Trial

"Mum! Mum! Squash!!" My little boy aimed a fork in my face.

"Thanks baby~" I happily accepted the veggie he offered me. "Here comes the airship~~" I played with the fork and towards his mouth. "To the crocodile mouth!" Baby Lucas accepted the spoonful of dinner I gave him.

"Yum!!!" I wiped the excess food on his small pouty lips.

Ah~ I already feel full just watching him.

After feeding Luke and laying him on the bed, my mind went back to today's happenings.

The head maid tested me and the two other ladies' abilities. She made us pour tea, tested how quickly we could dress a mannequin, and how our eyes have great attention to detail.

It was to the point that you'd think the lady would be attending a big gathering soon and she badly needed handmaidens.

I have heard from Annie and Clora that her ladyship was a bit clumsy so that must be why she needed a capable maid.

I was accustomed to and trained personally by a royal teacher before... that was why I did my best to showcase my skills.

Tripple pay is not so little.

I thought before that I had already turned my back to the customs of nobility. You see... nothing good comes from being noble.

I was a noble before... and when the Callua Empire attacked our small kingdom, they brought down my whole family and the other noble families.

It was just luck that I was able to survive.

It was because the current emperor, Kailus, was a person who rose to his throne with blood on his hands.

My heart was filled with immense hate for the nobility.

My father was so greedy that he could not wait to wed me in a lot of high-paying families, and I saw him get blinded by money and fame that he set aside my mom for mistresses and business ventures.

I can still remember him telling my mom to be a butterfly that seduces his business partners.

He was the worst father.

That was why I was not angry when the current emperor Kailus ended him, rather, I was happy.

But what crumples my heart is the fact that I also lost my mother and brother in that ordeal.

I escaped with some of our knights and I had no choice but to jump a waterfall in the end... I thought I was gonna die but I was carried by a river.

And by the end of that river, I met Erden.

"That's how I met your dad, baby."

Erden was unlike my dad. He was the best. He treated me and allowed me to stay in his home.

Giving me his bed while he sleeps using banana leaves, and working hard to feed the both of us.

He was about to kick me but when I said that I had nowhere to go, he allowed me to stay.

He was more noble than the other nobles I know.

Right, the commoner Erden was still after all the best Erden.

"I wonder how your papa is now?"

Is he still as gentle and kind as before?

That was how our love started.

Then that incident happened.

And it ended more quickly than how it began.

I gave soft kisses on Luke's chubby cheeks.

"Zzzz..." He was snoozing now.

How cute.

"Sweet dreams baby."

Even without your dad Erden, this mom will make sure that you grow healthily and happily.

Although I can't help but still have hope in the corner of my heart.

*****

<The third phase>

Red hair flowed down like lava from the head of the Baron lady, golden eyes glimmered like a dragon's irises at night, that was Lady Austen.

I had seen her before, but I could only stand against her blinding being from afar.

The lady... is really beautiful.

"Your name?"

"Eustia greets the lady." I gave a simple bow.

Even her manner of speaking is comparable to someone who was able to receive a quality education from such a young age.

The Baron occupies only a small amount of territory, but from what I have heard, the one we serve is a family of merchants, they do not have a lot of territories but their assets are a lot.

"Hmm.." I was bowing, waiting for her order to raise my head up. "Raise your head." At her cue, I did what she said. "I have a letter here."

"Yes?"

"When you leave work at five o'clock, a man will be waiting at the town square." Lady Austen handed me a piece of paper, I gently grabbed it and nodded. "Give him this letter without looking at it."

Without looking at it.

I do not understand her commands.

Telling me not to look at it while not keeping it closed in an envelope, the contents can be easily discovered with just a sleigh of the hand.

"I advise putting it in an envelope milady." I urged her.

If she does not want me to see it, it will be better if she encloses it in safe storage.

"I am too lazy to do that."

"Should I assist you?"

"Assist me... huh?" The lady watched my every breath.

If it were someone else, they might have already trembled from her siren eyes.

But I was used to being seen as an object, where people would look at me with only what they could gain by being with me and bringing me to their side.

"I'm too lazy to do that."

"I can do it for you."

The room fell silent.

Is the lady's attitude only for clout?

To test whether I will still serve her even when she acts arrogantly?

"When I said I want you to send this letter, I want you to send it. No questions asked. Leave if you can't do it."

But...

Triple pay.

Sending a letter is not much of a job, even if it meant serving a bratty lady, triple pay is still a lot. You just have to attend to her whims and do what she asks.

"I'll give the letter on your behalf my lady."

I need to show her how useful I am.

For Luke's education.

"Alright." She smiled at me. "I'll see you tomorrow, Eustia."

*****

After I left the room of the lady, I was greeted by the faces of the head maid and the two other ladies who had undergone the test with me.

Seiz and Lisa.

The both of them had a god-forsaken look on their faces.

Pale and shivering.

I met with their eyes, Lisa looked away while Seiz was looking at the paper I was holding.

What was it and this piece of paper?

I put it among one of the pockets of my maid garments.

To give this without reading.

That is what Lady Austen commanded.