As soon as the carriage with the duke’s crest arrived in front of the territory main building, a servant ran down in a hurry and opened the door of the carriage.

Then, with the help of this servant, Opal gets off the carriage, and salutes the butler and housekeeper that are jumping of joy at the entrance.

Opal was embraced by them, and was about to fall, but was helped by the servants.

The duke’s servant, who drove the carriage here, was amazed at the situation.

In fact, he had left the dukedom early this morning with uncertainty. But it was his duty to drive the carriage, and she currently was… the duchess…

He put down the little luggage the duchess brought. She, who was renowned as a wicked lady, was happily welcomed with care and love from everyone at the territory. Even in their travel, she swiftly and sweetly pointed out the wrongs and suggested a solution, such could never come from a wicked or arrogant lady.

After a short distance from the main road, she called from the inside of the car and when the carriage was stopped, she politely pointed out that the road was wrong.

He swiftly apologized and tried to turn back, but the Duchess asked him to get out of the carriage.

As he opened the door frightened and was prepared to be abandoned in the forest, she surprisingly said to him, that she will drive the carriage and to sit inside.

“Because I know this road. It’s better for me to ride rather than giving indications from inside the car. And it’s such a nice weather. It’s much better than being in the car.”

Then, as she suggested, the Duchess sat in the driver seat, explaining about the road, the forest and the territory.

Such low profile noble was something never seen.

It was amazing for Cave, who once worked in a different aristocracy’s house.

In the first place, Cave came to work in the Duke family because Lord Northam was repulsive… he beat the servants, even for the smallest mistakes, and not a penny was earned from working for him, just the daily food and working clothes.

Of course, nobility doesn’t actually see this with nasty eyes.

Noble women are also so, proud, self-conscious, and selfish.

The only difference being Duke’s angel, Stella.

Nevertheless, for Cave, who has never met Stella, and never goes out, only rumors reach his ears.

He never thought that servants praise would be won for free… so he believed the rumors.

In the meantime, he had heard of a villain who financially embarrassed the duke and sought to get married to a man who was already in love with a disabled poor woman. She not only separated the love birds but started changing the mansion rules.

This rumor, Cave knows it well.

For the gentle duke and the innocent Stella, the servants swore to protect them from all evil, even if putting their lives in the line for them.

Therefore, he was quite sympathetic with them.

Meanwhile, they were encouraged by everyone to not abandon each other and expulse the witch.

If he sends the witch to the territory safely, the duke will be freed from evil for a while.

Cave was carrying out his duties, but along the way something completely unexpected happened.

Above all, the Duchess was pleased to be chased out and was even sitting in the driver seat, while waving her hands and smiling at him… a servant, who by most nobles, was seen as much less than a stepping stone in the roadside.

Eventually, the sun began to lean, and the Duchess returned inside.

Cave followed the path she taught him, wondering who was in truth the Duchess.

And now, a welcoming happy mess is taking place right at the entrance of the territory main building.

She asked to show the driver the stables, to let the tired horses rest, and entered the building with the servants.

Cave, who was left alone in front of the entrance, was guided by a servant to the back door, and entered the servant quarters. While being warmly welcomed in the servant rest room behind the kitchen.

The dinner, which was said to calm the worst hunger, was so luxurious that he had never tasted such meal before.

“This is too gorgeous! Am I not just a servant?”

“Oh, I know. I was also surprised when I first came here because I used to work elsewhere, but this is our meal here. The young lady, no… now a duchess. The duchess- -Yeah, our lady, improved our diet. “

Cave looked at the meal in front of him and desperately swallowed everything.

One of the servants who sees it laughs loudly.

“Look, don’t hesitate to eat. This isn’t a meal we can’t afford. We eat meals like this, every day. “

Cave, delighted by the news, drank the soup as desperately as the rest of the meal.

Everyone laughed when they saw the situation, but a maid suddenly changed her expression and spoke her worries.

“Hey, are the servants treated so terrible in the duke’s mansion? The young lady is mistreated too?”

“But much time has not passed yet? Isn’t the Duke’s mansion high and mighty? They shouldn’t be… so terribly right?”

“But have you not seen the state in which the lady came just now?”

“Yes… you have some reason in your worries”

Cave desperate eating calmed down in an instant.

The food doesn’t pass through the throat at the weight of those words.

“Oh, I heard earlier from Marcia that she returned here because she wanted to take care of the territory for some time.”

“Is that so? She can’t help it then.”

“Oh, yes. Well, Cave-san, is she happy living in the Duke’s mansion?”

“Well, that’s … I’m usually out… I rarely go to the mansion … but maybe she is …”

Asked by one of the servants, Cave replied.

In fact, he rarely enters the mansion, so he doesn’t know the details.

But he heard from a fellow servant that the Duchess lives in the attic.

He’s now angry that the master bedroom was being used by Stella, perhaps… her being in the attic is because of a nasty revenge.

But Cave was a servant and had no choice but to lie.

“Don’t worry, she’s okay. The false rumor ruined her reputation, but the Duke still choose her.”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“If you talk to our young lady, you can easily tell that rumor is a lie!”

“Oh no doubt!”

The territory’s servants were ignorant of the circumstances and assumed that she had a romantic marriage.

When they came to the bright conclusion that she was living happily, they returned to the lively atmosphere, and everyone went on a friendly meal.

But, Cave, who was sitting there, was feeling uncomfortable.

The lie was eating at his heart…

Translated by djurasico (dot) home (dot) blog