What Remains in the Damaged Place - Chapter 26

“Hmm, hmm, hmm.”

A cheerful hum echoed through the shared bathhouse attached to the servants’ quarters.

Unlike the main estate, where the owners resided, the servants’ quarters only had access to cold water. Bathing, therefore, was a challenging ordeal for them. However, since cleaning was their primary duty, they couldn’t afford to skip washing off the grime that covered them from head to toe every day.

But now, warm steam was rising from the bathhouse.

Humming softly, Hayley was thoroughly enjoying the warmth of hot water as she washed her body.

There was a way for the servants to use hot water: by fetching it themselves from the kitchen, where it was boiled. The head maid had even received permission from the master to allow this in consideration of the servants’ hardships.

However, it wasn’t an easy task. After a long, exhausting day, most of them didn’t have the energy left to go through the trouble of carrying boiling water from the kitchen.

Yet here was Hayley, unmistakably using hot water.

Of course, she hadn’t fetched it herself.

This, too, was a result of her exploiting and manipulating the other maids.

Though winter had turned to spring, the nights were still chilly. During these cold nights, Hayley had persuaded the other servants to take turns carrying hot water from the main building for everyone’s use. And, in the process of organizing the schedule, she had conveniently removed her own name from the list. Since she was the one managing the arrangements, no one else noticed.

And even if they did, it wouldn’t have mattered.

Just as everyone turned a blind eye to the bullying directed at Lirette, no one dared to challenge Hayley or her clique.

“Hayley, did you hear?”

As Hayley dipped her hand into the warm water, another maid, Pepper, leaned closer, whispering as though sharing a juicy secret.

“You know that new girl? I heard she’s been attending to the master at night.”

“What?”

Hayley had been in a particularly good mood just moments ago. She had been reminiscing about her latest act of torment—the time she had spilled a bucket of dirty water onto the pretty new maid who was busy scrubbing the banister.

Tormenting Lirette had become routine by now. But today had been special. For the first time, she had seen the typically unresponsive new maid show some kind of reaction—a faint furrow in her brows. The filthy, smelly water not only caused discomfort but also added extra work, meaning she likely missed yet another mealtime.

But that satisfying memory was now tainted by Pepper’s words.

“Is that true?” Hayley’s voice grew cold.

“Raviena said so the other day. She finished her duties a bit later than usual, and she saw that girl entering the master’s chambers.”

Hayley’s expression hardened.

“Apparently, she’s not even staying in the servant’s quarters anymore. They gave her a room in the main building to make it easier for her to attend to the master at night.”

“Hah.”

Pepper’s gossip felt like a hammer striking Hayley’s pride.

She could barely contain the surge of emotions welling up inside her.

She had already been irritated by the fact that no matter how much she bullied the new girl, she barely reacted.

But now?

Now she was supposedly attending to the master in his chambers?

Ever since she had spilled the tea that one time, Hayley had been cautious not to step too close to the Duke. The head maid had reprimanded her, and the fear of further punishment had kept her at bay. After all, this job was important to her.

She had been simmering with frustration ever since.

And now, that haughty new girl—who had remained unbothered by all the harassment—kept creeping into her thoughts. No matter how much filth was thrown her way, her refined demeanor never seemed to falter. It was as if nothing could tarnish her.

Not only did she remain composed, but there was an unexplainable air of nobility about her. It was something Hayley had sensed but couldn’t quite put into words.

And it wasn’t just Hayley who noticed it.

Whenever the other maids discussed the new girl, they all remarked on her peculiar aura, saying she had an intimidating presence.

Could it be that the master had noticed that same special quality?

Could her alluring looks—long lashes that could easily captivate a man—have drawn him in, leading him to summon her to his bedchamber?

Had he laid her down, touched that silver hair, caressed her pale cheeks, her slender body, explored the hidden parts of her?

The more Hayley’s imagination ran wild, the more furious she became. Her jealousy, crude and unrefined, boiled over, rising like molten lava inside her.

It was an ugly mixture of jealousy and resentment.

Hayley’s emotions could only be described in one way: irritation.

“She’s getting on my nerves.”

Her voice, dark and chilling, cut through the warm steam of the bathhouse.

“I can’t let this go on.”

“Let what go on?” Pepper asked, looking at Hayley with curiosity.

“That girl.”

Hayley ran her fingers through her damp hair, pushing it back.

The mirror that should have reflected her clearly was fogged up with steam, distorting her image. It made her feel like her face was broken, fragmented in frustration.

Everything felt wrong.

Everything felt like it wasn’t going her way, and the suffocating feeling of it all boiled inside her.

“I need to get rid of her, once and for all.”

A dark thought crossed her mind as a means of countering her annoyance.

For a while, Hayley and Pepper whispered back and forth, plotting something malicious, even as the warm bathwater slowly lost its heat and turned lukewarm.

***

Scrub, scrub, scrub.

Lirette carefully inspected the silverware, ensuring it was spotless. Working in the kitchen required strict attention to detail, especially when it came to cleaning items that touched the master’s lips. A single speck of dirt could provoke the head maid into a furious tirade, something Lirette had witnessed multiple times.

There was only one person residing in this grand estate—Valderion, her master. Yet every day, the servants had to wash all the dishes in the expansive house, even those that were unused, as part of the estate’s strict maintenance.

Endless silver cutlery soaked in warm water waited to be transferred to a tub of cold water for rinsing, after which they would be dried meticulously with a linen cloth.

As Lirette worked mechanically, her gaze drifted upward.

There was a small window she particularly liked—just the size of a handspan, but it framed a beautiful scene.

Outside, the world looked like a masterpiece. The signs of spring had fully bloomed. Lush green grass, elegant arched structures matching the mansion’s color, entwined with climbing roses. Plum trees with delicate blossoms, and colorful butterflies fluttering among them.

Even though the window was closed, it felt as if the fresh scent of spring was filling her lungs.

‘It’s really spring, isn’t it?’

Even while looking at it, she found it hard to believe.

The reason was simple. Spring was one of the seasons she had lost under Dylan’s cruelty.

Unlike summer and winter, which could be unbearable when exposed to the elements, she had not lost those seasons. Ironically, she had survived them, as Dylan had found ways to use even the harsh weather as a tool for her suffering.

But spring and autumn, with their mild, pleasant weather, were different. During those seasons, Dylan would never allow her to leave the palace. He kept her locked inside the suffocating opulence, knowing that even the briefest breath of fresh air would offer her a sliver of hope, a fleeting moment of happiness.

‘That devil…’

The thought of Dylan was filthy and didn’t belong in such a peaceful, beautiful moment.

She tried to shake off the memories of the Crown Prince, but it wasn’t easy. Just thinking of his twisted smile made her fingers go cold.

Because of that, what should have been a simple task—washing the dishes—took far longer than usual.

Finally, she rubbed her wrinkled hands, which had spent too long in the water, and stepped out of the kitchen.

“Brilline!”

Lirette looked up to see someone she didn’t recognize running toward her.

“You need to head to the servants’ hall immediately…”

The person was panting, as if they had rushed to deliver the message. The urgency in their voice caused a knot of unease to settle in Lirette’s chest.

“The head maid is asking for you.”

The look on the servant’s face, pale and anxious, made it clear that this was no ordinary call.

Lirette quickly made her way to the servants’ hall.

When she arrived, she saw several maids already lined up, standing stiffly. At the front of the group was the head maid, her expression graver than usual.

Her stern face was more serious than when she typically scolded the staff, which made Lirette quicken her pace even more.

“Head maid, I was told you were looking for me,” Lirette said, stepping forward.

“Yes, Brilline. Come over here.”

As Lirette moved toward the head maid, her gaze caught on a familiar figure.

It was Hayley.