The Villainess Enjoys Her Married Life
Chapter 23
Chapter 23
Episode 23. The Crime of Abusing the Maids
2023.12.23.
The next morning, tense with nerves, Sella was summoned to Kalian’s office.
Duke Kalian Klaus was signing documents with a chiseled, expressionless face.
Only after quite a while did he lift his gaze to look at Sella.
His rigid lips parted.
“The reason I summoned you today is to investigate the Duchess’s misdeeds.”
“…….”
Sella also knew why she was here.
She knew as well that Kalian investigating directly, rather than the butler, meant he had no intention of quietly sweeping this matter under the rug.
Eshika had told her.
That they would try to thoroughly bring her to heel now that she had become an eyesore to them.
Kalian continued.
“Rumors abound that the Duchess has been tormenting the maids. I heard that skilled servants submitted letters of resignation, and Mother barely managed to smooth things over.”
Kalian’s brow furrowed.
It seemed she had not punished the other maids as viciously as she had Yuri, but the resignations were clear evidence of Eshika’s wrongdoing.
Of course, the Duchess was their master, and they were mere maids with no right to question her.
Even so, Kalian or the Grand Duchess could certainly hold her accountable for disturbing the household and abusing her power.
She would brazenly feign ignorance again, but with the scars left on Yuri’s legs, denial would be nothing more than an excuse.
“I hear you attend to the Duchess all day.”
“……Yes, Your Grace.”
Sella parted her lips with her head slightly bowed.
Her nervous demeanor only fueled Kalian’s conviction.
This girl, too, was undoubtedly being abused by Eshika.
“Tell me how she treats you.”
Though she had not indulged in extravagance, abusing maids was still considered a grave misdeed for a noblewoman.
Kalian took up his quill.
“…….”
Yet Sella did not open her mouth.
Ten seconds, twenty seconds, and a full minute passed, enveloped in heavy silence.
Kalian knitted his brows and asked Sella once more.
“No matter what you say, you will suffer no disadvantage. Just answer honestly. I will reassign you to another post.”
“Your Grace.”
Sella spoke with a taut, hardened expression.
The threat she had received from Yuri earlier surfaced in Sella’s mind.
“Tell him Eshika has been beating you like a dog. If you utter a word out of line, know that your…… family won’t be safe.”
Sella’s tightly clenched fists trembled faintly.
“……Before I speak, could you make me one promise?”
Kalian gave Sella his full attention.
**
In the Imperial Palace gardens, a white butterfly fluttered among the flowers in full bloom.
Sitting on a long bench, Lesvan was polishing his sword.
Each time the dense cloth swept across the blade, the longsword gleamed, reflecting the world upon its edge.
The white butterfly fluttered over and perched upon Lesvan’s hand.
For a moment, he thought he could hear the voice of a young girl.
A bittersweet smile lingered on Lesvan’s lips before fading away.
Did the white butterfly know whose hand it had settled upon?
After lingering precariously for a brief moment, it leisurely slipped away from his hand.
Lesvan did not catch the butterfly.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince. Did you summon me?”
Moments later, his attendant arrived before the Crown Prince and bowed deeply.
It was an attendant who had served Lesvan since his boyhood.
Lesvan raised the well-polished sword upright and spoke.
“Do you remember when I sent you to Freehats ten years ago?”
Flinching at those words, the attendant kept his eyes cast downward and answered.
“Yes…… I remember.”
“Had you investigated properly, you wouldn’t have made such a false report.”
The attendant’s blood ran cold at Lesvan’s low voice.
Lesvan was gazing at his well-polished blade.
The moment the prince turned his thoughts elsewhere, that very sword would mercilessly be splattered with his blood.
“Forgive me, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“So you did know after all.”
“……Your Highness…….”
“Even knowing the truth, reporting that she was dead could hardly have been the decision of a mere attendant.”
The attendant’s hands trembled violently.
Indeed. It had been the decision of someone who believed a lowly provincial noble from Freehats—and one of commoner origin at that—could never be allowed by the noble Crown Prince’s side.
The attendant squeezed his eyes shut, terrified that Lesvan’s blade might strike him down at any second.
“I am truly sorry, Your Highness the Crown Prince…….”
Sometimes silence is more chilling than any rebuke.
And so it was today.
Lesvan merely gazed at the polished sword without uttering a single response.
That silhouette from behind, growing taller in his dreams as time passed.
Moments later, Lesvan’s lips moved.
“I do not keep those who defy my will by my side.”
The attendant instantly fell to his knees and slammed his forehead against the ground.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, have mercy……!”
Two knights who had been standing at a distance approached.
The attendant trembled and struggled, but under the strength of two grown men, he was hauled to his feet.
“Your Highness the Crown Prince! Please, have mercy!…….”
Soon, the knights seized both of the attendant’s arms and began dragging him away.
Only the futile sounds of him thrashing to resist being dragged away could be heard.
Shortly after, the attendant was taken away by the knights.
He would likely never show his face in the Imperial Palace again.
Lesvan slowly lowered his sword and sheathed it.
The familiar sound of the steel blade scraping against the rigid scabbard rang out.
A breeze swept through. The fragrance of blossoms was rich, yet the white butterfly did not return.
Contemplating how to catch the escaped white butterfly, Lesvan closed his eyes.
**
Having received word from Kalian through a servant, Eshika made her way to his office.
As twilight deepened, the fading sunlight would be pouring through the tall windows of the office.
Kalian did not usually work until this hour.
Yet the fact that he had summoned her meant he had some business he had diligently prepared.
When Eshika arrived outside the office, the butler, Hans, who had been lingering near the door, glanced at her warily, gave a slight bow, and announced in a hushed tone:
“Your Grace. The Duchess…… has arrived.”
“Open the door.”
Soon, with a creak, the door opened, and Eshika stepped into his office.
It was a scene she had witnessed many times in the past.
And upon the office desk, Kalian sat perched with his back slightly slouched.
Kalian was not the only one there.
Standing side by side against the wall were Yuri and Sella.
Yuri had lowered the corners of her brows to appear pitiful, yet she did not conceal the smirk tugging at her lips.
And Sella…… stood motionless with her head cast deeply down.
“What is the matter?”
Eshika stood before Kalian with a calm, composed face.
Kalian turned his gaze upon her, staring at Eshika in silence for a long time.
With a confident expression, as if he had seen straight through her true intentions.
After a moment, Kalian pushed himself off the desk and stood.
Their eye level, which had hardly differed while he was seated, widened drastically.
“I called you here to give you a warning.”
As Kalian parted his lips, a cold voice rang out.
Eshika stood firm without so much as a twitch of her brow.
“I had no intention of interfering in women’s affairs, but if the maids all resign en masse, rumors could splash filth upon the Klaus name.”
“…….”
Yuri bowed her head even lower.
Likely because she could no longer hide her smile.
“There are talks that you have been viciously abusing the maids of the ducal estate, including your friend, Yuri Anesis.”
“……Ah, me?”
Eshika gave a faint, scoffing laugh and asked back.
Seeing her so unabashed, Kalian narrowed one eye.
Eshika Klaus, are you acting as if you know nothing?
Yet Kalian had no intention of playing along with Eshika’s transparent act any longer.
“Especially Yuri’s legs…… they left me speechless.”
Even Eshika inwardly agreed with that statement.
Riona had whipped her so severely that several lines of scars were bound to remain.
And since Eshika had even doused them in salt water, the scars would be permanent for sure.
“And so?”
“Eshika.”
Furious at Eshika’s still flippant attitude, Kalian contorted his brow and called her name.
Then he spoke in a low, threatening voice.
“Know when to stop. Your misdeeds have gone too far.”
Eshika gazed at him silently for a moment.
Then she shifted her gaze toward the window where the crimson light poured through.
When was it? There had been days when she secretly cracked open the office door and watched Kalian for hours.
His profile bathed in the sunset had looked dreamily handsome.
Back then, she had certainly thought so.
Having finished her brief reminiscing, Eshika looked back at Kalian.
“If word spreads that the ducal estate’s maids were abused so terribly that they submitted resignation letters, it would certainly cast a bad light on the Duchy of Klaus.”
Her lips continued to move.
The eyes with which Eshika looked at Kalian gleamed with a chilling intensity.
“However, do you have any proof that the perpetrator of those misdeeds is me?”
Kalian froze momentarily at her words.
Yet soon, a dry laugh escaped him.
Who else in the Duchy of Klaus would abuse commoner maids besides Eshika?
“I expected you to deny it to the bitter end, but…… you disappoint me once again today.”
Even at Kalian’s cold words, Eshika did not bat an eyelash.
Kalian called out to Sella in a harsh voice.
“Sella. Did you bring it?”
Startled by Kalian’s voice, Sella slowly raised her head.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Her expression looked thoroughly frightened.
