Chapter : 09
Before long, Tara had finished writing the resignation letter. With both hands clasped together, she looked at Iona with deep worry.
“It’s alright, Tara. I’m trying to protect you.”
This time around.
I don’t want to lose the people who were kind to me.
Soon after, the butler and the head maid returned.
Both wore expressions full of displeasure, but Iona ignored them completely.
“Follow me.”
“Where are you going…?”
“Since when did the head maid become someone who questions the steps of the lady of the house?”
The head maid, Mariam, felt uneasy.
She had been summoned away from the Grand Lady’s side by the butler’s call… only to end up in the young madam’s bedroom of all places.
And there was Tara—who had been thoroughly beaten over the past days—now sitting on the sofa!
What on earth is going on? What is she planning this time?
Today, Iona looked different.
Her hair, usually tied up, was now let down. Her attire was more elaborate as well.
On closer inspection, it seemed to be the dress she had brought when she first came to this house—so luxurious that it immediately gave off an air of discomfort.
And she was even using cosmetics that should have been forbidden!
She’s definitely changed.
The biggest change was her atmosphere.
A crushing, oppressive aura.
Something that had never been felt from the previous Iona.
In the end, the head maid was dragged along without even being able to breathe properly.
Their destination was the second-floor reception room used exclusively by Griselda.
“Good day, Grand Madam.”
“You…!”
“I heard a maid is handing in her resignation, so I brought it personally.”
Iona looked like a beast.
Her eyes burned with a blazing blue flame.
The energy she emitted from her entire body was filled with fighting spirit—too much for those accustomed to a comfortable life to endure.
Young, beautiful, and feral… a mad woman.
That was what Iona was now.
Griselda had spent the past few days preparing how to deal with this suddenly changed Iona. She had decided on a method.
To question Iona’s lack of formal authority as the lady of the house.
“How insolent! You dare summon the head maid from my side and take her away, and now you even claim you will handle a maid’s resignation yourself? You have no such authority!”
This was a battle for position.
If the son of the head of the house was married, the official lady of the house would be the daughter-in-law by law and custom.
But Griselda had no intention of letting go of her control over the household.
Especially not to a woman like this—reckless and indulgent!
“You behave so shamelessly that you cannot even be recognized as the lady of the house….”
“Yeah, I don’t care. Just take the resignation letter.”
Iona cut her off mid-sentence.
Then she snatched the resignation letter from Tara’s hands and threw it toward Griselda.
Literally threw it.
“Hah!”
Fortunately, the head maid lunged forward and caught it, but Griselda’s face had already turned bright red with humiliation.
“This is a household that must maintain its image, isn’t it?”
“…You’ve truly gone mad! You belong in a mental institution!”
“If you don’t approve the resignation, I’ll go to the press. I’ll tell them the Teresia family is an abusive employer. If I include an interview, the newspapers will love it. And let’s see… try locking me in a mental hospital if you can. My family won’t stay silent. Do you want to start a religious war or something?”
There was no chance the Abel family would stand idly by over her wellbeing.
But they would act if it harms the family’s interests.
Previously, she had only thought about escaping her father and brother. She had never considered using them as leverage.
She hadn’t even had the courage.
How foolish. I should have used everything I could to protect myself.
The daughter of House Abel, who serves Isys!
Locked away in a mental institution by the most faithful servants of Baldur, the Teresia family!
Even a simple message delivered through Tara would be enough for her father to immediately begin preparing a protest.
Because he would see it as an opportunity to exploit the situation.
At the very least, it would be enough to damage the Teresia family’s reputation.
He wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.
While Iona’s mind worked rapidly, a heavy silence fell in reality.
I wish the ladies would stop fighting…
But who’s going to win?
Which side should I stand on?
The maids whispered anxiously as another absurd confrontation unfolded right after the young madam’s arrival.
And their murmuring grew like a wave after Iona spoke again.
“Oh, and I’ll be rehiring Tara as my personal maid. So consider it settled. I’ll also raise her salary… yes, by fifty percent.”
Fifty percent!
That would bring her salary nearly on par with the head maid.
The Teresia household was notoriously stingy with pay.
Greed flickered in the eyes of the maids exchanging glances.
At that moment, a message appeared.
[Constellation ‘Master of Lies’ wonders if you even have that kind of money.]
Almost simultaneously, Griselda, trembling with rage, shouted.
“Where do you even have that kind of money? Such arrogance!”
“Why wouldn’t I? I will soon. My paintings will finally return to me and be rightfully mine.”
“That’s…!”
“And you have no grounds to stop me. I don’t even have a single personal maid, which makes no sense to begin with. What did you say in the first year of marriage? That the household was struggling financially, so I would be assigned a personal maid next year. How many years has it been since then?”
“……”
“A countess with no personal maid at all—if others hear about it, they’ll laugh. They’ll ask if the Teresia family is that poor. Well, it is poor… but I’m not. I just don’t look wealthy because I choose not to.”
Iona spoke without hesitation.
She had decided she would no longer swallow everything and rot alone inside.
“From now on, Tara is my personal maid. Try laying a hand on her again. Next time, I won’t just destroy the house—I’ll destroy your family’s reputation. As I’ve said before, I don’t care if the reputation of Baldur’s faithful knights is dragged through the mud.”
[Constellation ‘ My husband was torn into 14 pieces, what do I do’ is very pleased with your words.]
[Constellation ‘ My husband was torn into 14 pieces, what do I do’ has donated 100 diamonds!]
[▶ Current donations: 620 diamonds]
The diamonds she had spent were quickly replenished.
The one who usually gave only 10 diamonds was suddenly so pleased…
Was it because I insulted Baldur?
After a brief thought, Iona slowly parted her lips.
“A secret of the knight family serving Baldur! Maid abuse scandal exposed! How about that? Perfect headline material, don’t you think?”
“You… insolent… insolent dog of Isys!”
Griselda exploded, unable to maintain her composure.
And another displeased message appeared.
[Constellation ‘ My husband was torn into 14 pieces, what do I do’ frowns.]
[How dare you call her a dog of Isys. Not even a cat of Isys.]
Ah. So that was the issue?
“You’re trying to ruin the Teresia family. I thought you had reflected while staying quietly in your room, but you haven’t changed at all!”
Griselda continued raging, but Iona was beginning to grow tired.
“I’m only asserting my rightful authority. Think carefully about who is really threatening and insulting people while talking about mental hospitals.”
With that, Iona grabbed Tara’s hand and pulled her behind herself.
Of course, this too was intentional.
She wanted the maids standing beside Griselda to see Tara.
That was the real purpose of coming here.
“Now listen carefully, all of you.”
