Episode 03
Following the signing of the guardian consent form, Janet also succeeded in silencing Simon.
“If they find out I got a job as a maid, they’ll question me about the signing bonus. So, until I leave for Ludwig, please keep my employment a secret.”
After persuading him roughly in that manner, he fell for it completely.
With 30 million Ekl held hostage, it was safe to say that Simon’s rationality had vanished.
The next day.
Janet headed to the post office as soon as dawn broke.
She planned to go to the post office before Viscount and Viscountess Graham returned, and send the employment contract and guardian consent form.
‘I hope I have enough money.’
Standing in front of the post office, Janet fumbled with her coin purse. She had scraped together her entire savings accumulated over time.
Even so, it was only 10,000 Ekl in total.
As Janet was fiddling with her coin purse, she heard her name called and walked up to the counter.
“You’d like to send it by special delivery?”
“Yes.”
“Special delivery, 10,000 Ekl.”
At the amount that matched perfectly, as if by fate, Janet let out a sigh of relief.
“Here you go.”
Janet carefully held out her coin purse.
But a moment later.
“Excuse me. You’re short by 1,000 Ekl.”
“I’m short?”
“Yes. You don’t have enough.”
There’s no way I’m short.
On the walk from home to here, she had checked the amount over and over again.
She had even confirmed that there was 10,000 Ekl in her purse right before entering the post office.
“There’s no way I’m short. Please check again.”
“Are you implying I’m lying?”
The employee scowled and shot back at Janet’s words.
The man’s gaze quickly scanned Janet. Her shabby attire, the coin purse she held so preciously.
She was clearly the daughter of some poor family.
Feeling emboldened, the man stood up abruptly and pointed at Janet, shouting.
“Are you accusing me of being a thief?!”
In fact, the culprit who had taken Janet’s money was indeed the man. It was his small hobby and specialty.
He would discreetly skim small amounts of money from the elderly, children, and women who looked vulnerable.
These people would suspect the employee, but once he stood up and came on strong, they would quickly tuck their tails and run away.
Since the amounts were small, they didn’t bother calling the guards to make a big scene.
The money he had accumulated this way had already exceeded 1 million Ekl.
“I’m not accusing you of being a thief—”
“Here I am telling you you’re short, and you keep asking me to check again—that’s doubting me, isn’t it?!”
*Bang!* He shouted and threw the coin purse down with a flourish.
*Clatter, clang!*
The coins scattered noisily in all directions. At the same time, the attention of everyone in the post office was drawn to them.
“Oh my, what’s going on?”
“Looks like that woman is accusing the employee of being a thief.”
“Good heavens.”
At the murmuring noise, Janet bit her lips tightly.
Humiliation, along with anxiety, filled her.
‘A commotion would be troublesome.’
She had finally been chosen as the Grand Duchess’s maid—it would be disastrous if her plans fell apart over something like this.
Fortunately or unfortunately, one of Janet’s specialties was endurance. It was a virtue she had to cultivate in order to survive in the Viscount Graham household.
*Hoo.*
Letting out an unavoidable sigh, Janet decided to pick up the money instead of continuing to argue with the employee.
“Hmph!”
She heard the employee noisily snort and sit back down.
Janet clenched her fist as she was about to pick up the last coin.
“Are you just going to let this slide?”
“…?!”
Startled by the low-pitched question that came from beside her, Janet turned her head.
‘Theo?’
She spotted a man leaning against the wall next to her, pretending to read a newspaper and hiding his face.
Black hair and blue eyes.
Flawless features, as if sculpted.
He was unmistakably Theo, the vice-captain of <Illynia>.
When their eyes met, he grinned, his eyes curving. And.
“When you spoke with me, you didn’t back down an inch.”
“That’s…”
At that time, it was a situation where she couldn’t afford to back down.
As Janet stammered without answering, Kendrick shrugged and said.
“I thought you were that kind of person, which is why I proposed the deal.”
“That kind of person?”
“Someone strong enough to look the other person in the eye and say what they want.”
Strong, he said.
She had never heard such words in her life. Vermin, parasite, leech. The most useless thing in the world.
Those were the only words she had ever heard about herself.
Yes, but…
Why did this make her feel so choked up? Kendrick gently placed his hands on Janet’s shoulders as she couldn’t speak.
Then, he turned her body so she was facing that employee directly.
“There’s no need to stay silent when you’ve been wronged. Repay whatever needs to be repaid. I’ll have your back.”
That’s what it means to be on the same side.
“I’ll be your backup.”
At the man’s whisper, Janet’s heart leaped.
“Really… Can I really repay it? I don’t have to hold back?”
“Of course. And besides, that’s a virtue my contractor should possess.”
With a grin, he added playfully.
“If you’re going to become the maid of the empire’s greatest villainess, you should at least be able to do that much, don’t you think?”
“I suppose you’re right.”
Having regained her composure, Janet laughed along with him.
Soon, the man’s hands left her shoulders. The remaining warmth of his hands gently pushed her back.
“Hey, you.”
“…What. Still—”
“You asked earlier if I was accusing you of being a thief.”
“Yes?”
“No. I’m not accusing you—I’m saying you *are* one. A real thief.”
“No, what kind of nonsense is that!”
The male employee stood up once more and glared threateningly at Janet.
But instead of backing down, Janet straightened her back and held her head high.
She glared at the employee with all her might.
It wasn’t that she had been afraid of him earlier. She just hadn’t wanted to make a scene.
Now, the situation was different.
“If you’re so innocent, let’s call the guards.”
“Gu-guards? You’d call the guards over a mere 1,000 Ekl?”
“What does the amount matter? What matters is whether or not a theft was committed.”
“Even so…”
“Anyone who arbitrarily takes another person’s money or property shall be subject to a fine of 10 million Ekl and imprisonment for two years.”
At the imperial law recited with confidence, the man visibly flinched.
Seeing his anxious face, Janet became even more certain. This man was the culprit.
However, the man didn’t back down easily.
“E-evidence! You don’t have any evidence, do you?!”
“If this isn’t the first time, I could probably gather testimonies from similar cases. That should be enough evidence.”
Tilting her head, she added with a slight smile.
“Another option would be to call the postmaster for questioning. Ask him if he’s been silent despite hearing about similar incidents.”
At the word ‘postmaster,’ the employee’s face turned white.
‘If even the director gets called in…’
Would he really take the side of a low-level employee like himself? He would likely choose to quickly admit guilt and distance himself, saying it was a troublesome matter.
Then he’d be helplessly facing a 10 million Ekl fine and two years in prison…
As soon as his thoughts reached that point, the employee bowed deeply.
“I-I’m sorry, customer! Looking at it again, I think I made a mistake.”
“A mistake? What kind of mistake?”
“Well… No, look—here’s the 1,000 Ekl. I must have been stupid and dropped the money without noticing. I’m truly sorry!”
Janet looked down coldly at him as he bowed deeply.
“It’s definitely not theft. It was just a genuine mistake on my part… So, could you possibly show me some mercy?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Please, I’m begging you, customer! I’ve apologized sincerely, so please just let it go this once! I’m begging you!”
Seeing the man groveling and bowing excessively, Janet’s eyes narrowed.
With a sigh, Janet nodded as if she had no choice.
“Fine. I’ll let it go this time.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. But be careful from now on. You shouldn’t cause trouble for customers because of pointless misunderstandings, right?”
At her advice, delivered with a bright smile, the employee nodded his head frantically.
“Special delivery.”
*Thump.* Janet placed the document envelope in front of the man and nodded.
“Process it as quickly as possible.”
