11

"Even if it's a fake family, go make one and come back."

This was the first thing I said after meeting the witch in the forest at midnight.

"Still using formal speech? It feels like a wall…"

"I've never lived a day without putting up a wall in front of you."

At my words, the witch shook her head in disbelief.

"Fine then. I suppose bringing along two apprentices would suffice."

"You could've just sent those two apprentices from the start."

"Do you doubt this old lady's abilities?"

"I trust your abilities. I do."

The witch looked quite pleased at my words. That wasn't what I meant, though.

"So, what are you planning to do now? Coming all the way to the mansion and even meeting Ayla face-to-face?"

"What else would I do? Of course, I plan to keep coming and going. By the way, is the mansion short on workers?"

I made no effort to hide my displeasure.

"Pfft!"

The witch laughed, seeing my expression.

"Well, at first, I wasn't sure, but now I'm certain you're my apprentice. That face you make when hearing unpleasant things—it's exactly the same."

"Who are you calling whiny? You were the one whining in front of me."

Watching the witch giggle, I sighed deeply and looked around absentmindedly.

...

I knew it wasn't the best idea, but a thought suddenly came to mind.

"I'm reluctant to offer you a job inside the mansion, but the position of forest keeper is vacant too. It's also vast enough for someone to hide easily."

"Oh, really?"

The witch glanced around.

"This forest isn't very interesting. It's just… 'a forest.'"

If a forest isn't just a forest, then what on earth is it?

I know what she means.

To the witch, an "interesting forest" is one that's good for magical research.

A place where suspicious gemstones sleep beneath the earth, vicious beasts wander about, and deadly poisonous plants—indistinguishable from ordinary fruits—grow in abundance.

Living there for long would at least hone your survival skills.

Naturally, I had no intention of going back to live in such a place.

"Don't go releasing monsters into the forest."

When I spoke sternly, the witch scoffed as if the suggestion was absurd.

"Why would I export such precious creatures outside my forest?"

No nation in the world would want to import such things anyway. Even a territory wouldn't. Though, people would line up to buy magical tools made from them.

"Well, fine. I'll bring my apprentices as soon as possible. Do you think a bankrupt backstory would suit me better?"

I wanted to tell her to stop being ridiculous, but since she came to help, I decided to let it slide.

"Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

"Have you forgotten who taught you survival skills? How pitiful. Getting dementia at such a young age. Though, I suppose sudden changes to the body could affect the brain."

...

I reminded myself of a lesson learned in the forest.

A beautiful flower isn't always beneficial, and even a cute-looking animal might have 200 teeth.

For a moment, I thought about suggesting she return home immediately. Then I remembered who I was dealing with and dismissed the idea.

"Well then, I'm off to bed."

"What? After seeing your master after so long, you're leaving already?"

"I haven't had a proper rest since arriving at this mansion. There's been a lot to handle."

Most importantly, I needed to prove my worth.

Even if Ayla didn't fully trust me, she needed to believe I was useful enough to keep around.

"Hmm."

The witch stared at me intently.

"What is it?"

"Nothing."

As I frowned, the witch replied nonchalantly.

"Go and rest, then. Isn't a forest the same as a home for an elf? Tonight, I'll spend my time building a cozy house to stay in."

"…Please don't make it too extravagant."

"Of course. Do you think I'd build a house bigger than the mansion?"

The way she phrased it made me uneasy.

Still, there was no stopping her once she made up her mind. At least she seemed sincere about not causing harm, so I simply nodded.

…Alright. Time to sleep for real now.

As I thought that, an overwhelming wave of exhaustion crashed over me, as if the dam I'd been holding back had burst.

I bowed lightly and returned to the mansion.

The bed I hadn't laid on in ages felt incredibly comforting.

"Ayla, here are your clothes."

"Just leave them."

"Shall I help you get changed?"

"…I told you to leave it. And where exactly did you get that outfit? Sure, it's one I set aside for washing, but what were you thinking not putting it back after cleaning it?"

It seems Ayla, already on guard, quickly noticed such subtle changes.

"As a maid, it's natural to rearrange items for the master's convenience. It's my duty to ensure the master has anything they need at a moment's notice."

"What kind of maid considers that her duty? Normally, you just memorize where things are and fetch them when asked. Besides, there's no reason for you to get something I can retrieve myself."

"Ayla."

I straightened my posture to look a bit sterner.

Unfortunately, I wasn't tall enough to look down at Ayla. We were nearly the same height.

If we were to spar now, with my still undertrained body, I'd clearly lose.

But I wasn't about to lose in spirit. After all, I was someone who trained under the Marquis.

"You've graciously allowed me to address you by name, but for the sake of explanation, I'll use a different title temporarily."

"I don't know how the servants addressed you when the Count was alive. But whether the Count is alive or dead, once you've become the Countess, that title remains yours until it is taken away."

"I don't need such a title."

"Even if you don't need it, carelessly discarding things is problematic. If you threw away a sword just because you didn't need it at the moment, what would you use to fend off someone threatening you in the future?"

Ayla glared at me.

But at least, she didn't kick me out of the room.

Ayla still looked slightly disheveled. Wearing a thin blue dress and fiddling with her hair with one hand, she appeared enchanting.

It was a side of her I'd never seen as a child—a vulnerable demeanor.

Time and circumstances must have shaped her into someone who carried such gestures.

The environment forced her not to train—or perhaps made it impossible to train.

I spoke to her in a softer tone.

"That title will serve as a great shield for you when necessary. If the Count were alive, it would merely be an empty title, but now there's no one left to undermine it."

"So, are you saying you want me to act like a Countess?"

"Yes. You don't have to tell me to strip and dance naked, but please reduce any unnecessary movements with that precious body of yours. Let me handle even the smallest, most trivial tasks. If you wish, you can hit, shove, or insult me. I came here to accept all of that."

...

Ayla slightly parted her lips and stared at me.

"I really can't figure out what you're thinking."

Of course, she couldn't.

I'd been acting ever since I got here.

In the end, I was just a coward.

This behavior was born of a shattered fate. Yet, I also felt a small relief knowing that broken fate allowed me to approach her like this.

In the eyes of others, the relationship between a noblewoman and a maid of the same age was ordinary.

No one would spread rumors of scandal, nor would they doubt her loyalty or proximity.

"I came here to serve you, Ayla."

I bowed slightly as I spoke.

"Because I owe a debt to the Count."

"Yes, because I owe a debt. To repay it, I intend to serve you, Ayla."

I straightened my slightly bent posture and looked directly at Ayla.

Yes, I owed a debt.

A debt to Ayla.

And to the Count, who sought to claim Ayla for himself—a debt I selfishly felt.

A debt beyond financial matters could signify either gratitude or enmity, could it not?

...

Ayla let out a breath.

"Just leave the clothes. That much should be fine, right?"

"Understood, Ayla."

Carefully, I laid the clothes on Ayla's bed without letting them crease, then stepped backward and exited the room.