TSMMT Ch 25

A Wretched Downfall

The King required a severe warning for the nobles who failed to pay their treasury dues diligently. Duke Brienne, a loyal member of the King's faction, devised an entirely risk-free scapegoat.

Duchess Poliana fit the criteria perfectly. The former Duke, who swore absolute loyalty to the King, had died, and the Duchess ran a corrupt casino, lived a loose life, and possessed countless enemies. She was the ideal target. A wasteful sinner who neglected her duties to the nation!

The nobility quickly accepted the King's sudden strike. Retainers who despised Duchess Poliana's reckless spending quickly betrayed her. Although her casino operations had generated considerable wealth, her downfall arrived with swift cruelty. To the outside world, she became a vulgar thief, ruined by a life of absolute corruption.

Duke Brienne aimed to complete his mission. However, his own mistress stood among the captured. Mirva looked utterly wretched, her appearance revealing she had just rolled in bed with multiple men. Beholding her half-naked form, the Duke swallowed his blazing fury.

[Mirva] "Y-Your Grace..."

His mistress, the woman who shared his bed, turned out to be a close ally of the very noble he targeted. Informants confirmed the betrayal, revealing that Mirva even assisted with the casino operations.

Mirva had served her purpose well. Whenever Duke Brienne hinted at granting her the title of Duchess, she eagerly ran to his bed, kissed his feet, and worked tirelessly for the estate.

[Duke] "I intended to spare your life, yet you commit this betrayal."

All women are the same. A harsh laugh burst from his lips.

---

Knights held Mirva bound in the courtyard as Dianna evaluated the scene. She didn't expect an execution; in her past life, Duke Brienne never killed Mirva. Whether that decision stemmed from a lingering shred of affection remained a mystery.

The confrontation felt like a public execution, as the Duke chose to interrogate Mirva regarding her further crimes right inside the estate.

He glared at her with burning eyes.

[Duke] "So this wench spent the entire budget of the ducal house this year? All of it?"

[Butler] "……Yes, Your Grace."

Dianna injected a tearful tone into her voice. Tears didn't actually fall, but she absolutely had to deliver these words.

[Dianna] "That is not all, Father. Mother's keepsakes vanished."

[Duke] "How did you manage her keepsakes?!"

[Dianna] "I am sorry, Father. I placed my trust in that woman."

Good heavens, selling off family heirlooms as well?

The surrounding maids shook their heads. The faces of Mirva's closest followers turned pale; these accomplices had helped sell the treasures and received a share of the profits.

[Mirva] "No! The estate faced financial difficulties, so I used the funds for the young master and young ladies! Ask the young master!"

Young master Emil, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward.

[Emil] "Father, Mirva did nothing wrong! She took absolute care of me."

[Duke] "Silence!"

The Duke roared. Emil still defended Mirva.

Reflecting on her past life, Dianna remembered that Emil had protected Mirva during her banishment back then as well.

[Emil] "Dianna, didn't you spend all that money while running around as the Princess' lady-in-waiting? Are you pinning your own wastefulness on her now that you face exposure?!"

His words left Dianna entirely stunned. Why did he take that woman's side at this moment? Why did her brother fall so deeply under her spell?

Emil looked up at the Duke with a desperate expression.

[Emil] "F-Father. She merely spent some money. It counts as a minor offense, not a capital crime. Please forgive her."

Mirva sobbed, her gaze fixed on Emil. Deep gratitude filled her face.

Meanwhile, a subtle fracture line cracked across the Duke's expression, registering immediately with Dianna. Why did the Duke wear such a look? Right then—

[Guiscard] "It is true. Mistress Mirva stole Lady Dianna's keepsakes."

A clear voice echoed. Guiscard stood there when Dianna turned her gaze.

[Mirva] "You wretched slave, stay out of this!"

Mirva shrieked. The Duke looked at Guiscard with a confused expression, startled by the slave's sudden intervention.

[Guiscard] "Lady Dianna suffered deep distress. On the day the treasures vanished, a merchant group visited the estate. I can't read, so I don't know which group it was, but I distinctly heard the word 'payment'."

[Duke] "……"

[Guiscard] "I am merely the young lady's slave, but I wonder why everyone remains completely silent. Does this silence not count as a betrayal of your master?"

Guiscard, why are you stepping forward like this?

The maids and servants already supported Dianna. Guiscard had no reason to intervene.

As Dianna gestured, the maids stepped forward to speak.

[Maid 1] "T-That is true! That woman took the late Duchess' keepsakes without permission."

The maid who previously suffered a glass injury under Mirva's hand stepped forward. This was the first servant Dianna had won over.

[H. Maid] "But for Lady Dianna and Lady Alexa……"

The head maid chimed in subtly, implying that Mirva had provided everything without fail for Young Master while neglecting the young ladies.

Mirva prepared to shriek. The butler also exhaled a heavy sigh.

[Butler] "She embezzled the entire household budget. She threatened me, claiming she needed to become the next Duchess."

[Mirva] "When did I ever?!"

[Butler] "You did."

The butler declared firmly. A look of sheer relief covered the old butler's face.

Everyone began accusing Mirva of her wickedness. Dianna watched her utter downfall.

Servants who steal their master's property face amputation of their wrists. Although Mirva held the status of a ruined noble and a lady-in-waiting, she was essentially no different from a maid; what would become of her?

[Mirva] "But I still managed the estate perfectly."

[Duke] "……"

[Mirva] "Your Grace, please spare my life."

She begged frantically.

The Duke inspected the mansion. At any rate, because Mirva managed everything, the estate remained intact to this degree. For some reason, the mansion had grown even cleaner over the past two months. Dianna knew her father was conflicted.

[H. Maid] "No, Your Grace. That woman fell into complete hedonism and neglected the estate entirely of late."

The head maid spoke calmly. Mirva failed to understand why the head maid, whom she believed to be a trusted follower, attacked her like this.

[Duke] "Are you saying you performed all the work?"

Displeased that someone sought to claim credit in this situation, Duke Brienne questioned the head maid with irritation.

[H. Maid] "It was not me. I merely manage the maids, so I required a proper master to issue instructions."

[Duke] "……"

[H. Maid] "Had it not been for the young lady, the entire household system would have collapsed."

Every eye turned toward Dianna. The butler also called out.

[Butler] "Yes, that is correct! Thanks to the young lady, we avoided losing the entire estate budget."

[Duke] "Avoided losing it?"

He asked in confusion. The butler avoided Mirva's glare and spoke.

[Butler] "Fearing that woman would squander all the funds, I used Your Grace's name as an excuse to deposit a portion of the budget into the Withers Bank."

[Duke] "A bank?"

The Withers Merchant Group had established this financial depository. They stored money and ran financial investments to return interest; a conservative man like Duke Brienne would never have used it.

Did Dianna know about banks too?

The reason Mirva managed to lead the estate was that the actual workers supported her. Why did she target Dianna's keepsakes?

Upon learning that Mirva spent money on gambling, Dianna deposited the entire ducal house budget into the bank. Mirva completely lacked a grasp on financial concepts and never noticed the vault suddenly emptying.

Loyal servants, including the butler, withdrew funds from the bank to cover expenses, and Mirva never considered the existence of a bank.

Dianna slowly, one by one, won over the people under Mirva's command: the elderly butler who hated moving, the similarly apathetic head maid, and the servants managing the ledgers.

Mirva will abandon the estate entirely on her own.

Initially, the servants refused to take Dianna's side, but once her prophetic words materialized, everyone pivoted to the young lady. The servants' resentment toward Mirva's tyranny had piled mountain-high, and they also owed debts of gratitude to the late Duchess.

Though the remaining budget was meager, efficiency actually improved because the estate funds escaped wasteful spending. The staff assignments balanced perfectly. Dianna even boldly eliminated meals cooked just in case for the Duke's unannounced arrivals.

Though Mirva squandered a massive fortune, the money Dianna saved sufficed to run the household perfectly. Despite her twelve years, she proved a magnificent mistress.

Mirva glared at Dianna, loathing that the girl claimed the spotlight. Right then, her gaze locked with Dianna's. A chilling smile touched Dianna's lips. Mirva stared in shock. Dianna slowly moved her lips.

Serves you right.

Mirva flinched. Beholding that strange expression, she realized she had vastly underestimated Dianna.

Why did Dianna's management skills capture attention at this exact moment? As if perfectly orchestrated. Ah, she bribed both the butler and the head maid.

A delayed intuition pierced Mirva's mind, her thoughts racing.

Could this entire situation stem from Dianna's meticulous strategy?

Did Dianna deliberately drive her to fall into corruption by mingling with Duchess Poliana?

Why did she suddenly become the Princess' lady-in-waiting?

Why did she invite Mirva—whom she supposedly loathed and avoided—to a tea party and drag her into high society?

Why did the noblewoman she met there introduce her to Duchess Poliana? Why?

Mirva's power rested solely on her authority to manage the estate. Once she abandoned those duties for raw pleasure, her position shattered completely.

Ah, that wretched brat sabotaged me. Devious and wicked just like her mother, she ruined me!

[Mirva] "This—this is all because of that girl!"

She went wild with rage. Forced to her knees, she lunged at Dianna, while Dianna stood perfectly still.

I will murder her!

This girl irked her most because Dianna looked exactly like the late Duchess. A brat who once stood helpless beneath her heel dared to sabotage her!

[Mirva] "I will murder you!"

As she lunged toward Dianna, a strong grip caught her waist and slammed her to the floor. Guiscard held the woman down tightly.

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