1-6: Taming A Monster-III

"Anyway, I heard that you're going to be taking care of the young master from now on," Wren continued and Jane furrowed her eyebrows at the news. 

She knew she would have to do business to stay in this mansion, even though she doesn't want to stay, but she couldn't willfully dispose herself from working. In return for that, she felt that this family wouldn't just allow her to leave. 

"Can I ask... something Wren?" She hesitated before she started but Wren seemed to be more than willing to answer any question she might have. Taking the chance, she continued, "What... kind of family are we working in?" 

She knew it came as a weird question and Wren acted the way she expected with eyebrows furrowed and her neck tilted to one side of her shoulders as if she was confused how Jane couldn't tell where they were working in. 

"I didn't really hear much since I came from the countryside," she hoped her words would make Wren less suspicious and taking a glance at Wren's face who seemed to look curious without any hint of skepticism, she breathed out an air of relief. 

Wren happily obliged, "You must mean that you don't know much about this household but who can blame you, the Duke and Duchess have always kept a low profile." 

"Duke?" This is a nobleman's household? 

Jane had worked in my household but never nobles. Not because nobles were only hard to find but the fact that most of them often picky with who they choose to serve them. And though she knew so little about those royal titles, she had heard a lot about Duke and Duchess... the fact that they're one of the most important people in the kingdom. 

For the people who are placed in such a high title to hire some servant they bought from kidnappers, especially for their precious blind young master, she could feel that something wasn't right with the household. 

"Yes," completed Wren, "Duke Mildred. This is the Mildred Household. The head of the house, Sir Elliot Mildred, the lady Piper Mildred, and our eldest young master who you serve." 

Jane's green eyes zeroed on Wren when the name of the young master was mentioned. 

"Victor Mildred." 

"Vic.. tor," Jane repeated the name that felt foreign on her tongue. "Is he really blind?" 

Wren chuckled, "Of course he is. He was blind since he got poisoned years ago. Precisely before he reached the age of seven." 

Jane was startled a little by this, "Poisoned?" 

Wren looked behind her before coming closer to her, leaning her face while covering one side of her with a hand, "You know right? Every noble household usually invites enemies. The Mildred too especially because they take care of cases." 

"Cases? You mean with the Orders?" 

And Wren nodded her head. 

Jane had heard about the Orders. They were the group of people who were tasked to take care of problems from the court directly. Rumors had it that the people in Orders are chosen and they have some odd special powers. 

But what would Jane know when she lives far away from the capital? 

Wait... 

"Are we in the Sermons?" 

Wren nodded her head at once, "Of course we are. The Mildred lives in the South Coast of the Capital, Sermons." 

Oh... Without knowing Jane had somehow stepped into the capital, the one place that she remembered her dying mother always warned her to never step foot to. 

She gulped dryly, fear seeping into her heart as she recalled the frightened expression with which her mother had used when warning her to never step into Sermons, the capital of the Kingdom. 

And yet... she had somehow entered the place. 

KNOCK. KNOCK. 

The sudden sound of door being hit by a fist startled Jane who flinched in place. She hurriedly stare at the door with wariness while Wren walked towards the door, pushing herself from the creaking chair into the walnut door where she opened a slight gap at first. Her leaning head moved as if she was speaking before she opened the door fully. 

The man who came in was the same man who had pushed her coldly into Victor Mildred's bedroom, the butler, Stanley who stared at her from the head to the rest of her body hidden beneath the thin blanket. 

"You, girl," Stanley ordered, "Get ready under twenty minutes." 

Jane blinked, "Why?" 

The butler frowned, the knitting brows expecting nothing but pure obedience which she didn't show. 

He huffed, his eyes seemingly warning her I told you the rules yesterday and you still haven't remembered them? 

"It's your task to take care of the young master in case you forgot. And he need to have his lunch soon so you are tasked to make sure it is done in time." 

Jane quietly stared at the butler who had turned after he had said what he wanted to utter. She eyed him with a faint glare as she knew better than openly showing her discontent. 

No one like a wild dog in their house, and if her ambition was known, they'll also be more wary of her chances to leave this mansion. 

"How lucky," muttered Wren, "Everyone wants to serve the young master." 

Well she would have passed this work to anyone around her but seeing Wren who had been so kind to her, Jane didn't want her to be close to that wild man either. 

Though Jane had inwardly acted strong, by the time her eyes looked down as she was about to prepare and move from the bed, she found her fingers that were still shaking faintly, humming with fear. 

Sigh. 

When it rains it pours. Her uncle and aunt who had abandoned her had unknowingly put her to a the belly of a monster. 

She wondered if they felt guilty but if they were, they wouldn't have sold her in the first place would they? 

Looking over to Wren who had began to leave the room with the silver tray and the empty bowl, Jane decided to be meek and work quietly in the place. It was rare that a maid would so openly welcome her so she also hope her friendship with Wren could go for long. 

"I'll be going then, Jane! Your uniform is inside the wardrobe and oh, the butler always dislike it if we let our hair down so make sure to tie them into a proper bun." 

"Thank you, Wren, it's nice to know you," Jane said sincerely and Wren smiled back at her, crinkling her round hazelnut eyes before closing the door for her. 

Inhaling a deep breath, Jane began to move to the wardrobe, opening to find the same set of black dress with a high white collar around its neck and a numerous amount of buttons that looked painstaking in front of her dress. 

Without wasting much time, she dressed herself in a swift motion, moving toward the door where she saw her old shoes and a new loafer besides it. She took the new loafers, knowing that the fact they had given her better uniform and shoes weren't due to grace but rather to please their aesthetic. Still, these new shoes were perfect as she had been forcing herself to wear the shoe which was smaller than her own foot. 

Opening the door, Jane looked around. 

She carefully walked into the hallway, noticing that the walls here also had a green wallpaper with a golden bird patterned around it. 

Mildred Mansion. 

Throughout her small venture, she noted that the Mildred are wealthy. They have numerous amount of candles that were a privilege even amongst the wealthy and the number of maids that felt endless. 

She also noticed the large fountain and a garden from one of the glass door, the size that would have fit for another mansion to be build. 

"This is only the East Wing?" Jane muttered as she reached a wooden signboard on the ceiling of a hallway. 

She became worried as she thought she could somehow find the staircase on her own but no matter how much she turned and looked, she couldn't find any. 

Feeling fear that her tardiness could cause some problem, she looked around, finding the maid who had came together, "Uhm, excuse me." 

The maid turned towards her, stalling their conversation and Jane gulped, feeling worried as usually people would be annoyed at her. 

"Yes?" The maid asked back, polite with a smile. 

She felt relieved, "I'm a new maid here... I was told to help the young master with his lunch." 

"The Young master?" the maid asked and she saw how she began to exchange glance with the other maid walking beside her before nodding. "You must be the young master's new personal maid."  

"I didn't know the old one had left," the other maid muttered only to be shushes by the first woman. 

"The young master is in the attic as always, it's where his quarter is. To find the staircase you have to go over the right side of this hallway," she pointed out, "Then you turn left. You'll find the staircase immediately. But next time, I suggest going from the back, there is another staircase and it's faster from our quarters." 

"I see, thank you very much!" Jane bowed her head politely and turned around, going as fast as she could while the two maids turned to look at each other in a brisk but meaningful look. 

"She looks thin." 

"Does she know about the young master?" 

"I doubt she does," the maid answered. "She looks like she comes from the countryside." 

"Then she doesn't know about them."

"I wouldn't have known of their existence either if it wasn't for working here." 

"Must be a surprise for her then."