To My Arrogant Master - Chapter 14

Mrs Melady bit her lip hard, recalling the young boy who had cried and begged not to go, trembling.

What had she done then? She had forcibly pried off the hands of the barely 5-year-old child clutching at her collar and shoved him into the wardrobe.

The reason this memory from over 20 years ago became so clear now was due to the stark contrast between that powerless boy and the grown master before her eyes.

Only then did she suddenly understand the duke’s excessive behavior today. The longer the duke’s silence continued, the more anxious the head maid became.

“I only ordered her to be confined to a room, I didn’t know she was locked in a wardrobe.”

Seeking a way out, Mrs Melady told a blatant lie without the slightest change in expression.

“The head maid had her confined and didn’t know?”

“Yes. I clearly instructed to only confine her to a room and give her food at set times. I really don’t know how things turned out like this…”

She exchanged a brief glance with the trembling Celine and then composed her brazen expression.

“I don’t know.”

Claude twisted his lips after briefly glancing at the resentful looks of some maids behind her.

He had already thoroughly grasped the circumstances.

Not only had the head maid been hearing bad rumors about Flora almost daily, but she had also heard that the other maids was treating Flora roughly.

But even a complete fool would understand the situation if they looked at how things were going.

All the servants had been ostracizing and tormenting Flora. And that was with the head maid’s tacit approval.

He had seen countless two-faced people before, but he never knew it was so rampant even within this mansion.

“Then let me ask you one thing, head maid. Did you know about the rumors circulating about Flora?”

“That… well…”

“Head maid, isn’t this your fault as well then?”

“Pardon…?”

“Why are you so surprised? Isn’t it your duty to oversee the maids? Since you failed to control the servants under you, you should take appropriate responsibility.”

Though it sounded quite considerate of the old woman at first glance, the content was scathingly harsh.

The color drained from Mrs Melady’s face, which was always wrapped in elegance.

“But… but, Master.”

“Don’t try to excuse yourself by saying you didn’t expect to be reprimanded.”

The duke, with a cold sneer, dismissed her as if there was no need to hear more.

He was truly angry to the core.

He couldn’t help but lament the fact that these underlings had dared to act powerful in the absence of their master, and had exercised authority over other maids through connections.

Moreover, curses welled up at the brazen face of the head maid who clearly knew but didn’t confess the truth.

“It’s regrettable. I have no choice but to dismiss you, whom I’ve known since childhood.”

However, his expression as he said this showed no sign of regret at all. As the head maid’s expression twisted, the duke’s sneer deepened in contrast.

“Ah, I almost forgot. Don’t expect a letter of recommendation from the Heinst ducal family. I can’t bear to see you going somewhere else.”

With those words tinged with laughter, Claude rose from his seat. Similarly, orders followed to punish and expel the other servants who had been summoned.

Claude glanced at those who had turned pale as if they were of no concern to him, and muttered to himself with a seemingly generous smile.

“I thought the house I returned to after 8 years felt particularly unwelcoming, but now I understand why. It was full of nauseating faces.”

Their generous master never spoke empty words.

Even when the head maid, who had dedicated her life to the ducal household, begged, setting aside her pride, the duke didn’t take back his order.

Moreover, the servants who were dragged out were beaten all night, and the maids were no different. After the punishment for the crime of insulting nobility, they were immediately expelled empty-handed.

* * *

Flora slowly opened her eyes at the soft, fluffy sensation touching her cheek.

“Flora, are you conscious? Here, drink some water.”

Flora, opening her eyes hazily, received the glass of water from Mary, who had drooping eyebrows, and moistened her lips. As the cool, refreshing sensation went down her throat, she felt her mind clearing a bit.

“You must still be weak, so lie down. The doctor said you need plenty of rest.”

“I’m… fine now. But where is this…?”

Flora, realizing she had finally lost consciousness despite holding out until the end, looked around the room she was lying in.

“Thank goodness. The master came just in time and got you out.”

“The master?”

“Yes. When the master found out that the head maid and that Celine deliberately didn’t give you food and locked you up, he was furious.”

She couldn’t remember clearly, but it seemed like someone had held her in a dream, and that must have been the master. Flora took another sip of water.

“But why is Mary…”

Flora was about to ask why she was in her room when she suddenly noticed Mary’s red, swollen eyes and stopped.

Somehow understanding the unspoken question, Mary suddenly threw herself into Flora’s arms.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Flora. I said we should help each other, but I couldn’t do anything.”

Mary literally shed big tears and started crying sorrowfully.

Flora froze as the tears dampened the thin fabric of her dress, not knowing what to do, then moved her hand to slowly stroke Mary’s back.

It was an awkward gesture, but somehow she felt she should comfort her.

Mary, who had been crying in Flora’s arms, seemed to calm down after some time and slowly moved back. Then, as if embarrassed for bursting into tears in front of a patient, she smiled sheepishly.

“Sorry… I showed you something unsightly in front of a sick person.”

“Are you alright now?”

“I should be the one asking that. Phew. Anyway, they’ve all been expelled, so no one will bother you anymore, Flora.”

“Expelled?”

To Flora, who tilted her head wondering what that meant, Mary told her everything that had happened in the mansion while she was lying down.

“I’ve been in this mansion for over 2 years, but it’s the first time I’ve seen the duke so terrifyingly angry.”

Flora just blinked her big eyes. Holding both of Flora’s hands, Mary continued, saying she still felt chills thinking about that time.

“Actually, locking you up was the head maid’s own decision. It was those girls who stopped me when I tried to bring you food.”

“…But surely it was the master’s order…”

“Yes. The head maid lied. She always did that. Whenever new girls came, Celine would beat them saying she was disciplining them, and the head maid knew everything but turned a blind eye. And this time, the master belatedly found out about it.”

Flora had already anticipated that much. Judging from how the head maid had briefly stopped by when Celine called Flora to the warehouse and left without a word, such incidents must have been commonplace.

But it seemed somewhat excessive for the duke to get angry over her confinement and even dismiss Mrs Melady, who had been in charge of the ducal household for decades.

Seeing her puzzled expression, Mary sighed and confessed.

“The master is very generous to us. He gives us gifts on New Year’s and pays us well compared to our work. But…”

She looked vacantly behind Flora as if recalling something and continued.

“He’s definitely not kind enough to overlook those who act recklessly relying on that kindness. Everyone says that. At those times, the face of the previous duke appears.”

The more Flora heard Mary’s words, the more incomprehensible it became. At least from what she had seen, the duke’s temperament was just arrogant like common high nobles.

Or not?

As she recalled her first encounter with him, Flora momentarily wondered if her judgment was correct.

If he had been like the high nobles she had seen countless times, he would never have helped her.

She didn’t know.

Feeling a sense of frustration rising, she shook off all the thoughts filling her mind.

“Get more rest.”

“I’m fine now.”

“The butler said Flora is excluded from duties for the time being. Take this chance to rest well.”

“I really am fine…”

But Mary, who had pulled the blanket up to Flora’s neck and tucked her in carefully, was adamant.

Feeling like a child, Flora silently looked at Mary, who spoke firmly as if she were a teacher.

“As long as you’re a maid belonging to this family, you must take thorough care of your body.”

“……”

“Forcing yourself to work while sick is also causing trouble for the master.”

In the end, Flora couldn’t say anything more and had to lie down quietly. After that, she drank a bitter liquid they brought, saying it was medicine to boost her energy, and was truly treated like a patient.

* * *

After taking the medicine Mary brought, Flora fell into a deep sleep.

As she pushed open her heavy eyelids, she saw the sky covered in darkness through the window. It seemed she had fallen asleep and woken up several times, and quite some time had passed in between.

Flora groaned as she tried to raise her upper body. Her head was spinning, perhaps due to the lingering effects of the medicine.

As she pressed her forehead, swallowing the headache, she suddenly heard a deep voice.

“I thought your will to live was strong, but was I mistaken?”

“…Your Grace?”

Only then did Flora notice the duke sitting on the windowsill, looking at her, and murmured blankly. She had always been alone when she woke up, but this time someone was watching over her.

The duke pulled a chair over and sat by the bed. Looking at him, who seemed somewhat angry for some reason, he clicked his tongue.

“You did quite a foolish thing ‘again’.”

“…Did I do something wrong this time too?”

“I knew you had a reckless personality, but I didn’t expect you to demonstrate it to me with my own eyes again.”

When she tried to remove the blanket and get up completely, the duke pressed her shoulder, forcing her back onto the bed.

“Patients should stop being stubborn and lie down.”

Flora looked at him with a face that seemed to ask why he was here. The slight concern mixed with reproach felt unfamiliar and confusing.