Vicki entered the room with an innocent face. Her eyes glanced toward the desk where Arasila had ostentatiously laid out the jewelry.

Vicki, who had unconsciously stared at the sparkling jewels for a long time, bowed her head half a beat late.

“You called for me, Lady Arasila.”

“Vicki, what is your job here?”

“……Pardon?”

“I’m asking what your assigned duties are in this castle.”

Confused by the sudden question, Vicki was perplexed. Arasila sat in her chair, leisurely waiting for her answer.

“Ah, that….. Currently, I am serving Lady Arasila. Usually, I manage the annex, clean the Duchess’s room, or run various errands.”

“Is that so? So the Duchess sent you to me as a way to keep tabs.”

“……Pardon?”

“Did she tell you to serve me in a way that would adequately irritate me?”

Vicki’s face rapidly hardened. Quickly grasping the situation, she changed her expression completely and began to play dumb.

“I don’t understand what you’re suddenly saying. Perhaps you’re not satisfied with my service? If that’s the case, I can voluntarily speak to the head maid and withdraw……”

“What did the Duchess promise you? A promotion? Money? Hmm, it’s probably money.”

“Lady Arasila, why are you doing this? I really haven’t done anything like that.”

Vicki whimpered as if she would burst into tears at any moment. It was a fairly good acting performance, but unfortunately, it didn’t work on Arasila.

She extended her hand forward. In the blink of an eye, a magic construct shot out in a straight line from her fingertips, grazing Vicki’s hair and dispersing.

Feeling threatened in that moment, Vicki froze in place. Arasila smiled sweetly.

“Do I really have to show you like this that there’s no use in making excuses? Vicki, tell me what the Duchess ordered you to do and what she promised in return.”

Vicki answered, squeezing her eyes shut.

“If I tell you, I’m as good as dead.”

“You’ll die even if you don’t.”

“Then I’ll tell you!”

Having just felt the power of the magic construct, Vicki quickly dropped to her knees and cried out.

“Please spare my life……”

She clasped her hands together and begged with teary eyes. Arasila nodded readily.

The task the Duchess had given Vicki was not far from what was expected. It was to observe Arasila’s movements and daily routine and report back, while subtly providing unpleasant service.

And surprisingly, there was nothing Vicki was supposed to receive in return.

It seemed that since she wasn’t hiring someone from outside but using a maid who already worked in the lord’s castle, the Duchess felt no need to provide extra compensation.

From the maids’ perspective, the Duchess was an absolute figure, so they had to obey whatever she ordered.

‘This actually works out better. It’ll be easier to buy her loyalty.’

People always desire tasks with rewards; no one wants to suffer without any compensation.

Arasila grabbed Vicki’s shoulders and lifted her up. She led her to the table covered with jewelry and spoke in a much softer voice.

“Vicki, if you do me a favor, I’ll give you all of this. What do you think?”

“W-what kind of favor?”

When had she stopped trembling in fear? Vicki swallowed hard as she gazed greedily at the jewelry before her.

Arasila patted her shoulder slowly and spoke in a gentle tone.

“It’s very simple. You know the former Duchess’s room on the third floor, right? Bring me the key to that room from the Duchess.”

“That’s impossible! Madam hates even anyone talking about that room. It’s off-limits to maids. If I’m caught, I’ll be dead!”

Vicki shook her head vigorously, her face turning pale with shock.

Given the current Duchess’s sensitive reaction to the former Duchess’s room, it was absolutely unacceptable.

Arasila raised one eyebrow. If the maid was this afraid, there must be something in that room, she thought.

Or perhaps the Duchess hated the very existence of it, thinking it a remnant of the former wife.

‘I wonder why she keeps the room if she hates it so much. This makes me want to enter that room even more.’

Perhaps the will really was hidden there.

Arasila smiled brightly and grabbed Vicki’s shoulders.

“Vicki, what do you think will happen if you refuse my request?”

“……I’ll die?”

“Then what should you do?”

“I-I’ll do it.”

Vicki made a pitiful face, feeling her life threatened.

She had misunderstood Arasila as a cruel magician who mercilessly abused magic against civilians due to how casually she had fired the magic construct earlier.

Of course, Arasila had no intention whatsoever of harming anyone with magic, but she deliberately refrained from offering any reassuring explanation that might put Vicki at ease.

Originally, to manipulate someone, especially someone else’s subordinate, as one wished, a bit of fear was necessary.

The Duchess received reports from the maids with a bored expression.

Several days had passed since Arasila came down to the duchy, but there was no particular reaction from her. She just let the maids’ rude attitudes slide and responded moderately to the Duke’s family’s provocations.

The Duchess frowned at the report that all Arasila did was lounge around in her room or engage in displays of affection when meeting Demian.

‘How cunning. She’s deliberately avoiding doing anything that could be picked on.’

The Duchess clicked her tongue, remembering how Arasila didn’t even blink when she deliberately called all the ladies who followed her to put pressure on Arasila at a tea party.

How could such a young thing be so shrewd and strong-willed? The Duchess tsk-tsked.

She had expected Arasila wouldn’t be easy to deal with, but she had hoped for at least some signs of wavering. However, the lack of any reaction was somewhat disappointing.

The Duchess, who had changed Arasila’s assigned maids, waved her hand to call one of the maids standing behind her.

“Call Baroness Fanning.”

“Yes, Madam.”

As the maid left, she then ordered the head maid.

“Bring that dress.”

“Understood.”

The head maid came out of the dressing room with a white box. The Duchess opened the box lid to check the dress inside.

The faded green dress had an antique design, and though it looked slightly worn, it appeared luxurious due to the expensive fabric used.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen this dress.’

She looked over the dress with eyes that could have been expressing longing, regret, or perhaps disgust.

After neatly folding it back into the box and closing the lid, Yona, who had rushed over after being summoned, appeared.

“You called for me, Madam.”

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Anything you say.”

Yona bowed excessively, taking a submissive posture.

At least the part about ‘being out of the Duchess’s favor’ that she had told Arasila was true.

She was used to living as an outcast within the narrow domain. To make up for this, Baroness Fanning was prepared to do anything.

“Give this dress as a gift to Lady Vandermir.”

“……May I ask what kind of dress it is?”

“Look closely. It’s a dress you know well.”

Yona opened the lid of the box. And the moment she saw the dress inside, the muscles around her mouth trembled on her stiffened face.

Seeing this reaction, the Duchess burst into a pleasant laugh.

“Why… why give this to Lady Vandermir……”

The Duchess gently smiled while pressing down on Yona’s shoulders, which were filled with guilt as she asked.

“You just do as I tell you.”

Colin came to visit.

Demian had not forgotten to ask for an investigation into Baroness Fanning, and he came to report the results to Arasila.

Up close, Colin, with his neatly combed hair and thin silver-rimmed glasses, had an intellectual yet surprisingly gentle impression.

However, he always suppressed his presence and remained taciturn, so his good impression didn’t stand out much.

After briefly exchanging greetings with Arasila, Colin immediately got to the point.

“Baroness Fanning was close friends with the former Duchess. She took the former Duchess’s side a lot when she was alive.”

Arasila’s eyes widened slightly at this unexpected information. Colin pushed up his glasses and continued.

“So after the Duchess changed, she was practically expelled from the duchy’s social circles. As a result, her entire family suffered disadvantages.”

Her husband was demoted, and her children couldn’t find work and left for other regions.

Yona barely avoided being completely driven out of the duchy by groveling to the current Duchess after her remarriage.

She had been so oppressed that she couldn’t even leave her house for a while, but recently she had started to interact with other noble ladies bit by bit.

“Still, among those who were close to the former Duchess, the Baroness is the only one who has somewhat recovered her influence.”

After finishing his report, Colin bowed politely and withdrew.

Arasila was left alone with her thoughts. If she was friends with the former Duchess, there should be no need to be wary, but the fact that she was the only one to recover her influence bothered her.

‘If that’s the case, it’s strange that the Baroness was at the Duchess’s tea party back then.’

No matter how much time had passed, it was incomprehensible that the Duchess would invite a friend of the former Duchess to her gathering.

Given the Duchess’s personality, it was obvious she would hold a grudge until death.

‘Perhaps… the Baroness approached me on the Duchess’s orders, like Vicki?’

If so, for what purpose did she approach?

As if sensing Arasila’s curiosity, a letter arrived from Yona.

It asked if they could have tea together.

After some consideration, Arasila accepted her proposal. The best way to gauge a person’s intentions was to confront them directly.

The next afternoon, the two met in the reception room of the lord’s castle.

Originally, Arasila had offered to visit the Baron’s residence, but Yona refused. She said she had a surprise gift and it would be troublesome to bring it, so she would bring it herself.

When Arasila leisurely appeared in the reception room, Yona, who had been waiting anxiously for her, brightened up.

“Have you been well, Lady Vandermir?”

“Yes, and you?”

“I’ve been well too. Ah, this is the surprise gift I brought.”

Yona spread her arms over the table, indicating a large, flat box and a thin, long box.

Arasila sat quietly on the sofa and examined the two boxes. Yona first handed her the large, flat box.

“What is this?”

“Why don’t you check for yourself?”

Yona smiled somewhat awkwardly as she urged. Arasila prepared to cast a barrier if necessary as she opened the box.

Fortunately, there was only a dress inside the box.

‘It’s a bit old, but pretty and of good quality.’

After slightly rummaging through the dress and looking at Yona, she said with an excessively smiling face.

“I thought it would look pretty on you, so I brought it. Take a closer look. It might not suit your taste.”

“Hmm, what’s in that box?”

“This? It’s wine made from grapes from the vineyard our family manages.”

Yona took out a wine bottle from the thin, long box with trembling hands.

Arasila slightly furrowed her brow as Yona’s hands were shaking so much it looked concerning.

“Baroness, are you alright?”

“Ah….. I have a tremor. Don’t worry too much about it. Would you like to have a drink?”

Arasila, who had been staring at Yona as she struggled to open the wine bottle due to her severe hand tremors, suddenly said.

“I heard you were close with the former Duchess.”

“……!”

Yona’s expression subtly stiffened. Her hands shook more violently. Even so, she didn’t stop trying to uncork the bottle.

“As a friend of the former Duchess, it must not have been easy to be invited to the current Duchess’s tea party. How did you manage?”

“……”

“Perhaps the current Duchess told you to approach me deliberately? That she would forgive your friendship with the former Duchess if you did?”

“……”

“Are these gifts prepared to gain my favor, or are they something you’ve been ordered to give me to put me in a difficult position?”

Yona squeezed her eyes shut at the calmly continuing words. The wine bottle slipped from her hands.

The bottle that fell onto the table shattered, and the alcohol inside splattered everywhere.

Some of it drenched the dress.

Seeing the dress stained a deep color, Yona flinched in surprise. Arasila sighed and called for Audrey, who was waiting outside the door.

“You called, Madam?”

“Audrey. Could you clean up the glass shards and wine, and wash the dress to remove as much of the stain as possible?”

“No, no! Just… just throw away the dress.”

Yona said urgently. She couldn’t even look Arasila in the eye properly.

“No, I can’t throw away something you’ve given me. Audrey, take it away.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Audrey tactfully picked up the dress first and left the reception room. Arasila quietly looked at Yona, whose complexion had turned deathly pale.

“Baroness, are you going to remain silent like this? Only looking out for your own safety, even if it’s somewhat cowardly?”

Yona’s shoulders shook greatly at the words thrown deliberately as if to provoke.

Biting her lip and hanging her head low, she soon snapped back in a fierce voice.

“Think whatever you want, Lady Vandermir.”

“Baroness Fanning.”

“No matter what you say, I won’t regret it.”

From the moment Yona decided to choose practicality over maintaining friendship with her dead friend, she had resolved never to regret it.

She stood up abruptly and fled the reception room. As if being chased by something, she moved too quickly to be caught.

Arasila sat with a dumbfounded expression, then belatedly stood up to chase after her.

However, she failed as an unexpected person entered the reception room.