Rere woke up earlier than usual and was watching me with a face full of concern.

“Big Bunny, do you need to rest more? You got treated yesterday!”

“I’m really okay now.”

Even when I said that, the child got up and wrapped her arms around my waist.

“You don’t even listen when I tell you to rest. Haaa. Rere is so pitiful for having a mom who doesn’t listen.”

Rere sighed deeply then came closer and pressed her forehead against mine.

“You don’t have a fever…but your complexion is good. Your voice isn’t hoarse, either.”

“Is Rere my doctor today?”

“Yeah! And Dr. Rere test result is that you must rest a few more days, but…even if Rere says this, Big Bunny will still go to work, right?”

I smiled awkwardly. Today was the day I finally saw that doctor’s face.

‘There’s also that story I heard from Leona’s sister, Jane.’

“Hmph…I guess there’s nothing I can do. Instead, do your work and rest, okay?”

“Okay!”

“Ah, b-but even if you’re resting, you can’t stop playing with Rere, okay? Play with Rere and then rest.”

Rere raised her fingers and quickly took back what she had said.

Watching Rere roll her eyes while taking back her words, I nodded.

“Okay.”

“That’s great! Then, Big Bunny. What are we going to play today?”

“We’ll see about that. By the way, Rere, why are you awake so early today?”

“Children in this country wake up early and go to bed early! So Rere will get up early, too!”

She spoke emphatically, but she looked very sleepy.

“Hoaam. N-No. Rere wasn’t sleepy. This is, uh, mouth exercise!”

Rere yawned widely and shook her head in hurry.

“I know. Our Rere is just shaking her head. That doesn’t mean she’s sleepy, right?”

“Yeaaaah!”

The way her chubby cheeks jiggled whenever she shook them was very adorable.

“Then, what should we do today?”

“You know, Big Bunny. I read in a book that cats like grass.”

“Grass? So what exactly is the grass you are talking about?”

“I don’t know! I asked the nanny to buy it, and she said she bought it already. Ah! I know! It’s perilla leaf!”

“Perilla leaf?”

(T/N : Perilla leaf and Catnip are almost similar in korean)

“Yeaah!”

“It was very precious.”

I couldn’t forget the sudden anxiety I felt when I saw Rere smiling brightly. I was worried that it should be catnip instead of perilla leaf, but I couldn’t bring myself to correct an innocent child.

“I see…”

“Yes, yes! Let’s plant the grass! There’s cat grass!”

“Is that so?”

Rere looked at the cats that were sticking close to my legs and puffed her cheeks as if disappointed.

“With that grass, I’m sure the cats will like me. Soon and Shim only like Big Bunny recently.”

Rere pouted, looking upset.

“Okay. Let’s plant the grass.

“….”

“Why, you don’t want to?”

“Who said I don’t want to?”

Just then, the nanny entered the room. She seemed to be very surprised to see us awake early.

“Did you both wake up already?”

“Yeah, Rere is going to wake up early and go to bed early starting today.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! So hurry up and prepare breakfast.”

“Yes, young miss.”

“By the way, nanny. Do you know what time a guest will come to visit me today?”

In answer to my question, she took a small watch out of her sleeve.

“I think even if you’re having breakfast and getting ready, you still have about 30 minutes to an hour left.”

“Then let’s have breakfast right away.”

“Big Bunny, will there be a guest?”

“Yes! It won’t take long. Why doesn’t Rere go planting the perilla leaf with the nanny in the meantime?”

“Alright!”

And then Rere smiled and nodded her head as if satisfied.

Ian usually made an effort to eat with us but had left earlier to deal with an urgent matter. So Rere and I had a cozy meal alone.

After taking a bath with Rere, we separated briefly to do our work.

I headed first to the drawing room before the doctor arrived, and Rere put on a large hat and went to the garden to plant the grass.

“May.”

“Yes, Madam.”

And there was May standing next to me.

“Among the new maids, do you know Jane?”

“Could you please tell Jane to serve the tea herself before my guest comes?”

“Yes!”

May, who was always bubbly, smiled more brightly than ever and opened the door.

It was hard for me to get used to this neat, maroon-colored room.

It was like looking at the chairman’s personal office.

But it was a common courtesy to greet the guests here, so I slowly stepped inside.

As I entered the drawing room, May held the door and smiled again.

“Then I’ll call the maid.”

“Yes, please.”

May closed the drawing room door and quickly disappeared as if she was in an emergency. In the meantime, I took a look at my surroundings while heading to the main table.

Now I could clearly see one of the portraits hung in front of me. It was the portrait of Ian, Rere, and me.

“How pretty..”

Looking at it, I somehow felt a strong sense of belonging. There were times when I felt I was alone, but looking at it made me feel like I had a family.

“I like it.”

It warmed my heart.

It wasn’t only there. Our portraits were hung all over the castle as if in testament to anyone who visited us.

“Ian likes to go overboard sometimes.”

I laughed. There were more portraits that were painted later because Rere and I had a hard time sitting straight for a long time. Ian gave our finished portraits to other artists to paint.

Because of this, there was no place in the castle that didn’t show our images.

In this room alone, there were one large and two small portraits.

But then.

Knock, knock.

There was a sudden knock.

I was a little flustered because it wasn’t that long after May left.

‘He’s not supposed to have arrived already.’

Knock, knock.

There was a knock again.

“Madam, it’s May.”

“Oh, come on in.”

Then I crossed to the main table and sat down. In the meantime, the door opened and May walked in.

“I thought it’d take a long time, but you returned pretty fast.”

“It’s Madam’s order, so I must do it quickly! I also brought the maid that you asked.”

Wiping the sweat on her forehead, she dragged Jane into the room with a big smile.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

“…Why do I have to deal with stuff like this? Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t know who you are, but I know the person who ordered me to bring you here.”

I could no longer see the smile on May’s face.

“Let me go!”

“I guess you’re still not educated enough.”

“Ha. You’ll regret it later.”

I clicked my tongue when I saw Jane refuse to enter.

“Maid Jane. I think you are the one who will regret it.”

Only then did Jane shut her mouth while glaring at me.

“You really think you can do anything, huh?”

“Haven’t I told you before? I’m a Duchess. So be quiet and come in because I have something to tell you today.”

“Something to tell me?”

“It’s a great honor for a new maid to be able to serve tea for the duchess’ honored guest.”

I felt that I had become a bad person, but I didn’t feel bad about it.

Every time I saw Jane I was reminded of Leona’s childhood memories. It made me want to do something about her.

“….”

“Yeah, so come in already.”

“Fine. I’ll do it. Give me the tea.”

Jane suddenly barged into the room as if she had changed her mind. In the meantime, another maid pushed a cart with a tea set on it.

“Try to pour the tea. You still seem ignorant about tea.”

Jane obediently approached me with the cart.

“Madam, I heard that the guest is supposed to arrive in twenty minutes or so.”

“Thank you. You may leave.”

May left the room with the other maids. It was just me and Jane in the room.

Jane kept fidgeting awkwardly with the cups as if something wasn’t familiar. I smirked as I turned my head to look at her.

“Sister.

“You want to pour water on me, but it seems like the water doesn’t come out as you expected, right?”

“…What?”

“Why else would you not brew the tea leaves?”

I could almost see through her as she poured water into the teacup with her clumsy hands.

And apparently what I had said was right, since she tried to spray hot water toward me with her hands trembling.

But I quickly rose from my seat and blocked her hand. Thanks to this, the hot water flowed down Jane’s hand instead of mine.

“Kyaahh!”

“It’s hot, isn’t it?”

“I-It hurts!”

“You shouldn’t have pulled off this kind of nonsense in the first place.”

“I said I’m hurt! Give me something. Ugh…”

“Don’t worry. The tea isn’t as hot as you think. It’s always prepared at a certain temperature because the tea smell and taste change when it’s too hot. Of course, you wouldn’t know that.”

I took a step back, looked at my sister who was holding her hand, and removed the teapot lid.