The Tyrant’s Leash Is Held by a Maid

3 – The Reason As To Why She Was Excessively Overshamed

Liana, who had been walking non-stop to the garden, turned around again after receiving the flowers safely. Speeding her steps while examining the bouquet, she suddenly looked down.

Her white apron was so dirty that her change of clothes was overshadowed by it.

‘I washed it yesterday…’

Liana fidgeted with her skirt, thinking of the other maid’s outfit inside her closet. 

‘Looks like I’ll have to do one more laundry this week. I’m already busy…’

Liana sighed inward and counted the time again. Recalling the minimum route to go to her dormitory, she suddenly smiled.

It was nothing to be stepped on. 

She was once slapped in the face in front of everyone for not combing her hair properly. She had servants openly harassing her, and countless times she had to kneel down for things that weren’t her fault.

But it was stepping in her hand. Those were nothing but a young lady’s shoes.

This is nothing.

Liana erased the smile that had flowed out unconsciously and straightened her back again. 

For her to finish her work on time, she had to be more diligent. Her feet speeded spontaneously as she thought about what to do.

*      *      *

When the 2nd prince entered, the servants who were waiting in a row bowed their heads all at once. Excited by the news of the arrival of a member of the royal family, Count Baldwin, who summoned all his servants, tried to make his mansion look even larger.

“Of course, compared to the imperial family, it sure it’s nothing.”

Still, Jack Baldwin, with his greasy face didn’t forget to peek at Illyd’s reactions. The princes acted as if it were natural, putting on a business-like smile on his face. But that polite smile faded a bit as the Count and his family followed him into Natasha’s parlor one after another.

“Count,”

At the low voice, the servants following him stopped all at once. Count Jack Baldwin looked at him with a thin smile and said,

“What’s the matter, Your Highness?”

“I understand how many pieces of pottery there are in Baldwin’s mansion. And how they get here.”

Illyd tilted his head slightly in an elegant manner as if imitating code etiquette perfectly.

“However, are there other pieces of art in this drawing-room that I should know about?”

At the polite but clear dismissal, Jack and the Baldwin siblings following behind withdrew. The Count didn’t forget to wink at Natasha as reminding her to take good care of the Prince.

Illyd looked at the servants walking behind them for a moment, then turned his head. Now, in the drawing-room connected to Natasha’s room, only the owner, and a man -who acted as the owner- remained. Closing the lid of an old-fashioned bookshelf, Natasha turned around with a seductive smile on her face.

“I didn’t expect you to come.”

“Have I ever let you down?”

Illyd replied with a soft voice, lightly tapping the flowers on the table.

“You know. I keep my word.”

“I suppose. You’re a man who seems to have no reason to lie.”

Natasha walked over to him with a smile on her bright red lips. Today Natasha was wearing a purple satin dress. Her voluptuous body, exposed by her tight dress, approached the man’s chest.

“That’s why I have the intention of protecting it too.”

Illyd raised his eyebrows as if having fun, looking at Natasha on his chest. His hand slowly moved and wrapped Natasha’s back.

“So. What is it? What is the evidence?”

Effortlessly, he pulled the papers out of Natasha’s hand then sat down in a chair crossing his big legs. Natasha sat across from him and shrugged lightly.

“Take a look.”

With the cigar on the table in his mouth, the prince looked over the paperwork with elegant gestures. Natasha also took a cigar and cut off the ends of it while listening to the sound of the paper flipping over. Before long, Illyd put down the papers and exhaled smoke.

“I understand that hallucinogenic drugs are being smuggled out of Etaila. And that Marquis Owen paved the way.”

Moving his long legs, he added as he turned his head towards the window.

“But I think this could bring down Marquis Owen, not the Baldwin household.”

“Recently, the Baldwins have won an exclusive contract with a trading company run by Marquis Owen.”

“Exclusive contract?”

“Yes. Perhaps the work will start in earnest from next month at the latest. That would be evidence that they were involved in the smuggling. They can’t get over it just saying they didn’t know at the time.”

Right? At Natasha’s pretty confident words, Illyd’s forehead cracked slightly.

“It’s strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“Marquis Owen would have had many better options than Baldwin…”

Natasha nervously watched him as he put down his cigar. Her anxiety grew as much as the man’s side profile was beautiful. But Illyd, who seemed to be thinking about something for a moment, soon returned to his relaxed attitude.

“Well, it doesn’t matter since both families are going to collapse anyway. But the plan could be disrupted, so check it out again.”

“I will.”

Natasha hid her relief, pretending to be calm, and reached out for the papers he had put down. She had to pay some price to get the secret ledger of this contraband. It was a little dissatisfying that he had taken it for granted like that. But she just nodded. That was all that matters. Natasha arranged the papers, carefully tied them back, and put them inside the locker. 

In any case, once this work was completed, a long-time wish could come true. The downfall of the Baldwin family she longed for wholeheartedly. Natasha, who had been daydreaming for a moment, came to her senses and looked at the helper who would make her dream come true. The man’s eyes were still fixed outside the window.

‘Is there anything over there?’ It was Natasha’s time to feel suspicious.

“The laundry maids seem busy.”

At Illyd’s nonsensical remark, Natasha made a puzzled face.

“Is it too early to change the bedding though?”

“I came too early.”

Illyd answered calmly and slowly got up. As the tall man got up, the window pouring in sunlight was obscured and the room became dark. With his back facing the daylight, a blacklight struck his face making thick shades giving him a grim appearance. Natasha looked at Illyd leaning over the table, with strange eyes. Eventually, the man who came over the centerpiece of the table leaned and whispered softly in her ear.

“Wouldn’t it be good to repay the maids’ expectations? They are busy preparing the sheets like that.”

[tl/n: This means that the maids are preparing clean sheets for Natasha since they think she and Illyd will…play naked chess(?) And Illyd is saying they should, of course, be up to their expectations lol]

The soft voice coming out of the shaded figure felt damp as moss growing in darkness. Clenching the handle of her teacup tightly, Natasha looked at him with nervous eyes.

*       *       *

Liana’s expression as she pushed the tray filled with clean sheets was a little blank. 

‘Should I take care of washing the Lady first? Or should I get water in the bathroom first…’

Liana, who was considering the order, sighed deeply. 

Love and marriage were separate matters. It wasn’t uncommon for unmarried people to secretly have meetings behind the scenes in an Empire that became more and more chaotic in times of abundance. Of course, it wasn’t like that for Liana, who held onto the old-fashioned traditions. 

‘I don’t want to admit it, but I should have left it to Deborah.’ 

Taking care not to make the wheels sound, Liana recalled what Deborah and Annie said.

“Should I prepare sheets and a towel to wash her body?”

“Of course. We should bring tea too. I’m sure she’ll be thirsty!”

The girls, who were giggling behind the mansion with bright expressions, immediately entrusted everything to Liana with brazen faces. As she asked back, puzzled as to why she had to go, Deborah answered with her eyes wide open.

“Of course you have to go. Didn’t you say you want to gain experience as the Lady’s maid, isn’t that right?”

Deborah had a very innocent face, saying it was all for the sake of boosting her friend’s abilities. But how would Liana know the true meaning behind those words?

‘You were just making fun of me!’

Deborah must have wanted to see Liana, who had never been in a relationship, all flustered and panicking. Her intentions were clear, seeing how she explained to her friend where she had to wipe thoroughly, and which parts would be stained with saliva the most.

Around the young Liana, whose ears were constantly turning red, maids her age were giggling joyfully.

‘You people have no business spirit.’ Liana grunted inwardly, blaming those who left everything on her just because of their desire to tease her friend.

‘Just look and see! I’ll do it right.’

Liana recalled how she had cared for countless patients in the past, and she repeated the sequence in her mind over and over again. She didn’t know, but they say Natasha would be able to move, so she must be like a patient anyway. Liana felt more at ease thinking she would be nursing a seriously ill person without full control of her body.

Just as when Liana was consolidating her identity as her caregiver. The bell of Lady Natasha’s bedroom rang like an ignitor. Liana straightened her back and quietly pushed the tray into the room. Her purple eyes, looking for work to do, soon reached the pile of blankets rolled up on the bed.

‘Okay. First of all, I’ll prepare water in the bathtub.’

Just as Liana, who quickly grasped the situation and turned into her bathroom–

“It looks like you won after all.”

A man hidden in the shadows created by the bed canopy walked out. Liana was visibly startled by him and hurriedly bowed her head.

The sound of Illyd’s footsteps echoed through the quiet bedroom. 

In Liana’s eyes, who had only been staring at the floor, the tip of polished black shoes came into view.