“I was by Master Graham’s side ma’am.”
Look at her lying so naturally. This was a new level of shamelessness.
“Then what were you doing this morning?”
“What are you talking about? Master Graham had been whining all night and was so tired that he overslept.”
“Really?”
Rachel wouldn’t have been so upset if Marsha had simply said there was something else she needed to do, but she was cleverly making Graham into an excuse. It was disrespectful not only to Graham, but also her.
Rachel tapped the armrest of the chair with her finger.
“Marsha, I’m really angry right now.”
“My Lady? What do you mean so suddenly…”
“You went to a gathering, both yesterday and the day before that.”
“…!”
Marsha’s face paled.
The place Marsha went to every night was an ordinary social gathering. Just as middle-aged men gathered at a salon to chat, it was a place where middle-aged women like Marsha sat together, chatted, and shared food.
The problem was…
“You are the first to show up, the last to leave, listening to people’s problems, comforting them, cleaning up after them, and seem to be very well liked. What was it called… a comfort group?”
“Ah! How did you know about that?”
How did she know? She thought it was suspicious that Marsha was leaving through the back door of the mansion at night, so Rachel followed her and found out.
“Does it really matter how I found out? What matters is that I am upset about that wonderful meeting. Do you know why I’m angry?”
“…”
“A person who is normally so quick witted has suddenly become completely dull. It can’t be helped, I guess I’ll tell you. First of all, an employee of the mansion left the residence without the employer’s permission, even before Graham, whom they were in charge of caring for, fell asleep.”
Rachel continued speaking calmly, looking at Marsha who was now trembling.
“You left with both hands full of food prepared for the mansion. It also seemed like I had seen the tea cups and utensils used at the gathering somewhere before. Because you were comforting people until dawn, you overslept often, just like today.”
“Ma’am…”
“Did you think I was done? Not only were you neglecting your duties and stealing, you lied about the kind and gentle Graham, deceiving me like you did just now. You had to hide the fact that you were frequently away, so you constantly whined that you were having a hard time and asked me to give you more money.”
Marsha probably didn’t have bad intentions in the beginning.
Given the name of the organization, it’s likely that she had a strong desire to help people who were lonely and in need. Maybe she gained added excitement to her mundane life by helping others.
But regardless of her original intentions, neglecting one’s job, stealing food and goods, and taking money by telling lies were all things that deserved punishment.
Marsha, who had been shaking, finally muttered.
“…, ma’am.”
“Yeah, tell me anything. I’ll at least listen to your excuses.”
“It’s… How could you do this to me after all the years I’ve dedicated to House Elrosa?”
…Huh?
Rachel’s eyes narrowed.
Marsha’s voice grew stronger as she continued.
“It’s really too much for you to criticize me like this without any evidence. I am innocent. Ma’am, I don’t know where you heard this, but I have never stolen or lied.”
“Marsha, just honestly admit your mistakes and apologize. As long as you return the stolen utensils and items to their original places, you will not be punished further. I’ve given you enough money so far, so think of it as severance pay and quietly leave.”
“You’re really going too far! Threatening to fire me over something I didn’t do and to return something I didn’t take!”
“Ha…”
Rachel sighed and touched her forehead.
In the end, she still had to show evidence?
“I was only trying to give you one last chance.”
Rachel got up from her seat and walked over to a box placed on one side of the living room. Inside were items found near the old house where the meetings were held.
When she brought over the box and placed it on the table, she then clicked the lock and the box opened.
There was a knocking sound at the door.
“Ma’am, it’s Carl. I brought an informant from the guild I mentioned earlier.”
What timing.
Marsha began to worry. Commoners like her knew better than most what guilds and their informants did. The guilds did not consider status when taking requests. There was no better place than a guild for talented commoners to earn a little pocket money from other commoners and nobles.
In particular, tailing was something that anyone could do if they had time and no special skills. It was a very popular request because the reward was good for the little amount of effort needed.
“Ma’am… Could it be that you had someone follow me?”
She didn’t have her followed, but she had followed Marsha herself.
Rachel didn’t want to lie, so she just didn’t answer.
She hadn’t expected the guild informant she’d called in for another job would be so helpful.
“Carl, send the informant in.”
“Ma’am! My Lady! I was wrong!”
Only then did Marsha fall to the floor on her knees, perhaps convinced now, that Rachel had evidence.
“Of course, Marsha. I already told you clearly a moment ago. Admit your mistakes and apologize. I really didn’t want to punish the person who took care of Graham all these years.”
Rachel lightly threw the items she took out of the box in Marsha’s direction.
The promotional paper with the emblem of the consolation meeting and Marsha’s name fluttered as it fell to the floor.
The small drinking glass rolled over and stopped right in front of Marsha. It was an expensive drinking glass with the Elrosa family mark engraved in an inconspicuous place in case it was stolen. Only those who made the tableware, those who managed it, those who appraised it, and the heads of the family could recognize the mark.
Marsha lowered her head after seeing the evidence, and just then the door opened and a young man wearing a black cloak walked into the living room.
“I received the call and came as soon as I could. You can call me Alias, I’m an informant of the guild.”
“…Alias?”
Rachel, who had stood up and was approaching the man, stopped and frowned.
Alias was the pseudonym used by Cian, the father of the original heroine Dolorosa and the only grand duke of the empire, when he was in hiding.
