Chapter 42
Honestly, I was baffled. What on earth had I just witnessed?
‘Are they seriously playing delinquent right now?’
It was already absurd enough that they were tormenting people just because they served Eclipse.
And now they were outright taking things that had clear owners?
On top of that, they had the audacity to say, “Prove that this is yours”?
It was so childish that I couldn’t just stand by and watch with my eyes open.
“What’s that?”
Finally, the trio who had noticed me turned to look my way.
I met their gazes and strode toward them.
“What else? I’m the rightful teacher of this era, here to flatten the noses of those who are out of line without knowing their place.”
“What did you say?”
Emma’s face contorted at my blunt words, which had long since discarded any sense of courtesy.
“And who are you?”
Daina and Samantha, staring at me, were visibly startled and reported to Emma.
“Sister, that’s the person. The magic teacher of the Saint!”
“They say her name is Elsie Blumhayer, a commoner.”
“Saint’s magic teacher?”
I was grateful that they had introduced me without me having to open my mouth. It saved me the trouble of talking, which I appreciated greatly.
Emma, having heard my introduction from Daina and Samantha, lifted her chin in a haughty manner.
“What would someone like that be doing here? The training room is on the third floor. Perhaps you took a wrong turn?”
“No, I came here on purpose.”
I continued walking toward them steadily.
Penny’s face lit up the moment she saw me, as if she had just discovered her savior.
“Blumhayer!”
“Penny, over here.”
“Yes!”
As Penny scampered behind me, Sara calmly soothed the startled girl.
“Are you alright? You must have been really surprised…”
“I’m fine. But what is Blumhayer doing here?”
“You’ll see soon enough.”
Having secured Penny, I approached the trio with a faint smile.
“So it’s you. The insolent maids who harassed Sara—or rather, innocent servants.”
“What? Insolent?”
“Being paid by His Highness the Grand Duke while obsessively tormenting only those who served him? Wow, what nonsense.”
They wanted money, yet still complained? Utterly absurd.
As I stepped forward confidently, I could see Emma’s once-commanding demeanor falter slightly.
“What… what’s with this kid? Why is she so confident?”
“…Kid?”
She called me a kid. Perfect timing for me to turn the tables, especially since I was already in a foul mood.
I crossed my arms and stared up at Emma’s sharp, menacing face.
“As you’ve been told by your subordinates, I am the Saint’s magic teacher.”
“What? Su-subordinates?”
Daina, her shoulders tensed, flared up in anger.
“I’m not anyone’s subordinate!”
“Daina, quiet.”
“Samantha, aren’t you angry? We’re all the same—maids, not subordinates!”
Watching Daina flail like that, I was at a loss for words. Clearly, she didn’t even realize the absurdity of what she was saying.
“That’s right. You’re all just maids. But then, why,”
I looked at Daina with sharp eyes.
“would you call my maid Penny, your subordinate, a ‘rootless brat’?”
She probably had no idea that she was spitting in her own face with those words.
I curled one side of my lips into a smirk.
“By that logic, aren’t you the rootless ones too? You’re all maids, after all. Ah… could it be?”
I deliberately opened my eyes wide and covered my mouth.
“People tend to insult others by projecting their own complexes. So, perhaps the rootless ones are actually you?”
“I-Iih…!”
Daina, struck by my words, stomped her feet in frustration, clearly unable to find a counterargument.
At that moment, Samantha, who had been watching Daina, let out a deep sigh.
“That’s enough. Daina, you’re out.”
Samantha, with a look of disdain, stared at Daina. It seemed a rift had formed within the same clique.
“I can’t watch this anymore. How is it that you always behave so pitifully?”
“What did you just say, Samantha?!”
“Shut up. Look now—didn’t you just fail to even respond properly to that teacher?”
A cold smile played across Samantha’s lips.
“So that’s why Eillen always scolded you. Even now, with her gone, you haven’t changed.”
“You! Samantha! Did you just say all that?”
“Yes. I did. Do you disagree?”
“Wrong! Everything you said is wrong! From A to Z, all of it!”
By hitting her weak spot, two of my opponents had essentially self-destructed.
I watched their bickering for a moment, then glanced at Emma.
“…!”
Startled, Emma hurriedly hid the broom she was holding behind her back.
Cute, trying to hide it, but it was futile.
“Why are you hiding it?”
I narrowed my eyes.
“The broom. Give it back already.”
“As I said before, kid teacher, if you want it back, you’ll have to prove it belongs to that Penny or whatever her name is.”
Oh, the audacity of her confident face. How could she be so shameless? I chuckled lightly.
“Prove it?”
It seemed the trio had forgotten the most important detail.
“As Daina said, that broom has magic that makes it clean automatically.”
I gestured toward Daina, who flared up at me, still arguing with Samantha.
“Shut up, Daina!”
It seemed Samantha’s patience had reached its limit too.
Ignoring the two of them completely, I turned to Emma.
“And I gave that broom as a gift.”
“…What?”
I could tell she hadn’t expected that. Emma’s eyes trembled slightly.
‘Should’ve realized it sooner.’
If they had any sense, they would have figured it out when they learned I was Lynette’s magic teacher and Penny was my maid.
I gestured toward the broom beside Penny.
“See that broom over there? It has the same magic on it.”
“…”
“Think about it. How many people in this mansion can even use magic?”
“Ugh…”
“Since you can’t answer, I guess I was right. Naturally, aside from me and the Saint, no one else can. And the Saint has only just begun to harness her power. So, the only person who could have enchanted that broom is…”
I tilted my chin and scoffed.
“Looks like it’s just me.”
“Ugh…!”
Emma’s eyes blazed with anger, as if screaming, ‘How dare you talk back to me?’
“Looks like you need a demonstration to believe it.”
I gave a slight nod, and the broom in Emma’s hands began to jerk violently.
“Now, go back to your rightful owner.”
“W-what’s happening… aah!”
The broom swung so violently that it slapped Emma across the face repeatedly.
Eventually, she couldn’t withstand the barrage and let go.
Finally free, the broom bounced toward its rightful owner.
“Broom!”
Penny treated it as if it were alive, holding it with care as tears glistened in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, it must have hurt a lot.”
After the tearful reunion with her broom, Penny looked at me and expressed her gratitude.
“Thank you, Blumhayer. And I’m sorry you got caught up in this.”
“No, it’s fine. It’s your matter, Penny, so of course I had to step in.”
I smiled gently at her, then turned to the trio.
“You three should be prepared for the consequences of your actions.”
“W-what…?”
Emma, clutching her reddened cheeks, muttered in disbelief.
At that moment, Samantha, tired from arguing with Daina, spoke sharply.
“Who are you to decide our punishment? You’re just a teacher—what can you even do?”
“That’s right. You can’t do anything to us.”
As they said, I was indeed employed by the Grand Duke of Ledeir.
As such, I technically couldn’t control their positions or authority.
But I had a backing stronger than anyone else.
