Naomi, who had come out of the viscount’s room, ordered the maids to turn Lydia’s room upside down. And other maids would be capturing and dragging Lydia here.

Naomi clenched her fist. Her heart was pounding.

“Search thoroughly! The emerald necklace must be in here!”

“Yes, Head Maid!”

Naomi swallowed dryly. The necklace must be found on Lydia.

If she made a mistake, she herself could get entangled and be driven out.

To dare touch the viscount’s belongings. This would have been a serious crime punishable by cutting off one’s wrist in the past.

Sparks flew in Naomi’s eyes.

If all else failed, she planned to frame Lydia for selling the necklace. She had already arranged with some maids.

If Naomi reported to the viscount, they would become witnesses.

The fire Adeline had started was blazing and spreading.

“Wh-what is the meaning of this!”

Lydia, who had been dragged in, screamed. The maids rushed to subdue Lydia as she thrashed about.

Pinned to the floor like a frog, Lydia’s eyes rolled back.

“Do you think Lady Esme will just stand by and watch this! I will report everything you’ve done to Lady Esme, Head Maid!”

“Lady Esme, you say. I see your master is Lady Esme, not the viscount.”

Naomi retorted coldly.

“All of this is by the viscount’s order!”

“What do you mean…? Why would the viscount…”

“The emerald necklace disappeared from the viscount’s room! It was a keepsake left by his late mother!”

Lydia’s face turned pale. Things had taken an unfortunate turn.

If the necklace was found among Lydia’s possessions, not even Lady Esme or the deceased viscount coming back to life could save her.

“I-It wasn’t me! How dare I touch the viscount’s keepsake! I don’t know who it was, but it wasn’t me, Head Maid!”

Lydia screamed. Adeline should have died from the poison! What kind of luck does she have to survive the poison and persecute me like this!

“Please call Lady Esme! Lady Esme!”

The maids held down the struggling Lydia and searched her body.

“F-found it!”

The emerald necklace came out of Lydia’s apron pocket. It was clearly an item too grand for a maid to possess.

Naomi’s face visibly brightened.

‘This worked out easily!’

She could frame Lydia as the culprit without having to fabricate anything else.

“This is unfair, Head Maid! It wasn’t me! It’s not me! Th-that woman did it! That woman put the necklace in my pocket…!”

Thwack!

Lydia, struck by the maids, fell face-down on the floor.

“Who are you falsely accusing! Head Maid! We must report this to the viscount! To think such a thing would happen in the Westley viscount’s household!”

Naomi nodded.

“Good work. I will report this to the viscount myself. Lock this woman in the warehouse! And take turns guarding her in pairs.”

“Yes!”

The maids nodded with flushed faces. The viscount’s necklace had been found in Lydia’s pocket.

This incident would cause an uproar in the viscount’s household in one way or another.

*

Esme entered the study with a somber face. Adeline, who had come back from the brink of death, had called Esme to the study as if she had eaten rat poison.

What wind had blown for that girl who hadn’t set foot in the study since her father’s death? A maid had apparently stolen Adeline’s belongings, and Esme was curious to see which foolish woman it was.

All of this must have happened because of that maid.

‘No. If only Lydia had done her job properly, that girl wouldn’t be of this world.’

But it was alright. Heaven was on Esme’s side, and there were plenty of opportunities to kill Adeline.

Adeline was just an innocent young girl. Esme, wrapping herself in the kindest expression possible, spoke gently.

“You called for me? You should rest more, Adeline. Who dared to get you out of bed?”

“… Mother.”

Adeline called Esme in a feeble voice.

Esme’s face softened even more. Adeline was still weak and dependent.

If Esme soothed her well, she would be easy to manipulate.

Moreover, Adeline was particularly vulnerable to Esme. Perhaps because she lost her mother at a young age. She was a child who would believe even if Esme said the sea had become the sky.

“What’s the matter? Tell me.”

“Lydia stole my necklace. Fortunately, Naomi noticed and retrieved it for me.”

Adeline lowered her head with an upset face.

“Oh my.”

Esme raised her voice. Lydia! That foolish woman had done it again.

She must have acted out after Esme cut off her money for failing to kill Adeline. But even so, to lay hands on the viscount’s necklace?

She had done something that should never have been done. Moreover, this was a matter where Adeline’s side had to be taken no matter what.

If handled wrongly, it could set a bad precedent for other maids.

“That maid needs to be properly punished, if only to set an example. Leave it all to your mother…”

“But, Mother.”

Adeline mumbled. Esme urged Adeline on. Adeline’s bad point was that she didn’t say what needed to be said all at once.

“Adeline. Mother feels like she’s going to suffocate.”

Adeline spoke, whimpering.

“Lydia kept asking for you, Mother.”

“Wh-what?”

“Saying you would save her…”

Adeline trailed off. Adeline gazed at Esme with eyes full of tears. Those eyes were filled with trust.

“I believe you wouldn’t do such a thing, but… Mother, you’ll take my side, won’t you? I trust you, Mother.”

Esme swallowed. The maid who didn’t know her place had done more than just steal.

To dare mention Esme’s name? Esme clenched her fist and spoke.

“Of course, Adeline. Don’t worry. I don’t know why that maid asked for me, but it’s probably because I’m the elder of this household. I’ll make sure she’s properly punished.”

“I trust you, Mother.”

The fruit plucked using another’s hand was intoxicatingly sweet. Adeline barely suppressed a smile. Adeline feigned a tired voice as best she could.

“I want to visit the temple for a while, Mother.”

“The temple?”

Just as Esme was about to object with a displeased look, Adeline let tears fall drop by drop.

“Yes, Mother. I heard Simon couldn’t overcome the pneumonia. You took care of the body and held the funeral… I want to pray for Simon. You’ll handle Lydia’s matter well in the meantime, won’t you, Mother? To be honest, I don’t want to… think about such matters yet. I’m sorry, Mother.”

Hearing Adeline’s words, Esme quickly changed her mind.

As Adeline said, it would be much easier to handle things if she were away.

If Lydia had any evidence of her deal with Esme, that would need to be erased as well.

Moreover, it was just like the fragile Adeline to say she wanted to pray for Simon.

‘Tsk. How nice it would have been if you had gone with him.’

Esme comforted Adeline.

“That’s a good idea. Make sure to take your medicine. But you’ll need to take a maid with you…”

Adeline quickly shook her head.

‘Why did I get rid of Lydia? I can’t go out with a tumor attached.’

Adeline spoke softly.

“I’m just going to pray anyway. It will take about 3 days. I’ll try to find someone at the temple.”

Esme erased her troubled expression and smiled brightly. She had been wondering which maid to assign anyway.

She couldn’t go find an obedient maid right now, nor could she assign one of her own maids.

Esme didn’t want to suffer any loss at all.

“You will?”

Esme seemed to harbor no suspicions towards Adeline. It couldn’t be helped. Until now, Adeline had trusted Esme.

Moreover, this time too, Adeline had passed on the task of dealing with the thieving maid to Esme.

Esme wouldn’t want to arouse Adeline’s suspicions either, so she would make an example of Lydia.

I planned to use this opportunity to go to the temple and find my own maid. A maid I could trust and entrust not only with my affairs but also those of this mansion.

Three days would be enough.

“Thank you for allowing me, Mother.”

“You’re saying unnecessary things. I’ll tell Jayden to take you to the temple tomorrow.”

Adeline smiled. This much she could accept.

After all, whatever Jayden might think inside, outwardly he was a younger brother who adored his sister dearly.