~Chapter 38~
“I was planning to call Nanny soon and ask what really happened. I thought maybe I misunderstood something. But…”
Elias looked quietly at the ruined dress,
then bit his lower lip.
“It seems the butler did a very good investigation.”
“….”
“Do you have anything else to say, Nanny?”
At that calm question,
Mrs. Howard suddenly fell to the floor.
She looked up at Elias with teary eyes.
“Young Master!”
Young Master.
It was what she used to call him when he was little.
“You know how sincerely I served you. Both you and Lady Cecilia… I truly cared for you. Please?”
But—
her attempt to appeal to emotions
completely failed.
Even now, she was trying to escape by calling him “Young Master.”
Elias looked at her with disgust.
“Yes… there was a time when I thought you truly cared about us.”
The corner of his lips twisted.
His cold expression made Mrs. Howard swallow nervously.
“Lady Cecilia never behaves properly, even for a day.”
“How long will you keep worrying your family?”
The harsh words she once said to Cecilia.
“Of course Lady Cecilia also wants jewelry, but today is for Lady Milena.”
“You should give it to your younger sister today, understand?”
The way she publicly humiliated Cecilia over the brooch.
“Lady Milena… ordered her to ruin Lady Cecilia’s dress.”
And now—
trying to frame Milena.
Elias looked at Mrs. Howard coldly,
then turned away.
“That’s enough. Arguing more is just a waste of time.”
Mrs. Howard felt a chill down her spine.
From his tone—
she knew he had completely given up on her.
“…Young Master?”
She called him desperately.
But Elias was already looking at the Duchess.
“Mother, please leave Mrs. Howard’s punishment to me.”
“….”
The Duchess looked conflicted.
A nanny she had trusted for so long—
someone she even trusted with her children.
…She didn’t want to see this truth.
“…Alright. Do as you wish.”
She nodded heavily.
“M-my lady…?”
Mrs. Howard looked shocked.
Then—
a cold voice fell like a blade.
“From today, you are dismissed. Leave the townhouse immediately.”
Shocked,
Mrs. Howard rushed to cling to Elias.
“N-no, please! I—!”
“….”
Elias looked down at her expressionlessly.
If it were the usual Elias,
he might have softened.
But not now.
“Stop making me more angry.”
His voice was firm.
A coward—
weak to the strong,
but strong to the weak.
Because of someone like her—
Milena and Cecilia had been hurt.
“It would be better if you disappear from my sight right now.”
His purple eyes shone sharply.
“The longer you stay, the more disgusting you become to me.”
Cold sweat ran down Mrs. Howard’s back.
‘…This is real.’
Elias truly intended to cast her out.
But she couldn’t beg anymore.
Her instincts told her—
if she said one wrong word,
everything would be completely ruined.
No—
it was already too late.
“Don’t ever approach my sisters again.”
“Y-young master…”
“And if you are seen around this family again, I won’t let you go. This is a warning.”
Elias finished coldly.
At that moment—
all strength left Mrs. Howard’s body.
She collapsed to the floor.
Mrs. Howard was immediately dismissed from the Lucert Ducal family.
“Young Master, you can’t do this to me… please?!”
She cried and begged—
but the family remained firm.
She was even thrown out without a recommendation letter.
No noble family wanted her.
She tried to find work in other noble houses—
but it was useless.
After causing such a huge problem
in the empire’s greatest ducal house—
who would accept her?
After that,
the household replaced many servants.
All maids connected to Mrs. Howard were dismissed.
The final news was—
Mrs. Howard and the dismissed maids
were scattered and sent away to the countryside.
As for Mathilde—
she was not fired.
Because—
I asked for her to become my personal maid.
“…How could Mrs. Howard do such a thing…”
The Duchess looked deeply shocked.
Well—
Mrs. Howard had been trusted for a long time.
The Duke was also surprised when he heard everything—
but he didn’t scold Elias.
Instead,
he praised him.
And also—
“Cecilia, you must have had a hard time.”
“You did well.”
The Duke and Duchess looked at Cecilia warmly.
Just those few words—
made her expression brighten.
It was a little sad to see.
But—
‘Still, it’s okay.’
Because of this incident,
I gained a little hope.
At least—
when they realize Cecilia is being treated unfairly,
they try to fix it.
…Even so,
I still don’t like how they ignored her until now.
And now—
I went out to the garden with Mathilde for a walk.
But suddenly—
I stopped.
‘Hm?’
In the distance,
a young man stood there, looking uneasy.
His reddish-brown hair shone under the sunlight.
I narrowed my eyes.
‘That’s the Young Duke?’
His expression didn’t look good.
He was staring at one side of the garden,
full of worry.
At the end of his gaze—
‘Cecilia?’
It seemed Cecilia was also out for a walk.
Holding a lace parasol,
she walked lightly through the blooming garden.
What is this?
Does he have something to say to her?
I signaled Mathilde to step back,
then quickly walked toward him.
“Brother?”
“Ah!”
The Young Duke let out a small scream
and quickly looked toward Cecilia.
Luckily—
she didn’t hear.
He sighed in relief,
then turned to me.
“Milena, be quiet!”
