Chapter 29: Are You a Pig?

In the Duke’s Mansion, going to the courtyard in the middle of the night usually only meant two possibilities.

Either two servants were avoiding others to privately confess their feelings to one another—which was allowed in the mansion as long as it didn’t interfere with work—or someone who had made a mistake during the day was being called by the Head Maid for re-education.

Harvey didn’t know exactly what Evelyn’s method of education was like, but his instincts felt a flicker of fear. He truly hoped the Head Maid would give him some guidance, but that was strictly limited to magic. It definitely didn’t include late-night training or extra physical labor.

He really didn’t have an ounce of strength left.

“Um, in my current state — “

“If you can’t stand up, you can crawl over.”

Evelyn interrupted him calmly, without a shred of pity.

As soon as those words left her mouth, even Lavia, who was preparing to eat nearby, showed a hint of surprise. Harvey looked at her with a face full of shock.

“Head Maid, aren’t you being a bit too heartless?”

“There is no need for extra warmth for someone who has failed their duties.”

Harvey was momentarily speechless. He could only turn a pleading gaze toward Lavia.

Lavia didn’t want Harvey to be disciplined too harshly, either. After all, the situation had originally started because of her.

“Um, Evie…”

“Miss.”

Evelyn suddenly spoke, cutting her off.

“Yes?”

She was setting the table for Lavia and asked unhurriedly, “May I understand this to mean that everything Harvey did this afternoon was carried out under your instructions?”

Lavia’s hand, holding the knife and fork, paused almost imperceptibly.

“…I suppose so,” she responded with a hint of embarrassment.

“Since it was your order,” Evelyn continued in a flat tone, “is the Miss certain she wants to plead for a servant who neglected his duties now?”

She looked up slightly, staring into Lavia’s deep blue eyes.

“He failed to complete his work first, yet you want to indulge him? I believe this will not help establish your authority; it will only make him even more unrestrained.”

Evelyn’s words gave Lavia pause. Just as Evie said, she had indeed been too indulgent with Harvey, which was why he was thinking of contacting others. If she let Evie educate him personally today… and if that made him feel dissatisfied with Evie…

“It’s not pleading,” Lavia said with some difficulty, ignoring Harvey’s expectant gaze. “It’s just that I really did make him do many things beyond his capabilities today.”

She paused for a moment. It was as if she finally realized she should take some responsibility as compensation. So, she added another sentence.

“Can you not be too strict with him? Evie, after all, there was a lapse in my judgment in this matter as well.”

Lavia deliberately lowered her stance, showing her troubled side. She thought this would be enough to make her Head Maid accept it.

However, Evelyn said coldly, “Even so — knowing his own lack of physical strength, yet still allowing himself to appear before the Miss in this state, is still a sign of rudeness.”

“…”

Harvey froze entirely. What kind of logic was this? Was this some kind of hell-level double standard?

He glared at Evelyn, but she didn’t shift her gaze even half an inch.

She simply continued, “As an attendant, being unable to maintain one’s dignity is a lack of ability. Knowing your own limitations but not considering the consequences in advance is a lack of judgment. Both of these points require self-reflection.”

Harvey finally couldn’t help but speak up. “But I was responsible for all that furniture by myself. I already worked very hard.”

“Harvey, because you were absent, I was responsible for cleaning the second floor and preparing the kitchen all by myself.”

“…”

Before he could speak, Evelyn added another line. “Even the work of fetching water.”

She looked at the speechless Harvey, the corner of her mouth suddenly curling into a cold smile. “As a man, are you perhaps inferior to an ordinary woman like me?”

Even with only three people, the daily water consumption was massive. Moreover, the Eldest Miss took one or two baths every day, and the fresh water left by the previous servants was simply not enough.

‘Are you even an ordinary woman?’ Harvey questioned in his mind, but he didn’t dare say it out loud.

His helpless expression made Lavia’s shoulders shake slightly, as if she were stifling a laugh. Harvey immediately wore an expression of disbelief.

“Miss, are you laughing?”

“No.”

“You definitely laughed just now.”

“You saw wrong.”

“I’m about to die of exhaustion — “

“Still able to talk back? It seems the problem isn’t that big,” Evelyn judged.

Lavia let out an obvious smile, though the mirth was soon suppressed. She put down her utensils and looked at Evelyn.

“Indeed, Harvey needs to be properly educated. But he has to go to the Academy with me tomorrow to take notes for me, Evie?”

“I understand, Eldest Miss.”

Harvey’s eyes almost lit up. However, Lavia added flatly, “But his work stays the same.”

“…”

The little bit of gratitude that had just risen in Harvey’s heart shattered with a snap. Unfortunately, the instigator had already lowered her head, picking up her knife and fork as if she had suddenly developed a great interest in the dinner before her. She didn’t even look at him.

Evelyn gave a faint instruction. “Since it is the Miss’s wish… hurry up. Long-term muscle soreness can be resolved with hot water first. If you keep staying slumped like this, you will have a hard time getting through tonight’s training.”

It sounded like a sudden bit of concern…

Harvey bit his teeth and leaned against the wall, struggling to peel himself off the floor. The first time, he didn’t succeed. The second time, he was still a little short.

Lavia sat at the table with her eyes lowered, eating, her shoulders trembling slightly as if she were enduring something. Harvey couldn’t help but look up at her.

“Miss.”

“What?”

“Do you really want to laugh that much…?”

Lavia pursed her lips and said in a muffled voice, “I didn’t, did I?”

“The person who turned me into this mess was you!”

The noble girl gave him a gentle smile. “Yes, you did a very good job.”

“…Th-Thank you for the praise.” Harvey accepted his master’s praise with a pained expression.

Lavia blinked and finally couldn’t hold it in, letting out a joyful laugh. It sounded like wind chimes caught in a spring breeze.

Harvey dazed for a moment. Even Evelyn looked up slightly and glanced at her.

Lavia hadn’t laughed like this in a long time. It wasn’t the kind of polite, shallow smile that was carefully refined; it was a very real happiness.

Evelyn watched her and remained silent for a moment, ultimately choosing not to mention anything about “etiquette.” This room, which wasn’t very spacious, truly possessed a strange power. It could make one unconsciously loosen their tensed nerves. Even the atmosphere between master and servant felt a few degrees more casual and close than usual.

Since that was the case, why should she spoil the mood at a time like this?

“Miss.”

“Yes?”

“Your dinner is going to get cold.”

Lavia nodded gently. “I know.”

***

Once the Eldest Miss finished her dinner, the next steps were preparations for her bath and sleep, which naturally required a maid to serve by her side.

Harvey couldn’t help with such things. In his current state, even if he wanted to help, he lacked the strength. Not to mention, the Head Maid wouldn’t accept it.

He could only lean against the wall and move back to the kitchen alone. He couldn’t remember how long it had been since he had done such strenuous work. After tossing and turning the entire afternoon, every muscle in his body was aching, feeling as if it would fall apart at any moment.

The moment he pushed open the kitchen door, Harvey was stunned.

There was a serving of dinner left in the kitchen: a large pot of meat soup and three large slices of bread. They were arranged neatly, as if someone had long anticipated he would return at this time.

Harvey stood there staring for two seconds. Suddenly, he felt an unspeakable wave of emotion. He had thought the Head Maid was so angry that he would have to find his own dinner.

As expected, although the Head Maid was always serious and her tongue was merciless, she was actually a very kind person. Despite saying things like ‘someone who has failed their duties doesn’t need warmth,’ she had still left him so much food. It was even more than his usual portion.

‘Thank you, kind Head Maid.’

After thanking her in his heart, Harvey began to eat ravenously. Only after the hot soup went down did he feel like he had come back to life. The warmth of the soup mixed with the aroma of the wheat bread made for a rare, luxurious dinner.

He was truly exhausted, so his appetite was much better than usual. As expected of the Head Maid; even her stewed soup was at the level of a master chef.

Once the last drop of soup was finished, Harvey let out a long breath. With a face full of satisfaction, like a survivor of a disaster, he leaned back against the chair.

“That was so refreshing…”

At that moment, the kitchen door was pushed open.

Evelyn walked in. She had just finished serving Lavia’s bath and wash, and her sleeves hadn’t been rolled down yet, revealing a section of her white, jade-like arms.

Harvey instinctively looked over and was surprised to see her in this state. Wasn’t the Head Maid unable to touch water? Without her gloves, he could even see her slender, tapered fingers. Perhaps because she had been touched by the heat of the bathroom, her cold face was flushed with a light red. Her hair had also become a bit looser.

‘She feels… very mature?’

The word popped into his mind.

When Evelyn saw his completely undisciplined sitting posture, her brow immediately furrowed.

“I told you just now — “

Halfway through her sentence, she suddenly stopped.

Harvey was still wondering why she had gone silent when he realized she was staring fixedly at the space in front of him. Following her gaze, both of their eyes landed on the dining table.

Evelyn closed her eyes, her full chest heaving. She took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes again, they were as cold as if they were covered in a layer of frost.

“Are you a pig?”

“…”