Honestly, Kaela wanted to publicly count the silverware and fire the butler on charges of embezzlement.
But that was too bold a move for her, a ‘mere Grand Duchess,’ to make.
And the chances of Peon listening to that suggestion were extremely low. After all, wasn’t this the butler who raised him? It was already surprising enough that he had banished the former head maid.
Kaela needed to move more carefully. If she helped with this matter, would Peon allow her to send Marie back to Ostein? The focus of everything was to send the maids back. That was the most important thing.
“Shall we have all the silverware storage boxes pulled out right now and count them together in that hall?”
So when Peon spoke as if he had read her mind, she was a bit surprised. Surprised, but she didn’t answer. Peon didn’t seem to be waiting for her response either.
“…It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. In fact, we could have pressed the butler when we first counted the silverware last time.”
But back then, Peon had said, ‘Let’s just take stock for now.’ After that, they changed the head maid, and Beatrice barged in, leaving no time to count again.
“But if we do that, it will end with just the silverware. There’s no way he only touched the silverware.”
Kaela also knew it was obvious that the butler would make the flimsy excuse that he had diverted the funds out of loyalty, not embezzled them. Honestly, she wanted to prevent even that from happening.
“Is it enough to wrap things up like that for meddling with the palace finances and fire the butler? What do you think, Your Highness?”
Peon looked directly at Kaela.
“Please don’t say things like it’s all my authority or that I should handle it myself. This is a matter that you and I, the two of us, must decide together.”
As if she was about to say just that, Kaela slightly pursed her lips.
“We should discuss it together.”
Your Highness, you must discuss and decide internal matters with me.
Before the regression, Kaela, who clearly stated that she was the Grand Duchess, was now having her words echoed back by him.
He thought he couldn’t listen to the words of a woman he couldn’t trust, even if she said the right things. He blindly followed the irrational commands of the taboo. Isn’t it ridiculous?
Even now, he was still pathetic, wavering between the criminal-like desire to ignore his lust and punishment, and the self-reproach that he shouldn’t do so.
Could this version of him approach Kaela this time? Knowing it was impossible, he promised divorce before marriage. Even now, he desperately wanted her. The more time they spent together, the more intense that feeling became, to the point where his body ached.
So he had to constantly recall his sins and repent. Otherwise, he was nothing but a beast without answers.
“…I also think all crimes should be revealed in detail.”
Kaela answered while fiddling with the poison vial in her pocket.
“Lusenford is a border region with frequent battles.”
Peon nodded with a smile. It was an attitude of listening attentively to whatever she had to say.
“In a place where lives come and go, embezzling from the palace finances, which prioritize feeding and clothing people, is a serious crime.”
It was something most people couldn’t imagine coming from the mouth of a young princess. As if she had been the Grand Duchess for years, Kaela spoke clearly and solemnly. That’s why Peon felt like his nerves were being severed one by one.
“I believe embezzlement and misappropriation are equivalent to putting soldiers’ lives at risk.”
Through years of experience, Kaela knew well how to speak in a way that would at least be heard by those who wouldn’t even lend an ear to her words.
She had to touch on points that the other person considered important at least once. Speaking logically was useless. Humans are not creatures that move by logic.
“And it disregards the laws and regulations of Lusenford.”
In Peon’s case, the military and discipline were most important.
“Whatever excuses are made, the property of the palace should be cared for by Your Highness, not used at the butler’s discretion.”
“Your Highness’s words are correct. However, the palace property should be cared for by both you and me. That’s why I said I’d entrust the butler’s successor to you.”
Peon gave a bitter smile.
“Have you thought about a successor?”
She probably thought that authority wasn’t hers, so why would she have considered it?
“…Can I really appoint the butler’s successor? I chose the head maid, so in many ways, it might be better if Your Highness chose the butler…”
“I’m going to be busy soon.”
“Ah, the investigator is coming, right?”
“Besides that, there’s a lot to do in Lusenford. I’ll look after external affairs, so I’ll leave the internal matters to you.”
Peon approached the desk and tapped the ledger.
“Let’s find everything, without missing a single thing.”
Since the regression, Kaela had changed a lot. She became less talkative, didn’t smile much, and didn’t follow him around saying she liked him.
But where could that meticulous, thorough character that couldn’t stand injustice go?
The ink stains on her fingers weren’t flaws to be erased, but symbols of higher education and diligence. She must have been analyzing the ledgers for quite some time, and would continue without stopping midway.
“Together.”
Peon didn’t forget to say the words that would eliminate even the slightest anxiety remaining in Kaela. He emphasized it, and after confirming a faint sense of relief spreading across her porcelain doll-like face, he fell into despair again.
You are, after all.
Yes, after all.
He pulled back the hand that dared to reach out.
****
While Beatrice was severely ill with a cold, Kaela was so engrossed in comparing ledgers and digging into suspicious points that there was no time for the ink stains to fade from her hands.
Peon had said they would look “together,” and he really assigned one of his most trusted knights, Sir Renard, to her.
“Renard will be useful in uncovering suspicions.”
So, trusting Peon a little, Kaela would have to mobilize Sir Renard, along with Cecile, Denise, and Marie, a total of four people.
Just as she was thinking it was much better than before she died, since at least one person from Lusenford was included, Denise quietly tipped off Kaela.
“These days, the head maid is fighting with the butler.”
At those eye-opening words, Kaela turned her head. Who’s fighting with whom? Why?
“Ah, I saw it too.”
Sir Renard, who knew all the rumors circulating in the palace inside out, said he didn’t just hear about it, he actually saw it.
“It’s natural for power struggles to occur when the head maid changes. Our old man Rolf has no intention of handing over the keys and ledgers to Lady Silenster, and Lady Silenster, whew.”
Sir Renard shook his head and then grinned.
“She’s absolutely not to be underestimated. She won the first battle. She took some things away. But old Rolf hasn’t completely handed over the head maid’s authority and still partially holds onto it. It’s been like that all along.”
That’s because the butler was above the former head maid.
“But Lady Silenster is sharpening her knife, saying she’ll report to the Grand Duke if he doesn’t hand everything over.”
“Do all the palace people know about this?”
“They might not know as much as I do, but most of them know. Lady Silenster is also skilled at swaying public opinion.”
Kaela quietly sank into thought.
