The Precious Sister of The Villainous Grand Duke

By the time I fell asleep at night, I had an illusion that I could hear Dylan's low voice.

'To think he's glad that the other person doesn't remember.'

What kind of person was that woman for her to receive such unconditional love?

Torment by envy and a slightly twisted heart, I ended up oversleeping.

"Annie! Why are you so late?"

"Sorry, I couldn't get up in time in the morning…….."

I wasn't a maid who starts working extremely early since I wasn't assigned to attend to the Viscount and his wife as well as Donovan.

Therefore, I wasn't too late but Lindsay impatiently chewed on her lips and nagged me. I frowned in wonder.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"Did you know that young master was looking for you last night?"

"No, I didn't know."

Even if I knew, I still wouldn't have gone.

Donovan tended to look for me so I didn't know why Lindsay's words filled me with unease.

"Annie, I heard something weird this morning….."

"Huh?"

"That's not true, right?"

"What do you mean?"

She shook her head and sighed at my question.

"For now, go. Phew. What power do we have?"

I hurried out of the hallway at Lindsay's urging.

"Where is Annie?"

"I'm here!"

The lobby was full of people looking for me. The servants gathered around the head maid glanced at me and started talking in whispers.

'What's wrong with them……?'

Except for Lindsay and a handful of people, the servants under the Viscount didn't like me very much.

'But I've never done anything to receive such hostile looks.'

"Annie! Is it true that you stabbed the young master and stole the jewels?"

It was too cruel to believe that the incident that came out of the head maid's mouth as soon as she found me that morning took place in this small Viscounty.

'Where can you find a servant who stabs their master to steal jewels?'

It would be much easier to steal valuables while cleaning.

I was dumbfounded by the maid's words and shook my head at her who was already fiercely glaring at me as if I was the culprit.

"I have no idea what you're talking about at all."

"The young master was stabbed last night and is gravely injured!"

'Maybe he gambled somewhere and was caught by bad guys.'

Donovan wasn't a particularly good person so I didn't feel sorry for him.

"When I went to look because of a scream, the jewel box was empty so I thought it was a thief, but he was holding a strand of your hair."

I bit my lips at the head maid's words.

'He was holding a strand of my hair?'

"Didn't you get hurt while trying to fight with him to steal the jewelry box?"

"Absolutely not! If I had stolen the jewels then I would have run right away. Why would I sleep in?"

Even as the head maid trailed off her words at my rebuttal, she still didn't take her suspicious eyes off of me. I never gave Donovan my nails let alone strands of my hair.

I thought it was a ridiculous suspicion, but every servant clicked their tongue as if they knew that I would get into some trouble someday.

'Are they persuaded by that tone of argument?'

There was no servant who didn't know that Donovan was strangely obsessed with me.

Wouldn't the normal course of thinking be that he was a pervert who goes to sleep with a strand of my hair?

'It's probably because I didn't like him in the first place.'

If people hate someone for no reason, they would just make a reason to hate.

"Annie, where were you last night?"

"I was sleeping in my room. I'm sure Becky had seen me."

I answered and pointed to the maid who was sleeping next to my room. Becky, who was pointed out, became surprised and her eyes widened.

"Becky, is it true that Annie was in her room yesterday?"

"I-I'm not sure. We don't use the same room after all."

I glanced at the disgusting woman who washed her hands instead of taking my side. That was why she avoided my eyes and even mumbled her words.

"I heard Annie toss and turn all night, head maid. There were constant noises….."

"You didn't hear her go out of her room?"

"I don't quite remember whether I heard it or not."

I couldn't help but give a dry, dumbfounded laugh at Becky's restless behavior.

The head maid commanded that my room be searched while saying it couldn't be helped since there was a witness.

'Look around to your heart's content and see if a jewel comes out!'

There was nothing that bothered me so I confidently guided the butler into my room, but within an hour, I had no choice but to harden my jaw.

'Why is that coming out of my room?'

"Annie! Isn't this young master's sapphire bracelet?"

While the head maid and butler were scouring through my room, the servants who flocked like spectators began to chatter again.

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"Furthermore, this is madam's ruby ring! Heavens!"

I was more surprised than the appalled head maid.

The only witness, Donovan, was in a state of confusion while murmuring my name and holding on to my hair and I became a criminal in an instant when a jewel that came out of my room became a piece of evidence.

'There's a person who holds such a grudge against a maid?'

If I was a protagonist from a novel, sure, there would be times when I'd have to suffer, but I'm just an extra whose name didn't even appear!

It was too sudden, but because it seemed so unrealistic, I felt calm.

I scrubbed my face with my hands and glanced alternately at the knights, who were hesitating as they approached me, and the head maid.

"Head maid, do you really think I stole the jewels?"

"........If not, then why are the jewels found in your room?!"

"What kind of idiot would steal jewels and hide them like this where they could be seen at a glance?"

"That's true but–"

"The young master still hasn't woken up. If you want to punish me, please do it after hearing the young master's testimony."

The head maid's expression darkened as if she didn't like what I said. One of the servants nodded their head in agreement with my words.

"She's right. Isn't this too hasty?"

"But young master Donovan likes Annie, so he might take her side."

The head maid frowned and shook the sapphire necklace in her hand. [1]

"Moreover, what if you run away in the middle?"

I heaved a long sigh and shrugged my shoulders."

"Then I'll stay in my room. You can lock the door."

"Very well. Follow me."

The head maid, who had dragged me to my room at my suggestion, sent off the people and then bolted the door.

I was used to the sound of the door locking. I wasn't particularly nervous as if I had been imprisoned like this before.

'I don't remember being locked up but this is strange.'

The head maid stared at me, who was secretly excited at the thought that I didn't have to work today, and she sat down on a small bedside table.

"Annie, come here and sit down."

Was there a reason why she kicked out people ahead of time?

Her voice was barely audible as if it would fade out.

"I know you didn't steal them. This is young master Donovan's plan."

"!"

I clenched my fist as I faced the head maid who abruptly spoke. No wonder things were too dire.

'It's so like that goddamn young master.'

What else did he not like for him to frame me like this?

'He must be holding a grudge against me because Dylan had humiliated him.'

"He's never used a sword properly so he must have unintentionally hurt himself. He passed out calling your name, but he'll wake up soon."

"Then what will happen to me?"

"Once he wakes up, he will surely make you out to be the culprit, so it would be best if pack your things right now and escape."

".......Escape?"

But I had a debt. A debt that was passed on to me the moment I became 'Annie.'

A servant who runs away without paying back their debts becomes a criminal.

It meant that I'd have to live my whole life running away in this world that was still unfamiliar to me.

"Head maid, you know I can't do that. I have a debt from young master Donovan……"

"You don't. There's no debt."

"What?"

"Annie, you aren't a child who used to work here at the Viscount. The young master stubbornly brought you here."

"What did you say?"

Then, why have I been serving as a maid all this time in this old and small Viscounty?

My head heated up as I thought of pushing more the knife that had been stuck in Donovan's belly.

"I had long wanted to tell you, but then I was scared that the young master would really have my head."

"......Ha. Does that also mean that 'Annie' isn't my name?"

"That's right. Although it's true that the child named Annie had run away, she wasn't you."

"Oh my god."

At the head maid's words, I had no more energy to be surprised that I just scrubbed my face with my hands. She looked at me pitifully then she searched her arms and took out something from her leather pockets.

"Here. This is the wage you should have received until now."

"Is it all right for you to give me this?"

"The Viscount believes in me more than the young master. I'll do something about it."

I had thought that even if she didn't hate me like the other servants, she didn't particularly care for me either. I guess I saw her incorrectly.

I bowed my head at the head maid who opened the window instead of the door as she said I didn't have much time.

"......Thank you very much."

"I'm not someone whom you should thank. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you earlier."

"I know."

The luggage, which I had started packing as soon as I heard the head maid's words, was small and simple enough to be carried in one hand.

I thrust myself out of the window, like a child who was kicked out of their house wearing a shabby dress.

'I think I should say goodbye to Dylan….'

Since something so sudden had happened as soon as I woke up, I didn't know I should tell him.

I rushed out of the Viscounty without figuring out how he would react.

Notes:

[1] Sapphire bracelet previously, necklace here. It's in the raws so just do rock-paper-scissors and pick one or maybe it's a set.

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