The Misfortune Of Loving You · 27. May 2025

Misfortune 56

Chapter 56

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"Cut it."

Roan said, as if he didn't need to hear any more.

Unfortunately, he hadn't had a good reason to throw the head maid in jail. She was a thorough woman, after all, when it came to keeping herself safe.

So instead, Roan decided to make her precious prestige worth less than a rag.

No one would hire a maid who had been cast out without a letter of recommendation. So that she could never set foot in the world she once belonged to again.

It wouldn't take much to discredit her, just a rumor of her expulsion from his mansion would be enough.

Add to that, just in case, if anyone tried to help her might get into trouble, even out of the goodness of their heart.

"Besides that................"

The butler then proceeded to report on the remaining dispositions.

Finally, after reporting that several of the maids who had joined Alice in harassing the slave would be sent away with her, the butler suddenly bowed deeply.

"I apologize for not being able to properly manage our employees.”

"...."

"It is all my fault, and I will take responsibility and step down, I am truly sorry, Colonel."

Roan let out a shallow sigh. The butler didn’t straighten unless given permission.

It certainly a part of it was the butler's fault. It was the job of the superior to manage the subordinate.

And that also applied to Roan himself.

After all, it was Roan who put the head maid in her position. Even if he hadn't gotten to know her much since he'd only been in the capital for a short time.

He knew she valued her reputation above all else, which meant she was conservative and passive.

If she were a soldier, he would have ripped her head off in a heartbeat, but as a maid, he decided she wasn't bad.

Indeed, Roan had never been bothered by her before, even considering his shortcomings as an employer.

But Delnia's arrival at the manor had changed his assessment entirely.

Not once, but twice, when the head maid had offered Josephine the slave to use, using the excuse that she could not refuse the will of the Viscount’s daughter.

Roan had begun to resent the cowardice of the head maid who was only concerned with her own self-interest.

If only he had gotten rid of her right then, none of this would have happened.

No matter how much he thought about it, he could never know. What ifs were only what ifs.

But it was clear that the butler could not be blamed entirely.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear your last remark."

"But, Colonel..................."

"If you really want to take responsibility, Milan, stay and do your part."

Roan's reminder of responsibility was enough to convince the butler not to resign.

With no head maid, and a number of servants soon to be evicted, it was inevitable that the mansion would become untidy, and he could not afford to have the butler's position vacant.

The butler eventually bowed even deeper than he already was and accepted the situation.

***

Delnia's fever, which had begun to rise again, did not go down easily this time, and she was bedridden for several days.

Even when she was unconscious, she could still feel the coolness of a wet towel on her feverish body, and the occasional cool touch in between.

In her sleep, Delnia buried her face in a palm she didn't recognize. The coolness of the hand felt good.

Like when Sophie had rubbed medicine on her throbbing leg.

Or even later at night, when her mother came to visit her unannounced and awkwardly stroked her hair.

Maybe that was why, like the time she'd feigned sleep in desperation for her mother not to leave, Delnia had squeezed her eyes shut instead of trying to figure out who the hand belonged to. Hoping the touch would linger just a little longer.

Several nights passed like that before her fever finally broke and she came fully awake.

"Are you awake?"

Someone asked as she stumbled to her feet.

It was Margaret, the only maid she knew by name.

Margaret laid her hand on Delnia's forehead before she could even pretend to recognize her.

"Hmm, your fever seems to have gone down significantly, but how are you feeling? Are you able to move around?"

Delnia nodded her head wordlessly. Her body felt heavy, like a soaked cotton ball, but it didn't hurt.

"Yes. Then I’ll go get you something to eat."

Margaret nodded her head in approval, and with that, she walked out of the room.

Left alone, Delnia looked around dazedly. Strange wallpaper and furniture she'd only seen once before came into view.

As she looked around the room where Roan had given her, Margaret returned. She carried a tray filled with something.

"Here's a special cream stew from my hometown. In my village, we always eat this when we have a cold. It's full of healthful ingredients, so it will help you digest and warm you up."

Margaret said ambitiously as she placed the dish right next to the bed for her patient.

The stew, piled high with vegetables and meat, smelled rich and cheesy, as if no expense had been spared. The smell of the food filled Delnia with a hunger she hadn't realized she had.

"Eat up. You'll need all of it, no leftovers, to keep your strength up."

As Delnia stared down at her much improved meal, Margaret held out a spoon and urged her to eat.

Delnia obediently took the spoon, but instead of stirring the stew, she spoke up for the first time.

"Did Margaret make this yourself?"

"Huh? Uh, it's just that........... the kitchen was so busy today that it happened."

Margaret had actually asked the chef to let her cook just this once, but somehow she was embarrassed to tell the truth, so Margaret lied.

In fact, Margaret had always remembered how Delnia had been dragged away by Alice before she could take a bite of her omelet.

If only she had been more courageous then. No, if she had stood up to Alice when she tried to frame Delnia.........

She regretted it when she was looking after the woman who was feverish and delirious, looking for someone in her unconsciousness.

She wanted to make her at least one meal with her own hands.

"I didn't know when you'd wake up, so I made it in the morning and reheated it now........... Is it not good? Should I ask the chef to make it again?”

Margaret asked nervously, surely the chef's skills would be better than hers.

But Delnia quickly shook her head.

"No, it's fine."

She looked at Margaret and said, "

"Thank you, Margaret. I'll eat better this time."

"Uh, yes. Yes."

Margaret scratched her chin nervously at the unfamiliar gratitude. But the corners of her mouth twitched upward in a smile.

Delnia, watching, moved her spoon with a faint smile as well.

She scooped up a big spoonful and popped it into her mouth, the savory yet mild flavor coating her tongue. It was a wonderful stew that actually warmed her body.

As Delnia slowly emptied her bowl, Margaret filled her in on the events that had transpired at the manor while she was out cold.

"Anyway, with the head maid and the other maids leaving the manor, we're pretty short-handed, and although the butler is looking for people, it'll be a while before things are back to normal."

"I see..................."

Delnia muttered softly, not the least bit pleased that her tormentors were gone, but her heart was heavy.

Perhaps because their sins were never considered greater than hers.

Objectively speaking, they had done nothing more than harass a slave. Even the blood of her enemies could not compare to the loss of her only remaining family.

But Margaret couldn't help but feel terrible for her.

Delnia gulped down the carrots that were crunching softly in her mouth and forced the corners of her mouth upward to continue the conversation.

"Margaret must have a lot on her plate, then, and I wonder if I'm taking up too much of her time."

"Me? I'm fine. The Colonel personally gave me the order to look after you."

"He did ......?"

Delnia repeated in disbelief.

Margaret, noticing how pale her face had turned in surprise, added as if it were no big deal.

"Well, you’re a patient, of course you’ve gotta have someone there to take care of you."

She didn’t know why, but if she confessed that the Colonel had praised her for exposing all of Alice's misdeeds, or how the other maids were jealous of Delnia for gaining the Colonel's trust, she felt like the patient who had barely managed to wake up would faint again.