"…You came to request for food?"

"Yes ma'am."

"…Ha."

Teresa scoffed. Clearly my coming to see her the day after I became the annex's maid only for food was an unexpected surprise. With the disappointed look she tried to hide, I could only deduce that she had expected me to ask to leave the annex.

'Too bad. I am not leaving.'

Especially not now.

The previous night, due to no food, I could not even make a basic soup for Alcestè to eat. I tried sneaking into the main kitchen late at night, but for some reason, it was locked. In the time I've been here, it was never locked; some workers who worked the night shifts had their food there, so they could eat anytime during the night.

'It's obvious what play is here.'

In the end, he and I slept hungry.

Her fingers tapped rhythmically on her desk, her eyes boring into me. It was after a long uncomfortable silence that she finally spoke.

"Hmm… this is a dreary matter indeed."

She took out a piece of paper from the pile resting on her table and showed keen interest as she read it.

"I feel for you, really, I do, but there's unfortunately nothing I can do about it."

"What do you mean?"

"That child receives no monthly funds. Plus, the duchess sends food there every year, which is enough to feed him until the next delivery."

"…what?"

"I assume that greedy child has already gobbled up all the food. Tsk, what a pig."

That had to be a lie. In that kitchen, there was nothing that could even be considered as food; only rotting fruits that brought about ants and worms, and even the amount could not feed someone for a small meal, let alone an entire year.

"You seem to doubt me. Perhaps you would like to read this yourself."

She said, handing me the paper.

"…I can't read, ma'am."

"Oh, right. My apologies."

My anger surged as she smiled at me, her face clearly mocking me for my illiteracy. However, it was not the time to let her get to me.

I needed to find a way to feed him.

Even now, his skeletal appearance haunted me. He is being forced to consume poison and is severely malnourished; was there any better way to tell the whole world that you want him dead?

'I must find a way quickly!'

"I am truly sorry that you have to undergo all this. It must not have been what you have had in mind when you chose to go there."

"…"

"As a token of my good faith, I will pay you this month's salary in advance."

I held my breath as she took out a small leather pouch from her drawers. I could not mistake the jingle of coins in the pouch.

She carelessly handed me the money-filled pouch.

"Here. Since you are now promoted to a personal maid, your salary has been raised to 30 Trucs."

Trucs were the currency of this world. Trucs are gold coins.

A regular worker in the house of Delacroix was usually given around 100 to 300 Trucs a month, which was a lot. It was a way of buying their silence and forbidding them from speaking to the outside world about their internal affairs. The salary would increase if you took a higher position in the house, like a head maid, or a personal maid to one of the masters.

Unfortunately for me, my highest pay so far was the 30 gold coins she handed me.

If it were any other person, they surely would have complained, but this, this was what I needed.

I hugged the pouch close to my chest.

'This, this is my answer!'

"Thank you, ma'am."

She simply nodded. "If you are done, leave-"

"Actually, can I ask for a pass to go to the town tomorrow?"

Teresa, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, nodded as she picked up a paper and handed it to me.

"Here. You can have a leave tomorrow."

"Thank you so much, ma'am."

I bowed and excused myself, walking far enough that I was out of anyone's sight before doing a victory dance.

                                                                                         * * *

"Looks like someone's happy."

A voice came from behind me, stopping me from continuing my celebration. If it were one of Teresa's subordinates, I would have been worried. However, the voice was that of a friend; the only good person in this dim world.

"Marie!"

I ran towards the smiling woman and embraced her.

"You're back!"

"Haha! Of course, I am. I can't leave you alone in a place like this," She gushed.

Marie was a young woman in her early thirties. She was the sweetest soul in this horrible place. She has been a scullery maid in the duchy since before I possessed this body.

She was the only person who treated Cäcilia well.

Marie had requested a leave of absence a month ago. Two of her children were seriously ill, so she had to go take care of them.

She wore an everyday dress and a coat, and her chocolate colored hair was tied in a neat bun. Since she was not in her uniform, she must have come back from her leave.

"I heard from the others that you became a maid at the abandoned annex. Is it true?" She asked, her face now filled with worry.

"Yes, it is. I'm the youngest master's maid now."

I understood the worried look on her face. Being the maid of the illegitimate and hated child means scorn from anyone I meet.

"I don't think the young master ever gets food. Marie, he is being starved."

Marie looked apologetic, as if she knew it. No ma, how kind she was, she must've been afraid to do anything. "I know," she said, sighing in defeat, "There are orders given to the maids not to engage with him, or there will be disastrous consequences, which I silently fear for you."

"The head maid placed me here, so technically it will be her fault."

"Don't underestimate that witch, my dear," she said, hatred of the woman spilling through her words, " She is one of the Duchess's close confidants. She could twist this against you."

I knew what she meant. I was a constant victim of the head maid, and more than once Marie had to watch me getting punished at her hands. "And the Duchess despises that boy so much."

No surprise there.

"Once, I was ordered earlier this year by that witch to send a sack to the annex. I was told to leave it there and not peek in it. It smelt disgusting, so I took a peek out of curiosity, and was shocked; not even shocked, I was baffled and disgusted."

She looked around nervously before bending down and whispering.

"It was filled to the brim with rotting food."

I guessed that that was 'food' for Alcestè according to Teresa. It made me angry, and I really hoped she got struck by lightning just once. "I couldn't even fathom it," Marie continued, "So I threw it away, and went to the market the next day to buy some fruits and left it at the gates for him."

I looked at Marie; she was a kind soul through and through. I understood her actions. It was the most she could do in that situation. Unlike the others who work here, she needed this job the most as it was her family's breadwinner. I overheard that her son was a prodigy with the, and she had been saving money to take him to a high-end school in the capital to achieve his dreams. That, or she simply did not want the Duke to exploit him. Being close to me resulted in her being ostracized by Teresa's lackeys; helping Alcestè would only make her life miserable, or worse.

"You do realize that once again, you will be in the duchess's sight, right?"

Again? What was she saying?

'Perhaps the original Cäcilia offended the duchess.'

"I will be alright." 

I assured her, but it did not wipe away the concern on her face. "I don't know what Teresa was thinking, or why she's always out to get you, but I urge you to be careful."

She grabbed my shoulder. "The annex isn't a good place; the screams that come from there, along with the rumors that the boy has been cursed with evil blood by his own father, I am afraid you will be dragged into this-"

I placed my hand reassuringly on the hand on my shoulder. "I know," More than you know, Marie, " But, I can't leave. I don't think I want to."

Because I have seen him, seen his pain; because I know what he will go through, and I know his tragic end..

And because I have decided to change it for him, however best I can.

" I can't abandon him."

I ended up saying that, meaning it.

Marie looked at me for a long time before sighing in defeat. "I can't convince you, can I?" She said, chuckling bitterly.

"No, you won't even be able to," I joked.

"I can only hope you will be able to survive," she said, "But if you get overwhelmed or want to run from there, please do."

"I understand you want to help that boy, but you need to put yourself first to survive and leave this place."

"I understand," I said, "But I should at least try my best to help him.

"Here, I got something for you."

She handed me a heavy basket. "Something for you and the child to eat. It's not much, but it will be enough, at least until tomorrow."

"Food!" I took it gratefully. The faint but delightful smell of bread wafted up my nostrils, and my stomach growled in response.

Marie heard the embarrassing sound and laughed.

"Go on and eat to your fill. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thank you, Marie!"

She smiled. "Go on, go and eat before you decide to chew on a bark due to hunger."

I laughed and waved goodbye as she headed for the maid's quarters. I watched her disappear into the building before smiling, clutching onto the basket, and skipping happily to the annex.