TWOTCL

LXVl-68

“Hmm, is there something you need?”

“We’re running low on charcoal. Could you add some more? The room is really cold, and if I fall asleep like this, I might actually get sick.”

At Elysia’s direct command, the capital maid grumbled but got up. Soon she came back with a bucket full of red-hot charcoal.

“Is this enough?”

It seemed like enough to last through the night. Elysia nodded.

“If you’re not even the lady of the house, you should just stay quiet and leave. What a nuisance…”

The maid grumbled as she put the charcoal into the makeshift stove. Elysia bit the inside of her lip and waited for the maid to finish. The maid, having moved less than half the charcoal from the bucket, stood up abruptly.

“You can handle the rest yourself.”

Elysia was so taken aback that she glared at the maid. Although she was human, she couldn’t tolerate the insolence of the capital maids any longer. Just then, the maid tripped on her apron and fell, spilling the bucket’s contents. The hot embers scattered onto one of the maid’s legs.

“Ow! It’s hot!”

A commotion erupted, and other servants rushed in, hearing the screams.

“Oh no, I’m dying!”

“Are you okay?”

Elysia, equally startled, hurriedly picked up the bucket and asked urgently. But the maid backed away as if refusing any help from a human like Elysia.

At that moment.

“What’s going on here?”

The voice instantly changed the atmosphere in the room, and all the servants froze. Elysia also widened her eyes and looked toward the voice. Hadeon, impeccably dressed, stood at the door. His imposing presence made Elysia quickly lower her head in surprise.

“What’s this commotion about?”

His sharp eyes scanned the room to assess the situation. Elysia opened her mouth in shock when one of the maid’s companions shouted, seemingly out of frustration.

“I told you to report to the head maid! This woman has done things like this before to get the master’s attention!”

Although spoken softly, everyone in the room heard it. Elysia saw Hadeon’s eyebrow arch in response.

Elysia’s face turned pale.

Hadeon began to interrogate the maids harshly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Huh? Ah, uh…”

“Explain so I can understand. Right now.”

At that moment, a woman who appeared to be the head maid of the capital, and who had been giving Elysia disapproving looks since her arrival, stepped forward. She was a close aide of the late Duchess. She quickly knelt before Hadeon.

“Your Grace, I must speak despite my shame… We can no longer tolerate this. Since her arrival, she has caused trouble, demanding a carriage for outings and arguing with the coachman over a vehicle that was being inspected, and constantly asking for more charcoal even though the fireplace was working fine, making it hard for the young maids… Despite being servants, it has been very difficult for us.”

Elysia gasped in shock.

“What? That’s not true!”

But the maids, as if on cue, started accusing Elysia one after another.