Chapter 35
Walking along the corridor where shadows stretched long, Yan stopped in the middle of his steps. He tried to calm the confused feeling while recalling what had just happened.
In his hand, which he had casually lowered his gaze to, was the red ledger that Stella had given him earlier.
“From now on, Yan will manage the accounting ledger of the mansion. I have watched you all this time and know well. Unlike Dalton, who managed things so poorly, Yan can handle it carefully.”
Her words continued echoing in his ears.
“Most of all, I trust Yan. Now I feel at ease.”
I trust Yan. Trust.
That single word he quietly repeated made his chest feel strangely restless.
He had taken pride in his duty at the duke’s residence, working diligently every day and every moment, but he had never done it to be recognized by someone. Yet Stella’s unexpected words of recognition at that moment overwhelmed him with an indescribable feeling.
Yan murmured softly to himself.
“Every time, I had to speak unpleasantly to Dalton… Now I won’t have to listen to the maid chief’s complaints either.”
Stella said she would recover all the money Dalton had embezzled. She ordered that the money be used to provide more clothing and supplies for the servants and renovate the mansion. Yan would have many things to do from now on.
His heart grew impatient. At the same time, his footsteps quickened.
‘But how did Madam deal with that arrogant Dalton so quickly?’
He recalled the scene from earlier.
Stella whispered something in Dalton’s ear, and Dalton’s face turned pale as he lowered his head. Then he swore he would leave the mansion immediately, even leave the capital and never appear again.
The memory of him hurriedly packing only simple belongings and leaving after saying that was hard to forget. What on earth had happened today in such a short time?
Yan shook his head as if trying to regain his senses.
“I shouldn’t be idly sentimental if I want to finish all the tasks Madam ordered.”
Realizing he had been lost in emotions, he cleared his throat quietly and walked again, hugging the ledger tightly under one arm.
Meanwhile, after returning from outside, Ricardo saw something while handing his horse to a servant. Someone bowed their head toward Gary, then left the mansion without even looking back, almost as if running away.
Curious, he watched the scene carefully. Just then, Gary noticed his lord and hurried over.
“You have returned.”
“Yes. What happened?”
Ricardo removed his gloves and tilted his chin toward the man who had just left.
“Oh. That man was the mansion’s accounting manager. He says he will leave the capital and return to his hometown.”
“What?”
Hearing that he was not just an ordinary servant but the mansion’s accounting manager, Ricardo looked at Gary with puzzled eyes and asked for a more detailed explanation.
“In fact, Madam discovered his wrongdoing and questioned him. He confessed everything and even begged me for forgiveness.”
“He discovered the corruption?”
Ricardo couldn’t hide his surprise, and Gary nodded and continued.
“To be honest, I had also suspected his wrongdoing for some time. But since he was recommended by Bentang Kuzan, I wanted to handle it carefully. However, Madam seems to have drawn her sword without waiting.”
“Bentang Kuzan…?”
Ricardo tilted his head slightly, remembering the name he had heard somewhere.
“That’s right. The imperial accountant who is close to the empress. It was difficult to expel him hastily, but thanks to Madam, the matter was cleaned up unexpectedly.”
Even after hearing Gary’s words, Ricardo still could not believe it.
How could that woman discover such facts? And how could she chase away someone who might have been spying for the empress without causing trouble?
“Ha.”
Only a short, dry sigh came from his lips.
Gary understood the feeling of his lord who had lost words. He felt exactly the same until just now.
Honestly, his mind was shaken. Who would have thought that the seemingly innocent duchess he had somewhat looked down upon had such a sharp and decisive side?
After visiting the Guineiro marquis family, the time I had been waiting for finally came. An invitation to a tea party arrived from the empress.
The invitation said it was a simple tea time to promote friendship among noble ladies. I had a feeling why I was called.
When the carriage stopped at the entrance of the imperial palace, a servant who had been waiting approached. I carefully got off the carriage. Ena followed behind me.
“Please follow me.”
Ena, who was visiting the imperial palace for the first time, looked around nervously, but only for a moment. As if trying not to be intimidated by the imperial servants, she forced strength into her eyes and straightened her back. The sight was cute, and I smiled unknowingly.
Passing the long corridor where guards stood on both sides, a beautiful garden and gallery appeared, looking like a world from a fairy tale.
“His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince are at the fountain over there. I will go and greet them first. You can look around the garden here and wait for a moment.”
“Yes. Please go ahead.”
I separated from Ena at the fork of the corridor leading to the garden and followed the servant. I wasn’t particularly eager to meet the emperor, but I remembered his words telling me to visit the palace occasionally and show my face.
I was also curious about the crown prince’s illness, and since the servant said the crown prince was with him, I thought it was a good opportunity to meet them both.
In front of the main building was a long fountain stretching wide, showing the majesty of the imperial palace. The emperor and crown prince were walking around it.
As I approached, they stopped and waited for me. The servants following them stepped back one step at a time, making way for me.
“I greet His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince.”
After I greeted them politely, the emperor came closer with a friendly smile and personally held my arm to help me stand up.
“Ah, yes. It’s the first time I’ve seen you since the hunting competition. Did the empress call you?”
“Yes. She invited me for tea time today. I was planning to greet you anyway, but I heard you were taking a walk, so I stopped by. I hope I did not disturb you…”
I spoke while smiling slightly at the crown prince beside me.
The emperor laughed loudly and stroked his beard.
“You are such a kind girl. Ricardo never shows his face unless he is called, but I am grateful that my daughter-in-law came to ask about my health like this. Right, isn’t that so?”
When the emperor asked the crown prince, he also nodded with a faint smile.
The crown prince had not attended the previous hunting competition, saying he was unwell, and seeing him up close today confirmed it was true.
His complexion was pale, and the skin under his eyes and lips was dark bluish, as if the ghost of death was lingering around him.
Looking at a sick person somehow made my heart feel a little bitter.
“I will arrange a time soon. Come visit with Ricardo then. Let’s spend some quiet family time together.”
“Yes. I will happily wait for that day.”
The emperor I saw so close for the first time and the crown prince looked very similar, as if the crown prince would become like the emperor when he aged.
As soon as that thought appeared, I started finding similarities between Ricardo and the emperor.
At first, I thought they didn’t look very alike, but when I looked into the emperor’s eyes, I realized it.
The deep winter lake-like dark blue eyes and eye shape were exactly the same as Ricardo’s.
After exchanging light greetings with the father and son, I returned to the garden where Ena was waiting.
But the closer I got to the garden, the more unpleasant the feeling became.
Instead of Ena, who had smiled brightly and said she would wait here, I saw a group of maidservants gathered.
They didn’t seem to notice I was there yet.
One of them suddenly raised her hand and struck someone hard.
Smack!
The sharp sound reached my ears, and the person who was slapped was Ena, just as my bad feeling predicted.
Seeing Ena covering her cheek among them, I suddenly felt as if I had been slapped myself, and some memory surfaced.
Just like in the original story, every time Stella went to the imperial palace, Pania’s maids and even ordinary servants bullied her.
From the moment I possessed this novel world and first met Pania, I instinctively disliked her.
Because she bullied Stella and Kayla more subtly and cruelly than the empress herself. She didn’t even act personally. She had those servants who eagerly tried to please her.
Looking at Ena’s face, covering her cheek with tears about to fall, I saw Stella’s figure overlapping.
At that moment, anger suddenly flared inside me.
