Chapter 25
“Do you think your life is worth that much?”
Hannibal asked Anne with a sneer.
Anne, not backing down, retorted firmly.
“I simply believed that Lady Victoria could return safely without causing any trouble.”
“You’re arrogant for someone who’s just taught her a little.”
“Since we’re on the topic of arrogance, allow me to say one more thing. I hope you’ll reconsider why Lady Victoria never once thought of leaving the manor.”
Anne couldn’t bring herself to speak ill of Hannibal’s mother, Countess Sarah Clayde.
But she was sure of it.
Not only was Victoria’s twisted personality concerning, but the son she had presumably raised with care had also turned out like this. There had to be a fundamental problem with the Countess’s parenting.
“—Fine. Do whatever you want. Go on your little trip. But remember this—you’ll be solely responsible for Victoria. Keep that in mind.”
“Yes. And…”
What about money? How were they supposed to go shopping without money? Anne met Hannibal’s eyes firmly, something she rarely did.
“Three gold.”
“…Excuse me?”
It was so absurd that she let out a squeak without meaning to.
Of course, three gold was more than a maid’s monthly wage, but Victoria was a noble lady of the count’s house.
And this was for shopping for her birthday party, no less—three gold wouldn’t even buy a single shoe, let alone a dress.
“I can’t give you more than that. Now leave.”
Unable to protest further, Anne bowed her head and left Hannibal’s office.
Before she knew it, it was already dinner time.
Visiting Victoria’s room, Anne watched her table manners while contemplating her next move.
“My lady, do you have any dresses or jewelry you particularly like?”
Anne asked while tending to the dishes.
“No, I don’t really know. I just wore what they gave me and bought what they told me to.”
“Then tomorrow, when we go out, secretly sell a few of them.”
“Huh?”
“The amount the young count gave us won’t be enough. Use that money for shopping tomorrow.”
“Okay!”
Victoria was excited just at the thought of going out tomorrow.
After finishing their cheerful conversation, Anne made one last stop to check on Matilda.
Looking unusually weak and sickly, Matilda had slept all day.
Anne figured it would be okay to ask another maid to help out just for a day.
Having already crossed the greatest hurdle—Young Count Hannibal—Anne underestimated something:
The head maid May had always disliked her and was waiting for an excuse to pounce.
The next day, when Anne made her request, May exploded.
“You were just put in charge, and now you’re trying to pawn your job off to someone else? This is why we can’t trust those city girls. No sense of responsibility whatsoever!”
Trying to reason with her, Anne gently pleaded again.
“Lady Victoria is really looking forward to this outing. Please, just this once. I’m asking you sincerely.”
“You must’ve put that idea in her head. What outing? The lady has never stepped foot outside the manor! Anne Perot, this is all your fault. If you’re not around, I guess Matilda will just be left alone. Whether she gets worse or not.”
So this is what happens when people think you’re weak—they walk all over you.
Anne disliked May just as much as May disliked her.
May wasn’t particularly capable—just born and raised in Tegenes and well-connected. That was her only real asset.
“Fine. Do as you wish. I’ll report your stance to the young count before I leave tomorrow.”
“…What?”
Despite Anne already mentioning Hannibal’s approval earlier, May seemed to have forgotten and blew up again.
“You’re defying me now? How dare you!”
“I’ve reported everything necessary. I’ll be going now.”
Teaching someone who only knows how to yell and force their way through things—Victoria was already enough of that for one lifetime.
Anne was done enduring hardship without reward or meaning.
“You think I’ll let this slide?!”
Anne walked out of the head maid’s room, ignoring May’s huffing and puffing behind her.
She cleaned Matilda’s room and helped her eat breakfast. Watching the weak woman lie back down immediately afterward, Anne said gently,
“I’ll be out for a bit today, so another maid will come by.”
Matilda, who had been lying motionless, suddenly grabbed Anne’s hand, her eyes wide.
“Take me with you, Anne. I’ll die here. You saw it—do you think Victoria will leave me alone? And if you’re gone—!!”
“I’ll be going out with Lady Victoria. So don’t worry. You’re safe. Just rest.”
“Anne. That woman killed my baby. She poisoned my food. This place is hell. She killed my child to get rid of me. Anne! Now she’ll kill me too! I’m going to die!”
“The doctor said it was a natural miscarriage…”
Pfft. Matilda scoffed. She looked at Anne with utter contempt.
“You believe that? Do you know how many people Victoria has had killed? And you think the other maids wouldn’t have helped her? The real master of Tegenes manor isn’t the young count. This place—”
Anne could understand. Losing a beloved child—no one could stay sane after that.
She herself hadn’t, even after years had passed.
Anne tried to be understanding and compassionate.
“Sister, I know you’re going through a lot. But please try to understand me, too.”
“…You’re just a maid in the end. Right. What could someone like you possibly do? Go.”
Matilda turned over and faced away, either exhausted or resigned.
“….”
Anne wanted to say more but closed the door quietly, trying to calm her troubled thoughts.
While Anne wrestled with Matilda, Victoria finished preparing for the outing with the help of other maids.
“Anne, how do I look?”
A pink dress and long braided hair. Anne quickly smoothed her subtly furrowed brow.
She’s twenty, not twelve—why does she dress like a child? Isn’t this how she got ignored at her debutante ball too?
Growing more convinced, Anne quietly closed the door behind them once they were alone.
“May I take a look at your other clothes?”
Anne wasn’t Victoria’s dressing maid but her tutor, so she technically had no say over her wardrobe.
With Victoria’s unruly behavior taking top priority, she hadn’t had time to worry about hair and clothes.
But this… this was too much to ignore.
Opening the wardrobe, Anne was nearly blinded by the sheer number of bright, garish dresses.
Had she never thrown away a single dress since infancy?
Suspicious, Anne checked her jewelry box too.
“Is this your only jewelry box, my lady?”
The contents seemed quite lacking.
“Yes!”
As Victoria nodded, Anne asked again, still rummaging.
“Do you still have your debutante ball dress and jewelry?”
“I do!”
Giddy with the idea of leaving the manor, Victoria excitedly pulled them out—and the sight was a disaster.
A neon-red dress that hurt the eyes, sapphire jewelry clumped together like grape bunches, and a tiara dotted with ruby stones the size of strawberries—all in a wildly chaotic design.
For someone as stingy as the young count, it looked like he had spent quite a sum for her debut. But how did it end up looking like this?
Anne was baffled.
“They were made by the best designer in Tegenes! And the top jeweler too!”
“Let’s go visit that shop today.”
She might end up grabbing someone by the collar.
Suddenly realizing she might be becoming just as aggressive as Victoria now that she’d mellowed a bit, Anne shook off the thought.
“Really? Yay!!”
Victoria bounced with joy. Anne wanted to undo her pigtails right then and fix her hair with an elegant pin, but there was no time.
She finished packing and got on the carriage.
Outside the manor, the path led straight into the bustling town. Past the food stalls, general goods, and woodworking shops, they found the designer boutique frequented by noble ladies.
Just behind it, the jewelers had set up shop in the back alley.
Right after stepping off the carriage, Anne bought a few treats for the sparkling-eyed Victoria.
After stuffing Victoria’s mouth with macarons, she headed for a jewelry store.
“I’d like these appraised, please.”
She took out the sapphire necklace and earrings from the debutante ball, along with the ruby tiara.
She needed to know their value to decide whether to sell them all or split them up.
They’d be visiting several shops, so Anne handed over the jewelry without much suspicion.
“Are we going to sell them?”
“We’ll sell the other necklace and earrings. For now, I just want an appraisal. Worst case, we’ll have to sell these too.”
Victoria’s 21st birthday needed to dazzle and captivate the young lords with a completely different look from before. Watching the ever-innocent Victoria, Anne made up her mind.
After a short wait, the jeweler came back with completely unexpected news.
“They’re A-grade replicas.”
“…What?”
Startled, Anne barely reacted before Victoria tossed aside her macaron and ran over.
“They’re fake?”
“Yes. Not a single real gemstone among them.”
