Chapter 7
Emily came into my room with breakfast in hand. She must’ve heard something intense from the head maid, because she came up so soon after Reina left.
“L-Lady. I’ll prepare the b-breakfast…”
Emily’s hands that were setting the food in front of me shook badly. She seemed to have suffered a lot mentally from what happened yesterday. It seemed like my crazy action of eating the rotten food last time was worth it, since the food on the plates looked okay today. Fresh salad and juicy steak.
Looks okay on the outside.
I didn’t feel like eating it though, probably because of the shock my body felt from eating the rotten food before. I slowly brought the food to my mouth, staring at Emily standing stiffly beside me. Her eyes couldn’t meet mine.
Is she feeling any guilt, though? She probably is dying to know why I chose her to be my personal maid again.
Without even finishing half of the food given to me, I called for Emily.
“Emily.”
“Y-Yes, Lady!”
She, who was deep in her thoughts, jumped in surprise. I reached one hand out to her.
“Hand me the needle.”
“Huh? What…?”
“The needle you used to poke me with every morning.”
“Ack!”
Emily reacted a second later she figured what I was talking about. She inhaled sharply, then kneel down with a pale face.
“L-Lady! I-I’m sorry! Forgive me!”
Thud, thud
She apologized while smashing her head on the ground.
Really. Why did she do such a thing if she was going to apologize like this?
I felt ridiculed, and at the same time, disgusted that I wasn’t the person she should be apologizing to right now. I felt my mindset of trying to treat her better being cast off and a dangerously sharp voice came out my mouth.
“Didn’t you hear from the head maid? I hate to repeat myself.”
“L-Lady…”
“Hand me the needle.”
Emily who was trembling so hard looked as if she’d collapse any minute. However she started to go through her hair which was tied up. Soon, a giant needle came out of her hair.
Oho, nicely hidden now, was it?
Of course Penelope was always the victim. They were this intense. She probably would’ve wanted to scream at the maid who’d always abuse her, but couldn’t due to having no evidence.
“H-Here…”
Emily handed me the needle with her trembling hands. I stared down at the object that had continuously hurt Penelope up until now. It was a mere piece of metal that wasn’t even that big. However, yesterday I realized how painful this thin and little needle could be to a person.
How painful would it have been for her? No one would have noticed, even though your arms go weak with bloody scar marks due to the pain you’d feel every morning when you woke up.
“Raise your head.”
I clenched my teeth and commanded. Emily hesitantly raised her head. Despair could be seen in her wavering eyes, as she was probably thinking about things she would now experience from the violent young lady.
“Watch this closely, Emily.”
I reached my hand without the needle out in front of Emily. It was one fragile looking milky white hand without a scar. It was flipped so the back of the hand was facing the ceiling. Then I plunged the needle Emily handed me in it without hesitation.
“Ack! Lady!”
It was me who was poked deep with the needle, but it was Emily who screamed, as if she was the one who got poked instead. I then plucked out the needle that was planted halfway in my hand.
Ugh.
Blood drops started to form on the piercing. I’d prepared myself for this, but it really hurt. It was to the point I would get teary eyed. But I didn’t show it on the face as I smashed the needle back into my hand, close to where I stabbed myself a moment ago.
“Ah!”
This time, I couldn’t endure the pain as I let out a sound.
“L-Lady!”
Emily breathed hard, as if she was having a panic attack. Not knowing what to do, she let out tears at my reckless actions. It was quite a funny scene to watch.
What’s she so scared about when she did things far worse than this before?
“Lady, hic! Lady, why are you doing this?!”
“No need to cry like that, Emily. Since this is the scars you made on me.”
I replied in a gentle tone. Then her face expression went blank.
“…Huh?”
“It may be two at this moment but it could always become three, four, and five. Maybe even more.”
“…”
Emily stopped breathing at my words. Her trembling stopped as well.
“I’m going to accept whatever you’ll do to me without having a single doubt on you from now on. The bathe water you’ll be preparing, clothes, food. Everything.”
“L-Lady…”
“The more you do, more the scars that’ll appear on this hand. It’ll be totally visible someday. If then, wouldn’t a day come when someone notices it?”
“…”
“There would be people wondering ‘who could be the abuser who doesn’t know their place, ignoring a member of the Eckart family’. To give an example, just like Brother Reynold.”
I verbally attacked Emily while smiling like a blooming flower.
“I’m only saying that it depends on your attitude.”
My personal maid didn’t give an answer to my threatening words. Her face was pale, to the point even I thought she was choked by someone just now.
“Get up now. You must do your job, now that your master has finished her food.”
I took back my arm. I then turned my gaze to the big window by the table. Emily stood up from kneeling abruptly after a short pause. She then started cleaning the table robotically.
She’s a fast learner, it seems. That’s fortunate. I think I could use her easily, now and in the future.
The way people looked at me would’ve been the same, even if I did get a new person to be my personal maid. I couldn’t stay still doing nothing forever, so I decided to make allies who I could use. Starting with my personal maid who would abuse Penelope. And at the right time, a chance was given to me.
I also like Emily’s personality of doing what she’s told to without any questions.
I was watching Emily with such thought until she finished organizing the table.
Thud-!
The door opened all of a sudden with so much force that I wondered how the door didn’t break. I turned my gaze in surprise. Hair with a lovely shade of pink fluttered in the air. Reynold Eckart was glaring at me with a frown on his face.
Please let me know if there’s anything inconsistent, or that needs further editing/corrections!!
-emrld
Scarlett Shoujo 