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Chapter 3
After getting the guardian consent form signed, Janet also managed to keep Simon quiet.
“If they find out I got a job as a maid, they’ll question me about the employment advance. So at least until we leave for Ludwig, please keep my employment a secret.”
With a rough explanation like that, he completely fell for it.
Once thirty million Ekl was being held hostage, it was safe to say Simon’s reason had vanished.
The next day.
Janet headed to the post office as soon as dawn broke.
Before Baron Graham and his wife returned, she intended to mail the employment contract and guardian consent form.
I just hope I have enough money.
Standing in front of the post office, Janet fiddled nervously with her coin pouch. She had scraped together every last bit of money she’d slowly saved over the years.
Even so, it only amounted to ten thousand Ekl.
Still clutching the pouch, Janet stepped forward when her name was called.
“You’re sending this by express mail?”
“Yes.”
“Express delivery costs ten thousand Ekl.”
The amount matched perfectly, as if by fate itself, and Janet 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 Ekl.”
“I’m short?”
“Yes. You are.”
That couldn’t be right.
On the walk here, she had checked the amount over and over again.
She had even confirmed there were ten thousand Ekl in the pouch right before entering the post office.
“There’s no way I’m short. Please check again.”
“Are you saying I’m lying?”
At Janet’s words, the clerk frowned deeply.
His eyes swept quickly over her shabby clothes and the way she clutched the pouch like it was precious.
No matter how he looked at her, she was obviously some poor girl from a struggling household.
Feeling emboldened, the man suddenly sprang to his feet and pointed at Janet.
“Are you accusing me of stealing?!”
In truth, the man really was the thief who had taken Janet’s money.
It was both his little hobby and his specialty.
He would skim small amounts from elderly people, children, or women who looked powerless.
Those people might initially suspect him, but the moment he aggressively raised his voice, they would back down and flee.
Since the amounts were small, no one ever bothered to summon the guards and make a big issue out of it.
By now, the money he had quietly accumulated this way exceeded one million Ekl.
“I’m not accusing you of being a thief—”
“If you keep telling me to check again after I already said the money’s short, then aren’t you suspecting me?!”
The man shouted furiously and threw the pouch down dramatically.
Clang! Clatter!
Coins scattered everywhere with a loud noise, drawing everyone’s attention inside the post office.
“Oh my, what happened?”
“I think that woman accused the clerk of stealing.”
“How awful.”
As murmurs spread around her, Janet bit down hard on her lip.
Humiliation and anxiety filled her chest.
This kind of commotion is bad.
She had finally managed to become the young lady’s maid. If her plans were ruined over something this trivial, it would be disastrous.
Fortunately—or unfortunately—one of Janet’s greatest talents was endurance.
It was a virtue she had no choice but to develop in order to survive in the Graham household.
Haa…
With a helpless sigh, Janet stopped arguing with the clerk and began picking up the coins instead.
“Hmph.”
She heard the clerk snort smugly as he sat back down.
Just as Janet clenched her fists and reached for the final coin—
“You’re just going to let this go?”
“…?!”
Startled by the low voice beside her, Janet turned her head.
Theo?
A man leaning against the nearby wall, pretending to read a newspaper to hide his face, caught her eye.
Black hair.
Blue eyes.
And facial features so perfect they looked sculpted.
It was undoubtedly Theo, vice-captain of <Illinia>.
When their eyes met, he smiled with curved eyes.
Then he said,
“You wouldn’t back down even once when speaking with me.”
“That was…”
Because back then, she hadn’t been able to retreat.
As Janet faltered without an answer, Kendrick shrugged.
“That’s exactly why I proposed a deal to you.”
“A person like that?”
“Someone strong enough to look others straight in the eye and clearly state what they want.”
A strong person.
No one had ever called her that before.
Parasite. Leech. Worthless burden.
Those were the only words Janet had ever heard directed at her.
And yet…
Why did hearing this make her chest tighten so painfully?
Unable to speak, Janet stood frozen as Kendrick gently placed his hands on her shoulders.
Then he turned her body so she was facing the clerk again.
“There’s no need to stay silent when you’ve been wronged. Repay whatever you wish to repay. I’ll back you up.”
That’s what it means to be on the same side.
“I’ll be your support.”
At the man’s whisper, Janet’s chest trembled.
“Really… really, it’s okay if I retaliate? I don’t have to endure it?”
“Of course. Besides, that’s also a quality 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.”
“That’s true.”
Having regained her composure, Janet smiled along with him.
Soon, the man’s hand slipped away from her shoulder.
The lingering warmth of his touch gently pushed her forward.
“You there.”
“…What now? Are you still—”
“A while ago, you asked if I was accusing you of being a thief.”
“Huh?”
“No. I’m not accusing you of being a thief. I think you actually are one.”
“W-What nonsense is that?!”
The male clerk leapt to his feet again and glared at Janet threateningly.
But instead of shrinking back, Janet straightened her back and lifted her chin proudly.
She stared him down fiercely.
She hadn’t backed away earlier because she was afraid of him.
She simply hadn’t wanted to escalate things.
Now, the situation was different.
“If you feel so wronged, let’s call the guards.”
“T-The guards? Over a mere thousand Ekl?”
“What does the amount matter? What matters is whether theft occurred or not.”
“T-That may be true, but…”
“Anyone who extorts another person’s money or belongings shall be fined ten million Ekl and sentenced to two years in prison.”
At the imperial law she recited confidently, the man visibly flinched.
Seeing the anxiety on his face, Janet became certain once more.
He’s guilty.
But the man didn’t surrender easily.
“P-Proof! You don’t have any proof!”
“If this isn’t your first time, then we should be able to gather testimony from several similar victims. That alone would be sufficient evidence.”
Tilting her head slightly, she smiled faintly and continued,
“Another option would be summoning the postmaster for questioning. To ask whether he’s ever heard of similar incidents and remained silent.”
At the mention of the postmaster, the clerk’s face turned pale.
If the postmaster gets involved…
Would the man really take the side of a low-ranking employee like him?
No.
He would likely decide it was troublesome, force a confession, and cut ties immediately.
Which meant a ten million Ekl fine and two years in prison…
As soon as that thought reached him, the clerk bowed deeply.
“I-I’m terribly sorry, miss! Looking again, it seems I made a mistake!”
“A mistake? What kind of mistake?”
“Well… ah, it turns out the missing thousand Ekl was right here. I foolishly dropped it and didn’t notice. I sincerely apologize!”
Janet looked down coldly at the deeply bowing man.
“It absolutely wasn’t theft. I was simply mistaken… so could you perhaps show mercy?”
“Well…”
“Please, miss! I apologize sincerely, so please forgive me just this once! I beg you!”
Watching the man bow repeatedly, Janet narrowed her eyes.
“Haa…”
After letting out a sigh, Janet finally nodded as though she had no choice.
“Fine. I’ll let it go this time.”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. But be careful from now on. You shouldn’t make customers uncomfortable because of careless misunderstandings, should you?”
At her smiling warning, the clerk nodded frantically.
“Express delivery.”
Thunk.
Janet placed the document envelope down in front of him and tilted her head slightly.
“Handle it as quickly as possible.”
