TMLAM 17

Chapter 17

Come to think of it, she hadn’t taken a single day of vacation in five years. Burnout must have set in long ago. And just as Madam Rosette had said, she was getting older.

Things that used to be effortless had inevitably become burdensome.

“Whew. I can’t go against His Grace’s wishes, so a conclusion will be reached soon. Still, Roella, I want you to know how truly grateful I am to you.”

I had never had such an honest conversation with Madam Rosette before. Had a sense of comradeship formed between us? My heart felt unexpectedly warm.

“Please don’t say that, Madam Rosette. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve had a very hard time adjusting here.”

When I suddenly took the seat beside Madam Rosette, how many complaints must the servants have had? My position had been extremely ambiguous. The one who put an end to all those complaints was Madam Rosette herself.

“I believe everyone has a place that suits their abilities. Now then—those who can calculate properly, those who can make tables, those who can do mental arithmetic, and those who can organize documents, raise your hands.”

“Y-You mean Roella can do all of that?”

“Yes. Well enough that His Grace needs her. Aidan has acknowledged her abilities too. So tell me—does it make sense for her to be wiping windows alongside you? To be mopping floors?”

“But even so, Roella is—!”

“And it was Roella who insisted that you all receive additional performance bonuses this time. She noticed what I had overlooked. She reminded me that it was you who kept the ducal estate running safely while His Grace was away. Mistakes will be corrected, but that doesn’t mean your efforts should be erased. Do any of you possess that kind of insight and generosity?”

How impressive Madam Rosette had been back then. Even while corruption and embezzlement ran rampant, the people of the ducal estate kept their balance and quietly did their jobs. Even with the food supplies in such poor condition, the head chef had continued to serve meals as if they were top quality.

I believed appropriate incentives were necessary, and Madam Rosette accepted my opinion. After that, I noticed that complaints about me decreased. Occasionally, maids I ran into would shyly gift me cookies and the like.

Capitalism really is something—but Madam Rosette was the best.

“Though it’s a bit late, I’d like to ask your opinion too, Roella. What do you want to do? If you have a dream, may I ask about it?”

Should I boldly declare my ambitions here? No—if I revealed myself as someone hoping to transfer positions, my treatment would inevitably worsen. A resignation declaration like that should be done slowly.

So, something moderate.

“My dream is to serve the Grand Duke very well, Madam Rosette. To do what I can, have my abilities recognized, and earn money proportional to my abilities.”

“…And to save that money and buy a house.”

“Yes!”

It would be better to add just the right amount of sentiment rather than sounding too materialistic, right?

“Since my father is… the way he is, our household declined rapidly after my mother passed away. Even if I were to leave now, I have nowhere to go. What good are vacations and weekends then? I want a house where I can rest comfortably.”

“Oh my…”

Wanting a place of my own really was the truth. My work–life balance wasn’t terrible even now, but having my own home would bring an incomparable sense of security.

“So, I’d like to get a raise.”

It was an indirect declaration that I wanted to become an aide. Madam Rosette let out a regretful sigh.

“But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to help you, Madam Rosette. Going forward—”

“I know you already have a lot of work, Roella. I also know that helping me was an act of goodwill. If you move positions, your responsibilities will become much heavier. You don’t need to overexert yourself by helping with my work too.”

“Madam Rosette…”

The one who put an end to our conversation was Kristan.

Kristan had appeared in person. Aidan was trailing behind him like a remora fish, wearing the same expression as when he’d been overwhelmed by Madam Rosette earlier.

“I’m sorry, Madam Rosette.”

Kristan spoke solemnly, apologizing without any preamble. Aidan must have said something to him.

“Your Grace…?”

Madam Rosette rose from her seat in surprise.

“I’ve been far too inattentive to you all this time, even though I knew of your contributions.”

“No, Your Grace! I merely did what was required of someone belonging to the ducal house.”

“I never once thought your efforts were a given. I merely… postponed acknowledging them. For that too, I’m sorry. Truthfully, people as capable as Roella are extremely hard to find. You must need capable people as well.”

“Your Grace…”

Madam Rosette looked deeply moved. She had devoted everything to this estate for years. There must have been affection in that devotion—affection for Kristan, whom she had helped raise. That wasn’t something that could be measured in money.

“I’ll hire people to assist you.”

“Your Grace…”

“I’d like to tell you to rest, but regrettably, I still need you. However, I plan to assign about three people to help with your workload. Would that be enough for you to forgive me?”

“Forgive you? Please don’t say such things. I’m simply grateful that you’re being so considerate.”

Madam Rosette’s shoulders trembled. She looked genuinely happy.

For people as loyal as Madam Rosette, recognition from their superior was vital. Having her efforts acknowledged, her joy was only natural.

“And you’ll need rest as well. Once the new hires are settled, take about a week off. I’ll cover all the expenses for your break.”

Just like that, Kristan brought the resignation fiasco to a close.

It was the perfect solution—no one was put in a difficult position.
Our boss was the best.

* * *

Early the next morning.

Kristan’s proposal was perfect—not just for Madam Rosette, but for me as well.

A promotion. A promotion!

Kristan was truly rational, and the greatest boss in the world. A salary increase of two million won at once!

I was so excited I couldn’t sleep properly last night. In my head, I had already chosen a house and signed the contract. I was that happy.

I had never heard of such a drastic salary increase. I couldn’t help but dance with joy. The number—50 ekra—moved me deeply, and I swore absolute loyalty to Kristan. He really knew how to treat his employees.

As my happiness level rose, my efficiency seemed to rise as well.

And today was the weekend. That meant I was free to go out. I felt like I was floating on clouds.

When I told Madam Rosette I planned to go out, she immediately prepared a carriage. That was honestly unnecessary.

“Mr. Hutnan! My goodness—did you come out because of me even though it’s the weekend?”

“No, Miss Roella. Today was my duty shift, so I came out anyway. You don’t need to feel sorry.”

“I see. That’s a relief.”

Chatting cheerfully with Hutnan, I headed out. The coachman waited for us at the plaza, and Hutnan and I stepped out into the streets.