A Capable Maid

‘What’s going on?’ She tilted her head as she went to Susan’s room.

“Miss Susan, what’s the matter?” 

“Ah, Marie. Welcome.” Susan greeted her with a smile. Compared to her previous ferocious* behavior, she had softened up a lot. 

*the direct translation of 잡아먹다 is to eat/prey on/slaughter something. it’s usually used for wild animals. but when it’s used to describe a human, it means to torture or harass someone terribly like how predatory animals behave in the wild

“Are you having a lot of difficulty? Thank you for your continuous hard work.” 

“Not at all.” Marie listened to the compliment with an awkward expression.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of compliments about you in the palace these days.” 

“Thank you.”

“I hope you continue to be consistent with your excellent work.”

After singing her praises, Susan went back to business. “The reason I called you here today is to inform you of your transfer.”

“Am I changing workplace?” 

“Yes. I think you should go and work somewhere else for a while.”

“Where am I going?”

Susan continued talking over her tea. “You know that the Empire’s Banquet Anniversary is soon, right?”

Of course, she knew. It was the largest event in the empire, with banquets and festivals observed throughout the week. Soon, every maid in the palace will be busy preparing for the festival. 

“As the banquet coincides with the death anniversary of the crown prince’s biological mother—the third Empress—the Rose Palace’s garden will be redecorated in her honor.”

“…”

“But they’re short of hands, so a request for assistance came in.”

“Then I will go there to redecorate the garden?”

“Of course not. It will be carried out by the professional landscapers. Marie, all you have to do is go and assist them.” 

“…I see.” 

Susan tilted her head when she finished explaining. She wasn’t particularly hard on her, but Marie’s expression looked strange. 

Was she upset about something? “Marie, is there any problem?” 

“N-No. I’ll go there right away. Thank you.”

Leaving the puzzled Susan behind, Marie left the room with a troubled expression on her face. 

‘Landscaping?’ She recalled her dream last night. 

「Then I look forward to your next work… Fiona, the Seeker of the Garden.」

She didn’t know for sure, but it was most likely that the person in her dream was someone who did garden-related art.

Could it be that it has to do with this event? But Marie immediately shook her head. She thought, ‘I guess not. Why does it matter anyway, the landscaping will be done by professionals, and I, the maid, will only offer assistance.‘

***

Thus, Marie went on to work in the rose garden of the Imperial Palace. 

“Nice to meet you! I am Marie, a maid from the Lily Palace!” She greeted merrily.

The landscapers, who had been working since morning, looked back at her. 

“Are you the young maid?” 

“Yes. I look forward to working with you!”*

*the direct translation is please take care of me/treat me well

“I look forward to your kind cooperation. Let’s do well from now on.”

A middle-aged man who looked like her father’s age smiled warmly at her and said, “Yes, I look forward to collaborating with you.” 

“Be careful not to get hurt, the tools are quite hazardous.” 

Fortunately, the landscapers gave her a friendly welcome. Although they had different affiliations—her in housekeeping and them in charge of events—to a group of landscapers that were filled with men, it was a pleasant surprise that a young woman joined them.

“It won’t be particularly difficult. Just follow what we ask you to do.” 

According to Hans, the general manager, her task wouldn’t be that challenging. The landscaping work fell to them, while she only had to cater to their needs; bringing meals, running simple errands, and cleaning up after them. It was so simple that it felt more relaxed compared to working at the Lily Palace. 

‘There’s nothing special after all.’ She expected something different just in case—because of a dream she had a while ago—but it seems she didn’t have anything else to do.

‘Good, it’s easy work.’ 

It was hard being outside on a hot summer day, but other than that, everything else was quite alright. 

And best of all—

“Marie, don’t stay out in the sun in such a hot weather. Go sit under the tree.” 

“Right. Your face is all burned, you have nothing else to do right now, so go get some rest.”

Even though she hadn’t done much, all of them were nice to her. Hans—the general manager—was especially kind to her, telling her that she reminded him of the daughter he left behind at home. 

“Maybe it tastes better because Marie took great care of it.” Hans smiled as he ate the sandwich. 

“There’s still more, so eat to your heart’s content.”

“Yes, thank you. Marie, you can sit down and rest too. You’ve been walking around all day.” 

“Oh, I’m fine…”

“Sit down, sit down. No one’s watching.” 

“T-Thank you.”

Marie sat down beside him. 

“Have you eaten?”

“Not yet…”

“Oh my.” Hans clicked his tongue.

“Even though you’re busy, you have to eat properly. What if you get thinner?” At those solicitous words, Marie’s heart swelled. After her mother died, there was no one left who cared about her. When she entered the palace as the King’s long lost daughter, she was only pelted with abuse. Not to mention, after the kingdom fell, she became a maid. 

Hearing Hans’ affectionate words made her inexplicably think of her mother, so she changed the subject. “Landscaping seems very difficult.” 

Compared to the landscapers, she was only running errands. Trimming and cutting the branches, planting flowers, arranging the flower beds—it was a complete undertaking.

“Hm? Of course it’s difficult, but it’s fun nonetheless.” said Hans, the general manager. “We landscapers bring happiness to those who visit the garden.” 

“Bring happiness…” Marie murmured softly. Such a wonderful phrase. 

‘I wish I could be a person who could provide happiness to others.’ Although she was lowly and insignificant, she wanted to become that kind of person someday.

Hans sighed deeply. “I’m worried, though.”

“…?” 

“If Highness will like it.”

Marie’s face darkened. It reminded her of the crown prince, the person who ordered to landscape the garden. 

Rael, the Prince of Blood! 

The name couldn’t be any scarier. Born as a bastard, he clambered up to be the crown prince, shedding countless amounts of blood in the process. He was also called the prince of bloody iron mask, due to the iron mask he always wore, which was constantly dried up with blood. 

‘The Crown Prince made the Kingdom of Cloyan fall.’ She suddenly remembered when the kingdom was captured. The crown prince looked every bit like the devil incarnate with his blood-stained iron mask and sword.

‘A lot of time has passed already, I doubt they’ll find out my identity now.’ Still, just thinking about him made her shudder in fear. He’s such a cruel prince that she could not imagine what kind of punishment he would inflict if he was not satisfied with the garden’s landscape. Especially, Hans, the general manager, could have his throat sliced. Although the Crown Prince had never taken the lives of his subordinates yet, he was a tyrant who wielded his sword as he pleased. 

Marie said quickly, “I don’t know much about landscaping, but it looks to be decorated nicely. I’m sure the Crown Prince will be pleased with it.” 

Hans smiled. “Well, like the French style gardens in the Third Empress’ hometown, the vista method is adopted, along with geometric patterns, so I don’t think His Highness will hate it.” 

The vista method.

i genuinely do not know if this is a true landscaping jargon, i tried searching it to make sense of it, but im as clueless as a fish.

The path extends in a linear fashion, symbolizing prestige, while the interior is formed with geometric patterns. 

“The landscape gardening is fine, but there’s still a problem.” 

“What is it?”

“I’m having difficulty with the Third Empress’ sculpture.” 

“Ah…” Marie covered her mouth. She understood what it meant.

“I’m going to put the sculpture of the Third Empress at the center of the garden, but I’m not sure if His Highness will like it.”

Hans put on a worried expression. “The Crown Prince’s filial devotion to the Third Empress, who died ten years ago for being falsely accused, is well known. If His Highness dislikes this even a little bit, I can’t fathom how he will express his anger.” 

Hans sighed deeply and shook his head. “I’m dumping you all sorts of things. I’m sorry.” 

“N-Not at all.” 

“Perhaps because of my daughter at home, you don’t feel like a stranger. She’s exactly the same age as you.” 

Hans rose from his seat and called out to the landscapers who were resting. “Come! If you’re done eating, let’s get back to work.” 

“Yes!” 

Marie looked worried as she watched them busily start again. “I hope it works out.”

For her, both the garden and the sculpture were well-made, but of course, everyone had different standards. 

‘If the Prince of Blood didn’t like it.’ Marie shuddered at that thought.

‘Where is Princess Morina? I must find her.’ He muttered as he looked for her with his sword soaked in blood.

If she hadn’t dressed up as a maid at the time, she would have lost her life. With his cold iron mask, he didn’t seem to have any mercy in his bones. 

‘If the sculpture is not to his liking, his anger would be inescapable.’ She may not know for sure, but at the minimum, the sculptor in charge would be punished severely. 

‘Oh, Mr. Hans.’ Marie bit her lip. It was none other than Hans, the general manager, who sculpted the Third Empress’ likeness, owing to his reputation as the best landscaper and sculptor in the empire.