I coldly glared towards the maid in front of me. It's not that I hate her or anything. I was just really exhausted, after a long night of torture by Sofia. And now, the most annoying matter is I was forcefully awaken when I was barely slept for three hours.
"What did that damn stepmother call me for?! If she need something from me, then she should be the one to come find me!"
The maid swallowed her saliva when she saw my irritated behavior. Even so, she didn't give up on the matter because she knew how Silla was being treated at home. Usually, when the eldest daughter of a Count family got angry, the maids could do nothing except lowered their heads and stayed silent. On contrary, the maid in front of me didn't even lower her head. So she disregard me as one of the masters of the family just because she got some sort protection from the Countess?
"Miss, how could you ask your mother, the Countess, to come here? Naturally, Miss should be the one who go to see the Countess."
"If I say no, what will you do? Do you want to drag me by forced?"
"If Miss keep being stubborn, then I have no choice but to."
Tsk, did you see that? Just a maid but have guts to act impudent. It would be exaggerated to bring out the sword, but I still got a knuckle. It should be fine if I beat her a bit, right? Many ideas came into my minds but none could be done because there's still Sofia who was deep in sleep without knowing anything that happened around her. I'm sure I would be fine no matter what happened, but it's not the same with Sofia. I don't wish to drag her into troubles.
I should get her out from here before the situation got worsen.
Another thing I have to consider is, Sofia is an orphan, so I don't know where I should send her to. If I have met with the High Priest and proved my identity, I could arrange for Sofia to stay at the church. Before I accomplished that, I shouldn't act rashly.
When I was deep in thoughts, the maid's attitude became more daring. She talked with a tone used for someone inferior than her.
"Don't make the Countess wait too long."
My my… she looked like she was giving an order. I stretched out my hand to grab her shoulder and pulled her down to face me.
"I will go, but…"
I leaned my face closer to hers which eyes were widen in surprised, then I gave her a 'friendly' warning.
"Killing a rat which cling onto the fox is nothing to me. So you better behave yourself. No matter if you cling onto a fox or even a wolf, a rat is still a rat in the end."
I couldn't understand how could she assumed the authority of her master as her own. In the end, you should only depend on your own abilities to survive. The maid took one step back while her shoulder still trembling from my slightly threatening voice. Her arrogant eyes from before, now have long gone for good. When she was standing still on her spot, I faintly smiled.
"Lead the way."
"…, yes."
The maid led the way dutifully without putting on airs.
The time indicated that it's almost noon and can't be considered as morning anymore. I was curious on why would the Countess called me when I was still asleep, and so I decided to visit her. The Countess -whose beauty as delicate as a blooming flower, was seated and surrounded by a total of five maids, as if she was a queen in the midst of roses field,- smiled at me.
"Welcome."
I faced the Countess with gloomy expression. It's not entirely her fault. The sun shone brightly and it's too dazzling for me who was just waken up some moments ago. I felt like I was a bat that was forcedly awaken in the middle of day time. If I knew beforehand, I would have brought my parasol with me.
"What do you want?"
Quickly say it! I want to continue my sleep. The Countess frowned a bit from my unfriendly attitude and I wasn't even sat at the seat she had prepared. And the maids around her glared at me as if I was a rebel. What a bunch of damn lowly servants! In fact, the true owner of this mansion is no one but Silla, in other words, it's me!
The Count was just a walked-in son-in-law and all his sons and daughters with the current Countess didn't have any blood relations with Epheria household. And I'm the only legal descendant by rights. But, looked at them. How could they dare to glared at me?!
Well, actually my soul inside this body is also just a nobody without any relation to the family though.
"Lately, you've become impatient."
"I've been through two near-death experiences, it will be strange if I didn't change."
I was in coma for a week and almost received a death sentenced from being accused as murderer. I was also almost got raped as well. If all of those things happened to a normal noble lady, she wouldn't be able to cheerfully going here and there like I did because she would be psychologically shocked. Ermm, nope. To be exact, a normal lady without doubt would be easily raped or received the death sentenced.
"However, how could you put the blame on your innocent mother that isn't related to your problems? Relax and take your seat."
"I couldn't help myself but to be impressed whenever I saw stepmother acted shamelessly. You're really something."
I shaked my head and sat down. My mockery made the situation worsened, but if they were displeased, then what did it has to do with me? If you were displeased, you're free to come at me! I would be more than happy to deal with you lot.
"Quickly spit it out! What did you call me for?"
After I urged the Countess once more, finally she started talking.
"As a mother, I just want to see my daughter. What could be the reason other than that?"
"So you called me with no apparent reasons as if you were training a puppy?"
"Child, your way of speaking is very rude."
"Even though I'm like this, doesn't mean that I won't dare to insult you."
Besides, I can also use my fists and sword. After my repeated insults, the maid who stood behind the Countess, came forward with a rigid face.
"Miss, don't you think that you're being too rude to the Countess?"
Based on her maid uniform and her age, she was likely the chief maid. Seems like everyone inside the mansion other than Sofia, didn't have any respect to Silla… actually, Sofia also treated me as she wished. But at least she did it for my own good.
"Then what will you do to me? Do you want to punish me by whipping me?"
"That's not it, but–"
"If you just want to talk gibberish, I suggest you to just shut your mouth!"
"Miss, you're too much!"
"If you think I'm too much, then why don't you whip me? Stepmother, that maid is being rude to me, may I whip her?"
My words made that maid tightly closed her mouth and she glanced at the Countess with nervous eyes.
With a friendly smile, the Countess said, "Please bear with it, alright?"
"Then, you must train her not to spout nonsense. If a lowly servant doesn't know her place and acted brazenly, it would embarrassed her master in public."
"Remember it well, Cherlan."
"Yes, Countess."
The head maid bowed deeply until her forehead almost touched the tea table when the Countess warned her.
"I will be more careful in the future."
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me, Countess!"
The difference in attitude on how she treated me and the Countess were just as different as day and night. The head maid retreated back with pale-looking face as if she was begging forgiveness for deadly sins just now.
The Countess turned her head to look at me while maintaining her warm smile.
"Are you satisfied?"
"Hmm… well, I'll just leave it at that."
I'm really curious on how did the Countess acted towards the servants that could make the head maid deeply bowed in reverence like that? This woman wasn't as simple as she looked. It made me felt ill at ease.
"Thankfully you don't get angry for long."
"Actually my anger hasn't completely subsided."
The Countess' face turned sad because of my words.
"I've done as you wished, are there still any problems left? Looks like, you're still upset because I became your stepmother."
"…"
Those who heard her words just now must be thinking that I treated her badly. Haha… freaking annoying.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"I've already told the Count about your engagement."
I sat again when I was about to leave my seat. It looks like that damn Count existence is real.
"It seemed like my Lord wasn't really happy to have a Captain of Special Task Squad as your fiancee."
"So he opposed it?"
"My Lord didn't say it directly, but it's likely so. How about you change your decision? That aside, Silla, you're the only legal descendant of the Count Epheria household. You're not in a position where you could make a decision as you wish."
"So you mean that in your eyes, Viscount Schwart would make an amazing spouse?"
"At least, his origin is clean."
What a joke! You didn't like Captain Jullius because you're afraid that you would lost your authority on the Count household and it would be seized by others if a capable man became my future husband. Although his origin wasn't clear, he was appointed by the Emperor himself and his guardian was General Herva, the former Captain of Special Task Squad. That was to say, he was someone who could easily snatched the position of Count Epheria according to the law by marrying me. Therefore, the Count and also the Countess, had to prevent my wedding with him to keep their current positions.
"If his origin is the main issue here, I could find a backer."
After I reclaimed my real identity, I could find for a powerful backer. I could ask for help from the High Priest or Her Majesty the Empress, His Highness the Crown Prince also won't refuse my request because he owed me for saving him, and I could also try to ask for His Majesty the Emperor's benevolence. In addition, the Vice Captain of Holy Knight Squad is the youngest son of Duke Ilhas and -although we're not closed-, my guardian is the Prime Minister Mord.
Heh, don't underestimated the connection of the strongest clergy.
"This problem can't be solved just because you searched for a backer."