The next day, upon waking up,

I heard the news of Nakano Yoko’s death.

When her body was discovered, it was a gruesome sight. The hairpin she had saved two months of wages to buy was also damaged beyond recognition. I almost quickly realized who or, to be more accurate, “who” were the people behind all this.

The news of her death did not cause any ripples in the Chan family.

Master Naoya didn’t care about the number of maids in his courtyard or who they were. Due to the high turnover of maids in the Chan family, whenever the main family head or other masters visited, they could directly take away whoever they fancied. Once they got bored, they could discard them, and it was possible that they might end up in the arms of other young masters. This treatment wasn’t exclusive to the maids in Master Naoya’s courtyard; unless a maid was highly valued by the family, they could face such treatment no matter where they worked.

Not only did the main family engage in promiscuity, but the maids also followed this trend among themselves.

Numerous women succumbed to multiple childbirths and cruel treatment. The only way they could change their fate was by mating with individuals with cursed abilities and giving birth to children with cursed powers.

So, everyone had long been indifferent to this.

Except for the maids who were close to Nakano Yoko, everyone else remained indifferent. They could be described as carrying out everything with the same indifferent attitude as before. When they exchanged private conversations and reached joyful moments, they would still cover their lips and laugh, teasing each other.

The head maid also didn’t come to inquire about what exactly happened during the delivery with Nakano Yoko yesterday.

For the Chan family, these things were just normal.

Or, you could say.

This matter, I don’t know if is this in this world.

I don’t understand.

Because most of the servants in the Chan family are ordinary people who have been working for generations in the Chan family and have some understanding of the world of curses. The Chan family has strict rules, but the rules governing the servants are even more chilling. The masters can treat the servants as they please, and the servants cannot resist any command from the masters, even if it means ending their own lives.

Born in my mother’s womb, sometimes I feel like a frog in a well, as described by Aunt Xijiang. When I lift my head, the sky I see is always within the vast estate.

But staring at this kind of sky for a long time might make one numb.

Just like when a bird asks a frog, “Have you seen the ocean?” and the frog replies, “Is the ocean as big as my well?”

Does the outside world really promise a better life?

Are the people outside happier than those in the Chan family?

A few days later.

Master Naoya is going to school, and he chose me to be his accompanying servant.

No one envies this, nor do they think I’m a maid favored by the master. Whether it’s me or the other maids in the courtyard, we all know.

Master Naoya chose me just to continue tormenting me when he goes to school.

I have very few belongings.

Only a few Zenin family maid uniforms.

Holding my light luggage, I left the storage room. Before leaving, the head maid came so close to me for the first time in many years. She lifted my bangs and stared at my face. It seemed like she was looking at the faint, but still somewhat visible, graffiti on my face. But her gaze finally fell on my eyes, and she let down my bangs again, covering half of my eyes as before.

She said, her voice calm,

“It won’t affect your work. There’s nothing wrong with it. Everything will be as usual in the outside world.”

This is my first time leaving the Chan family.

The sky wasn’t bright yet, and I had already left the Chan family while Master Naoya was still sleeping.

I walked to school.

There was a car behind me, watching me from a distance. The purpose was to prevent me from escaping or slacking off. It was probably around nine or ten in the morning when another black car passed by me and stopped about two meters in front of me. The car window rolled down.

Revealing the face of Master Naoya.

In the hot summer, the air-conditioner was on in the car, and he had a small fan in his hand, blowing it toward himself.

The cool wind tousled his black bangs, and he raised the corners of his eyes slightly, like a mischievous fox. “Tsk tsk, so slow. If I don’t see you at school before sunset, you should be aware of the consequences.”

“I know,” I tightened the package in my arms.

He looked satisfied, gestured to the driver to go, and left.

The exhaust fumes from the car made me cough uncontrollably.

Perhaps because I’ve been coughing for too long, the black car that’s been supervising me from not too far away honked impatiently.

I continue walking.

I don’t know how much time has passed, probably around noon. I’ve finally left the vicinity of the Zenin family, crossed the last layer of barrier spells, and entered a completely unfamiliar jungle.

After leaving the barrier spells, everything around me changes rapidly.

Looking back, the road I came from is no longer visible; it has turned into a wall. I walked along the relatively spacious and neat path in the jungle for a long time until I saw a road and a strange sign next to it. The car behind honked again, and a man in his forties stuck his head out.

He threw a few coins at me, impatiently saying, “Just stand there and wait for the tram. When it comes, get on. Keep an eye on my side, and when you stop, I will blow the horn four times.”

So, it’s not entirely about making me walk to school.

I stand in front of the tram station, waiting quietly.

After a while, a young woman sits down at the tram station next to me, eating a bento and reading a manga. The book cover looks familiar; it’s a romance manga that one of the maid sisters likes.

After about ten more minutes, a tram arrives.

Clutching my luggage tightly, I’m unsure of what to do. I voluntarily give up the first boarding position to the woman, mimicking her actions to insert coins and board.

There are very few people on the bus.

I find a window seat that allows me to observe the tram conveniently and sit stiffly throughout the journey.

The scenery outside the window changes from clear blue rivers to intersecting streets; occasionally, I see a few low houses, turning into densely packed skyscrapers; huge TV screens hang on the outer walls of those skyscrapers, playing something I can’t understand; many young men and women in black suits walk on the streets holding reports or briefcases.

I watch it all with wide eyes.

The bus stops, and more than ten short kids wearing yellow hats get on. Both boys and girls.

The tram suddenly becomes crowded.

They babble incessantly, and I can roughly make out that they’re going to visit a sick classmate.

I feel somewhat uncomfortable.

The Chan family strongly discourages loud conversations, and I’ve never been to such a noisy place. Suddenly, a dark shadow falls over my head, followed by a pat on my shoulder.

I look up in confusion.

I discovered it was an elderly gentleman with graying hair. He smiled apologetically, “Young lady, my legs are a bit inconvenient. Could you…”

“Yes.”

Anxiously, I stood up from my seat. As a result, I stumbled, and if someone hadn’t supported me, I would have embarrassingly fallen in front of everyone.

“Are you okay?”

The person holding my arm asked with a calm voice.

I looked up and found a young man with a weapon bag on his back. He had a head of golden ear-length hair, with slightly longer strands in the front that tended to cover his line of sight, neatly parted at a three-to-seven ratio. His facial expression showed little emotion, and he quickly released my arm, maintaining a safe distance.

At the same time, my awkward behavior drew the attention of others. I could distinctly feel the gaze of the dozen or so children focused on me.

Feeling even more flustered, I quickly thanked the man and, holding my bag, tried to find another place to see the outside. However, the tram was crowded and hot, the incessant chatter of the cute children, and the dizziness from the crowded environment made it hard to catch my breath.

Sweat began to trickle, and I felt lightheaded, struggling to breathe.

Just then, the tram pulled into the stop.

Fortunately, the tram stopped just then.

I bowed my head and hurriedly left the tram like escaping.

Standing on the bustling street, the unfamiliar junction changed colors on the countdown timer; a strange man in black uniform whistled and made odd gestures, seemingly controlling the direction of collective vehicles; the TV advertisements, songs, and voices became louder after leaving the tram.

It wasn’t until the car behind me honked twice, and the middle-aged man inside cursed at me, “Did I honk the horn? Why did you get off the tram early?”

It was only then that I came to my senses, my arms sore from holding my luggage for too long.

Is this the outside world?

When I arrived exhausted at the magic School, the sun had just begun to set.

Master Naoya was meticulously inspecting the dormitory.

From the size of the dormitory to the old building, he scrutinized every detail. His speech was poisonous and harsh, never deviating from the old-fashioned norms and regulations, using words that stabbed at the hearts of those who were socially backward, making everyone present uncomfortable.

Without becoming one of them, I could still see their thoughts from their awkward faces. They must have developed a severe negative impression of the well-dressed young master before them.

Master Naoya must be well aware of this, but he simply didn’t care.

Because none of these people before him were worth his attention.

The maid who was trembling while helping Master Naoya carry his luggage, upon seeing me, treated me as if I were a savior, hurriedly pushing me forward. “Young master, Aichina has arrived.”

I understand their thoughts very well.

They simply hope that I can divert Master Naoya’s attention.

And sure enough.

After seeing me, he briefly raised his phoenix eyes, then instantly changed his target of venting. He smiled at me with narrowed eyes, “Oh, Aichina, you’re here. Very punctual.”

I bowed, “Yes.”

“Let me think about where you’ll sleep for the next period of time.”

Master Naoya pretended to be distressed as he walked me around. Finally, he opened the door to the dormitory kitchen and pointed to the cramped square space inside, barely enough for two people. “This school’s storage room is cramped and crowded, with no place to even stand. It even has a strange smell. If it weren’t for the fact that there’s only one servant for the next period of time, plus this young master doesn’t need such a place, do you think you’d be qualified to sleep in the kitchen? So, be grateful to me.”

He crossed his arms, watching me pack my belongings in the kitchen.

Empty cabinets became places for my clothes.

Apart from that, I had nothing else.

Seeing me quickly finish packing, he nodded knowingly but still showed a surprised expression. “No bedding or anything?”

Before I could answer, he crouched down behind the kitchen door, reached over, and touched me sitting in the narrow center of the kitchen, lightly patting my face.

It seemed he enjoyed patting my face, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavily. After patting, he would pinch my cheeks.

Seeing the slightly swollen cheeks with some ink-drawn turtles on them, he said in a very cheerful mood, “Just like raising a little dog. Find a random place to sleep, occasionally feed it, and that’s enough. And, dogs like to sleep on the floor, right? You’re exactly the same as Naoko.”

My heart fell bit by bit into a deeper abyss, and I couldn’t even perceive the pain in my cheeks.

Because from his words, I understood one thing.

Next, regardless of the season, I can only curl up and sleep on the kitchen floor.

Moreover, unlike in the Zen family, where I had a meal after completing the daily assigned tasks, my food here in school is unpredictable, and it all depends on Master Naoya’s mood.