The prince mentioned by Viscount Kainum was, of all people, the one Serhen had taken a liking to. According to Lireania, the prince seemed to have feelings for Ariel, and Ariel didn’t appear to dislike him either. Unlike the crown prince, he was a diligent prince but had no ambition, so he had never been involved in power struggles for the throne. That was both a weakness and a strength. The crown prince didn’t even consider the second prince as his rival, which meant the prince could live a peaceful life as a member of the imperial family.
In That sense, the second prince seemed a more stable option than Kasion. However, like with Kasion, the major issue was that Ariel wouldn’t be able to reprimand him if he upset her because of his status. Kasion was a different case—since they were friends, they could argue regardless of rank.
“Get that swindler out of here!” Serhen stopped listening to Viscount Kainum and ordered him to be expelled.
With the master’s command, the guards quickly removed the pest.
As he was being dragged out, Viscount Kainum shouted back at Serhen, “Getting married without an elder’s blessing will make you a target of ridicule!”
Elder? What a joke.
“I’ll come and stand in for your parents. See you at the wedding.”
Even a dog wouldn’t bark such nonsense.
It took a while before Viscount Kainum’s voice finally faded away. In its place, a loud crashing sound came from Serhen’s room. Serhen, usually calm and rational, had thrown an ink bottle. The black ink splattered all over the wall, staining everything like the remnants of his past.
“Master,” Hamilon called out with concern.
Serhen’s usually composed blue eyes flashed with a dangerous intensity. Hamilon was worried. Should he bring in the future marchioness or the young lady for help?
Then, Serhen, his eyes now steady again, gave a new order to Hamilon. “Find out who that man’s been meeting in the capital to make him so confident.” His voice was still chilling.
“Yes, understood.”
“Investigate thoroughly what he has been up to in the territory as well.”
“Yes.”
“And…” Serhen frowned briefly, hesitating before giving Hamilon his most important instruction. “Go to Kasion and tell him. Tell him that Viscount Kainum wants to set Ariel up with the second prince.”
Kasion was far better than anyone associated with Viscount Kainum. Serhen had learned that painfully six years ago.
“Won’t the duke… act recklessly?”
“He’s not called Pertelian for nothing. He’ll think of a way to quietly dispose of that man.”
Serhen should have listened to Kasion back then. If there was no evidence, they should have fabricated some, and if that didn’t work, they should have used dirty methods to get rid of him. Why hadn’t he been ruthless back then? How could he stand in front of his parents’ graves and proudly claim he had protected his sister?
“Understood.”
“And hold off on sending any gifts to the second prince. If he’s in league with that trash, we’ll deal with him first.”
Though the Pertelian family was more prominent, the Mellin family’s influence wasn’t insignificant either. Even the imperial family would struggle to maintain a comfortable life if they cut off trade with them.
There was no one left in the empire who could provide better goods at such low prices. In other words, the Mellin family had the power to remove a powerless prince if needed.
“And… while you’re at it, gather detailed information about the crown prince and the princess and pass it on to Kasion.” His eyes were colder than ice while he spoke of that.
Hamilon, seeing his master’s cold gaze, thought of Lady Ariel. She often compared her brother to the duke. Perhaps her comparison was wrong. The one with the colder heart was Serhen, not Kasion. She had no idea that her brother had been competing with the duke for ten years just to win her favor.
* * *
“Milady, I’ve gathered all the maids.”
Having returned from the library next door, I had assembled all the servants of the Mellin estate.
“Good. Selvia, bring that book back out.”
Selvia hesitantly brought out the problematic novels, and the maids began to murmur among themselves. Some of the girls even blushed.
“I’ve heard that erotic novels featuring the real names of noble families’ members are trending among the servants these days.”
The moment I opened my mouth, the maids fell silent. They seemed shocked to see this stern side of me, the master who usually smiled warmly.
I put on a serious face and slowly walked back and forth in front of the servants. Some were still clueless, while others, especially the maids, grew increasingly nervous as I moved. Then, I spoke again.
“I understand how noble life might seem like something to admire for you maids.”
With that, some of the tension on their faces eased. But as soon as I saw that, I spoke sharply.
“However! You must know where the line is!”
The maids lowered their heads in shame. Their reaction showed just how inappropriate the content of the novels they enjoyed was.
“So, bring all those books here.”
“Huh?”
Murmurs spread among the maids again. They clearly resented me for taking away their only source of entertainment.
“Does anyone don’t want to work at the Mellin mansion anymore?”
More murmuring ensued.
Working at the Mellin estate was one of the best positions a servant could hope for. The wages were higher than those at other houses because the Mellin family was wealthy. Even the servants’ quarters were known to be far superior to those in other noble households.
Most importantly, the masters were not overly demanding. They knew full well that life in the imperial palace was fraught with rumors. Working there meant risking all sorts of humiliations, especially if they caught the eye of the crown prince or had to deal with the temper of the princess. They knew they’d be in for a rough life if they were kicked out of here.
“If you reflect and bring all the books now, I’ll forgive you.”
In truth, I wondered if I even needed to collect these books. After all, I had already changed the future. But there were still gaps in my memory. I remembered the beginning of this life and the ending of my past life, but I wanted to fill in the middle. Like, why did Kasion claim he had liked me from the start yet still pursued Lireania? Did it have something to do with why he saved me in the novel? And what challenges I might face now that I am taking Lireania’s place.
“But if you miss this chance, I won’t just fire you—I’ll report you to both the duke and the marquis for punishment. You have ten minutes.” I turned over the hourglass nearby.
The maids scattered in all directions.
“Milady.” At that moment, the butler approached me. “This seems like more than just a matter of forgiveness. How could they enjoy books that insult their masters?”
“They’re young. It’s the kind of thing they’re drawn to at that age.”
I had similar hobbies in my past life, and I knew how comforting they could be. That’s why I didn’t want to be too hard on them. After all, hard labor requires some form of escape to keep things bearable.
“Will you not tell the marquis?”
“I’ll wait and see how they behave.”
“Understood… And about the puppy…”
The puppy that Kasion had given me had been following me everywhere. It seemed to see me as its owner or parent and didn’t leave my side.
“The duke gave it to me. He said I’d need a guard dog once I move out on my own.”
“I see. I’ll contact the workshop and have a doghouse made. We’ll also need food and water bowls.”
“Right. Do you think the cook knows how to make dog food?”
“Can’t we just give it leftovers?”
I looked down at the puppy, which was resting its chin on my foot, sleeping. Sensing my gaze, the puppy lifted its head and looked at me, wagging its long, thin tail. For some reason, looking into the puppy’s yellow eyes made my heart ache.
“I’ll ask Kasion… how to take care of it.”
“The duke?”
“Yeah. Since it’s a breed of military dog, I should probably follow his advice.”
Though I answered the butler’s questions, my heart still ached with guilt. I had always thought Kasion was someone who wouldn’t get hurt. Had I been too harsh with my words? It had seemed like… he only had eyes for me, like the puppy.
“You’re very wise. Since the Mellin family doesn’t raise hunting dogs, we’ll need to hire someone to manage the dog’s training.”
“No, that’s not necessary.”
That would cost money. I wasn’t going to live as luxuriously once I became independent. I could only rely on my family’s support for so long. That’s why I have to save carefully so as not to bring shame to Mellin’s name.
“I’ll raise it myself.”
“Ah, yes. Do as you wish. But have you decided on a name for the puppy?”
“No, I haven’t thought about it yet. I’ll come up with one by tomorrow.”
As my conversation with the butler ended, the maids returned in a rush, their arms full of books. They piled the novels at my feet, including the red leather covers.
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