Chapter 5

Finally finished, Edgar applied ink to the signet ring on his right index finger and stamped the contract.

Reina looked over what he had written and signed below his name.

Edgar, who had been watching Reina struggling to stand while holding on to the edge of the desk, summoned Donovan.

“Donovan,” he said.

“Your Grace, you call...ed?”

Donovan bowed his head to Edgar but froze when he spotted Reina, eyes going wide.

“Escort the duchess to her chambers. Call the doctor as well.”

Donovan hadn’t expected such an order. Though he was perplexed, his loyalty won out. The butler bowed his head and followed his master’s command.

“Yes, sire. My lady, I’ll have a maid come to assist you.”

Reina stopped Donovan. “There’s no need. I can go alone,” she said.

“This isn’t out of concern for you, but rather a courtesy for the heir in your womb, so I would like you to accept,” Edgar said sharply.

Reina’s brow furrowed. He called it a courtesy, but it sounded like sarcasm to her. It seemed that negotiating with the woman he looked down on had put him in a bad mood.

Reina let out a short sigh and followed Edgar’s wishes for Ell’s sake.

The dizziness from earlier felt as though it had spread to her stomach. It seemed better to abandon this wasteful battle of nerves and go rest.

As he watched Reina leave, supported by the maids, Edgar gave a short order: “Serve her with care.”

For a split second, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu. She was kneeling at Edgar’s feet, begging as Edgar watched her coldly.

“Serve her with care.”

Edgar had previously given that same order. The only difference between now and then was the maids. Before, they had dragged her out roughly.

Now, they were supporting her with gentle, careful hands.

Reina brushed off the maids’ hands.

The same had happened when she’d seen Donovan as well, but seeing the maids brought back memories of the past, frightening her.

I don’t need to be afraid anymore. I don’t. And yet...

She had begun to act differently since making the resolve to change. However, it was impossible to erase the memories embedded deep in her bones overnight.

Reina clutched at the parchment in her hand as though it was a lifeline.

***

Edgar spent another two weeks at the Heathvilion estate after that day before returning to the imperial city.

Reina had expected him to return to the city rather quickly. She had already decided she would stay confined in her room in order to avoid facing Edgar though, and so she didn’t leave until he was gone.

When he finally left, Reina frequently found the staff watching her as she moved about the estate, whispering to each other. She let those inventing malicious gossip about her do as they wished, ignoring them.

“The cursed woman thinks she’s all high-and-mighty now that she’s pregnant, does she?”

“Tell me about it. It’s so irritating to see her ordering us about.”

“His Grace doesn’t even look for her. But she’s acting like she’s important.”

The estate staff had never treated Reina like a duchess to begin with. It was only when they learned she was pregnant that they had grown frightened and exercised any caution.

The staff assumed that the duke would never name her child his heir and looked down on Reina.

Any other noble would have pitched a fit. However, Reina had silently endured their treatment for two years, and they’d grown accustomed to it.

But as a result of the rumors, some of the maids began to resist or refuse to bow their heads to her. They didn’t hesitate to cross the line.

“So this is how you want to do it.”

Reina looked down at the seto fruit that had grown too sour to eat. She’d known for some time already that the staff had grown louder and that their necks had grown stiffer, but to think they would mess with her food...

So. They think I’m a fool because I’ve put up with this treatment all this time, do they?

She had no need to think further on it. Reina summoned Donovan.

“You called, my lady?” Donovan politely bowed his head to Reina.

Reina knew that Donovan’s attitude toward her hadn’t changed at least.

Donovan was a loyal subject of House Heathvilion. He didn’t require further orders from the duke to treat Reina with all the respect due to her as the lady of Heathvilion.

“This fruit is in poor condition,” she said.

Donovan lifted his head slightly at Reina’s words, and after he scanned the fruit, his expression turned frightening.

As she expected, Donovan had been unaware. After a short moment of stunned silence, Donovan dropped to his knees before Reina to apologize.

“My lady, I failed to keep the servants in line. Please forgive me.”

“I know that this isn’t your fault.”

“I will make sure that this never happens again,” he said.

Donovan bowed his head, but Reina didn’t intend to leave things at that. They may have disrespected her this time, but the next time it could be Ell.

Reina ignored her desire to avoid the situation and steeled her heart.

“I don’t intend to draw this out, so have the staff gather on the first floor. Not a single person should be missing.”

“Yes, madam.”

Donovan left with his head down, too apologetic to know what else to do. He returned after fifteen minutes, coming to get Reina.

“My lady, I have gathered everyone.”

Reina checked her appearance in the mirror before stepping out. She had gathered her hair into a loose ponytail instead of wearing it down as usual, and she felt she looked more mature.

She slowly walked down the stairs with Donovan escorting her, and soon she could see the staff gathered around with looks of discontent. Reina stopped a few steps short of the end of the stairs so that they could all see her well.

“Did you make sure no one is missing?”

“Yes, my lady. I summoned everyone, down to the last child working in the stalls.”

Reina gave him a slight nod and turned to look at the staff waiting at the foot of the stairs, her face expressionless. She could see the faces of those who had looked down on her and treated her carelessly in the past.

However, she didn’t feel any hatred or resentment.

Reina watched them for a moment longer.

“You are all fired as of today,” she finally said, her voice perfectly calm.

The impact Reina’s words had was great. Surprise, horror, irritation, anger—all sorts of negative emotions showed clearly on their faces.

She had anticipated a poor reaction though, as well as their rejection; if anything, she waited for them to attack. It didn’t take long for complaints to erupt, just as she expected.

“This is ridiculous! I’ve worked my whole life here at the estate. You can’t just fire me as you like!” an older maid shouted, glaring at her.

Several people joined in, shouting their agreement.

“She’s right!”

“Only His Grace has authority over us!”

“Right. That’s right. My master is His Grace!”

Reina was afraid of people, but she had never forgotten whose daughter and whose wife she was. Though she had never wielded her status before, she still knew that she wasn’t someone that mere staff could look down on.

Just how laughable must she have been in their eyes for them to dare attack Duchess Heathvilion, the daughter of Duke Binochet, like this?

Still, she didn’t react, instead taking her time to look over each of their faces. The commotion only grew when Reina stayed silent. Believing the duchess to be swayed by their words, the staff grew louder.

It was Donovan who was dismayed by the situation.

How dare they raise their voices at Her Grace!

He couldn’t raise his voice, not when he was beside Reina, and he tried to subdue the staff by glaring, but it wasn’t enough.

Reina watched on.

Eventually, she chuckled. It was a very cynical laugh. “What a sight.”

Reina’s words created an ominous feeling, one shared by all the staff. Immediately, they shut their mouths. The hall instantly became silent.

Reina pointed a finger at the older maid, the first to be up in arms. “You.”

“D-do you mean me?” the maid stuttered, flustered because she hadn’t expected Reina to come out so strongly.

Reina lightly nodded her head. “Yes, you. Answer me. Who am I?”

“Well... You’re the duchess,” the maid responded brusquely, as if she still failed to understand what was happening.

Everyone’s eyes darted back and forth as their collective anxiety grew. They were watching to see what Reina would do.

“So you do know. Yet you think I don’t have the authority to fire you?”

“I-I came to this estate when I was thirteen, and I’ve worked here for over forty years! My master is His Grace, not you.”

Seeing the maid continue to rebel, Donovan nervously glanced at Reina. She may have worked at the estate for forty years, but a maid was still just a maid.

She wasn’t in any position to act so arrogantly to the mistress of House Heathvilion.

They’ll be thoroughly punished today, thought Donovan.

Reina didn’t answer the maid immediately, looking about instead. Almost two hundred members of the staff were watching her. Strangely enough, she didn’t feel afraid. Instead, a mild sense of euphoria took over her.

“Do you all feel the same?”

The staff hesitated to answer.

By now, the duchess seemed as though she might back off, but it also seemed that she could get angry and bring something terrible down on them.

With a dull look in her eyes, Reina called for the butler, “Donovan.”

“Yes, madam.”

“Why don’t you tell me? Do I not have the authority to fire them?”

Donovan bowed his head with all the respect due to her.

“My lady, I’m embarrassed to have to even answer this question. Of course you can fire them,” he answered loudly.