Chapter 107. The End of the Commotion

Jessica’s hazel eyes widened in shock.

Her mouth gaped open in disbelief as she mumbled in a dazed voice.

“Her Highness… The Grand Duchess…?”

“……”

I silently released Jessica’s wrist and turned to my side. Jasmine, Haley, and Gideon had come to stand beside me.

Jasmine stepped forward a bit and scolded Jessica in a stern voice, representing the three of them.

“How rude. Do you even know who this is…?”

Jessica blinked rapidly, looking back and forth between Jasmine and me.

“So, you’re really the Grand Duchess…? And that gentleman is Lord Warrington…?”

Gideon, who had been pointed out by Jessica, looked at the girl with a disdainful expression and spoke.

“You are the youngest daughter of the Blount family, correct? I heard you had a guest staying with you, but I didn’t expect you to treat someone so poorly….”

Jessica jumped up as if she had been greatly insulted.

“Treat poorly? That’s not it! It’s all because this ungrateful girl stole…!”

Jessica pointed at Laila, who shook her head vigorously with her tear-streaked face lifted. Laila’s voice was filled with injustice.

“I-I didn’t steal it. I didn’t take it. Please believe me….”

Laila’s trembling, stuttering figure looked pitiful even to those who didn’t know the situation. The villagers who were familiar with Laila seemed to feel even more sympathy and approached us, glancing at me as they spoke.

“The Blount family has been mistreating Laila for days. Laila is the child of the sister of the head of the family, who eloped with a foreigner. After losing her parents in an accident five years ago, she wandered from place to place and ended up at the Blounts’ two weeks ago….”

“The villagers have been helping her out of pity, but Jessica always takes everything away from her… Jessica’s two brothers often throw Laila out into the night in her pajamas and starve her. The head of the family treats Laila like a burden. Even though she is a guest, it’s too much, especially since the family isn’t struggling financially….”

As soon as the villagers finished speaking, Jessica fumed with rage.

“Mr. Millard, Mrs. Heymnell! I’ll remember this and tell my father everything! Have you already paid back the money you borrowed from my father?!”

The two villagers flinched and sheepishly retreated, glancing at Jessica.

It seemed that Jessica’s family held a significant position and wealth in the village.

Mistreating a guest like Laila must have bothered the villagers, but they seemed to have kept quiet, fearing the Blount family’s retribution.

I sighed softly. Laila’s situation overlapped with mine. There were many women like us in the world, and not all of them could be saved.

In my case, I was lucky. I ended up entangled with the Grand Duke of this country, and I had my mother’s love magic and innate foresight magic. But this girl, who had nothing, must have felt so lonely and hopeless.

I slowly leaned down and extended my hand to Laila. Smiling, I said,

“Take my hand.”

“What…?”

“Take it and stand up.”

Laila, looking bewildered, fluttered her eyelids, and I quietly watched her without urging her further. After hesitating for a moment, she grabbed my hand with an incredulous expression. I gripped her hand firmly and helped her to her feet.

Laila staggered briefly but soon stood upright, clasping her hands over her navel and bowing her head deeply. She murmured in a small voice,

“Th-thank you….”

After giving Laila a slight smile, I turned to the two villagers who had just informed me of the Blount family’s misdeeds.

“How much debt do you have left?”

“Pardon…?”

“I asked how much more you have to repay the Blount family.”

“Uh… 100 lupins. With interest, it’s 105 lupins….”

“Our family borrowed 200 lupins, and the interest is 25 lupins now….”

Listening to their stories, I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief. Charging interest among villagers?

“Gideon, why is there a loan shark in this small village?”

“Your Highness… I am deeply sorry! I had no idea such things were happening!”

Gideon bowed at a right angle, repeatedly apologizing. I calmed him down and then took out two small silver coins from my purse, handing them to the two villagers. Each small silver coin was worth 1,000 lupins.

The villagers, looking extremely grateful and surprised, accepted the money, while Jessica stared at me in a daze.

At that moment, the village chief, having heard of the commotion, hurried over and introduced himself to me. Cutting off his rambling, I gave a brief order.

“Bring the head of the Blount family and his two sons here. As quickly as possible.”

* * *

Jessica looked completely deflated.

It seemed she had finally realized that the person she had confronted was the Grand Duchess, and she was embarrassed by the futile conclusion that the necklace she claimed was stolen had been found in the pocket of the clothes she had taken off the night before.

Jessica’s two brothers and father, seated opposite me at a wooden table, also looked dejected. They kept glancing at me nervously.

I handed them three contracts that Gideon had hastily prepared and spoke.

“Sign these.”

“W-what are these…?”

“A waiver of guardianship over Laila, a pledge not to interfere in Laila’s life anymore, and a pledge not to engage in loan sharking in this village.”

“L-loan sharking? We would never….”

“You did lend money at high interest rates. Don’t make excuses. You charged your neighbors more interest than a bank would.”

At my rebuttal, the head of the Blount family clamped his mouth shut. I crossed my arms, openly showing my reluctance to continue the conversation, and Gideon nudged the head of the Blount family to sign the papers.

After finally getting his signature, I took Laila from their house and instructed Gideon.

“Find out if there are others in this village who have borrowed money from the Blount family and provide them with financial support. Also, make arrangements so that the villagers can easily use the bank in Ortez. It seems such issues arise because people are concentrated in a small village. If they realize that the bank is accessible, there will be no more high-interest lending.”

“Y-yes…! Absolutely right! I will see to it!”

…Though Gideon would have handled it well without my instructions, I couldn’t just let it go. Gideon was chosen by Enoch, so I trusted his capabilities, but one could never be too sure.

“What are you doing? Get in.”

“Can I really go with you…?”

As I was about to get into the carriage to leave the village, Laila, holding a small suitcase, hesitated and looked at me nervously.

I gently pushed her shoulder towards the carriage door and kindly urged her.

“It’s fine, get in.”

“Y-yes… Thank you, Your Highness.”

Inside the carriage, Laila seemed uncomfortable, curling up as if she wasn’t used to the luxurious surroundings. She appeared very timid and lacking in confidence, still trying to adjust to the situation.

It was understandable. She had just been accused of theft, released, and was now riding in a carriage with the Grand Duchess to the lord’s castle.

I spoke to Laila in a friendly tone.

“You said you’re nineteen this year? And you know some household chores.”

“Y-yes, I can cook a little… too.”

“Good. I’m thinking of hiring you as a maid at the Grand Duchy. You can learn the job gradually from the head maid, so don’t worry too much.”

Laila’s onyx-like eyes widened, and she repeatedly expressed her gratitude. Her fingertips trembled slightly. Feeling a familiar sense of pity, I sighed inwardly.

I wasn’t sure if this Laila was the same ‘Laila’ from the future I had glimpsed. It could just be a coincidence.

But I couldn’t ignore her. Her shabby, timid appearance reminded me of the Cinderella-like Ellen.

Maybe I wanted to save Laila to gain a sense of vicarious satisfaction, as if I were saving my past self…

…Even so, my wish for Laila to do well at Evitern Castle was genuine.

When Laila looked up and met my eyes, I smiled warmly. I sincerely hoped she would adapt well to her new home.

* * *

“You went out to inspect the territory and brought back a maid?”

Enoch remarked incredulously.

It seemed news about Laila had already reached him.

“I just couldn’t pass her by.”

“Hmm….”

His long, elegant fingers lightly tapped the piano keys, producing a rather beautiful melody that flowed like magic from his fingertips.