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Chapter 7
“Not that often, Father!”
“Silence!”
At the fiery roar, Claude shrank his neck down.
The duke cared for Claude—but only because he was an excellent student, born with outstanding talent.
He was never a tolerant father who embraced everything.
At the first sign of behavior that betrayed his expectations, he was quick to raise his hand.
Claude squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the blow that was about to strike his cheek.
“…Hmph.”
But the duke didn’t hit him. Instead, he let out a deep sigh and looked down at him with blazing eyes.
“This time, I’ll spare you for your mother’s sake.”
‘How convenient,’ I clicked my tongue inwardly.
It seemed there was another difference between Canis and Claude besides talent.
At least, to the duke.
He rubbed the space between his brows as though weary.
“You’ve always done well. This was just a mistake made out of ignorance.”
“Y-yes, Father.”
“Don’t let it happen again.”
“Yes, I won’t.”
Watching the two suddenly enter a warm “fatherly lecture” mode, my gaze grew cold.
Sure, that’s what an ordinary father–son relationship might look like. But isn’t the duke’s case a little different?
‘Didn’t he throw an ink bottle at me?’
It had luckily missed, so I only ended up drenched in ink. Still, it was far from a pleasant experience.
And I absolutely, utterly hated having anything on my face.
“Go change your clothes. You must be tired after the long journey.”
“I’ll come down to the dining hall by eight.”
“Good.”
The duke patted Claude’s shoulder encouragingly. Then, as he turned to head inside, his gaze landed on me.
“And what are you still standing around for?”
This bastard.
‘So that’s how you want to play it, huh?’
I lowered my head obediently and answered meekly.
“I’ll go in right now.”
“Tch.”
Clicking his tongue at me, he turned and strode away.
I resolved to repay this humiliation tenfold later.
Oh, but before that—
Flap!
“Kyaa! My lord, bird droppings on your head!”
“Wh-what! Damn it, that cursed bird—!”
[Avian Control (B)]
‘Let’s call this interest on the debt.’
Watching the duke thrash around furiously, I chuckled to myself.
“Hm, hmm.”
Back in my room alone, I tapped the bottom of a plate with my spoon.
The scene I’d just witnessed replayed in my mind—
The duke brushing off my accusations with mere scolding, and Claude sneering at me with a sidelong grin.
“Utterly useless.”
I mentally drew a giant X over Claude’s name.
I’d thought I might sow discord between the two, but that was hopeless.
“No choice, then.”
Leaving a defeated brother alive after a succession struggle—especially a hostile half-brother—was nothing but trouble for the future.
Whether I’d truly kill him or just confine him would depend on how he behaved.
Of course, that would all be—
‘After graduating from the academy.’
The Academy of Magic ran from age 17 to 20.
Canis was currently in her fourth year.
Having already finished the first semester, there was barely more than half a year left.
“Milady, may I come in?”
“Mm.”
Several maids entered, apparently to clear away my dishes. Among them was Larisa, whom I gestured to.
“You called for me, milady?”
“Just a moment. The rest of you, go on.”
“Yes.”
I waited until the others carried off the dishes.
Once alone with Larisa, I spoke the thought I’d had before being summoned earlier.
“Larisa. How many staff are under me right now?”
“Three ladies-in-waiting, five maids, and two manservants, milady.”
As expected. For an ordinary noble daughter, that would be plenty. But for the sole daughter of one of the empire’s two ducal houses, it was a meager number.
Not that it mattered. For me, it was convenient.
“Then could you prepare a paper listing their names and traits?”
“Gasp. Don’t tell me… layoffs…? Ah, forgive me.”
I gave a wry smile at her hastily covered mouth.
“No, I just want to memorize their names.”
“…Pardon?”
“They work for me, after all. I should at least call them properly by name.”
“Milady…!”
Her eyes sparkled. Apparently, she was more moved than I expected, and she clasped my hand tightly.
“I was wrong not to recognize your heart, milady. They’ll all be overjoyed if you do that.”
“…Really?”
“Of course.”
She nodded emphatically.
“For ladies-in-waiting like me from noble houses, it’s rare enough. But it’s almost unheard of for a master to remember the names of maids from commoner families—unless they are particularly favored.”
“I see.”
I smiled at the unexpected benefit.
If Larisa was right, winning the staff’s goodwill might be easier than I thought.
Even she herself, unlike at our first meeting, no longer seemed nervous before me—after just three days.
‘While Canis was at the academy, their bad memories of her faded.’
Memories, for better or worse, dull with time.
It was sheer luck I’d possessed her just before the vacation.
“Here is the list, milady.”
Soon, Larisa handed me the paper.
I accepted it eagerly, but then frowned.
[Mari: brown hair, brown eyes, freckles on nose.]
[Louis: brown hair, brown eyes, freckles on face.]
[Anna: brown hair, brown eyes, fairer skin.]
Damn it.
‘Right, almost all of them had brown hair….’
What good was knowing their names if I couldn’t tell who was who?
“What’s wrong, milady?”
“Hm.”
I let out a noncommittal hum, staring at Larisa’s round eyes.
She had likely done her best. But human faces aren’t something easily described objectively.
Writing “high nose” as a feature, for example—what counts as high differs from person to person.
I stroked my chin in thought.
‘How can I tell them apart?’
There were no cameras in this world, and they all wore the same uniform-like clothing…
Then, a thought flashed across my mind.
‘Clothes! …But I can’t just order them to wear different colors for my convenience.’
And commissioning entirely new clothes for mere staff wasn’t possible—not with my current authority.
Then, something simpler than clothes…?
‘Ah, I’ve got it.’
I smiled.
“Larisa, do I have any ribbons?”
“Of course, plenty. Shall I bring some?”
“Yes.”
At my nod, she darted off to the dressing room and back at the speed of light—practically in the blink of an eye.
“I prepared them in all colors.”
“Perfect. And do we have any brooches suitable for men?”
“Brooches?” She thought for a moment. “Some simple ones would be fine for gentlemen.”
“Good.”
I nodded.
The best option would be standardized accessories like uniforms, fostering a sense of belonging. But as a stopgap, this was excellent.
“Distribute these to the staff.”
“…Are you serious?”
“They’re just lying around unused anyway, aren’t they?”
“Well, yes, but still…”
She tilted her head. Even though she was close to the staff, she was still a noble by birth.
The very idea of handing her own luxury items to servants must have struck her as strange.
‘Doesn’t matter.’
The true value of this would show itself in time.
“Do as I say.”
“Yes, milady.”
Ten days had passed since Canis returned from the academy.
One maid whispered,
“Don’t you think the young lady’s changed lately?”
The other maids nodded in agreement.
“Yes! The other day, she actually called me by name!”
“Gasp, you too?”
“The master and young master never pay attention to the likes of us…”
“That’s just how nobles usually are.”
“Except for our lady!”
Canis’s plan to win over the servants’ goodwill was going smoothly.
Her friendly demeanor, so unlike haughty nobles, had shortened the distance in their hearts.
Somewhat one-sided, perhaps, but still.
“Did you hear? The young lady gave Becky all her leftover dessert—to send to her siblings at home!”
“And she gave us all jewelry too. I’ve never worn such a pretty ribbon before!”
If the first step had been calling them by name, the second was gift-giving.
To Canis, the ribbons were a trick to help her remember names. But to the servants—who had never dreamed of using such luxuries—it was a tremendous kindness.
“And she doesn’t even get angry these days. Before, when upset, she’d smash dishes.”
“Silly! That was just because the duke stressed her out back then.”
And so, even unintended misunderstandings were progressing in her favor.
