The next day, Lilian woke up refreshed, and as usual, she had breakfast with the maids.
“Lilian…”
Little maid Eileen mumbled through a mouthful of food, her words slurred, “Yesterday, the young mistress suddenly said that from now on, I’m responsible for her morning affairs… Do you want to continue doing the young mistress’s hair today?”
【Apprentice Maid】
【Experience Points: 45/100】
“Sure.” Lilian glanced at her experience points and agreed.
Brushing Elenora’s hair would make her happy, and combined with the act itself, she would earn 3 experience points every day.
Not much, but better than nothing.
Although Lilian had no idea what had happened, Elenora had assigned Eileen to take care of her morning routines.
Well, it was still a good thing. Although the other maids treated Lilian well, her relationship with Eileen was stronger.
Lilian had been pondering how to explain to the maids that she was going to brush the young mistress’s hair.
Now that it was taken care of by someone familiar, things were much easier.
Just like yesterday, Eileen went in first to dress Elenora, then Lilian entered to brush her hair.
Elenora sat in front of the vanity, eyes closed, resting.
This time, unlike yesterday, when Lilian picked up the comb and started brushing, Elenora asked softly, “Lilian?”
Since she’d be coming every day from now on, Lilian confidently responded with a simple “Hmm.”
Elenora pursed her lips but said nothing.
A silence fell between them, broken only by the sound of the comb sliding through hair, echoing in the room.
Although Lilian kept her expression calm as she brushed, alarms were blaring inside her mind.
Something was off.
Nine times out of ten, something was definitely off.
Normally, Elenora should have reacted by now—bursting with experience points, so to speak.
Why was there absolutely no reaction today?
Could it be that yesterday, after saying a few words and seeing no response, she had been holding back something big?
Lilian inwardly shivered.
That petty young mistress was truly wicked! Was she toying with her?
Lilian made up her mind: no matter what Elenora said, she would stick to playing dead.
“Um…” Elenora’s voice hesitated, as if wanting to speak but holding back.
Here it comes!
Lilian braced herself.
“Lilian… how have the recent training sessions been?”
Just that question?
Lilian took a breath, about to say “very smooth,” but immediately caught on.
This was Elenora setting a trap!
Steering the topic toward training, then twisting it to criticize her progress and attitude, before returning to the previous statement of “I want to protect my mistress!”
And then probably something like, “You’re not worthy of protecting me!” Maybe even dragging it back to the hair brushing.
“You don’t deserve to brush my hair!”
The thought of being kicked out of the room, banned forever from coming in the mornings, made Lilian want to end the world right then and there.
No, no! Not that!
Elenora, without you, how will I get experience points? Without raising your favorability, what will happen to my plans?
Exhaling a breath of frustration, Lilian reaffirmed her resolve: no matter what Elenora said or asked, she would adhere strictly to the three-no principle—“Don’t know, don’t understand, no comment.”
Lilian lowered her head and took another breath.
Wait, this question couldn’t be answered with that principle.
So she used a universal template to reply to Elenora: “It’s okay.”
Seeing Lilian’s reaction, Elenora’s expression darkened and she bit her lip.
She clearly saw that when she asked Lilian, Lilian’s eyes brightened as if happy to be asked that question.
Then, as if remembering something, she swallowed what she was about to say and sighed.
Finally, she lowered her head and reluctantly answered, “It’s alright.”
Elanora’s heart clenched painfully; her nose stung.
Lilian was definitely hurt.
It was her own fault for speaking thoughtlessly.
So the silence between them settled again.
Lilian felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.
Hurry up and finish brushing!
Sorry, young mistress, I spoke too loudly before. You’re not a petty person. You’re my brother…
No, you’re my sister!
Sis, I beg you, don’t think about how to torment your brother anymore!
But Lilian was afraid of hurting Elenora, giving her a reason to kick her out, so she brushed carefully.
Even more carefully than before.
Elenora clearly sensed the change in the girl’s movements behind her.
Her chest tightened painfully.
Maybe it really was better to apologize properly.
Even if that ran counter to her goal of making Lilian hate her.
She hoped Lilian hated her because of incompatible values or because the humiliation had gone too far—not because Lilian had opened her heart to her only to have it cruelly cut open like a bleeding wound.
Maybe Lilian didn’t hate her at all. She was just hiding her feelings and silently waiting for the wound to heal.
“Lili—”
Just as the apology was about to come out, the girl behind her put down her hair and said, “Mistress…”
She paused, then gave a proper bow. “I’ll take my leave now. There’s something urgent with the training.”
Then she hurriedly left the room.
Elenora opened her mouth, wanting to call Lilian back, but found she had no voice.
So she curled up in her chair, hugging her legs.
Lilian stepped out of the room and exhaled deeply.
【Brushed Mistress’s Hair, Experience Points +1】
Good thing she escaped before the big move was unleashed.
Scary stuff—bro, not even gaining experience for being called “Mistress.”
Elenora, you were strong today.
“All done?” Eileen leaned against the wall and greeted Lilian as she came out.
Lilian nodded, “Then I’m off to train. You do your best.”
Eileen happily slipped into the room.
Nice, now every day they would have sweets from the young mistress and Lilian.
But then, seeing the scene inside the room, Eileen froze solid.
The young mistress curled up like an injured young animal, her expression low, eyes vacant, radiating an aura of sadness.
What on earth had happened?
What had occurred while she was out of the room?
Why did the young mistress look so broken?
But Lilian left with everything seemingly fine and even relaxed.
Could it be…?
Eileen remembered stories the maids had shared with her—novel snippets about similar scenes.
Bad woman Lilian teased the pure young mistress, who finally developed feelings and decided to confess that morning, only to be told by the bad woman, “I was just playing around.” Then, bad woman Lilian smiled and left, leaving the heartbroken young mistress alone in an empty room!?
Meow, the more Eileen thought about it, the more it made sense.
Ever since Lilian fainted that day, her interactions with the young mistress had been full of the bad woman’s teasing tone. How could she have been so foolish to ship Lilian and the young mistress?
She was blind!
Lilian, you’re truly evil! I must punish you!
Alas, poor young mistress, so cruelly toyed with by the bad woman’s heart.
Eileen cautiously approached Elenora, afraid the young mistress might shatter right before her eyes.
Seeing Eileen, Elenora looked at her as if questioning, or maybe blaming herself.
“Eileen… I think I hurt Lilian…”
What?
Eileen felt her brain about to short-circuit.
What did you mean, you hurt Lilian?
Young mistress, you’re truly wicked!