KFBRV Ch 60

Ten days had passed since Sasha had turned Mrs. Becker's room upside down in a fit of rage.

The Count’s return was imminent, yet the Countess had still failed to find a single shred of evidence regarding the theft. She had scoured the entire mansion, desperate to identify the person who had sent the whistleblowing letter, but her efforts were clearly in vain.

Is it even possible to find someone based on a single handwriting sample etched in a Mother’s memory?

On the day Sasha read that letter in front of everyone, Odette had seized a brief opening to swap the original letter with an identical-looking blank sheet of paper. For the next stage of her plan to unfold, no one besides Sasha could be allowed to read the contents.

She had relied on her pickpocketing skills, which were as sharp as ever. Because of her intervention, any attempt at handwriting analysis would have been impossible.

I’ve confirmed with my own eyes that none of the Countess’ people managed to read it.

Now, she needed to meet with Mrs. Becker one more time to set the next phase in motion.

As the sound of her footsteps approached, Mrs. Becker asked in a shrill, biting voice.

[Becker] "Where is my blanket? Did you bring the bread with meat and the fruit?"

It was true that people rarely changed. Even though the power dynamic between them had been clearly redefined, Mrs. Becker immediately began treating her like an underling the moment Odette started providing for her.

[Becker] "What about the champagne? I asked for that too, didn't I?"

Odette simply shrugged.

[Odette] "Just drink the orange juice."

[Becker] "You can't even manage that? I suppose your incompetence is incurable."

She asks for things while knowing full well I can't enter the wine cellar.

After being bested by Odette in the recent incident, she was desperate to reassert her dominance. She was itching to wound Odette’s pride.

While Odette could have easily crushed her, she saw no reason to do so now.

Hungry, Mrs. Becker began to wolf down a sandwich before asking another question.

[Becker] "What is the Madam doing?"

[Odette] "Mother has been completely absorbed in preparations for the ball for the past few days. Her subordinates, however, are still focused on finding evidence of your theft."

[Becker] "By the way, did you handle things correctly? You don't know how to do anything. You didn't make some stupid mistake, did you? You forced this bracelet on me—if evidence of theft suddenly appears, I'm finished."

[Odette] "Why don't you finish eating before you speak?"

[Becker] "Youre the one who wrote the letter, aren't you, Milady? What if you get caught? If they find out you wrote it through handwriting analysis or something, my neck is on the line!"

[Odette] "I doubt it. Searchingwon'tt do them any good. I’ve already swapped the letter for a blank sheet, so there's no handwriting to verify. No one besides Mother has seen the contents, and no one ever will."

She handed over the orange juice, speaking with a cold indifference that ensured the words would stick in Mrs. Becker’s mind.

Mrs. Becker gulped down the juice.

I have no interest in indulging her hysteria, however.....

There was a report Malea had given her the previous day.

[Malea] "The day before she was locked up, Mrs. Becker mentioned that her period was unusually late this month. When I asked if it was due to stress, she laughed and said she’d never had a late cycle in her life, but perhaps she was just overworked."

Because the window for revenge was short, Odette had initially thought it would be difficult to use this as a card while preparing the "lemon tea." But now that the opportunity had presented itself so perfectly, she was almost grateful. Tolerating a little hysteria was a small price to pay.

[Odette] "Tell me if there is anything else you need."

[Becker] "Are you dense? Why do I have to list everything?! Go to Sasha right now and beg her to let me out! They have no evidence, so why is that crazy woman still keeping me locked in here?"

It seems her hatred for Mother is deepening nicely.

[Odette] "I agree."

[Becker] "If there's no evidence, then I'm not a thief. That means Ican'tt be kicked out, right?"

[Odette] "They might not be able to cast you out as a thief. But they can still fire you. Hiring and firing her own maid is entirely within a noblewoman's authority. Not even her husband can interfere with that."

Mrs. Becker’s eyes suddenly widened in shock.

[Becker] "You're saying she can kick me out even without evidence?"

[Odette] "If that happens, don't worry—I'll release the contract on that silver thread bracelet. I won't ask you to share your personnel authority with me unless it's necessary."

[Becker] "H-how can that be?"

She reacted as if her entire world was collapsing.

[Becker] "I have so much authority here. I worked so hard to climb to this position... how can she just fire me so easily? Sasha can just get rid of me if she wants to?"

It was a twisted logic of entitlement that didn't even deserve a response.

It's because you're an outsider who can be easily discarded that a master gives a maid neither authority nor duty.

Customs didn't just appear out of nowhere. When a wife managed a household poorly, the nobility typically granted authority in order of seniority: the butler, the housekeeper, and then the head maid.

That authority was usually reserved for those who had shown generations of loyalty. This was why people gossiped about Ferdinand giving that power to Mrs. Becker, just because he disliked the Countess.

The Count, rather than correcting the situation, had looked the other way because she was his mistress. It was a family of utter ruin.

[Odette] "That’s how it works. The only reason Mother hasn't fired you using that authority is that she hates losing face. She’s likely worried that firing you would lead to more fights with my brother. So, if no evidence appears, she will probably frame you."

[Becker] "F-frame me?"

It's hardly a "frame-up" in this case, yet look at that indignant face.

[Odette] "Mother has plenty of jewelry. With just one subordinate acting in secret, making you look like a thief is easy."

[Becker] "H-how!"

[Odette] "In that case, there's nothing I can do. I'll still release the bracelet, so don't worry. The only person who could help you then would be Father. The true master of this house."

She mentioned the Count on purpose. She needed the momentum of the letter to carry over smoothly into the next stage.

Mrs. Becker followed with a barrage of curses and insults directed at both Odette and the Countess.

She didn't mind listening. She mused that such a toxic atmosphere wasn't good for prenatal care.

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The social season in Barzeha began in the summer. On the first day, a grand ball was held at the Imperial Palace.

Sasha had never once received an invitation in her own name. She had only ever been able to attend as a guest accompanying the Count, Ferdinand, or Odette.

Since her relationship with Ferdinand had soured, she had been dejected, expecting to be confined to the house during the Imperial Ball.

But who could have guessed such luck would strike? A fire in the laboratory!

Thanks to that, Ferdinand and the Count—the two people who would have hindered her—had vanished from the mansion. The era of the Countess had finally arrived.

Whether the loss of precious herbs in the fire amounted to tens of millions of Atashas or not was none of her concern.

My dowry has increased hundreds of times over, and I was disappointed I hadn't had a chance to spend it properly. This is perfect.

The Emperor and Empress were guaranteed to attend the Imperial Ball. Seeing the ball as a golden opportunity to make up for missing the Empress’ salon, she threw herself into preparations, spending money like water.

As a result, with only three days left until the ball, the mansion's lobby was bustling with designers and tailors hired by her.

Ah, I can finally breathe. It was ridiculous, living in my own house with my spirit crushed.

She finally felt alive, strutting through the halls like the true mistress of the house.

[Paula] "Madam, what do you think of this dress? It suits your taste perfectly."

[Sasha] "Paula, isn't that similar to the dress Mrs. Becker wore a few days ago? How could I wound my pride by wearing something similar to a mere maid? Get rid of everything in the red palette. Just thinking about that unlucky girl makes my blood boil."

[Paula] "Ah, you're right."

[Sasha] "Malea! Put my hair up higher. And tighten the corset properly! Didn't you see the atmosphere last year? You only stand out if the skirt is voluminous and extravagant!"

Unlike Ferdinand, who became obsessed with turning Odette into a doll of his own taste whenever a ball was scheduled, Sasha had no interest in Odette at all. She was so busy spending a fortune on her own adornment that she hadn't even thought to order a separate dress for her daughter.

To her, Odette was nothing more than a "ticket" to enter the ball.

And that indifference was exactly what Odette had hoped for. Since the Countess wasn't paying her any mind, she was free to spend her time with Karl.

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