'The Lady has changed.'

  That was my genuine thought after a few days of serving her.

  My name is Jane, and in the sixteen years I have served Lady Josephine, never have I seen her so relaxed — so timid, even.

  Ever since I started working here at the duchy as a child, I always pitied the young lady. She would always try her utmost best, but her parents — the Duke and Duchess of Konrow — never paid attention to her.

  They would never gaze at her, always focusing on Lady Adele like the rest of the people in the mansion.

  Some days, I could see Lady Josephine staring blankly while they ate together. At times, she would silently sob in her room.

  Eventually, she started bullying Lady Adele — but her actions always backfired. She was ostracized, made into an outcast, and tucked away in the spare mansion. I know what she did was wrong, but it wasn't entirely her fault.

  Secretly, I disdained the Duke for neglecting her. Even after everyone abandoned her, I still stood by her side.

  A few days earlier, the Lady fell down the stairs.

  "Lady!" I rushed to her and saw that she was bleeding profusely. "Lady, snap out of it!" She was spinning, stumbling, barely keeping upright.

  "W-what...?" she muttered before collapsing unconscious to the floor.

  "Lady!!!"

  I immediately ran through the wing to the main mansion and rushed to the infirmary. I threw open the door and screamed, "The Lady needs help!" Despite their reluctance, I dragged the doctor back to the spare mansion and had him treat her.

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  What a spineless doctor, I thought.

  I watched as he worked on Lady Josephine — applying bandages, using his limited healing spells.

  "She'll be fine," he finally said, sounding more annoyed than relieved. "Just make sure she gets plenty of rest."

  I nodded, a wave of relief washing over me.

  He left quickly. I turned my attention back to Lady Josephine. Her face, usually tense and filled with anger, looked peaceful in her sleep.

  What changed? I wondered.

  When the Lady woke up, I immediately rushed to her side.

  "Ah, Lady, please don't move too much. Are you okay?" I asked, concern lacing my voice.

  "I'm fine, Jane. I can handle it," she replied — and I was taken aback by her calm demeanor. When did the Lady's voice sound so... normal? She would have been greatly irritated by something like this before.

  "Anyways, Jane, where is my breakfast?" she asked.

  "Huh? Are you really my Lady?" The Lady would never outright ask for breakfast like that.

  "Oh, right — I remember. I kinda disliked that. But it's fine, I'm hungry after all."

  "Oh?"

  "Yes!" I rushed to the kitchen and brought her a simple porridge. But when I came back...

  "This isn't enough! Get me some more, Jane. And bring me some fruit!"

  When did the Lady have such an appetite? She had finished the porridge I brought her in less than thirty seconds. "And bring me some tea!"

  The Lady had really changed. For the next few days, I kept pestering her — half-wondering if some spirit had taken up residence in her body — but surprisingly, she answered all my questions with ease.

  "Who was your crush, my Lady?"

  "If I remember correctly... Prince Peter?"

  I was asking as she enjoyed her tea on the balcony, and I stood across from her, interrogating. At first, I had been respectfully cautious — but at some point, she had invited me to sit down and have tea with her.

  "Why are you standing there, Jane? Have some," she said, offering me a macaroon and pointing it right at my face.

  The Lady nowadays is kind. I don't know what happened — but somehow, she changed for the better.

  "Jane," she said, holding my hand. "Thank you for taking care of me. Will you stay by my side until the end?"

  For some reason, I felt tears prick at my eyes.

  "Yes!" I replied, wholeheartedly.