I became the contracted maid of the (villainous) Duke due to personal circumstances

“…So, starting from tomorrow, I’ll be working at the Marquis’s townhouse, so please wish me luck!”

The day after a heated argument with Gerald, when I went to inform my younger brother, who was staying in the student dormitory, he looked utterly surprised. Thomas, who was turning twelve this year, blinked his light brown eyes wide open and mumbled.

“I can’t believe it.”

“I know, right? I never imagined I’d end up working at the Marquis’s house.”

“That’s not what I mean! Rejecting a marriage proposal from the Marquis himself is far too reckless! Sister, what are you thinking!?”

“Well, I just don’t want to marry someone I dislike.”

“Dislike… To what extent? Did something really unpleasant happen between you two?”

Unable to tell her brother the truth, she stammered, “It’s because he forcibly kissed me when we were students…” However, it might not have been a memory that bothered her so much after all, considering it had been six years since then.

“…Wait? Wasn’t there more to it than that?”

It was undoubtedly an incident that had made her angry, but it felt like there was something else that served as the final straw in Ruru’s dislike for Gerald.

“Hey, Ruru-chan. Gerald Filii…”

It felt like someone had told her something, but… What was it again?

“Oh well. Maybe I was just too irritated and decided to erase it from my memory.”

With Thomas leading the way, they continued their conversation and were guided to the lobby of the dormitory.

The lobby was simple, designed for student conversations, with chairs, sofas, and a small table. However, along the wall, there was a complete tea set.

“It’s like, what’s this place? They even have a tea set? I’ve never been to a student dorm before, so I didn’t know, but the facilities here are surprisingly well-equipped,” she remarked as she noticed the variety of tea leaves available.

Ruru took a sip of the tea that Thomas had brewed.

“…About two years ago? We received a donation from a noble to improve the dorm’s facilities.”

“Really? That’s quite generous.”

“Guess who it was? Marquis of Gransia himself.”

Ruru nearly spit out her tea.

“Him?! Come to think of it, Gerald wasn’t a day student; he lived in the dormitory.”

It didn’t make sense to her. Her alma mater, a school she didn’t have particularly fond memories of, and in a town like this, there shouldn’t have been much merit in making a donation. Yet, he seemed so kind and gentlemanly. It was absurd. Maybe he was buying off the headmaster or had some ulterior motive for donating…

Thomas looked at Ruru in disbelief as she started to doubt Gerald’s intentions.

“Sister, it’s all about money, you know? Missing the chance to marry into a good family is just crazy.”

“It’s about love and sincerity! It’s just that our family has been in the red, and you’ve grown up to be so focused on money, little brother. It makes me sad…”

Even though she feigned crying in a rather theatrical manner, her brother brushed it off with ease.

“Well, it’s not like I’m as fixated on the trading company as Dad or you are. Whether our family moves to the countryside or if I join some trading house somewhere, it doesn’t matter to me. But, sis, you keep avoiding marriage opportunities. It’s not too late now, so why not take advantage of the Marquis’s favor? It’s not often you get a proposal from such a wealthy individual. I’m starting to think you’re being deceived.”

“That’s right. I’m being deceived. I’m sure he’s planning to marry me, a cheeky girl like me, and then use money to make me obedient! I won’t have that kind of life!”

Until now, she had never really thought about her future spouse, but she did have some preferences in mind. She hoped for a calm and gentle partner who matched her social status. If anyone were to ask her about her ideal type of man in the future, she would describe someone completely opposite to Gerald.

She also sent a letter to her parents, who hadn’t arrived in the capital yet. However, in that letter, she skipped over the part about the proposal and simply mentioned that she would be working at the Marquis’s estate as a way to repay her debt.

“Well, we’ll see. I’ll just accept his ten million offer and quit right away.”

With clenched fists, she declared, “…Oh really? I’m looking forward to that.”

“Scream!”

Startled by a low voice from behind, she turned around. Gerald, with his frock coat slung over one arm, had appeared at the entrance seemingly out of nowhere.

“W-Why are you here?”

She had thought that only dormitory residents and staff could enter, but she had just heard that this man had donated money to the school. It was likely that he had special privileges.

“I came to pick you up because the head maid said she wanted to explain the room and facilities to you today. If the discussion is done, we’ll head straight to the estate.”

Gerald had told her that she could come with just herself.

While Ruru reluctantly nodded in agreement, Thomas, on the other hand, bowed with proper manners in response.

“Marquis of Gransia, I truly appreciate your generosity in this matter. My sister will be in your care, and I humbly request your support.”

“Ah, you’re Thomas, right? You’re a well-mannered young man. Don’t worry about money, and you can also entrust this fellow to me.”

Gerald behaved like a true gentleman, saying, “Study hard,” and Thomas responded with appropriate politeness.

“…Marquis seems like a perfectly nice person, you know.”

As they were about to leave, Thomas leaned in and whispered ever so quietly, his voice not reaching Gerald’s ears. Ruru frowned deeply in response.

“Hmph. Falling for his superficial manners like that, you still don’t understand anything about this man…”

“Are you trying to appeal by saying, ‘I know him better than you do’?”

“Not at all. It’s just the truth, plain and simple.”

“Or maybe, what exactly is bothering you, sis? He’s good-looking, and the fact that such a charismatic person proposed to you is quite a mystery…”

“What’s all this fuss about? Let’s go, Ruru.”

Summoned with an air of authority, she retorted, “Yes, I’m here!” with a hint of annoyance.

“Anyway, don’t worry about me. You focus on your studies!”

“Yeah. You too, sis.”

Bid farewell by Thomas, Ruru cheerfully followed behind Gerald.

As he watched her departing figure, Thomas let out a slightly relieved sigh. Even if there were doubts about the Marquis, it was a good thing to have someone who could protect and support his sister. He couldn’t help but feel delighted at the thought of a fine gentleman who seemed capable of not only providing financial assistance but also supporting his sister’s mental well-being. He mumbled irresponsibly to himself, “Maybe they should just get married.”

The Marquis of Gransia’s residence was located on the second street of the capital.

This area was lined with townhouses of nobles, and even someone like Ruru, who grew up in the capital, rarely ventured here. Each building was surrounded by iron fences and had grand gates.

“This is Ruru Einzweir, the maid I’ve hired to serve as my lady’s maid. Ruru , you can leave all matters related to work to this head maid. Also, I’ve prepared the employment contract for you, so make sure to review it,” Gerald introduced her to the staff at the residence.

Introduced by Gerald, Ruru met a woman in her forties who seemed dignified, as well as Anthony, the servant she had met when he helped her with the debt collector.

With a respectful “Understood,” both of them kneeled, and Ruru quickly bowed her head, saying, “Thank you for having me.”

After parting ways with Gerald, Ruru was guided to her room by the head maid…

“Uh, this room?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Well, it’s just… I never expected to get a private room.”

She was told that the room in one corner of the servants’ area was hers.

The room didn’t have great natural light, and it was a simple space with only a bed and a built-in closet. However, she had never imagined she would get her own room in the first place, given that there were many other servants. She had assumed she would be sharing or even sleeping in a communal area.

“This is a room for senior servants. My room is next door, and on the opposite side, there’s Mr. Anthony’s room. The others sleep in the servants’ dormitory, which is a bit farther away.”

“Well, I’m fine with that too.”

“You were assigned to take care of Mr. Gerald personally, so we asked you to be able to respond promptly to his summons.”

As they spoke, Anthony came down carrying several folded aprons.

“May I check your size?” He handed her one, and when she spread it out, she noticed that it had a lot of lace embellishments on the sleeves and hem.

“We don’t have aprons specifically for parlor maids here at this estate, so I’ve provided the same ones we use at the main Granthia residence.”

“They are different from the people I passed on my way here, right?”

While the brown uniforms they wore inside were the same, those women should have been wearing plain aprons.

“Those girls are housemaids. Unlike them or the laundry maids, parlor maids have a job that involves being seen by the master and guests, so you’ll wear something appropriate.”

The design of the maid chief’s uniform was slightly different.

“Are there no other parlor maids employed besides me?”

“Mr. Gerald didn’t particularly require any. He’s been quite busy since inheriting the title three years ago, and he rarely stays in the capital for extended periods. His personal needs were mostly taken care of by either me or Mr. Anthony.”

She nodded.

Later, she would come to know that not all estates bothered to hire parlor maids. The elegant maids exempted from dirty work were, in essence, a way for nobility to showcase, “We’re wealthy enough to afford pretty maids.” It served as a means of impressing visitors.

After checking the provided daily necessities, the maid chief left the room briefly, and Ruru examined the employment contract that Anthony had brought.

She shivered slightly at the clear words “Daily wage of 30,000 gallons.”

(They really are hiring me at this daily wage…) When Gerald is not present, I am supposed to help with the household maid’s work as needed, but even so, it feels like I’m getting too much. I steal a glance at Anthony’s face. I wonder what he really thinks about me, the one who was hired through casual conversation.

“Is there anything missing from the contract?” he asks.

“No, there isn’t,” I reply quickly. As I denied it, I couldn’t help but say, “I’m sorry… for something…” in a somewhat self-deprecating tone.

“Why are you apologizing?”

“It’s just that if I were hired at such a high wage under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t be believable, right? Um, I really don’t have any special feelings for Gerald, and I have no intention of taking his words seriously and rushing into a marriage that’s out of proportion, so please don’t worry. As a maid, I’ll work my hardest.”

“I see. Why are you declaring that to me?”

“Um… Anthony-san, you’re Gerald’s attendant, and… I thought that if an unknown woman was hanging around the master, it might be uncomfortable…”

“I thought Anthony might be concerned if rumors spread about the master getting involved with a servant.”

“Oh, if it’s because you were considering my feelings, you don’t need to worry about that. I don’t have any opinions on whether you’re suitable for Gerald or not, and to be honest, whether Gerald marries a commoner like you or a princess, it doesn’t make much of a difference to me.”

Ruru gazed earnestly at Anthony as he calmly spoke. In the Einwers Trading Company, nobles frequented, but personal attendants were typically treated as absolute figures who advised, protected, and devoted themselves entirely to their masters. Yet, she couldn’t sense any of that passionate dedication from Anthony.

Even though she could expect to be glared at as a conniving woman trying to deceive the master, Anthony’s attitude was as if he couldn’t care less.

Anthony responded with a smile that exuded cleanliness and a gentle demeanor.

While there were individuals who held noble ideals of serving their masters with utmost dedication among attendants and maids, Anthony seemed to view his role as simply a “job.”

Ruru reflected on this, recognizing that it was indeed a job, and she shouldn’t feel guilty about it. She considered the possibility that she might be seen as a cunning woman manipulating Gerald’s affection and extracting a high salary from him, but then she realized that it was the other way around. She swallowed her hesitation and signed the contract with her name, Ruru Einzweir.

With this, Ruru’s master from now on would be Gerald, and her cheeky attitude toward him was sealed with her signature.

And so, her first day of work arrived.

Dressed in a lovely maid’s outfit and her long hair neatly tied, Ruru knocked on the door of the master bedroom precisely at the designated time.

On the cart she pushed were warm water for washing and towels. As she looked at the soft and fluffy towels and the lemon water in crystal-clear glass containers, each item carefully chosen and expensive, she realized that Gerald was now on the receiving end of care. It was hard to believe that the man who used to tease and play pranks on others was now in this position.

“Good morning, Lord Gerald. I’m here for your morning preparations,” she greeted him..

No response was heard, so she entered the room with the cart. The room was dark due to thick blackout curtains, but she could make out the silver hair of Gerald on the large bed where two adults could comfortably lie down. Since there was no sign of movement, she called out once again.

“Good morning, Gerald-sama. I’ve come for your morning preparations.”

There was still no response.

(Is he really sleeping? This seems suspicious.)

It felt as though Gerald was waiting for her to approach.

Cautiously, she gently touched his shoulder and said, “It’s morning. Please wake up.”

In an instant, her wrist was caught, and she was pulled into the bed.

“You’re right on time. I’m impressed,” Gerald said with a smirk.

Gerald continued to hold onto Ruru with a sly grin. Ruru, who had anticipated this to some extent, smiled calmly and said, “Good morning, Gerald-sama. If you’re awake, could you please let me go?”

“You’re being cold. Come on, indulge me with a little morning cuddle.”

“I won’t.”

Ruru was determined not to give in to his teasing.

“Did you sleep well last night? It’s better than the servants’ quarters, but for your comfort, I could give you a room fit for a lady instead of that cramped one,” Gerald suggested.

“No need, I slept quite comfortably in that room,” Ruru replied politely.

Gerald didn’t seem to appreciate Ruru’s cool response. He immediately played his trump card.

“How about it? If you become a pillow for three minutes, I’ll give you a bonus of ten thousand.”

“Understood,” Ruru replied.

Ruru immediately agreed without hesitation, which surprised Gerald.

“…I thought you’d resist more.”

“It’s my job.”

Ruru responded calmly, not making a fuss about it.

Ruru had a sense that Gerald might make inappropriate requests, and she knew that he seemed to enjoy seeing her uncomfortable or embarrassed. However, she decided to maintain her professionalism and play along with his request, as it was part of her job.

“Alright then, I’ll be your pillow for three minutes. Since I’m a pillow, I won’t say a word,” Ruru responded professionally.

“Hmm…?” Ruru replied with her eyes tightly closed, maintaining her resolve to ignore whatever might come next.

Ruru couldn’t see Gerald’s expression with her eyes closed, but she could hear the amusement in his voice.

“Well then, shall I just use you as a pillow without any reservation?” he teased.

With those words, Gerald embraced her tightly.

Ruru could feel Gerald’s warmth through the thin layers of their clothing. His body was lean and muscular, quite different from her own, and it made her heart race.

(No, no, I’m just a pillow. An inanimate object.) Ruru reminded herself, trying to maintain her composure.

Ruru tried to focus on her tasks for the day, listing them in her mind.

(Alright, today’s schedule includes delivering breakfast to Gerald after he finishes dressing, tidying up the washroom while he eats, seeing him off when he leaves, and then making the bed and doing some cleaning…)

“…Ruru.”

A voice, filled with a hint of sensuality, interrupted her thoughts.

“Meeting you again after six years… You’ve become quite beautiful.”

Ruru’s heart raced as Gerald’s words reached her ears.

Ruru was taken aback by Gerald’s words, her cheeks blushing slightly. She had expected his flirtatious behavior, but his comments about her appearance still caught her off guard.

“Thank you for the compliment, Gerald-sama,” she replied politely, trying to maintain her composure. “However, I must remind you that we have tasks to attend to. If you have any requests or need assistance, please let me know, and I will do my best to help.”

Despite her composed response, Ruru couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered by Gerald’s unexpected comments.

Ruru couldn’t help but shiver as Gerald whispered sweet nothings in her ear, and his hand moved from her head to her cheek. She let out a small yelp, and Gerald chuckled softly.

Despite her initial resolve to ignore his advances, she found herself becoming more flustered in this unexpected situation.

Gerald’s playful comments and the way he was flirting took Ruru by surprise. She couldn’t help but wonder when he had become so smooth and confident in his approach. It seemed that his newfound status as a Duke had made him quite popular, and he was relishing the attention from women.

However, Ruru remained composed and focused on her job. She had no intention of giving in to his advances or letting him rattle her.

Ruru couldn’t take it anymore, and she protested, realizing that the three minutes were almost up.

“Three minutes! It’s already been three minutes!”

“It’s only been one minute.”

Gerald seemed to be enjoying the playful exchange, and Ruru was determined to stick to her job despite his advances.

Gerald, like a triumphant wolf, chased after Ruru as she tried to escape from the bed.

“You couldn’t endure for three minutes, so no bonus.”

“That’s not fair!”

Ruru was clearly disappointed that she didn’t earn the bonus, and the playful banter between them continued.

“Too bad. If you want a rematch, I’ll be ready anytime,” Gerald said with a cool smile. Ruru, frustrated by the missed bonus opportunity, bit her lip

As she left the room after changing, the lingering sensations of Gerald’s teasing and warmth left her feeling flustered.

She couldn’t believe the audacity of that harasser! A pervert! An insatiable devil! Wasn’t he acting foolishly early in the morning?

Unbeknownst to her, the maids who had witnessed her exit from the master’s room were gossiping quietly among themselves.

Ruru sighed with relief. It had been quite a morning.

After seeing off Gerald and completing the tasks for the day, Ruru staggered her way to the servants’ dining room.

Despite being assigned as a personal attendant, Ruru preferred to have her meals in the same dining room as the other maids. The previous night and this morning, she had dined with the senior staff—such as Anthony, the butler, the head maid, and the head chef. It felt awkward, as these gatherings were essentially meetings, and Ruru had no real authority or purpose in accompanying Gerald during his work.

Furthermore, it seemed that among the senior staff, only Anthony was aware of the ‘marriage proposal commotion,’ while the rest of them regarded Ruru simply as a girl who had been hired through Gerald’s connections. This created an uncomfortable distance in their interactions.

“I wish I could make a friend with whom I can speak a bit more openly.”

“When I entered the dining room, all eyes immediately turned towards me, and it startled me.

There were about twenty people in the room, with just one or two male servants, and the rest were female servants. Nobody really approached me or engaged in conversation; their gazes quickly averted. However, it was evident that everyone’s attention was on me. I had briefly introduced myself in the morning and then headed straight to Gerald, so now I was wondering if I should reintroduce myself here.

As I awkwardly received my meal and sat at an empty seat, two young girls promptly moved to the front of me.”

“Is it okay if we sit here?”

“Oh, yes, please.”

“Thank you. I’m Harriet, and this is Orian. Both of us work as maids. Nice to meet you!”

The briskly spoken girl introduced herself. Relieved by the friendly gesture of the two girls of her age, the tall and assertive one was Harriet, while the plump one, while stirring her soup, spoke in a drawn-out tone, was Orian.

“I’m Ruru. Nice to meet you.”

Since the trading company went into the red, she had grown distant from her female friends. Harriet looked at Ruru with a thoughtful expression.

“You’re amazing, you know. Being selected to serve with Lord Gerald at your age… Were you originally working in a noble household, maybe even in the royal palace?”

“Eh?”

“Or perhaps you’re from a noble family related to the Marquis?”

“Absolutely not!”

Ruru hurriedly denied it.

“No, no, this is my first time working in a mansion. Have you heard of the Edwards Trading Company on Craftsman Street? I’m a daughter from there…”

The atmosphere around the maids who were eavesdropping on the conversation tensed up.

“For the first time? And you’re immediately assigned to be with Gerald?”

“Yes, well…”

It seemed that despite her intention not to come across as pretentious, Ruru had inadvertently made a faux pas. A murmur, not even a hushed one, could be heard.

“Einzweir Trading Company isn’t a declining merchant house. Why would a girl like her work for the Marquis?”

“I saw it. That girl came out of Gerald’s room blushing…”

“No way. Could it be that she tried to get close to Gerald and got hired?”

Oh no, it seemed like Ruru was being perceived as a mistress or something like that.

Harriet was giving Ruru a piercing look.

“Th-this is a misunderstanding. I-I don’t have any special feelings for Gerald, I mean, Gerald-sama.”

“You don’t have any special feelings!? That’s too disrespectful a way to speak about such a wonderful person!”

“W-well, I do think he’s a wonderful person…”

“See, you’re using flattery again!”

So, what should I say?

With Harriet leading the way, the maids began to praise Gerald and share stories about his past with Ruru, who knew nothing about him.

Since they were all young girls, they hadn’t personally witnessed these stories; instead, it seemed they had been passed down to them by their seniors. Everyone spoke with passion, and their eyes sparkled as they recounted the tales, reminding Ruru of a time when her family had gone to the opera together. Perhaps, if these stories were turned into songs, they might sound something like this.

Now, let me tell you about the past of the young Duke Gerald.

Your storyteller for today is me, Harriet.

Let’s go back a few years. The Grantham Duke’s family was on the brink of ruin.

There were many rumors about Gerald-sama’s late father, the former Duke.

“Gambling, mistresses, and debts.”

“Oh, poor Gerald-sama.”

“He couldn’t attend school and was isolated from society.”

Just at that time, the former Duke passed away.

Left behind, Lady Grantham and her only son, Gerald-sama, worked hard to rebuild the estate.

“Taking over at the age of sixteen.”

“Oh, the hardships endured by Gerald-sama.”

“It took three years to rebuild the estate.”

And so, they successfully restored the mismanaged ducal estate.

“A promising future, even remembered by the royal family.”

“Oh, Gerald-sama is now the object of admiration for young ladies.”

“We are happy to serve such a wonderful person.”

May happiness be with Gerald-sama in the future, and may glory shine upon the Grantham Duke’s family! ♪

Ta-da!

If this were a play, it would have received applause and a standing ovation for their enthusiastic performance.

(Gerald extremists… No, maybe the Gerald cult?)

It seems that Gerald’s time at the commoner’s school is not known. When asked why he hid his identity and attended a commoner’s school during their reunion, he didn’t provide an answer. However, considering Gerald’s pride, he wouldn’t admit that it was because of poverty that he couldn’t afford the high tuition fees of noble schools. It’s clear that he went through some hardships.

“Anyway,”

Harriet pointed her finger at Ruru and made a strong point.

“Don’t get too cocky just because Gerald-sama likes you. He’s not the kind of person someone like you can get close to! Got it?”

Feeling pressured, Ruru nodded. She was determined not to let anyone see her acting too familiar with Gerald in front of them.

A few hours later…

When Gerald returned from his outing, he kissed Ruru on the forehead as they stood at the entrance. Ruru managed to instantly make all the maids her enemies.

Hello dear readers you can access to next chapter @my Kofi-Page