63. Pola of the Strange Count's Household (1)
The first thought I had upon arriving at the Count's estate in the forest was this.
'Thankfully, it's not a strange place.'
Honestly, for just a brief moment, I suspected it might be a place that only looked fine on the outside. But the moment I stepped inside the mansion, my suspicions vanished. Seeing the well-maintained interior, it was definitely a place where people lived.
Since we arrived late at night, we were first assigned our lodging. Two beds were placed in the narrow room, so we could stay two per room.
'I'm embarrassed, so let's stay separately.'
'I don't mind, but are you confident you can wake up on your own? We'll need to wake up early from now on.'
'…….'
In the end, I ended up sharing a room with Alicia, who was displeased about it.
'Don't even think about disturbing me.'
I had no such intention at all. Do as you please. She wouldn't listen even if I tried to stop her, and realizing firsthand that nothing in the world is easy wouldn't be a bad thing.
That was last night.
I woke up early in the morning, washed, changed into the clothes I had received in advance, and got ready. It was an outfit I hadn't worn in a long time. Though the design was slightly different, the black dress reaching down to my knees with a white apron was enough to bring back old memories.
I needlessly fiddled with the ends of the apron, then turned around, and sure enough, Alicia was still fast asleep. How could she sulk about staying separately when she's like this?
"Wake up and get ready. We need to go out soon."
"Mmm. Just a little more—"
"Hurry up."
When I shook her shoulder, the round form buried in the sheets squirmed away from me. When I shook her again, whining sounds came out and the sheets were thrown aside. Soon after, Alicia with sleepy signs rubbed her eyes and sat up. Then she saw me and fiercely contorted her face.
"Jeez! I was startled because of your unlucky face."
"That's a relief. Get ready."
I replied calmly and turned around. When I told Alicia, who was grumbling about why I cut my bangs and how seeing my face first thing in the morning was annoying, that I'd leave first if she kept it up, only then did she squirm and start getting ready.
Though her preparation took so long that I ended up going out first partway through.
When I went down to the central hall, the servants were standing in a line. They were the people who came to this place together. In front of them stood the older woman I saw yesterday and five young male and female servants.
The older woman introduced herself as 'Audrey.' As I expected, she was the supervisor in charge of managing all the female servants. She skillfully commanded her surroundings.
"Please come forward one by one."
At those words, starting from the person at the very front, they stood across from Audrey and the servants in turn. It seemed they were asking about their identities with a light greeting and assigning the areas they would be in charge of.
I heard that servants of the upper class usually come through employment agencies or introductions from other families. Therefore, when hiring servants, they first check the letter of introduction. This is because their identities must be certain. However, the people who came by carriage hadn't received letters of introduction. Through their conversation, I learned that we had been provisionally hired for this place. Of course, even that was something to be grateful for.
A short while later, it was Alicia's turn. Perhaps knowing I was her companion, she told me to come along too. Standing before them, I unknowingly straightened my back and tensed up.
"Are the two of you sisters?"
"Yes. Nice to meet you."
I gathered both hands neatly and bowed in greeting. Then, seeing Alicia standing blankly, I quickly pushed her back. Alicia reluctantly bent her waist with an annoyed expression. Audrey looked back and forth between me and Alicia.
"Names?"
"My name is Anne, and this is my younger sister Alicia."
'Anne' was the alias I used. It was a pseudonym I usually used without hesitation, but right now, for some reason, my conscience pricked me and my lips went dry.
"I see. Anne. What's your surname?"
"I don't have a surname."
"Hmm, I see. Anne, Alicia. You're sisters who don't look alike at all."
Audrey, who uttered a mild impression, scribbled something on paper. After that, she asked various questions such as what kind of work we had done so far, what we could do, and so on. I told her about the work I had done and that I could read and write, while Alicia, who lacked experience, listed the things she had done recently at least. Audrey moved her pen the entire time she listened to our answers.
"Return to your seats and wait for now."
I thought she would assign us an area, but unexpected words came back. For now, I returned to my spot and stood there as ordered. Only then did the tension release and I let out a sigh.
Alicia whispered softly to me as I did so.
"Why are you so nervous?"
"Just……."
Like that, all the remaining people met with Audrey. The women who had already been assigned their areas left following the young female servant, and the men followed the male servant. Then, including Alicia and me, a total of four people remained in the hall. Audrey looked over the remaining people and ordered everyone to follow her.
We stood side by side and followed her. It was the opposite direction from where the other servants had gone. Midway, one person was assigned to the kitchen, and the remaining people followed her up the stairs again.
Where were we going? While harboring that question, suddenly my cheek stung. When I turned my head, the man who followed along was looking this way. Precisely, at Alicia. His gaze was very heated.
Again?
I looked at Alicia with a fed-up face. Alicia was proudly lifting her chin. I wondered why she was acting like that, but it seemed she was conscious of the man's gaze. Even in this situation, her act of swaying her body seductively was absurd.
I let out a hollow laugh and kept walking, when the man poked my shoulder. When I gave him my attention, he smiled broadly.
"It's nice to see you like this."
"Who, do I know you?"
"What. Why are you pretending not to know?"
No, who are you? I blinked. I couldn't forget a face like that with such well-defined features that left a good impression.
But no one came to mind. I scrutinized him thoroughly, but it was a face I was seeing for the first time. When I remained silent, the man made a disappointed expression. I stayed silent because I truly didn't know who he was.
The moment the man, who had been silent for a while, took a step closer to my side and opened his mouth—
Bang!
A loud noise suddenly came from afar. Our gazes immediately headed in that direction. A door of a room located on one side of the hallway was wide open. Soon after, someone popped out abruptly from inside the door. As I approached, I saw a young man sprawled on the floor. But his state was strange.
That is to say……
"Oh my!"
Alicia covered the corners of her eyes with her hand. Then she slightly spread her fingers. There was no point in covering them.
I didn't even think to cover my eyes and rather stared intently at the situation before me.
Why is he naked?
I was bewildered, but quickly scanned the man's naked body. He was truly naked. His yellowish skin was fully exposed before my eyes.
The suddenly appearing naked man hastily tried to get up, but stepped on his clothes and fell. His struggling figure was pitiful.
We stopped in front of him. Only then did the man realize our presence approaching and panicked. He hurriedly stood up again and frantically put on the clothes he was holding. Judging by his attire, he seemed to be a footman. But why was a footman in that state? I glanced at the back of Audrey's head. I couldn't see her face, so I couldn't tell her state.
Having put clothes on his important parts, the man bowed to Audrey. Then he turned around. His retreating back looked exactly like someone fleeing. Even as he walked away, his unfastened pants slipped down further. The man grabbed his waistband and shuffled away.
While the three of us were looking that way, Audrey entered the room first. Regaining my senses a beat late, I also went inside. Alicia and the man followed behind me.
Inside the room, a mess had unfolded.
Naked people were tangled together on the bed. Moreover, they were all men. Two men were on the bed, and one was lying languidly under the bed. A thin sheet precariously covered their important parts.
Perhaps sensing an unfamiliar presence, one of the men lying on the bed looked back at us. However, without any sign of surprise, he calmly yawned. The other two didn't even look. Even in such a state, they seemed to have no intention of moving.
Unlike us, who froze at the appalling situation, Audrey calmly spoke.
"Lady Joelly. It is morning."
A brief silence flowed.
Soon after, a round form rose from between the two men on the bed. The sheet fell, and what emerged from within was a young woman with abundant blonde hair.
Pretty, beautiful, and also naked.
"Ugh!"
This time the reaction was a bit more intense. I looked at Alicia wondering why she was reacting like that again, but she had a perfectly fine expression. So I turned to look the other way, and the man was covering his face with both hands. Not satisfied with just that, he even turned around. His uncovered earlobes were bright red.
"My. How cute."
The blonde woman smiled mischievously.
"Who are they?"
"They are newly arrived servants."
"Truly cute. What's your name?"
However, the cute servant didn't seem to have the energy to answer. Seeing her naked body, he didn't know what to do.
When the woman moved her body, the sheet slid further down. Even with her fully revealed naked body, the woman didn't show even a hint of embarrassment.
When the woman sat at the edge of the bed, the man next to her got up and draped the sheet over her shoulders. The woman crossed her legs and smiled her thanks.
"So who are those two?"
"From now on, these three will attend to Lady Joelly."
Only then did I understand why Audrey brought us here.
"Hmm. What about the last person?"
"I drove them out."
"My. How disappointing."
A smooth hand tucked the abundant blonde hair behind her ear. Contrary to her words, not a hint of disappointment could be felt from her indifferent face. Rather, her eyes, which had slightly dipped and risen, sparkled. As I unknowingly looked into those eyes, the pretty eyes curved mischievously.
"Fine. I want to wash, so everyone get out."
At those words, the men who hadn't moved at all until now all rose simultaneously. They stood naked and picked up the clothes scattered on the floor to put them on. Their series of actions looked practiced. They only roughly covered the urgent parts and left the room confidently until the end.
My gaze touched them and then pierced back into the room. Unlike us who were appalled, Audrey was so accustomed to this situation that she didn't budge at all. Are all the people here like this? Like Isabella in the past, it seems all female servants have such strong nerves.