What Remains in the Damaged Place - Chapter 23

Lirette glanced down.

With her apron in such a filthy state, she couldn’t begin her afternoon tasks. If the head maid saw her like this, it would surely result in days of scolding.

Sploosh.

She tossed the apron into a wooden tub filled with water, unsure how many times she had to wash it during work this week alone. The only consolation was that the spring weather made the cold water feel less harsh.

Still, she couldn’t completely hide her irritation. Her hands kneaded the fabric with more force than necessary.

Yes, irritation.

There was no better word to describe it.

Hayley’s petty harassment didn’t strike Lirette as shocking or humiliating. Compared to what she had endured with Dylan, it was like a child’s prank.

It wasn’t genuinely difficult or troubling.

Looking back on her time in Dylan’s palace, Hayley’s antics were just a mild nuisance, something she could brush off with a laugh.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t annoying, though.

If the torment under Dylan had felt like being chased by a predator, Hayley’s tricks were like the buzzing of a pesky fly around her ears.

She could endure this for a year if needed.

But the problem was elsewhere.

‘I can’t investigate anything like this.’

The constant attention from Hayley’s prying eyes, intent on harassing her, restricted her movements. It made it difficult to investigate anything—especially about the Name or potential escape routes outside the estate’s grounds.

Given her need to conceal her true identity, she already had to move cautiously. But with Hayley constantly hovering over her, it was almost impossible.

Nothing ever seemed to go as planned.

Just becoming a maid had been a struggle, and she hadn’t anticipated this kind of interference during her work.

‘But if I openly retaliate…’

As she hung the freshly washed apron on a clothesline, Lirette lightly bumped her head against the wall.

Hayley didn’t seem like someone to take lightly. Judging by the constant schemes of the past few days, Lirette realized that if she retaliated, it would likely escalate into a full-blown conflict, and she instinctively kept quiet.

She knew all too well that causing trouble wouldn’t work in her favor.

‘If things go wrong, they might lock me up in the annex again.’

Any incident that drew attention would give the Duke an excuse to imprison her in the annex, just like he had done before.

That’s why she continued to ignore Hayley, no matter how much she provoked her.

‘Not reacting might be better.’

Hayley was simple and childish, but in some ways, she reminded Lirette of Dylan—at least in how they both derived enjoyment from tormenting others.

People like that were often predictable. Rather than giving them the reaction they craved, it was better to ignore them. Eventually, they would tire of it.

If she didn’t react, Hayley would eventually lose interest, even if it took a while.

‘I can only hope that’s true.’

Lirette sighed as she put on a clean apron. She hadn’t yet managed to discover the location of the mansion’s library, and she feared that Hayley’s group would catch on to her plans.

‘Perhaps I should take a look around after my treatment tonight. There won’t be other maids around then.’

A sense of urgency gnawed at her.

Even though there was still plenty of time before the promised year was up, she couldn’t shake the feeling that every day slipping by was a wasted opportunity.

Leaning against the wall, Lirette closed her eyes.

In the silence, she found a brief moment of comfort.

***

Lirette’s shoulders ached as she massaged them, trying to ease the stiffness in her muscles.

Knock, knock.

After knocking, she cautiously stepped inside.

“Excuse me.”

The familiar surroundings, though she had only been here for a few days, still gave her the uneasy feeling of walking into the lair of a wild beast.

As usual, only a few lamps and silver candlesticks were lit, casting a soft, warm glow throughout the room.

Lirette picked up a lamp and gently moved around the bedroom. The space was so large, it was almost a task in itself just to look around.

‘He’s not here?’

Normally, the large figure of the Duke would be easy to spot by now, but today, he was nowhere to be seen.

Then suddenly—

“Ah!”

Her skirt was tugged sharply, causing Lirette to stumble. Regaining her balance, she looked down, startled to find an unexpected presence.

It was a dog.

A large, jet-black dog, its fur blending into the shadows of the dimly lit room.

Lirette slowly crouched down. The dog was big enough to be a hunting hound, and now that she was squatting, it wasn’t much smaller than her.

When their eyes met, its obsidian-like gaze gleamed in the darkness.

Cautiously, Lirette reached out her hand.

She had never dealt with such a large dog before and was a bit afraid it might bite her. But thankfully, the dog accepted her touch without any issue, letting her gently pet its head.

In fact, it seemed to enjoy it, wagging its tail enthusiastically. Seeing that, Lirette grew more confident and petted it more boldly. But when she hesitated and began to pull her hand away, the black dog nuzzled her palm with its snout, seeking more attention.

The ticklish feeling made Lirette laugh softly.

Her quiet laughter echoed gently through the room.

“How curious,” a voice remarked.

Absorbed in the tickling sensation from petting the dog, Lirette didn’t notice the long shadow that had crept across the floor.

Startled, she quickly stood up and turned around. Valderion, who had been watching her, was standing there, though she had no idea how long he had been there. With his wet hair and a robe loosely draped over him, he walked toward the table.

Clink.

The sangria in the glass he was holding swirled gently.

“He’s not usually the type to take to people so easily.”

Valderion’s attention wasn’t on Lirette but on the dog circling her, rubbing its head affectionately against her.

The dog, which would bare its teeth and go on a rampage fierce enough to scare away any beast when let loose in the forest for hunting, was acting as gentle as a lamb in front of this woman. It was curious to him.

“Or maybe he remembers the scent from the forest.”

“The forest?” Lirette asked.

“He’s the one who found you.”

“Pardon?”

“When you were on the verge of freezing to death, he’s the one who found you.”

She quickly realized what he was referring to.

It was when she had first woken up in the annex.

Panicked, unsure of why she was there but gripped by the feeling that she needed to escape, she had fled into the snow-covered forest…

Though it hadn’t been that long ago, with winter already behind them, it felt like a distant memory.

Looking down at the dog rubbing its nose against her leg, Lirette asked, “What’s his name?”

“Camon.”

She had thought his eyes looked like black obsidian, and now his name reflected that perfectly. It suited him so well that it rolled off her tongue easily.

“Camon…”

As she called his name and was about to pet his eager head again, she hesitated.

She felt she should ask permission from his owner first, even though she had already petted him.

Valderion, holding his glass to his lips, noticed her hesitation and gave a slight nod.

Only then did Lirette freely pet Camon again. His fur, well-maintained and soft to the touch, showed that he was well-cared for.

“You know, I took him from Dylan as well.”

At Valderion’s casual comment, Lirette’s hand froze mid-pet.

“So, everything here is something Dylan abandoned.”

Even Camon?

Lirette looked at Valderion in surprise, then turned her gaze back to Camon.

“He’s so beautiful, why would anyone…”

“When have you ever seen Dylan care about things like that?”

Valderion’s remark hit home, blunt and accurate.

He was right.

Dylan’s whims had never followed logic. His moods would flip unpredictably, like the time he had broken Lirette’s fingers one day, only to gently bandage them the next.

She hadn’t been free from Dylan’s cruel temperament for long. The harsh treatment she had endured still weighed heavily on her memory.

The thought that Camon might have suffered a similar fate filled Lirette with a sudden wave of pity.

Valderion chuckled softly.

“Strange, isn’t it?”

It was a quiet reflection, tinged with a new perspective.

Not only was it unusual for Camon to show such affection to anyone besides his master, but Lirette was acting differently as well.

It wasn’t just the dog who was behaving unusually docile.

So was she.

‘She can smile like that, too.’

Valderion noted the soft, unguarded smile on her face—one she might not even realize she was wearing. It was clear and genuine, like it had been drawn with a fine pen.

For some reason, that smile lodged itself deep in his mind.

But the peace didn’t last long.

After showering Camon with affection, Lirette suddenly seemed to remember something. With an “Ah!” of realization, she turned to Valderion.

“…Shall we begin?”

In that brief moment, the bright smile that had reminded him of peonies in a field vanished without a trace.

Valderion stared at her pale face as if searching for something, then silently nodded toward the bed.

Lirette, now familiar with the routine, approached the bed.

He followed her, flipping over the hourglass on the table next to the bed.