It was a drop of water.
That was just the beginning.
Drip. Drip. Drip. The drops kept falling onto my cheek. Instinctively, I rolled off the bed—
And almost at the same time, with a tudududuk sound, water began pouring from the ceiling like a miniature waterfall.
***
Yesterday, Natalie had taken one look at the villa and said, “It’ll probably collapse in a couple of days.”
She was wrong.
The villa proved its age in a far more dramatic way—by letting its roof cave in under heavy rain in less than twenty-four hours.
Now, all of us were huddled in the first-floor parlor, having evacuated at dawn. The caretakers, who had rushed over in the morning, bowed deeply and explained.
“We are terribly sorry! We did our best to maintain the roof, but it seems some of the beams couldn’t withstand the rain.”
“For now, please warm yourselves and wait. We will inform His Highness immediately and find a solution.”
Father had been livid, but at the mention of informing Percival, he could do nothing but sit there, face turning red with barely suppressed frustration. Natalie, however, was openly grumbling.
“So, the first villa didn’t even last a single night. The next one might collapse the moment we step inside.”
“How can you say such things, Natalie!”
Even Mother looked miserable.
And honestly? I agreed.
If this had been a hotel I paid for, at least I could demand a refund. But since we were technically guests of my father’s superior’s son, complaining too loudly wasn’t exactly an option.
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Just as I resigned myself to a troublesome vacation...
Three hours later, the situation changed.
Shockingly, Percival himself rushed over to our villa early in the morning.
He repeatedly bowed, taking full responsibility for what had happened, to the point where even Natalie was taken aback. Then, he arranged for us to stay at a temporary residence—the estate of Marquis Duncan, the lord of the region.
Technically, moving from a private villa to a guest room in someone else’s mansion was a downgrade.
But after coming from a crumbling corpse of a house, seeing a splendid five-story mansion made all our complaints disappear.
Mother gasped.
“Oh my, just look at that magnificent rose garden! Even the palace doesn’t have such an enormous garden!”
Father’s eyes gleamed.
“Oh-ho! And the stables! Look at that track! How many thoroughbreds does the Marquis own?”
“...The ballroom is stunning.”
Mother, Father, and Natalie were all thoroughly pleased.
And then the Marchioness, who had come to greet us, added the final touch.
“My parents adore socializing. Every summer, we invite guests to enjoy boat rides in the afternoon, equestrian events in the evening, and lively soirées at night. We are truly delighted to welcome the Redfields into our circle.”
At the mere mention of socializing, my parents and Natalie’s eyes sparkled.
It was official.
Everyone in the Redfield family, except me, was an extrovert.
“What a joy! Even on vacation, we get to meet new people!”
“Oh, if there will be other guests, that’s not a problem at all! As unexpected guests ourselves, it’s actually quite reassuring. I’m excited to meet everyone!”
“A party with more than just dancing? Games as well? Finally, a vacation that feels like a vacation.”
These people were nothing like me!
Isn’t a vacation supposed to be peaceful, quiet, and people-free?!
The Marchioness turned to me.
“What about you, Lady Doris? What do you enjoy? If there’s anything you’d like, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
How was I supposed to answer that?
I couldn’t just go, ‘Yeah, everything you just mentioned sounds awful, so can I get a private library instead?’
That would be like arriving at a family reunion, skipping the greetings, and immediately asking for the WiFi password.
...I mean, I was that kind of kid once.
But I could handle this like an adult.
“This estate is so beautiful that I’m sure I’ll enjoy any part of it. Thank you for the warm welcome.”
“I hope you and His Highness Percival’s guests have a wonderful stay. I look forward to seeing you at tonight’s soirée.”
Just before we headed to our rooms, a thought struck me.
Where would our maids be staying?
I turned to the Redfield maids who had followed us inside.
“Will you all have accommodations here as well?”
“Oh my...”
One of the maids widened her eyes.
“I never expected you to worry about us...”
A classic trait of anxious people—getting concerned about the most random things.
Another maid chuckled.
“We’ll be staying in the staff quarters here. No need to worry, my lady.”
“It must be tough. If the last villa hadn’t collapsed, it would have been a more comfortable stay for you all.”
“...Hehe. Thank you for thinking of us. Please rest well, my lady!”
After the maids left, Natalie peeked out from her room.
“You sure worry about odd things. That’s usually something the household steward handles.”
“I just didn’t know how it worked... I was worried.”
“What’s there to worry about? You just have to make sure they do their jobs properly.”
“A fork is still a fork no matter how you use it. But a maid is a person. I just didn’t want them to be treated poorly.”
“...You’re an odd one.”
I knew this wasn’t a noble way of thinking.
Even in the 21st century, there were plenty of employers who didn’t care about their workers.
"You have a business trip tomorrow! Hotel? Transportation? Figure it out and file your receipts. What? You’re sick? Should’ve taken better care of yourself."
That kind of thing.
But as someone who had once been the underdog in Korean corporate life, I couldn’t help but empathize.
Just as I wondered if Natalie was about to scold me, she suddenly brought up something unexpected.
“Doris. Do you remember a few months ago, when you asked me to create a distraction so you could sneak off to the Sacred Salon?”
“Oh... before the hunting tournament?”
“Yes. When Maria was still playing innocent in front of Arthur.”
Back when Tristan was the most annoying person on the planet—he had since been dethroned by Percival, placing Tristan in second.
It felt like a past life.
“I remember. You were so confident, saying, ‘I’ll make sure everyone is looking at me.’ And you succeeded.”
“I did. But something strange happened that night. Father came home in the middle of the party and asked the maids, ‘Where’s Doris? She isn’t locked up in her room, is she?’”
“...What?”
“The maid he asked told him, ‘I just helped Lady Doris adjust her dress.’”
“......”
“At the time, I thought nothing of it. But later, I realized—it didn’t make sense. You had left for the salon long before Father came home.”
“...Which means—”
“One of the maids lied for you. You never asked them to cover for you, did you?”
“Not at all.”
“Hah. I suppose your usual kindness paid off. That’s so like you.”
Natalie ruffled my hair and left for her room.
I stepped into my own room, feeling a little conflicted.
I appreciated the quick thinking.
But they had covered for me without even knowing what I was actually doing.
If Father had found out the truth and gotten angry, what would they have done?
...Still, I was grateful.
Being on the receiving end of someone’s kindness always felt good.
I changed into fresh clothes that the maids had prepared earlier.
An Unexpectedly Enjoyable Evening
That night, our family attended an extravagant soiree at the Marquis’s estate.
The food was delicious, the hosts were welcoming, and even I—who had initially felt like a misplaced piece of furniture—ended up enjoying a lighthearted board game.
By the end of the night, the morning’s disastrous flood was long forgotten.
I slept in a comfortable bed, woke up refreshed, enjoyed a fantastic breakfast, and took a stroll through the rose garden with the Marchioness.
As I savored lunch, I suddenly thought—
Maybe this is what the protagonist in ‘The Last Leaf’ meant by paradise.
But just as I was feeling at peace—
Percival arrived.
He wasn’t as handsome as Tristan, but his polished noble features certainly hinted at their shared lineage.
And his gaze landed on Father as he spoke.