“That man cried all day today,” said the head maid, who also had tears welling in her eyes as she tattled on the butler.
“Our master was truly amazing! I saw everything!”
“But you said you couldn’t see anything from the waiting room?”
“I saw it all with my heart!”
“Mister, be quiet. So, how was our master?”
Marine began to recount what she had seen to the other employees. Since she hadn’t been inside the courtroom, her explanation was quite exaggerated and glorified.
“Our master completely humbled all the nobles there! No one could refute her words because our master was the best!”
In reality, most of it was fiction. However, the employees listened intently as if they were watching an entertaining play. Then the chef suddenly remembered something.
“I’ve prepared a feast with all of our master’s favorite dishes!”
“I helped out too!” the assistant chef added confidently.
“Wow…” Seraphie’s eyes widened as she entered the dining room.
The chef and the assistant puffed up with pride as they watched Seraphie’s reaction. The butler lightly scolded them for not showing proper decorum in front of their mistress.
But Seraphie thought it was fine. In fact, she could understand if they puffed up so much that their shoulders dislocated. The table was so laden with dishes that it seemed the newly bought table legs might buckle under the weight.
“When did you prepare all this?” Seraphie asked the chef.
“Right after Master left for the imperial palace.”
“We were sure you’d win, Mastery!”
“And what if I had lost?”
“Then we would have thrown all these food in that b*stard’s face.”
Everyone burst into laughter at the chef’s cheeky response. This time, even the butler didn’t scold them for their conduct. Instead, he joined in the laughter.
“But this seems freshly made.”
The turkey and soup were still steaming.
“I was the first to bring the news of your victory, Master,” Marine said with a triumphant expression.
It seemed the meal was prepared in celebration.
“Please, have a seat and try it.”
“This way,” the head maid guided her to her seat, and the butler personally moved her chair.
“Since you always get an upset stomach when you’re nervous, try this soup first,” Marine suggested, offering Seraphie the smooth, delicate soup.
“…It’s so delicious,” Seraphie exclaimed, her eyes widening after taking a spoonful.
“The ingredients were particularly good today.”
“As soon as Master left, I went to the market with the men and bought the finest ones.”
“We believed in your victory, Master.”
“It might not compare to the efforts you’ve put in, but…” the servants spoke sheepishly.
Seraphie realized just how skilled her household staff were. The thought that they had endured so much hardship in this place made her feel deeply grateful.
“And don’t worry too much about that mister.”
“That’s right. He even came to the mansion earlier begging for forgiveness…”
After Seraphie had fired the stableman, he immediately came to the mansion asking for help. But thanks to a letter from Marine, they caught his betrayal and threw him out at once.
“Don’t even call him ‘mister’! He’s a nasty old geezer!”
“My goodness, Marine!”
“But Head Maid! That man betrayed our master!”
“He deserves every insult.”
“The traitor. After all the back pay our master gave him, he still stabbed her in the back?”
“We should take back every cent he got!”
The staff all took turns cursing the stableman. They tore him so thoroughly that Seraphie didn’t even need to say a word.
“Let’s forget about him now,” Seraphie said as she swallowed another spoonful of soup. “And don’t any of you betray me either. I don’t want to deal with that headache anymore.”
Although it was a stern warning, the employees didn’t show any displeasure. Instead, they nodded as if it was only natural. Though their relationship was based on a contract, they already felt a sincere loyalty to Seraphie. To them, she was a hero who had stood up for them when they had nowhere else to turn. As long as she didn’t dismiss them, they were determined to do their best to serve her.
The food laid out before her was incredibly delicious, but… I can’t eat all this by myself. Seraphie thought, holding her fork in her mouth as she glanced to the side.
The staff watching her eat reminded her of the nobles watching her in the courtroom, which made her a bit uncomfortable. At least these people were loyal and well-meaning, which was some comfort.
“You know…” Seraphie finally set her fork down. “Let’s eat together.” She gestured with her arms at the large table she sat at alone. “Today is a day everyone worked hard. I can’t enjoy this by myself.”
“But…”
Marine hesitated, as did the others.
“Master, you’re a noble, and we’re just mere employees…”
“Thanks to those mere employees, I was able to win, wasn’t I?”
Seraphie meant every word. The only reason she had been able to prepare so many countermeasures over the past month was that they had consistently done their jobs—cooking for her, cleaning, buying supplies, and sometimes even accompanying her.
“Just for today, I’ll make an exception,” Seraphie said sternly. “From tomorrow, I’ll be a dignified and strict master.”
“…T-Then!” Marine, who had been eyeing the food and swallowing her saliva, stepped forward first. The brave maid tore off a turkey leg with her bare hands and began eating the juicy thigh.
“Marine!” The head maid scolded.
“But master ordered it…” Marine mumbled with her cheek stuffed with turkey.
The head maid was about to scold her further, but after glancing at Seraphie, she sighed. As a mere servant, she couldn’t defy her master’s orders.
“Yes, today we should enjoy ourselves.”
The butler, having made up his mind, pulled a key from his pocket. “I’ve kept something hidden in the cellar for a day like this. It was finally time for the aged wine to see the light of day.”
“Better wine will come in the future,” Seraphie said to the butler.
The butler now firmly believed every word Seraphie said.
The dining room quickly filled with chatter and laughter. The employees smiled and looked genuinely happy. Seeing that, Seraphie also felt joy.
“Head Maid.” Then, Seraphie secretly called the head maid and asked her to prepare some food separately. “I’ll eat with my mother.”
“I’ve already set aside something for the Madam,” the head maid replied, going to the kitchen to bring out various items. These included a healthful drink, freshly made sandwiches, reheated soup, and shredded turkey, all ready to eat. “Shall I carry it for you?”
“You should rest today too, Head Maid.” Seraphie insisted on carrying the tray herself as she headed down the hallway.
“…”
The head maid silently watched her go.
“…She doesn’t call me by name anymore.”
* * *
Seraphie, not hearing the head maid’s sad mutter, went straight to the countess’s room.
“Mother.”
Unable to knock with the tray in her hands, she called out and soon heard movement inside. But it took a moment for the door to open.
“Sera.”
When the door opened, Countess Vallidus stood there, draped in a shawl over her nightgown. The room was still lit, indicating she hadn’t slept yet, and her eyes seemed slightly red.
“Did I disturb your rest?” Seraphie asked, pretending not to notice as she stepped inside.
“No, come in.”
Seraphie placed the tray she was carrying on the table. Despite not having loaded it with many items, her arms ached.
As Seraphie massaged her arms, the countess lit several candles instead of turning on the ceiling lamp. The soft glow from the candles quickly filled the room with a warm light.
The mother and daughter sat across from each other at the table, but neither reached for the food.
“So…” Seraphie spoke first. “It’s a happy day, right?”
What Count Vallidus had done was truly horrific, especially for the countess. But Seraphie still didn’t know what the countess really thought. When she decided to get rid of her father, she didn’t ask for the countess’s opinion.
Surely she didn’t love him, right?
If the countess said she loved her husband despite everything, Seraphie planned to distance herself. She didn’t have the time or energy to deal with the countess who wanted her abusive husband back.
“It’s a happy day.”
But the countess praised Seraphie. Her voice, though filled with sadness, was sincere.
“I’ve done nothing for you…” Her words trailed off, and her head gradually lowered. The sight of a mother bowing her head before her daughter resembled a sinner confessing before a god.
“Mother…”
This wasn’t what Seraphie had hoped for.
“…I’m truly sorry.”
The countess hesitantly grasped Seraphie’s fingers. She felt guilty for not being able to do anything for her daughter, who had been trying so hard over the past month. She wanted to help too. No, she wanted to drive out that demon herself. But she couldn’t. She hadn’t even been able to leave her room in the first place.
Countess Vallidus saw herself as a sinner.
“I was so lacking, so inadequate.”
A flood of regrets washed over her. She had crumbled under her husband’s abuse, giving in to his violence. Countess Vallidus had tried to resist a few times, but her feeble attempts always ended in failure, and even her family’s help never came. But what pained her the most was that she hadn’t been able to protect her only daughter. All she could do was take the blows meant for her daughter or shield her so she would hurt a little less.
But somehow, Seraphie had managed to rise above all those nightmares. She had struck back at the father who had beaten her. And today, she had saved everyone from the nightmare.
Seraphie had grown strong, yet unfamiliar. Countess Vallidus felt a bit bewildered and estranged by this new Seraphie. No, saying she felt estranged was an understatement. It was like facing a completely different person. But the countess had to keep those thoughts to herself.
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