~Chapter 18~
The kitchen burst into laughter as someone recited the gossip magazine article.
Even if they were high nobles, people always gossiped when they weren’t around.
While everyone was laughing, a quiet sobbing came from the kitchen corner.
It was the new maid who had “burned the tea leaves” four days ago. The kitchen staff treated her like a ghost, not knowing she was innocent.
The head chef, Jeffrey, used to look out for her as the youngest, but after too many mistakes, he had stopped caring.
The loud maid with her hair up glanced at the corner.
“We almost got ruined because of that newbie! She burned the tea leaves and only told us on the day of the party. Can you believe it?”
“That’s right! If Keshi hadn’t told the young lady, we’d all be fired without severance.”
“And the young lady didn’t show her face until the party ended. I wonder if something happened.”
“Oh, come on… She always stayed in her room anyway.”
“Not lately. I heard she had tea with Count Lenister often. The head chef said the Freesia Garden party was her responsibility.”
“That’s why there were so many mistakes. What would we have done without Keshi?”
“That’s right! If she hadn’t noticed the expensive tea leaves were burned, we’d only find out on the day of the party. We’re lucky Countess Malone was so forgiving… The young lady is lucky, too.”
Everyone agreed, seeing how Solia became a baron’s daughter overnight.
The maid with her hair up kept going, looking at the new maid.
“If the head chef wasn’t quick-thinking, the party would have been a disaster! And our Keshi—she’s amazing at dealing with trouble!”
Everyone praised Keshi, and the bob-haired maid tried to hide her smile, bowing humbly.
“It was only possible because everyone helped me.”
The new maid’s chest burned with frustration. This wasn’t the first time she’d taken the blame for Keshi’s mistakes.
“Be nice to Keshi, newbie. She’s the only one looking out for you.”
The new maid wanted to shout.
Keshi was only helping because she had something to hold over her. She’d been blaming her for everything.
“Didn’t you get this job with a fake ID? If I speak up, you’ll get fired, right?”
“I have nowhere else to go. Please…”
“Oh, look at you. Do I seem so heartless?”
The new maid fell to her knees and begged. Keshi smirked and whispered:
“From now on, every mistake I make is your fault. Even if the head chef asks, say it was you. It annoys me how people go easy on you just because you’re young.”
If she told the truth, Keshi might reveal her secret. The new maid shivered and curled up, only standing when the bell rang. She walked forward in a daze, staring at the wide-open kitchen window.
Ding, ding—
In the evening, the bell rang from the tall tower outside.
She wished she could just disappear forever.
At that moment, the new maid, Buddy, heard a graceful voice in her empty ears.
“Who was in charge of the tea at the party?”
Someone was calling for Buddy.
Buddy looked up. Someone was coming into the kitchen, their face shadowed by the light.
“Everyone, please greet the young lady properly.”
The calm woman following was Edel, the young lady’s personal maid.
Buddy’s eyes grew wide, her lifeless gaze freezing at the kitchen entrance.
A light, graceful walk. Straight shoulders. The beautiful noble lady entered with perfect posture.
“Why is everyone so tense? You all look like you’ve done something wrong.”
Solia, the second master of the house, swept her blue eyes over the kitchen.
The quick-witted head chef bowed fast, and the rest of the staff quickly followed.
Without any formal greetings, Solia asked directly:
“Who burned the tea leaves?”
Her cool gaze swept the room. The staff nervously looked at each other.
After a long silence, the veteran maid Keshi stepped forward.
“It was the new maid, Buddy, who prepared it, miss. I should have trained her better… I’m sorry.”
Buddy squeezed her eyes shut. She knew it was over for her.
“So, it was you.”
Solia walked straight over and stood before Buddy.
Buddy, pale with fear, shook as she remembered the young lady’s reputation for being harsh.
“I’m sorry… It was my mistake. Please, forgive me, miss.”
But at that moment:
“Here you are. The one who made the party a great success!”
Solia smiled softly and hugged the trembling Buddy.
“Buddy, you saved me.”
In a firm hug, Buddy stopped breathing for a second.
Solia brought her lips close to Buddy’s ear and whispered,
“I know, all of it.”
Her low voice was for Buddy alone.
“…Ah, miss…”
Buddy broke down in tears.
Buddy cried hard, still in my arms.
As her tears soaked my shoulder, Edel apologized for her, fussing over me even though I’d already been treated by a healer.
“It’s fine. I can just change clothes.”
I looked around. Everyone was stunned.
‘They must have expected me to punish Buddy harshly.’
They probably thought I’d slap her and fire her. But instead, I hugged her tightly.
Buddy was all alone in the world. She looked no older than fourteen.
“But Buddy’s mistake nearly ruined the party…”
Keshi said, pointing at Buddy. I asked coolly,
“You.”
“Y-yes, miss?”
“Keshi, right? You were Buddy’s mentor. What were you doing when the new maid was burning the tea leaves? Did you teach her properly?”
“I was busy with party prep and didn’t pay enough attention… I’m sorry, miss. I have no excuse.”
Keshi apologized immediately, hiding her nervousness with a calm smile.
‘This one’s good at this.’
I smiled.
‘Since Baron Rotten can’t interfere for a month, it’s time to set things straight in the house.’
I rolled up my sleeves and lifted Keshi’s chin.
“How dare you talk so easily. Do you think I’m a joke? Is that why?”
“You misunderstand, miss.”
Even though I knew the truth, Keshi stubbornly denied it.
“Why did you lie? You burned the tea leaves, didn’t you?”
“……What?”
Only then did Keshi react with a trembling body. I brushed her cheek and smiled.
“You asked my maid for a favor and now pretend you didn’t?”
“Th-that’s not, not true, miss. You must have misunderstood…”
“Be quiet. Don’t babble.”
I added, smiling coldly,
“Are you saying loyal Edel lied to me? Can you handle that?”
“Th-that…”
Keshi’s eyes darted around, scared things were getting out of hand.
“Let me ask again. Who burned the tea leaves six days ago?”
“I told you, it wasn’t me! Buddy just made a mistake!”
As expected, Keshi wouldn’t admit it.
“Are you saying the new maid was put in charge of expensive tea leaves?”
“M-miss!”
Keshi called out in fear. She hadn’t expected me to press this far.
“Yes, this would be a problem for the whole kitchen. I should blame the head chef too.”
“Keshi! Tell the truth! I specifically told you to handle it!”
Head chef Jeffrey, who had been busy running the party, shouted in shock. Keshi’s hands shook.
“I see… You didn’t expect things to get this big.”
I clicked my tongue softly, then leaned in to Keshi’s ear.
“Speak up yourself. This is your first and last chance.”
I warned her, then stepped back.
Frightened, Keshi glared at Buddy with bloodshot eyes.
Buddy bowed her head under the silent threat.
“Buddy.”
Buddy looked up at me.
“Tell the truth, Buddy. Crying won’t fix anything. Even a new maid should have pride if she wants to keep working.”
Still sniffling, Buddy clutched her maid’s uniform and raised her head.
“Senior Keshi burned the tea leaves. But she made me say it was my fault…”
Buddy couldn’t finish her sentence, but by now, the whole kitchen understood what had happened.
