Chapter 5 –
Odette turned her head to see who had entered. It was Madam Becker, a maid her mother had brought from her family home.
“Madam Becker.”
“How dare you be here, my lady?!”
At the sharp voice, Odette frowned.
“Are you deaf, my lady? Huh?! How dare you enter the master’s study without permission?!”
“Madam Becker, this is the study. Lower your voice.”
The attitude of the servants in the count’s estate toward her was always the same.
They always scolded me as if I were a subordinate. As if I were something beneath them. Laughable.
“I’ll report this to the madam right away! How dare you walk into the master’s study like this?! I won’t let this slide!”
“Sure. Go ahead and report it.”
Madam Becker’s eyes widened, seemingly unprepared for such a breezy response.
What, was she expecting me to beg for forgiveness?
It was laughable. While Odette was a count’s daughter in name, a mere maid of the countess daring to question her presence in the count’s study—that was what truly crossed the line.
“Even you, a maid, are free to come into the study, yet as the daughter of the count, I’m not allowed?”
Odette sat leisurely on the sofa in the study. Knowing full well why the maid had come, her flustered appearance was simply amusing.
Madam must be brazen too, coming here just to return my ID.
Odette recalled the sound of the mail carriage she had heard yesterday.
Yesterday was the deadline for the final settlement of the human trafficking money. She must’ve come to return my ID and personal seal that were used to claim the money.
Kidnapping, human trafficking, drug smuggling, demoting the Fenril clan to third-class citizens and locking them in camps…
Those were the filthy crimes the count had committed using Odette’s name.
While hiding the fact that she was adopted, he played the role of the doting father who couldn’t bear to punish his beloved daughter for her wrongdoings.
Even as her reputation crumbled, the count’s name remained spotless.
Today, Madam Becker was here because Odette’s ID, personal seal, and wax insignia were stored in this room.
They probably used them like public property, every time my name was needed for some crime.
Lazy in every other respect, yet he was remarkably diligent when it came to doing evil.
“Oh, you think I won’t? I’ll call the madam right now—!”
“Then I’ll tell Mother right away too. I’ll ask if she knows where her favorite garnet earrings and the necklace with the Inhyup stone are.”
“……!”
“I’ll tell her they’re hidden under your bed.”
Becker’s face went pale.
Of course she’s shocked. It’s a secret only I could’ve known.
She had no way of knowing that, in her past life, while fleeing from male leads, Odette had encountered Fernan’s old nanny among a band of beggars.
Three years ago, wanting to keep Odette’s adoption an absolute secret, the count had murdered nearly all of the household staff.
Maids, butlers, cooks, even the coachman—slaughtered. Fernan’s nanny had barely escaped and survived in hiding among beggars.
That nanny, driven by hatred, revealed countless secrets about the count’s family. Even though Odette, her tongue cut out, couldn’t respond, the woman told her everything.
It’s laughable. This is one of the most trivial secrets I know, yet she’s reacting like this.
If she was this terrified just because she got caught stealing two pieces of jewelry, how had she managed to commit all those audacious crimes?
Now I’m curious. Did trust ever exist between you and my mother?
In her previous life, the butler, Paula, and even Becker—every last one of them had banded together to falsely accuse Odette.
So now she wondered: when she, the family’s communal punching bag, wasn’t around, would the household still be so united?
If true trust existed between them, Madam Becker would leave immediately.
Even if Odette tattled, if her mother trusted Becker, her words would carry no weight.
With interest piqued, Odette watched to see what Becker would choose. Depending on the outcome, she could predict whether future attempts to stir the household would succeed.
Becker fidgeted nervously, hesitating, but Odette leisurely watched her squirm.
The answer is obvious anyway.
If true camaraderie had existed between them, Becker would never have stolen in the first place.
In the end, Becker stayed. All she could do was glare at Odette with bulging eyes.
“What are you doing? Go on and fetch Mother.”
Pretending to encourage her, Odette spoke with a smile. Becker bit her lip and, with a voice full of humiliation, asked:
“What do you want from me?”
There it is. I knew it.
Odette couldn’t help but scoff. She had once admired people like Becker, wanting to be part of their world.
Becker glared at the detestable girl.
A filthy orphan dares to threaten me?
The thought infuriated her.
Something worse than the livestock in this house was acting as though she were the real count’s daughter?
Having grown up as the daughter of a rather reputable lawyer, Becker felt no humiliation worse than this.
And what is that dress she’s wearing?
The navy-blue gown made Odette’s pale skin and turquoise eyes look almost otherworldly.
Her composed demeanor was both captivating and cold. Had her features always looked this aristocratic?
Was she really feeling elegance toward the duke’s toy?
No one in this house would’ve given her money. Where on earth did she get that expensive outfit?
Knowing exactly how Odette was treated, Madam Becker found the sight both laughable and offensive.
In her fury, she bit the inside of her mouth.
I’ll endure this for now. But once this situation is handled, I’ll tear that brat apart.
Becker planned to move the stolen jewelry to another room as soon as she went back upstairs.
Better to frame someone else than Odette right now.
Lize. I’ll hide it in that annoying maid’s wardrobe.
As long as there was no direct evidence, there was nothing Odette could do.
I’ll get that dumb laundry maid fired too, and then ask the madam to beat that brat senseless.
This was just a temporary humiliation. She would repay it with interest later.
Even thinking that, her pride was still wounded.
How dare that plaything of Fernan insult me?
“What?! Say it! What do you want from me?!”
Naturally, her voice came out shrill.
She knew just how pathetic this girl was—and thus, her motives were just as low.
At most, she probably wants me to say something nice to the madam on her behalf, or to look out for her from now on. Something petty like that.
Even her life’s goals were utterly base.
She clearly remembered the pitiful sight of Odette clinging to her hem, begging her to stop the madam from disowning her.
She dares hold my weakness over me, just to make a stupid little request?
Her irritation burst out.
“If you’ve got something to say, say it quic—”
“The key to the safe in your hand. Hand it over.”
What?
A chill ran down her spine. How could Odette know about this safe?
Only the madam, the master, the young master, and I know about it.
Even the butler and housekeeper didn’t know. If there was anyone in this house who shouldn’t know, it was Odette.
No. Anything but this.
Becker hurriedly composed herself.
“What are you talking about, my lady? Did you eat something strange?”
“A poor attempt at acting. Don’t waste time stalling—just hand it over. I know exactly why you’re here.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! I came to find a book, obviously! I’m here on the madam’s errand. Just running a simple errand for her!”
Becker feigned innocence.
She can’t fight me physically with that frail body, anyway.
As long as she didn’t lose the key, it was fine.
“How loyal you are to my mother.”
What clued Becker in that something was very wrong was the smirk that curled on Odette’s lips.
“So amusing. How does such loyalty lead to you becoming my father’s mistress?”
Becker’s face turned ashen. How did this girl know her biggest secret?
“Are you sure you don’t have the key?”
“……”
Becker could do nothing but quietly hand over the small piece of metal. Along with it, she surrendered Odette’s ID and personal seal.
Shaken by Odette’s sudden change, she was too stunned to react.
Because of that, she didn’t notice Odette fitting the key into the secret safe and unlocking the hidden mechanism.
Nor did she notice as Odette slipped confidential documents and memory crystals, known only to the count, into her sleeve.
