KDPCD 14

“So, you want me to report how I spend my own money to you?”

I asked, and Robert nodded eagerly                                                                                                             “Yes! Then I can check it, and if anything seems too extravagant, I’ll let you know!”

I couldn’t help but let out a small, incredulous laugh.

‘Ah… So that’s why Robert’s been so quiet lately…’

He’s found a new way to make me angry.

Outside of the head of the family, the personal allowance of direct heirs is determined by the lady of the house, who oversees household management. Until now, that role had been held by my mother—or more accurately, by her proxy, Charles, and Robert.

‘But now, that role belongs to me.’

Which means, as Robert said, I now have the authority to allocate my own funds.

For the record, I have never indulged in a single act of luxury—across two lifetimes.

Naturally so.

‘Back then, I was desperate to be the “good daughter.” I wouldn’t have risked my parents’ disappointment by being seen as wasteful.’

Even when my allowance was significantly smaller than Meldor’s, I never complained. I just quietly accepted it.

And now what?

“You’re saying you want to interfere in case I spend too much?”

“Oh, no, please don’t think of it as interference! As the head steward of this estate, I’m just concerned, that’s all.”

Robert, ever oblivious, looked at me with a satisfied smile.

“As I said earlier, Lady Bellady, you’re still young and inexperienced, so I believe my help is absolutely—”

“Get out.”

I cut him off coldly.

“Pardon?”

“I said, get out.”

“B-but I’m not done talking—!”

Robert flinched at the icy look in my eyes and took quick, stumbling steps backward.

“W-well then, please call for me if you need anything! And don’t forget to submit your expense report!”

Still spewing nonsense to the end, Robert scurried away. I didn’t even look at him. My eyes were fixed on the expense ledger before me.

Fueled by irritation, my mind began to spin.

‘Fine. If it’s come to this… then let’s make it fun.’

With the plan set, I picked up a pen and began to write.

Scratch, scratch.

As I listed the items, a grin naturally spread across my face.

‘Let’s see how our arrogant steward handles this.’

The day after kicking Robert out, I summoned a maid to my office.

“You called for me, Lady Bellady?”

The maid had braided pigtails and wore glasses. She stood politely with her hands clasped, waiting for my command.

I tilted my head slightly, looking at her.

“Did your brother tell you about me?”

Her eyes lit up.

“Yes, he did.”

“Good. That makes things easier.”

I finished writing a letter, sealed it with wax, and spoke again.

“From now on, you’ll be my personal maid. All secret correspondence will go through you.”

“Understood, my lady.”

This maid’s name was Stia Walker. She was Zeppelin’s younger sister, and though she posed as a maid, she was in fact a watcher—an informant stationed in the estate.

The reason her surname wasn’t Vincent like her brother’s was because they were half-siblings with different mothers. Perhaps that was why they didn’t resemble each other much.

‘How odd. Meldor and I look very similar despite everything.’

I had inherited our father’s features strongly, while Meldor had received them more mildly. As a result, we did bear a noticeable resemblance.

‘Not that I’m thrilled about it, but it’s better than the alternative. If I had taken after Mother…’

Then every time I looked in the mirror, I’d be reminded of her.

A truly revolting thought.

Shaking off the unpleasant image, I looked at Stia again.

“I may use you in your role as a watcher. Can you follow me, even though I’m not the head of the house?”

Stia was silent for a moment, then raised her eyes with a firm expression.

“My brother has chosen you as his new master. I don’t know about the others, but I trust my brother’s choice.”

I smirked and handed her the sealed letter.

“Good. Then I’ll trust you too—and give you your first mission.”

Inside the letter were directives for Zeppelin.

“Deliver this to Zeppelin without anyone noticing. Everything you two need to do is written inside. Once he’s read it, tell him to burn it immediately.”

Stia accepted the letter with both hands.

“You may go now.”

“Yes, my lady.”

As she turned to leave, she paused and glanced back.

Meeting my gaze, she straightened her posture and bowed deeply.

“Thank you… for accepting my unworthy brother.”

At that, I smiled gracefully.

“Don’t mention it.”

‘If anything, I should be the one thanking him.’

Like Zeppelin, Stia had been a formidable asset to the eldest heir. She was a mage and possessed original magical formulas of her own creation.

‘With those formulas, she accomplished missions that should’ve been impossible.’

The reason this cheat-code-like woman had sided with the eldest heir?

Same as now.

Because her brother had chosen them.

In other words, thanks to that loyal Zeppelin, Stia had rolled right into my lap as well.

‘Heh. Who needs food when you’re this full from victory?’

Now all I had to do was kick Father out of this estate. Then I could make full use of this devoted sibling duo.

I smiled warmly, hiding my scheming heart.

Unaware of my true thoughts, Stia bowed once more and left the room.

A few peaceful days passed.

Then, on a rainy afternoon…

“Lady Bellady.”

At a time when everyone was sluggish from the dreary weather…

“It’s been a while.”

A man appeared in my office, accompanied by Stia.

He removed the hood of his rain cloak and smiled pleasantly. I couldn’t help but smile too.

“Perfect.”

‘I wonder what kind of face Robert will make when he sees this man.’

Just imagining it was enough to make my day.

Robert marched toward Bellady’s office in a huff.

He had just heard something outrageous from Emily.

“Apparently, Lady Bellady is planning a major renovation to expand the shooting range! I heard she’s investing all her allowance this month. Hohoho, she’s so bold—just like a true noblewoman!”

At that moment, Robert had nearly jumped out of his skin.

‘A massive construction project for the shooting range? With her own funds?!’

He rushed to the range and sure enough, fencing had already gone up and workers were on-site preparing for the build.

‘Unbelievable!’

He’d expected any extravagance from Bellady to be limited to dresses or jewelry—but this?

The sheer scale of it left him stunned.

‘And she didn’t even consult me?!’

This was why he’d gone through the trouble of creating an “expense report” system in the first place!

If she had consulted him, Robert might not have refused. In fact, he might’ve even helped enthusiastically.

‘But to completely ignore me like this…!’

Fuming, Robert stomped off to the Duke’s office.

He thought surely the Duke would put a stop to such reckless spending.

But the response he got was cold.

“It’s her house. If she wants to renovate it with her own money, why should I stop her?”

Technically, the Duke wasn’t wrong…

But still—how could he be so indifferent when she was tearing apart a perfectly fine shooting range?

To Robert, Bellady’s actions weren’t just extravagant—they were as good as pouring gold into the streets.

Yet no one else seemed to care.

So Robert decided: as head steward, he had to take matters into his own hands.

‘First, I need to address the blatant disrespect!’

And then he would shut down the renovation. If she really wanted it, she’d have to go through him.

Resolved, Robert reached her office and raised his hand to knock.

Then… froze in place.

He couldn’t help it.

At first, his anger had driven him straight there. But standing at the door, nerves overwhelmed him.

‘Can I really stand up to Lady Bellady?’

That terrifying woman?

He hadn’t noticed it before, but standing in front of her always felt like a heavy pressure bore down on him. It was a sensation he’d only ever felt before around Theodore.

‘Is this what the Duke meant by the “aura of Alton’s direct bloodline”…?’

Both Bellady and Theodore could command a room with just their gaze.

‘And Bellady’s nearly twice my age…’

He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and swallowed hard.

‘No need to be scared. Father said it himself—’

“Robert, we must always serve House Alton with loyalty. But that doesn’t mean we have to endure injustice. We’re irreplaceable assets, and we deserve to be treated as such.”

‘Exactly. I’m in a position no one else can fill.’

So in moments like this, he had every right to be assertive.

If Bellady seemed even slightly displeased, he’d apologize.

But he would not back down from his stance.

Bracing himself, Robert knocked confidently on the office door.

Knock knock—!

“It’s Robert!”

After a short pause, Bellady’s voice called out.

“Come in.”

Ignoring etiquette, Robert opened the door and immediately burst into complaint.

“Lady Bellady! How could you make such a decision on your own?!”

He needed to let it out fast—before her presence completely crushed his resolve.

“About the expense report—wait, huh…?”

But the reason his tongue suddenly froze… was something entirely unexpected.

“It’s been a while, Robert. Have you been well?”

“…Y-you…?”

Robert’s face twisted into an even more bewildered expression than Bellady had anticipated.