort you. We will assign you a personal maid as soon as possible.”
“…I can go by myself.”
Everything felt suffocating.
I knew it sounded ungrateful—this fine house, fine clothes, fine food—but the air itself was stifling.
I bolted, leaving them behind in the dining room, threw open the door, and ran as if fleeing.
Even if I ran, it wouldn’t be very fast—but retracing the path Mary had taken earlier, I managed to reach my room without getting lost.
I leaned against the door and slid down to the floor, catching my breath.
That was when—
‘Lady Maya, Lady Maya!’
A small voice called out to me from somewhere.
Then—
‘Pop—!’
Pop…?
A palm-sized ferret was standing right in front of me.
