LPPID 03

Chapter 3

 The Lying Head Maid and the Strict Butler

“Ah… L-Lord Porthos…!”

Hannah, who had been making a fuss inside the carriage, hadn’t realized it had already arrived at the mansion.
Startled, she quickly let go of Safinia and bowed her head.

“What is the meaning of this commotion? Hannah, what were you doing to Lady Safinia!?”

The man in a tuxedo rebuked Hannah sharply.

“N-No, I was just… since the carriage had arrived at the mansion, I was only trying to help Lady Safinia down. Isn’t that right, Lady Safinia?”

As if terrified of the butler, Hannah pressed in on Safinia with bloodshot eyes.

(She was trying to take my stuffed toy, but now… she’s lying…!)

But Safinia was too frightened of Hannah to tell the truth.

“Y-Yes… that’s right…”

She answered while trembling. Hannah then curved her lips into a sinister smile and turned back to the tuxedoed man.

“Lord Porthos, you heard Lady Safinia just now, didn’t you? I was merely trying to help her down from the carriage—”

“Do not lie!”

Before Hannah could finish, Porthos’s voice thundered.

“L-Lie? I would never…”

Hannah’s face drained of color under Porthos’s glare.

“Do you think I saw nothing and would accept your lies? Hannah, you tried to take Lady Safinia’s stuffed toy from her!”

(Eh!? This old man… he saw it?)

Safinia looked up at Porthos in surprise.

“I-I admit I lied… I’m very sorry… B-But it was only because Lady Safinia’s stuffed toy was so filthy. I intended to wash it—”

“Hannah! Do you mean to lie not once but twice!? You were about to throw the toy into the incinerator!”

“Ah…”

Realizing she was cornered, Hannah slumped in defeat. Porthos looked down on her coldly.

“Get out of the carriage, Hannah.”

“…Yes…”

Hannah climbed out slowly.

“As punishment for lying, you shall receive ten lashes. In addition, you are stripped of your position as head maid and demoted to lower maid.”

“N-No! That punishment is far too severe! After all, that child is just a lower maid’s child!”

At last, Hannah pointed at Safinia and shouted her protest.

“Silence! Unless you repent of such thoughts, the punishment will be doubled to twenty lashes, and you will be dismissed outright.”

Hannah shuddered at his words.

“P-Please forgive me, Lord Porthos!”

But Porthos gave no reply. Instead, he turned to look behind him, where two footmen stood waiting.

“Take this woman away, punish her, and expel her.”

“Yes, sir.”

The two men answered calmly and seized Hannah by the arms.

“N-No! Let me go!”

Hannah struggled desperately, but the men dragged her away toward the mansion.

“Help me! Forgive meee!”

Her cries grew distant… and finally faded away completely.

“…”

Safinia, trembling, had watched the whole ordeal unfold. To her, everyone here was terrifying.

Still shivering inside the carriage, she heard Porthos call out to her.

“Lady Safinia, please come down from the carriage.”

“Y-Yes…”

She climbed down with shaking legs. Porthos bowed politely.

“Welcome, Lady Safinia. I am Porthos, the chief butler serving the Estman Ducal House. From this day forward, I humbly look forward to serving you.”

“H-Hello…”

Safinia answered timidly, her voice still trembling.

“Now then, shall I show you to the mansion?”

Porthos smiled at her—