IVFV 13

Chapter 13

Joseph and Teresa hurled insults at each other as if they wouldn’t stop unless someone stepped in to separate them.

Since people’s livelihoods were at stake, the butler and the head maid watched Mrs. Valles with fervent support in their eyes. The maids were no different.

They looked on with anticipation, as though waiting for a sprinkle of tiramisu powder to fall.

“These people have devoted over ten years to the Rangschus estate. Yes, they made a mistake—but how can you suddenly cut off their livelihood as if slicing a radish?” Teresa said, bolstered by everyone’s expectations.

Her argument was consistent: she appealed to compassion.

But to Joseph, who possessed none, it wasn’t even worth a twitch of his brow.

“This is a mistake that should never have been made. It’s negligence and arrogance from subordinates. Is their livelihood really the issue here?”

The gap in their opinions showed no sign of narrowing when Teresa suddenly proposed a solution.

“Isn’t Endymion also one of the masters of this house? Then let’s hear Endymion’s opinion as well.”

Teresa firmly believed Endymion was on her side.

After all, hadn’t she told the orphaned boy to rely on her? Hadn’t she even offered to let him act as head of the household?

Perhaps because the accident had happened so recently, he had avoided giving her a clear answer—but the outcome was obvious.

That child would never reject my proposal. He may pretend otherwise, but by now he must think of me as family.

Joseph was fully aware that Teresa was trying to win Endymion over.

That was why he attempted to stop her.

But the maids, who had been watching for their chance, seized the opportunity and hurried off to fetch Endymion.

“Let’s decide by majority vote,” Teresa declared.

“Madam, naturally the servants’ opinions are excluded from that vote.”

A low growl of tension lingered between Joseph and Teresa as they remained locked in a cold war until Endymion arrived.

It was the maid’s voice from beyond the door that finally broke the stalemate.

“Young Master Endymion has arrived.”

Bang—

The door opened, and Endymion stepped in, looking slightly bewildered, as though he hadn’t been told anything about the situation.

“Endymion! Come in at once!”

Teresa greeted him triumphantly.

But Endymion’s gaze did not settle on his supposedly kind aunt. Instead, it fixed on Lumina, who sat quietly.

“…What is going on?”

“Well, you see—”

Teresa tried to explain.

But Endymion ignored her as though he hadn’t heard a word and moved his injured leg toward Lumina.

“Sister. What happened?”

“I was clumsy.”

Hehe.

Lumina deliberately put on a foolish smile, as though she felt no sense of crisis at all.

Seeing her like that didn’t reassure Endymion—it seemed to anger him instead.

It was understandable. She was smiling with scratches all over her pale, unblemished cheeks.

“How clumsy do you have to be for your face to end up like this?”

“The garden scenery was pretty, so I leaned over the railing to look… and fell.”

“She was left there for over three hours in that condition,” Joseph interjected, emphasizing the seriousness of the matter.

In an instant, Endymion’s lips hardened into a straight line.

“This happened in my sister’s room. There must have been maids nearby. What were they doing?”

“Exactly! That’s precisely my point!” Joseph eagerly chimed in.

Of course, Endymion ignored him as well.

“They were busy. I’m sure they all had their reasons.”

“Sister.”

Endymion frowned slightly at Lumina’s endlessly forgiving reply.

She was in a complete mess, yet she was making excuses for them?

“…In any case,” Teresa hurried to smooth things over as public opinion shifted, “Count Melkan wants to dismiss all the servants, including the butler and head maid. How heartless. How could anyone think like that?”

“Endymion, what do you think? You’ve watched them ever since you entered this house. If you believe dismissing them is too harsh, say so honestly.”

Teresa subtly tried to steer him toward her side. But Endymion was not someone who would fall for such a shallow trick.

“What does my sister think?”

“Huh? Me?”

“She’s the one who was harmed, isn’t she? So her opinion should come first.”

“….”

“And since the parents who would normally make such decisions have passed away, it is only proper, by principle, to follow the words of the eldest daughter.”

It was a rigidly principled answer.

Despite the crowd in the room, he was the first to ask for her opinion. Lumina was inwardly surprised.

I was going to read the room and jump in at the right moment…

Thanks to Endymion, she didn’t need to.

Feeling oddly pleased that he had worried about her first, Lumina looked straight at Teresa and said,

“I think Aunt’s words make sense too.”

“R-right?”

Teresa stammered, clearly not expecting Lumina to defend her.

“So let’s not send them to trial.”

“…Trial?”

The unexpected word made Teresa flustered, but Lumina remained calm.

“As far as I know, when something like this happens, they give severe beatings and then brand the back with heated iron. It’s to ensure they never make the same mistake again.”

Gasp—

Someone sucked in a frightened breath.

“Poor management. Negligence of duty. The doctor said being left unattended for so long counts as abandonment. So wouldn’t that be enough grounds for a trial?”

“That’s correct, Sister,” Endymion agreed.

Teresa realized then—

Calling Endymion here had been a terrible choice.

“I want to respect both Aunt and Uncle’s opinions,” Lumina continued evenly. “So…”

She turned her head and swept her gaze over the servants. They all seemed to anticipate what would come next.

Some had already resigned themselves to their fate.

“You’re all dismissed.”

Silence fell.

“Since you’re leaving under disgraceful circumstances, you won’t receive severance pay. No letters of recommendation either.”

“My lady!”

“And the butler and head maid should take responsibility as representatives. If you think it’s unfair, you’re welcome to take it to court.”

If it went to court, the matter would become far more troublesome and complicated.

There was clear evidence—they would be at a severe disadvantage. Unsavory rumors might spread during the proceedings as well.

The head maid glanced at Teresa, silently pleading for her to intervene.

But Teresa, faced with the children’s firm stance, could do nothing.

If only Joseph weren’t here—or if Endymion had sided with her—she might have been able to steer things her way.

Teresa bit her lower lip.

But Lumina wasn’t finished.

“And the maids assigned to me should be punished more severely.”

The maids, including Samantha, flinched.

They were the ones who had tormented Lumina most viciously. And recently, they had been the recipients of her apparent favor.

“My lady… you relied on me so much. And now you’re sending me away with nothing?” Samantha said in a trembling voice, her head bowed.

“It’s so unfair to lose everything over one mistake. Please, have mercy.”

Yes, she had clawed at the cheeks of her fellow maids moments ago—but this felt unbearably unjust.

Once, she had released rats into Lumina’s filthy little attic room. But recently, hadn’t they been getting along as if that had never happened?

As Samantha busied herself with self-justification, she sensed Lumina’s limping steps approaching.

Lumina stopped in front of her.

“I am showing mercy.”

“….”

“It’s a good thing I’m not branding your back. Don’t you think?”

It was a chilling statement for a twelve-year-old.

Realizing that Lumina’s kindness all this time had been intentional, Samantha raised her pale face.

And she saw—

The pink eyes of the young lady who had always trembled in fear were now cold and gleaming.

She was no longer the girl who shrieked at the sight of a mouse.

I could have overlooked petty bullying, Lumina thought as she faced Samantha.

She might have even accepted the excuse that they had ignored her out of fear of her stepmother.

But using her as an outlet for their malice? That she could never tolerate.

“You should’ve known when to stop.”

With no trace of regret, Lumina turned her back on Samantha.

Late at night.

The estate was as silent as a grave, the servants all dismissed.

A small figure limped down the corridor, now inhabited only by darkness.

It was Lumina.

Moonlight filtering through the windows shimmered across her wheat-colored hair.

Moving like an assassin, suppressing every sound of her presence, Lumina stopped in front of another’s bedroom door.

She gently pushed it open and stepped inside. The first thing she heard was the steady sound of breathing.

Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, she slowly approached the one sleeping soundly.

In the darkness, Endymion’s face came faintly into view.

As she studied it, Lumina couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Since the siblings were injured in similar places, the sight felt oddly amusing.

“Still… you shouldn’t be in pain.”

No matter how you feel about me right now, I’ve decided to protect you.

Lumina placed her hand on Endymion’s leg. A cluster of light gathered, forming the shape of butterflies.

Perhaps because the injury was extensive, there were enough butterflies to swarm together.

Bathed in the intense glow, Lumina watched the butterflies flap their wings slowly. They scattered particles of light before fading, leaving afterimages behind.

“Ugh—”

At the same time, a searing pain shot through her own leg, as if it were being torn apart. She staggered, swallowing a scream.

Lumina’s leg was injured as well; even walking caused her pain.

Now, bearing Endymion’s injury on top of her own, it was worse than she had imagined.

I expected this. Just endure a little longer.

Pressing her lips tightly together, Lumina finished the treatment and turned to leave.

That was when—

Grab.

Her wrist was seized.