As the guardsmen dragged her into the room, another servant came and cleaned ed the mess in an instant. Where soon after the head butler came and apologize to Celine with such courtesy. " I apologize, My lady! For our that servant's disrespectful demeanor and also for how she treated you, I truly apologize for that..."
" No, I'm also at fault, but I just didn't want to bother the duchess nor you head butler, about it... But I guess it is now the right time, to tell the truth..."
"I'm truly sorry for not reporting this to you earlier, head Butler. But, the truth is—this maid has been serving me rotten food this past few weeks, and also—" The tremulous voice of her as she continued to speak.
" Also, she kept accusing the duchess about it, even though it was not true! For her grace are my savior and kind..." Celine continued her act, even though she'll be throwing up later from what she'd just said about Rosella. " god I feel nauseous. But it's not the right time to think useless things, I need to teach this damn maid a lesson...!"
" ....! No! I did not accuse the duchess..."
" But you did, you been telling me that the duchess had a such bad taste in choosing me...! "
"...! That's, I didn't mean to —" Seeing how anxious the maid was, Celine's tears dripped making the head butler believe in her innocent demeanor. " Guards!!! Take her away and lock her in the dungeon... My lady, please forgive me..." The butler apologize, as the knights dragged her to the dungeon to imprison her.
" It's alright head butler, I understand..."
" Well, My lady. The fountain pen and the blank book you'd requested — I had some spare of it you could use. "
" I can only give this to you since both masters are very busy these past few weeks, so I hope this commotion won't reach their ears..."
" Of course, and may I ask what will happen to her?" Waiting for the butler's response, Celine only planned to teach that arrogant maid a lesson rather than firing her on the spot. That damn servant Mely wasn't the one who led the bullying, nor was she the only one involved. But if even someone like the head maid was found to be a bystander to the abuse against the lady, what kind of uproar will occur in the mansion?
" Mr. Butler..."
" Yes, my lady..."
" Instead, of firing her — I guess we should give her another chance and continue as my maid..." Humbling herself, Celine's innocent demeanor was so convincing that made the butler praised her.
" How kind of you my lady, but I think you're being easy on that woman..."
" No, I am not sir— if ever that arrogant servant will disdain a lady's honor again, I won't let it slide any longer and will dismiss her immediately without bothering the duke nor the Duchess..."
Hearing her reasons, the head butler let out a defeated sigh, averting his eyes from her alluring gaze. "Well, I guess you'd got a point about that... So please be careful and might as well make yourself feel at home..." He reassured, then smiled before he left.
Celine stared at the shut door and let out a shallow breath. " Thank you for your concern head Butler, but making myself feel at home in this place will only make me want to destroy this place even more..." She came out a whisper, then slumped on her mattress.
For her, it would be better if Rosella would be busy for the next 10 years and did not see her. But obviously, everyone thinks that getting adopted by that old hag was an honor.
" Now what should I do? If that old hag began her game once again, I can't be swayed if I do, I'll lose everything, and all of my plans will be in vain..." She murmured, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath.
" Now, I got the book where should I start? I couldn't just write a diary about my days in this hell, what if the future me who's brainwashed by her won't believe it?" She thought, anxiously her eyes dropped, recalling the tragic life she went through in the hands of Rosella her father's current wife. Even though Celine was uncertain about her plan, it was obvious that Rosella would use her like a puppet for her daughter's future, as when the moment Celine came into the mansion and found out about her half-siblings. Celine's guesses and suspicions enlightened as she closed her eyes once again, setting all her thoughts aside.
************
*Knock! Knock! Knock!*
" Oh, I must've dozed off... " Celine woke up from a knock on the door. For a moment, Celine stared at the door curiously then rose from her bed and stretched.
Just then the head maid knocked on the door again, waiting for her response. The head maid Lily had been standing in the doorway waiting for her to wake up this whole time. At that moment, Celine thought that her warning from earlier was effective.
" Who is it?" Celine called out.
" My lady, it's Lily..." The head maid replied, patiently waiting for Celine's permission.
" Please, Come in..." She called, watching the door open from the mattress she was sitting on. Where the head maid entered with another servant on her back. A bright light came out through the door. It was then Celine realized how dark her room was as she felt a burn from the sudden light.
" Did you sleep well, my lady?" She inquired while bowing her head courteously.
" Why did you come? " Celine asked.
" I came to find you as there is an urgent matter that needs to be taken care of as soon as possible..."
"What is this urgent matter?" She asked, as her voice came out shaking. " Did that maid frame me? Or someone?" She thought as her heart skip a beat.
"I came to assign a new personal maid for you because of yesterday's incident, my lady. Please let me know if my lady has something particular in mind."
" There's no way there would be." She thought.
" Otherwise, I will choose one on my own." The head maid volunteered after her silence. Of course, no maid would volunteer to become their master, especially if there's already Penelope the true lady they knew. Also, everyone knew that Penelope hated Celine's existence.
" Who was the maid who serve me before?" She asked, even though she already knew who that damn servant was.
" What do you mean? Mely?"
" Ah, yes. Mely, that servant." Awkwardly she asked while pretending to be curious. " Has she already been kicked out?"
" No, she wasn't, but..."
" Then, what is she doing now?" Celine looked at the head maid's eyes full of questions, curious as to why would Celine ask about her previous maid.
"... For failing to serve you properly, she received a four months pay cut and will be now in charge of the laundry. Why are you asking about that child, my lady?" The head maid's expression began to show clear signs of anxiety and her calm expression are slowly crumbling. " As expected, she had at least some idea of what had been going on. Or perhaps she was that old hag's right hand and the real agitator hiding behind that maid?" She thought as she let out a sympathetic look on her face then said. " Was I being too harsh on her? "
" ...Pardon?"
" I've been thinking about it and I think she could continue being my personal maid." She spoke calmly, slowly lifted her gaze to the head maid, and looked so innocent.
" It's inconvenient without anyone serving me right now. Even if we hire someone, they will do poorly until they learn how to do things properly. Even though she had mocked me, she was only blinded by jealousy, and it's better to keep the original maid who had experience if it's going to be like that." She remarked though Celine wouldn't want to bother herself any longer with that damn maid, since Celine didn't want to make everyone suspicious about her, she had no choice but to be more careful about it.
"If you understand, then please bring her up. I'll leave it to you." Seeing how stunned the head maid was, Celine's innocent smile was so convincingly evident and beguiling. As the head maid's jaw dropped at how speechless she was and thought of her like a lost lamb in a lion's lair.
" But my lady. The second young master personally wanted to punish her for accusing her grace and also for insulting you, so..."
" Wait he did that? So that's why you can't..."
" Yes, my lady..." The head maid replied.
" That's quite unexpected, well I guess choosing another maid wouldn't be so bad, right?" She thought.
" Then, will you allow me to choose my own?"
" Yes, of course, my lady. Do you have someone in mind?"
As the head maid rephrased her question, Celine looked at the head maid and thought." Well, for these past few weeks I've been observing them. I can say that someone had caught my interest, and that person is—"
" Well, Maybe I could have that young maid with black hair and green eyes..."
" Who is she you speaking of, my lady?"
" Well I really do not know her name but I often see her in the hallway passing by..."
" I see... If that's how you feel, I will ask His grace's permission, my lady..." A clear statement came out of the head maid's mouth as she tells Celine that she wouldn't obey her in the end, and it was a ridiculous situation.
" Well, I hope his grace won't be bothered by this..."
" Pardon, my lady?"
" Well, recently the head butler told me to just keep this matter a secret for his grace had been so busy from the summit and had to work on the things concerning the empire's crisis this past few weeks..."
" Well..." The head maid's eyes went wide at what Celine just said.
" I just didn't want to bother his grace and I think a break would be good for him..." The case yesterday was taken care of with one small punishment for one maid, but if she were to get any further involved things could get complicated.