Chapter 322

Chapter 322: Going Home

In the early morning, Dai, wearing a large hat, sat inside an old carriage.

The carriage swayed and rocked, almost making her lose her breakfast.

After a long while, the carriage finally came to a stop.

“Miss, we have arrived… However, in a place like this, I hope you won’t stay for long,” the carriage driver said, looking around cautiously, fearing someone might jump out and rob them.

This was the slums of Annottales.

A place riddled with crime and violence, it was shunned even by others from the same district.

Dai remained silent for a while, then smiled faintly.

“Thank you for your advice… I understand now.”

A black-haired maid stepped down from the carriage.

They had returned to the alley of her hometown.

She took a deep breath. The crumbling surroundings and lingering chill told her this place was a world apart from the Tulip Manor.

Dirty and dilapidated, the carriage behind them quickly sped away.

This place was their childhood home.

Dai’s clothes were old and plain, with no hint of wealth. She kept her face hidden under a hat and veil, unwilling to reveal a beauty only slightly less dazzling than Kaluoer’s.

Here, in the Thirteenth District of Annottales—the “best” part of the slums in terms of safety—it was still undeniably part of the slums.

Being born here was a secret Dai kept carefully guarded.

Within the Tulip Manor, only Steward Carson knew the truth.

By the rules, even ordinary noble families wouldn’t hire someone from the slums as a high-ranking servant. At most, they could hope to be kitchen maids or laborers, never stepping into high society.

If a guest ever saw someone from the slums in the dining hall, it would undoubtedly tarnish the noble family’s image.

Women born in the slums who became personal servants to nobles? Such tales existed only in the wild novels of Annottales.

Dai’s Rise

Dai, however, had become Viscount Edmond’s personal maid.

She had worked hard, but her rise felt surreal. Every day, she lived in fear of exposure.

Her status and income were a

blessing, but they came with a

constant anxiety.

Only Steward Carson knew her

background, and though she

expected him to expose her, he

never did.

Dai couldn’t understand why.

She often thought:

“If I am discovered, I’ll leave

quietly. I’ll find work as an

ordinary maid in a middle-

class household. That would

be enough.”

Yet Carson kept her secret.

Perhaps it was because, unlike

others, Viscount Edmond

didn’t care about her origins.

His casual decision to select

her was both her curse and her

blessing.

Returning to the Slums

Finally, Dai arrived at the end

of a winding alley. Before her

stood a small, damp wooden

house. Stagnant water pooled

at the door.

A sheep tied outside bleated

nervously when it saw her, its

body trembling as it scurried

away.

“I’m back.”

She whispered softly before

stepping into the crowded and

musty house.

Inside, her father, brother, and

two younger sisters were

huddled in a space smaller

than her room at the manor.

Her father, thin and frail, drank

in silence. Her brother, Lanen,

sat by the window, staring

blankly outside.

On another bed, her two

sisters tossed a beanbag back

and forth—the only toy they

had.

A Family Reunion

“Sister is back!” the youngest

exclaimed, leaping up with joy.

Her older sister, Mary, stood

frozen in disbelief, while her

father and brother exchanged

complicated glances.

“You… came back?” her father

muttered, his tone a mix of

surprise and hesitation.

Dai smiled faintly, setting down

the package she brought.

“I would never abandon you,”

she said softly.

But her family’s expressions

darkened as they shared

nervous looks.

Finally, Lanen broke the

silence.

“Dai, are you really working as

a maid? How did you come by

so much money?”

Dai took a deep breath.

“Kaluoer lent me some of it.

Viscount Edmond is

generous… This money is for

us to leave the slums.”

The room fell silent, her words

sinking in.

A Dark Truth

But Dai noticed something off.

Mary, usually lively, seemed

hesitant, burdened by an

unseen weight.

“What is it?” Dai pressed

during dinner. “What are you

hiding from me?”

Her father sighed heavily.

Lanen hesitated before

speaking.

“The boss of a gang has taken

a liking to Mary… He wants her

as his lover.”

Dai froze.

Lanen continued, “He gave us

money—more than we’ve ever

seen. In the slums, rejecting

him isn’t an option. We’ve…

already accepted.”

Dai felt the weight of the truth

crashing down on her.

“I’ll take her away. All of you.

We’re leaving this place.”

Her father shook his head.

“You don’t understand. The

world outside doesn’t care

about us. Nobles, priests, gang

leaders—they’re all the same.”

But Dai refused to accept it.

“I’ll seek help from Viscount

Edmond. He’s different.”

Her father laughed bitterly.

“Different? You’re just a

servant. Don’t fool yourself

into thinking he’ll care.”

A Whisper in the Dark

Later, as her father sat drinking

alone, a strange voice spoke

in his mind.

[You feel anger, fear, despair. I

can help you.]

The flame of the moon

appeared before him—

beautiful, radiant, and

seductive.

Unsettling Realizations

As Dai sat in the carriage back

to the manor, a sense of

foreboding gripped her.

The streets of the slums were

too quiet. People wore

expressions of fear and

unease.

“The world feels wrong,” she

whispered.

A voice interrupted her

thoughts.

“You’re confused, but it’s not

your fault.”

A girl with one eye and no

arms appeared beside her,

smiling faintly.

“The powerful create

unfairness. You know the truth,

but it burdens you. Let me take

that weight away.”

Dai’s vision blurred.

She felt herself slipping away.

“Viscount Edmond… save me,”

she thought, as a tear rolled

down her cheek.