Giselle’s Point of View
After the introductions with Lady Elle, a handsome man with beautiful silver hair and clear blue eyes came into the room.
“Ah, Father!”
Lady Elle ran cheerfully to the man. Since he was her father, that was the Duke. Instinctively feeling fear, I put my head on the floor and got down on my knees.
No matter how kind Lady Elle is, her father might not be.
“Father, you cannot scare Giselle like this.”
“I, I had no intentions of scaring her, though…”
I could hear their conversation above me.
I believe that he’s not angry.
Even if I think so, I can’t look up without permission, though. If he loses his good mood, my head might be gone in an instant.
“Giselle, it’s okay to look up.”
“Yeah, raise your head.”
A gentle voice sounded, and I looked up to see Lady Elle smiling gently and the Duke standing there smiling serenely as he stroked her head.
“Father, this child’s name is Giselle.”
The Duke replied gently, “I see,” as Lady Elle hugged my shoulders and introduced me with a smile.
“How do you do, Giselle. I’m Elle’s father, Regis.”
I didn’t know how to greet him, as I was only familiar with the light greetings of commoners, so I lowered my head and said, “I, it’s an honor to meet you, Duke…”
I waited anxiously to see if this was correct, and was told to look up.
“You can’t just leave Giselle sitting there.”
“Right. Giselle, excuse me for a little.”
The Duke picked me up lightly and carried me to the bed.
It was the first time I had been carried by someone since my father disappeared.
It was the first time in a long time that I felt like crying when I remembered my parents.
Because I started to cry, Lady Elle scolded the Duke, “Father, don’t bully Giselle!”
“L, Lady Elle, it’s not that… I just recalled my family…”
“Your family?”
“Yes, I recalled my late parents…”
I shouldn’t have mentioned that they were dead.
Lady Elle’s eyes widened, and the Duke wrinkled his brow. I was feeling down that I had troubled them.
With a sad expression on her face, Lady Elle gently took my hand in hers.
“Say, Giselle. Why were you collapsed there?”
“That’s…”
I didn’t know if it was okay to tell such an unpleasant story to a noble miss who didn’t know anything about hardships.
The warmth of her hand in mine made me slowly tell her about my upbringing.
My father had died in an accident before I turned four, and my mother, who had started working with debts on her shoulders, had collapsed from overwork and died a few days earlier.
When I finished talking, the eyes of Lady Elle and the Duke became sharp.
“Father.”
“Yeah, I know.”
The two of them had a stern look on their faces as they communicated with each other, though I couldn’t quite understand.
The Duke sat down in front of me and asked, “Giselle, can you tell me where your house is?”
I gave him some general information and the Duke left the room.
“Umm, Lady Elle… Did I do something wrong?”
I asked Lady Elle and she replied with a smile, “Don’t worry, it’ll be resolved soon.”
“Rather than that… Giselle, what are you intending to do from now on?”
“Eh?”
“Your parents have passed away, right? How are you going to live?”
I was too young to know how.
When I was at a loss for an answer, Lady Elle smiled gently and took my hands in hers.
“Giselle, why don’t you work here?”
“Huh?”
“I’m currently looking for a personal maid, but I can’t find anyone good. Would you like to be my personal maid?”
I didn’t know much what being a personal maid entailed. I just knew that I was being asked to work at the Duke’s household.
I could work for the Duke household, which was above the clouds.
Normally, I would have been happy about that. However, I am just a poor girl living a life of being chased by debt collectors. I’m a commoner’s child with no education.
I knew that I would only cause trouble if I stayed here.
“I appreciate your help, but I can’t bother you any more than I already have.”
“You are not a bother…”
“I can’t thank you right now, but… I will definitely repay you one day…”
I walked away from Lady Elle as if to run away.