Chapter 14
"What is it? Why are you staring at me like that?"
Julietta asked sharply in response to Janet’s concerned gaze.
"My Lady."
"Why?"
"Are you, by any chance, not feeling well?"
"What is that supposed to mean? Why would I be sick?"
"Well, yesterday your complexion—"
"My complexion was fine. I wasn't sick at all, and I was perfectly healthy."
Her excessively firm answer seemed to be saying, "Read the room."
Janet hesitated for a moment before nodding obediently.
'She does look fine today, after all.'
Besides, hadn't she even accepted her morning greeting?
She wondered if it was just one of those rare days when Julietta was in a good mood, and it would be a disaster if she ruined it by prying unnecessarily.
"Go and brew some tea."
"Me?"
"Then who else would do it? Aren't you my maid?"
That was true.
However, ever since she had started the transcription, all of Julietta’s service had been Sien’s responsibility.
Naturally, brewing tea was part of those duties, so Janet hadn't even been near the teapot for quite some time.
'What is this, all of a sudden? Why is she asking that girl to do it?'
Sien, who had been standing quietly in the corner waiting for Julietta’s orders, was equally surprised.
Sien narrowed her eyes into triangles and glared at Janet and Julietta.
Though she quickly lowered her head before her gaze could be caught.
"Then, may I go to my room for a moment?"
"Your room? Why all of a sudden?"
"There is a special tea I would like to recommend to you, My Lady."
Special tea?
Sien, who had been watching them anxiously, hurriedly intervened.
"W-wait a moment! You want to bring tea from your room?! My Lady’s tea should be brewed with the tea leaves in the annex kitchen! Who knows what kind of dangerous things you might bring...!"
"In principle, that is true, but it doesn't matter if My Lady permits it. Above all, the tea I intend to offer you, My Lady, was a gift from the Head Butler. So, there is no risk of it being dangerous."
At Janet’s calm reply, Sien’s eyes widened.
"T-the Head Butler gave it to you...?"
"Yes."
She answered firmly and then spoke to Julietta.
"It is a tea leaf given to me, but it tastes so good that I wanted you to taste it as well, My Lady."
"Hmm. What kind of tea is it?"
"It is a tea made from the leaves of a flower called 'Frost Snowflake' that grows in the North; its color and fragrance are quite unique."
Sien shot a desperate look at Julietta.
'You promised to take my side!'
However, Julietta didn't even glance at Sien and gave a slight nod.
"A tea from the North, I am curious. Go and bring it."
"Yes, My Lady. I will return as quickly as possible."
Janet answered brightly and left the room with quick steps.
As soon as she left, Sien hurriedly approached Julietta.
"My Lady, are you really going to leave it at that? Now that you’ve given her a little leeway, she’s already doing as she pleases...!"
"Sien."
"…Yes?"
"Calling her 'it.' Janet is a young lady of a noble family. She is not in a position where you dare to refer to her as 'this' or 'that'."
"Th-that is..."
"And. About that thing you said earlier, about helping me."
"Yes, you said that! I’m glad you didn't forget!"
Sien answered excitedly.
As expected, My Lady hadn't forgotten!
However.
"Forget about that now."
"…?! "
Sien blinked in surprise at the unexpected answer. Julietta added, glancing at her sideways.
"I’m getting tired of these childish games. I’ll handle that girl myself, so you just leave her alone."
"But—"
Just as Sien was about to retort.
"I have brought it, My Lady."
Janet entered with a bright smile, carrying the tea leaves.
Sien had no choice but to bite her lip and step back.
She couldn't exactly say, "We agreed to kick that woman out together!" in front of the person herself.
"I will prepare it for you right away."
"See that you do it with care. You know what happens if it doesn't taste good, right?"
At the haughty words of Julietta, Janet nodded.
Janet was confident in her own way.
She had been practicing how to brew tea on her own in her spare time, and the butler had taught her things that were good to know when brewing.
Just as she was about to lift the teapot and take it to the table after brewing the tea with fairly practiced movements.
"Oh my!"
Sien, who had crept up at some point, pretended to slip and shoved Janet’s back.
'If she gets doused in hot tea, she won't even think about working here anymore!'
She looked like she came from a minor family at first glance, but she was still a noble young lady, wasn't she?
If she got hurt anywhere, she would burst into tears and run away immediately, saying she didn't want to do maid work.
'My Lady told me to stop, but...'
Did people’s hearts really change that easily?
Once she actually did it, My Lady would surely be pleased as well.
Then she would be able to monopolize My Lady’s favor!
However.
"Oh, oh no?!"
That the direction of the spilled water would head toward Julietta was something Sien hadn't expected either.
"Eek!"
Sien, startled, screamed at the dizzying sight unfolding before her eyes.
Julietta also opened her eyes wide and watched the water pouring toward her.
They say that in the moment of danger, everything seems to move in slow motion.
That was exactly the case right now.
Janet stumbling, the lid of the teapot opening helplessly.
And the liquid pouring toward her.
'N-no!'
Startled and stiffened, Julietta could only squeeze her eyes shut on the spot.
But it was strange.
She had clearly seen the steaming water pouring out, yet she felt no heat at all.
She didn't even feel a single drop of moisture...
'Wh-what is this?'
Julietta opened her eyes, which she had been keeping shut.
The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was a back blocking her path.
Black clothing, and navy hair flowing over it.
As she lifted her head, she saw Janet’s side profile, her brow furrowed.
"Ugh."
With a small groan, the teapot clattered and rolled on the floor.
Because more than half of the water had already spilled, there wasn't much left in the broken teapot.
"J-Janet!"
A startled Julietta jumped up and supported the stumbling Janet.
Beneath her face, which was twisted in pain, her arms and stomach were soaked.
'Could it be.'
Did she hug the teapot to stop the water from spilling?
'To... save me?'
The arm, glimpsed through the wet sleeve, was swelling up red.
"Sien, you...!"
"M-My Lady. I, I didn't mean to!"
"Enough with the excuses, go call a doctor! Right now!"
At the sharp command, Sien ran out of the room, sobbing.
"…My Lady."
"Janet. Are you okay? Are you really okay?"
At Julietta’s urgent questioning, Janet managed a smile.
"Yes. I am fi..."
However, Janet lost consciousness before she could finish her sentence.
It was the result of the terrible pain added to several days of sleep deprivation.
***
Janet, who had fainted, had a dream.
In the dream, she was lying on the ground, looking up at the sky.
A sky so blue without a single cloud.
Under the terribly sunny weather, the ground was nothing short of a living hell.
Arrows flew through the air, piercing people. Necks severed by swords rolled on the ground, and blood spurting from someone’s body soaked the earth.
Lying in the middle of that hell, Janet could barely twitch her fingers.
Haa.
Every time she exhaled, she felt like she was approaching death. It was likely the case in reality.
Because a sword larger than a forearm was stuck in her stomach.
'Am I... dying?'
Facing death, she was terribly afraid.
'I don't want to die...'
She wanted to live. She didn't want to die like this. Just once, someone, please, just once, save me.
That was when it happened.
A faint light leaked from the inside of her wrist, which had been scraped to pieces on the dirt floor.
At the same time, a streak of light flashed across the achingly blue sky.
'Light...?'
The light gradually drew closer to her.
The moment the light, which had fallen like a meteor, touched Janet.
"Gasp!"
Janet let out a ragged breath and woke up from her sleep.
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