‘Although I’m afraid if I keep gaining weight, I won’t fit into my maid’s attire.’
Jubilant yet anxious feelings enveloped within my heart when I measured my hands.
Albeit being very well managed, there was dust in several corners where adults’ line of sight won’t reach.
For example, the dust near these door frames.
Unless you lower your head, you wouldn’t be able to see this dust. This was where my height came in handy.
“Huff, I’m done.”
Satisfaction filled me when I looked at the shiny door frame.
But then.
“Oh my goodness, Charlize!”
Lady Hayden has come to me with an appalled expression.
She let out a sigh in exasperation and spoke, “Charlize, you’re still young. You don’t have to do this job.”
“What? But…”
I was puzzled.
When I was a probationary maid, I did more than this.
The Head Maid narrowed her eyes.
“First of all, you need to get up.”
She reached out her hand to me.
I unconsciously reached out but retracted my outstretched hand right away when I saw its state.
Uh, my hands were dirty.
But the head maid did not mind. She took my hand and lifted me.
‘Ouch, my legs are numb.’
I stumbled a little as I tried to steady myself.
I’ve been squatting on the floor for a long time, and my legs have been sore.
The maid entreated me.
“Oh, my God, are your legs alright?”
“Don’t worry. My legs are alright!” I answered with the most gallant voice possible.
I couldn’t show my weak side because of this!
When she scanned my appearance, she reached out and shook off my skirt.
“Oh, my God, there’s dust all over your clothes.”
“Head maid, don’t touch it. It’s dirty!”
I was startled and instinctively tried to avoid her hands.
Then Head Maid Hayden looked towards me with sad eyes.
“It’s okay, it’s dust, isn’t it? What if there’s a little bit of dust?”
“…but I’m very dirty….”
“It’s all right. I can wash my hands late. Charlize is more important.”
“…”
I bit my lips as an attempt to suppress the fluttering feeling in my heart.
‘I’m just a commoner maid. Why is everyone so nice to me?’
The people of the Imperial Palace were so kind. Their kindness even buried the nightmare I faced in the education hall.
If I get used to their kindness….
‘…that can’t happen.’
I took a deep breath.
‘I shouldn’t be presumptuous.’
Then, the head maid asked me a question.
“By the way, did Charlize say that you are five-year-old this year?”
“Yes, it’s true!”
I set my worries aside and answered with a flattering smile.
The head maid’s eyes darkened as she complained, “How can a five-year-old be so meticulous in cleaning every nook and cranny?”
How should I interpret the head maid’s words-
I honestly didn’t know how.
All I knew was I needed to prove my worth.
I opened my mouth with my fists clenched.
“I can do it! I did a great job before in the education hall!”
“Really? What did you do?”
“I can clean the fireplace, do the laundry, and wipe the floor until it sparkles!”
At the answer, the Head Maid Hayden revealed an astonished look.
She held me by the shoulder and questioned urgently.
“Charlize… Did you clean the fireplace yourself?”
“Yes, I did…”
‘Huh? What’s wrong with Head Maid Hayden? Did I do something wrong?’ I groaned in my head.
The head maid continued in a stunned voice, “The fireplace is too hot and it’s full of soot! If you made a mistake, you could’ve gotten hurt!”
Of course, it was hard to clean the fireplace. There were so much soot and dust in the fireplace. When I scraped the burnt firewood, the dust would choke my airways and caused me into a coughing fit.
Besides, there was a time when other maids rushed me into the wall stove, which had not cooled down.
Although, that time, I ran away.
‘However…’
I wriggled in my place, as I sneaked a glance at the maid’s expression.
What I was doing at the training center was replacing what everyone hated.
“A child like you as a substitute…!”
Head Maid Hayden couldn’t continue her words to the end, and pulled her lips to ask.
I was at my wit’s end so I could only cast my eyes down.