I Left the Time-limited Villainous Duke Without Saving Him - Chapter 1
“My whole life has been dedicated to my people. I believed that my body existed to care for them, and my intellect existed to protect them. But looking back now, perhaps it was my own misunderstanding.”
[That’s a long complaint. What will you offer and what will you demand?]
“I’ll offer them, smoothed and fattened myself. That alone will get me what I demanded.”
[I pray that this time, you will lay down your heavy throne and enjoy a trivial and insignificant life.]
***
Whiiieee–
As the boiling kettle whistled, I quickly grabbed a thick dishcloth and removed it from the fire.
It was quite heavy for a ten-year-old to lift, but in the end, humans are adaptable beings so I have my own tricks now.
Pouring the steaming tea into a crude cup, I added more tea leaves to the kettle and brought it to a boil. The richly brewed tea was then poured into a beautiful gilded porcelain teacup. I put them on a tray and hurriedly headed to the employee’s private dining room.
“It’s cold, so warm yourself up with some tea.”
“Oh my. Betty, thank you.”
“Ah, how now. My stomach was freezing.”
“Shh, shh.”
Those who were already eating welcomed the hot tea.
The table, which had been noisy for a moment, became quiet again as they noticed the strict chief maid’s appearance. The chief maid doesn’t like gossip during meals.
The butler, who had a light breakfast to not burden his stomach, was reading the newspaper. I pretended to be carrying the tea and glanced at the newspaper he was reading.
The young princess’ picture, who stood out with her dazzling beauty even in black and white newspaper, was printed in big sizes.
Judging from a quick glance, there must have been an accident at the coronation ceremony. I saw the ‘female lead’, ‘male lead’, and ‘villainous mastermind’ of this world with ease.
The ‘original story’ was going smoothly regardless of me.
“Oh no, the tea is a little cold.”
As I was about to sit at the edge of the table, which was my reserved seat, the maid, Anne, who was in charge of serving guests, gave me a nag.
It wasn’t the chef to miss out on some good-old-nagging. She cleared her throat with a cough and spoke to me in a solemn voice.
“Betty, on a cold winter day like this, you have to brew your tea until it boils before bringing it out. It has cooled down on the way. You, try it too.”
I took a sip of tea with the permission of Meg, who was seated next to me.
“Yes, it really is. Hahaha. I’m sorry, Anne, Chef.”
“You boiled it like that, so it’s very ice-cold, right? How would the person receiving it feel if you give them tea like this?”
I nodded my head softly, accepting the nagging.
“I’m surprised the tea is so cold. I will be more careful next time.”
“Yeah, it’s your first winter here, so you might not know. Be careful next time.”
“Yes.”
Usually, the chef puts out verses 2, 3, and 4, but today ended at verse 1 as the chief maid seemed to notice.
I quickly glanced over the table. The employees of this castle, where guests rarely came as the owners almost neglected it, had an overly luxurious meal.
Even if there is a lot of expensive food to offer to the nobles, the superiors don’t look for them, so it’s all ours. No, to be precise, it was up to the other employees except me.
A few slices of bread and fruit jam were all that was left on the table, the rest probably eaten up during the brief time to brew tea.
The bread was so crumbly that I didn’t even know when it was baked, but I ate it in a hurry. It was because I had to eat well to survive the afternoon.
“Just clean it away. It looks like everyone has had enough.”
It had not been a long time since I could put my butt down, but I had to stand up again.
As I was about to bring out the tower of stacked plates, Meg, who worked in the kitchen, was putting all kinds of fruits, desserts, and coffee on a large tray. We passed each other cautiously, as we’re used to it.
I went down to the kitchen and headed to the well to fetch water to wash the dishes. This is a well-developed world with water and sewage facilities comparable to modern ones, but I always had to draw water from a well.
This is because when the chef was a maid in charge of washing dishes like me, she would draw water from the well every morning and wash the dishes with it. So no matter how good things improved over the year, I still had to draw water from the well and wash the dishes the same way.
If I had been just an ordinary ten-year-old, I might have secretly wiped my tears in sorrow. But in my previous life, I learned the ways small citizens used to deal with injustice.
When something like this happens, it is important to keep their mind as light and positive as possible. If I keep thinking about it, it would eventually burst out on its own, and my blood pressure would only go up.
Let’s just be, ‘Oh, the teacher is talking nonsense again. Haha, it’s really hard to stop.’ It’s the best for mental health.
“Betty, are you going to draw water? Give it to me.”
“Oh, it’s okay.”
“How can you carry it? Give it to me.”
I was cautiously going up the stairs with a large tin kettle, when Gilbert, the footman in charge of guests, appeared and took my kettle.
Assisting in the work of other employees was a violation of the discipline of the mansion, and was strictly prohibited in any mansion.
But Gilbert would often help me with my work, when other eyes were not seeing like this. It must have been that he felt sorry for me, but I was afraid that other people would find out because I am quite a scaredy-cat.
Besides, Gilbert was a footman, so he wore expensive uniforms. If he comes out to help with my work and a blemish got on his uniform……. I didn’t even want to imagine.
I said in a bewildered voice.
“Well, then, leave it there in front of the back door.”
“Leave it here?”
“Yes, it’s not too far from the well anyway. Hurry up and go eat dessert.”
“Yes, Betty. Thanks for your effort.”
Well, there’s nothing wrong with being tall and strong.
If I had been doing it on my own, I would have rested after climbing a few steps and rested again and climbed again while going up to the back door, but Gilbert went up the stairs in a few steps even with that large tin kettle.
I stared blankly in admiration, then hurried to say my greetings.
“Yes, thank you!”
As Gilbert was about to go upstairs, he poked his face through the railing of the stairs and smiled broadly.
Gilbert is the most handsome of all the Duke’s Castle’s footmen. Anne said that Tony with thick lines is more handsome than Gilbert, but in my opinion, Gilbert is the most handsome.
Sometimes it’s too much if he smiles so brightly like that. If I was ten years older, I would have eaten him sooner.
‘Wake up! I am 10 years old.’
Drooling over Gilbert, I came to my senses, climbed the stairs, picked up the kettle, and headed towards the well.
Even the extras that aren’t even mentioned in the story are so pretty, so how pretty are the main characters? I want to see their face, doesn’t even matter if it’s from a distance. I sighed deeply.
Even if other people reincarnate as extras, they would be connected with the original characters, but the only thing I did using my knowledge of the ‘original story’ was getting a job.
Duke Bernhard Lirie Janus, who later grew up to be the villainous mastermind of this world, inherited the title at the young age of twelve. After that, he went out and paid no attention to his household.
As the employees who had the vassals’ influence were purged in large numbers, the Duke’s Castle, which was filled with only high-quality employees, suffered from an unprecedented manpower shortage.
Even if the castle was left unattended, basic manpower was still needed. However, to hire large-scale employees, the budget for it had to be increased, and to increase the budget, they had to get the master’s permission.
Taking advantage of such circumstances, I was able to get the position as the Duchy’s maid at a young age without a letter of recommendation.
I was among children in mid to late teens at the orphanage, so I lied and said that I was 14 years old without changing my facial expression, but the chief maid closed her eyes as I was nimble and received only a small salary.
‘Once I build my career here, I’ll get a letter of recommendation and get a job elsewhere.’
Even if I survive for just one year, I have the track record as the ‘Duchy’s maid’. Even if the scale is small, if I am able to find a job in a more proper kitchen and build a career there too, I may be able to aim for a chef’s position.
If I get married along the way, I might be able to find a nanny position. Then, I can study in my spare time while working as a nanny, then consider a tutor’s position.
I had a simple but sound plan for the future. That’s why I didn’t mind if my small hands were full of eczema after washing dishes.
Look, have I not already reached the well?
I didn’t even know that my hands were sore as I had a profitable future plan. I put my red, blotted hands together and blew hot winds with my mouth to melt them.
And holding the wooden bucket connected to a pulley to draw water from the wall into the kettle.
“Huff.”
In an instant, a human hand protruded out of the well, like a scene from a horror movie. Then a whitish figure appeared.
Surprised, I almost threw the wooden bucket into the well. The boy who had been hit with it straight fell down again.
It was only after I heard the sound of splashing that I came to my senses.
That white-haired boy I just hit, fell back into the well, Obviously, obviously he is…….
‘Duke Janus, the master of this estate and the villainous master of the original story.’