chapter 10
The maids of Aubrey’s household, including the head maid, all lowered their heads in shock.
Of course, Aubrey herself—who had been busy selecting special year-end gifts in double quantity to console her son Tedrick, still deeply distressed after having his ducal necklace confiscated—was no different.
“Word has already spread among the retainers that you didn’t even send a single proper maid to Tullia!”
Lilius had always cared greatly about public reputation.
“There are even rumors that I, secretly envious of my older brother Marquis Astor, am childishly tormenting his daughter! What do you intend to do about this?”
It had only started circulating among a very small number of people, but for Lilius—who, as the youngest, had to pretend he had no interest in power—it was a devastating blow.
Aubrey’s face naturally turned pale as well.
“That boy had his direct-line necklace confiscated because he acted foolishly—yet you’re still piling gifts on him? Not a single one should be given!”
“But Tedrick has been crying all day and refusing to eat! As parents, shouldn’t we at least do this much to calm him down?”
“Quiet!”
Lilius pointed at Aubrey sharply.
“Immediately send a proper head maid and attendants to Tullia! Do you have any idea how disheveled her situation must be for the retainers to be gossiping like this? We must crush these rumors at once!”
Then he frowned deeply as he looked over the list of gifts meant for Tedrick.
Even now, he was busy bowing his head to Archduke Asis Fresier because of that boy, and yet the list was full of absurdly expensive presents.
“Pen!”
The aide following behind quickly handed him a pen.
“This. This. This. And this as well—send them all to Tullia. And make sure word spreads among the retainers and noble ladies!”
A white ermine cloak embroidered with lotus flowers in gold thread on the lining, and ten bolts of the finest Baroque lace—each costing 300,000 gold per ten centimeters.
Along with that, a luxurious golden pendant encrusted densely with tiny diamonds.
In short, they were the most extravagant items on the list. All the luxury goods Tedrick had always wanted most.
Lilius erased his usual friendly smile and muttered with a scowl.
“That girl Tullia has changed strangely all of a sudden… perhaps…”
Thinking of Marquis Astor Fresier—the one who had not returned to the duchy for over a decade, yet still held the greatest influence among retainers and elders as the presumed next duke—Lilius said with anger:
“There’s no doubt she made some sort of deal with her father. Otherwise, that foolish girl wouldn’t suddenly be acting like this to toy with us.”
Then he leaned toward Aubrey and lowered his voice.
“Plant a head maid who will listen to us in Tullia’s service.”
“Hm. Good. Even the temperature of the food has improved.”
It had been worth it—deliberately styling my hair into that ridiculous mess and, taking a hint from Ruke’s words, showing that embarrassing appearance to the retainers.
Even after returning to the estate, the food had still been far from satisfactory.
Well, while I was in the “storage,” the variety had improved greatly, but most of it had been cold leftovers.
Hot soup? I had never even tasted something like that.
So after a few performances of acting pitiful in front of the retainers, it seemed Lilius had finally started pressuring his wife Aubrey hard enough to make things change.
“Of course. Nothing is more petty than discrimination through food.”
I pushed a spoonful of well-cooked vegetables and creamy stew into my mouth. The warmth filling my stomach felt reassuring.
“They’ll definitely send proper maids within a day or two.”
Maids whose strings were firmly attached to them—girls who would report my every move.
Now that the once wasteful and foolish Tullia had suddenly become intelligent, they would be desperate to find the reason.
They might even assume I had received instructions from Marquis Astor Fresier, Tullia’s father, and search my room when I was away.
“Yeah. But there’s nothing.”
Nothing at all.
Because everything that made me like this came from that.
I glanced at the floating star-like window—the status window—and finished my meal.
I stood up and began tidying the dining area.
Back when I was playing that “Korikoro game,” I never had to do even basic cleaning like this.
But now, being disliked by Viscount Lilius and his wife Aubrey, even the maids avoided helping me, so there was no choice.
Compared to my life as Hanaro—where even washing dishes myself was normal—this was still far easier.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
“Lady Tullia.”
At the familiar voice, I turned my head and widened my eyes. Ruke was entering.
“Ruke? What’s going on?”
“Did you enjoy your dinner?”
Ruke was almost the only person in this vast main estate who actually spoke with me.
And perhaps because I had only ever seen Archduke Asis, sometimes Ruke’s smile felt unusually gentle in comparison.
As expected of the true Fresier aide who judged people not by prejudice, but by lineage!
But as Ruke walked toward me, his expression suddenly hardened.
“Why are you cleaning up your meal yourself?”
“…!”
He hadn’t come alone.
Behind him, two maids followed hesitantly, their faces already pale, now turning ghostly white.
“Did you not hear me?”
“T-that is…”
“Didn’t you tell me you weren’t serving Lady Tullia at meals because she disliked being disturbed? How do you explain this?”
The maids froze, unable to respond as if their mouths had been sealed shut. Ruke’s brow deepened with a frown.
“She is a direct descendant of Fresier. How dare you disrespect your superior?”
“N-no, that’s not it, Head Aide!”
One of the panicked maids glanced at me and hurriedly spoke.
“Lady Tullia is very considerate, so she was trying to reduce our workload…”
“That’s right, Head Aide!”
“Reduce your workload? You’re saying Lady Tullia herself did that?”
The implication alone—that Tullia Fresier would help maids—shut their mouths immediately.
They could no longer offer excuses, even as panic filled them.
“How pathetic.”
Ruke coldly ordered them to leave and await punishment. The maids clung desperately toward me, but it was useless.
“Lady Tullia. You must have suffered greatly. I will ensure better maids are selected for you again.”
“Ah… thank you.”
I gave a reluctant smile at his words.
It was helpful, but why did it feel like I was being insulted at the same time…?
I should probably change the topic.
But just then, a loud voice echoed through the room before I could speak.
“Tullia!”
I turned my head. It was a face I was seeing for the first time here, but one I had seen thousands of times in Grim Bread.
It was Viscountess Aubrey Fresier.
“Lady Aubrey.”
Ruke Kelposher greeted her respectfully. Aubrey extended her hand gracefully so he could kiss the back of it, then immediately twisted her expression into something sharp and cruel.
“I heard everything outside! How dare you mistreat my precious niece?!”
“N-no, that’s not true, Viscountess!”
“That’s not it!”
“How dare you raise your voice in this place!”
At her shout, the maids who had followed her stepped forward with sudden aggression.
Slap!
Slap!
‘I’ve seen this kind of thing in historical dramas.’
Like vicious palace attendants slapping court ladies, Aubrey’s personal maids struck the others mercilessly. The maids’ lips split and blood began to flow.
“We’re sorry! We’re sorry, my lady!”
While the beaten maids cried and begged, Aubrey ignored them completely and took my hands.
Her well-kept noblewoman’s hands were smooth—but strangely cold, like a serpent.
Aubrey soothed me like a kind aunt.
“Now then, I’ll dispose of those wicked girls however you want. What shall I do with them?”