"She's temporary maid, Becky, is from my hometown"
"......"
"When she was young, she lost her parents in a fire accident and lived in our house for a year." "And?"
"The orphan, who originally had no relatives like that, doesn't be accepted her a decent maid, my lady, because if she gets involved in an accident, there's no one who can guarantee her identity."
"......"
"We didn't really get along at the time but my parents liked her and wrote her the 'guarantee' when she applied with me for the Dukedom."
Hesitantly, she whispered to me in the hollow of my ear. "If you mention the warrany, she'll willingly do anything."
There was a glimmer of insanity in her brown eyes. I paused for a moment at her words and soon narrowed my brows and asked.
"Are you serious?"
"Well, of course!"
Emily nodded enthusiastically.
"What if she's trying to take your place while she's in the mansion?"
She appealed to me with a serious look. No matter how much I looked at it, it seemed to be sincere without any ulterior motives. At that sight, I burst into laughter.
"That way we'll be prepared in advance"
Emily, in deep cogitation, noticed my face full of laughter one step later. "Lady! This is not the time to laugh like that!"
She blurted as if she was resentful. "Sorry, sorry. Haaa"
I finally managed to stop laughing and answered. "But that's too typical of a villain, Emily."
"I'm dead serious, otherwise I wouldn't sell my hometown friend."
She sighed and grumbled, it seemed to be true that she was deeply troubled. I don't know if it's for me or for her future that depends on my position, but....
Her words warmed me up. "Okay. Thanks for worrying."
I nodded my head and thanked her without a hunch. Emily looked back at me with her eyes shining brightly.
"So, you're willing to follow my plan, right?" "Well"
I thought for a moment. It was convenient to have someone done for you without having to left a finger but I didn't think being entangled with Yvonne's daily life would be of great help. After all, I'm well aware of what's going to happen in Normal Mode......
'No.'
Thinking about it so far, I must get rid of this overconfidence of mine. The story of Normal Mode and Hard Mode are completely different. I could no longer believe now that Yvonne would be the same as in Normal Mode.
"I don't need to know her every move. If the tails is too long, you'll just be trampled on."
I took a moment of reflection.
"Tell Becky to report only when she's up to something suspicious." "Suspicious?"
"Yes, for example"
I recalled instinctively the white dressed woman I saw in Soleil Island. Mask, relic, pieces of a broken mirror.
"humm if she seems obsessed with something or behaves strangely."
Emily replied with a determined look.
"Oh Gosh, I see what you mean, just leave it to me."
To speak frankly, I had no big expectation. If the hostess is indeed a member of Leila clan, she won't act stupidly before a maid to be found suspicious. But seeing Emily looking so determined was so cute that it made me laugh for a short time once again. She must've noticed that I'm feeling better.
"Miss, then, nowAre you going to have dinner?"
Asked carefully Emily watching my reaction. At that moment, I barely managed to hold on my face features that were drifting away.'Now there's someone who will take care of me if I starve'
I let out a light voice, pressing down my stomach swirling of unknown emotion. "Emily."
"Yes?"
"You're doing a pretty good jobtaking care of me"
At what I said, Emily was astonished, and replied with a gentle smile. "Of course, miss. I'm your maid."
"Wellthen, bring me dinner."
"Yes miss! I'll be right back! You won't wait long!"
Emily hurried out of the room with a colorful face. Fortunately, there's still someone in this mansion who cares about Penelope whether she's starving herself up or not, after all the hustle and bustle of Yvonne's appearance.
******************* D-3
The next morning after breakfast, the butler came to my visit with a message from the Duke. "I'll be ready soon so wait outside."
Yesterday I heard from Emily that Yvonne had been staying in the mansion so I didn't think I'd be summoned this early. I immediately followed the butler to the Duke's office.
Hnock knock-. "Come in."
With the permission to come in, the butler opened the door. I stepped inside with a light strain. We had a great deal of things to discuss.
The Duke, as for him, sat at the desk with a thick cigar in his mouth. In front of him a plethora of files were piled up.
"Father." "You came."
He looked up at me. I could tell at first glance that he stayed up all night sorting things up from his tired face and puffy eyes.
"Take a seat."
He rose from his place, settled on the sofa and then kept staring at me.
Even after the maid came in and prepared the refreshments, the Duke silent as ever pulled out another cigar and burned it without a word. The atmosphere was getting more and more stifling. It was about time to break the silence. Finally the Duke opened his mouth heavily, bringing out his cigarette in ashes.
"Penelope."
With a stern voice, I replied with a slightly disorganized posture. "Yes father."
"You asked your brother to give you a teacher without me knowing."
"......"
"Why didn't you tell me in advance?"
In fact, this was a bigger problem in my eyes than Yvonne passing the test. As expected they turned a blind eye to what I might be feeling.
Ultimately, I ended up speaking my mind. "I thought you'd oppose it."
"Hah"
The Duke breathed a deep sigh. Although he was just a character in the game, I couldn't help but flinch at the heavy aura emanating from him.
"Last morning, your brother arrested slaves of Delman who were about to flee from the port of Priboux and handed them over to the Imperial Palace. And you know the price of such felonyThe execution
took place today." ""
"I've come to agree with Eclipse's statement."
My heart stiffened at the word of execution. However, due to the vague conjecture that this would happen through the words of the Butler, the shock did not last long.
Quietly listening, the Duke spoke with a more subdued voice.
"The Delman's slaves escaped by selling the herbs you gave them. The funds are still intact." ""
"If the Imperial Palace had noticed first and proceeded with the investigation, not only you but the whole Eckart family would be doomed."
My hands on my knees clenched in a fist the hem of my skirt. I truly regretted my impulsive act, at the time I didn't imagine that my genuine intentions would turn into a nightmare.
'But I'm glad I didn't give him the gold coins.'
I was worried of what would've happened if I had handed over that small amount of money instead of the medicinal herbs. I opened my mouth facing the ground.
"I'm sorry, I acted rashly it's my fault."
"......"
"I'll willing to accept any punishment"
"I heard everything from the butler."
The Duke suddenly stopped me from speaking.
"You didn't have a bad heart. How you gave him your teacher, how you gave him his herbs." ""
"It's all in your heart."
I slowly raised my head and stared blankly at him with perplexed eyes.
Unlike Penelope, the Duke was in no position to make a fuss about it, even if there was record of taking a slave of the defeated country in the mansion. Goddamn it, I've had a story of freeing a defeated slave out of mansion and almost putting duke's family in danger.
It wasn't all intended, but it happened as a result. Because, Eclipse, that madman, made it that way. I guessed the Duke would be angry at me.
But he said.
"Yesterday, today, didn't you just keep getting surprised? I called because I was worried. I'm not trying to find fault."
Even though he was very tired, he was carefully watching over slightest changes in my mood. So he spoke to the main point with a faint sigh.
"Penelope" ""
"The child, Yvonne, I decided to let her in the mansion for a while."
I knew it, but I couldn't help but feel down at his words. Like a person clinging to a ray of hope. 'Yes, it is.'
I laughed coldly inside. The long preamble and forgiveness in the preceding days were, after all, just the ground base for this main event.
Despite the shocking news, the Duke avoided looking at me expressionless. I gaped at him and asked. "Did she pass all the tests?"
"It isn't because she lost her memory, but"
The Duke hesitated and added.
"All the answers about her mother were right." ""
"In addition, the dots' position was the same. And Evelyn (the dead duchess' name), I meanShe was
born with a dot in the middle just like my dead wife." "I see."
It didn't impress me much, I already knew it all. I belatedly realized that I had answered so insincerely, and forced my lips opened and answered.
"Congratulations, Father." "What?"
The face of the Duke looked devastated.<hr>
Hi again! Actually I feel that my translation is a bit lacking so if you can point out on where I'm wrong that would be of huge help ¤-¤
Translator: Ikihiromi
Raw provider: Daren_shan