For the first time in ages, Christina Modina could rest well.

    “Since my father was killed, this is the first time I’ve slept so peacefully. Until now, I’ve only taken short naps, never knowing when someone might come after me.”

    Despite saying that, she still had dark circles under her eyes.@@@@

    About every three hours, she would wake up from nightmares, reliving the brutal execution of her beloved family members on the gallows.

    The person who probably suffered the most was her father. Even until the end, he told her to forget about impossible revenge and to use the emergency funds he had hidden away to seek asylum in the Kingdom of Lyon.

    Her father apologized profusely to her older and younger brothers, saying he was sorry he couldn’t protect them from Pereira’s evil reach.

    Her mother, unable to understand the concept of death, comforted her infant sister with a forced smile to try and soothe her fear.

    Even while enduring unspeakable torture, her siblings never betrayed her whereabouts, repeatedly telling her, “Only you must survive, Christina.”

    The memories made her clench her teeth in anger.

    “Father, Mother. I will get revenge for both of you, even if I have to sell everything I have.”

    Then she heard a knock on the door.

    Was it the young lord of the Medici family? Or someone else?

    She adjusted her ragged clothes quickly. No matter how beautiful a person might be, rags were still rags, so there wasn’t much of a difference.

    “Come in.”

    “Excuse me,” Chloe said as she entered, carrying a white bathrobe and a fabric to cover her chest.

    “The Young Master has instructed me to take good care of Lady Modina. Although, as the Young Master’s personal maid, another maid will likely serve you most of the time during your stay.”

    “Thank you.”

    She wasn’t saying this just out of politeness. Even though Christina had lost all social status, they treated her with the respect of a noble lady.

    She could feel they were treating her as a colleague working towards the same goal, rather than pitying her.

    ‘If I have nowhere else to go, perhaps staying with the Medici family wouldn’t be so bad.’

    With the money her father left, she could probably live quietly as a small landowner in some rural area, though there was always the risk of encountering bandits or bad people along the way.

    In the worst case, she might be falsely accused and have her property seized by locals.

    Feeling a bit lighter, Christina cracked a joke.

    “Does this bathrobe mean the Young Master expects me to warm his bed tonight?”

    It was the kind of playful comment she could never make as the daughter of a merchant family. But now, as a fallen lady, a social rank lower than even a serf, she could afford to be cheeky.

    Chloe shook her head.

    “Th-th-that’s such an embarrassing thing to say...”

    As she spoke, Chloe blushed as red as a ripe apple, looking down and stuttering.

    “He just asked me to get your measurements and prepare new clothes for you. The Young Master isn’t the kind of person who would force a woman just because he has the money and power to do so!”

    Drawing on her skills as a former noble and a merchant, Christina quickly deduced something from Chloe’s response.

    ‘She really loves her master.’

    There was no other reason for her to get so flustered, stuttering with embarrassment like that.

    Her impression of Fabio had risen considerably.

    As a woman, she didn’t appreciate men who pressured others for favors, and he seemed to be a man of integrity in that regard.

    “Since then, I don’t really get bullied. In fact, I’ve made friends with the other maids and the butler. Sometimes, the Young Master gives me money and lets me go out to enjoy myself.”

    “He must really cherish you.”

    “And all the other servants like him too. He always remembers their special occasions and pays them well.”

    Noblemen, especially ones of Fabio’s status, rarely bothered with their servants’ family events, if at all. They’d only care about their top staff, like the chief maid or butler, if even that.

    Lower staff usually received only a half-silver coin and free room and board.

    So, for other maids to stay after marriage was uncommon.

    Hearing this, Christina was impressed.

    Caring for servants might seem insignificant, but it builds loyalty that could be invaluable in a time of crisis.

    ‘They’d rally around the family during a crisis.’

    “How did you become his maid?”

    Becoming a maid usually required connections since Fabio’s servants were from well-off backgrounds.

    Given her awkwardness, Chloe probably didn’t have any connections.

    “If I’m honest, he just claimed me when he was given his estate.”

    Fabio had never said those exact words, but they weren’t far off.

    “There was a famine in the village, so I lost my family and almost got sold into slavery. I hated that the people who used to be so kind turned on me like that.”

    “So, you’re similar to me. Do you want revenge?”

    Chloe shook her head.

    “Maybe I do, but being with the Young Master makes me happy. And since those villagers are his subjects, I’d rather not cause him trouble.”

    “Do you really like him that much?”

    With a smile only a girl in love could give, Chloe replied, “I could look at him all day, every day, and I’d be happy. I love it when he strokes my hair, and I hope it’ll always be like this. Though I wouldn’t mind if he expressed himself a bit more passionately.”

    Christina hadn’t eaten for days, but just seeing that smile made her feel full.

    “That’s why I’m learning to write and do math, to help him someday. The butler says I’ll need a few more years of training, but...”

    Most personal maids, especially those as favored as Chloe, rarely bothered to make any efforts beyond maintaining their appearance and securing their master’s favor.

    They disliked studying and didn’t want to work hard.

    ‘For a girl who has probably never studied before...’

    And as she listened, Christina found herself thinking.

    ‘I may not know his capabilities, but in terms of character, he’s remarkable.’

    With Chloe looking like she had found a new family, Christina asked her one last question.

    “Are you really okay with not seeking revenge?”

    “Just being with him makes me happy. I’d rather spend my time working on myself,” Chloe replied.

    Christina thought back to Fabio’s words.

    Life remains after revenge, and true revenge includes finding happiness afterward.

    She whispered to herself, so quietly that even Chloe couldn’t hear.

    “Perhaps, while waiting for my revenge, and even after, I can stay here.”