Chapter 100

Tea time with Agnes, the head maid.

Heros was sitting next to me.

Biyo was now sitting on Agnes’s shoulder.

“Well, that’s how it happened. Elemore became the number one meritorious family, and I received the title of duke.”

“Really, I’m so glad for you, my lady. We were all so worried you’d never come back.”

I smiled, watching Agnes almost on the verge of tears.

“Agnes, you don’t have to flatter me. I really cleared all your debts, and now you’re free.”

“…My lady… no, Your Grace.”

“Call me like always. Actually, I once promised to give you all joint ownership of this house, but now I have to use it myself again.”

Still, taking it back after saying I’d give it felt a little awkward.

“Instead, I’ll give everyone enough money to buy a house.”

“Please don’t say that.”

But Agnes shook her head and firmly refused my offer.

“We never want to leave this mansion. We don’t want to split it either. What we want…”

Clenching her fist with determination, she said,

“Is to work here for you, just like before, in the Elemore mansion.”

“…Agnes.”

I honestly couldn’t understand why Agnes would say such a thing.

The Duke of Elemore had been a good man to the late emperor and Etias, but he was still a person of his time—his views on commoners and labor were different from mine.

People who owed large debts to the House of Elemore had to work in the mansion to pay them off, almost like slaves, and he didn’t show them much kindness.

From my modern point of view, their conditions were so poor that everything needed to be changed.

So I never thought the people who had been exploited for so long would like the Elemore mansion or me.

“You are a good person, my lady. People like us, who had debts, were treated like slaves everywhere else. But you treated us as real people.”

“Well… that just made me feel better. You might not know, but I have different standards.”

There’s a thing called the Labor Standards Act, after all.

“I’m grateful for your kindness, but I’m not sure we could live well if we left here. So please…”

Agnes looked at me with desperate eyes.

“Let us keep working for you.”

Heros agreed and added,

“They haven’t learned any skills except housework. The only work they know is being maids and servants, and where else would they be treated as well as here?”

I raised my eyebrows.

Even with enough severance pay to buy a house and farm, they still wanted to work under someone?

“That’s right, my lady. Thanks to you, our standards for masters are much higher now. So you have to take responsibility.”

Agnes pressed harder, following Heros’s words.

Heros gave a little laugh and whispered to me,

“You won’t find better maids anywhere. Just accept it.”

Well, if they want to work here that much, I can’t force them to quit.

In the modern world, firing someone without a good reason is against labor law.

I nodded.

“Alright, fine. But you’ll have to work just as hard as before. I’ll pay you enough.”

Only then did Agnes look really relieved, bowing her head as if to hit the table.

“I’ll always be loyal to you, my lady!”

I smiled and lifted my teacup.

The scent of black tea was sweet at my nose.

The morning birds sang, and I woke up yawning in bed.

After finally sleeping well in a soft bed, my body felt completely refreshed.

“Ugh.”

I stretched my neck and looked at my wrist.

The watch on my wrist now only showed Etias’s HP.

HP: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♡

‘Is it really… over?’

If I just waited three more years, would the mission be complete and I could go back to my real life?

Thinking of how merciless the original author was, and that unbelievable letter I found after being possessed…

‘I don’t think it’ll end here.’

A strange anxiety started to rise.

I shook my head hard to get rid of the thought.

‘Stop it. I’ll jinx myself.’

Anyway, Etias’s revolution was over, I was still alive, and Etias was healthy, so now I should enjoy life.

“My lady.”

I was stretching and doing morning exercises when Heros appeared at the door.

—Darling.

That embarrassing nickname popped into my head, so I answered in a low voice.

“Come in.”

After a moment, Heros walked in, looking neat and tidy.

His well-brushed brown hair, clear brown eyes, white shirt with not a wrinkle, and black dress pants looked expensive.

“Good morning, my lady.”

I looked at the papers in his hand.

“What’s that?”

“His Majesty sent this through the steward. Please check it.”

I stood and walked over, taking the documents from him and flipping through each one.

‘Documents to return the Elemore mine.’

“Ah…”

The first page was something I knew well.

It was the mine I had sold to the Rebel Emperor for a huge sum—one hundred million den.

The document said the rights to the mine would be returned to Elemore.

Because all that money was used to rebuild the empire, not for Elemore’s private use, the rights should be given back.

At the bottom, the Emperor’s seal was stamped clearly.

“It’s the right thing to do.”

Well… it’s not wrong.

Even if I got it back or not, it didn’t matter much to me.

The next page was about the management rights to the frozen land of Presla.

“…Huh?”

I had given the rights to the frozen land to the Rebel Emperor before, to cause trouble between the emperor’s nobles and to cut off his cash flow.

There was a statement from Kamel Beatrice saying that only the Elemore family had the skill and honesty to manage the frozen land.

Caron also wrote that Elemore’s experience would be useful.

“But there are a lot of resources buried here…”

“That’s why it was returned.”

The rest of the documents recognized and expanded Elemore’s business rights.

“Nothing looks worse than an empty gift box.”

Maybe I was getting even more rights and rewards than during the last duke’s time.

“Even so… isn’t this too much? The resources here are worth more than what I spent.”

I stared at the papers, a bit stunned.

Now that the Elemore family was the top family, other nobles would surely object.

Any special treatment would cause jealousy and opposition.

“You don’t need to worry. The emperor owes you his life, and anyone who tries to stop him should be eliminated.”

“…Eliminated? That’s like a tyrant.”

“Just as you protected yourself, now the emperor must protect and support you. It’s only fair, so don’t worry.”

Heros seemed a bit displeased with Etias, giving a sharp look.

“Also, Caron and Kamel, the emperor’s closest aides, are supporting you. There will be no trouble. Aglia is already taken care of, so don’t worry.”

I looked at the stack of papers in my hands.

‘Is it really okay to accept all this?’

And at that moment, I didn’t know.

This was only the beginning.