“We’ll always be together, Bel!”

Belladonna’s eyes snapped open as she looked at the ceiling above her.

A ceiling, instead of the vast night sky above the alley.

A dream.

A frown made its way to Belladonna’s face as she sat on her bed, the soft mattress sinking against her weight. The young girl left her bedside, her nightgown trailing behind her as she stood before her boudoir.

The dim light from the moon shone inside her room, illuminating her face whilst her eyes adjusted to her dark surroundings, soon face-to-face with her face reflected in her mirror.

Before her was a girl at the tender age of eight years. Dull purple hair cut short, a porcelain face with a sullen look unbefitting of a girl her age, and a demeanor that one wouldn’t expect from a beggar.

Or at least, a beggar turned maid.

Some time has passed since the last time she had to sleep on cold stone— and she herself is surprised she found herself on an aristocrat’s employ.

However, the circumstances that has lead to her becoming a maid for the Baron of Brigandine was not one she’d like to detail, nor to remember—in fact, Belladonna would rather return to her old life despite the fortune she had received of being employed in a household with a kind aristocrat as an employer.

The value of the things she had lost outweigh the things she had gained in this lifetime.

If it can be granted, Belladonna would trade everything she now has in favor of what she had before.

But the gods have abandoned her.

Shaking her head to wake herself, Belladonna began her preparations— to dress herself and head to her duties. After all, a maid’s daily schedule begins early and ends quite late, a rigorous feat for a child as young as her.

It was expected of Belladonna to attend to Lady Donatella’s needs at every point in time. Meaning, she is to prioritize her lady’s needs even before she wakes. Breakfast, washbasin water, and her wardrobe were the glaring tasks she had to oversee before anything else.

By the fifth hour, the young maid awakens and attends to herself, ensuring she is well-dressed with not a lick of imperfection upon her uniform.

By the sixth hour, Belladonna is within the kitchen premises of the Brigandine estate, she is to assist the cooks and chefs in preparing their masters’ breakfast, with the young maid focusing on her lady’s. Any preference or requests her lady had made the night before were duly referred to the chefs.

The night before, Lady Donatella had not shown any preference for any dishes, thus the preparations for breakfast went by smoothly.

For today, Lady Donatella’s breakfast is a pair of freshly baked brioche, gently slathered with butter with a side of sweet syrup, a warm bowl of cream soup garnished with spring onions and mushroom, and a pot of delicious mint tea.

By the seventh hour, Belladonna prepares the lady’s towel and wash basin water which is composed of warm water and flower petals depending on the season.

Today’s flower is a rose.

By the eighth hour, Belladonna is already in front of her lady’s room, ready to wake her up, towel and pitcher in hand.

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Donatella had always preferred to see Belladonna’s face first and foremost in the morning, mostly because of their similar age, and because according to the lady, Belladonna’s voice is the most soothing to hear when being awoken.

The young maid gently opened the door to Donatella’s room, hand mildly shaking from the weight of the pitcher containing warm rose water for her lady’s washbasin.

Sure enough, Donatella still slumbers, under the mess of pillows and covers, revealing a messy side that no noble lady should ever present towards their peers.

Unrefined as always, My lady.

Belladonna sighed in her heart as she set aside the pitcher on her lady’s bedside, drawing the curtains to let in the warm, morning sunlight to accompany her in waking the young lady of the house.

“My lady, it’s time to wake up.”

“Five more minutes… Belladonna..”

“My lady, five minutes are up.” Belladonna lied as she turned towards Donatella, the sunlight glimmering behind her across the window glass as the young noble rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

“Uu.. Bel…”

Bel!

A hint of displeasure crossed Belladonna’s eyes at the nickname, but chose not to show it to the best of her ability.

“My lady.” The maid bowed, helping Donatella sit up and with a swift motion, lined the little washbasin in front of her, filling it with warm rosewater for the lady to wash her face.

Murmuring her thanks, Donatella washed her face, the soft scent of roses permeating through her nostrils.

Belladonna had always made sure that the water she used would be warm and scented accordingly with seasonal flowers, something that the noble lady liked.

Once she’s satisfied, the blonde haired noble lady turns towards her maid, who gently hands her the soft towel which Donatella used to wipe her face whilst the maid cleared away the wash basin.

“Bel is so efficient..” the young lady pouted as she handed her towel to her maid.

“Everything is for you, Lady Donatella.” Belladonna replied as she bowed.

Everything is for you, Lady Donatella.

It wasn’t something to butter her up, rather, it was the complete and objective truth.

Everything in this world is for the heroine, Donatella.

“What’s for breakfast, Bel?”

The nickname grated Belladonna’s ears.

“Buttered brioche with a side of cream alongside cream soup garnished with spring onion and mushroom.” The maid started, head bowed. “—and today’s tea is mint.” She added as the noble lady’s turquoise eyes sparkled in delight.

“That’s wonderful!” She spoke. “Dress me up, I cannot miss today’s breakfast!”

“Very well, my lady.” Belladonna hummed, turning to the door to usher two older maids in who greeted the young noble as the young maid walked towards the lady’s wardrobe. “Do you have any preference for today, My Lady?” She asks as she presents a line of dresses for her to choose from.

“Pick one for me, Bel!”

“As you wish.”

For today, the weather is quite cold. Therefore, the thick, apple blossom-colored dress lined with girlish frills and lace is perfect for the occasion.

Lady Donatella’s accessories mostly are upon her hair as she liked it, and thus Belladonna took it upon herself to choose lace ribbons for her hair.

Once seeing Donatella’s pleased expression, Belladonna and the other maids dressed her up, brushing her hair as the young noble gleefully hummed. The maids showered her in praise while Belladonna remained quiet.

“Bel, don’t I look pretty?”

“The loveliest of them all, My lady.” Belladonna replied mechanically as she handed the older maid the other lace ribbon.

To Belladonna, Donatella is indeed beautiful. As expected of the heroine that would soon become a victim of the narrative, the star of a tragedy that was about to begin.

Before meeting Donatella, she was nothing to Belladonna other than a heroine she’ll take some pity on upon knowing of her tragic outcomes, but wouldn’t do much to change it due to their circumstances:

What can a beggar even do to overturn a noble’s fate? Nothing.

All Belladonna could do then is just try to avoid being caught up in the same mess.

But now, things are different. The tragic heroine is literally, her employer and life saver.

Her mess will be Belladonna’s mess by default on the grounds of employee-employer relationship.

Her death will also be Belladonna’s death.

The possibility of dying alongside her lady frankly terrified her, but looking at her lady’s enthusiastic, turquoise eyes reflected upon her boudoir mirror, the young maid couldn’t help but feel terrified of her lady’s fate too.

Soon those eyes will see countless tragedies.

Knowing of the fate in store for her, and how it will affect her made Belladonna clench her jaw.

In some twisted play of the gods, her fate and Donatella’s are now intertwined for better or for worse, as from a beggar on the streets, she had found herself to be the maid of the heroine of a terrible, terrible game, where there were even more terrible things in store for her.

If she, the protagonist of the narrative, is to die from poisoned cookies of all things, then Belladonna is indeed in a lot of danger as well.

Poisoned cookies, a murder of crows, vindictive women, and useless men.

It’s up to me to protect her.

A wonderful life, my arse. You’re dressed in finery but your marriage candidates in the future are dogshit!

Hell, even the coming days can be your last! Utter dogshit!

Belladonna cried bitterly in her heart. Within the time she has spent with her lady, she knows for a fact that Donatella is pure of heart and naive! Kind enough to make someone as sullen as her grow soft and fond of such a person!

So why? Why does she have to suffer a fate even more dogshit than any beggar out there?

While the young maid’s instincts tell her to simply run when the opportunity presents itself, can she really leave such a person to die? A person who saved her?

She might have been a beggar, but she was raised to have morals.

Moreover, since she is now appointed as Donatella’s personal maid, she is required to die for her, and on the occasion that her lady is harmed, or dies as a result, everything would be her fault on grounds of negligence, and her head would also roll!

A true damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation!

Belladonna wasn’t raised to suck her thumb and cry at the obstacles presented towards her. In this kind of situation, the only thing she can do is persevere on and try her best!

Failure was not an option. Her lady, her employment and her life all hinge on whether she can keep Donatella away from an unsavory fate!

She might be alone in this world, but she’s sure as hell not going to die in vain, and like hell she’d leave Donatella to die over a handful of reasons that were just plainly, too stupid to die over.

Who dies over a couple of useless men?!

Who dies over poisoned cookies?!

Who the hell dies over crows?!

To hell with those!!

The sight of Donatella's enthusiastic turquoise eyes steeled Belladonna’s resolve. She will never let those eyes see such tragic endings!

Fine. A wonderful life? I’ll give you a wonderful life, Donatella Brigandine!

Belladonna quietly gnashed her teeth. For the sake of her employment (life), she will have to make sure that Donatella Brigandine has a wonderful life!

No cookie or crow, vindictive woman or useless man will ever ruin it for her!