The morning after the letter from House Elford arrived, the atmosphere in the manor felt noticeably heavy.
Mylene went about her duties as she always did—carrying tea to the dining hall, polishing the sconces in the corridor, and checking the keys to the storage room. Her movements were as precise as ever. However, beneath her white bob, her gray eyes frequently drifted toward the office. Clarice was also at her desk, her gold hair tied back in a single ponytail as she gripped her quill and sorted through responses for the villages. But the pauses before her nib touched the paper were much longer than they had been the day before.
I watched the two of them from the sofa while sipping my tea.
—How troublesome... This is incredibly troublesome.
In the month since I’d hired Clarice, my desk had finally reached a state where a human could actually work at it. Village grievances were being categorized, long-ignored inquiries were being answered, and bridge repairs had finally commenced. I was finally closing in on my dream of sleeping until noon every day.
And yet, House Elford had the audacity to demand her return now of all times. No mention of rescinding the embezzlement charges... no apology... They were so shamelessly self-serving that it was almost impressive!
"Vain... stop staring at me. It’s hard to focus on the paperwork when you’re looking at my face..."
Clarice spoke without raising her eyes from the desk.
"I’m not looking at your face. I’m looking for signs that my workload is about to increase."
"Then I hate it even more... I didn't come here to make more work for you."
"And I didn't hire you just to have you taken away..."
When I replied, Clarice’s lips twitched slightly. I couldn't tell if it was a faint smile or a bitter grimace. Regardless, her eyes remained fixed on the documents.
The letter from House Elford sat at the edge of the desk. I had read it several times last night. The tone was polite enough... but the content was atrocious.
Clarice is originally a daughter of House Elford, and keeping her in another house while misunderstandings persist serves no one’s interest. We desire her immediate return. That was it. It didn't mention why they had abandoned her at a roadside inn or why they hadn't lifted the suspicion of embezzlement.
"Either you cast her out as a criminal or you treat her as a member of the family. Pick one," I muttered.
Clarice’s quill stopped moving.
"You said that yesterday, too."
"Because I’ve been annoyed about it since yesterday... and don't think it’s because I’ve taken a liking to you, all right? If someone tries to snatch away the talent I’ve spent time refining, I’m the one who loses out."
"I know... That’s just the kind of person you are."
Her tone was a bit softer than it used to be. It wasn't quite trust, but there was a hint of familiarity in her exasperation. I chose to ignore it and took another sip of tea.
Just then, the harsh sound of the bell rang out from the mansion's gate.
Mylene’s shoulders jolted. The color drained from Clarice’s face. I set down my teacup and glanced toward the window. We had no gatekeeper... In a proper manor, a servant would announce the guests, but right now, the only people here were Mylene, Clarice, and me.
"Master, I will go see who it is."
"Don't go alone, Mylene. Go light the fire in the great hall first. If we leave guests standing in a freezing hallway, it’ll look like we’re panicking."
"Yes, sir."
"Clarice, you stay here."
Clarice, who had been halfway out of her chair, glared at me.
"It’s likely a messenger from my house, isn't it? I won’t hide away like a coward!"
"It isn't hiding. It’s just a nuisance if my aide gets rattled by their words before I’ve had my say... If you’re going to face them, wait until after I’ve heard them out."
"...Your way of putting things is truly infuriating."
"Then sit there and be infuriated while you wait."
Clarice bit her lip and sank back into her chair. She looked frustrated... and frightened. A woman abandoned by her family was now being summoned back by them. Those twisted strings were likely still tugging at some part of her heart.
◇
The man shown into the great hall wore impeccably polished shoes.
He looked to be in his late thirties or early forties. He had a well-groomed, thin mustache and wore a dark blue coat embroidered with the crest of House Elford. Two attendants stood behind him. They had swords at their waists, though they didn't look like they intended to draw them. They hadn't come for a physical confrontation; they were using a much more tiresome method. He had the face of a man who intended to crush his opposition with words and the weight of a family name.
As soon as he saw me, the man bowed politely.
"Lord Razgrim... Please forgive this unannounced visit. I am Belton, the steward of House Elford. I have come today regarding the matter of Lady Clarice."
"You’re certainly efficient. You send a letter yesterday and a messenger today. You must be quite desperate."
Belton’s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.
"Desperate is hardly the word... Lady Clarice is a daughter of our house. We cannot overlook her remaining in another household while misunderstandings persist."
"Misunderstandings... what a convenient euphemism. Is the embezzlement charge also a 'misunderstanding'?"
"Regarding that matter, the house is currently conducting a re-investigation... Once Lady Clarice returns, the matter will proceed amicably."
—Amicably.
In other words, once she's back, they'll force her into silence.
I placed the parchments I had prepared last night on the table. Clarice’s employment contract. Records of a month’s worth of work... copies of the responses sent to the villages... the letter that had arrived from House Elford... As I lined them up, Belton’s eyes narrowed.
"Then let me ask you this. Is Clarice a criminal?"
"...A final determination has not yet been made."
"If she isn't a criminal, why did you abandon her at an inn? If she is a criminal, why do you want her back? If you're demanding her return as a member of the house, then provide a document rescinding the suspicions against her. If the suspicions remain, shouldn't you be demanding that I keep her as far away from my domain’s ledgers as possible?"
Belton’s mustache quivered.
"Lord Razgrim, there is an established order to these things... At your young age, it is not wise to delve too deeply into the internal affairs of another house."
"The moment you tried to reclaim my aide from my manor, you were the one who stepped into my affairs. If you want to talk about the 'order of things,' produce your evidence first."
A faint sound came from beyond the door to the hall.
It was likely Clarice.
Even though I told her to stay put, she was clearly listening. Well, fine. Let her hear. If she doesn't realize how conveniently she's being handled, we’ll never get anywhere.
Belton forced a thin smile.
"Lady Clarice is a clever woman... Once she returns home, a suitable role will be prepared for her. She need not serve as a mere aide in a place like this."
"Does that 'suitable role' include clearing her name of embezzlement?"
"...That is a matter to be discussed within the house upon her return."
"Then we have nothing more to talk about."
I tapped the parchment with my finger.
"For one month, she has worked for my domain. She cleared a backlog of correspondence, stopped the accrual of unnecessary penalty silver, and sorted the paperwork so the villages wouldn't collapse. If you want her back now that you've realized she's useful, her value has already increased. Don't think you can buy back what you threw away at the original price."
The smile vanished from Belton’s face.
◇
At that moment, the door swung open.
Clarice stood there. Her gold hair was neat, but her face was deathly pale. Her blue eyes wavered with emotion, yet she kept her back straight. Mylene stood slightly behind her, having clearly decided not to stop her. Or perhaps Mylene had judged that Clarice needed to be here.
"Belton... is my father truly saying he will clear me of the charges?"
Belton momentarily fumbled for words.
"Lady Clarice, please, come home first! His Lordship is deeply distressed. The mere fact that you are out here is a blemish on the house’s reputation."
"And what about my reputation? What about my scars?"
The hall fell silent.
Clarice’s voice wasn't loud, but it cut through the air clearly.
"You knew exactly what I was ordered to do and whose instructions I followed when I moved that money, didn't you? And yet, the only thing left behind was my seal... You left me to rot at that inn for a month, and now that you hear I’m being useful to House Razgrim, you tell me to come home?"
"...Your words are inappropriate, my lady."
"They aren't nearly enough! I have so much more I want to say!"
Clarice bit her lip hard. It wasn't just anger; I could see the lingering desire to go home, to be accepted by her family... If those ties were easy to cut, she wouldn't have looked so pained.
Even so, she looked down at the employment contract on the table.
"Here, my work is actually seen... He’s infuriating, and I know Vain is just trying to exploit my labor for a bargain, but he doesn't pretend my work didn't happen. If I make a mistake, he catches it. If I do well, he acknowledges it. That’s why I’m staying here!"
Belton turned his glare toward me.
"Lord Razgrim, this is an insult to our house..."
"Hardly. I simply salvaged the talent your house discarded. As long as she’s capable, I couldn't care less about her status or her reputation... since it makes my life easier."
I let a dark, villainous grin spread across my face.
"Clarice Elford is my aide. If you want her back, bring me a document officially clearing her of all suspicion first. Until then, we have nothing to discuss."
Belton remained silent for a long moment before bowing deeply. It wasn't a gesture of respect, but a move to hide his simmering rage.
"...We shall take our leave for today."
Once the men had departed, the tension in the hall finally broke.
Clarice stood still, letting out a long, shaky breath. Mylene silently brought over a cup of warm tea. Clarice took it, cradling it in both hands.
"...Vain."
"What is it?"
"Today... you were actually a little bit helpful."
"Just a little, huh? My workload just got significantly heavier, you know."
Clarice looked down at her tea and gave a tiny, genuine smile.
"Don't get the wrong idea! I was just protecting my workplace."
"Then you’d better work twice as hard tomorrow. Since it’s the workplace you protected and all."
"...You really are a mood-killer."
Despite her words, Clarice didn't look toward the exit of the hall. She looked toward the office.
She hadn't mistaken the place where she belonged.