What Remains in the Damaged Place - Chapter 28

Lirette ignored Hayley, who was resorting to all kinds of petty tactics, and instead focused her gaze on the head maid.

The head maid was still deeply troubled.

It wasn’t just a simple matter between maids anymore, and this fact likely weighed heavily on her mind. As suspected, the head maid’s head throbbed painfully.

Lirette wasn’t just an ordinary maid.

She had been hired at the direct order of the master of the house. Allowing such an absurd incident to entangle her felt like negligence of duty. No matter how she looked at it, the head maid couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t the outcome her master would want.

But she couldn’t simply ignore the testimony of others who had gathered the courage to speak up.

Although it was a superior-subordinate relationship, trust between the head maid and the maids was also crucial for a healthy working environment.

It was a true dilemma.

At that moment, footsteps were heard approaching from outside the room. The one who appeared after the calm footfalls was none other than the butler.

“Selma. The master has summoned you.”

The head maid, as if suddenly remembering something she had forgotten, hurriedly pulled out her pocket watch and looked at it with a troubled expression.

“I’m terribly sorry, butler. A problem arose, so I had to step away for a moment. I’ll head upstairs as soon as I resolve this situation.”

“No.”

“Pardon?”

“The master wants everyone, including you.”

“What do you mean…?”

“He’s heard about the commotion today and has ordered you all to be brought to his office at once.”

A heavy silence descended over the already cramped room.

The mood soon shifted.

Different emotions appeared on the faces of those present.

Hayley’s eyes lit up as though she’d found a judge who would make a clear decision, unlike the indecisive head maid. Meanwhile, the head maid’s face darkened, realizing that the matter she should have handled had now reached the master’s ears.

And Lirette…

“For now, let’s go to the office. If there’s anything left unsaid, feel free to speak up there,” the head maid said, regaining her composure and leading them out.

Lirette, walking last in the line as they climbed the stairs toward the master’s office, glanced down.

The other maids, still working, were sneaking looks at them, whispering among themselves.

It seemed that the rumor of her being a thief was already considered fact. Even if the truth came out, clearing her name, their views of her wouldn’t change. It was clear that no matter what happened, she would remain tainted in their eyes.

Had Hayley already spread her influence that far?

Even if she managed to escape this ordeal, Lirette could foresee a future where she would leave on her own, unable to bear the judgmental stares of her peers.

She lifted her head again, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth.

The master’s office was located just below his bedroom, which Lirette visited nightly.

“Please, I hope neither of you acts recklessly in front of the master, as you did earlier. That goes for both of you,” the head maid warned them in a low voice just before they entered.

The door opened.

The interior of the office was distinctly different from the reception rooms and bedrooms Lirette had seen before. The atmosphere was heavier and more serious, fitting for a space where official duties were conducted. The furniture and fixtures were mostly dark brown or deep navy, naturally encouraging a composed and dignified demeanor.

“Master, we’ve come as you requested.”

Valderion was standing between his desk and a leather sofa.

He had just returned from being out, his appearance still sharp and immaculate. He took out a cigar, lighting it with a match from his personal set. The way he calmly moved the cigar to his lips and lit it felt strangely detached from the tense situation at hand.

“I heard there was a theft of valuables.”

Though the ones summoned had arrived, Valderion did not turn to face them. Instead, he looked toward the sunlight streaming through the windows as he loosened the cuffs of his sleeves.

Even as he spoke, the smoke from his cigar swirled softly around him, creating a hazy aura.

“Yes, master. It’s just that…” The head maid, her hands clasped together in front of her, began explaining the situation as if it were all her fault.

She laid out the sequence of events: the theft, someone’s testimony, the accused denial, and the stolen goods found on the accused. Then she detailed the ensuing confusion and conflicting opinions.

As the head maid succinctly recounted the events, Lirette glanced to her side. Behind the head maid, Hayley stood confidently, her head held high. The smile on her face was as smooth as if it had been painted on with a single brushstroke.

It was clear why she seemed so confident.

Incidents involving the staff rarely reached the ears of the master. Typically, such matters were resolved at the level of the head maid or, at most, the butler.

In other words, for a matter to have reached the master’s attention meant it could no longer be brushed aside.

Now, all the decision-making power was in the hands of the household’s master, Valderion.

Hayley was likely thinking that now that the master knew, it would be a simple matter for Lirette to be dismissed.

“So.”

Valderion finally turned to face them, having settled into the sofa while fiddling with the cuff on his other sleeve. He exhaled a puff of smoke from his cigar and continued the words he had left unfinished.

“Did you really find the valuables?”

His question, sharp and biting, was cloaked in thick, smoky breaths.

“They were found in the room, yes,” replied the head maid.

“Bring them here.”

At his command, the butler, who had been standing guard by the door, turned and exited the room.

A heavy silence settled among those who remained.

In the strange and indescribable tension, Lirette suddenly locked eyes with Valderion. It was as if he had never looked away from her. His intense, penetrating gaze lingered, as if he wanted to say something with just his eyes.

Lirette recognized that look. The flickering light of a lamp in her memory danced faintly in her mind.

“Ask for help.”

“If you need it.”

It was the same look he’d given her when he had said those words.

Now, once again, he was extending a hand toward her.

If she wanted it.

If she needed him, he would help her.

Yet, Lirette couldn’t bring herself to grasp it.

As she had mentioned before, accepting his help came with a price, and she still didn’t know what that price might be. Moreover, she couldn’t be sure that asking for his help would lead to a favorable outcome for her. In this situation where she was being framed as a thief, Valderion himself was also someone she couldn’t completely trust.

Hoping to glean even a sliver of his true intentions, Lirette held his gaze, unflinching.

But Valderion was not so easily read.

He was the type of man whose thoughts could not be guessed from a simple exchange of glances. On the contrary, the faint smile tugging at his lips suggested that he found her stubbornness amusing.

“Master, here it is,” the butler announced, returning to the room.

In his hands was the box that had been found under Lirette’s bed.

Valderion rummaged through the valuable jewels as if they were nothing more than trinkets, displaying an indifference that felt out of place for someone personally involved in the incident.

“These are indeed the items stored in the mansion.”

He finally set down the last piece, a brooch, and lifted his gaze to meet Lirette’s once again.

His sharp, golden eyes gleamed with intensity, sending a clear message to her.

This was her last chance.

If she didn’t take it now, she would lose her opportunity forever.

Lirette clenched the fabric of her skirt tightly beside her.

Her mind, like the crumpled cloth in her hand, was in a chaotic tangle.

There was no immediate solution she could see.

Except to seek the mercy of the master, whose thoughts were inscrutable.

Valderion could probably free her from this trap she found herself caught in, where she didn’t know how to escape.

With a slight nod, Lirette finally surrendered. It was a small, slow gesture, almost reluctant, as if admitting defeat. She had fought as hard as she could, but in the end, she had to ask him for mercy. The realization of this left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Though her nod was faint, Valderion, who had been watching her closely, caught it instantly.

A satisfied smile spread across his lips as he adjusted the cigar in his mouth.

“It’s true,” Valderion said in a low, measured voice.

The room’s attention shifted in unison, all eyes now focused on him. But despite the weight of his words, no one dared to speak.

“Head maid, didn’t you hear me?” Valderion asked.

“Pardon?” the head maid stammered.

“I said, it’s true.”

It was a declaration.

Yet something about his tone was ambiguous.

Was it the calmness in his voice, too casual for someone whose valuables had just been stolen? Or was it the slight curl at the corner of his mouth as he spoke around his cigar?

The head maid hesitated for a moment, unsure.

But Valderion’s words had ended there, and to the head maid, it sounded like he was confirming that a theft had taken place. The only thing left to do now was to deal with the matter.

“Well then, if that’s the case, I suppose Brilline will be dismissed as of today—”

“Did you not understand me?” Valderion interrupted.

“Pardon? Master?”

“How many times must I explain? I said, it’s true that the items are gone.”

“But what do you mean…?”

“These items,” he continued smoothly, “are what I personally gifted to this maid.”

Another heavy silence fell over the room.

Lirette heard a sharp intake of breath from beside her.

She didn’t need to look to know what kind of expression Hayley must be wearing right now.