The Villainess Enjoys Her Seventh Life as a Free-Spirited Bride (hostage) in a Former Enemy Country
Chapter 21.1: Let’s start all over again

“… I-I didn’t know how to….”

She began to list them one by one, remembering them as she went along.

“I had washed shirts and sheets before I came to the castle after my family fell into ruins. But I had no idea how I should wash the dresses or military uniforms that I had never seen before.”

“Yes. That’s a given.”

“The seniors were busy running around, and they said, [We don’t have time to teach you. Watch me work, and learn], so I did. I wanted to ask what I didn’t understand, but it was hard to do so…”

“Okay. What else?”

“There was so much to learn, different soaps and washboards were used depending on the type of cloth material. Different soaps and washboards were used for different cloths, and different tools were used for different cleaning areas. It wasn’t just the types of tools, but also the places where each tool was stored that were so complicated… I wasn’t allowed to ask questions again after I’d been taught once.”

The newbies exchanged looks in astonishment and Rishe knew why.

What Dianna had just said were the exact same things that were bothering them and kept delaying their tasks.

They have searched around without knowing where to find the tools, Those whom they’ve tried to ask were too occupied and so they returned in dejection. This was the kind of trouble that all newbies have to deal with.

“…But!! I grew fully-fledged in that kind of situation all by myself! The day after I came to the castle, I was able to do what I was taught the day before. Unlike these girls!”

“There’s only one major difference between you and these newbies.”

After listening to Dianna’s arguments , Rishe told her.

“These girls are illiterate!”

“Ah……!”

At the same time as Dianna’s eyes rounded, Elise looked down.

The literacy rate of the general public was similar in every country. Few families, especially when it came to women, were willing to spend the high cost of educating them.

Born into a merchant family, Dianna learned reading and writing and was able to cope. She and her good friends and the other maidservants were probably in a similar situation.

But a lot of maids weren’t.

“Your job description is explained to you only once. If you can’t record it yourself to review later on – how confident are you that you could do your job as well as you do now?”

“T-That’s not…”

Dianna unconsciously ran her hand over her apron pocket. She tucked a note in there with the various schedules for the day, making sure it was neat for her to work smoothly.

That was why she knew exactly how much help being ‘literate’ could bring.

And how hard it was for maidservants who weren’t. It was too easy to notice those who couldn’t read or write.

“These girls are all working just as hard as you are. Think about it, remember how you were in the past.”

“Me, in the past…”

Dianna flopped down, as if she had lost strength.

“…I-I-I’m sorry…”

“Diana-senpai?”