C28
... Liena's fan club.
To me, it's an organization that has a lot to do with it, but right now, it's not important, so let's move on.
"All right. However, there is another really important issue regarding this matter that must be addressed before I punish you."
"What is it?"
"What right did you have to dismiss Laura, my personal maid? She was even whipped."
"I have something to say about that."
The head maid protested calmly.
"Even if the little miss brought her here, Laura is definitely a member of Cassius. I have authority over the rewards, punishments, and employment of all Cassius maids."
"You're wrong."
"What?"
"Your authority comes from me, the hostess. You can actively handle things I can't pay attention to, but the treatment of Laura, whom I consider as a right hand, doesn't fall under that."
I slowly raised the corners of my mouth and clicked my tongue.
"It's a shame for Cassius that someone as high-ranking as the head maid doesn't even know this basic common sense."
The head maid's face turned red. It was a comment that not even Duke Cassius could make.
Should we try to provoke her a bit more?
"I also have doubts about Lady Liena's insight, who actively recommended you for the head maid position."
The head maid, teary-eyed, raised her voice.
"Please don't speak about me like that!"
The enemy was, of course, Liena.
"It may seem reasonable at first glance, but there are gaps in the Little Miss's logic."
"What legal gap?"
Although Liena had only been lightly mentioned, the emotional woman began to reveal uncomfortable truths she would never have said before.
"The head maid's authority comes from the hostess. It would be true if the young miss were the hostess. But the young miss is not a hostess."
"My husband, Duke Leandro, is the lord's representative, in whom the Duke has formally delegated authority. Furthermore, the duchess has been dead for a long time. If it's not me, who is the hostess of Castle Cassius?"
The response to my question, which I asked while pretending to be as angry as possible, was refreshing.
"Lady Liena!"
Liena Cassius, that girl has always cast a long shadow over my life, even from afar.
Let's talk principles.
"According to the Cassius family's law, even if my mother-in-law were alive, my husband is the lord's representative, and I am the hostess."
"She knows that, but not the other. It's just a secondary regulation, but in the end, whoever has the treasure key holds the status of the hostess."
The treasure key was literally the key that could open the door to the storage where the various treasures of Duke Cassius were kept, symbolizing the hostess's position, which could exercise more authority than the head of the family in domestic matters. Also...
"The owner of the key has always been Lady Liena."
I hadn't even looked at the key.
Was Liena around ten years old? Duke Cassius, who had previously given expensive treasures to his daughter, seemed dissatisfied with that and even gave her the treasure chest key.
"Unlike other kids, the higher the value, the more she likes it. If you're so practical, you can take responsibility for household chores even at that age."
That's because she's an adult at heart...
Anyway, after all the vassals who opposed entrusting important responsibilities to a ten-year-old ignorant girl were purged or imprisoned, Liena became the youngest hostess in Cassius's history.
Since then, Liena has managed Cassius well thanks to her advantage as a returner and the help of those around her, even now that she has moved her main activity to the capital.
I didn't just stand by. I even asked Liena directly if it would be okay for her to hand over the keys. However...
"Sister-in-law, you don't have to worry about such troublesome things. Just do the fun things you want to do. Oh, if you need money, I'll tell them to give it to you!"
... Such words were said beautifully.
Needless to say, the reactions of Duke Cassius and Leandro would have taken Liena aback. They were impressed by her kind heart toward her sister-in-law.
In the end, I just gave up.
What can be done against Liena, who already has Cassius under her control?
Not only the family's servants, but even the people living in Cassius Territory were on Liena's side.
Liena enriched Cassius and carried out many charity projects, so her popularity soared to the sky.
The reaction of the old woman selling flowers, who had criticized Terence for confusing Liena's birthday with the dog's, was not especially unusual here.
Surrounded by people like that, all I could do was shout, "I'll be very lazy and live a comfortable life, just as you said!" and enjoy hobbies or make some extra money with part-time jobs.
"At that time, I didn't think it was a bad idea to live like this. It's nice to live with a full stomach and plenty of money..."
Looking back, I suppose that's not true. Now that I'm busy trying to get a divorce, I feel much more alive and full of energy.
The previous days were just days when I confused resignation with satisfaction.
Even as I was lost in my thoughts, looking back at the past, the head maid continued to complain.
"So, strictly speaking, ma'am, you don't have the right to physically punish me or those girls or to influence labor relations. I didn't want to tell you so much, but you're so angry about a portrait that I couldn't help it."
I deliberately shouted like a third-rate villain.
"You treat me like a scarecrow! I will tell my husband about this insolent behavior!"
This makes it easier to get the desired response.
"I'm sorry, but the Little Duke also told me it would be better to continue entrusting household matters to Lady Liena. So, no matter how hard you try, ma'am, you won't be able to have authority that you didn't have before."
The head maid asked triumphantly, as if declaring victory.
"Do you understand, don't you?"
Ah, I understand.
The head maid of Cassius personally said, "You weren't the hostess of this family from the beginning, and I had no intention of treating you that way."
I was waiting for these words to come out. With this recorder in hand.
Thinking that this was enough, I pressed the button on the wooden box, or recorder, to stop the recording.
"I'm glad today is Percy's birthday."
Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a device made by an eccentric inventor right here.
The eccentric inventor is one of the seven talents that Liena recruited based on her memories before returning. Although it's an abbreviation I added arbitrarily.
In addition to Tara and Matisse, who helped Liena closely, the seven talented individuals included a very ingenious merchant and a genius staff member.
Among them, the most mystical figure was a magician with the nickname of the eccentric inventor, who, as his nickname indicated, was an eccentric person who created various inventions.
In the story, Liena makes a lot of money by using and actively selling various clever and useful artifacts in exchange for her support.
This recorder is also the work of an eccentric inventor. A magical artifact that only Liena has, except for those who created it since it hasn't been mass-produced yet.
For Liena, who loves and misses her home so much, when there is a special event, the workers record the sound with a recorder and send it to the capital. Percy's dog birthday is a representative example.
I knew it very well, as last year the employees forced me to participate in a banquet on my birthday.
"I thought there would be an opportunity to put this recorder to good use."
Indeed, while I continued scratching my head, the head maid clearly exposed my situation, the fact that I had not been recognized at all in this family.
And this was intended to be used as evidence in the divorce trial that would take place sometime later.
This clearly demonstrates the fact that Liena has held the position of hostess for over two years, a position that should have been given to me through my marriage to Leandro.
Furthermore, the head maid testified that Leandro was clearly aware of this and even agreed with it.
Family rights, along with the generation of heirs, were very delicate issues in aristocratic society.
Surprisingly, some quite good evidence arrived.
"These people... Seeing Liena being held up like a god is more than annoying; it's creepy, but there are times when this can have a positive effect."
It's easy to handle! All you have to do is say something bad about Liena.
How can a believer stay sane when the god they serve has been insulted?
If the head maid were as usual, there was no way she would have made such a comment in front of me, even though news of our couple's discord hadn't reached here. She even requests to record it.
I put the recorder in my bag.
"... That's right."
While I continue to gather the impression that she's trying to brighten up.
"I can't lift a finger against you."
The maid, who had finally calmed down a bit, tried to console me.
"Even so, the Little Miss is our superior. We can get along without any problems as before..."
It's funny. If she's satisfied with serving people courteously, am I the heir's wife or just a guest?
There is no better word to describe my position in this house for the past two years.
A guest who has been staying at the mansion for a long time.
Tsk.
"I see. If this is how it's going to turn out, I have an idea."
Everyone present, including the head maid, stiffened as they saw my smile. They seemed to feel that something was wrong.
"I'm going to my room. If you have any common sense, how about working a bit during working hours? Oh, Percy, eat whatever you want. Well. Percy is not to blame. Happy birthday."
"Woof!"
In a large banquet hall with a peaceful atmosphere, only a dog eagerly ate the special dog cake prepared by the Cassius chef.