Having completed her meal, Charlotte knew it was time for her chores.
"Please clean this area today, miss."
The maid handed her a bucket and a rag. She, too, had a black mist covering her face.
"Alright."
Charlotte took the tools and began wiping the stair railings and windows. This was her usual morning routine and it often left her hands rough and red throughout the year.
Particularly during the winter, her condition would worsen to the point where her hands would bleed, and Charlotte would need to be extra careful in order to prevent staining the furniture.
Each day, she was assigned to a different area but the chore remained the same.
"Oh!"
As she was wiping a picture frame, a maid bumped into her from behind.
"Oh my. I'm sorry, miss."
The maid half-heartedly apologized before leaving with the other maid. Like the rest of them, she too, had a dark mist over her face.
"Pftt. You did that intentionally."
"Seriously, she's such a slowpoke. It's hard to believe she's the master's offspring."
Laughing out loudly for Charlotte to hear, the pair disappeared down the hallway.
Charlotte carried on cleaning the picture frame again like nothing happened. Not that it was dusty, but it had to be cleaned because she was told to.
Then, a soft voice spoke up.
"Big, big sister…"
"Oh…"
Startled, Charlotte turned around and found a young girl standing there.
She had lustrous blond hair and deep crimson eyes. Her appearance was immaculate, resembling that of a doll and she was adorned in exquisite clothing. Though her face was stiff and tense, however, unlike the others, her face was not covered with the black mist.
Charlotte stopped cleaning and bowed respectfully to the girl.
"Good morning, Miss Natalia."
"...... Good morning."
Natalia Evans.
The second daughter of the Evans family and Charlotte's half-sister.
Natalia was seven years old. She was born when Charlotte was ten.
She was the legitimate descendant of the Evans family, born of the duke and his legal wife. As such, she was loved and cherished by all the servants.
In the past, Charlotte used to interact with her sister more casually and affectionately. However, as she started receiving reproach from her stepmother, she began to address her sister more formally, just like the other servants.
But Natalia never changed. She tried to preserve the sisterly bond between them.
Crossing her little fingers as if in a prayer, she looked up at Charlotte. "Big sister, do you have time today? I'd like you to read me a book."
"Today is a little…" Charlotte's words were caught in her throat. She wanted to fulfill Natalia's wish. However, it was a difficult task. In the end, she could only shake her head slowly with a heavy heart.
"I am sorry… maybe, next time."
"... I understand." Natalia nodded, her head slightly bowed. However, she quickly lifted her face again and held out a small vial.
"Here. I saw that your finger was hurt. This medicine is for you. Please use it."
"Oh, thank you… very much."
Charlotte accepted the small vial timidly.
From time to time, her younger sister would secretly give Charlotte various things. Sometimes it was a fruit and sometimes it was stationary, but ultimately, it was Natalia's thoughtfulness that Charlotte was more pleased with than the gifts. So much so that her nose would become stuffy.
The two sisters were silent for a while.
The one who broke the silence was Natalia, who looked like she was about to cry.
"You know, big sister. I'm going to grow up very soon and when I do, I am going–"
"Natalia."
Natalia's face suddenly stiffened and grew tense. Before she knew it, there was a presence behind Charlotte.
Charlotte did not even need to turn around to see who it was. She felt her legs stiffen and her head began to tingle with a prickling sensation. Nevertheless, Charlotte cleared her throat and slowly turned around to pay her respects.
"... Good morning, Lady Cordelia."
Nodding in a firm voice was a woman clad in a fine jet-black dress.
She was the legal wife of the duke, Cordelia Evans. The duke married her after his first wife died of illness.
Despite being Natalia's birth mother and Charlotte's stepmother, she was merely twenty-five years old. She had perfectly curled dark purple hair and jewelry adorned all over her body.
However, in Charlotte's eyes, her entire body was shrouded in the black mist. Only her fiery red lips could be glimpsed through the faint gaps in the mist.
"Mother."
When Natalia greeted her softly, Cordelia only gave her a brief, fleeting glance in response.
It was not an attitude one would have towards their own blood and flesh. But this was how she usually was.
"Your teacher has arrived, hurry up and go," Cordelia said coldly to Charlotte.
"Y-yes." Charlotte hurriedly began tidying up her bucket.
In the morning, Charlotte would clean until the private tutor arrived and then, her lessons would commence. As it was necessary for her to acquire the proper education to become the prince's bride, she was thoroughly drilled in literature, music, embroidery, horseback riding, and various other subjects.
Fortunately, Charlotte was not averse to learning.
Concentrating on something helped Charlotte to push aside her unhappy memories, and she also experienced a sense of achievement when she managed to accomplish tasks that were previously beyond her reach.
However, there was one big problem.
The fiery red lips peeking through the black mist slowly lifted its corners in a Cheshire grin.
"I will be watching over you today, too."
Oh no..!
Charlotte took a deep breath even as she felt her face turn pale. Even Natalia's face contorted in a way that made her look as if she was about to burst into tears.
However, Cordelia continued on, completely indifferent to the changes in her daughters, "Remember to mind your manners when you meet your teacher, Charlotte."
"Yes…"
Charlotte could barely manage to squeeze out the word.