Chapter 12
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 12
“That’s out of the question!”
“Pardon?”
Unexpectedly, Aubrey flew into a fit of temper.
“How could you possibly have someone from the Borderlands as your head maid?”
“But Auntie, you were the one who brought Adel here.”
“That was only because I didn't want people saying I wasn't looking after you! The excitement of receiving a gift is different when you're given a choice between two rather than just one, isn't it?”
Even as she was being treated as the ‘gift destined to be discarded,’ Adel’s expression remained unchanged.
I stole a glance at Luc Kelposher; his eyes had darkened ever so slightly.
I had actually been a bit worried. Since she was a ‘hidden younger sister,’ I thought Luc might not know about Adel Kelposher at all. It seemed he was simply pretending not to know her for some reason.
‘Ah. Was this a double jackpot instead of just one?’
Winning over Luc Kelposher was vital for me. He had been Grand Duke Asis Frezier’s chief aide for over a decade. To capture the Grand Duke’s heart, I first had to bring Luc completely over to my side.
I nodded at Aubrey’s words.
“I understand, Auntie.”
“You do? Then, as expected, your head maid will be Lilda—”
“I’ll have Adel as my head maid and Lilda as my personal maid.”
“What?! Tulia Frezier!”
Aubrey trembled as she spoke.
“How can you appoint someone from the Borderlands as the head maid and place a child with noble blood beneath her?”
“Didn’t you give me both of them?”
So, honestly, isn't it up to me how I assign their positions?
Aubrey’s face turned beet red as she stood her ground.
“Even so, this is not how things are done! Nobility has its lineage, and this Empire has its ‘classes.’”
“Exactly, Auntie.”
I continued, wearing a smile as ‘sweet’ as any Aubrey could muster.
“I am the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Frezier, and I am the only granddaughter in this Grand Duchy who actually carries the ‘true’ bloodline, am I not?”
The air in the bedroom froze instantly. Even Viscountess Aubrey Frezier, who had been alternating between a seasoned noblewoman and a flighty lark, went still.
‘I’m not wrong, am I?’
The Grand Duke’s eldest daughter, Hyacinthia, was already deceased and had no children. Marquis Aster Frezier, Tulia’s father, had only two sons and Tulia.
Grand Count Nigella Frezier, the Grand Duke’s third son, did have a daughter—but she was a child brought in by his mistress, without a single drop of Frezier blood in her veins.
Finally, Viscount Lilius Frezier, the Grand Duke’s youngest son, had a son, Tedric, and another ‘daughter.’ She wasn't his biological child; he had simply adopted a pretty and clever daughter of a Frezier vassal at a very young age.
In other words, what I just said pointed out the fact that I was the only ‘real’ granddaughter of the Frezier family.
‘It’s an incredibly obnoxious thing to say, but it’s the truth, isn’t it?’
In fact, it was something Tulia said constantly in The Milk Bread. As expected of a top-tier villainess, she had a talent for dragging people’s moods through the dirt with a single sentence.
Even now, Aubrey Frezier’s face was turning various shades of red and purple. Knowing she couldn't argue back, I simply gave a thin smile.
“What does rank matter for those serving under me? After all, they are all. Beneath. Me.”
Naturally, this was another line Tulia used like a daily mantra in The Milk Bread.
‘Though I’ve toned it down a bit for now.’
She wasn't called the mad filly of high society for nothing.
Anyway, once Tulia decided to let her mouth run, there were few who could handle her—excluding the male leads, of course.
‘Ah. I should start heading out to meet the male leads soon.’
Thinking of them reminded me of the quests, and my gaze naturally drifted to the star hovering above my head. After a quick glance at the star, I lightly caught the hem of my skirt and bowed.
“Then, Aunt Aubrey, thank you so much for assigning the maids. I shall visit you later to give my formal greetings.”
* * *
“Lady Tulia. Shall I put out the light?”
“No, I still have things to do, so leave it on. I’ll put it out myself later.”
Adel shook her head.
“No, My Lady. If you pull the bell pull by the bed, I will come and put it out for you.”
“Hmm… Alright. I’ll do that.”
Adel withdrew with a faint smile.
‘Adel’s Personality Stat must be a 10.’
Perhaps because she was a supporting character I’d never seen in The Milk Bread, the system didn't show her detailed stats. But Adel was very kind to me.
On top of that, she was Luc Kelposher’s hidden sister. What a useful and promising talent to have.
I pulled out paper and a pen with a greedy smile.
In The Milk Bread, timing was everything. To get an A-Rank, you had to make an impression on the male leads early on, even when you were busy leveling up. It meant that even if I raised their favorability later, I had to at least meet them first.
In that case…
Actually, there wasn't much need to write it down. I’ve played The Milk Bread for two years; I have it all memorized. Of course, of course.
“The problem is that I’m Tulia, whose reputation is at rock bottom, not the heroine Corico…”
Furthermore, I couldn't leave the Frezier territory yet. To leave the Grand Duchy without a guardian, I needed the ‘Lineage Pendant.’
It was an authority I didn't have yet.
‘Well… I’ll have to think about that some more.’
I spilled some tea on the paper to erase the writing, tidied the desk, and lay down in bed. Then, I tried pulling the bell pull.
Less than a few seconds later, there was a knock at the door. The speed was startling.
“Adel?”
“Yes, My Lady. Is something the matter?”
“No, it’s just that you came so fast…”
I was genuinely impressed, but Adel’s face stiffened slightly.
“There are bound to be maids who have no idea how to serve their masters.”
However, Adel quickly smiled and pulled the covers up to my chin. With the arrival of the head maid and the new staff, the bedding had been replaced with fluffy new linens.
“Sweet dreams, My Lady.”
That kind of warm greeting was something I had never heard—not after waking up in The Milk Bread, not while playing the game, and not even before I knew what The Milk Bread was.
It was a strange, cozy feeling, as if I had become a baby bird wrapped in down feathers for the first time in my life. My chest felt a bit tight with bashfulness.
Starting tomorrow, the venomous Lilda would surely try to clash with Adel at every turn. I’d have to pay attention, as she would undoubtedly try to use Aubrey’s name to suppress Adel.
‘After all, the maids are all Aubrey’s people.’
But for now, I wanted to exchange peaceful greetings, like people to whom nothing had happened, and like people to whom nothing would happen.
“You too, Adel.”
I returned the smile. It was the first genuine, warm smile I had given since arriving here.
“Goodnight.”
* * *
A few days passed.
As expected, Lilda immediately began acting like the head maid, citing the noble blood in her veins despite being a servant. The trust of Viscountess Aubrey, one of the managers of the Grand Duchy’s internal affairs, also played a part.
I had considered several ways to handle it. How should I react if Lilda started getting too bold with me?
‘Plan A was to pour water on her like Tulia… no, like a mindless villainess.’
But…