Somehow feeling awkward, Sheila bowed politely to Alfonso.

“Thank you, Young Master Alfonso.”

Alfonso, who had been glaring at Allen’s back, turned his gaze to Sheila.

“Be careful.”

A short warning followed. Though their appearances were completely different, at times like this, his voice was exactly like Cedric’s.

Sheila apologized, “I’m sorry.”

Even without fault, apologizing first was the foremost virtue a servant should possess.

At her unexpected apology, Alfonso let out a deep sigh and looked down at her with gentle eyes.

“Ah… you misunderstood because of my tone. I only meant that you should be careful walking around late at night, even within the mansion. I wasn’t telling you to apologize. This isn’t your fault. I’ll give Allen a separate warning.”

At Alfonso’s kind clarification, Sheila felt an odd sensation. This time, it was because an old memory she had kept deep in her heart resurfaced.

“You should be careful walking around late at night too.”

“I didn’t say it to make you apologize.”

“That’s enough. It’s not your fault.”

So it really was Young Master Alfonso back then.

At the time, Sheila had only been a maid for a year and had frozen in place after witnessing a senior maid in an intimate tryst with the butler in the corridor. If it hadn’t been for the young master passing by, she might have been in quite a difficult situation.

But she had been so stiff with fear then, head bowed, that she couldn’t tell whether her savior was Cedric or Alfonso. The two looked and carried themselves completely differently, but their voices were strikingly similar.

Even their usual arrogant tone.

However, that day, he had spoken in a much softer tone, soothing the frightened Sheila.

Realizing for certain that it had been Alfonso that day, Sheila felt her heart pound just as it had back then. She pressed her palm against her chest to still its unruly beating.

At that moment, Alfonso lifted her chin with his fingers.

“Do you remember what I told you before?”

If he meant what he had said before…

“If anything like this happens again, tell me. Not just Allen, even if it’s some other servant bothering you. The Calley family will not tolerate such behavior.”

As Sheila recalled his words, Alfonso continued, “It doesn’t have to be something like this. If you have any trouble, come to me. Looking after the servants is one of my duties as a son of this family. Understood, Sheila?”

Caught by Alfonso’s warm gaze as he said her name, Sheila answered as if spellbound, “Yes… Young Master.”

Releasing her chin, Alfonso strode toward the study. It seemed he intended to read until late into the night.

Sheila, who had stood dazed for a moment, then headed up to the third floor.

Just then, the black doll that had been watching from above vanished from sight.

***

The every-other-day lesson came quickly.

Before class, Judith was extremely on edge.

In the past, she would attend lessons before private tutors with a slouched posture, get irritated with them, play nasty pranks, and act as she pleased, but she could not behave that way with Cedric.

So Judith decided early on to have Sheila practice writing.

Having gone through many tutors, Judith already knew exactly what kind of homework would be assigned. Especially in language lessons, homework requiring the repeated writing of words or sentences always came up. And repetition was the thing Judith hated most.

While she could refuse homework from other tutors, if Cedric assigned it, she would have no choice but to do it, so she planned ahead.

“Both of you, take your seats.”

At Cedric’s instruction, Judith sat at the lesson table, and Sheila sat in her designated seat by the fireplace.

“From today, we will begin the formal lessons.”

Yes, while this was technically the second lesson, the last time had been Judith’s level test, so the actual lessons started today.

“As I said before, we will have three subjects per session, one hour each. After each subject, there will be a simple test on what you have learned.”

From the very start of class, Judith had already lost focus. Even the mention of a test after every subject could not bring her wandering mind back.

Of course, after class, it would be the maid who would be beaten like an animal, and it would bring tears to her eyes. Such a barbaric sight was something a delicate young girl like herself could not bear to witness.

However, being beaten was the maid’s job. It suited her lowly birth.

Had she not seen it the other day? The ignorant maid with her messy handwriting.

To give such a maid paper and a pen to practice writing, Judith considered herself quite a generous mistress.

While Judith’s mind wandered like flowing water, Sheila, who was listening intently to Cedric’s words, had many thoughts.

A simple test after each subject…

Did “simple” mean the questions would be easy, or that there would be few of them?

Cedric then listed the subjects Judith would have each day of the week. The essential subjects of Lotas language and basic mathematics were on every lesson day, with history, geography, and current affairs rotating for the remaining time slots.

Sheila’s full attention was on every word Cedric spoke. The human instinct to want to avoid even one less beating made her tense. Even so, there was nothing she could actually do.

In any case, being beaten was a tense and frightening experience. Based on the first day, it was not unbearable, but…

Unfortunately, all the subjects Cedric was in charge of were the ones Judith had given up on.

Even the worst medicine had its uses, and even a grub could roll; Judith also had things she excelled at—dancing and horseback riding, for example.

Naturally, she did not cause trouble in subjects she liked.

So, those subjects continued with other teachers as before, while Cedric handled all the mental ones.

It was not as if Judith was expected to learn to an exceptionally high level. Although times had changed, it was still common belief that overly educated women were disadvantaged in marriage. Thus, it was common to keep girls out of school and hire private tutors, as with Judith, to give them the cultural polish useful for social life.

Judith, however, fell far short of even that level.

“In addition, I will be responsible for teaching you basic manners and etiquette. Do not think of behaving rudely anywhere in the future, Judith.”

Cedric’s words made Sheila’s vision darken.

Judith’s greatest flaw was her ignorance, but another was her lack of manners.

Surely that did not mean Sheila would be caned whenever Judith behaved rudely, wherever they were…

Sheila’s eyes trembled violently.

Whether or not he noticed her feelings, Cedric continued, “Of course, if such things were also subject to corporal punishment, the scope would be too broad. Punishment is limited to when you fail to answer questions during the lesson, Judith.”

Ah, he knows…

Cedric’s next words, as if reading her mind, reassured Sheila. Though he was explaining to Judith, it somehow felt like he was speaking directly to her.

Well, since she was the one being hit, it was only natural to feel that way.

“Also, if you cannot answer questions asked in the middle of the lesson, that too will be subject to punishment. So pay attention.”

This time, it was indeed directed at Sheila. Cedric’s eyes were on her.

“Yes, young master!”

Sheila, focused on the explanation, answered crisply.

As before, it was her job to listen to the lesson and count the times Judith answered incorrectly.

Sheila’s gaze shifted to Judith, who held her lifeline.

Ah… no…

The lesson had not even begun, and Judith already had the eyes of a dead fish.

Cedric said, “Then let’s begin.”

***

No sooner had they safely completed the second lesson than the wretched lesson came around again.

After the third lesson, the last of the first week, Sheila, as always, headed straight to her room.

Opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of the small room, filled only with a bed and a work table.

A thought she never would have entertained before now filled her mind.

‘Should I lie down and rest for a bit? Or start work right away?’

Her eyes caught on the ointment on the work table.

Sheila twisted open the lid of the small round tin, coated green. The untouched smooth surface of the ointment came into view.

‘What a waste.’

Even the thought of leaving a fingerprint on the expensive ointment felt wasteful, so Sheila closed the lid again.

It would be wasteful to use it for a wound that was not severe.

‘I’ll just lie down and rest a little.’

It should be fine by tomorrow… But would it be like this from now on?

Over the course of three lessons, the number of strikes had increased from eleven to twenty-five, and from twenty-five to thirty-three.

‘At this rate, I’ll be beaten to death.’

No, surely Judith would start studying a bit.

The other day and today, Judith’s tears had seemed genuine. While she did have a habit of hitting in her sleep when she could not resist, it was only a slap or two. Seeing her maid take dozens of blows would surely have been shocking. She was immature, but still just a thirteen-year-old child.

Sheila’s mind defaulted to optimism. Otherwise, reality was too harsh.

If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it. No, since she couldn’t avoid it, she might as well enjoy it—this was Sheila’s creed.

It was ridiculous, but there was no other way.

‘If I were a noble, I would have avoided it instead of enjoying it.’

But Sheila was a maid. In life, there were not many situations she could refuse just because she disliked them.

And complaining endlessly did not suit her nature.

‘Still, will I be able to do laundry tomorrow?’

No matter how much she tried to think positively, she could not completely ignore practical concerns.

Tomorrow was her one day off that came once a week.