No More Regrets, Just K*ll Me

‘Ah, so this is what you’ve planned.’

 

I clicked my tongue inwardly. I didn’t think they had done anything suspicious, but I didn’t expect them to have already started something.

It seemed they had hidden the ring somewhere and were setting up this situation.

 

“Oh dear, this is serious. Did you drop it somewhere? I’ll have the servants search for it.”

 

Then Dorothy replied firmly.

 

“No, I didn’t drop it. I clearly left it on this table before I went out.”

 

I struggled to keep a smile on my face upon hearing that. This could complicate things. What kind of scheme had she set up?

 

“For now, I’ll have the servants look around.”

“Or…”

 

Dorothy snapped her fan shut.

 

“Were there any servants who came here while we were away?”

 

Of course. Someone must have cleaned up the cold teacups. It seemed Dorothy was certain about what had happened to the ring.

 

“May I ask you to check?”

“…Certainly. Could you go fetch the maid who cleaned up here?”

“Yes, Miss Ariadeline.”

 

One maid quietly bowed her head and then left the reception room.

The maid who was brought back was none other than Rodi.

The maid who returned with Rodi had a perplexed expression on her face as she called out to me. I felt a strange sense of unease.

The maid approached me and whispered,

 

“Miss Ariadeline, Rodi has the ring.”

 

I listened to the story with a quiet smile, feeling my head start to spin. The maid, knowing I couldn’t respond, continued to whisper.

 

“She picked it up after seeing it on the floor and kept it to return it…”

“I see.”

 

I reached out my hand to the maid. She hesitated for a moment before handing me the ring she had received from Rodi.

Dorothy’s eyes flashed as she looked at the ring.

I spoke in as gentle a tone as possible. Well, I knew that no matter how much I struggled, the outcome was likely predetermined.

 

“The maid said she found it on the floor and picked it up.”

 

Dorothy smiled, as if she had caught someone in a trap, and said,

 

“She picked it up off the floor? I’m sure I left it on the table.”

“Rodi, can you explain what happened?”

 

Rodi, looking extremely nervous, stammered her response.

 

“I came in to clear the teacups, and I found the ring under the table. So I picked it up to return it to the owner.”

“You weren’t trying to steal it?”

 

Amy, one of Dorothy’s friends, retorted sharply. She smirked slightly as she fanned her face.

 

“Now that things have come to this, you probably just handed over the ring and made excuses.”

“Honestly, which maid would claim to have picked up a ring from the floor and then kept it?”

“Exactly. If she really had picked it up, she would have either put it back on the table or informed the head maid.”

 

I opened my mouth to defend Rodi, observing the obvious turn of events.

 

“She’s still new here and may have made a mistake. But I don’t think she’s lying.”

“How can you be so sure?”

 

They shot their questions at me as if they were rehearsed.

 

“It seems you don’t know much about servants, Ariadeline.”

“Of course, it’s only natural since it’s not your estate, but still, weren’t you the previous mistress of this place?”

 

I tried hard to maintain my smile. They were clearly determined to make things difficult.

It was a common tactic among nobles to insult each other by punishing their servants directly.

 

‘Are they really going to punish that child just to insult me?’

 

I felt a surge of anger. As soon as I lost my smile, Dorothy seemed satisfied and raised the corners of her mouth even higher.

 

“I would appreciate it if you could give me a reasonable explanation.”

“I don’t believe my maid would steal anything.”

“But that maid had my ring. She picked it up off the floor. Other maids wouldn’t behave that way.”

 

Then her friends began to chime in one by one. It felt like watching a well-written play.

 

“If what she says is true, it’s clear that the maid was poorly trained.”

“Exactly. How dare she touch a noble’s belongings and then keep them?”

“She deserves to be punished.”

 

I glanced around at them and clenched my hands on my lap.

 

“First of all, I apologize for the maid’s inappropriate behavior.”

“An apology is only natural, but I want to see the maid who made this mistake punished.”

“She’s still a child.”

“But she is a proper servant. If we don’t correct her mistakes just because she’s young, that child might touch a noble’s belongings again.”

 

Dorothy was outright asserting that Rodi had stolen the ring. I looked at her coldly. Dorothy sneered.

 

“Or maybe the one who failed to teach the child should be punished?”

“……”

“Right. What faults do the uneducated have? It’s the fault of those who failed to teach them.”

 

That comment was a clear jab at me. Me, her master. It’s almost laughable. They’re treating me like a sinner, and yet they were quick to shift their responsibility.

I stood up and stepped in front of Rodi, bowing to them.

 

“I apologize. So, I hope you can kindly consider it a mistake of the young maid and let it go.”

 

I heard mocking laughter above me.

 

“I’m not saying you should be accountable for this, Ariadeline. But you must correct the mistake.”

“What do you want?”

“Take it upon yourself to personally whip the young maid with your own hands. If you do that, I won’t make an issue of it anymore.”

“……a whip?”

 

There used to be whips specifically for punishing servants, but they were used in ancient times. They were symbolic objects now. But now they’re telling me to use such an object.

 

“It’s a small price to pay for a new lesson.”

“There’s no need for a whip.”

 

Then Dorothy let out a laugh.

 

“Ahaha, or would you prefer to be punished yourself?”

 

I froze for a moment at the unexpected insult. Dorothy waved her fan with a delighted expression.

 

“…I’m just kidding. No.”

 

With a flourish, Dorothy opened her fan.

 

“You’re no longer a noble. That means you’re not in a position to face us like this.”

 

Dorothy stood up and locked eyes with me.

 

“The only reason we’re showing you this courtesy is because of our old ties. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even be able to look us in the eye.”

 

Dorothy’s friends stood behind her. The maids’ faces grew tense. But the maids couldn’t protect me anymore.

 

“Either punish the maid yourself, or…”

 

Dorothy leaned toward me and whispered.

 

“Apologize on your knees.”

 

Thud!

I immediately dropped to my knees.

Oh, damn, it hurts. Still, kneeling once is cheap. You may be nobles, and your knees may be precious, but mine are not!

I looked up at Dorothy with a big smile. She was staring down at me with a look of disbelief.

 

“Oh, I’m so terribly sorry!”

“What, what did you say?”

“I’m a bit too soft-hearted to hit a child.”

 

As I spoke, I placed my hand on one cheek, and Dorothy let out a dry laugh, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

I smiled, but inside, I was seething with anger towards Dorothy. You think I’d fall for your obvious act and hit the maid?

 

“Miss Ariadeline!”

“P-please don’t do that!”

 

The maids were flustered, and Rodi rushed over, trying to pull me up.

The child’s face was contorted in embarrassment.

 

“I-I’ll take the punishment. I’m sorry. I was wrong!”

 

I sighed openly.

 

“No, Rodi. I have no intention of hitting you.”

“B-but, Miss Ariadeline…”

“If I kneel, it will all be over. So you don’t have to worry.”

 

I gently pushed Rodi away. The maids took Rodi and stepped back.

I looked up at Dorothy and her friends while still kneeling, clenching my fists on my lap. I said,

 

“I will kneel and apologize for the maid’s mistake. So I ask you to forgive this matter.”

“……”

 

For some reason, they were silent. It was probably a scheme to keep me kneeling.

But I don’t have the pride of a noble. A child might make mistakes!

How could I hit a child? You may accept that as natural due to your classist mindset, but I cannot!

I resolutely remained on my knees. Still, there was no voice telling me to get up.

Then, at that moment,

Knock, knock—

A knocking sound was heard. What’s this? There shouldn’t be anyone coming.