The Runaway Maid is Loved by the Archmage - Chapter 4
Huh?
Roina, her vision blurred by blood, looked towards the source of the familiar voice. There stood Lady Maili, carrying a basket and looking furious.
“Marquis Amasto! Oh my, what brings you to such a lowly place… It’s just that this girl was being disobedient, so I was just…”
The man named Matt began to make excuses, breaking out in a cold sweat at the sight of her. Roina, freed from his grasp, brushed off her wrinkled clothes and took out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from her forehead. The younger one had already disappeared.
“He was trying to r**e me.”
“This lowly creature, how dare she! Oh, I’m so wronged, my lady. She’s framing me. No, what was it… She was being so insolent, a slave like her, so I was just trying to teach her a lesson…”
Even though it was obvious that Roina had been about to be assaulted, the older stable boy was making up ridiculous excuses, claiming that he was just sitting there and that Roina had seduced him.
Maili looked down at him coldly and spoke in a frigid voice.
“Do you think the laws of the palace are a joke?”
“Yes, yes?”
“It’s absurd that you would try to r**e a woman and then make such feeble excuses. Even if she had done something wrong, it’s not your place to punish her. That’s the law of the palace.”
“But… she’s a slave…”
“I don’t want to hear it. If you don’t want to lose your head for a crime you didn’t commit, shut up and get out of here.”
“Yes, yes!”
The man quickly ran away. Roina sighed.
“Damn this class system… Damn the strong preying on the weak. Thanks to you, Lady Maili, I’m alive.”
“Don’t think I did this for you. You’re so gloomy, staying alone in a place like this, of course people like this will come after you!”
Maili turned away abruptly and spoke gruffly. Roina smiled bitterly.
“Well, I appreciate it.”
“Whatever, you’ve ruined my appetite. I was going to have a picnic here and enjoy the sunset, but you ruined it all! It’s all your fault, so you’re responsible!”
Maili said this and shoved the heavy basket she was carrying into Roina’s arms. Roina stared at her blankly, but Maili had already turned and was walking away. Her ears seemed slightly red in the setting sun.
“Hmph, go throw that trash away! I don’t need it anymore!”
Roina stared blankly at her back before opening the basket. Inside were neatly wrapped sandwiches, strawberry jam, and milk.
****
Time flew by as Roina dealt with the aftermath of reporting the stable boys to the palace guards.
She had no time to eat the sandwich Maili had given her and hid it in her room. The idea of having a picnic during working hours was absurd. Besides, the place where they had been was near the garbage disposal, and it had a strange, unpleasant smell. It wasn’t the kind of place a noble lady would choose for a picnic.
“She’s never shown me any kindness before…”
Roina thought it was best not to get her hopes up. She didn’t want to get hurt again. Perhaps Maili had felt a fleeting sense of pity or curiosity, but it was unlikely that Maili would want to be friends with her. For Maili’s sake, it would be better for her to keep her distance.
“And…”
Two noble-born maids who had been whispering to each other glanced at Roina as she left her quarters, sneering. It was as if they were gloating over her injury or daring her to do something about it. Or perhaps both.
“I wish I was being paranoid… They have too much free time.”
Even though she was a maid herself, she muttered to herself. It was clear that there were malicious peers who had targeted her. Roina memorized the faces of the two maids, pretending not to notice.
