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Chapter 7
Gasps echoed throughout the corridor as even the servants and maids of the Count’s household, mixed among those from the Duke’s estate, began to murmur louder and louder.
Ashley shouted with a trembling voice.
“L-Lady! Even if you’re a noble, this isn’t right! You can’t just fire me like this overnight!”
“Don’t worry, Ashley. You’re not the only one getting fired—I’m kicking everyone out.”
I kindly stretched my neck out into the hallway and spoke clearly to the familiar faces. Just in case they hadn’t heard, I cupped my hands around my mouth and enunciated carefully:
“You—all—are—fired—too.”
The faces of the Count’s servants twisted into all sorts of expressions.
Ah, these expressions. I could probably skip meals for a week and still feel full.
“Lady!”
Thud.
Ashley, who had been biting her lip, suddenly changed tactics. She collapsed to the floor and clung to my ankle.
Clearly, she hoped that I’d care about appearances in front of outsiders, considering how outrageous my actions seemed.
She glanced nervously at Obed while sobbing and began rubbing her hands together.
“Please, please, have mercy just this once! I have three young children at home! Are you going to starve my babies to death? I was wrong, my lady! I’m truly sorry! I deserve to die!”
“Then you shouldn’t have committed a crime deserving death.”
“My lady!”
When I replied with wide eyes, her face hardened in disbelief.
I squatted down beside her, who had lost all words. As I tucked her sweat-drenched hair behind her ear, I asked gently,
“Do you really want my forgiveness?”
“Y-Yes, of course, my lady! Of course!”
“Do you want to atone for the sins you’ve committed against me?”
“I’ll do anything you ask! Anything at all!”
Her expression lit up as she bowed repeatedly, her forehead thudding against the floor.
“Then let’s do this. You know how they say children pay for their parents’ sins. If your precious three children were to partake in a ‘Meal of Atonement,’ I think your sins would disappear. How about that?”
Thud. Ashley’s head, still bowed at my feet, remained frozen in place.
I waited briefly, but she couldn’t utter a single word. Instead, she began trembling all over.
There was no need to wait any longer. I stood up.
Snnrrrk… snnnrrk… sssnrrhhk…
A bizarre, indescribable sound escaped from Ashley’s mouth as she lay there.
I let go of what I had been holding. Her apron softly fluttered down over the back of her head.
“Don’t ever show your face to me again.”
As I stepped over her and out the door, countless eyes turned toward me. Disgust, contempt, surprise, fear, horror, sorrow—all those emotions were etched on their faces.
I couldn’t see Obed’s expression behind me.
Was it similar to the look the Duke gave me yesterday when I said I’d be kicking everyone out of the Count’s estate? I was a little curious.
But it didn’t matter. Ashley and Baron Varden’s cronies were nothing compared to what I’d be facing.
For a fleeting moment, dizziness washed over me. I bit my lip and murmured to myself,
“This is just the beginning.”
I took a bold step forward.
Descending the spiral staircase into the main hall, the scene that unfolded was quite a sight.
The Duke’s servants were scattered throughout, busily carrying out the belongings of the Baron’s household.
I stood at the center of the hall where I’d been slapped last night, hands clasped behind my back, calmly observing the scene.
Behind me, Obed and the Duke’s servants stood in neat rows.
My chest tingled with excitement. The corners of my lips began to curl up. I felt so exhilarated that I was about to hum a tune.
“My lady! Please come to your senses, my lady!”
“What will we do now, our lady, our little mistress… How could this happen…”
Then came a commotion from the stairs above.
Looking up, I saw Helena descending with difficulty, supported by maids. She was only half-dressed in an indoor gown.
Several young maids who had been particularly close with Helena cried and wailed, some trying to soothe her while lamenting their own bleak futures.
“Hello, Helena.”
I walked right up and greeted her, and the maids screamed in unison.
“Eeeek!”
“You’d think they saw a ghost.”
How dull. I pouted my lips.
To my surprise, it wasn’t fun seeing the maids who had always mocked and belittled me—treating me like a little monkey—so terrified of me now.
I tilted my head slightly, expecting something else.
And the moment I saw what I had hoped for, a broad smile spread across my face.
Ah, this. This was what I came back for.
“…Was this your doing?”
My always-elegant and beautiful cousin.
Gone was the kind, graceful mask she always wore. In its place was a raw, pale, and utterly uncomposed face, stripped of all pretense.
She didn’t know all the details, but she had figured something out. I smiled and replied,
“I told you we’d meet again soon, didn’t I?”
Helena bit her lip.
She didn’t hesitate. She stood up and brushed past me. As she did, I asked,
“Are you running away?”
That stopped her in her tracks. She slowly turned her head and looked back at me.
“…”
Our eyes locked—hers a deep forest green shaded in shadow—and strangely, I couldn’t look away. It was such an odd feeling.
The crying maids, the servants sneaking off with valuables… it all felt distant, as if submerged underwater.
Only Helena stood out, backlit by the brilliant light pouring through the open door.
She finally turned her eyes away and straightened her posture.
Then, across the chaotic mansion filled with screams, flying pillows, and crashing furniture, she walked away.
I followed her outside. The midday sun was blazing.
As I raised my hand to shield my eyes, a scream-like call rang out—“Helena!”—and a familiar figure came rushing over.
“Hello, Uncle. Hello, Aunt.”
Like a mother bird snatching her chick from a predator, the Baroness swept Helena into her arms and wrapped her protectively in her skirts.
Panting, she looked at me with a face full of terror.
The Baron gawked and asked stupidly,
“Y-You… Did you…? You dare do this to us? Was this your doing?!”
I felt Obed standing behind me.
The final cast member had arrived. The entire play was now on stage.
I squinted against the sunlight under my hand and smiled.
“This… this is impossible. Kalia! What is the meaning of this? Desmier? You have no connection with that family!”
“I believe I can explain that.”
Obed stepped forward. The Baron flinched noticeably. The aging butler offered a brief bow.
“A pleasure to meet you, Baron Varden. I am Obed Miller, steward of House Desmier.”
“…A pleasure, Sir Obed.”
Though reluctant, the Baron returned the greeting.
He had no choice.
Obed’s title as a viscount might have been lower than the Baron’s, but his influence in high society was undeniably greater.
For decades, he managed the affairs of the Duchy and served as the Duke’s closest aide. His power far exceeded that of many lower-ranking nobles.
Even well-connected nobles often scrambled for a chance to build rapport with Obed—how could the Baron dare to be rude?
Besides, Obed was originally the second son of a Baron who ruled over the Miller territory, which was part of the Duchy. He was noble by birth as well.
Obed continued calmly.
“You’ve seen today’s morning paper, I presume?”
Realizing just how close the power of ‘Desmier’ stood before him, the frozen Baron flinched at that reminder.
He sputtered, spittle flying in his agitation.
“Of course I saw it! That, that… nonsense… I can’t believe it!”
“You’re not suggesting the Duke lied, are you?”
“Of course not! I didn’t mean that—of course not.”
At Obed’s quiet question, the Baron froze again and then reluctantly backed down.
He resumed pointing and shouting, though his arm was now at a noticeably lower angle—about fifteen degrees lower than before.
“No, I mean… my sister. Poor Marina. I just can’t recall how she ever got close to Her Grace, the Duchess.”
“They first met at a party and became friends, maintaining contact through letters even after marriage. And…”
Obed gestured to one of the Duke’s servants standing behind me.
An elderly woman in plain clothes stepped forward. Obed pointed to her and said,
“Their bond grew so strong that the Countess called upon the Duchess on the day of her childbirth.”
“This woman…?”
“She’s the midwife who assisted the Countess in giving birth. She personally delivered Lady Kalia. She testifies that the Duchess was present in the birthing room that day.”
Could this testimony really be true?
It seemed unlikely. I looked at the woman who claimed to be my midwife with curious eyes.
This was all news to me.
Of course—it made sense. I had only told the Duke, “Be my guardian,” and left all the details to him.
I trusted in the Duke’s capabilities.
And rightly so. In a single day, he had created this entire spectacle.
The midwife spoke slowly but clearly.
“I still remember it vividly. Even though the Countess was drenched in cold sweat, she tightly held the Duchess’s hand and said, ‘Please be our child’s godmother.’ The Duchess nodded and replied, ‘I will.’”
“This is outrageous! I’ve never heard of such a thing happening on the day of her delivery!”
The Baron shouted in fury, but Obed cut in smoothly.
“Of course not. You weren’t in the birthing room. And you never visited her after the childbirth, either.”
Seeing the Baron’s face turn beet red, Obed added politely—
