“Hm,” I pretended to think for a moment before easily giving my answer.
“Since managing internal affairs is Aunt’s responsibility, please decide as you see fit.”
“…Really?”
As expected, that wasn’t the answer Aubrey wanted. It was obvious she was glaring, trying to find any chance to damage my image no matter what I said.
“However, not in my room. That room is a precious gift from my grandfather, and I would rather not see such violent scenes there, Aunt.”
At least there was nothing she could pick apart in that statement. Aubrey’s eyes twitched ever so slightly.
But she was, without a doubt, a noblewoman. She immediately composed her expression and shouted in a sharp voice.
“Take these insolent ones to the disciplinary cellar!”
“Yes, my lady!”
“Viscountess! Please, spare us!”
“Lady Tullia! W-we were wrong! Please help us!”
The voices ringing in my ears quickly faded into the distance. Watching the elderly maids expertly covering their mouths as they dragged them away gave me the impression that this was not their first time doing something like this.
“Now, Tullia. I sent those wicked girls to serve you, but to think they would do such things….”
Aubrey dabbed the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief and spoke gently.
“I don’t know how much it broke my heart. So this time, I personally brought you a head maid.”
With two claps from Aubrey, two maids behind her immediately bowed neatly.
“Choose one of these two as your head maid. Your aunt carefully narrowed it down so it would be easier for you to decide.”
Anyone could tell her next words were meant for Lord Leclerc Kelposher to hear.
She’s pretending to care about me.
As I shifted my gaze, the two maids bowed in unison.
“Lilda, at your service, my lady.”
“I am Adele, my lady.”
One looked to be in her early to mid-thirties, the other in her late thirties.
Aubrey gestured toward the younger-looking maid first.
“Lilda is from a noble line—her father once held a minor aristocratic title. In other words, she has noble blood.”
If this had been the old Tullia, she would have chosen Lilda immediately upon hearing that.
Maidens with noble blood were rare and highly valued. In high society, having someone of noble lineage as a servant was considered a way to elevate one’s own status.
‘But if Aubrey went out of her way to offer her, she’s obviously one of her closest people.’
When I didn’t immediately pick Lilda and instead looked toward Adele, Aubrey’s wax-like smile twisted slightly.
But only for a moment.
She placed a hand on my shoulder and smiled warmly.
“Yes, Tullia. Adele looks gentle, doesn’t she? She truly is gentle, quick-handed, and quite impressive—so much so that it’s hard to believe she’s from the Borderlands.”
The Borderlands.
Adele, who had been quietly bowing, showed no change in expression. But I caught a faint trace of mockery in Lilda’s eyes beside her.
The Borderlands.
It was an important setting in The Grilled Bread.
The far eastern edge of the vast empire—a discarded land.
It was also called by another name:
“The land abandoned by the gods. The land where no temples stand.”
There were even rumors that it was overrun with heretics and cannibals, though it was mostly just wild vegetation.
‘Though there aren’t actually cannibals.’
Still, anyone from the Borderlands, even nobles, would struggle to enter high society in the capital. For commoners and lowborn people, it was even worse.
It was something like a slum.
The Borderlands were famous for being harsh.
But people from there also had difficulty leaving.
Because prejudice made it hard to even find work elsewhere.
In other words, Adele must have been talented enough to break through all that prejudice to become a maid in this ducal household.
‘Though right now, she’s clearly being used as a comparison to push people toward choosing Lilda.’
Either way, she was standing here as a candidate for head maid of a marquis household.
‘This is troublesome.’
If it were up to me, I would choose Adele—but Tullia’s reputation was essentially my life here, so I couldn’t decide easily.
‘Other stats at least show ranks.’
Unlike personality, wealth, and beauty, “reputation” didn’t even show a grade.
And worse, if it dropped too far, a warning window would suddenly appear.
“Your surrounding reputation is reaching a dangerous level.”
Even seeing that warning, failing to manage reputation properly would lead to a bad ending in The Grilled Bread.
Right now, I am Tullia Fresier. I have to be extremely careful.
‘Hmm.’
A noble-blooded, arrogant head maid…
Or a calm, capable maid from the Borderlands.
While I was hesitating, suddenly a “status window” popped up above Adele’s head with a ping.
‘What the—why is that thing doing that?’
I didn’t do anything.
Despite my confusion, I subtly nudged the status window with my gaze.
Then my eyes widened.
[System: Profile]
Adele ??? (40 years old)
“Excuse me? ‘See more’?”
Did I misread that?
“See more?”
I stared blankly, my mouth slightly open in disbelief.
I couldn’t keep acting shocked for long because everyone was watching, so I quickly pretended to regain my composure.
‘L-let’s just press it.’
I clicked “See more” with my eyes.
With an effect like faint mist being sprayed, the full profile finally appeared.
[System: Profile]
Adele Kelposher (40 years old)
(☆Tip: Leclerc Kelposher feels a great deal of guilt toward Adele Kelposher.)
“……What?”
Wait. Adele Kelposher and Leclerc Kelposher had a significant age gap—so a “hidden younger sister” was even possible?
‘…No. Actually, it is possible.’
I had older brothers in my past life who were over ten years older than me.
Though they were absolute pieces of trash I didn’t even want to call brothers.
Adele and Leclerc seemed to have a similar or slightly larger age gap—but that wasn’t important right now.
My thoughts shifted.
No—more accurately, I was close to thrilled.
(☆Tip: Leclerc Kelposher feels a great deal of guilt toward Adele Kelposher.)
If this tip was true…
‘This is basically a jackpot!’
I struggled to suppress my laughter.
Instead, I put on a thoughtful expression and a solemn gaze.
“Aunt Aubrey.”
“Yes, Tullia. As expected, you think Lilda is the better choice, right? Considering your status, you should choose someone with noble blood as your head maid—”
“No, no.”
“…No?”
“Yes.”
I smiled brightly. A genuinely sincere smile.
“I will choose Adele as my head maid.”