Chapter 7: It Seems I Have Returned at an Inopportune Time?

“Head Maid, do you have any instructions for me?”

Ultimately unable to bear the silence, Harvey stopped and turned around.

Evelyn stood in the shadow of a corridor pillar, her black-and-white skirt hanging still and her expression as cold as ever.

Since Lavia had left, he had intended to head to the Private Library to prepare the lesson plans for her afternoon tutoring session. However, from the garden to the side corridor, the Head Maid had been following him.

She kept a steady distance between them, neither too close nor too far, without saying a single word.

‘It’s more than a little bit creepy.’

Evelyn did not answer immediately. Her gaze swept over his slightly pale face before finally settling on his left hand, which hung at his side.

“I have no instructions,” she said flatly, stepping past him.

For a moment, Harvey wasn’t sure if he should keep speaking. Looking at the Head Maid’s back as she walked ahead, he realized the two of them had never had any intersection in the past. If he had to point to a moment, it would be their brief exchange the previous night.

A question suddenly occurred to him.

‘Regarding the incident in the Private Library last night… did the Head Maid truly not notice anything?’

The mere thought made Harvey’s heart skip a beat. As a maid who also served Lavia closely on a long-term basis, it would be perfectly normal for her to notice subtle differences. He wasn’t even sure if he had left any flaws behind.

But there had been no abnormalities this morning, and the Head Maid was as cold as usual. It seemed there was no problem.

After comforting himself, Harvey intended to continue toward the Private Library. But then, his footsteps stopped.

Previously, he had wanted to test his magical aptitude so he could go to the Magic Association, obtain certification as a Magic Apprentice, and subsequently escape his status as a Slave. Although he didn’t know if the Underworld God’s Magic would be recognized, the reality was that he didn’t even have the right to step outside the front gates.

A slave had no freedom; he didn’t even know what the streets outside looked like.

But the Head Maid was different. She was responsible for the daily procurement and maintenance of the Duke’s Mansion, which meant she frequently entered and exited the estate.

‘But how can I communicate with her and learn about the outside world?’

The Magic he had just learned wouldn’t help here. He didn’t dare use it recklessly, either. The memory of that almost sweet pleasure still lingered, and he knew he couldn’t fully control it yet.

If he couldn’t rely on Magic, he had to choose another path.

Harvey’s gaze landed on the Head Maid ahead of him. In the eyes of others, Evelyn was cold and unapproachable. But if he wanted to get information about the outside world from her, he had to at least build a good relationship first.

Watching the Head Maid move further away, Harvey took a deep breath and hurried to catch up. He tried his best to make it look natural.

“Where are you going?”

Evelyn glanced at him sideways. “Preparing for the Eldest Miss’s nap.”

She spoke briefly and showed no intention of asking him why he was following.

Harvey adopted a thoughtful expression. Just now, Evelyn had led all the maids to follow Lavia to the dining hall. There was no one to help her with the room preparation before the nap.

“Do you need my help?” he asked.

Evelyn stopped abruptly and turned to look at him. “You do not need to participate in the work of a servant.” Her eyes held a trace of contemplation as she responded calmly, “The Eldest Miss has already permitted you to focus solely on being her study companion.”

“But there is only one Head Maid.” Harvey tried to act as natural as possible. “The other maids are all at the dining hall right now. You will be too busy on your own.”

He wasn’t trying to suck up to her, but he didn’t know how else to express his desire to help. It came out sounding rather awkward. Come to think of it, this was probably the first time he had ever volunteered to do extra work.

Evelyn clearly noticed this as well. She frowned slightly, measuring the somewhat awkward youth before her.

“Are you questioning my competence?”

Harvey froze. “Of course not, I didn’t mean that — ” Seeing her growing impatience, he gritted his teeth and decided to be direct. “I just want to help you.”

After speaking, he habitually lowered his head, missing the flash of surprise in Evelyn’s eyes.

“Are you certain?”

“Of course.” Harvey added another sentence. “I can’t just let you be busy all by yourself. I want to contribute a bit of effort.”

‘Contribute effort? For the Eldest Miss? Or…’

Harvey’s strange phrasing made Evelyn fall silent for a few seconds. The contemplation in her eyes seemed to be weighing him, or perhaps re-evaluating him.

Finally, she turned and continued walking. “Suit yourself.”

The two of them walked together toward Lavia’s bedroom. Sunlight illuminated one side of the long corridor while the other remained in shadow. Their two shadows were stretched very long, staying close to one another without ever overlapping.

—

No maids were standing guard in front of the bedroom. Evidently, Evelyn truly intended to finish the preparations alone.

She pushed the door open. A faint fragrance lingered in the air, the scent of the floral dew Lavia frequently used. The bed curtains were half-drawn, and the creases from the morning were still visible.

Strictly speaking, these should have been tidied immediately after the Eldest Miss woke up. There were many servants in the Duke’s Mansion, but Lavia lacked staff around her person. She didn’t like having too many people buzzing around her.

Evelyn walked straight to the bedside. “Open the curtains halfway.”

It wasn’t an order, but a division of labor.

Harvey immediately followed suit. As the fabric was pulled back, the room brightened, though not to the point of being blinding. The light needed to be soft before a nap.

Turning his head, he saw Evelyn half-kneeling by the bed, smoothing out a corner of the sheets. The wrinkled fabric became flat once more. The serious Head Maid showed no emotion in her eyes. As she leaned over to work, the bun at the nape of her neck remained perfectly taut.

Her sleek neck was almost the same color as the pale pink bedding, yet it stood out even more in the play of light and shadow. Her black-and-white maid’s dress draped naturally as she bent over, the tightened fabric tracing the mature curves of a woman.

Harvey stood by the side of the bed, watching her work diligently, and that rhythmic movement…

He blinked. “Do the sheets need changing?”

His tone held no fluctuation, and there was none of the emotion one might expect.

Evelyn’s movements noticeably paused for a split second. She turned her head to look at him. The youth stood there, looking at her with clear eyes. He showed neither embarrassment nor forced composure. It was as if he truly hadn’t noticed anything.

She withdrew her gaze. “No need.”

Her tone was still cold.

Harvey stood to the side, hesitating. He was here to help, but just standing like this didn’t count as helping. It certainly wouldn’t bring him any closer to the Head Maid.

While Harvey was caught in his dilemma, Evelyn checked the bed one last time and suddenly said, “Bring the light blanket from the foot of the bed.”

Harvey did so immediately.

After taking the blanket from him, Evelyn suddenly asked, “You have been spending a lot of time in the Private Library lately.”

It was a topic completely unrelated to the work at hand.

Hearing her mention the library, Harvey’s fingers twitched imperceptibly. “The start of the school term is approaching, so the Eldest Miss has many lessons,” he replied.

“Mm.”

Evelyn didn’t press further. She finished tidying the bed and moved to the dressing table, returning the jewelry that had only been halfway organized that morning to their proper places.

“Did you sleep poorly last night?” she suddenly asked, showing a concern that didn’t match her usual demeanor.

No, it wasn’t concern. It was a statement.

Harvey averted his eyes. “…No, I don’t think so.”

“Your complexion is worse than usual.” Evelyn didn’t look at him as she continued her work.

Harvey subconsciously touched his face. He had only noticed this morning that after using the [Left Hand of the Underworld God], he looked significantly weaker. Hera wouldn’t respond to him, so Harvey couldn’t be sure if it was a side effect of the Magic or because of Lavia.

But he couldn’t admit it right now. “Maybe I stayed up too late reading.”

Evelyn stopped what she was doing. This time, she faced him directly.

“Harvey.”

“Yes.”

“Do not let the Eldest Miss’s indulgence make you forget your status,” Evelyn said coldly.

Harvey’s heart tightened. “I haven’t — “

“You don’t need to explain anything,” she interrupted. “The Eldest Miss will always be biased toward you anyway. But you must understand the difference between high and low status yourself. You are very smart and know how to work hard, though I don’t know what your goal is. But smart people are more prone to making mistakes.”

After saying this, she turned toward the wardrobe, signaling that the conversation was over.

Harvey stood in place, feeling as if he couldn’t breathe. Was he being warned by the Head Maid? Or had his goals been seen through by everyone? Was she disciplining him on behalf of the Duke?

Harvey couldn’t tell, and he didn’t have the courage to ask.

Creak—

The sound of the wardrobe door opening interrupted his chaotic thoughts. Harvey looked up and saw Lavia’s nightgowns hanging neatly inside. Evelyn took one down and handed it to him.

“Hang it on the rack.”

Harvey took it immediately. The soft fabric, accompanied by a faint coolness, instantly cleared his head. He had indeed been a bit too overjoyed about learning Magic. Perhaps he needed to rethink his current situation.

Just as he turned around —

His foot caught on the edge of a curled rug.

A tiny mistake.

His body pitched forward, and he instinctively grabbed the bedpost. The bed curtains swayed with the impact as a dark shadow loomed over him. Everything went black for a moment.

Thud…

The wooden frame beneath the mattress made a dull sound.

Harvey, having fallen onto the bed, felt a heavy weight press directly against his waist and chest. He let out a muffled groan of pain. He struggled to open his eyes, only to see an exquisite, cold face.

They were close enough to hear each other’s breathing.

Silky strands of side-hair brushed against Harvey’s cheek. The Head Maid’s arms were braced against his shoulders. In those cold eyes, there was an emotion he couldn’t read at all.

“…Are you okay?” Harvey spoke first.

Evelyn didn’t get up immediately. She looked down at him, her thoughts unknown.

Right then —

A sharp crack echoed from the bedroom door. It was the sound of the stone ornaments on the doorframe being crushed by some kind of force.

Almost at the same instant, the temperature plummeted.

A chill radiated from the doorway as white mist surged across the floor. A layer of frost quickly formed on the walls. Ice patterns bloomed along the stone, sealing off half the wall in the blink of an eye.

The two of them looked up simultaneously.

At the door, Lavia stood there with a faint curve to her lips.

“It seems I’ve returned at an inopportune time?”