Chapter 14

“Of course, Karl, you’re fired.”

“You can’t just fire me like that. Unlike the other staff, I was hired not by you, Madam, but by my master.”

“Hm. That would normally be true, but not now. Theodore and Berengela are both absent. Don’t you know that when the family heads are suddenly away, the next in line exercises authority?”

Karl’s face, already pale from Rachel’s words, darkened further.

“Right now, Berengela and Theodore are considered ‘missing.’ I am temporarily exercising the master’s authority until Theodore’s whereabouts are found.”

“Berengela and Count Theodore are not missing.”

“Really? Karl, do you know where they are? Then show me immediately. If the noble council finds out that Theodore isn’t missing, they’ll strip me of this authority.”

That was impossible.

The moment Theodore appeared, he would have to pay for ruining the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet.

Karl also didn’t want Theodore to return. If he came back, the affair would escalate, and Jane would suffer even more.

In the end, Karl had no way to block Rachel’s temporary authority.

“…Understood. I’ll pack my things and leave the mansion today.”

“Are you happy? You can stay by your daughter’s side all day without worrying about the mansion.”

“To be honest, yes.”

“Ahaha. That’s refreshingly honest.”

Rachel smiled brightly, then whispered over Karl’s shoulder as he turned to leave the parlor.

“Where do you think you’re going? It’s not over yet. After deceiving me for so long and helping with the affair, just leaving with a simple dismissal would be too disappointing.”

“Are you trying to kill me right here?”

“Of course not.”

Rachel leaned lazily on the armrest of her chair.

“You know Theodore siphoned the Ellosa family’s assets to Jane, right? He also evaded taxes in the process. Berengela made a huge fuss about it not long ago.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I suspect someone helped him. The foolish Theodore couldn’t have meticulously adjusted the amounts and hidden assets all by himself. He wouldn’t have been lucky enough to avoid detection for so many years.”

“……”

Both Rachel and Karl knew Theodore wasn’t that careful. He wasn’t the type to evade taxes without being noticed.

“Someone smart must have helped. Someone who wouldn’t suffer any loss if the Ellosa assets were siphoned and who would never reveal that Theodore did it.”

Rachel leaned forward, staring into Karl’s brown eyes.

“I think that someone is you, Karl. What do you think?”

The money leaving the Ellosa family went straight into Jane’s hands. If anyone found out, Jane would be blamed.

Karl was the only person who didn’t need to stop Theodore or expose him.

Karl avoided Rachel’s gaze.

“I don’t know what you’re implying.”

“Even if it was at Theodore’s request, it can’t be helped. You’ll have to take the blame for the Ellosa family’s embezzlement and tax evasion.”

“…I only did it because my master told me to. I didn’t do it because I wanted to.”

“Do you have proof?”

Karl bit his lip.

There was no proof that Theodore had instructed him.

The lazy Theodore probably only said something like, ‘I want to give Jane the money; help me.’ He didn’t care about the family’s finances and just let Karl handle it.

Finally, Karl looked at Rachel. Their eyes met, both shining brightly.

“Why are you going this far?”

“Jane would be angry if she knew you and Theodore were accomplices. She’d ask why only her father is being punished when they committed the crime together.”

“You mean you’re trying to drive a wedge between us?”

“Exactly. I want to watch the two of you fight and tear each other apart.”

Rachel spoke as she saw Karl bow his head in resignation.

“Take the blame quietly. Your daughter will suffer anyway, but who knows? I might show some mercy and go easy on you.”

‘Your daughter will suffer anyway.’

Only now did Karl realize Rachel had quietly prepared all of this for a long time, pretending to know nothing.

He should have been more careful.

He should have resolved it sooner.

Day by day, he delayed, and now it had come to this.

He had wanted Jane to be happy with the one she loved. He had been foolish. Even though he knew punishment could come, now that the time had arrived, he was scared.

With a heavy thud, Karl dropped to his knees. His weak voice crawled along the floor to Rachel’s feet.

“Could… you forgive me?”

“Forgive?”

Rachel smirked, lifting only one side of her mouth.

“You expect that? That’s laughable.”

“…I will do it. I’ll do anything you want, Madam. But please hear my request—no, my proposal.”

“Count Theodore Ellosa is hiding at a townhouse near the palace. He seems to be using the place he borrowed to prepare for the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet.”

When aide Nick reported this, Sian nodded. Just as expected.

“His mistress Jane is staying at her original home. Until the day before yesterday, the Ellosa mansion’s butler was with her, but from yesterday, she is alone.”

“Did the butler return to the Ellosa mansion?”

“Yes.”

Then yesterday must have been the butler’s last day.

“Yesterday, the Countess reported the butler for siphoning family assets and tax evasion. The butler appeared at the tax office today and confessed he was secretly diverting money for his daughter Jane.”

Sian’s eyes narrowed.

It was Theodore who had siphoned the Ellosa family’s funds. Initially, it was for expensive gifts; later, he gave cash for Jane’s convenience.

The butler Karl helped, but the orders and intentions were clearly Theodore’s. And yet, the butler had appeared and confessed?

Why?

It had to be Rachel’s doing, but the intention was hard to guess.

Sian vividly imagined Rachel—pink hair, pale sky-blue eyes, delicate as a fragile flower yet exuding power in her gaze.

‘Rachel Ellosa. Why pin your husband’s crime on someone else? You’re smart; you must know this lessens Theodore’s guilt.’

He silently questioned, but imagined Rachel gave no reply. She just smiled lightly.

He then recalled her expression when witnessing the affair: shocked, completely unguarded.

A wise, careful woman, yet in that moment, nothing could be hidden.

‘…Could it be she still has feelings for her husband? Protecting even that wretched man, making sure he doesn’t face full punishment?’

Sian’s irritation flared.

He hated that Rachel wavered because of her rogue husband. He wanted to confront her, ask what she was thinking, even though he knew emotional reactions weren’t his style.

“Does she already consider him her property?”

Nick widened his eyes.

“What do you mean?”

“Just talking to myself. Postpone the noble council meeting for now. Before throwing Karl in jail, I need to confirm Rachel Ellosa’s intentions.”

“Understood! Also, there’s a message asking when the Crown Prince will arrive.”

“Tell him I’ll come later.”

They knew Crown Prince Atreiu was waiting for Sian.

He was one of the few who knew Sian operated as a guild informant freely outside the palace. The Crown Prince, always confined, envied the Duke’s freedom.

“I heard he’s upset about the ruined birthday banquet. If the Duke comforts him, it will cheer him up.”

“No. He won’t be upset. That’s the problem.”

“Not upset?”

“Yes.”

Though he would pretend to care about the nobles and council, he’d actually be delighted at the chaos in an otherwise boring birthday banquet. Atreiu was that kind of person.

Rachel needed to ignore him until Theodore’s punishment was decided.

If the Crown Prince learned he wasn’t angry, the family and council wouldn’t punish Theodore and Jane severely. The Emperor might even reward him for delighting his son.

That wasn’t what Rachel wanted.

“For now, tell them the council’s orders keep us busy. Tell the Emperor I’ll visit soon.”

“Understood.”

Nick vanished faster than light, leaving Sian alone in the empty office, deep in thought.

[Notice

Karl, who served as the butler of the Ellosa family, has been reported to the tax office for secretly siphoning family assets and evading taxes.

He has confessed to all charges and submitted evidence. Various imperial departments are reviewing the veracity of his confession and evidence.

Karl will be temporarily detained; the result will depend on the review…

…The outcome will be notified separately.

Tax Office]

“Good.”

Rachel immediately wrote a reply, requesting the result be sent elsewhere.

Everything was going smoothly, putting her in a great mood.

Once all letters were sent via the post office, Graham yawned and walked into the parlor.

“Haah, Mom, good morning.”

“Welcome, Graham. Did you sleep in today?”

“Yes. I had a really nice dream last night. I didn’t want to wake up, so I slept again.”

“Oh? What dream?”

“A dream of going out of the mansion holding your hand.”

Rachel’s expression darkened.

“…I see. Our Graham wants to go out, huh?”

Because of the affair, it wasn’t just Theodore and Jane who had difficulty going out—Rachel did too.

She had expected it, so it wasn’t too troubling, but Graham was a concern. Fortunately, he wasn’t as frustrated as she feared, but apparently, he had been affected.

She felt guilty that the affair’s chaos might have left a bad memory with her son.

Rachel looked at Graham, smiling, and began thinking of a way to sneak out with him.