The Ring's Shocking Secret
Diane’s suggestion was incredibly simple and yet remarkably efficient.
“If I accidentally cut Diane’s hand with the ring she’s wearing,” she said with a smirk, “I’ll throw a huge tantrum. Everyone, bring out every piece of jewelry you’re wearing. That’s the plan.”
Of course, Veronica was included in that list.
Ever since she received Sylvia’s orders, Veronica had been serving Idel closely alongside Diane.
Diane, however, had been extremely flustered when she suggested it. “I can’t possibly hurt Idel-nim’s hand, you know.”
Idel couldn’t help but laugh at the needless worry.
“What ridiculous concerns.”
After adjusting the plan, Idel had deliberately softened her expression for Diane. And sure enough, the usually hot-tempered “second in the rumors” seemed to have forgotten her sharp tongue entirely.
“Ouch!”
“Idel-nim, are you all right?”
“All right? You’re asking me that while watching my palm turn red? I have to actually tell you I’m in pain?”
In the rumors, Idel was the kind of person who threw a fit over the tiniest scratch.
Idel had completely forgotten the situation and was staring at Diane with wide eyes, eyebrow raised in silent question.
Finally catching on, Diane let out a startled yelp and quickly dropped to her knees.
“P-please forgive me, Idel-nim! I was wrong!”
“Forgive? Hah, it’s fine! You already cut me, whether you apologize or not!”
Annoyed by Diane’s words, Idel stomped her foot. Then, with a fierce scowl, she snatched Diane’s hand.
On Diane’s finger sat the thin silver ring they had agreed upon beforehand.
“Ha! So this ring is the reason my palm is injured? Because of some worthless trinket?”
“I-I’m sorry……”
“You couldn’t even do the simplest task properly… so that’s why.”
Idel poked and prodded Diane with pointed questions, her lips curling into a smirk as she scanned the room.
Behind Diane, the other maids stood with bowed heads and hands clasped together.
Even though they only meant to plot revenge later, they wouldn’t dare harm her in front of the maid and her direct superior.
Idel had memorized that well. She rested her hand on her waist, tilting her head at an angle.
“Hey, all of you, come over here and stand.”
“What? Idel-nim, why are we……”
“You’re no different from her. What if you wear something useless on your hands and then hurt me too? Hand them all over.”
“Hand them over? These are the jewelry we’re wearing?”
“Are you all deaf? Hurry up and hand them over!”
Shouting loudly, Idel watched as the servants frantically removed the accessories they wore.
They didn’t hand them over immediately. Unlike when she hadn’t known how to threaten them, they now knew Veronica had their back.
“What is this? Why are you all just standing there? Are you ignoring my orders?”
“Idel-nim.”
“What?”
“No matter who you are, Idel-nim, you cannot treat your servants so rudely. This is unbecoming of a Clementine.”
“Unbecoming of a Clementine?”
Veronica stood tall and straight, both hands clasped in front of her—perfectly embodying the ideal maid.
Her words were equally impeccable.
As a duchess from a high noble house, she had to maintain her dignity at all times.
Although she had countered Idel’s words, no one would scold her for it.
Not even Sylvia, the Duchess herself.
‘But, I have to time it right with the other person.’
The Idel Clementine in the rumors had endured far too much already.
She had swallowed her anger at the doll in the fitting room, her heart had been pricked by the missing items, and every other tiny frustration in daily life had been endured.
‘Well, not exactly that she chose to endure it. She had no choice but to force herself to.’
No one had ever listened to Idel Clementine’s words rejecting the Duchess’s hand.
Today’s protest over the wound on her palm was just another opportunity.
‘In short, I’m at my limit right now.’
Whether the other was right or wrong, if it irritated her, she would bite back.
‘But thinking about it, it’s funny. I did intentionally set the stage, yet the real problem is that they’re the ones bothering me this much, isn’t it?’
It was like threatening a bunch of animals and then complaining when they show their claws.
In other words, she was the one being unreasonable.
“Is there anyone here who has ever treated me as a Clementine?”
“What nonsense is that?”
“The nonsense is ignoring my orders. If words don’t work, then fine. I’ll show you what it means to act like a Clementine. Hand them over right now!”
“Kyaa! Idel-nim!”
Idel could have rushed at Veronica with genuine feeling.
In the noble house, no one had expected this kind of scuffle. The maids’ eyes widened as Idel’s hand reached for Veronica’s ring.
Veronica tried to pull away, but Idel clung stubbornly. As expected, Idel won.
“Clink!”
“……What the heck is this ring?”
Idel’s true target had never been to steal the ring itself, only to create a small gap.
Watching Veronica’s face turn deathly pale, Idel slowly picked up the ring.
Diane’s sudden gasp sounded in her ears.
But it didn’t matter. As Idel slowly examined the ring, Veronica shouted sharply,
“Idel-nim! Give my item back immediately!”
Because the object in her hand was her greatest secret?
Veronica looked completely shaken. She even dared to issue orders to her master.
Idel heard a few shocked gasps from the surroundings and raised her eyebrow slightly.
“Immediately? You, a maid, dares to tell me right now to hand it over? So…… Veronica, wait.”
“……That’s……”
Veronica’s face turned white as she hurriedly dropped to her knees at Idel’s words.
She had never once remembered Idel’s name.
In other words, when she called her name just now……
‘I saw it! Idel-nim saw the engraving on the ring!’
Idel Clementine had revealed a secret to someone she didn’t even care about.
Veronica quickly scanned her surroundings. There were only six servants here.
All of them were relatives of hers and Demaric.
‘If Idel-nim reads the contents of the ring in front of them……!’
No. That absolutely could not happen.
Her blood seemed to drain from her body as Veronica immediately knelt in front of Idel. Right beside Diane.
“Idel-nim, I-I’m sorry. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“Veronica-nim?”
“……Oh my, Veronica-nim……”
The maids around them murmured in shock, but Veronica didn’t care.
Hurriedly looking up at Idel, she apologized again. Just then, Idel gave her a strange expression and wiggled her lips.
“Strange. You were saying just moments ago that it wasn’t befitting of a Clementine and to hand over the ring immediately, but now you’re saying you’re sorry?”
“T-that’s…… that’s me……”
“Why? Is there something you’re hiding?”
“Hah!”
Idel struck her weak point in one breath and stepped forward confidently.
Veronica, still on her knees, now had to look up at her.
Idel smiled at her with a gentle, almost innocent grin.
The pure, slightly terrifying smile spread naturally on her lips.
“Veronica. I have one question for you.”
“Yes?”
Her small voice was barely audible to anyone else, yet it rang out loudly in the room.
“You and Sylvia both plan to marry Demaric, don’t you? Why? Because recently, when I visited Sylvia, Demaric told me he is her fiancé.”
“……”
“Or is one of you lying to me? What do you think?”