CHAPTER 1

A gray wolf lay flat on the ground, looking up at its owner. Cecilia, the owner of the wolf and this grand mansion, gently stroked the wolf's forehead as she observed the new maid. Wolves were naturally untamable creatures, but Cecilia had an exceptional talent for taming the wild. Not only with animals but also with people.

"Am I scary?"

Cecilia's pronunciation was slightly different from the mainland. It was soft and elegant, yet firm. Perhaps it was because she had retained the habit of speaking French during her long study abroad. According to rumors, Cecilia had spent a long time studying abroad in France to learn trading skills from her father when she was young. What did she learn in France? Was her graceful attitude and smile something she acquired there? The new maid, Ariel, lifted her head to answer Cecilia's question.

"No, My Lady. It's just that I'm scared of dogs."

"If you're going to stay with me, you should get to know each other better. His name is Jackal."

"It sounds cool, but a little scary."

Just like you, My Lady. Ariel added silently in her mind. She wasn't particularly fond of animals, especially dogs that only obeyed their owners. In contrast to her, Cecilia looked at Jackal with a loving gaze, as if cherishing him.

As Cecilia got up from her seat, Jackal, who had been lying down, also stood up and followed his owner with slow steps. The sound of her golden heels tapping on the floor was pleasant to hear. It seemed like there were bells attached to the back of her shoes. Ariel found herself unintentionally looking at Cecilia's calves, but quickly lowered her gaze when Cecilia approached her abruptly.

"Take it. This is the maid's uniform you'll be wearing from now on."

Cecilia threw the clothes that had been hanging on the sofa. The color was dull, and the sleeves were wide. The large pockets made it look comfortable for work.

"Thank you. I'll change into it quickly and come back."

"You can change here, can't you?"

"Pardon?"

"Exactly as I said."

Cecilia, sitting on the velvet chair, looked at Ariel with a relaxed but assertive attitude, as if she had no intention of compromising on her decision.

Ariel briefly pondered this demeaning working environment while holding the maid's uniform. Working as a maid in this house meant she could earn 100 nits a month, which was three times more than her previous job. There were times when she had to undress in front of a male supervisor and show that she didn't have any concealed weapons hidden, in some households.

Compared to that, undressing in front of a woman... It should have been easy, but Cecilia's gaze didn't allow Ariel to think that way. Ariel intuitively knew that Cecilia, her new mistress, disliked having to answer twice. It was a keen sense she had acquired while serving numerous masters.

Ariel cautiously began unbuttoning her blouse. Button by button, the blouse gradually opened up, but Cecilia's expression remained unchanged. As Ariel took off her outer garments, she felt the cool air against her back. She purposely maintained a composed expression, trying not to show her embarrassment. Ariel had made a vow to endure any hardship when she fled from her previous owner to this mansion.

Ariel thought it was about enough and looked at Cecilia, asking to be dismissed, but Cecilia's gaze was telling her to remove everything, even her underwear. After hesitating for a moment, Ariel finally unfastened her undergarments and placed them on the floor. Despite her thin body due to not having enough to eat, her muscles had become firm from her long years as a maid. Ariel used her hand to awkwardly cover her chest and looked at Cecilia. Finally, Cecilia stood up from her seat and approached Ariel, slowly scanning her body.

"I heard you've been a maid for a long time."

"Yes, both my parents passed away, so our house was in a difficult situation..."

"When did you start this line of work?"

"When I was twelve, no, around ten..."

"It seems you were punished by your previous master."

Cecilia noticed the red marks on Ariel's back. Ariel became flustered and couldn't respond properly. She thought the wounds had completely disappeared by now... Being beaten as a maid was evidence that she couldn't fulfill her duties.

It seemed that she had gone to the extent of undressing just to see this. Ariel glanced anxiously at the letter on the vanity table. The envelope had been torn open, and the letter itself was halfway folded.

The letter was a recommendation letter written by the butler who had often helped Ariel before she escaped from her previous owner, recommending her as a maid. It described how capable and kind Ariel was, never having been beaten once and always taking care of errands without being asked. The letter expressed how regretful it was to send Ariel to another house, emphasizing how much she would be missed.

"These wounds won't easily disappear."

Cecilia's hand, adorned with white gloves, touched Ariel's back. Ariel had a shiver down her spine from the sudden contact and had to straighten her back. The sensation of the gloves was slippery. Although the areas where the old wounds had remained didn't have much sensitivity, the memories still stung.

Her previous owner would often torment Ariel, picking on trivial matters and wielding a whip made of leather to strike her back, just like when she would hit the male servants. There were also instances where she would throw pottery or books at Ariel. She was a deranged woman who enjoyed tormenting Ariel more than any other maid, known for her already aggressive temperament. Ariel, who had wandered through various households as a maid, had finally escaped to this extent.

"When I was young, I fell off a carriage. That's where this scar came from."

Ariel was afraid that she would once again be forced to wander. If she couldn't work here, she would have to roam the streets. She wanted to go back to her hometown, but she was afraid her previous owner would relentlessly search for her, so she crossed the sea and came here.

Not only was she in an unfavorable position, but she was also an orphan with no parents and a maid whom her previous owner disliked. She felt like nothing more than a passing pebble on the street. If they didn't like her, they could simply beat her for no reason while walking by. Maids were originally beings that ladies could use as they pleased, and when they became tattered, they could simply be tossed onto the street.

After being beaten, she would barely recover her body on the cold street and move on to find the next maid job. And if she couldn't get up, that would be the end of her day. She had been living like that for years, but she never wanted to go back to those dark alleys.

Cecilia smiled at Ariel, who was lying. Then she took off her gloves and placed them on the table, gesturing for Ariel to come closer. Did she catch Ariel in a lie? Ariel walked towards Cecilia, fearing she would be slapped. She had gone as far as forging a recommendation letter, so it wouldn't be strange for her to be punished now. No noblewoman would ever write a recommendation letter for a maid who hits people.

"In my opinion, it looks like there are still many scars in other places too."

Cecilia reached out her hand and gently stroked the thin, red scar beneath Ariel's neck. Then, she slowly moved downward, passing between Ariel's breasts and towards her belly button. There were faint scars even next to her belly button.

"What's this?" Cecilia asked as if she was inviting Ariel to answer. After a moment of contemplation, Ariel opened her mouth.

"...It's a scar from an appendix surgery."

"So, there are no scars from beatings at all."

"All my previous owners were kind to me and treated me well."

"You don't have to lie to me."

Cecilia whispered. Ariel looked into Cecilia's deep eyes and thought to herself.

If I were to reveal everything truthfully here, maybe she would pity me and let me stay for a night or two. As a young girl who has lived a pitiful and miserable life. Maybe she would give me a few coins and dress me in new clothes, offering warm food.

My previous owner, how much she beat me painfully and starved me for a long time. I just tried my best to survive, but the more I tried, the more tangled things became, like an entangled thread. I had nothing, and I only experienced unjust events... But still, I couldn't die, so I somehow managed to keep living, saying that I would survive no matter what...

However, the expiration date for sympathy is short. It's more fleeting than a flower. Flowers can temporarily bring joy to others with their own abilities, but help driven by sympathy is more like incurring debt. 

You have to keep selling your own misfortune to repay that debt and fulfill the other person's satisfaction of having helped a pitiful person. To become happy, you have to constantly proclaim how pitiful you are. Of course, those who offered help would spit you out like a piece of discarded gum once they heard enough of your unfortunate stories.

Ariel, on the other hand, wanted to become a useful person. Someone without an unfortunate past, someone who does their work diligently and faithfully, someone who has enough value to be rewarded.

"I am always sincere, My lady. I've been lucky to always meet good owners. I think it will be the same this time as well."

Ariel respectfully bowed her head and greeted. As Cecilia looked at Ariel, she couldn't help but be reminded of the day she first brought home a jackal. It used to be the leader of a wolf pack, but after growing old and sick, it lost its rank within the pack. It was a giant gray wolf, defeated in a fight, with severe injuries and bleeding, lying on the snowy plains. 

Everyone objected, but Cecilia insisted and brought the wolf home to treat its wounds.

"...A faithful maid, indeed."

Cecilia stood up from her seat and took out a small jar from the drawer of the vanity, filled with jewels. When she opened the lid adorned with rubies, there was ointment inside. As Cecilia approached Ariel again, the latter tensed up and watched her intently.

However, Cecilia dipped her finger into the ointment and gently stroked Ariel's neck. Ariel was taken aback but remained still as Cecilia applied the ointment. Cecilia began to apply the ointment to the wounds all over Ariel's body. Cecilia's hands felt smooth and carried a pleasant scent, as if she had applied a fine perfume. Ariel found Cecilia's touch with the cold ointment slightly ticklish.

"Ouch..."

When Cecilia touched a relatively recent wound, Ariel flinched. It was a wound on her side, near her pelvis. Even if she asked, Ariel wouldn't provide a proper answer. Cecilia looked at Ariel's expression as if finding it adorable and continued to apply the ointment, running her fingers along Ariel's skin following the line of her pelvis.

Considering the number of wounds, the inner skin was surprisingly soft. Meryl had said that if she didn't like a maid, she could kick them out anytime and that there was a line of maids who wanted to enter this mansion. But Cecilia found Ariel appealing.

Despite having numerous scars, she had a resilient skin, an unwavering gaze, and a skillful way of lying. Plus, she still had that youthful plumpness and a healthy-looking cute face. Now, she belonged to Cecilia. As Cecilia gently inserted her fingertip into the gap between Ariel's buttocks, on the wide cleft of her Venus, she pondered.

[1,943 words]

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