Chapter 70: A Maid’s Resentment and the Guests of Bluewater Harbor

As dawn broke the following day, a delicate silhouette could be seen bustling about in the castle’s backyard.

It was a young, remarkably beautiful maid.

She was clad in a simple yet pristine apron, a small white headscarf covering her hair. A few playful strands of ash-blonde hair, however, had escaped its brim, clinging to her stunning face.

Her cheeks were already flushed with a faint blush from her strenuous labor. As another log was split, fine beads of sweat once more emerged on her forehead.

The sweat trickled down her slender neck, flowing gently into her collar, making her clothes cling tighter to her and accentuating her graceful figure.

And who was this beautiful, diligent young maid?

Indeed, it was I.

“Die!”

I furiously split another log, the news Sister Fina had told me yesterday flashing through my mind.

[You no longer need to serve the Lord. Go busy yourself in the castle’s backyard instead.]

The castle’s backyard had been razed by the great fire, but it had recently been fully reconstructed, with a new wooden shed erected to serve as a woodshed.

The woodshed’s function was the same as before: sorting and transporting firewood for the kitchen and bathhouse daily. The workload was significantly heavier than my previous duties.

I understood the implication of Sister Fina’s words.

It simply meant Rodd no longer wished to see me. He had instructed her to reassign me to a place where it would be difficult for me to encounter him.

It seemed the single sentence I had uttered had caused irreparable consequences, far exceeding my expectations.

Losing an easy and leisurely position didn’t sadden me. I merely regretted that all my previous efforts had been for naught.

I had worked so hard just to earn a shred of Rodd’s trust…

What was I to do now?

Should I seek another opportunity to curry favor with him?

Initially, I intended to do just that, to mend fences. However, as I continued with the backyard chores, I gradually began to resent him.

My resentment reached its peak when I discovered that my once fair and delicate hands were now chafed raw by the rough wooden axe handle, exposing patches of pink flesh.

‘What an ungrateful, stinking man!’

‘Do you think I willingly played along with your games?’

‘You’ve repaid my kindness with ingratitude. No wonder your previous wife died!’

‘Serves you right!’

As I cursed the man, I felt a surge of strength in my arms for splitting wood.

Just then, I saw Sister Fina hurrying towards me from a distance, calling out as she approached, “Lilian, come here, quickly!”

“What is it?” I asked, weakly setting down the axe. I leaned against the corner of the wall, seizing the chance to rest for a moment.

“Oh dear, we have distinguished guests arriving at the castle today,” Sister Fina said in a rushed, urgent tone. “It was already arranged that only maids with good appearances should attend to them.”

“I had someone in mind, but who would have thought, by such a coincidence, that person fell ill today. After thinking it over, you’re the only one here who can fill in!”

“Me?” I asked, a hint of unease in my voice. “Did Lord Rodd agree to this?”

“How would he have time to bother with such matters? The honored guests will be here any moment; if we don’t hurry, it will be too late!”

Without allowing me another word, Sister Fina grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the maids’ changing room.

Despite being drenched in sweat and smelling quite unpleasantly from splitting wood, Sister Fina gave me no chance to wash. She simply grabbed a wet towel, quickly wiped my face and arms, and then swiftly dressed me in a clean maid’s uniform.

The fabric of the dress felt cool and slightly damp, clinging to my still-moist skin, which was mildly uncomfortable. Yet, I couldn’t protest, allowing her to push me towards the castle’s reception hall.

“You don’t smell bad at all. You’re different from us, child; your sweat is fragrant!” Sister Fina patted my back, whispering a reminder, “Remember, these are honored guests from Bluewater Harbor. You absolutely mustn’t offend them!”

“Honored guests from Bluewater Harbor?” I murmured, feeling a strange tension in my heart.

Before entering the reception hall, I took a deep breath, steadied the tea tray, and cautiously pushed the door open.

It was precisely midday, and the reception hall was brightly lit. The gray-white stone walls diffused the light from outside the windows, making the space feel open and elegant.

A long wooden table stood in the center of the room. Its surface was smooth, gleaming faintly, and a subtle pine scent emanated from its wooden grain.

The guests from Bluewater Harbor were lounging casually on either side of the long table. Fruit from the fruit platter had been carelessly strewn about, juice spilling and staining the tabletop, leaving a messy scene.

“Hahahaha, do you know what?” one of them boasted, “That carriage merchant who opposed me for several years finally couldn’t hold on and I acquired his business. The first thing I did after taking over was fire all the elderly coachmen! These old fools, they work slowly and still dare to demand the same wages as the young ones? Utterly ridiculous!”

“Well done!” another guest gruffly chimed in, his voice full of mockery. “Now, almost the entire transportation industry on Moon Isle is in our hands. Those old geezers can work if they want; if not, they can get lost. There are plenty of strong young lads lining up for the job anyway.”

“That’s right,” a third man interjected with a cold chuckle, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “However, you two are still too merciful. A few days ago, when I went to collect on the ‘conscience loans’ I’d issued, I encountered a couple who couldn’t pay the interest. I had my men hold the husband down and ‘handled’ his wife right in front of him. Guess what? That coward didn’t even dare to fart. He only humbly begged me to waive some of the interest.”

“And did you waive it?” several asked with a jocular tone.

“Waive? Waive my ass!” The man sneered, a cunning expression on his face. “I told him that if he couldn’t pay next month, I’d send his wife to the brothel I own and use her body to pay off the debt.”

“Hahahaha, Mr. d*ck is truly a master businessman!”

The others roared with laughter, their voices filled with flattery.

“Oh, not at all, Mr. Cook is even better. You’re involved in the grain trade with Governor Sherlock; who in all of Bluewater Harbor can compare to you all?”

“Alas, this year’s luck isn’t good; the price of grain just can’t be pushed down,” Mr. Cook lamented. “If only there were another drought. During the last one a few years ago, the Governor and I made a fortune…”

“Oh, another one? How many people would die then?”

“Hmph… does it matter how many die? A thousand deaths is a number, ten thousand deaths is also a number. After all, those commoners are like cockroaches; give them some food, and they’ll always reproduce. Besides, if they don’t die, how would we grain merchants profit?”

“Makes sense, makes sense!”

These men spoke so casually, as if discussing a trivial matter of no importance.

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