Anna, maidservant of the Baron Pomphrey household, was a native of Oclama.
Her family had lived there since her great-grandparents’ generation, putting down roots in the land and building their lives there. She herself had been born and raised in Oclama her entire life, and once she reached the age to earn her own living, she entered Oclama Castle as a maid.
Nine years had passed since then. Once the year turned over, it would make ten.
Anna knew Oclama’s geography and its people like the back of her hand, making her exactly the kind of person Eleanor needed.
A maid who understood the land thoroughly and knew the daily lives of the territory’s residents inside and out.
Vanessa had not directly recommended a maid to her, but instead had sent Anna through the butler.
“My name is Anna. I look forward to serving you, my lady.”
Anna greeted her with obvious nervousness.
Members of the Stykov family had visited before, but she had never seen one this closely. Most of them had only been attended by the maids they brought with them, and Eleanor herself had been served solely by Lisa ever since arriving.
“I’ll be in your care too, Anna.”
Eleanor smiled gently.
Anna’s cheeks instantly flushed red.
Oclama was a rural territory in the south. Deep down, Anna had always wanted to see up close a noble lady who had come all the way from Bayern, the Empire’s greatest capital city, and now she stole shy glances at Eleanor.
Seen from nearby, Eleanor was elegance itself.
Her soft capital accent sounded almost melodic. A faint floral fragrance lingered whenever she passed by. Since the very first day she arrived, she had worn one beautiful dress after another—styles never once seen in Oclama.
The laundry maids worried every time they handled them, afraid the garments might fall apart if touched too roughly.
And to Anna’s eyes, Eleanor was breathtakingly beautiful.
Skin pale and flawless like carved ivory. Smooth wheat-colored hair cascading gently down her back. Eyes shining more brilliantly than sapphire jewels. Beautiful red lips. A perfectly straight nose.
Anna found herself wondering if the mermaids spoken of in the legends of Lake Nifla might look like this.
There were noble ladies in nearby territories too, of course. But after seeing Eleanor, who had come directly from the capital, Anna suddenly felt those country nobles could hardly compare.
“Is something wrong? Did you want to say something?”
Eleanor turned while holding a lace parasol in one hand.
Her face was so lovely that Anna hurriedly lowered her head in panic.
Even seeing the maid act so awkwardly, Eleanor didn’t scold her once. She simply smiled and turned forward again.
How could someone be this graceful?
Anna’s gaze drifted toward Eleanor’s clothes.
The pale yellow dress Eleanor wore today was simple, without elaborate patterns. The only decorations were a brooch at her chest and a black ribbon tied around her waist.
Yet it didn’t feel plain at all.
If anything, the simplicity only emphasized her elegance and dignity, filling Anna’s eyes with admiration.
Lisa had braided Eleanor’s hair into one thick plait and woven fresh flowers throughout it.
Anna even looked at Lisa with envy. The maid walked half a step behind Eleanor with practiced confidence and pride.
To serve such a beautiful lady…
How lucky.
“Anna.”
“Y-Yes, my lady!”
Lost in thought, Anna answered in a rush. She had been following far behind—behind even Lisa and the escort knight.
Only then did Eleanor notice how far back she was.
She beckoned with her hand.
“Come walk beside me.”
“Pardon? B-But…”
“You’re so far away I can barely hear your voice.”
Hesitantly, Anna moved to Eleanor’s side.
The closer she came, the more strongly she could smell the pleasant fragrance surrounding her.
Was the young lady herself a living flower?
Anna’s heart pounded so hard the heat in her face refused to fade.
“Your face is red. Are you hot?”
“N-No, not at all. I’m fine.”
“There’s no need to lie. Here.”
Eleanor immediately held out the parasol she’d been carrying.
Anna blanked for several seconds before realizing what was happening, then recoiled in horror and tried to refuse.
But Eleanor had already decided Anna was overheated and firmly placed the parasol into her hands.
Anna nearly fainted.
Even a country girl like her knew that a maid taking her lady’s parasol for herself was unthinkable.
“So this is Oclama’s shopping district.”
Leaving behind the half-conscious Anna, Eleanor looked around with curious eyes.
Centered around the plaza, rows of shops stretched in every direction. According to Anna, this was Merva Market—the busiest district in Oclama.
Every time Eleanor had visited before, she had only spent her time at natural sights like Lake Nifla or the Valois Plains. This was her first time setting foot in Merva Market.
Street stalls lined with awnings stood shoulder to shoulder with tiny shops, creating a lively atmosphere.
The population density wasn’t particularly high, but there were still enough people to make the market bustling and noisy.
Still, compared to the grand markets of Bayern, Merva Market looked almost quaint in Eleanor’s eyes.
“…Oclama focuses heavily on agriculture, so the market is very active here.”
Anna had finally regained her composure and began explaining the market as part of her duties.
Thanks to Oclama’s warm climate, crops grew well, and produce trading flourished. Nearly all those transactions happened in Merva Market.
Even people who weren’t farmers came here to buy food and daily necessities, so naturally other businesses gathered here as well. Production and consumption both centered around the market.
The fact that Merva Market bordered Oclama’s only plaza made it an obvious town center.
“Everyone buys and sells things here. People shop here to cook their meals.”
“Do your parents work here too?”
“Yes. We don’t farm—my family has run a shoe shop for generations.”
“Really? May I see it?”
Anna hesitated.
Eleanor was the treasured niece of the lord himself, a noble lady from the capital. Could she really bring someone like that into their tiny, cramped shoe store?
One pair of shoes Eleanor wore probably cost more than half the merchandise in the shop combined.
“Of course, if it’s inconvenient, we don’t have to. Shall we look somewhere else first?”
Eleanor deliberately left her room to refuse so Anna wouldn’t feel pressured.
Moved by the consideration in her words, Anna quickly shook her head.
“No, it’s alright. I’ll take you there.”
She felt slightly guilty for springing such a sudden visit on her parents without warning, but seeing Eleanor smile with her eyes curved softly shut made her stop caring altogether.
The moment Anna spotted the simple wooden sign of her parents’ store, reality suddenly crashed down on her.
Only now, after they were practically there, did she realize perhaps she really shouldn’t have brought the young lady here.
But when their eyes met, Eleanor smiled warmly at her again, and Anna couldn’t bring herself to say no now.
No matter how much she slowed her pace, they reached the shop in no time.
Finally, Anna spoke to her father, who was arranging shoes outside the storefront.
Hearing his daughter’s voice from behind, he turned casually—and nearly fell over in shock.
A noble lady who radiated aristocratic refinement stood beside Anna.
“Father, this is Lady Eleanor Stykov, niece of Baron Pomphrey.”
“A pleasure. So you’re Anna’s father.”
The refined young lady greeted him with a gentle smile, utterly out of place beside the humble little shoe store.
“Yes, my lady. It is an honor to meet you. I am William, Anna’s father. I had no idea my foolish daughter was serving you.”
“Anna is a native of Oclama, so I asked her to guide me around. She has been a tremendous help. You’ve raised a very clever and polite daughter. I imagine that must mean you’re an excellent father.”
Eleanor smoothly covered for Anna’s nervous stammering by praising her instead.
Both Anna and William looked deeply moved.
Their shining gazes became so intense that Eleanor awkwardly turned her head away, her eyes wandering over the modest store.
It was completely different from the elegant shoe shops Eleanor usually visited in the capital.
Not only the storefront, but the merchandise as well.
Most of the shoes were sturdy work shoes for farming or practical footwear for commoners.
Still, there were a few pairs of women’s heels mixed in, and Eleanor crouched down to inspect them.
“My lady, your dress will get dirty.”
Lisa reacted immediately to Eleanor’s sudden behavior.
One moment she acted every bit the noble lady, and the next she completely forgot herself. Lisa was constantly troubled by it.
Rather than sitting in a chair, Eleanor had simply squatted down on the spot.
“That’s why I tucked it between my legs.”
Eleanor proudly pointed to the skirt gathered safely between her knees.
Technically, it wasn’t dragging on the ground—but that wasn’t really the issue.
Lisa eventually gave up. Once Eleanor became absorbed in something, no amount of nagging worked.
Eleanor picked up a beige pair of shoes adorned with a dried rose-colored fabric corsage.
The rounded toes and moderate heels were simple, lacking the luxurious refinement of the shoes Eleanor usually wore, but they had clearly been made with care.
The corsage was neatly sewn without a single loose thread. Someone had likely made it by hand.
“How much are these?”
“…Pardon?”
“I’d like to buy them.”
“…Pardon?”
Both father and daughter looked stunned.
A noble lady buying shoes from a shop frequented by commoners? How could they not be shocked?
“M-My lady, if it’s because of me, you really don’t need to…”
Assuming Eleanor was simply showing generosity because she had met her maid’s parents, Anna hurried to stop her. She didn’t want to burden the young lady by bringing her here.
“Hmm. Has someone else already reserved them?”
“N-No, but… they’re far too cheap for someone as noble as you…”
“Then there’s no issue. Lisa, would you pay for them?”
Eleanor had no intention of listening otherwise.
Knowing her lady well, Lisa silently pulled out one silver coin.
The shoes only cost ten copper coins.
William frantically waved his hands.
“No, my lady! These shoes aren’t worth a silver coin!”
“Then consider the rest a gift.”
“…Pardon?”
“How could I come to the place where my maid’s parents work and pay the exact price so coldly?”
Handing the shoes to Lisa, Eleanor rested a hand lightly on Anna’s shoulder.
The touch was featherlight, yet Anna’s entire body stiffened instantly.
“And I intend to keep Anna close while I explore Oclama from now on. Think of it as a small payment for all the trouble your daughter will go through for me.”
At that point, refusing became impossible.
Continuing to reject a noble’s generosity would itself be rude.
Hands trembling, William finally accepted the silver coin and hurried inside to wrap the shoes.
Though he was only packaging them, loud crashing sounds soon came from inside the store.
While waiting, Eleanor noticed Anna standing rigidly beside her, barely breathing.
“Sorry, Anna. I touched you without asking.”
Eleanor removed her hand from Anna’s shoulder.
Seeing how pale Anna looked, she assumed perhaps the girl disliked being touched without permission. While nobles generally didn’t care about touching servants, personal discomfort was another matter entirely.
“N-No! That’s not it at all…”
“Anna?”
Anna tried desperately to explain that she had only been overwhelmed by standing so close to Eleanor, dizzy from the lovely scent surrounding her—
But before she could, someone called her name from behind.
“Mom.”
“So it was you, Anna. And this person is…?”
Turning around, they saw Anna’s mother holding a shopping basket in one hand and her younger son’s hand in the other.
Her anxious gaze flickered nervously toward Eleanor.
A clearly highborn young lady stood there surrounded by maids and knights alongside her daughter—it was only natural for her to feel uneasy.
Especially since Eleanor was unlike any noble lady Oclama had ever seen before.
“She’s Lady Eleanor Stykov, niece of Baron Pomphrey.”
Anna introduced Eleanor quickly, just as she had done with her father.
The moment her mother realized Eleanor was the lord’s niece, she hurriedly bowed deeply.
Not merely an important person—
An extraordinarily important one.
“Oh dear, forgive my rudeness, my lady. I’m Nicole, Anna’s mother.”
“A pleasure. Anna resembles her mother more than her father.”
“Th-Thank you, my lady.”
From her hair color to her features, Anna truly looked exactly like her mother.
If she aged, she would probably become her mother’s mirror image.
Nicole bowed even lower, though Eleanor had no idea what exactly she was thanking her for.
Then Nicole pulled the boy hiding behind her forward.
“This is my son, Jeremy. Jeremy, greet the lady.”
Jeremy twisted his body awkwardly and lowered his head. He seemed extremely shy.
Nicole nervously urged him on. Failing to greet a noble properly was considered terribly rude.
Worried they might somehow offend Eleanor, she became increasingly harsh.
“Jeremy! Hurry and greet her!”
“Wait, it’s alright. Please stop.”
Nicole smacked her son lightly on the back, making the child sniffle.
Eleanor immediately stepped in to stop her.
No noble worth respecting would punish a child for failing to greet them properly. Narrow-minded people might—but Eleanor wasn’t one of them.
She bent slightly to Jeremy’s eye level.
He resembled Anna quite a lot.
“Hello, Jeremy. I came here to visit because your sister was showing me around. I’m very happy to meet you.”
“…Hello.”
Jeremy greeted her in a tiny voice and bobbed his head awkwardly.
Even though the greeting was clumsy, Eleanor smiled warmly.
She reached out and gently patted his head.
“Well done. Sometimes people feel shy, don’t they?”
Jeremy’s eyes widened.
He looked around seven years old, barely reaching Eleanor’s waist.
The fact that he had managed to overcome his shyness enough to greet her at all was admirable.
After staring blankly at Eleanor’s face for several seconds, Jeremy slowly reached out a hand.
At first, it seemed as though he intended to touch her face—
But instead, his hand moved lower.
“…!”
“Jeremy!”
Nicole screamed in horror and smacked his back.
Jeremy had grabbed Eleanor’s ribbon and tugged it loose.
Her beautifully braided hair unraveled instantly, flowers scattering all across the ground.
“My lady! I’m so sorry! What do we do—really, I’m so sorry!”
Anna nearly fainted from the disaster her brother had caused.
She hurriedly gathered the fallen flowers with trembling hands.
“Anna, calm down. I’m alright.”
Eleanor caught Anna’s arm and helped her stand.
The sudden tug had surprised her, certainly, but that was all.
She wasn’t hurt, and Jeremy hadn’t caused any real harm.
Lisa might be annoyed after spending so much effort on Eleanor’s hair, but Eleanor herself truly didn’t mind.
Anna looked close to tears.
Dirt stained her fingers from picking flowers off the ground, so Eleanor took out a handkerchief and wiped her hands clean herself.
“They’re not that precious. They aren’t jeweled flowers. Even if they had been, it would still be fine. Things can always be replaced.”
Oclama overflowed with flowers everywhere.
Fresh blossoms could be gathered anytime.
Even the flowers Lisa had used today had been picked locally.
There was no reason for Anna to nearly ruin her hands over them.
“I’m truly sorry because of my brother…”
“I told you, it’s alright. Lisa, would you explain to Anna that I’m not petty enough to get angry over a few flowers?”
Leaving Anna to Lisa, Eleanor approached Jeremy.
The boy was already fighting back tears.
“Jeremy.”
“Y-Yes…”
“Why did you do that? I’m not angry—I’m just curious. Did you want the ribbon?”
Jeremy shook his head rapidly.
Well, he was a little boy. It probably wasn’t the ribbon itself he wanted.
Then why pull at her hair?
Looking into Eleanor’s calm and gentle eyes, Jeremy finally mumbled hesitantly:
“B-Because… it was pretty…”
“Hm?”
“B-Because it was pretty… I’m sorry.”
Jeremy shrank in on himself miserably.
Eleanor smiled softly.
Taking the ribbon from his hand, she looped it beneath his shirt collar and tied it neatly into a bow.
The pale yellow silk matched her dress perfectly.
“There. Now you’re pretty too.”
She lightly tapped the ribbon at his collar.
Jeremy’s scrunched-up face relaxed at once.
“Please don’t scold him over this.”
Just in case, Eleanor said the same to Nicole, who bowed gratefully again.
William finally emerged from inside the shop looking utterly confused.
After Eleanor handed the carefully wrapped shoebox to the knight, she turned her head absentmindedly—
And caught sight of someone quickly turning away after staring at her.
‘Vanessa?’
Vanessa stood some distance away across from the shoe store.
Then a massive man appeared in front of her.
Eleanor recognized him instantly, her eyes widening.
‘…Yahin?’
