Paula thought about this perfect night all the way in the carriage.
Viscount Kwendell. That wonderful attitude, that warm smile, that kind voice.
'The suit, the watch, the shoes, they were all extremely expensive. Even the Count was wearing only items from artisans that were hard to obtain.'
The rumors that the estate was very fertile and had many inherited assets were true.
But Paula's excited expression was completely broken by the time they reached the Count's white front door.
"What?!"
It was because the lights were on in every room in the mansion. And the maids who were supposed to be sleeping were running around busily.
Paula's face turned ashen.
'Count, did you bring up Mrs. Becker as soon as you arrived?'
Paula opened the window, shaking her legs nervously. Then she called the doorman.
“Porter, has the master arrived?”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Last time, the tall doormen hired by the countess were fired after being beaten by Ferdinand. Since the Countess lost her power to appoint people shortly after, the current doormen were hired by Madame Becker.
But for the past two weeks, he's been really obsequious to Paula, because it looks like Mrs. Becker is going to get kicked out.
'The attitude of a person who was so flustered before going to the ball suddenly changed like this?'
Paula was sure. Mrs. Becker had definitely been released from the dungeon.
As if to confirm her confidence, the gatekeeper chuckled and said to Paula.
“Hey, your world is over. The master just released Mrs. Becker and called all the servants together to say that he won’t let the false accuser stay still?!”
'Ha. Really.'
“It seems like he’s just waiting for you and the Countess to come. He won’t leave you alone, so you better do something about it.”
Paula felt a stiffness in the back of her neck.
You say the Count is 'fraudulent' without even hearing the Countess's side of the story? Doesn't that mean the Count has already declared that he will stand against the Countess?
'You're going to ruin my mother's reputation again... Are you going to take away her authority and give it to Mrs. Becker again?'
Paula had no clear idea why both the Count and Ferdinand were so friendly to Madame Becker.
'...What good is it to save my mother's maid's reputation by giving her more honor than her own? There's no reason to do that unless you enjoy humiliating my mother!'
That is why Paula concluded that this was the method the Count chose to use to harass the Countess.
‘What am I going to do if he humiliates my mother’s decision like this?... Seriously, this time, it looks like my mother’s reputation will hit rock bottom.’
The moment she felt suffocated, she noticed Odette sitting across from her.
‘...Then, does that mean I can never regain my position as a disciplinary maid?’
If the Count took action this time and humiliated her mother, she would surely lose one more authority.
And then, if the master takes away even the qualifications of a disciplinary maid...
Paula's heart sank at the thought that she would no longer have the authority to strike Odette.
'My only joy in living in this mansion...!'
Surely Mrs. Becker will act more aggressively in the future. So shouldn't she at least relieve her stress for the last time?
Paula ordered boldly.
“Coach, take me to the pond in the annex.”
"Yes?"
"Immediately!"
Paula gave orders to the coachman from a blind spot, out of sight of the gatekeeper.
As it happened, the carriage was stocked with sleeping incense to help the Countess relax.
It was a sleeping scent to soothe the mood of the Countess who always suffered from headaches after being betrayed by her son.
'How could it not be even a little unexpected?'
Odette smiled as she watched the carriage heading to the annex pond.
The only variable in today's plan was Paula's mind.
She was worried that Paula might bother her today... But it looked like she didn’t have to worry, as she saw Paula heading to the pond in the annex.
The annex pond is a place where people rarely go, and is surrounded by tall plants such as irises and reeds. So, it is difficult to get caught doing anything there.
Plus, there were flat rocks in the pond. This meant it was the perfect place for Paula to tease her.
'Paula, how often did that kid hit me over there?'
Until she was 15, when Odette could have been excommunicated at any time, being dragged to the pond in that annex was a daily routine.
‘...No matter what, it’s the scent of sleep. Paula really is fearless.’
A sleep scent made with lavender and other herbs. She inhaled it comfortably, pretending not to notice that it was a sleep scent.
'Thank you. You used lavender scent just in time.'
Lavender is a flower often used in sleep scents, but it has the effect of enhancing the effects of aqua mint.
The effect of Aqua Mint, which originally made people stay sane for about an hour, lasts for at least 4 hours. In addition, the effect is strengthened from the simple effect of awakening drunk people to the effect of making them intoxicated by all drugs and scents.
So, from her perspective, it's the sleeping scent that actually wakes her up.
'I'm so incredibly lucky... It must have been thanks to that bastard Victor's intuition that he put the Aqua Mint in my mouth at just the right time.'
Because Victor's intuition can sometimes be eerily accurate.
The manual states that 'even when you know nothing, your intuition will help you find the best answer.'
That intuition gave Odette a hard time in her past life.
'So it won't hurt me. You'll be more confused than me.'
Odette held back a laugh at Paula, who was holding her breath and covering her mouth with a handkerchief.
'Paula, your choices are always so foolish and impulsive.'
It must be because of the mother's education. Mothers never teach their children 'patience'.
The moment the carriage passed the pond in front of the annex, Odette confirmed her disgust.
[ 'Karl' does not exist within the 20-meter range. ]
[ Dislike level cannot be checked. ]
A status window that appears in a faint pink color.
'As expected, Lize did a good job.'
The status window could only be checked by people within a 20m radius. If Karl was still in the dungeon, his disgust would have been checked as well.
'Then Paula's hairpin will probably still be in the dungeon.'
Now that her father was back, she was planning to start cleaning the mansion in earnest.
She was so glad that Paula was as impulsive as she expected. The bigger the situation, the better.
Odette leaned back even further on the carriage seat. Perhaps interpreting it as intoxicating from the scent of sleep, Paula smiled contentedly.
The sound of the carriage's hooves, which had been gradually slowing down, finally stopped completely after arriving at the pond in front of the annex.
“Maid, I’ve arrived. But why did you ask me to stop here?”
The coachman asked, but Paula got out of the carriage without saying a word, holding her nose with her handkerchief. Then she grabbed Odette's wrist and dragged her out of the carriage.
“Coach, you go back to the mansion first.”
"Yes?"
“Go to the main building first!”
The arrogant Paula screamed.
'How arrogant. Even if you think the coachman is your mother's man, how can you treat him so poorly?'
It was understandable that the coachman would call Paula 'maid' and treat her with contempt. He would even turn a blind eye to Paula's secrets.
The fact that she secretly dragged Odette to the annex pond and beat her, and the fact that she went out wearing expensive jewelry and a dress and pretending to be a young lady.
'He's just quick-witted and tight-lipped.'
Contrary to Paula's misconception, the coachman was never her mother's man.
As much as you keep your secrets, you keep Mrs. Becker's secrets as well. Don't you know that when my father and Mrs. Becker go on dates, they only ride in this coachman's carriage?
“I would rather not do that today, maid. It is too late to leave the Lady and the maid alone, and His Grace must return early today-”
“When did I say you could give me advice? I’ll take care of that. Just go now.”
“But, maid.”
“What are you doing? Can’t you understand what I’m saying? Get out of here right now!”
There is only one case where someone is as quick-witted as him and yet has a tight mouth: a coward.
That is, it means that he extremely hates getting involved in big things.
'He looks so pitiful with all that cold sweat.'
The coachman had already noticed the scent of sleep emanating from inside the carriage. He had always pretended not to see what was happening at the Count's house, but he seemed to have a gut feeling that if he left this time, something really big would happen.
Odette sees he's trying to drag out the time and not leave this place.
“I told you to turn it off?”
The coachman returned to the carriage in a dazed state at Paula's request and sat down on the coachman's seat.
“This is...”
There was no trace of determination in the sight of him swinging the whip feebly and clumsily.
'You're that scared, so you won't be able to go back right away.'
Meanwhile, Paula dragged Odette, who was unable to control her body, to the pond. Then she knelt down in the same spot where she always made Odette stand whenever she tormented her.
Viscount Kwendell. That wonderful attitude, that warm smile, that kind voice.
'The suit, the watch, the shoes, they were all extremely expensive. Even the Count was wearing only items from artisans that were hard to obtain.'
The rumors that the estate was very fertile and had many inherited assets were true.
But Paula's excited expression was completely broken by the time they reached the Count's white front door.
"What?!"
It was because the lights were on in every room in the mansion. And the maids who were supposed to be sleeping were running around busily.
Paula's face turned ashen.
'Count, did you bring up Mrs. Becker as soon as you arrived?'
Paula opened the window, shaking her legs nervously. Then she called the doorman.
“Porter, has the master arrived?”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Last time, the tall doormen hired by the countess were fired after being beaten by Ferdinand. Since the Countess lost her power to appoint people shortly after, the current doormen were hired by Madame Becker.
But for the past two weeks, he's been really obsequious to Paula, because it looks like Mrs. Becker is going to get kicked out.
'The attitude of a person who was so flustered before going to the ball suddenly changed like this?'
Paula was sure. Mrs. Becker had definitely been released from the dungeon.
As if to confirm her confidence, the gatekeeper chuckled and said to Paula.
“Hey, your world is over. The master just released Mrs. Becker and called all the servants together to say that he won’t let the false accuser stay still?!”
'Ha. Really.'
“It seems like he’s just waiting for you and the Countess to come. He won’t leave you alone, so you better do something about it.”
Paula felt a stiffness in the back of her neck.
You say the Count is 'fraudulent' without even hearing the Countess's side of the story? Doesn't that mean the Count has already declared that he will stand against the Countess?
'You're going to ruin my mother's reputation again... Are you going to take away her authority and give it to Mrs. Becker again?'
Paula had no clear idea why both the Count and Ferdinand were so friendly to Madame Becker.
'...What good is it to save my mother's maid's reputation by giving her more honor than her own? There's no reason to do that unless you enjoy humiliating my mother!'
That is why Paula concluded that this was the method the Count chose to use to harass the Countess.
‘What am I going to do if he humiliates my mother’s decision like this?... Seriously, this time, it looks like my mother’s reputation will hit rock bottom.’
The moment she felt suffocated, she noticed Odette sitting across from her.
‘...Then, does that mean I can never regain my position as a disciplinary maid?’
If the Count took action this time and humiliated her mother, she would surely lose one more authority.
And then, if the master takes away even the qualifications of a disciplinary maid...
Paula's heart sank at the thought that she would no longer have the authority to strike Odette.
'My only joy in living in this mansion...!'
Surely Mrs. Becker will act more aggressively in the future. So shouldn't she at least relieve her stress for the last time?
Paula ordered boldly.
“Coach, take me to the pond in the annex.”
"Yes?"
"Immediately!"
Paula gave orders to the coachman from a blind spot, out of sight of the gatekeeper.
As it happened, the carriage was stocked with sleeping incense to help the Countess relax.
It was a sleeping scent to soothe the mood of the Countess who always suffered from headaches after being betrayed by her son.
***
'How could it not be even a little unexpected?'
Odette smiled as she watched the carriage heading to the annex pond.
The only variable in today's plan was Paula's mind.
She was worried that Paula might bother her today... But it looked like she didn’t have to worry, as she saw Paula heading to the pond in the annex.
The annex pond is a place where people rarely go, and is surrounded by tall plants such as irises and reeds. So, it is difficult to get caught doing anything there.
Plus, there were flat rocks in the pond. This meant it was the perfect place for Paula to tease her.
'Paula, how often did that kid hit me over there?'
Until she was 15, when Odette could have been excommunicated at any time, being dragged to the pond in that annex was a daily routine.
‘...No matter what, it’s the scent of sleep. Paula really is fearless.’
A sleep scent made with lavender and other herbs. She inhaled it comfortably, pretending not to notice that it was a sleep scent.
'Thank you. You used lavender scent just in time.'
Lavender is a flower often used in sleep scents, but it has the effect of enhancing the effects of aqua mint.
The effect of Aqua Mint, which originally made people stay sane for about an hour, lasts for at least 4 hours. In addition, the effect is strengthened from the simple effect of awakening drunk people to the effect of making them intoxicated by all drugs and scents.
So, from her perspective, it's the sleeping scent that actually wakes her up.
'I'm so incredibly lucky... It must have been thanks to that bastard Victor's intuition that he put the Aqua Mint in my mouth at just the right time.'
Because Victor's intuition can sometimes be eerily accurate.
The manual states that 'even when you know nothing, your intuition will help you find the best answer.'
That intuition gave Odette a hard time in her past life.
'So it won't hurt me. You'll be more confused than me.'
Odette held back a laugh at Paula, who was holding her breath and covering her mouth with a handkerchief.
'Paula, your choices are always so foolish and impulsive.'
It must be because of the mother's education. Mothers never teach their children 'patience'.
The moment the carriage passed the pond in front of the annex, Odette confirmed her disgust.
[ 'Karl' does not exist within the 20-meter range. ]
[ Dislike level cannot be checked. ]
A status window that appears in a faint pink color.
'As expected, Lize did a good job.'
The status window could only be checked by people within a 20m radius. If Karl was still in the dungeon, his disgust would have been checked as well.
'Then Paula's hairpin will probably still be in the dungeon.'
Now that her father was back, she was planning to start cleaning the mansion in earnest.
She was so glad that Paula was as impulsive as she expected. The bigger the situation, the better.
Odette leaned back even further on the carriage seat. Perhaps interpreting it as intoxicating from the scent of sleep, Paula smiled contentedly.
***
The sound of the carriage's hooves, which had been gradually slowing down, finally stopped completely after arriving at the pond in front of the annex.
“Maid, I’ve arrived. But why did you ask me to stop here?”
The coachman asked, but Paula got out of the carriage without saying a word, holding her nose with her handkerchief. Then she grabbed Odette's wrist and dragged her out of the carriage.
“Coach, you go back to the mansion first.”
"Yes?"
“Go to the main building first!”
The arrogant Paula screamed.
'How arrogant. Even if you think the coachman is your mother's man, how can you treat him so poorly?'
It was understandable that the coachman would call Paula 'maid' and treat her with contempt. He would even turn a blind eye to Paula's secrets.
The fact that she secretly dragged Odette to the annex pond and beat her, and the fact that she went out wearing expensive jewelry and a dress and pretending to be a young lady.
'He's just quick-witted and tight-lipped.'
Contrary to Paula's misconception, the coachman was never her mother's man.
As much as you keep your secrets, you keep Mrs. Becker's secrets as well. Don't you know that when my father and Mrs. Becker go on dates, they only ride in this coachman's carriage?
“I would rather not do that today, maid. It is too late to leave the Lady and the maid alone, and His Grace must return early today-”
“When did I say you could give me advice? I’ll take care of that. Just go now.”
“But, maid.”
“What are you doing? Can’t you understand what I’m saying? Get out of here right now!”
There is only one case where someone is as quick-witted as him and yet has a tight mouth: a coward.
That is, it means that he extremely hates getting involved in big things.
'He looks so pitiful with all that cold sweat.'
The coachman had already noticed the scent of sleep emanating from inside the carriage. He had always pretended not to see what was happening at the Count's house, but he seemed to have a gut feeling that if he left this time, something really big would happen.
Odette sees he's trying to drag out the time and not leave this place.
“I told you to turn it off?”
The coachman returned to the carriage in a dazed state at Paula's request and sat down on the coachman's seat.
“This is...”
There was no trace of determination in the sight of him swinging the whip feebly and clumsily.
'You're that scared, so you won't be able to go back right away.'
Meanwhile, Paula dragged Odette, who was unable to control her body, to the pond. Then she knelt down in the same spot where she always made Odette stand whenever she tormented her.
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