When I reached my room, Jane and Cecil were already there, waiting.

  “The warm bath is ready, young dy. Would you like to take it now?” Jane asked gently.

  I simply nodded.

  Without needing further instruction, I headed into the bathroom, and the two of them moved swiftly to help me undress. Soon, I was sinking into a warm bubble bath steaming gently, ced with rose petals and calming oils, letting the water embrace my tired body.

  Cecil carefully washed my hair, massaging my scalp all the way to my temples with expert hands, while Jane gently scrubbed my arms. My muscles, tight and fatigued from the long day, gradually began to loosen beneath their care. I closed my eyes, completely absorbed in the soothing rhythm of their movements.

  “Did you two have dinner yet?” I asked zily, eyes still shut.

  “Yes, young dy. We had a quick bite while you were dining,” Jane replied.

  “And we thoroughly enjoyed the sweets—thank you, young dy!” Cecil added cheerfully.

  At the mention of sweets, my eyes flew open.

  Jane immediately shot a sharp look at Cecil, silently warning her to stop talking. Cecil, realizing her mistake, cpped a hand over her mouth and gave me an apologetic gnce.

  I let out a soft, weary sigh and leaned back into the bath.

  “My happy days are numbered, girls,” I muttered to myself, resigned to my sugary downfall.

  I let the warm water soak into my skin, trying to calm the nagging frustration that lingered from the earlier betrayal. A simple dessert, I told myself. But it wasn’t just about the cake—it was the principle of it, now squashed by a well-meaning mother. One dessert, as if that would solve all the world’s problems. I almost wanted to ugh at the absurdity of it all.

  I realized I’d forgotten to ask what exactly my mother meant by "one dessert." Was it just one after dinner? Once a week? Once a month? The instructions were way too vague. Or would I be at her mercy, only allowed a dessert in exchange for doing something she wanted or meeting certain expectations? The uncertainty of it all only deepened my frustration. I sank further into the bubbles, letting the warm water carry away my thoughts, if only for a moment.

  I knew better than to underestimate my mother. Once she made a decision, there was no turning back.

  Jane must have noticed the change in my expression as I sunk deeper into my thoughts. Her voice was soft, comforting. "Are you going to be okay, young dy?"

  I gave a half-smile and opened my eyes to look at her. I wanted to say I was fine, that I’d survive—but I wasn’t sure I believed it myself.

  She smiled back, though the concern in her eyes was clear. Jane and Cecil both knew how much I loved my treats, and they understood how much a little indulgence meant to me.

  Cecil, standing by the edge of the bath, couldn’t resist speaking up. “Maybe we can sneak some sweets in?” she suggested, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Just a little bit, when Stefan or the Madam aren’t looking?”

  I chuckled despite myself. “If we get caught, you’ll be the one expining why I’m eating cake for breakfast.”

  She grinned. “I’ll take full responsibility. You know I’m very convincing.”

  Though Jane was hesitant, she eventually agreed with Cecil’s idea. The thought of breaking the rules made me smile. There was a small comfort in knowing I wasn’t completely alone in my sweet-tooth rebellion.

  “It’s okay, but if Stefan finds out, you’ll be reprimanded, and I don’t want that for you. You might even get sary deductions,” I replied, half-joking but also genuinely concerned for them.

  Cecil looked like she wanted to insist, but after a pause, she fell silent and continued washing my hair, as did Jane.

  As the bubbles slowly began to fade and the warm water started to cool, I realized how much I relied on these quiet moments. The simple, careful way Jane and Cecil tended to me—how they took care of me without question—was more comforting than I could express. It was these small, familiar routines that made the day feel whole.

  I sighed contentedly, feeling a little more at ease. “Let’s hurry up and finish with this bath!” I said, feeling lighter despite everything.

  They both quickly moved to rinse me, working in practiced silence.

  Jane was the first to leave the bathroom to prepare my sleeping gown, while Cecil carefully dried my skin and worked the water out of my hair. Once she finished, I slipped into my bathrobe and stepped out of the bathroom. I quickly reached for my undergarments and put them on, then allowed Jane to assist me with my sleeping gown.

  Now comfortably settled into my nightwear, I sat down while Cecil continued drying my hair. Jane, ever organized, handed me my math assignment. I skimmed over the details, making sure I understood every formu. I knew that tomorrow, Professor Pasternack would likely call on us to solve problems individually, and I wanted to be fully prepared.

  Without missing a beat, Jane helped me work through each problem, sharing her notes to ensure I grasped the concepts. Once the math was done, we turned our attention to my Politics reflection essay. Together, we carefully worked through the content, making sure I hit all the key points.

  Finally, we tackled Professor Trottier’s assignment. I knew this one would take a while, as we needed to sift through the textbooks to gather more information on the nine kingdoms of the Western Continent. It was going to be a long evening, but with Jane and Cecil’s help, I felt more confident and ready for the challenges ahead.

  I set down my pen, finally finishing the st details of my assignment. I handed the papers to Jane, asking her to give it a final read and make sure everything was covered. Meanwhile, Cecil was neatly organizing my assignments, carefully pcing them into their designated folders and double-checking that everything was in order.

  Feeling exhausted from the mental strain and all the writing, I stretched out on the sofa and let out a tired yawn. “It’s well written, young dy,” Jane said with a smile. I quickly sat up and gave them both a thumbs-up. “Thank you so much for your help, girls!”

  Both Jane and Cecil smiled warmly at me. “Always a pleasure, young dy.”

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