Seated in the best spot on the first floor of the coffee house, I ate parfait after parfait while staring at the wall.
“Yeah, keep going.” At my order to continue installing the partition wall, all the coffee house staff except for Liliv turned their attention toward me.
“…Lady? Are you the owner of that wall by any chance?”
Probably, the brim of my hat cast a deep shadow over my face, making it hard for them to see my features. I’d dressed in a rather beautiful dress for the occasion, and judging by their fluttering expressions, they seemed to have decided that I wasn’t someone they could easily handle.
“I hope you’ll break down that wall as quickly as possible.”
She was the one who always stood near Mariposa like a maid—the same woman who always cursed me behind closed doors. In the not-so-distant future, she would rise to a high position in the guild and receive Mariposa’s favor, becoming a character who thrives.
“Isn’t Lady Giselle somewhat ambiguous to be called a noble?”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
“Her shabby dress, uncouth manners, appearance—There’s nothing admirable about her.”
And how about the owner of the coffeehouse next to us? He was originally a shop owner, but when I once stopped by the shop on an errand for my mother, he pretended it was an accident and harassed me.
“Why don’t you wear a more revealing dress? It’d suit you.”
…Disgusting creep. Shivers ran down my spine, and I raised my parfait.
“I think something in here is spoiled.”
“…What?”
I let the glass drop to the floor as if throwing it. With a crash, the parfait spilled and made a mess.
“W-What are you doing?”
“Well? Why aren’t you bringing me a new one?”
“But how can we know if it’s spoiled or not…”
“Are you mocking a noble? Are you saying my palate is off?” As they exchanged confused looks, I smiled sweetly and drove the point home. “Make a new one. Don’t think about ordering someone else. You, redhead, you make it. Otherwise, I’ll spill it all out again.”
In this world where there’s no such thing as ‘handling a difficult customer’, the staff looked unsure how to deal with a troublesome noble who had suddenly appeared.
“…Y-Yes, I’ll do it.”
After a few rounds of running them ragged, their faces were filled with dark clouds.
“Bring out the owner.”
“…You’ll regret this, Lady. Our coffeehouse’s real owner is—”
“Just bring him. I have something to say.” I crossed my legs with a smirk, looking at the coffee house owner who tried to threaten me. Meanwhile, I could see Mariposa hurrying over on the other side of the partition wall.
“What is the meaning of this, Giselle? Acting with such baseless confidence?”
I lifted my chin with pride and lightly waved a contract document. “Ah, Giselle was hoping to see you.”
“What’s that document?”
“Didn’t father tell you? To stay put and reflect. This business was started with Florette’s family money, right?”
“T-That’s…”
“To be precise, the ledgers show it was money embezzled from the Florette family. You remember the financial statements drawn up by that accounting genius, Kima, right?”
“…You—no, how did Kima know about that!”
“Starting from years ago, the money you embezzled was used to buy this building’s lot. You probably didn’t know since you left it to your subordinates.”
With this, even if she went to court, things would go against her, and public opinion would be even worse.
I smiled sweetly and drove in the final nail. “If the family sues you and holds you responsible in court, it’ll be worth seeing, don’t you think?” In my hand was a contract.
[Return the coffee house to the family as property.]
Seeing that clause at the top, Mariposa nearly fainted, clutching her neck.
* * *
“Y-You, what is this…!” Mariposa clenched her fists and trembled.
That foolish girl dared to undermine her very foundation. Grinding her teeth, she raised her hand to slap Giselle as she always did. But…
“Stop the nonsense and sign the contract now, before Giselle sues you for embezzlement.”
If charged with embezzlement, she’d almost certainly be kicked out of the family. Being cast out from the family was a social death—something she had to avoid at all costs.
Mariposa quickly skimmed through the contract. Right, there’s a [Confidentiality Clause]—this girl can’t spread rumors carelessly either.
Seeing her eyes land on the confidentiality clause, Giselle nodded her chin. “Yeah, there’s a confidentiality clause, right? Hurry up and sign.”
Thinking of it as one step back for two steps forward, Mariposa signed with a painful expression. It’s just a coffee house, after all. As long as my son becomes the family head, I can get it back.
After Mariposa finished signing, Giselle tucked the contract away and smiled widely. “Isn’t this just perfect?”
Mariposa bit her lip in anger over her stinging defeat. At that moment, the partition wall half-collapsed, and Count Florette appeared, looking grim.
“Mariposa Florette.” Someone grabbed her hand and shouted menacingly. “I came because I received an anonymous letter about you embezzling the family’s money, and I see you’re truly shameless.”
“B-Brother?”
To appear so suddenly, and to find out about her embezzlement?
“Oh my, <Anonymous Letter>! How fascinating.”
No. This must be Giselle’s doing, too. Mariposa glared at Giselle in anger.
Giselle just smiled brightly and waved her hand. “Hmm? What is it?”
“If you have something to say, don’t glare at that child—say it to me.”
“B-Brother. T-That just…”
“Not only did you embezzle, but when I told you to stay put within this family, you dared to scheme and siphon funds through this coffee house?”
Count Florette looked at Mariposa, then at the servants who’d come with her, and spoke. “Confess everything you’ve done so far.”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been lying this whole time. Even arranging for Giselle to be engaged to a man thirty years older than her, that was one of your outrageous actions, wasn’t it?”
“B-Brother.”
Looking at Giselle, who stood tall, he gritted his teeth and muttered, “I can’t keep you and Giselle in the same place.”
“What?”
“Leave our family, Mariposa Florette.”
It meant she was being kicked out with nothing.
After being divorced by her ex-husband, Mariposa had used Giselle as a public enemy and scapegoat, weaving her influence throughout society. But once news spread that she’d been expelled from the family, she would certainly be ruined socially.
“B-Brother. Please, I beg you…! Asking me to leave the family is the same as asking me to die!”
“You should be thankful it’s not actual death.”
Count Florette’s piercing gaze seemed to break something inside her. Mariposa’s voice turned tearful, desperate. “I-I admit my wrongdoing. I’ll leave. But at least my son… Abisan did nothing wrong. He might have squabbled with Giselle, but that’s all.”
“Hmm, is that so?” Giselle looked interested and thoughtful.
Whatever the case, Mariposa could not remain in this family. So, leaving Abisan in the Florette household was the most sensible option. That way, she could at least hope to return one day.
But is that really a wise choice? I doubt it.
* * *
Except for Mariposa, the three of them returned to the Florette mansion.
It was late that night.
“I’ve finalized Mariposa’s punishment. She’s confined to a small, shabby house and can’t contact anyone.”
Grinding his teeth as he remembered Count Florette’s harsh voice while lying in bed, Abisan muttered, “Giselle Florette, that stupid girl dared to slander my mother…!” He would never forgive her.
Whenever he hit her, or rather, when his teacher hit her, she would cower, cry, and whimper like a beaten dog. Yeah, if I hit her again, she’ll listen.
He glanced out the window, then sneered and quietly slipped out of bed. It was a moonless night, pitch-black and perfect for his purposes. He opened the door to poor Giselle’s room, who had not a single maid by her side…
“Found you, Giselle Florette.”
Abisan rushed at Giselle, who was resting with her eyes closed against the headboard. The moment his fist, as always, aimed mercilessly at Giselle, her eyes flashed open.
