A few days later, the investigation into Sien’s theft charges came to an end.

Just as expected, the stolen items Sien had taken over time were discovered inside the dormitory where she had been staying.

There was also ample evidence showing that she had sold the stolen valuables for money.

Attempted murder of a noble, along with repeated theft charges.

Under those two accusations, Sien was dragged away to Ludwig’s underground detention center. She would remain there until an official sentence was passed, after which she would be transferred to prison.

“Wait! I was wrong! I don’t want to go to prison, please…! Nova! Let me see Head Maid Nova! Please let me see Lady Nova, just once!”

The entire time the guards dragged her away, Sien screamed desperately to see Head Maid Nova.

In the end, she disappeared into Ludwig’s underground detention center without gaining anything from it.

However—

one thought inevitably lingered in people’s minds.

Why is that criminal looking for Head Maid Nova?

“That useless fool!”

Bang!

Nova Morgan slammed her hand against the desk and breathed heavily. Murderous intent flashed in her eyes.

“If she was going to get caught, she should’ve gone quietly. How dare she drag my name into this?”

Sien had been one of the maids fiercely loyal to Nova. More than anyone else, she had openly shown her greed, constantly offering bribes and currying favor.

At times, her excessive greed made her reckless, which had always worried Nova—but who would’ve thought she’d cause something this huge?

She said she was going to teach the new maid a lesson.

Nova herself had approved of tormenting Janette.

She had wanted that slow, foolish maid to come crying to her for help.

It wasn’t just about bribes.

In a place as enormous as Ludwig, expanding one’s circle of loyal people was essential to securing power.

Above all else, for that person’s sake.

Crunch.

Grinding her teeth, Nova shouted toward the door.

“Mary! Mary!”

“Y-Yes! Head Maid!”

A pale-faced maid hurried into the room.

“Report every single thing happening outside to me. Especially anything related to Sien!”

“Yes, Head Maid.”

“And.”

“Yes?”

Nova clicked her tongue at the sight of Mary trembling uncontrollably.

“Place people around the Black Estate as well. Tell them to keep watch in case the Third Young Master starts making moves.”

“Yes, Head Maid.”

Mary bowed deeply and practically fled the room.

Nova narrowed her eyes.

Something happened at Julieta’s estate. The Third Young Master may begin moving as well.

Ideally, he would just stay quietly shut inside that pitch-black annex.

Because if he started crawling out into the open again, it would become troublesome for her in many ways.

Do they know how hard I worked to reach this position?!

She had done everything necessary to become someone influential within Ludwig.

How difficult it had been, acting as nanny to that insufferable young lady she didn’t even like, waiting on that arrogant little brat day and night.

If she hadn’t caught that person’s attention, she would probably still be stuck beside that troublesome young lady, pretending to be her guardian.

Pretending to love her, pretending to cherish her, pretending to care about her.

Putting on those disgusting acts.

I finally grabbed hold of a proper lifeline. There’s no way I’m letting it go.

Crunch.

Biting down on her nails, Nova’s eyes shook anxiously.

Chapter — An Excellent Superior

One bright morning beneath an especially blue sky.

This is my first time wearing clothes like this.

Janette blinked while staring at herself in the mirror.

The hem of the blue outing dress shimmered with layers of finely woven lace.

An ornate ribbon decorated the chest, while embedded crystals sparkled whenever they caught the light.

These clothes must be expensive.

This was one of the gifts Theo had sent.

Aside from this, there had also been five casual outing dresses, another five everyday dresses, and two gorgeous formal gowns.

She had somehow managed to cram them all into the wardrobe in her room, but if even one more dress arrived, there was no way that wardrobe alone would hold everything.

I never imagined he’d send this many gifts.

She had been so shocked when she first heard about them.

The sight of gift boxes piled across the first-floor room had genuinely frightened her.

Beautiful clothes she had never worn before, accessories that looked incredibly expensive at first glance—

even delicately crafted jewelry.

The gifts were so extravagant that she had seriously considered returning them, but as if he had read her mind, a note arrived the next day alongside a “gift list.”

“I do not have a hobby of taking back gifts once given.
The moment they are returned, they will all be thrown away, so I hope you will simply accept them happily.”

Was that a threat or a letter?

Still, thanks to it, I was able to figure out that Sien had been stealing.

While carefully examining the gift list, Janette realized one of the jewels was missing.

And based on the testimony of the servants working in the annex, Sien had become the prime suspect.

However, the yellow diamond itself had never been found in Sien’s room.

Janette didn’t think that meant Sien was innocent.

She probably already sold it somewhere.

Or perhaps handed it over to someone.

Janette’s sharp gaze turned toward the direction of the main estate.

Then—

“Ah, it’s already this late.”

If she didn’t leave soon, she would be late for her appointment.

Today was Janette’s day off, and she had plans to meet Theo.

In other words, it was reporting day.

Their meeting place was the cafeteria “Soluna.”

Amid the bustling crowd, the two of them took seats in the quietest corner available.

“Is there any particular menu item you like?”

A favorite menu item.

At Kendrick’s question, Janette lifted her eyes from the menu toward him.

“Meat.”

“Meat?”

“Yes. I like meat the most. Beef, chicken, pork—it doesn’t matter.”

Her eyes were completely serious as she answered.

To say something like that with such sincerity.

Kendrick let out a small laugh and nodded.

“Then let’s go with today’s recommendation. Grilled beef tenderloin and assorted salad. How does that sound?”

“I’d love that, but aren’t you accommodating me too much?”

“Not at all. I like meat too. I’d eat it every day if I could.”

Janette laughed softly at his smooth response and nodded.

“So, how has life at Ludwig been?”

“Well…”

After placing their orders and while waiting for the food, Janette gave him a rough report of everything that had happened since she started working there.

The atmosphere within Lady Julieta’s annex, the story of unexpectedly meeting the butler, even how she had grown close to the librarian in the eastern library.

“I see.”

“That’s impressive.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Kendrick responded with appropriate reactions as he listened, but the moment Sien’s story came up, his responses abruptly stopped.

Janette blinked at the noticeable chill in his expression.

What? Why is he making that face?

She thought he would be happy that a maid harming the young lady had been driven out, but Kendrick didn’t look pleased at all.

“….”

Without saying a word, his hardened gaze slowly lowered toward Janette’s hand.

“The wounds still haven’t healed completely.”

“Huh? Ah… yes.”

Caught off guard, Janette nodded blankly.

“I guess it’s because they were burn injuries.”

Just as Kendrick said, traces of the incident still remained on her pale hand.

Still, unless someone looked carefully, it wasn’t particularly noticeable…

“But it’s gotten much better. The young lady checks every day to make sure I applied the medicine properly.”

“Lady Julieta herself?”

“Yes. She always checks and says she won’t let me off if I skip even a single day.”

Kendrick’s expression turned strange at her words.

That child worrying about someone to that extent…

It really seemed that Julieta had opened her heart to Janette.

And yes, that was certainly a good thing.

But…

Why is Miss Janette acting so calm about it?

Regardless of the outcome, she could have been left with permanent burn scars on her hand.

And although he hadn’t seen them, the other injuries hidden beneath her clothes were probably in a similar state.

Yet throughout the entire conversation about Sien, Janette hadn’t frowned even once. If anything, she simply looked proud.

As though the fact that she herself had been injured didn’t matter at all.

As though it wasn’t important.

Is it because of the environment she grew up in?

He already knew that Janette had no memories from before the age of fifteen.

He had also finished investigating the treatment she had received from the Graham family.

She has no memories before fifteen, and after that, she wasn’t even treated like a proper human being.

Maybe she simply didn’t know that she should value her own body.

Maybe she had never learned that kind of instinct.

Tch. Damn that Graham family.

Clicking his tongue quietly, Kendrick pulled out a small bottle from his coat and placed it on the table.

“It’s a medicine that works well for burns. Apply it every day.”