Just Leave Me Be

Chapter 5

Bella stared at Adele, her eyes shining. Trembling all over, she slowly got down on her knees.

“I... I apologize, my lady. Please forgive me.”

“For what?” Adele shot back.

“I beg your pardon?”

“What are you apologizing for?”

Bella raised her head, her cheeks glowing red.

“I... was out of line... my lady.”

She hung her head, still on her knees.

“I’m glad you seem to know your place now.”

With those words, Adele swept past Bella. She made sure to slowly look around her and check the reactions of the other servants. Each and every one averted their eyes, unable to meet Adele’s gaze. It appeared they had all been searching for her.

She was so sick of all of this.

I didn’t know I could feel this way, she mused.

When Adele strolled leisurely toward the curved staircase, Bella clutched her cheek and chased after her.

“Disrespect me one more time and you’re fired,” Adele said.

“I only...” Bella started.

“You just focus on your own job. I already know what I have to do.”

Adele continued walking. She fervently hoped the duchess would discover her pregnancy soon and that she would remain healthy until she gave birth to the baby, at least.

“I heard you disappeared,” a voice called out.

When Adele reached the staircase, she saw Fellis standing there waiting for her.

He was never the type of person to talk to her first.

Well, he never had to. It was always Adele, acting as Karena Viphta, who’d scurried over to him on sight and tried to strike up a conversation.

“I was in the library,” Adele answered. “Why? Were you hoping I was gone for good?”

Fellis merely frowned and didn’t answer. Adele gave a slight nod.

“I’ll be on my way then,” she said.

Adele hadn’t expected a reply from him anyway. She got the formalities out of the way and started up the stairs.

Bella bowed deeply to Fellis, then rushed after Adele.

Fellis didn’t bother to stop Adele. He only watched her from behind, his arms crossed over his chest.

Once she reached the second floor, Adele headed straight to her room.

“Are you going to follow me inside?” she said.

“It’s just... You haven’t eaten, my lady,” Bella said in a small voice.

Her eyes were still downcast, not fully recovered from the shock. Adele couldn’t say she was bothered by it. Such was the power the name Karena Viphta gave her. It was also the price of Adele’s freedom. All this time, she’d been letting it go to waste like an idiot. No wonder the servants looked down on her.

“You must be hungry, my lady. Are you sure you don’t want me to send up a snack?” Bella asked.

“I really don’t feel well today,” Adele answered, “so I don’t have much of an appetite. And starting tomorrow, don’t come to wake me up in the morning unless I call for you.”

Bella’s eyes widened in surprise.

Adele added, “Oh, and from now on, just give me the week’s schedule; I’ll handle everything on my own. All you need to do is prepare the schedule for next week.”

“My lady!” Bella cried.

When Adele narrowed her eyes, Bella hung her head and lowered her gaze.

“I was serious about firing you the next time you get on my nerves, Bella.”

“Yes, my lady... I’m sorry,” Bella apologized.

She was clearly unnerved, having never heard Adele speak so coldly before.

Adele slowly lowered her gaze.

The old Adele would have let it pass, but that Adele was gone now. If she turned a blind eye, she would be admitting that Bella had done nothing wrong.

“The hunting tournament is next week, right?” Adele asked.

“What? Oh, yes,” Bella answered.

“Then make all the preparations on your own. There’s nothing else I need to do, is there?”

“…”

Still smarting from her rebuke, Bella glanced cautiously at Adele with her lips clamped shut.

“I’ll be spending most of my time in the library from now on,” Adele continued. “Unless it’s something important or urgent, I would prefer it if you didn’t come looking for me there.”

“But...” Bella hopped in place, looking frustrated. Her face crumpled. Even so, she held her tongue, kept in line by the slap from earlier.

Adele would have felt sorry for her in the past, but now she found it fascinating how she didn’t feel a thing. Then again, she’d be a sucker to still have any feelings left when she had literally cheated death.

“The reason I’m telling you is to prevent any more incidents like this from happening in the future,” she said.

Bella looked like she was going to cry. “If I’ve done anything wrong, please tell me, my lady,” she implored.

“I’m going out to buy tassel supplies tomorrow,” Adele continued as if she hadn’t heard. “I’ll be home before dinner, so don’t make a scene just because I’m not around.”

“I’ll go with you, my lady,” Bella offered.

“No, it’s fine,” Adele said curtly, shaking her head.

Bella’s eyes darted around the room. Her crestfallen expression made her look even more fragile.

“Please tell me what I’ve done wrong, my lady,” she said.

Adele smirked. “You raised your voice at me and dared to accuse me, the master you serve. Also you report my every move to His Grace the Duke. Should I go on?”

Bella paled.

The last one was just a guess, but it looks like I was actually right.

Adele held back a sigh.

“Everything about you has been wrong from the start.”

“…”

“Well, that’s all I have to say, so you can go now. If you could find me a new personal maid, I’d appreciate it. Preferably someone who doesn’t know the whole story,” Adele said meaningfully.

Bella shook her head, now on the verge of tears.

It didn’t seem like she’d back away. Adele rubbed her forehead, feeling somewhat tired.

Was Bella always like this?

Having always been the clingy one herself, Adele didn’t realize Bella had such a persistent side to her. It was usually Adele desperately attempting to cozy up to Bella, making every effort to earn Bella’s favor.

Bella was older than Adele by about six or seven years and had taken care of Adele ever since her arrival at the estate. Adele had hoped she might find some love and affection in the heart of her new maid, but Bella, perhaps quite reasonably so, had always been businesslike.

Adele had to be Karena Viphta at all times.

But unlike the real Karena Viphta, she was a fabricated character who couldn’t grumble, throw a fit, or complain.

“Bella, who am I?” Adele asked.

“You are Lady Karena Viphta, my lady...”

“That’s right, so you do know. I’m Karena Viphta, and you’re nothing but a maid. Unless you really want to be fired, don’t follow me. You don’t want to hear what I’ll say next if you do.”

With that final warning, Adele turned away and went into her room without hesitation, leaving Bella at the door.

Once inside, everything finally went quiet.

After I became Karena Viphta my heart would pound so hard if I ever tried to say anything bad…

Adele had grown anxious about the most insignificant things. She’d been terrified even though it wouldn’t have been the end of the world if she’d gotten on the wrong side of the servants once or twice.

“There really isn’t much to it,” Adele remarked to herself.

She climbed into bed, still fully dressed.

I’ll get the tassel supplies tomorrow, then spend the rest of the day reading in the library.

If she could buy some fruit and arrange all of her meals to be in her room or the library, then she wouldn’t have to deal with anyone in the house anymore.

“Time to sleep.”

In the past, she would go to bed early and rise early, too, but now she would do whatever she wanted. Even if she slept early and woke up late, she would still have plenty of time to visit the market.

Adele snuggled under the covers and closed her eyes. She must have been tired because sleep washed over her immediately.

What if this is all a dream?

She felt a pang of anxiety just as she fell asleep.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the window.

Adele squinted, then buried her face in the blankets. Normally she would have woken up already, but for some reason, today she didn’t want to.

What color should I make the tassel?

Not that she would have many options to choose from.

“It’s just for friendship anyway.”

Ladies usually gave tassels to those of romantic interest, but sometimes they gave gifts out of friendship to hide their true feelings.

Adele only planned on giving one tassel, which was of course for friendship.

“I should get up now.”

Adele hopped out of bed.

She locked her door and went into her bathroom. Then she ran a bath and sank into the water. Without Bella next to her, she felt much more at ease.

She chose a simple and comfortable dress instead of one with a complex design that was difficult to put on. And she decided to eat out today.

I have so much money, but I’ve never once spent it properly.

Adele had always been walking on eggshells.

She had worried herself sick every time she had to spend money on anything; even asking to bathe was immensely difficult.

The Karena Viphta she was playing had been an extremely kind, but fragile, girl. The more Adele thought on it, the more she realized that that had been completely ridiculous. Nobody in this world could be completely good at heart.

I know family breakfasts are mandatory, but…

Adele had always woken up early so that she wouldn’t miss breakfast. She would spend more than an hour dolling herself up only to sit at an uncomfortable table where she was barely allowed to utter a single word. She had struggled to digest each meal and couldn’t even eat properly later on. Eventually, her meals only consisted of salads.

Once she had finished getting dressed, Adele opened the door and stepped out of her room.

“Bella?” she said.

Bella was standing nervously in front of the door.