C28
... Liena's fan club.
To me, it's an organization that has a lot to do with it, but right now, it's not important, so let's move on.
"All right. However, there is another really important issue regarding this matter that must be addressed before I punish you."
"What is it?"
"What right did you have to dismiss Laura, my personal maid? She was even whipped."
"I have something to say about that."
The head maid protested calmly.
"Even if the little miss brought her here, Laura is definitely a member of Cassius. I have authority over the rewards, punishments, and employment of all Cassius maids."
"You're wrong."
"What?"
"Your authority comes from me, the hostess. You can actively handle things I can't pay attention to, but the treatment of Laura, whom I consider as a right hand, doesn't fall under that."
I slowly raised the corners of my mouth and clicked my tongue.
"It's a shame for Cassius that someone as high-ranking as the head maid doesn't even know this basic common sense."
The head maid's face turned red. It was a comment that not even Duke Cassius could make.
Should we try to provoke her a bit more?
"I also have doubts about Lady Liena's insight, who actively recommended you for the head maid position."
The head maid, teary-eyed, raised her voice.
"Please don't speak about me like that!"
The enemy was, of course, Liena.
"It may seem reasonable at first glance, but there are gaps in the Little Miss's logic."
"What legal gap?"
Although Liena had only been lightly mentioned, the emotional woman began to reveal uncomfortable truths she would never have said before.
"The head maid's authority comes from the hostess. It would be true if the young miss were the hostess. But the young miss is not a hostess."
"My husband, Duke Leandro, is the lord's representative, in whom the Duke has formally delegated authority. Furthermore, the duchess has been dead for a long time. If it's not me, who is the hostess of Castle Cassius?"
The response to my question, which I asked while pretending to be as angry as possible, was refreshing.
"Lady Liena!"
Liena Cassius, that girl has always cast a long shadow over my life, even from afar.
Let's talk principles.
"According to the Cassius family's law, even if my mother-in-law were alive, my husband is the lord's representative, and I am the hostess."
"She knows that, but not the other. It's just a secondary regulation, but in the end, whoever has the treasure key holds the status of the hostess."
The treasure key was literally the key that could open the door to the storage where the various treasures of Duke Cassius were kept, symbolizing the hostess's position, which could exercise more authority than the head of the family in domestic matters. Also...
"The owner of the key has always been Lady Liena."
I hadn't even looked at the key.
Was Liena around ten years old? Duke Cassius, who had previously given expensive treasures to his daughter, seemed dissatisfied with that and even gave her the treasure chest key.
"Unlike other kids, the higher the value, the more she likes it. If you're so practical, you can take responsibility for household chores even at that age."
That's because she's an adult at heart...
Anyway, after all the vassals who opposed entrusting important responsibilities to a ten-year-old ignorant girl were purged or imprisoned, Liena became the youngest hostess in Cassius's history.
Since then, Liena has managed Cassius well thanks to her advantage as a returner and the help of those around her, even now that she has moved her main activity to the capital.
I didn't just stand by. I even asked Liena directly if it would be okay for her to hand over the keys. However...
"Sister-in-law, you don't have to worry about such troublesome things. Just do the fun things you want to do. Oh, if you need money, I'll tell them to give it to you!"
... Such words were said beautifully.
Needless to say, the reactions of Duke Cassius and Leandro would have taken Liena aback. They were impressed by her kind heart toward her sister-in-law.
In the end, I just gave up.
What can be done against Liena, who already has Cassius under her control?
Not only the family's servants, but even the people living in Cassius Territory were on Liena's side.
Liena enriched Cassius and carried out many charity projects, so her popularity soared to the sky.
The reaction of the old woman selling flowers, who had criticized Terence for confusing Liena's birthday with the dog's, was not especially unusual here.
Surrounded by people like that, all I could do was shout, "I'll be very lazy and live a comfortable life, just as you said!" and enjoy hobbies or make some extra money with part-time jobs.
"At that time, I didn't think it was a bad idea to live like this. It's nice to live with a full stomach and plenty of money..."
Looking back, I suppose that's not true. Now that I'm busy trying to get a divorce, I feel much more alive and full of energy.