maid chapter 21

Every Sunday, the Count’s family would set off for church early in the morning by carriage. Even the prodigal son, who spent his weekdays steeped in liquor, accompanied them without complaint on this day.

After seeing them off, the servants returned to their rooms to change into their Sunday best. Ellie, dressed in a neat, blue-gray dress, twirled in front of Daniel.

“What do you think?”

Daniel scrutinized her with a critical eye, like a strict tutor. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a much better outcome than her first choice. He finally gave a grudging nod of approval.

“It’s fine.”

His stingy praise made Ellie puff out her cheeks. She had asked for his help, but Daniel’s standards were impossibly high. Still, she was in no mood to complain. Today was the first time she would venture beyond the estate walls since her arrival. Clutching her Bible, Ellie excitedly dashed out of the room.

“Let’s go!”

Unlike Ellie, who was thrilled by her first outing, Daniel calmly adjusted his hat. “Oh, wait!” Ellie hurried back to her room and grabbed her own hat.

Leaving a few people behind to watch over the mansion, the rest of the servants set out together. Their destination was the nearby church. For those employed by aristocratic families, Sunday service was not optional but mandatory. Most employers expected their staff to be as devout as they were.

Of course, the servants had no complaints, regardless of their religious convictions. As if to prove it, their faces were bright with anticipation, like children on a picnic. A legitimate excuse to leave the confines of the estate. Simply stepping outside the walls was a welcome change, and half of them would receive a half-day of rest after the service.

Ellie and Daniel trailed at the end of the procession. Servants from other nearby mansions and townhouses also streamed out. Seeing the other maids, all dressed up like aristocratic ladies—at least in Ellie’s eyes—she felt a pang of self-consciousness.

In a hushed voice, she asked, “Is the church far from here?”

“No, it’s just a few blocks away.” Daniel replied indifferently. Ellie’s excitement deflated slightly. Had everyone dressed up so elaborately just to walk such a short distance? How silly.

Of course, Ellie was no exception. She had put in her best effort. It was just that her best wasn’t very impressive.

Just as Daniel had said, the church building came into view after only a short walk. However, they couldn’t approach directly. The streets were already teeming with people ahead of the service. Some might have been from the capital, but most were laborers from out of town.

The railway lines, initially connecting major cities, now extended to remote regions. Following the tracks laid for transporting coal and goods, people flocked to the cities in increasing numbers. They abandoned their land, land they had cultivated their whole lives but could never truly own, and left their homes in search of opportunity.

As a result, the city churches were overflowing every Sunday. No matter how they divided the service times, which were originally just morning and evening, there was never enough space. Fights would frequently break out over accusations of line-cutting. Ellie’s eyes widened at the scene, so different from her rural church.

“Wow, is it always like this?”

Daniel simply nodded. A church far too small for the number of souls seeking salvation. This was the reality for the city’s working class.

Sharing the same faith didn’t mean everyone was equal. The churches frequented by the upper class, the aristocracy and businessmen, who arrived in their carriages, were as opulent and pristine as palaces. Their donations filled the church coffers.

In contrast, the churches attended by the neighboring laborers and merchants were old and shabby. Sometimes, there weren’t enough scavenged chairs, and people had to stand during the service. Yet, the church’s income remained meager.