Knock, knock—
“…Come in.”
At the sound of the knock, my lady’s voice answered from within. I entered the room, carrying a simple breakfast of scones and tea.
My lady was already seated at the table, having risen early and finished her preparations. When our eyes met, a faint smile curved her gaze.
“Amel. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes…, my lady.”
My voice trailed off.
I couldn’t honestly say I had slept well, but it wasn’t as if I could reply no either.
I should have said, “Good morning, my lady.”
But for some reason, the words caught in my throat, heavy and awkward, and in the end, I said nothing at all.
“Would you take a look at this?”
My lady nodded toward the stack of newspapers laid out on the table.
I set the tray down beside her and slowly glanced over the papers.
“……”
Perhaps amused by the way my expression shifted without a word, my lady let out a small laugh.
“It’s a success—a scandal big enough to sweep through all of Lintz.”
“This… my lady, are you all right?”
The question escaped my lips before I could stop it. And who could blame me?
The gossip splashed across the front page of every paper was about the very incident from last night.
“A Bold Midnight Affair—Two Noble Houses at the Center of Scandal.”
“What Happened That Night at the C Family’s Mansion?”
“Who Is ‘She’?”
…It seemed the newspaper vendors would be making a fortune today.
Of course, such blatantly sensational headlines only appeared in the more frivolous papers, but even the reputable publications hinted at the story in their editorials. Except for the royal press, nearly every paper had covered it.
They had only written the initials of each family’s name to avoid libel, but any noble in Lintz could tell exactly who the “main characters” were—Lady Dianther Aspania and Edward Callinan. The articles might as well have spelled out their names.
Yet even in such a situation, my lady showed not a hint of unease.
Lady Dianther was, truly, a person who always defied my expectations.
My hands trembled just reading the headlines, while she—the very center of the scandal—remained perfectly calm, as if it were someone else’s story entirely.
At my uncertain question, my lady smiled faintly.
“It’s all right. I knew what I was getting into before this even began.”
“……”
I set the newspaper down weakly on the table. My heart was heavy.
It had been a troubling morning already, but now, after reading those words, I felt even worse.
My lady’s answer only deepened that unease.
Something monumental had happened overnight, and though I knew it was real, it still didn’t feel real.
“Who Is ‘She’?”
Even after setting the newspaper aside, that headline kept flashing through my mind.
From what I had skimmed, it seemed the papers hadn’t yet discovered my identity for certain.
But wasn’t it only a matter of time?
Amel Kiselle —the maid who betrayed her mistress.
I never imagined my name would end up in the papers like this. I hadn’t realized how impossible it was to live an ordinary life.
A sigh escaped me.
“But Amel… I’m most worried about you.”
My lady’s quiet voice drew my eyes upward. Her cool, sea-colored gaze was fixed on me, filled with genuine concern.
“It’s something I agreed to, my lady. I’m fine.”
“…Yes. A contract.”
Her voice lingered slightly on that word, tinged with something almost wistful.
For a moment, I wondered if I had said something wrong, but her tone didn’t sound reproachful—only thoughtful.
People might gossip about me, too, since I was Edward Callinan’s supposed partner in the scandal, but I was still a commoner.
I had no noble reputation to lose, no family name to tarnish.
The ones who would truly suffer damage from this were the two nobles at the center of it all—Edward Callinan and Lady Dianther.
‘Did you hear about Lady Dianther? They say she caught her fiancé cheating on her right before her eyes!’
‘Cheating? They weren’t even married yet.’
‘Still, they were practically married! They’ve been engaged for years!’
‘And she didn’t say a word—just turned around and left? Poor thing. She’s too soft-hearted… or maybe just foolishly innocent.’
Yes—this was the kind of talk that would spread.
In noble society, pity and sympathy often came laced with mockery. This situation would be no different. Yet even knowing that, my lady…
“Just endure a little longer, Amel. It’ll all be over soon.”
“I will, my lady. Don’t worry about me.”
“No matter what happens, promise me—you’ll wait a little longer.”
“…Yes, my lady.”
My lady’s pale blue eyes lingered on me, silent but firm.
She was worrying about me, when it was her face splashed across every paper in the city.
The thought made my chest ache strangely.
Just then, a sharp, proper knock sounded at the door.
“Lady Dianther, this is Head Maid Meg.”
At the familiar voice, my lady gave a small nod.
I opened the door, and Meg—standing upright, glasses glinting—glanced at me coldly before stepping past without acknowledgment.
She curtseyed before my lady.
“Meg. What is it?”
“The master requests your presence, my lady.”
“……”
“He awaits you in the study. I am to escort you there.”
“…I understand.”
My lady’s voice stiffened slightly.
Of course it did—there was only one reason the Duke of Aspania, her father, would summon her this morning.
I draped a light shawl over her shoulders, debating whether to accompany her.
But my lady gave a small shake of her head.
I was relieved.
Whatever the Duke knew about last night’s scandal, I had no desire to face him myself.
As she passed me on her way out, Meg murmured under her breath—but clearly enough to be heard.
“Amel Kiselle. Wait for me in my office.”
Her voice was as cold as a northern wind.
________✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧𓉞___________
Morning at the Aspania estate was as it always had been.
…Or rather, it should have been.
The mansion, nestled in the most beautiful outskirts of Lintz, stood serene and dignified—a residence befitting the Duke of Aspania.
Behind that splendor was the family itself: his excellent wife Alicia, his beloved daughter Dianther, the siblings and relatives who carried the Aspania name, the loyal butler, and every servant beneath him.
The Aspania estate embodied the family’s legacy of glory—an enduring monument to their prestige. Everything the Duke possessed now gave him profound peace, a testament to his own achievements and the unbroken strength of his lineage.
Every part of his household, even the servants, could take pride in belonging to it.
But—As of this morning, that unshakable honor had cracked.
Because of his daughter’s maid.
His aide had already reported every detail of what had occurred last night at the Callinan estate—minute by minute, without fail.
The Duke of Aspania could no longer contain his fury.
He paced from one end of the study to the other—again, and again, and again.
He wanted to burn the stack of newspapers covering his desk—or better yet, burn down the entire newspaper office.
If it were possible, he might have done exactly that.
With his power, shutting down a publishing house overnight would be effortless. But even so, the last remnants of his reason restrained him.
Still, one thought remained firm: he would personally see that the wretch who wrote the most vulgar article received a lawsuit.
“Father, I’ve come to see you.”
“…Dianther. Have you read today’s papers?”
His rage had cooled only slightly—enough to simmer low rather than flare.
As his daughter knelt before him, he felt a pounding in his temples. Yet his gaze remained stern and merciless.
Did this child even understand the enormity of what had happened?
