Chapter 5
“Punishment…?”
Leroy’s massive frame trembled violently. His knees buckled as if they might give way any moment.
“Under a butler’s authority, I cannot take your life…”
The moment Theon spoke, Leroy’s face, which had been brightening, immediately turned ashen.
“Seize all his property, break both his arms and one of his legs, and cast him out of the Duchy. He will never be able to cook again.”
“That’s insane!”
Leroy tried to resist, but by then, the knights had already grabbed his arms, pinning him down.
“Madam! Madam, please help me!”
But Clarissa remained frozen in her chair, not moving. A thin layer of cold sweat ran down her pale face.
With all the evidence laid out in front of Theon, there was nothing she could do.
Moreover, considering how she had been scolding me earlier, there was now suspicion that she, too, had been covering up Leroy’s corruption, given their familial ties.
“Madam!”
Leroy was dragged out without mercy, his screams echoing down the hallway as the knights moved swiftly, almost faster than the eye could see.
“Once His Grace returns, I will report this matter to him in full detail.”
“Theon!”
Clarissa’s voice cracked with fury as she turned to face Theon.
“…How dare a mere butler threaten the Duchess of Luferen?!”
“I’m merely following protocol. The Duke will make the final decision.”
Clarissa’s anger seemed to have no effect on Theon. He remained as calm as ever. I seized the opportunity to speak again.
“Theon.”
“Yes, milady.”
“If I ask you to let this matter go, would you comply?”
Theon’s eyebrow twitched slightly. He stared at me for a moment before adjusting his glasses.
“…Are you concerned about your mistress?”
“I just don’t want to bother my father with this matter. It’s already over, after all.”
That was partly true. I wasn’t the kind of good daughter who cared about my irresponsible father, lost in his own affairs with women and travel. But I didn’t want to report this to him, either.
It wouldn’t change anything. By the time he returned, the kitchen would likely have a new head chef, and my father would scold Clarissa for a short time, then forget about it. I was worth little more than that in his eyes.
I wanted something more meaningful.
“If that’s what you want, milady, I’ll respect your decision…”
Theon tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming with some kind of curiosity.
“Somehow, I feel like there’s a condition attached to this request.”
He was sharp.
I nodded, then turned my gaze to Clarissa.
“I want an apology.”
“…What?”
She stared at me in disbelief, but as the blood began to return to her pale cheeks, it seemed that my condition wasn’t as displeasing as it had first appeared.
How easy it must be to pretend to be kind and apologize to a child.
“Not from me.”
I added, as if throwing cold water on her hopeful face.
“Apologize to Jenna.”
Clarissa blinked in stunned silence. Slowly, her face twisted into a furious scowl.
“How dare you—”
“Milady! I’m fine!”
Both Clarissa and Jenna shouted in unison.
“I’m not fine! If it weren’t for Theon, Jenna would’ve been kicked out!”
I didn’t take a single step back. Theon’s gray eyes flicked between me, Jenna, and Clarissa with quiet amusement.
His gaze lingered on me for a moment before returning to Clarissa.
“Do as she asks, madam. His Grace cherishes you, so even if you report this, there won’t be any major consequences…”
He leaned casually against the wall with his arms crossed, already having made his decision internally.
“The wise Duke occasionally acts impulsively, removing people without proper judgment. Especially those close to him…”
Clarissa’s face went even paler. The rumors about my father already being with a younger, more beautiful woman must have hit her hard.
Many in the Empire had been waiting for a chance to replace Clarissa. They had been biding their time, eager to seize her position once she lost favor with the Duke.
“…Fine.”
Clarissa spat through clenched teeth. She had, in the end, chosen to swallow her pride and accept the small risk to her future.
“I’ll make sure… nothing like this happens again. I’m sorry, Jenna.”
She apologized without even looking at Jenna. Yet, her words shocked Salvia and the other maids standing nearby.
Good. This was exactly what I wanted.
In the years Clarissa had spent in the mansion, she had never once apologized to her servants.
Now, whenever the mansion’s employees saw Jenna, they would instinctively think, “She’s the only maid to have ever received an apology from the Duchess.”
They wouldn’t know the details of how it happened, but they would be on edge, and Clarissa’s servants would be cautious around Jenna.
If they feared making her angry, they would treat her with care.
Jenna’s life would be far easier than it had been before.
And that meant there would be no more stealing food from the kitchen and sneaking it into my room. I wouldn’t have to go to such lengths anymore.
The status of a mistress and her maid often went hand in hand.
With a victorious smile, I turned toward Clarissa.
“Well, let’s wrap this up. The former assistant head chef will temporarily take charge of the kitchen.”
Before Theon even finished speaking, Clarissa and Salvia rushed out of the room, fury written all over their faces.
“…I’ll go as well, milady.”
Once the room had emptied of the others, Theon spoke quietly to me. I met his eyes, still feeling the weight of the moment.
“Is there anything else you need?”
“Please pull the bell.”
“Pardon?”
Clearly caught off guard by my request, Theon looked up at the cord hanging from the ceiling. He thought for a second, then nodded with understanding.
“Oh, from now on, there won’t be any problem with servants arriving when you pull the bell. I’ll make sure to train them properly…”
“It’s not long enough.”
“Not… long enough?”
“It’s too short.”
I stood on tiptoe, reaching for the cord. My fingertip brushed against the end, but it was still far from being able to pull it.
I had tried pulling it before lunch, hoping for someone to bring me milk, but failed.
In my previous life, I had long since given up on using it.
“The cord is fine length-wise, milady. The problem lies with your legs.”
He said this so matter-of-factly that it was almost amusing.
“Of course, I can’t stretch your legs, so I’ll tie a ribbon on the cord for you. Will that work?”
I glared at him with a look of dissatisfaction.
I had just achieved a small victory over Clarissa, but now I felt treated like a child again.
“One more thing.”
I quickly pushed the feeling aside and voiced my next request.
This was the perfect moment. I had to ask for something while Theon still cared about my opinion.
After all, I had carefully used his academic writings against him.
“I’d like to use the central library.”
“Isn’t there enough fairy tale books?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
I took a step closer to him and continued.
“I want to use the west wing.”
That part of the mansion housed rare books on sorcery and ancient magic—priceless maps and tomes from the empire’s collection.
It was restricted to the public, with the fewest allowed inside. I wanted to explore it before Callista returned.
Theon halted in his tracks as I spoke, his gray eyes narrowing slightly. He adjusted his glasses and looked me over with more intensity than before.
“…Can you actually access it?”
The curiosity in his eyes had deepened.
I nodded vigorously, eyes sparkling with hope.
