Chapter 322
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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.
