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chapter 06
“Now this is a serious problem.”
At the same time Eveline and Cassian were talking, there were people secretly listening in on their conversation.
They were Sophia, the head maid, and Sebastian, the butler.
“It is my fault for being inadequate. Since everyone refused the position of the young lady’s personal maid, I had no choice but to push the task onto those two girls.”
“It’s alright. The moment the young lady arrived at the duchy, didn’t we already expect unpredictable events to occur?”
Sebastian, whose family had served the Duke of Hetis for generations, comforted Sophia before turning his attention to the voices coming through the artifact.
—
“By the way, dear. Where are the ledgers?”
When Eveline had dismissed Mary and Rose, Sophia had instructed them to quietly leave a brooch behind just in case.
And indeed!
Something truly shocking was happening.
“Could her memories have returned?”
“If this is all an act, then there’s a good chance they have.”
To innocently ask where the ledgers were kept…
If Eveline truly intended to dig through every piece of information in the Duchy of Hetis, it was entirely plausible.
Sensing danger, Sebastian stiffened as he desperately considered how to deal with this situation.
Just as he sank into deep thought, a calm voice came through the artifact.
—
“The ledgers are being safely kept by the butler.”
—
The tone was gentle yet firm.
Cassian was politely refusing without offending the other party.
But almost immediately, Eveline responded.
—
“Really? Then I suppose we should call Sebastian.”
—
It sounded as though she was about to pull the bell rope and summon him at once.
Fortunately, Cassian seemed to stop her, though their conversation continued.
—
“Is there really a need for that? Sebastian has managed them for years on Mother’s behalf.”
“That may have been true for Mother, but I’m different. Normally, the mistress of the house manages the ledgers, doesn’t she?”
—
Though both spoke calmly, Sebastian was certain a storm of anger would erupt soon.
If she truly was the Witch of the North, she would surely shout,
“Are you saying you don’t trust me?”
But something completely unexpected happened.
—
“Cassian, I know you don’t have much confidence in me, but could you give me a chance? I am the Duchess of Hetis. I’ve neglected the duchy because I was bedridden, but from now on, I want to properly fulfill my duties as its mistress.”
—
Instead of throwing a tantrum as expected, Eveline spoke gently and reasonably.
Then she offered a new proposal.
—
“I haven’t seen the ledgers yet, so I can’t say for certain, but I do have a short-term solution to the financial difficulties.”
“A short-term solution?”
“Yes. Raise taxes. More precisely, adjust them according to category.”
—
She explained that applying the same rate to everyone was inefficient.
The most effective method would be to collect taxes after considering multiple factors such as income, production volume, and types of goods.
Nor did she forget to mention other regions.
—
“Compared to other territories, the South already has relatively low taxes. Increasing taxation on certain categories should be acceptable.”
—
It was a reasonable opinion.
In fact, Cassian himself had been considering imposing special taxes on luxury goods and unethical businesses to increase revenue.
Eveline’s arguments were so logical that it almost felt as though she had climbed inside Cassian’s head and read his thoughts.
She clearly and persuasively expressed her views.
“Could it be that we misjudged her?”
“That may be the case.”
According to the rumors, Eveline was supposed to be a cruel and malicious woman.
Someone who would throw fits and cause trouble whenever she failed to get what she wanted.
But now…
“She’s behaving like a model noblewoman.”
As Sophia said, she was the very image of a wise and capable lady of the house.
“Come to think of it, we’ve never actually witnessed her committing any evil acts ourselves.”
“She did question the maids, but any duchess would naturally prioritize understanding the situation around her.”
Sometimes compassionate.
Sometimes strict.
A gentle personality was important, but so was dignity and authority.
If only one side was emphasized, people would either take her lightly or resent her.
A duchess needed both qualities in balance.
The fact that Eveline appeared to possess such qualities was ironic, but perhaps Cassian had gained a reliable ally.
Thinking this, Sebastian unknowingly spoke his true feelings.
“It would have been nice if she weren’t the Viscount’s lover.”
Though he had been listening carefully in search of flaws, he found himself gradually being persuaded instead.
“You never know when it comes to relationships. If you think about it, there have only been a handful of reports claiming the Viscount and the young lady were actually seen together.”
“Even so, haven’t plenty of people claimed they saw them?”
“Have you forgotten that those witnesses all happen to be forces friendly toward the North?”
Sophia’s sharp observation struck him right at the heart.
At that moment, a new suspicion crossed Sebastian’s mind.
Could her engagement to Viscount Hetyus have simply been a choice to avoid marrying the current Emperor?
Of course, his lord’s feelings were what mattered most.
But if the labels attached to Eveline weren’t true…
Ahem. My imagination is running wild. I can’t carelessly lower my guard toward the Witch of the North—no, toward someone under surveillance.
As a retainer who had loyally served the ducal family for many years, he needed to judge the situation objectively.
“Ahem. Judging by the delicious smell reaching us, lunch preparations must be nearly complete. I should get going.”
Sebastian hurried away, lengthening his stride and quickening his pace.
I need to hurry. I can’t leave His Grace alone with the surveillance target in his office for too long!
As the butler responsible for the Duchy of Hetis, I must assist my lord!
Therefore—
“Lunch is ready. Please come downstairs to the second floor.”
If the couple is going to argue, let them do it in the dining room!
* * *
Slice. Slice.
Chop. Chop.
The sounds echoed repeatedly throughout the dining room.
The steady, rhythmic noise eventually drew the attention of Cassian, who had been sitting in silence.
Following the source of the sound, he saw Eveline personally slicing meat.
“Dear, what do you think of this thickness?”
“It’s perfect.”
More specifically, she was preparing ham for serving.
Normally, that was a chef’s job.
“Oops!”
“Chef!”
The head chef had stumbled while carrying a massive hind leg, injuring both his hand and lower back.
Fortunately, Sophia swiftly caught the meat before it hit the floor.
“Whew. The Black Label ham is safe.”
“Would someone please ask if I’m safe too? Ugh!”
The chef tried to stand and continue working, but every movement brought him visible pain.
Hand-carving the ham himself was clearly impossible.
Unable to watch any longer, Eveline stepped in.
She could have simply called someone else to do the carving.
But—
“No! I can’t entrust something this precious to anyone else!”
With a frightening look in her eyes, she practically warned everyone not to take the ham away from her.
As a result, Cassian and the servants could only watch quietly.
Isn’t this usually a specialist’s job?
But then something astonishing happened.
Slice. Slice.
Chop. Chop.
Her knife skills were extraordinary.
Despite apparently holding such a long carving knife for the first time, Eveline handled it as though it were an extension of her own body.
Her movements were elegant, swift, and precise.
“My goodness! The marbling is perfectly preserved!”
“And look how thin the slices are—they’re practically translucent in the light!”
Not only did she cut pieces into ideal bite-sized portions, but she also adjusted the fat content of each section with a discerning eye.
Her technique for slicing the Black Label ham into paper-thin pieces was anything but ordinary.
The sight resembled a knight cutting down enemies on a battlefield.
Though it felt disrespectful to say so, it seemed as if a powerful aura was radiating from her body.
After finishing the carving, Eveline placed a suitable portion of ham onto Cassian’s plate.
She also distributed small portions to the servants and encouraged them to try it.
“Everyone, go ahead and taste it.”
“Yes, milady!”
At Eveline’s urging, the servants eagerly popped the ham into their mouths.
Judging by the immediate sounds of admiration, the carving had been flawless.
“What do you think, dear?”
“It’s delicious.”
It wasn’t mere politeness.
It was genuinely delicious.
Her skill was more than sufficient for someone who appreciated fine cuisine.
The only unsettling thing was—
Why do I feel such presence from her?
Cassian felt the aura of a knight emanating from Eveline.
His eyes sharpened at the strange sensation.
She was supposed to be an innocent woman who knew nothing.
Then why did she give off the presence of a knight who had reached the peak of mastery?
For a brief moment, he even felt as though someone else’s swordsmanship overlapped with her movements.
As he continued watching her, Cassian unconsciously reached out and grabbed her hand.
“Dear?”
