Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Suspicious Accusations
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Theft, huh.
Zeke had been working in our house for a long time.
If he were going to steal something, he would've done it before the guards from the main estate arrived.
"This matter concerns the young master's belongings, so please decide his punishment, Young Master."
In a situation where the head chef's health had taken a sudden turn for the worse, leaving Zeke, the sous-chef, effectively in charge of the kitchen—and with Father's return just days away—stealing now?
"How are these things usually handled?"
"It's not just any item; it's the master's possession. If this were the ducal seat, Zeke's hand would be severed, and he'd be cast out."
I looked up at the butler's face, where a faint smirk lurked beneath his composed expression.
The only servant from the adjacent room who could vouch that Zeke hadn't stolen anything happened to be from the main estate—and of all times, she was on leave because a family member was ill?
People change with their circumstances, so Zeke might have suddenly turned to thievery.
But from where I stand...
Everything was too conveniently aligned.
"Uh, I don't wanna cut off his hand or anything."
I didn't like the butler's attitude, recommending that a seven-year-old sever a servant's hand.
Just how terrifying was the main estate?
I sidled up behind Dietrich, who was hesitating over the punishment, and whispered like a sycophant.
"Hey, Ditri."
"What?"
"If Zeke goes, who make appy pie now?"
"Gasp!"
"No more cranberry tart from Zeke?"
"Gaaasp!"
For some reason, I didn't want to do exactly what the butler wanted.
It was better to keep as many familiar servants around as possible.
Just in case.
"Miss, Young Master, anyone can make snacks. We can't overlook theft for something so trivial..."
"Zeke's apple pie is never trivial!"
The butler gaped, lips flapping soundlessly at Dietrich's earnest shout.
...I'd planned it that way, but it was still pretty embarrassing.
"Ditri, Zeke say no watch?"
"O-Of course the young master's possession must be returned! I truly didn't steal it!"
"Give watch, no fight. Ditri big master."
"I'm sorry, Young Master!"
A cook's wrists were their lifeline.
Desperate to avoid having his hand cut off, Zeke turned pale and slammed his forehead to the floor before Dietrich.
We got the item back, and an apology too.
"How about this? Like when the nurse scolded Yasmin last time, Zeke can just be confined to quarters for a fortnight."
"Young Master, that's...!"
"Woooah! Ditri so cool master! Best!"
The butler tried to protest, but I beat him to it, throwing my hands up and showering Dietrich with praise.
Best! Awesome! Amazing!
As I sang a medley of compliments, lifting him up, Dietrich's nose grew loftier by the second.
He must've thought he could manipulate Dietrich to cycle out our household staff, but I had the edge in handling Dietrich.
The butler shot me a fierce glare for a moment before biting his lip and turning away.
"Miss, I'm innocent!"
I nearly choked. That was a close one.
Right after lunch, as I returned to my room, the first thing I saw was a maid kneeling and sobbing by the door.
Which division was she from again?
I vaguely remembered her face from passing by, but her name escaped me.
"You'll scare the young miss like this! Get up right now!"
"Betty, if I weren't desperate, would I do this? I'm truly innocent!"
"Even so!"
I raised a hand to cut off the brewing argument between Betty, who'd stepped in front of me, and the maid.
"Come in room first."
I should at least hear what happened.
The maid, who'd stood briefly to enter, dropped to her knees on the carpet the moment the door closed.
Her face was ashen white, beads of cold sweat on her forehead—she looked like she was in real trouble.
"What happen? When?"
"I'm the maid in charge of land yields. In simple terms, I collect the rents from the lands the master lends to those without property."
I nodded to show I understood, and she unleashed a torrent of words.
"Last year, a merchant who built a shop on one of those plots renovated it, so business dipped a bit."
Makes sense, right?
They couldn't operate during reconstruction.
"I recorded all those circumstances, but suddenly the butler accuses me of tampering with the ledgers—embezzling, or rather, skimming money!"
"Skimming?"
"Absolutely not, Miss! If I'd skimmed that much, why would I still be slaving away as a maid here?"
This sister blurts out her inner thoughts without a filter when she's desperate...
But as someone who knew the plight of working stiffs, I wasn't particularly angry or anything.
Betty, thinking differently, seemed to jab the woman's side with her elbow.
"Please clear my name, Miss!"
I wasn't sure if she was innocent or not, but one thing was crystal clear.
It hadn't even been a full month since Zeke nearly got fired, and already three long-time estate servants had been dismissed in that time.
And if this woman got the boot too, it'd make four.
If I included those I'd intervened to save from dismissal...
The butler has tried to oust our household servants nine times already.
At this point, he wasn't even hiding his intentions.
The problem was I still didn't know the exact reason.
As I pondered why the butler was trying to purge our staff, gazing down at the woman, a steady knock came from the door.
I snapped out of my thoughts and nodded; Betty opened it.
It was the butler who'd knocked, and without waiting for permission, he strode right into my room.
"There you are. Miss, I've come to fetch Lea."
"M-Miss, help me! I'm innocent! I never embezzled!"
"Using a three-year-old girl to dodge punishment? Shame on you."
"Why should I be ashamed? I did nothing wrong!"
"Still clinging to that? The auditors from the main estate uncovered all your crimes."
"Those guys ignored every piece of evidence I showed them!"
I didn't know if Lea was guilty or not, but one thing was clear: lately, the main estate hires had been treating both me and Dietrich with blatant disdain.
I remembered them being polite and courteous before, but their attitudes flipped after the snack incident with Dietrich came to light.
That's when they started stirring up trouble among the servants.
There was no way the people who'd been doing their jobs fine until the main estate folks arrived had suddenly turned into a den of criminals.
"What do you all think you're doing in front of the miss?"
Only after Betty, standing beside me, snapped did the butler and Lea finally shut their mouths.
What now?
Siding with the butler felt off—his motives were suspect.
But blindly backing Lea? Her logic was shaky.
Of all things, finances.
There wasn't a three-year-old who could whip through ledgers.
As I racked my brain for a way to save Lea without raising suspicions, Yasmin, who'd followed the butler, called to me in a sly tone.
"Miss Mariella."
"Hm?"
"You must behave properly."
I looked up at Yasmin, then at the butler, whose face twitched as he barely suppressed a laugh.
The main estate hires must be sharing notes on how to bully me behind my back.
The thought hit me: this might have approval from higher-ups—like Grandfather or Uncle.
A furious voice exploded from behind me.
"How dare you speak to our miss like that?"
Oh no.
I'd forgotten Betty was here—and she wasn't one to stay quiet.