<Part 1>

In the early dawn before daybreak, a cart loaded with goods cut through the fog and entered the count’s estate. The cart bore the mark of the Viehaver Farm.

The farm owner, Sam, parked the cart in front of a large wooden door at the back of the mansion and deftly unloaded the goods in the deep blue darkness.

At the sound of unloading, the tightly shut door opened, revealing a slender maid. It was Sheila, who had been working here for several years and was waiting to receive the dairy products that arrived at dawn.

Previously, the maids would take turns receiving the early morning deliveries, but for the past three years, this same maid had been handling it almost daily.

Since payment was made during the day every two weeks by visiting the butler, the task of receiving goods at dawn was likely considered just another chore that disturbed the low-ranking maids’ sleep.

Sheila approached and set a rough wooden cup down on the cart with a thud.

“Pour some milk in here.”

Bringing out the cup and urging him in a rather overbearing tone suggested she had been deliberately waiting.

“Oh dear, why are you doing this again?”

Though he had a hunch, Sam tried to smooth things over with a joking tone.

Sheila said bluntly, “I told you clearly not to dilute it with water!”

Sam’s face turned pale.

He had first been caught selling watered-down milk shortly after Sheila began receiving the goods. She had threatened to report him to the butler and cut off the deal. He barely smoothed it over by slipping her a bribe.

Watering down milk was common in the industry. People would call you a fool if you didn’t. So, in this territory, few had tasted proper milk unless they worked on a farm. Among the merchants, there was even a joke that if someone used to watered-down milk suddenly drank the real thing, their stomach would be so shocked they’d get diarrhea.

From Sam’s perspective, losing his biggest client over something like this wasn’t an option.

He didn’t know how she caught on, but it was far more profitable to continue the deal by handing the young maid some petty cash.

The price of the milking machine he’d recently bought wasn’t cheap either…

A few days ago, mishandling the machine due to inexperience had harmed the cows. His poor control of the vacuum pressure had caused injuries.

Trying to make up for the loss of milk they couldn’t extract, he added a little more water, and it led to this mess. But it wasn’t something he could easily confess to.

“The milk is always the same. Why are you making a fuss again?”

As Sam brazenly denied it, Sheila glanced at him and started grumbling instead of getting angry.

“Miss Judith threw her cup, saying the milk tasted bad.”

It was true. To be exact, she threw it at Sheila’s face.

If Sheila hadn’t been a fifth-year maid who had seen it all, she would have been hit for sure.

Even if Judith was a fool, there was no way she couldn’t tell the difference in the taste of the milk she drank every day.

Hearing that the young lady had lashed out at her, a guilty look appeared on Sam’s face. It was the flimsy sense of solidarity between those who lived at the mercy of nobles.

“It was just a bit more than usual. My hand slipped… So what did you tell the lady?”

“I said maybe the cow drank more water because of the heat, and she bought it.”

“Phew, well done.”

Anyone else might not have believed it, but the count’s notoriously stupid youngest daughter, Judith, would have.

“Do you know how much I’m covering for you? Don’t you realize if you get caught being greedy, it’s all over?”

Seeing his genuine relief, Sheila scolded Sam with a feigned sense of pride.

“I know, of course.”

Sam, looking embarrassed, took something from his pocket and nudged it into Sheila’s side.

“Geez. You’d think I asked for more money…”

Though he let out a hollow laugh into the still-dark air, Sheila’s hand efficiently took the money and tucked it into her pocket.

“Be careful. I’ve told you time and time again, it’s better to go steady and long than to aim big and get caught.”

And she didn’t forget her final piece of nagging.

If Sam got caught, it wouldn’t end with just his misfortune. Sheila would also lose the small bribes she’d been quietly receiving in exchange for turning a blind eye.

At her words, Sam nodded again with a sheepish grin.

“By the way, what does ‘Donmisae’[1] mean? When I came to collect payment the other day and asked for you, the other maids were talking about ‘Donmisae’ or something.”

“What?”

Sheila, who had just been brimming with confidence, was suddenly flustered.

“W-who knows…?”

“Young folks these days keep making up weird words, it’s a problem.”

“R-right. Haha.”

At her half-hearted response, Sam lost interest and covered the cart with a tarp, then began tidying the ropes. As he was about to climb up, he turned and asked Sheila, “Oh, isn’t the young master coming back soon?”

At the sudden mention of Cedric from Sam’s mouth, Sheila asked in return, “Why do you bring up the young master all of a sudden?”

Her voice came off a bit sensitive.

“Why not? The heir to the count’s family is returning. Of course I’m concerned. Our farm’s milk and cheese better suit his taste.”

Unintentionally, Sheila recalled Cedric’s ice-cold face. Though it had been three years since she last saw him, it was still hard to imagine that icy expression complaining about the taste of milk.

Irritated by the memory, Sheila raised her voice at Sam. “The young master is especially picky, so be extra careful from now on!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be more careful starting next time.”

Laughing off her warning, Sam drove off with the cart, leaving the fuming Sheila behind.

Thanks to Sam bringing up Cedric, Sheila was left with an unpleasant feeling. She shook her head hard through the crisp dawn air to erase the unwanted memory. Then, carrying the milk and cheese from Viehaver Farm that Sam had delivered, she entered the kitchen.

***

Sheila sorted the milk for today by purpose and moved the newly delivered round, flat cheese to the basement storage.

Then she cut the leftover wedge-shaped cheese into large pieces and brought it back to the kitchen. Placing the cheese on a wooden cutting board and slicing off the hard outer part, the milky white interior was revealed. Sheila pleasantly stroked the clean, smooth surface once, then began cutting it into bite-sized pieces.

By the time she finished, Paula, the kitchen maid, came in yawning widely.

“One denis.”

Sheila spoke as she moved the cut cheese onto the shelf.

“Ah, right.”

“You didn’t bring it?”

Paula fumbled through her white apron pocket. But of course, there was no silver coin she hadn’t brought. Looking sheepish, Paula replied, “Sorry, I forgot.”

As if. With payday approaching, she had surely spent it all. Her circumstances were obvious without asking.

“I’ll come get it later.”

“Sheila, can’t you just take it afterward this once? I’ll pay you as soon as I get my wages!”

“No.”

Sheila answered firmly. Payment in advance was an unbreakable rule.

“Just this once, please? Just this ooonce…”

Paula whined, following Sheila around. Sheila, who had been putting away the used cutting board and knife, sighed and spun around.

“Paula. You have two choices. Either borrow the money and pay me, or start getting up an hour earlier from tomorrow to receive the milk in my place.”

Faced with Sheila’s stern tone, Paula pouted.

Paula was originally a big spender who quickly burned through whatever was left after sending money home. And this month’s expenses were especially high.

She had bought a pair of brand-new white cotton stockings upon hearing the news that Young Master Cedric would be returning soon. Other maids waiting for Cedric were in similar situations.

But what about Matilda, who had a thing for the second young master…?

“Fine. Fine. I’ll borrow it from Matilda, so come by this evening.”

Having devised her own backup plan, Paula now looked wide awake and rolled up her sleeves. Soon, the head chef Roland and the other maids would be coming down.

Receiving dairy every dawn was a monthly rotating duty among the kitchen maids. Paula, a heavy sleeper, had been paying Sheila one denis in advance per week to take her turn. Paula may have started it, but the other maids ended up doing the same.

If you overslept and missed your task, you’d get an earful from the chef and might even get kicked out for a bad reputation.

Being a maid might seem trivial, but it was no joke. With food and shelter covered, and a safe working environment, being a maid was one of the best jobs a lower-class girl with little education could get. Especially at a noble house, getting in without a recommendation was nearly impossible. If you made a mistake and got kicked out without one, you’d never work as a maid again.

So it was better to pay and use Sheila’s services. Though her collection habits were strict.

“Tell the girls to bring their uniforms down later too. If you’re planning to leave them with me, borrow six lera more.”

“What? It’s today? I will. I will. But take off just one lera. I’m paying for this too.”

“Six lera.”

As expected, Sheila didn’t budge.

“If you don’t like it, start on the second floor,” Sheila said sharply.

Starting on the second floor meant Paula, who stayed on the first, would miss her turn entirely. Everyone was dying to leave their laundry with Sheila for six lera.

“Fine! Sheesh—”

That damn Donmisae…

As Paula cursed silently, Sheila spoke again.

“By the way, tell the others. If they keep calling me Donmisae, they can forget about leaving their laundry with me.”

Caught off guard, Paula quickly put on a smile and turned to Sheila. “Geez—what even is Donmisae anyway…? Go on up. The young lady’s waiting.”

With a forced laugh, Paula pushed Sheila along, who was holding a tray. Sheila had already prepared what she needed to take up to Judith’s room while bargaining with Paula.

“See you later.”

Leaving the awkwardly smiling Paula behind, Sheila stepped out of the kitchen.

It was time to do her main job and visit Young Lady Judith’s room.

[1] Donmisae (돈미셰): Slang abbreviation for 돈에 미친 새끼, which literally means “money-crazed bastard.” Used to insult someone who is obsessed with money and will do anything to get it.