I Left the Time-limited Villainous Duke Without Saving Him

Episode 1

“My whole life was dedicated to my people. I believed that my body was there to watch over them, and my intellect was there to protect them. But looking back now, I think it was only  my illusion.”

【The complaints are long. What will you give to yourself? What will you get for yourself?】

“I will give myself a trim and fatten myself. That alone will get me what I want.”

【I pray for you. This time, I hope you put down a heavy and golden seat* and enjoy a trivial life. 】

***

Whoo~

At the sound of the kettle boiling, I quickly grabbed a thick dishcloth and removed it from the fire.

It was quite heavy for a ten-year-old child to lift, but humans are animals that adapt quickly, they have learned some tricks.

After pouring the thin, steamy tea into a crude cup, I added more tea leaves to the kettle and boiled it. The richly brewed tea was poured into a beautiful porcelain cup covered with gold lining. I put it in a tray and hurriedly carried it to the servant’s dining room.

“It’s cold, so please warm up with tea.”

“Oh, Betty. Thank you.”

“Suu, suu.”

Those who had been eating already to some extent welcomed the hot tea.

The front of the table which had been noisy for a while became quiet again with the sight of the strict maid. That maid doesn’t like hearing gossips during meals.

The butler, who had a light breakfast as to not burden his stomach, was reading the newspaper. I pretended to be carrying tea and glanced at the newspaper he was reading.

Even in a black and white picture, I could witness the dazzling beauty of a young princess.

Judging from a quick glance, there must have been an accident during the coronation. I met the ‘female lead’, ‘male lead’, and ‘villain’ of this world easily.

The ‘original plot’ is going smoothly regardless of me.

“Oh, the tea is a little cold.”

While heading to the end of the table where my reserved seat is, the maid, Anne, who was in charge of serving guests, gave me a pint glass.

She was a chef who wouldn’t miss out on nagging, she cleared her throat with a cough and talked to me in a solemn voice.

“Betty, on a cold winter day like this, you have to brew more tea before bringing them out. It all cooled down on your way here, you should try that.”

I took a sip with Meg’s permission from the seat next to me.

“Haha, it really is. I’m sorry, Chef Anne.”

“You boiled it like this, but it’s very cold, isn’t it? How would you feel from a recipient’s view if you were served with cold tea like this?”

I nodded my head as if to sympathize without any rebuke.

“I would be surprised at how cold the tea is. I will be more careful next time.”

“Yeah, it’s your first winter here so you might have not known. Be careful next time.”

“Yes.”

Usually, the chef would pull out verses 2, 3, and 4, but it ended here because the strict maid seemed to notice.

I quickly glanced over the table. The castle owners almost neglected all the guests, and the servants of the castle had an overly luxurious meal.

Even if there is a lot of expensive food to offer to the nobles, the superiors don’t look for them, so it’s all ours. No, to be precise, it is the responsibility of the servants except me.

Only a few slices of bread and fruit jam were all that was left on the table as if all the food had been eaten already during my brief tea brewing period.

The bread was so crumbly that I didn’t know when it was baked, but I had to eat it all in a hurry. Because I need to eat well to survive the afternoon.

“Just throw it away. It looks like everyone already ate enough.”

It had not been a while since I put my butt on the chair, but I had no choice but to stand up again.

I was about to go out with a tower of plates that were left stacked on the table, but Meg, who works in the kitchen, was putting all kinds of fruits, desserts, and coffee on a large tray. We cautiously passed each other, familiar with the work.

I went down to the kitchen and headed outside to fetch water from the well for washing dishes. This is a well-developed world with water and sewage facilities comparable to the modern world, but I still have to draw water from the well always.

This is because when the chef was still in charge of washing the dishes like me, she had to draw water from the well. So no matter how good the years had passed, I still have to draw water from the well to wash dishes.

If I had just been a regular ten-year-old, I might have secretly wiped my tears out of shame. But in my previous life, I was a person who learned the way of a small citizen to deal with injustice.

When something like this happens, it is important to keep your mind as light and positive as possible.

Even if I think about it, I might just suddenly burst out, and my blood pressure would rise.

It’s just like, ‘Oh, my professor is talking nonsense again.’ It can’t really be helped.

“Betty, are you going to carry that water? Give it to me.”

“Oh, it’s okay.”

“How would you carry it? Give it.”

I was carefully walking up the stairs when Gilbert, the footman in charge of servicing the guests, appeared and took my kettle.

Assisting in the work of other workers was a violation of the discipline of the mansion, and it is strictly forbidden in any mansion.

But Gilbert would always help me with my work while avoiding the eyes of others. It may be because I just feel sorry for the others, but I am still afraid of the other finding out because I’m still new.

Besides, Gilbert is a footman, so he wears an expensive uniform. On a day that he would need to go out for work then help me before that and get blemishes on his uniform… I don’t even want to imagine.

I said in a panicky voice.

“Well, then, leave it in front of the back door.”

“Are you going to carry it from there?”

“Yes, it’s not too far from the well anyway. Hurry up and eat some desserts.”

“Yes, Betty. Thanks for your effort.”

Hey, there’s nothing wrong with being tall and strong.

If I was alone, I would have climbed a few steps and rested, then climbed a few steps and rested while going up to the back door, but Gilbert went up the stairs in just a few steps even with that large tin kettle.

I dazedly admired it, then hurried to say thanks.

As Gilbert was about to go upstairs, he poked his face through the railing of the stairs and smiled broadly.

Gilbert is the most handsome of the Duke’s footmen. Anne said that Tony with thick lines is more handsome than Gilbert, but in my opinion, Gilbert is the most handsome.

How desperate I am just to see him smile like that sometimes. If I were 10 years older, I would have already attacked him.

‘Oh, wake up! Right now I’m 10 years old!’

As I was salivating, I quickly woke up from my thoughts, climbed the stairs, picked up the kettle, and headed towards the well.

The extras are even that pretty. How pretty are the main characters in the original story? Even from afar, I want to see their faces in person. I sighed deeply at the thought.

No matter how much other people are reincarnated as extras, they hopefully get along with the original characters, but the only thing I did, was using my knowledge of the ‘original story’, was to find a job.

Bernhardt Lirie Janus, who later grew up to be the darkest villain of this world, inherited the title of Duke at the young age of twelve. After that, he only went out and paid no attention to household duties.

As the servants who had connections with the vassals were purged in large numbers, the Duke’s Castle, which was filled with only high-quality employees, suffered from an unprecedented lack of manpower.

Even if the castle was left unattended, it still needs enough basic manpower. However, to hire a large number of servants, the budget for it has to be increased and to increase the budget, you need to get the owner’s permission.

Taking advantage of such circumstances, I manage to become a duke’s maid without any recommendation letter at such a young age.

At the orphanage, I got involved with children in their mid to late teens, so I lied that I was 14 without changing a single expression on my face, but the maid closed her eyes as I was nimble and quick to move and I only need to receive a small salary.

‘Once I build my career here, I will get a recommendation letter and work somewhere else.’

Even if I survive for just 1 year, I can still work as a ‘duke’s maid’. And even if the scale is small, I may be able to try to become a chef if I could find a more proper kitchen job and then build up my career there step by step.

If I got married on the way, I might be able to find a nanny position. Then, while working as a nanny, I can study in my spare time and consider a job as a tutor.

I had a simple but healthy plan for the future, so I didn’t hesitate to wash the dishes even though my hands were full of eczema.*

Look, didn’t I reach the well already?

I didn’t even know that my hands were sore as I came up with a plan for the future that would be beneficial. I gathered my sore hands and blew hot winds with my mouth to warm them.

And a wooden bucket is connected to a pulley to draw water into the kettle.

“Hey.”

In an instant, a human hand protruded out of the well, like a scene from that one horror movie. Then a whitish figure appeared.

Surprised, I accidentally threw the wooden bucket into the well. The boy who had been hit with it straight on the face fell down again.

It was only after hearing the sound of splashing that I came to my senses.

That white-haired boy I just dropped back into the well, obviously, obviously…

‘Duke Janus, the owner of this estate, and the villain of the original story.’