After getting the guardian consent form signed, Janette also succeeded in getting Simon to keep his mouth shut.
“If they find out I got a job as a maid, they’ll demand the employment deposit money. So please keep my employment a secret, at least until I leave for Ludwig.”
A rough explanation like that was enough to completely fool him.
Once thirty million Ecl was being held hostage, it was safe to say Simon’s reason had vanished entirely.
The next day.
Janette headed to the post office as soon as dawn broke.
Before Baron Graham and his wife returned, she planned to mail off the employment contract and guardian consent form.
‘I just hope I have enough money.’
Standing in front of the post office, Janette fidgeted with her coin pouch. She had scraped together every last bit of her savings little by little over the years.
Even so, it only amounted to ten thousand Ecl.
Still clutching the pouch, Janette stepped up to the counter when the clerk called her name.
“You’re sending this by express mail?”
“Yes.”
“Express delivery costs ten thousand Ecl.”
The amount matched perfectly, almost as if by fate itself, and Janette let out a sigh of relief.
“Here.”
She carefully handed over the pouch.
But a moment later—
“Excuse me. You’re short by one thousand Ecl.”
“I’m short?”
“Yes. You don’t have enough.”
There was no way that could be true.
She had checked the amount over and over while walking here from home.
She had even confirmed there were ten thousand Ecl in the pouch right before entering the post office.
“That can’t be right. Please check again.”
“Are you accusing me of lying right now?”
At Janette’s words, the clerk scowled deeply.
His gaze swept quickly over her—her shabby clothes, the way she clutched the pouch so carefully.
No matter how he looked at her, she was obviously the daughter of some poor family.
Growing smug, the man abruptly stood up and pointed at her.
“Are you calling me a thief?!”
In truth, the culprit who had stolen Janette’s money really was the clerk. It was his little hobby—and specialty.
He would skim small amounts of money from elderly people, children, or women who looked weak.
Even if they became suspicious, the moment he stood up and acted aggressively, they would quickly back down and flee.
Since the amount was always small, no one wanted to make a fuss by calling the guards.
By steadily repeating that scheme, he had already amassed well over a million Ecl.
“I’m not calling you a thief—”
“If you keep telling me to check again after I said the money’s short, then you’re obviously suspecting me!”
The man shouted furiously and threw the pouch down for all to see.
Clang! Clatter!
Coins scattered everywhere with a loud racket, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the post office.
“Oh my, what’s happening?”
“I think that woman accused the clerk of stealing.”
“Goodness.”
At the murmuring voices around her, Janette bit hard on her lower lip.
Humiliation and anxiety welled up inside her.
‘This kind of commotion is bad.’
She had finally managed to secure a position as the young lady’s maid. It would be a disaster if something this trivial ruined her plans.
Fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately—one of Janette’s strengths was patience. It was a virtue she had no choice but to develop to survive in the Graham household.
Haa…
With a reluctant sigh, Janette stopped arguing with the clerk and began picking up the scattered coins instead.
“Hmph!”
The clerk snorted loudly on purpose before sitting back down.
Janette clenched her fist tightly as she reached for the last coin.
That was when—
“You’re just going to let this go?”
“…?!”
Startled by the low voice beside her, Janette quickly turned her head.
‘Theo?’
Leaning against the nearby wall was a man pretending to read a newspaper that partially hid his face.
Black hair.
Blue eyes.
And features so perfect they looked sculpted by hand.
It was undoubtedly Theo, the vice-captain of .
When their eyes met, he smiled with crescent-shaped eyes.
Then—
“When you spoke with me, you never backed down even once.”
“That was…”
Because back then, she hadn’t had the option to retreat.
As Janette merely opened and closed her mouth without answering, Kendrick shrugged.
“I proposed that deal because I thought you were that kind of person.”
“That kind of person?”
“A strong person who can look someone straight in the eye and say exactly what they want.”
A strong person.
No one had ever called her that before.
Parasite. Vermin. Freeloader. Utterly useless trash.
Those were the only things Janette had ever been called.
And yet…
Why did hearing those words make her chest tighten so painfully?
Unable to speak, Janette stood frozen as Kendrick gently placed his hands on her shoulders.
Then he slowly turned her body so she faced the clerk again.
“There’s no need to stay silent when you’ve been wronged. Whatever you want to repay, repay it. I’ll back you up.”
That’s what it means to be on the same side.
“I’ll be your backing.”
At the man’s whisper, Janette’s chest heaved sharply.
“Really…? Really, it’s okay if I pay him back? I don’t have to endure it?”
“Of course. Besides, that’s one of the qualities my contractor should possess.”
Smiling faintly, he added teasingly,
“If you’re going to become the maid of the Empire’s greatest villainess, you should at least be capable of that much, shouldn’t you?”
“I suppose that’s true.”
Having regained her composure, Janette let out a small laugh as well.
Soon, the man’s hand left her shoulder. The lingering warmth of his touch gently nudged her forward.
“You there.”
“…What is it now?”
“Earlier, you asked if she was accusing you of being a thief.”
“Huh?”
“No. She’s not accusing you of being a thief.”
Janette lifted her chin.
“She thinks you really are one.”
“W-What kind of nonsense is that?!”
The male clerk sprang to his feet again and glared at Janette threateningly.
But instead of shrinking back, Janette straightened her spine and raised her head proudly.
She stared directly at him, her gaze sharp and unwavering.
She hadn’t backed off earlier because she was scared of him.
She simply hadn’t wanted to make a scene.
But now things were different.
“If you feel so wronged, let’s call the guards.”
“T-The guards? You’re going to call guards over a mere thousand Ecl?”
“What does the amount matter? What matters is whether or not theft was committed.”
“B-But…”
“Anyone who steals another person’s money or belongings shall be fined ten million Ecl and sentenced to two years in prison.”
At her calm recitation of Imperial law, the man visibly flinched.
Seeing the anxiety on his face, Janette became certain once again.
This man was the culprit.
Still, the clerk refused to back down easily.
“P-Proof! You don’t have any proof!”
“If this isn’t your first time doing something like this, then we should be able to gather testimony from other victims. That should be sufficient evidence.”
Tilting her head slightly, she smiled faintly and added,
“We could also summon the postmaster for questioning. To ask whether he ever heard about similar incidents and chose to remain silent.”
At the mention of the postmaster, the clerk’s face turned pale.
‘If the postmaster gets dragged into this…’
Would a superior really take the side of a low-ranking employee like him?
No. He would decide this was troublesome, force a quick confession, and cut ties with him immediately.
Which meant a ten million Ecl fine and two years in prison…
The moment that thought reached him, the clerk bent over deeply.
“M-My apologies, miss! Looking at it again, I believe I made a mistake.”
“A mistake? What kind of mistake?”
“Well… Ah, it turns out the missing thousand Ecl was right here after all. I must’ve accidentally dropped it without noticing. I sincerely apologize!”
Janette looked down coldly at the deeply bowing man.
“So you’re saying it absolutely wasn’t theft. You simply made an honest mistake… and you’re asking me to show mercy?”
“Well…”
“Please, miss! I’m sincerely apologizing, so please let me off just this once! I beg you!”
Watching the man bow repeatedly, Janette narrowed her eyes.
Haa…
After letting out a slow sigh, she gave a reluctant nod.
“Fine. I’ll let it go this time.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. But be more careful from now on. You shouldn’t inconvenience customers because of careless misunderstandings, should you?”
The clerk nodded frantically at her smiling warning.
“Express delivery.”
Thud.
Janette placed the document envelope on the counter before him and tilted her head slightly.
“Make sure it’s processed as quickly as possible.”