The Main Heroine Falls for the Extra

Illia Anies was born as the daughter of a count family.

The Count Anies family was a merchant family, mainly making profits through luxury goods for nobles and large-scale transactions of various minerals.

Thanks to that, the Anies count family had accumulated considerable wealth, but since the time of the count from two generations ago, a trend of avoiding luxury had strengthened, and as quality minerals came in from the north, their profits had been gradually decreasing.

Eventually, by the time of Illia’s father, they reached a state of spending more than earning, consuming their accumulated wealth.

The Count Anies who was trying to somehow overcome the current situation, unfortunately became a traveler of no return due to an accident while overworking himself.

The next Count Anies position went to Illia’s uncle, but the family’s situation worsened even more.

Illia’s uncle wasn’t lacking in ability either, but it ended at a level of just barely maintaining the family line.

Given the family’s circumstances, there was virtually no talk of strategic marriage for young Illia, and Illia left home to find her own way to survive.

And through her dead father’s connections, she was able to enter the Duke Ignis family as an apprentice maid.

For Illia, who had lived a life of being loved as the only daughter of a count family, it was quite a difficult life.

But the people working at the duke’s family were all kind, and a senior two years older than Illia taught her work passionately.

Illia gradually became accustomed to the duke’s family.

The work at the Duke Ignis family was basically all about cleaning and managing the mansion.

Duke Ignis was always busy and often away from the mansion, and his wife and son, the heir, followed their father.

The eldest daughter, who was a genius but arrogant, and rumored to be disliked for often bullying her younger sister, had left the mansion after entering the academy.

Basically, it was a structure where she only needed to serve the second daughter, Lady Riel.

Lady Riel, who was always quiet and gentle, could be considered a master who was quite easy to serve.

Of course, she was usually taken care of by Illia’s senior, who was her personal maid, so there wasn’t much occasion to see her.

Illia’s senior, Phyllis, despite not being much older than Illia, showed competence in various areas.

It might have been partly because they were close in age, but it was said that she began to shine even more after becoming Lady Riel’s personal maid.

Before she knew it, Illia began to admire her.

One year after Illia entered the Duke Ignis family.

Illia had become quite familiar with the mansion.

But at the same time, some disturbing rumors began to circulate.

There was a rumor that Phyllis was trying to manipulate Lady Riel behind the scenes.

In reality, there had been several incidents where personal servants had tried to manipulate noble children through methods close to brainwashing, using their position as personal servants.

But Illia knew that Phyllis wasn’t the type of person to do such things, and she didn’t believe it because she admired her.

But at the same time, she also heard rumors like these.

‘I heard she’s trying to forcibly separate Lady and Allen.’

‘I heard Allen is looking for a way to save Lady from her hands.’

Allen…?

Allen Ludwig.

He must have been the son of the knight captain, selected as Lady’s conversation partner.

Illia had encountered him a few times and had conversations with him, and she remembered him as quite an appealing and handsome boy.

Such Allen…?

A slight shade of doubt settled in Illia’s heart.

Then one day, as Illia was cleaning the mansion corridor as usual, someone approached her.

Quickly tidying herself and showing proper manners, Illia realized that the person was the boy who had appeared in the recent rumors.

The boy, Allen’s expression was extremely desperate.

“I’ve heard that Ms. Illia is close with Ms. Phyllis.”

Indeed, Illia, being the junior right under Phyllis, thought she had become quite close to her while learning work from her.

Therefore, she trusted Phyllis and didn’t believe the rumors.

“Even at this moment, Riel might be suffering, if you know anything about Ms. Phyllis, I would like you to tell me!!”

But…

This young boy is trying so desperately to save Lady Riel?

It was as if such words were heard in her head.

I don’t know that much about Senior Phyllis, and seeing this young boy trying so hard, the rumor might be true.

Pretending to be kind on the outside, but harboring dark desires behind.

The doubt that arose within Illia knew no bounds.

And… what if Senior Phyllis were to disappear.

Senior Phyllis became Lady Riel’s personal maid largely because they were close in age, right…?

So…

So if Senior Phyllis were to disappear from this mansion…

And along with doubt, black greed was also growing within Illia.

“…Hah!”

Illia opened her eyes.

Dreaming of old times, she thought it was really something.

It was an old story she had almost completely forgotten, but dreams don’t seem to discriminate.

When she opened her eyes, she was inside a carriage.

Come to think of it, she was on an errand.

For some reason, Lady Riel had instructed her to send a letter.

The recipient was Riel’s older sister, Eve Ignis, who was stationed in Orubria territory.

When she asked why she had to deliver it in person when she could just send it, Lady just shook her head without saying anything as usual.

…Well, Orubria territory wasn’t that far away, so it didn’t matter.

Just in case, she secretly opened the letter to check the contents, but it was just a greeting letter with no problems.

Speaking of Eve Lady…

To be honest, Illia had never met her.

By the time Illia entered the duke’s family, Eve had already left the mansion to attend the academy, and since then, she never returned to the mansion.

According to rumors, she was an arrogant and bad older sister who bullied her younger sister, but would it be okay to deliver her younger sister’s letter?

She thought so, but well, if she was asked to deliver it, she should deliver it, she thought.

Orubria territory, which she reached after traveling by carriage, was quite bustling.

There were many combat classes visible, such as knights and magicians, and from what she heard, the 2nd Princess was stationed there leading an army.

Eve Lady, who was affiliated with the magic corps, was also said to be stationed here.

She immediately went to the logistics where Eve Lady was said to be staying, and passed through by showing her identification tag that proved her purpose and identity.

There, she connected with Eve Lady’s personal maid, whom she had seen a few times before.

When she conveyed her purpose, the maid’s eyes turned to the letter in her hand.

Of course, it was a letter that Illia had already confirmed had no problems.

But as if it was her usual routine, she slightly tore open the letter and checked the contents.

…Since when had it become a practice to secretly open and check the contents of letters being transmitted among the duke’s family people?

Inwardly, she recognized that it was absolutely wrong, but for some reason, the duke’s family servants continued such behavior.

…They themselves didn’t understand exactly what they were looking for.

Why… what exactly are we…

She had questioned it before, but for some reason, that question was immediately blurred and erased from her mind.

Perhaps the checking of the letter was complete, as Illia received the letter back, seamlessly resealed back to its original form.

As she entered the room, Eve’s personal maid also followed her in.

Inside the room, a beautiful woman with red hair, just like Lady Riel, was sitting on a sofa.

‘That person is the duke family’s eldest daughter, Lady Eve Ignis…’

She looked very similar to Lady Riel in appearance.

However, with a more mature appearance, and contrary to her fiery hair and eyes, her expression was as cold as ice.

…She wondered if she was really an arrogant person, as rumored.

“Who is that person?”

“It’s the personal maid sent by Lady Riel.”

At Eve’s question, the personal maid behind answered, and Eve’s red eyes turned directly towards Illia.

“You are…”

As if searching, Eve’s eyes made Illia tense, hunching her body and bowing her head deeply.

“I…I am Illia!!”

“Ah, you may raise your head.”

At those words, Illia raised her head and looked at Eve.

Her expression was still cold.

“So, for what purpose have you come all the way here?”

“It’s…it’s a letter sent by Lady Riel.”

As Illia took out the letter, Eve’s personal maid received it and handed it to Eve.

Eve seemed to be reading the letter for a while after taking it out.

‘Eh?’

For a very brief moment, Illia felt like Eve’s expression had softened.

But as that expression quickly disappeared and returned to a cold one, Illia thought she had seen wrong.

“Good work, would you like to have a cup of tea before returning?”

At those words, Eve’s personal maid moved as if to prepare something, but Eve raised her hand to stop her.

“Chloe, stay still. I want to brew the tea myself for once in a long time.”

After stopping her personal maid like that, Eve left her seat for a moment.

A short while later, she came in carrying a tray with three cups and a teapot.

“I tried to show my skills after a long time. Chloe, you sit down and have some too.”

After Chloe, the personal maid who had been staring blankly at that for a moment, sat down, Illia also hastily sat down next to her.

Eve, sitting across from them, poured tea into the cups and offered them.

The tea contained a nice fragrance.

“It’s tea that I received from Princess Aine, they say it’s a high-quality tea from the north, and it has a very nice aroma.”

Eve’s words didn’t enter Illia’s mind at all, probably due to tension.

“So, you said your name was Illia?”

“Ye…yes!!”

She took a sip of tea, but the tension was such that she couldn’t taste the tea at all.

“Actually, I really wanted to meet you.”

“M…me?!”

Illia’s tension was reaching almost its limit.

There was a deep smile on Eve’s face.

At that moment

A thud sound was heard, and Illia instinctively looked to the side.

…Eve’s personal maid, Chloe, had collapsed, fallen over on the table.

“Yes, I heard our cute Riel owes you a lot.”

Eve’s icy cold smile and her voice.

Simultaneously, Illia felt her consciousness gradually fading.