My name is Anne Shelley. I was born in the rural outskirts, to the family of a baron. At fifteen years of age, I was sent to the Claes Manor to learn the ways of the world.
It was there that I became the personal maid of Katarina Claes, the only child and daughter of the Claes family. When I first met with Lady Katarina, I recalled her having quite the cute face. Her upwards-slanting almond-like eyes, too, contributed to a certain look of determination about her.
As expected of the daughters of most noble families, Lady Katarina was very spoiled, and had a selfish, arrogant personality. A few months into my service, however, Lady Katarina tripped and fell during a walk at the royal castle grounds, and most unfortunately hit her head on a rock.
As a result of the incident, Lady Katarina hurt her head — the impact even left a scar. Perhaps that was the reason why she slept for quite a few days, all the while with a high fever.
However, when she awoke, it was like as if she was a different person altogether. The arrogant, self-absorbed and egocentric Lady Katarina was gone, instead replaced by a calm, caring little lady. She even showed unprecedented awareness and care towards her servants — it was as if she was reborn as a gentle and compassionate individual.
The Young Miss’ personality had changed completely due to the impact to her head and the fever that followed. While the servants were equally surprised and grateful by the sudden change that had come over her, Lady Katarina only remained like this during her short period of bed rest.
After the fever receded, Lady Katarina sat up — and then proceeded to become even more problematic than she was before this entire affair.
Having awoken from her rest, Lady Katarina ran all the way to the library, asking many questions of the servants, and sometimes making outlandish requests of them. Just as we thought it had all passed, the Young Miss had yet another demand — that she take up lessons in both magic and sword.
While her presence and effort on the field were commendable, the footwork aspect of her swordplay lessons did not quite go as well — it almost seemed like the Young Miss would slice her own leg off before cutting the opponent, and we all collectively held our breaths.
Next, she declared that she would practice her magic, and then promptly dressed up in a set of gardening overalls, took up a hoe, and started tilling the earth. Lady Katarina Claes was readying a field in the Claes manor’s gardens.
After spending quite some time in the gardens, she would then hike up her dress and start climbing trees. The Young Miss also took up fishing, of all things — fishing up her prey from the small river that ran through the grounds. She would eventually almost push the local fish population close to extinction.
Problem after problem arose, just like that. While Madam Claes became progressively angrier with each transgression, the Young Miss was firmly set in her ways. While she would have a downcast look about her immediately after she was given a scolding, she would be all recovered the very next day. It would seem that Lady Katarina had the mysterious ability to forget about all the reprimands and criticisms directed at her after a good night’s sleep.
At fifteen years of age, the Young Miss had unfortunately very much remained the same. She did, however, stop climbing trees eventually.
One time, Lady Katarina picked up a mushroom growing in the garden, claiming that it was “absolutely edible.” That was, however, unfortunately not the case, and the Young Miss suffered a bout of food poisoning, in addition to a good scolding from the madam.
After this incident, however, the Young Miss suddenly announced that she would study farming methodologies, immersing herself in books on agriculture. Before long, she had started on a mission to expand the fields in the gardens.
It was as if she hadn’t changed at all — not in the slightest, ever since she was eight. Although I had been in her service for seven years, and was always by her side, I still could not predict what Lady Katarina would think about next.
However, even though the Young Miss was quite the troublemaker, she did enjoy immense popularity amongst... certain parties.
For instance, there was the third crown prince, Jeord Stuart, Lady Katarina’s fiancé. The skilled, capable, and beautiful Prince took a great liking to Lady Katarina. Prince Jeord, in turn, enjoyed his time with the Young Miss — the expression of adoration on his face was quite something else.
Lady Katarina, however, did not seem to understand the prince’s feelings, not even with such an expression directed at her during their interactions. Thick as the Young Miss was, I could not help but be overcome with fear when she unexpectedly approached the prince — to cancel their engagement, of all things!
The scar on Lady Katarina’s head was the reason why this engagement existed in the first place, and now that scar had perfectly healed. I remember the day of her injury, back when the Young Miss was eight years old. And so I was overjoyed upon noticing that the scar was gone. I was happy for her.
However, never in my wildest dreams would I have known that the Young Miss would use this as a reason to cancel the engagement — or say what she did to the prince. That was when I first realized that Lady Katarina did not have a clue about Prince Jeord’s affection towards her — in spite of all his actions.
“Prince Jeord. The scar on my forehead has completely vanished. As such, there is no longer a need for you to take social responsibility for me — I do not mind if the engagement were to be cancelled,” Lady Katarina said, happily smiling as she did so!
The prince’s eyes opened wide in surprise — but soon, a reassuring smile returned to his face. His eyes, however, were hardly smiling at all... “Is that so? Well then, if you would please show me.”
Slowly approaching the Young Miss, Prince Jeord parted her hair somewhat roughly, exposing her forehead. It was as she said — the scar had completely vanished, and not a trace of it remained...
“No, Katarina. There is still quite the scar, from what I can see,” Prince Jeord said, all the while staring at Lady Katarina’s perfectly smooth and unscarred forehead.
“Eh? But I’ve checked many times in the mirror... Anne helped, too...”
Oh, Young Miss. You mustn’t. Please don’t turn this way...
“I would suppose you were both mistaken, yes. A scar yet remains here. Do you not think so too?” Prince Jeord said, turning to me with his charming smile. His eyes still did not share the same sentiment. Overcome by fear, all I could do was nod my head rapidly up and down, agreeing wholeheartedly with him.
In the end, the now non-existent scar was brought back onto the table by Prince Jeord, who promptly ended the discussion with a single statement. “So you see, there will be no cancellations with regards to our engagement.” All the while looking at us with those unsmiling eyes of this.
A most terrifying incident, truly — enough for me to feel as if several years of my life had been shaved off my poor heart.
And then there was the matter of Lady Katarina’s adopted brother, Keith Claes. Although he was a most skinny and gloomy child when we first met him, the Young Master was now the apple of many a lady’s eye — he had become quite the beautiful youth as the years went by.
He was, of course, exceedingly popular with women, perhaps on account of how he was always gentle and kind to every woman he met. And now, having reached this age, the Young Master could not help but be charming. To tell the truth, many of the servants had fallen head over heels for him.
Master Keith, however, only had eyes for the Young Miss. He would follow Lady Katarina about almost daily, offering her support and cleaning up her occasional social faux pas. The gaze of burning passion in his eyes, directed at the Young Miss, was evidently not one of platonic sibling love.
Lady Katarina, being thick as she was, however, hardly noticed this. Perhaps she simply did not have the faculties to understand the Young Master’s charms. As expected of the Young Miss.
“...They say I’m charming and whatnot... but it is all meaningless, is it not? If the one you love hardly notices it at all...”
That was what I heard as I happened upon the Young Master one day, mumbling to himself with a gloomy expression on his face. It was a most... unfortunate sight.
Eventually, the Young Master would side with Madam Claes, forming the “Katarina could not possibly perform the duties of a Queen!” camp. Try as they might to cancel the engagement between Katarina and Prince Jeord, however, their efforts have not yet borne fruit. As far as I know, their efforts continue in the shadows to this day...
And then there was the fourth crown prince of the kingdom, Alan Stuart — the twin brother of Prince Jeord. He, too, only had Lady Katarina in his eyes.
He was said to be a genius of music, and possessed great talent for the art. As such, the invitations for Prince Alan’s many performances drew steadily multiplying crowds — such were the desires of the masses to listen to his music.
The prince would invite Lady Katarina each time, without fail. There was an unmistakable gleam in his eyes — favor for the Young Miss, surely, when he looked upon her.
The one fault with Prince Alan, however, was the fact that he was almost as thick as the Young Lady herself. For seven long years he stared in her general direction — and yet had no self-awareness of it at all.
The sight of the prince who obviously had feelings for Lady Katarina not understanding his own feelings was quite sad to behold. While I was originally exasperated, I now felt some pity for his situation.
However, I did understand that this wasn’t just a matter of Prince Alan being particularly thick. Those who already had an eye for the Young Miss, such as Prince Jeord and Master Keith, set about ensuring that Alan would never notice how he himself felt.
Of these individuals, the most skilled amongst them had to be Prince Alan’s fiancée herself, Lady Mary Hunt. To Prince Alan, the entire reason why Lady Mary was here was so that the Young Miss would not take the prince for herself. The truth, however, was the opposite of that — after all, Lady Mary Hunt herself was a woman after the Young Miss’ heart.
Prince Alan’s fiancée, Lady Mary Hunt, had changed drastically since her first meeting with the Young Miss. While she was originally shirking and shy, her name had spread far in noble society these seven years, and she was heralded as the very image of a noble lady — a far cry from how she used to be.
That very same lady, however, really did have quite the thing for the Young Miss. If I had to describe it... Lady Mary had no qualms about cancelling the Young Miss’ engagement with the prince, and then dragging her to some faraway place so she could have her all to herself — that was how deep it went.
Lady Mary’s plan had begun quite a few years ago. At that time, she announced to the Young Miss that she was not capable of being queen. “I am hardly suitable for such an important role — that of queen, in particular...”
This filled the Young Miss with unease. After all, even the most perfect noble lady now had reservations about the entire affair.
Upon hearing that, the Young Miss eventually echoed those sentiments, announcing that, “Ah, then it would be impossible for me, too. What am I going to do?”
Lady Mary’s response to the Young Miss’ unease was swift. Holding her hands, she smiled gently, saying, “Well then, perhaps we could both renege on our engagements... and the two of us could escape to some faraway land.”
At first, I had assumed that this was all some sort of joke... until Lady Mary started detailing the tools used in this grand escape. It was then that I understood just how serious she was.
To phrase it simply, Lady Mary Hunt was absolutely serious and willing to cancel both engagements, sweep the Young Miss off her feet, and carry her to some faraway foreign land.
Lady Katarina, being as thick as she was, hardly noticed Mary’s feelings. Even now, she speaks of Lady Mary as a friend, with a warm smile. “Ah, Mary is truly a gentle girl...”
And with this, her adopted brother, the twin princes, and even the noble lady engaged to one of the princes are now after her affections. The Young Miss, of course, knew absolutely nothing about all this.
The Young Miss had yet more admirers — one of which being the royal chancellor’s son, Master Nicol Ascart. He too was hopelessly lost in the Young Miss’ eyes.
He was quite the impressive individual, with his jet-black eyes and hair, doll-like features, and alluring aura. He had his official debut to noble society late last year, and even had a fanclub following. His so-called fanclub, however, was not only filled with women — but also a fair number of men.
While Prince Jeord, Prince Alan, and Keith were all beautiful and handsome in their own right, there was something different about Master Nicol — to be specific, that alluring and bewitching aura of his. This was why the Young Miss referred to him as the “Alluring Count” day in and day out.
Master Nicol was, however, usually a very stoic individual. He hardly talked about himself, much less spoke very much at all. Even amongst this large following, few had seen him ever show any hint of emotion.
That very same Master Nicol, however, often smiled at Lady Katarina — a truly happy, blissful smile. It was truly a force of nature, that smile of his. Those who bear witness to it inadvertently become weak at the knees. In fact, many of my fellow maids had become effectively useless after witnessing such a spectacle.
As expected of the Young Miss, however, she remained perfectly oblivious to this, even though she was the only one who caused Master Nicol to behave in this way...
“I have to protect Mary and Keith from being bewitched by the Alluring Count...!” she would say, muttering to herself.
It would seem that the Young Miss, being impervious to Young Master Keith’s charms, had proven to be equally invulnerable to the destructive power of Master Nicol’s faint smile...
Lastly, there was the sister of Master Nicol — Sophia Ascart. Needless to say, she was very fond of the Young Miss as well.
Much like the Lady Katarina, Lady Sophia had a great love for romance novels, and often came to the Claes manor, bringing many recommendations with her.
Lady Sophia, having long noticed her brother’s feelings for the Young Miss, often extolled Nicol’s virtues in her presence. As expected of Lady Katarina, however, she hardly understood Sophia’s motivations for doing this, and quickly attributed it to her love for her brother.
And just like that, many people began to gather around the problem child that was Lady Katarina. Much like Master Keith, the Young Miss was very much a subconscious charmer.
And Young Miss had more than just friends of the noble variety. Even the difficult and usually reserved head gardener, Tom, seemed to enjoy himself in Lady Katarina’s presence. The somewhat distant head maid, who was strict with herself and her colleagues, was also different in front of the Young Miss — she often wore a peaceful expression, one that I had not seen before.
Regardless of her age, the problems she causes, and her eccentricities, Lady Katarina attracts people to her side without fail. What exactly is it that pulls so many people to her...?
To tell the truth... I can answer that question easily myself.
I, Anne Shelley, was born of Baron Shelley and a servant of the Shelley family — my mother. I was kept separate from the Baron’s main household, and was instead raised in a small home.
The Baron was a fickle man, my mother says. He had only slept with her a few times before I was born into this world.
“Do as the Baron says... act in such a way that would make him like you. Never, ever think about going against him...” This was something that she always repeated to me as I grew up.
I followed those instructions. I did what the Baron said and what my mother wished for me to do, never going against either of them. I lived my life for the sole purpose of earning their favor.
Perhaps it was because I did this — I would never really know. I was never called to the main residence, nor was the Baron ever cruel to me. All things considered, I was able to live a somewhat unrestricted life.
However, that would all end one day in the year of my fifteenth birthday. Without warning, the room next to mine caught fire, and the fire soon spread to the surroundings.
Although I had somehow managed to escape, I suffered large burns to my back, and my mother lost her life in the disaster.
All I could do was stand, stunned at the sudden developments. It was then that it happened — for the first time since I was born, I was summoned to the main residence by the Baron.
“I have heard that your back has been terribly scarred. Now that you are damaged, I can no longer use you as an instrument for political marriages. I have no more need for you. Get out of this house,” the Baron said to me, as if he were speaking casually of the changes in the weather. I could not even find any words of protest.
Up until now, I had tried all my life to earn the Baron’s favor. I had been so proud of myself, thinking that an absence of cruelty meant that the Baron had accepted me. But I was... wrong. The Baron was not cruel to me simply because he was not interested in me. To the Baron, I was nothing more than a tool. And now that I have become like this, I was... no longer needed.
And just like that, I lost my abode and my reason for existing, almost overnight. The Claes family, a distant relation of mine, just so happened to be looking for maids — and that was how I ended up there, learning the ways of the world.
I eventually ended up as the personal maid to Lady Katarina Claes, the sole daughter of the Claes family. Lady Katarina was spoiled, selfish, and arrogant towards her servants. Most maids assigned to her did not last very long, but that was not the case for me.
After all, I was different from the other girls, who could simply return to their homes and search for another place to learn their lessons. I no longer had a place to go back to. If I were chased out of the Claes manor, I would be out on the streets.
I lived as I had always lived — I sought to earn her favor, just like I did with the Baron and my mother, never going against anything she said. Whatever Lady Katarina wanted to hear, or the objects she desired... I did all that, and never went against her in any way. I became what my masters wanted me to become, shaped by their desires.
As long as I did as I was told, Lady Katarina’s mood would slowly improve, and the days began to pass without any problems. After all, this was how I had always lived. The only thing that changed was the individual I served. All I had to do was become a new tool in the Claes manor.
However, following the impact to her head and her feverish slumber, the awakened Lady Katarina changed. She was no longer arrogant, and no longer selfish. She no longer sought praise from me, or words of approval. She climbed the trees and tilled the fields — a most unusual noble lady.
I no longer knew how to earn her favor, or how I should react to her actions. Having lived my entire life telling people what they wanted to hear, and being what they wanted me to me, I found myself at a loss — I had no real will of my own.
And so, as I remained lost in thought about how to interact with this suddenly changed Lady Katarina... I realized that I soon began to speak on my own accord. Although I no longer was full of praise for her, nor did I affirm everything she said and did, Lady Katarina was never cruel to me. I found myself slowly starting to respect her.
For the first time in my life, I received a birthday present. A sheaf of paper tickets with the words “shoulder massage ticket” written on them in somewhat messy letters. And wooden carvings of a strange, unidentified lifeform. All these were gifts from Lady Katarina, handed to me every year, and I kept all of them packed away safely.
The days I spent serving the unpredictable Lady Katarina were exhausting to say the least. However, compared to those fifteen-odd years that I spent living in that small house, this was something I could never have dreamed of — impossibly bright, vibrant, and happy days.
I want to stay by Lady Katarina’s side for as long as I can. I no longer remembered when I started thinking this way.
After spending a few years in the Claes family, a letter arrived from an individual who had not contacted me all this time — Bar
on Shelley. The letter was curt: “Your engagement has been arranged. Return to the estate at once.”
All the color drained from my face. Engagement...? Even though I was told that I am no longer useful as an instrument for political marriage because of the burn scars on my back?
Before, I would have rushed back to the estate immediately after receiving such a letter. I was just a tool. A tool that could not dream of going against its master, the Baron. However... I was no longer the girl I was before. I wanted to stay here.
This was why I had ignored the letter... until Baron Shelley himself showed up at the Claes manor. Seated in the room I was summoned into was Baron Shelley — seated and unchanged, looking exactly as he did all those years ago.
“I found an eccentric, you see. Someone who has interest in you, regardless of the damage. Since you did not seem to understand my summons, I have personally shown up, to bring you back, of course,” the Baron said, his twisted expression seemingly suggesting that I thank him for his efforts.
The individual that I was engaged to had many bad rumors swirling around him in noble society — a viscount with more lovers than one could count with both hands. Baron Shelley was certainly being paid a handsome sum to arrange such a marriage. But I knew I would never be happy in such an arrangement.
In fact, was it mistaken for a tool to think that it could ever be happy in the first place? A sudden chill came over my body, as if all the blood had been sucked out of it that very moment.
“Why do you dally? I have already spoken to Duke Claes. Make the arrangements now! We are returning to the estate,” the Baron said, seemingly displeased at my silence.
Ah... with this, it will all end. My happy days will be over, and I will become nothing more than a tool once more.
I want to stay here. I want to spend more time here, by Lady Katarina’s side...
And that was when it happened.
“Do excuse me.” With a prompt greeting and a knock, the Lady Katarina herself burst into the room in a huff. “You are Anne’s father, yes?” she said, directing her sharp gaze towards the Baron.
“...Y-Yes.” the Baron himself was at a loss, apparently surprised by the sudden entrance of this young girl.
“Please! Please rethink this whole affair about Anne’s marriage engagement!” Lady Katarina said, suddenly gripping me by the arm. “Please, I need Anne by my side, I absolutely do! I want her to stay! If you take her away... I won’t stand for it! I can’t!” she shouted, ignoring the Baron’s surprised expression as she said what she needed to say.
The sight before me was surreal — it was like was a spectator, gazing into a foreign world.
I could feel the heat of Lady Katarina’s grip. Slowly, the warmth from her hand warmed up my body.
I had lived all my life, simply pleasing my betters. It was here at the Claes manor, however... here by Lady Katarina’s side, that I first found my own will, my own voice.
Somewhere along the line, I had stopped being just a mere tool. No longer a tool, but just... just Anne Shelley. And even so, Lady Katarina said she needed me. That she wanted me by her side.
Before I knew it, the Young Miss’ warmth filled my entire being. I found that it warmed up my head, especially so. I desperately held back the tears that were threatening to spill forth from my eyes at any moment.
Due to Lady Katarina’s actions that day, the engagement itself was now called into question. A short while after this incident, Duke Claes somehow found out about the negative circumstances surrounding my engagement, and in turn called off the entire deal with the Baron’s family.
No words could describe the gratitude I felt for Duke Claes. In fact, the Duke himself even suggested an alternative. “If you would like, I could put the word out for a proper suitor — someone who would treat you well,” he said.
Even so, I chose to stay by Lady Katarina’s side. And so, I remained as Lady Katarina’s personal maid at the Claes family up until now.
Regardless of her age, the problems she causes, and her eccentricities, Lady Katarina attracts people to her side without fail. What exactly is it that pulls so many people to her...?
To tell the truth... I can answer that question easily myself. After all, I know better than anyone else could possibly know...
I was just a tool to be used, but Lady Katarina treated me, Anne Shelley, as a human being. I would never forget the warmth of her grip, or the words she spoke on my behalf that day.
I will definitely accompany her to the Academy of Magic in the coming spring. Although the Young Miss claims that she would be “Quite all right”... she could hardly put on her own dress correctly. If left to her own devices, her hair would be messy and undone — there is no way she would be quite all right, nor was this fitting for the eldest daughter of a duke.
“Of course I will be accompanying you to the academy,” I said, despite Lady Katarina’s stunned expression.
“But then, are you not of age for marriage, Anne? I don’t think I could possibly ask you to stay...”
It would seem that the Young Miss was even concerned about my age! Talking about weddings and such. I could not help but laugh a little. After all, I hardly had any desires or expectations for marriage. I only had one wish.
“If I were gone, Young Miss, where would you find someone who would take care of you? Of course I will be accompanying you to the academy.”
At my words, Lady Katarina herself started laughing.
Even if Lady Katarina did become queen in the future, and had to live at the royal castle with Prince Jeord... even if Lady Mary took her away to some faraway land. Regardless of what the future held, I would always be by the Young Miss’ side.
After all, this was where I belonged... and this was where my happiness was — standing next to Lady Katarina.
I only have one wish, My Lady. And that is to live on, always by your side.
