Chapter 41
Julian distinctly remembered Zeppelin forcefully grabbing Rebecca's wrist at the banquet hall.
'If the Devonshire Earl isn't home, things will be easier…'
His gaze turned to the wine bottle placed on the small table. It was the most popular wine in the empire, with a hint of rose fragrance.
The Devonshire Earl's seal was prominently stamped on the wine bottle.
Asking Justav to investigate the Rose Grapes had been a fleeting thought.
But looking at it again, it wasn't a bad idea.
Julian grinned.
"Even if you return, you won't get to see her properly. Zeppelin Devonshire."
* * *
The atmosphere in the Devonshire Count's Residence subtly changed.
Rebecca leisurely strolled through the residence, savoring the altered atmosphere.
She had bought off a total of six Hounds so far. According to her information, there were thirteen Hounds in the residence.
Excluding the knight Bates, the head maid Grace, and the butler Octavio, who could never be swayed, more than half had turned to Rebecca's side.
The six Rebecca had bought off had one thing in common: their loved ones were being held hostage.
Therefore, they easily fell for her words that she had clues to save their people.
'Suddenly given hope, even if it's small, seems big.'
Especially if it was said by Rebecca, who was rumored to be a Saintess.
'The remaining four are the problem…'
She heard that three were entangled in complicated debt relationships, and Robert couldn't even figure out the weakness of the remaining newly arrived boy that Zeppelin had seized.
'Well, I don't necessarily need to buy everyone off, but…'
As Rebecca pondered, Alicia's piercing voice echoed from the third floor.
"I'm telling you I'm suffocating! Release me right now!"
"The Count has instructed that the handcuffs should not be removed unless it is an unavoidable situation."
"Look at this. My skin is all peeled and turned red. If this isn't an unavoidable situation, then what is?"
Grace glanced at Alicia's wrist and chuckled.
"These are handcuffs lined with the finest silk. Unless you tried to forcibly remove them, there's no way you'd get such scratches. Perhaps you've been carelessly handling the items bestowed by the Count?"
"Head Maid! I'm carrying the Count's heir, no less. You should know that excessive stress isn't good. If something goes wrong, you'll be in trouble. Release me while I'm asking nicely."
"It's a rule. Follow the rules. If you want to keep your footing in this beautiful Count's Residence."
"Wh-what…?"
Grace haughtily raised her head.
Ah, but that was too much.
Rebecca was well aware that the employees were subtly ignoring Alicia.
But she didn't expect even Grace to openly disregard her to her face.
Rebecca, hoping to quell the commotion, took a step onto the stairs.
At that moment, Alicia raised her hand as if to strike Grace's head.
Anticipating the impending disaster, Rebecca paused and watched the situation unfold.
But unexpectedly, what followed was Alicia's shrill scream.
"Kyaa!"
"You laid a hand on a maid last time, and now you're raising your hand to me? Education can't erase one's roots, after all."
Grace said, grabbing one of Alicia's hands. Alicia's face contorted in pain as Grace gripped it tightly.
Grace said with a stern expression.
"The Count has entrusted me with all the rights to punish you. However, considering that you are with child, I will not impose a punishment. But I will have to report this to the Count. If you don't want that, I recommend you stay quiet."
And she threw Alicia's arm away. The force of the recoil made Alicia stagger.
Alicia no longer screamed. She glared at Grace with resentment-filled eyes.
"You'll regret this day."
Then she turned and quickly went down the stairs.
Rebecca thought she saw tears in her eyes as she entered the room.
Rebecca straightened her body.
Considering Alicia's current condition, she felt a bit sorry for her, but the heinous acts she had committed in the past held Rebecca back from helping her.
Unfortunately, Rebecca wasn't kind enough to turn a blind eye to Alicia's actions.
So Rebecca chose to remain still.
She could only imagine Alicia crying alone in her room.
Rebecca slowly raised her head. And her eyes widened.
Grace, who had come up to the third floor, was looking down at the entire residence.
It was exactly the same as Zeppelin used to do.
Beneath her feet, the employees were moving in a machine-like, orderly fashion.
Everyone was following her will without a single error.
Grace smiled contentedly and slowly turned her head.
Her face, which usually had no expression, was now full of life.
Rebecca, seeing Grace's change in expression for the first time, stared at her as if dissecting her.
Grace, who was looking down, met Rebecca's eyes as she looked up from the bottom of the stairs.
Even with Rebecca's sharp gaze piercing through her, Grace leisurely came down the stairs without showing any signs of embarrassment.
Her gesture of stroking the smooth staircase railing was not that of a mere employee.
It was that of an owner.
Rebecca's keen eyes did not miss that moment.
Grace looked at Rebecca as if she were the mistress of the house.
Rebecca responded to such Grace by using her accessories to lift her head and look down at her.
Perhaps not expecting Rebecca's unyielding attitude, Grace's lips twitched slightly in displeasure.
But she soon spoke to Rebecca calmly.
"Twice in total, Madam."
"What are you talking about?"
"The number of times I've turned a blind eye to your mistakes."
Rebecca raised one eyebrow as if asking what she meant.
Grace continued to move her lips.
"First, trying to deceive me by wearing a maid's uniform. Second, disguising yourself as Susan and returning from the market."
Rebecca flinched for a moment because it was an unexpected remark.
Grace chuckled as if she knew it would happen and whispered to Rebecca.
"Surely, you don't think there's anything happening in the Count's Residence that I don't know about? Especially the maids' affairs are entirely under my jurisdiction. I can tell even if the children's gestures are slightly different."
Yes, she had to be this good to be Zeppelin's right-hand woman.
Rebecca didn't show any signs of embarrassment and said with a relaxed smile on her face.
"Should I give you a thank you?"
"No. You helped me make arrangements for my daughter's funeral in the past. In return, I've decided to help you three more times in the future."
Rebecca paused for a moment to recall.
Grace's only daughter had an incurable disease.
It was a terrible disease that caused her to lose consciousness with seizures at some point while living a normal daily life.
One day, her collapsed daughter did not regain consciousness for more than two days.
Grace was about to return home after receiving an urgent telegram saying that she should prepare herself.
But unfortunately, the next day was the day of a grand ball at the Count's Residence.
Zeppelin naturally wouldn't let Grace go and tried to compensate her with money.
Rebecca persistently persuaded him.
Eventually, Grace was able to go home on the condition that she return to the Count's Residence in the morning.
Thanks to Rebecca, Grace was able to see her daughter's last moments.
"I'm a person who doesn't forget favors. So I won't report this Saintess rumor to the Count separately. Ah, don't worry, I won't count this as a wish."
Rebecca's brow furrowed slightly at her tone, as if she were doing her a favor.
"How are you going to handle the consequences if you get caught?"
"It's okay. If I make up an appropriate excuse, the Count will understand."
As she said that, Grace straightened the wrinkles on Rebecca's puff sleeves.
When both sides were neatly wrinkled, she looked all over Rebecca and took a breath of emotion.
"You're so perfect. Madam."
Rebecca felt goosebumps all over her back. Come to think of it, Grace had prepared today's outfit as well.
Rebecca looked at her, carefully observing even a pearl on the necklace around her neck.
She could have ordered a maid to do it, but Grace always tried to take charge of Rebecca's adornment herself.
In addition, she would occasionally secretly modify the dresses and accessories that Zeppelin had chosen to decorate Rebecca to her liking.
Looking at Grace's eyes, which were admiring her appearance here and there, Rebecca vaguely realized what she wanted from her.
Right now, she wanted to make the beautiful doll named Rebecca her own.
Come to think of it, she heard that her daughter's illness started because of Grace's excessive control.
Was she trying to fulfill her unfulfilled desires for her daughter through herself?
And the reason why she was trying to be on Rebecca's side, talking about wishes, was obvious.
'I guess she thinks I'll fall for her if she does me a favor. Just like I did to Alicia in the past.'
Rebecca watched Grace, who was eager to grab the reins of her doll.
She wondered how she had hidden such greedy eyes all this time.
As soon as the throne was empty, she was drooling like a hyena, coveting the position.
It was only natural that Rebecca couldn't have known about Grace's appearance all this time.
Zeppelin was always sitting on his throne, holding Rebecca's leash, so Grace had no chance to reveal her true nature.
'Is this also a harvest?'
Rebecca smiled and said.
"You speak in a similar tone to him. As if you were the owner of this place."
Grace flinched for a moment at her direct words, like shooting an arrow, but she soon retorted with a calm face.
"How could that be? The owners of this place are clearly the Devonshire people. However, my mother's mother, and her mothers above, have taken care of this place, so I have a special attachment to it."
"Took care of it?"
"That's right. We have taken care of the Devonshire family as precious as a baby."
Grace was confident.
Rebecca looked at her carefully and said with a soft smile.
"Well, I'll always be grateful for your loyal devotion."
"Thank you for thinking so."
"By the way, you said you have one more time left to help me, right?"
"That's right."
"Don't forget that promise."
