TSOFDTAM | Ch 14

Episode 14 – Making Me a Fool

Morant left the mansion—half voluntarily, half forced out. Afterwards, I sent her a bill demanding repayment for the wages she had tricked us into over-collecting, plus compensation for damages to the family.

Some of that money, I planned to distribute among the remaining servants.

They had been forced to pick up her slack, and I thought they deserved a proper reward.

It seemed like the whole mess that shook the Stroud household was finally calming down.

But then—another, juicier rumor began spreading across the estate.

Lady Roze, going from tea party to tea party, had been loudly gossiping about how I supposedly tried to undress a servant.

And of course, rumors grew legs and wings.

Before long, people were whispering that the Duchess of Stroud couldn’t keep her hands off young men.

Then it twisted further: stories that the Duke’s personal servant was actually a woman in disguise, that I had an affair with a common swindler…

But really, the story people liked the most was mine—the Duchess’s.

People always enjoyed chewing on the so-called “greatest villainess of the land.”

Thanks to Lady Roze, I had gained a new nickname: the greedy Duchess who was obsessed with young men.

“At least Jave’s still a baby.”

I looked at my sweet son, peacefully sucking his thumb in sleep, and thought with relief.

He’s too young to understand what any of that means. Thank God.

“Such a nice day, Madam. How about a little walk in the garden with the young master?” the nanny suggested, her voice unusually cheerful.

Maybe I really did look worn out.

“Alright. When Jave wakes up, bring him to my study first.”

Leaving her with that instruction, I stepped out.

The warmth of his tiny hand lingering in my palm gave me enough strength to face another day.

When I arrived at the study, Baron Kristi, my husband’s aide, was already waiting with a pile of documents.

He was here to deal with the work Ryan had once again pushed aside.

I set the stack on my desk and barely sat down before the Baron began sorting through the urgent issues.

“The Imperial Knights depart in two days,” he reported.

I unfolded a letter of thanks, written in Hilbardo’s handwriting, thanking us for their stay.

“Still as illegible as ever,” I thought.

He always wrote like it was some secret code from an enemy nation.

I used to tease him mercilessly about it when we were young.

As I was lost in the memory, the Baron fished around in his pocket and pulled out a folded note.

“The Duke asked me to give you this as well, Madam.”

I frowned as soon as I saw it—Ryan was up to something again.

Prepare the annex for use.

What? The annex was usually reserved for long-term relatives or special guests.

Why suddenly prepare it now?

“And the reason?” I asked.

“…That, I wasn’t told, Madam.”

He avoided my eyes. He did know something.

My instincts told me instantly.

So Ryan was hiding something from me again.

And as always, when things inevitably blew up, he would leave it to me to clean up.

How many times had this happened already?

“Tell the Duke this: if he won’t give me the reason, I can’t prepare it properly.”

“…Understood.”

He bowed and left.

A sharp, uneasy pain twisted in my stomach.

Something bad was coming.

Later, I strolled through the garden with Jave.

In just a few days, his legs had grown stronger—he could take ten more steps while holding my hand.

At this rate, he might even be able to walk beside me at his first birthday celebration.

The thought made my heart light.

“Do you like being outside, Jave?”

“Wuyaah!”

He clapped happily in my arms.

Watching him grow was the sweetest reward of my life.

We spread a mat beneath the large tree in the central garden.

Jave sat there playing with toys and snacks, looking as innocent as sunshine.

But the peaceful moment ended when Ryan strode into the garden, flanked by five knights.

He didn’t even bother using the paved path—his heavy boots crushed the grass and flowers underfoot.

“Let’s talk,” he said, his presence dark and overwhelming.

The nanny and the head maid stiffened, while I, used to this kind of entrance, calmly asked, “Right now?”

“Yes.”

The mood told me it wouldn’t be a pleasant talk.

Even Jave’s face scrunched up, about to cry.

I quickly handed him to the nanny and stood.

We walked a little away from the tree, the sound of metal armor clanging around me with every step.

“This spot will do,” Ryan muttered.

The knights halted, surrounding us.

My heart pounded. My fingers clenched tight around my skirt.

“Preparing the annex wasn’t a request—it was an order,” Ryan said coldly.

“I told you I’d do it if you gave me a reason.”

“And if the reason doesn’t please you, you just won’t do it?”

“You know that’s not what I meant, Ryan.”

I wasn’t being difficult—I simply needed to know.

Depending on the guest, the number of maids, the furniture, and even the kind of bedding we provided would change.

“Am I a man who needs my wife’s permission to do something in his own house?”

“…”

“Can’t you just, for once, obey without question?”

He roughly ruffled my hair, irritation burning in his eyes.

He didn’t get it.

“Ryan, do you even know how this mansion runs?”

“Generally. And what does that have to do with the annex?”

I forced my clenched hands to relax.

“The annex isn’t like the main house. I’ll have to hire new staff for the kitchen, laundry, cleaning, and attendants. And the level of furniture depends on who the guest is. At the very least, new bedding has to be prepared. You know the Imperial Knights took nearly a month of preparation. Think about that.”

His face grew harder with every word.

“I just want things to run smoothly. To avoid problems. That’s all.”

“Don’t lecture me.”

“I’m not. I just want you to understand the order of things.”

“….”

He only looked at me with weary disdain.

“You’re always like this. You make me feel like a fool who knows nothing.”

This time, I went quiet.

If he just cared a little about the estate, the family, our household—it wouldn’t be hard to understand.

Was it too much to hope for?

A kind word now and then—like asking how I managed the estate, or calling out to our son when he passed by.

Was it really too much to want that?

“You always do this. Always making me out to be the bad one,” he accused.

His eyes turned dangerous.

If the knights weren’t here, I had no doubt he’d have struck me.

“My guest will be staying there. Have the annex ready in three days.”

“At least tell me who—”

“Morant.”

It felt like a giant hand crushed my heart.

For a second, I forgot how to breathe.

“No… that’s right, her real name is Solra now.”

The name pierced my ears like a thorn.

“You wanted to know who. Now you do. Don’t refuse again.”

I looked at the knights beside him—their armor gleaming, their posture unshakable.

His determination to bring her into the annex felt just as unyielding.

I couldn’t bring myself to say yes.

But Ryan’s voice cut like steel:

“Do it properly, Violetta. That’s the Lord’s order.”