Chapter 14
As the sun began to set, Elysia returned to her room and unfolded her homework for the class scheduled for tomorrow.
Being weak in memorization, Elysia knew that this alone would surely take up a considerable amount of time.
Although she had no interest or talent in magic, tomorrow was the day she had to attend a class on magical studies.
Elysia’s homework did not involve implementing magic or anything of the sort.
All she had to do was engrain in her mind how influential the magicians were in the empire and beyond.
“This feels like brainwashing,” Elysia thought as she diligently wrote down praises for the magicians.
Time passed by.
As she reluctantly tackled her homework, a neat knock sounded from beyond Elysia’s door.
“Miss, it’s Rachel.”
The subdued tone in Rachel’s voice hinted that perhaps Elysia wasn’t alone in her room again today.
Like a child who hadn’t been caught misbehaving by their parents, Elysia confidently responded in a firm voice, “Come in.”
Upon Elysia’s permission, Rachel promptly opened the door and entered.
“…Miss Ariel is waiting for you.”
“Already dinner time?”
Glancing at the clock on the wall, Elysia realized that it was a bit past dinner time.
“Yes. Should I inform Miss Ariel to have her meal first if you’re busy? I’ll bring yours to your room.”
Rachel recited her instructions as if reading from a manual.
Only after hearing Rachel’s words did Elysia realize she was hungry.
“No, I’ll go and eat…”
“Miss! Miss Elysia! Are you in there?!”
Unlike Rachel’s quiet knocking earlier, there was now a frantic voice coming from outside the door.
Both Elysia and Rachel recognized the voice.
It was the same person who had come looking for Elysia the day before.
“Until you lower your voice, I won’t open the door.”
Rachel spoke with restrained anger in her voice.
It was clear that the disrespectful attitude shown towards Elysia by Lady Hannah was irksome to her.
Meanwhile, Elysia disregarded Rachel’s words and replied as if it were inconsequential.
“Come in.”
It seemed that she was in no mood to delay eating.
As soon as the door closed, Lady Fiona briskly entered.
With white strands scattered among her brown hair, Fiona appeared older, though not as much as Edik.
She had been a maid serving the Partin Marquis and Lady Isabella long before Isabella married into the Partin Marquis family.
Fiona was also one of the servants who had opposed the marriage between the Partin Marquis and Lady Isabella.
“Even if you call her the little mistress, this is going too far!”
That was her straight-to-the-point remark upon entering.
Since Fiona had such a strong voice, Rachel unintentionally made an impression.
Soon, Hanyang realized she was a superior and relaxed her expression.
Of course, Rachel being behind Fiona meant that there wouldn’t be much of an issue even if she played with her facial muscles as she pleased.
“Already this year, it’s over 20 people.”
“What?”
Rachel, sharpening her knife in the background, glanced at Elysia and asked casually.
In the original work, as well as now.
Fiona’s voice was impressive.
“You’ve driven away more than 20 of our people this year!”
“Yeah. I didn’t realize it would be that many.”
Elysia straightened up her slumped body. The last maid she cut was Eden, who had only been with them for a few days.
But now, suddenly rushing forward seemed quite comical.
“When was the last time the servants’ wages were measured?”
As far as Elysia remembered, it was just the day before yesterday.
So, Fiona’s reason for behaving like this was likely because she couldn’t stand the decreasing total amount every time Elysia cut one or two maids.
The more money there is, the easier it is to embezzle.
Even though she divided the blame among her servants, it was clear that ultimately, her share was decreasing.
“Your people?”
Elysia, who had known Fiona’s sinister intentions from the beginning, deliberately elongated her words.
“Since when did the maids become your people?”
“… That’s not what I meant…”
“Since when can you…?”
Leaning on the table, Elysia tapped her cheek with her fingers.
“Knock on my door without my permission?”
At Elysia’s words, Rachel behind her let out a relieved sigh.
Elysia seemed unlikely to overlook Fiona’s rudeness, barging in without prior notice and shouting loudly.
Now, Elysia was no longer the weak one who had to endure and pass over Fiona’s actions like when she was young.
“Huh.”
Still a little girl.
Fiona let out a hollow laughter as if amazed.
For over 30 years.
Although not exact, Fiona had worked at the Partin Marquis for over 30 years, if not a little less.
The wrinkles on her face were all marks of the years spent at the Partin Marquis.
Regardless of whether her actions were appropriate for the word ‘service’ in the eyes of others, Fiona believed firmly that she had served her time.
But now, a child born from the belly of a pitiful viscount trying to assert her presence and take her place.
A mere 12-year-old child.
“If that’s all you have to say, then leave.”
Of course, it wouldn’t be.
Following Fiona, who laughed as if she was astonished, Elysia smiled in her own way and commanded.
Her relaxed tone gently scratched Fiona’s temper.
When the Partin Marquis became a noble household, his mother-in-law took charge of the internal affairs after her husband died.
Unfortunately, shortly after her mother-in-law became frail and passed away without being able to handle it.
And her only younger sibling left the house right after the old Partin lord’s death to secure his position.
Since then, until the arrival of the new housekeeper, Fiona and Edik had been managing the mansion.
The Duke of Partin, who only concerned himself with external affairs, was indifferent to the household matters as he realized he didn’t need to take care of them.
This was also the case after his marriage to Isabella.
Since the marriage with Isabella was purely for the sake of having children, he didn’t bother establishing her position as the Duchess.
Consequently, the lower servants naturally did not follow the Duchess who couldn’t exercise power.
“You came to see the young lady without prior notice… Yes, I admit I was wrong. I apologize, miss.”
Fiona, who found her composure surprisingly quickly, sighed deeply as if troubled, offering her apology.
For someone apologizing, both her attitude and speech were disrespectful.
One of Elysia’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
“But miss, I think you should also reflect on yourself.”
With this sudden advice disguised as counsel, Fiona addressed Elysia.
At first glance, it seemed like reasonable advice.
However, no matter what wrong Elysia might have committed, she was not the one to receive such words from Fiona.
Just as Rachel was about to speak up quietly to avoid interfering in the conversation, Elysia once again glanced at her as if to indicate she should remain silent.
“To dismiss important jobs for the maids’ livelihood just because you were angry… ”
“….”
“A simple act of venting your anger could push other people to the edge.”
‘What nonsense.’
Fiona now openly treated Elysia as someone who couldn’t control her anger.
In reality, it was Elysia and Isabella who were pushed to the edge, with Isabella, despite her efforts, receiving disdainful looks from the servants, including Elysia and Ariel, because of the burden they placed on them, particularly when Isabella would play with her children, even if it meant overworking herself.
And whenever she fell ill, the servants all treated her like a helpless lady incapable of taking care of herself, complaining that she only increased their workload.
“Unfortunately, since the lady passed away early, you didn’t learn how to handle the servants properly, so I understand your situation… ”
‘What does that have to do with Isabella?’
Moreover, bringing up Isabella’s story among the servants was almost as taboo as spreading rumors.
Fiona couldn’t be unaware of that.
‘Is she implying that I lacked proper upbringing?’
This time, Elysia almost burst into laughter.
“Housekeeper! How dare you speak such insolence in front of the young lady!”
Clutching her fists and forcing herself to hold back her anger, Rachel, driven by rage, finally shouted.
Surprised by Rachel’s outburst, Elysia was momentarily taken aback.
“How dare you utter such impudence in front of the young lady! Have you no shame!”
Elysia thought as she covered her mouth with the hand that had been on her chin.
When Fiona’s voice came, she thought she should have sent Rachel straight to where Ariel
was.
“Rachel. Where did you pick up that attitude? Tsk. Given your current state….”
“Milady!”
“Did you learn it from the Marquis?”
As Isabella’s estate echoed, Elysia’s eyes narrowed involuntarily.
Elysia knew too.
The reason why all the servants ignored Isabella
.
Isabella being outcasted by her husband, the Marquis, was one thing, but the biggest reason was that she was only the Marquis’s consort.
It would be akin to undermining their status, bringing in just the Marquis’s consort from a prestigious duke’s lineage.
No matter how skilled Isabella once was as a mage.
No matter how good she was, ultimately Isabella was just one person, a ‘mage’.
Even if mages were scarce and valuable resources in the country.
If she had become the ‘Mage Tower Head’, the story might have been different, but as mentioned earlier, Isabella stepped down as a candidate to marry the Marquis.
So regardless of what she was at the time, Isabella was just one ‘mage’.
After marriage, she fell out of favor with her husband, and after giving birth to two daughters with uncertain succession, the Marquis consort, who fell ill and couldn’t even use magic.
That was the label left on the deceased Isabella.
“Rachel. Tell Ariel she’ll have to eat dinner alone tonight too.”
“What? B-but….”
Whether Rachel was worried about leaving Elysia alone with Fiona or not, she hesitated differently than usual.
“It’s fine.”
Elysia judged that it was better to talk to her alone than to have Rachel, who was easy to handle for Fiona, catch her.
“….”
“Hurry.”
“…Yes, milady.”
As Rachel left, her face reddened as it had when Fiona entered earlier.
Yet, despite her lingering anger, Rachel forcibly suppressed it and opened the door, leaving the room with a huff.
With Rachel gone, only Elysia and Fiona remained in the room.
