The maid approached me and snooped as if she didn’t know what to say. I pointed over to the window without looking back at her.

“Louise, look over there. I was counting the leaves in that tree. When the last leaf falls, I… I’m going to die.”

I spoke wistfully like a time-worn lady just waiting for the day she dies. I gently laid my hands over my chest as if I were the heroine of a tragic story. A smile that was formed with a slight pull of the tip of one’s mouth must look pathetic and lonely.

At my words, the maid Louise, looked out the window and at me alternately with an impatient expression.

“What do you mean, Madam? It’s spring now, isn’t it?”

“…….”

Embarrassed by the cold criticism, I simply rolled my eyes. After all, how would she know about《The Last Leaf》? It was a short story from ‘the world outside of the novel’, so there was no way we could be on the same page.

Yes. The season was a sunny spring, and new leaves sprouted abundantly in the tree. The sun shone over the garden as if the day the last leaf falls would never come.

A soft breeze blew past the garden plants towards me, and my long hair curled and fluttered.

“I know. I was just pretending to be the main character .”

(e/n: main character of the short story she mentioned, “The Last Leaf” by O. Henry)

“Pardon? The main character?”

“Nothing.”

I shook my head gently. It was funny how I imitated the main character when I was just an extra.

Louise, who didn’t know what was going inside my mind, tilted her head. I turned away from her curious gaze and sat down.

“What about His Grace? Have you heard from him yet?”

“No. He has yet to send word.”

My husband had already been away for days. It was clear that it didn’t matter to him whether his wife was sick or not. I was sure I would’ve gotten news of where and why he left since he had been out of the house ever since I woke up after days of being ill.

‘He’s incredibly indifferent to his wife.’

It was true. I couldn’t believe he had been away from the mansion for days without any word. Did something urgent happen? I felt uneasy even though I knew it was useless.

I wanted to see him soon, but on the other hand I didn’t want to see him at all. Rashid Fenvernon would be the ultimate proof that I was trapped in the world of the novel.

So whenever I thought of him, I’d inevitably get confused. I decided to think about something else for a change.

“I have to go out on the town tomorrow. It’s frustrating to stay inside the mansion.”

“No, Madam. Please listen to me.”

“It’s okay, it’s frustrating.”

“I’ll get in deep trouble if anything else happens, Madam.”

“Then I’ll defend you.”

“Madam?”

Louise, who had been firmly dissuading me, laughed as if I was telling nonsense this time. She didn’t seem too keen on being criticized for failing to stop me.

‘You’re looking down on me.’

She wasn’t worried about me. Rather, she was more worried about what the Duke might say.

This was all because Alyssa had a low position within the Ducal House of Fenvernon. The Duchess was a woman whom the duke was forced to marry.  Although it wasn’t too obvious, it was a fact, so her situation was embarrassing.

It would be nice to have a more comfortable child as a personal maid. However, in the first place, there weren’t many employees in this mansion.

Furthermore, Louise Garnett was a maid who had worked in the palace before, so I couldn’t just deal with her however I wanted.  The Emperor had personally presented Louise to the Duchess as a wedding gift. Even though she was quick-witted and disregarded my opinion, she took care of me.

For example, she would put a shawl around me without my asking, check my body’s condition and automatically serve suitable tea, open invitations and decide where to sort them before I could, or choose a dress to wear for a banquet without consulting me even once. As if they were self-prepared in advance, schedules and tasks to be done were decided without considering my wishes.

‘Maybe she’s just being presumptuous rather than caring.’

I took a moment to sift through Alyssa’s memories. I was a little worried that Louise would sometimes act in that manner.

However, the original Alyssa was pleased with Louise’s presence.