Chapter 88

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 88

Chapter Title: That Still Strange Guest (2)

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“Uh…… excuse me, what’s the matter…….”

“…….”

He didn’t respond to my words. He just kept staring at me with that intense gaze. Flustered, I gripped the broom handle tight.

What the hell is he doing?

As his stare dragged on, I couldn’t face him anymore and started glancing around every which way. That was when Ethan strode in.

He came right up and stopped in front of me. He looked me over from head to toe, then suddenly raised a hand to the top of my head. He moved it down to chest height like he was measuring, repeated it three times, and then—get this—circled around me.

His stiff face and sharp eyes looked downright scary. Tense, I shrank back and kept wary as he spun around me.

“Why, why are you doing this?”

“…….”

After spinning enough to make me dizzy, he stopped in front of me again. He stared hard for a long moment, and his rigid expression slowly softened. Soon enough, it broke into a smile.

“You really are her.”

“Huh?”

“I wasn’t sure. Never thought I’d see you again like this.”

Ethan’s smile widened, and he suddenly threw his arms open wide. Joy overflowed on his face, bursting out in a delighted voice.

“Long time no see, Paula.”

“……!”

How?

“How did you know?!”

I blurted in shock. Ethan’s eyes went wide, his arms still spread welcomingly.

“Huh? I just knew. You haven’t changed much, still so petite.”

He chuckled and tapped his fingertip to the top of my head, his gesture and impish grin spelling out exactly what he meant by “petite.” His playful side was as lively as ever.

I stared up at Ethan in a daze. I hadn’t expected him to recognize me. Back then, I’d hidden my face behind bangs, and I figured he’d long forgotten a maid he’d only known briefly.

“You cut your bangs.”

“Ah, yeah. Somehow.”

I fiddled with my shortened bangs. They’d grown out a bit since, swaying in front of my eyes.

“Weren’t you growing them out on purpose? To look unique.”

“I did grow them on purpose, but not for that reason.”

I shot back firmly, and Ethan laughed with delight. His teasing quips hadn’t changed a bit.

“When did you get back? I didn’t hear anything from Vincent.”

“Well…… the Master doesn’t know. I didn’t really come back.”

“You didn’t come back? Then why are you here?”

“It’s a long story.”

Explaining it all would take forever. So I just said I’d thought I was hired by another family, but somehow ended up here. Ethan looked like he had no clue what I meant. Looking back, it did sound weird.

I pondered where to even start, but got too lazy and summed it up as “just somehow.” Naturally, Ethan looked baffled again. But instead of pressing for more, he took a step closer toward me. Arms still wide open.

“Anyway, I’m thrilled to see you.”

“Huh?”

His round brown eyes locked onto me clearly.

“I missed you, maid. No.”

“…….”

“Paula.”

My real name, after so long.

Maybe that’s why—the joy I’d tried to bury welled up inside me.

“Me too, Sir Ethan.”

We threw our arms around each other and savored the reunion.

“How’ve you been all this time?”

“Thanks to your help, Sir Ethan, I hid out and kept an eye on things. Then I went back home, but Father had passed away, so my sister and I went looking for work and ended up here.”

“Didn’t know you had a sister. Little brother?”

“Little sister.”

“She’s here too?”

“Yeah. We were hired together.”

Ethan’s eyes sparkled with curiosity about who she might be. I forced a smile and fidgeted with my hands. We don’t look alike at all. Plenty of people got curious about me after seeing Alicia’s face, but this was the first time someone saw me and wondered about my sister. It felt awkward, so I clammed up, and Ethan didn’t push.

“You must’ve been through a lot.”

His big hand ruffled my hair. The way he treated me like a close little sister felt strangely nice. His gentle expression stood in stark contrast to the hard face from moments ago—not the count who’d sacrificed his own blood and terrified the maids, but the Ethan I remembered.

He looked so utterly at ease right now.

Who had it worse? I knew from the papers that his life hadn’t been smooth after I left the mansion. The maids’ chatter had filled in some gaps too.

My life hadn’t been a picnic either, but opening my mouth felt like starting a misery contest, so I couldn’t bring myself to ask how he’d been.

But quick-witted Ethan saw right through me.

“I’m okay.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Your eyes did.”

“Looks like your bangs grew out nicely.”

He reached for them with a teasing grin. I shoved his hand away with a sour look. Don’t touch. Even then, Ethan just laughed, not a hint of irritation.

“How about you? How’ve you been?”

“As you’ve heard. You even stuck up for me earlier?”

“You heard that?”

“A bit. Nearly moved me to tears.”

“Not quite.”

It hadn’t been that dramatic. I cut him off firmly again.

“You must’ve had it rough too, Sir Ethan.”

“Not really?”

His reply was light. So was his smiling face.

“You don’t have to force it.”

“Gotta smile. It’s all in the past—what’s the point moping now?”

“Even if it’s over, the pain doesn’t just vanish. Neither does the grief.”

“Do I look sad?”

“Yes.”

“Do I even deserve to? It’s all true.”

I shook my head. Don’t say that.

“I devoured all my kin and came out the lone survivor.”

“Sir Ethan.”

“Paula. No matter how you dress it up or what secrets lurk underneath, I dealt with my own blood myself. Devoured—fits me to a T, right?”

“That’s not what you wanted.”

“You really think so?”

His tone stayed light, but the weight behind the words was anything but.

Instead of saying no, I just stared at him. I could tell he wasn’t asking out of genuine curiosity. A festering wound peeked through his smile.

“You know what James did, Paula. And that it’s not something anyone could forgive. Even if it were forgivable, I couldn’t forgive him.”

“…….”

“Disappointed?”

“No.”

My answer was firm, as always. What was there to be disappointed about? I wasn’t in any position to judge, and I’d never dream of advising him. In the end, I was just an outsider who couldn’t share his pain.

I knew how precious siblings were to him. It’d be arrogant of me to presume I could grasp the desperation that drove him to bare his fangs against them.

But I knew he’d suffered. Having lost siblings right in front of me, I could dimly imagine that agony.

“Not disappointed.”

“Really? What if I’m not the man you thought I was?”

“I never knew you that well.”

“…….”

“Well. I do know you smile way too much—it’s annoying sometimes—and you’ve got a knack for blunt, cutting words that really get under people’s skin.”

“Paula, that’s harsh. Even I’d be hurt hearing that.”

He clutched his chest with both hands, feigning deep offense. All an act, of course. He’d gotten even more shameless since I last saw him.

“Isn’t it true?”

“You’re supposed to say, ‘Sir Ethan is still as kind as ever.’”

“I can’t lie.”

“Ouch. The Paula I knew was a maid who lied like it was nothing. Lied so smoothly it even surprised me in secret sometimes.”

Not that smoothly. I shot him a look to quit exaggerating, and he eased up with a laugh.

“Anyway, I hear you’re attending Robert now?”

“You know Young Master Robert?”

“Of course. He’s Violet’s son.”

“Lady Violet’s son?!”

I gasped at the total shock. My reaction startled him too—he scratched his head.

“You didn’t know?”

“Uh…… yeah…….”

Of all things. Violet had a baby. Come to think of it…… he did resemble her. Especially the eyes. Every time I saw Robert, something felt familiar, but I never dreamed it was Violet.

No way Vincent’s son? I quickly corrected myself. I’d heard the mother was swamped running the family in place of Robert’s late father.

“How’s Lady Violet doing? Wait, when did she even get married?”

“Not long after you left, she and Vincent formally broke off the engagement. Then she married another noble right away. Marchioness Margaret pushed it hard.”

“And Lady Violet went along with it?”

“She didn’t have a choice.”

The breakup hadn’t been her choice either. I could still picture her last moments, sobbing as they dragged her away. She must’ve cried herself to sleep every night. The thought of them forcing an unwanted marriage soured my mood.

“She’s doing alright, though. The marchioness is strict, but she wouldn’t marry her daughter off to just anyone.”

“But he passed away.”

“Yeah, you heard. Carriage accident. Tragic stuff. Now Violet’s taken over managing her husband’s family.”

Suddenly it clicked why the lady of the house was too busy to see her own son. After her husband died, she had to handle everything alone—no time even for him. The nursemaid had worried she might ruin her health, barely sleeping in a proper bed.

“She’s tough, though. Don’t worry.”

“Really?”

“I told you—Violet’s the strongest of all of us.”

His grinning face rang true, and I felt relieved. It might not be the life she wanted, but I hoped she wasn’t miserable.

“If Violet hears you’re around, she might make time.”

“Please don’t.”

“Why? She’d be thrilled.”

Honestly, meeting again would feel awkward. Things hadn’t ended well between us.

“If she’s doing well, that’s enough.”

“You two fought?”

“How dare I.”

“You fought.”

How does he figure that? I scowled and shook my head, but Ethan had already decided Violet and I had clashed. Will you listen for once?

“Robert takes after Violet—total wild child.”

“So that’s where he gets it from.”

“She was a real tomboy.”

“I think I’ve heard that.”

“Robert’s her spitting image. The stubbornness too.”

No one’s around, so gossip away. Even walls have ears and eyes, you know? Hoping those ears carried it straight to Violet, I didn’t stop him.

“Can’t be easy attending him, but you seem to be managing.”

“The master I served before wasn’t exactly a pushover either.”

“Ahaha. Fair enough.”

Ethan nodded solemnly.