~•|•~
As soon as she entered the bedroom, Inez immediately unstrapped her hat and threw it away. She put herself down on the seat near the window, her favorite spot, and looked out at Beetheaven's twilight sky.
Inez rested her hands on the window frame. Her lips mumbled unclearly several times. Her fingers were busy moving, like she was calculating something. After that, the girl suddenly gets up from the chair and steps quickly towards the cupboard. She opened the cupboard door and ruffled her clothes to find a key.
"Here it is," Inez muttered with sparkling eyes when she found the key. She looked up to the top of the cupboard, where her safe box was. She ascended onto the small chair that was placed next to the cupboard on purpose, then picked up the safebox and got off the chair while jumping. As if she didn't have much time, Inez opened the safebox right there on the floor.
The metal box opened when the key was turned. Several stacks of sena coins and also a bank passbook were there. Inez reached for her bank passbook. Her eyes were busy moving right and left as she read the bank statement.
'Two million one hundred and thirty-seven sena,' Inez thought as she read the statement. Two million sena was her own savings, and one hundred and thirty-seven sena was Anthony's money that she didn't return. Her brows furrowed. 'Is this enough?' she wondered. At the same time, there was a knock on her bedroom door.
Knock, knock, knock!
Inez turned around. She put her passbook back in the safebox, then picked it up and stood up. "Come in!" she called.
The door opened afterward. Anne and Jouis, Buford's butler, were in the doorway. They entered with strained expressions.
Inez took a deep breath. "Close the door," she pleaded to Anne.
"Yes, Lady." Anne turned and closed the door. She was back again, but this time standing behind Jouis.
"You called me, My Lady," Jouis said with a nod. He looked straight at Inez afterwards. In his hand was a stack of Buford's financial records for the past few months, as requested by Inez.
"Yes." Inez stepped toward the table. She placed her safe box there, then sat on the chair without removing her gaze from Jouis. "I heard about it from Anthony," she said.
"I also found out from Anne," Jouis said. He sighed softly. "The Count is doing his best under the circumstances."
"Best?" Inez repeated it with a bitter chuckle. She gave a small shake of her head. "What if His Majesty finds out that we are not paying the workers the proper salary, Jouis?"
"That..."
"We already have new rules, Jouis," Inez emphasized. "I remember that the law on workers' salaries was updated about two and a half years ago. What do you think will happen if this is heard by His Majesty? Oh, and don't forget the noble council and the general council."
Jouis swallowed his saliva for a moment. "We might be able to get away with it, Lady."
"Yes!" Inez agreed. "It is possible to escape from the noble council, but not the general council!" She emphasized. "That's not the best option, Jouis!" Inez shook her head in disbelief. "You know... Baronnes Trouyan can escape the punishment of the noble council, but not the general council. Do you want me to tell you what punishment she's enduring?"
"My Lady," said Jouis, who let out a long sigh. "Please forgive me. I have been negligent in my duties."
"Yes, you were," Inez responded with a confident nod. "Come here! I want to see Buford's financial reports," she said.
Jouis stepped closer. He placed the reports on the table, next to Inez's safebox. "What do you want to do?" he asked Inez, who immediately opened one of the reports.
"What else? I'm going to save a little of Buford's honor before it's too late," Inez said as she opened the report that smells ink.
Jouis turned to Anne, who was standing in the corner of the bedroom. The woman nodded briefly. He looked at Inez again. "What do you need, Lady?"
"Data on the fired workers," Inez replied seriously.
"Excuse me, My Lady." Jouis took the bottom report and handed it to Inez. "This is the report you are referring to," he said.
"Okay," Inez replied, immediately putting down the previous report and grabbing the one Jouis had given her. She read it seriously, occasionally muttering about numbers.
Inez read it for quite a while. She flipped through the pages several times. And after ten minutes of reading, the girl closed the report. She looked at Jouis. "I'll pay the rest of the workers' salaries," she said.
"Pardon?" Jouis was stunned.
Inez ignored his surprised look. She put the report on the table. Instead, she took the passbook from the safebox. "I see Anthony gave almost the same salary to the workers. I'll give each person an additional sixty sena. Because of Buford's financial condition, they will understand that there is no extra bonus. The same goes for the noble council and the general council when this news is heard," he explained.
"Wait, Lady." Jouis swallowed heavily. "Where did all the money come from?"
"From my savings," Inez replied. Before Jouis could interrupt, she spoke again. "This is the best decision. I wanted this," she added.
"Did you discuss it with the count?" asked Jouis.
"Of course not," Inez replied, turning her gaze away from the butler. "You should talk to him about this. As soon as possible."
Jouis let out a long breath. "The Count also has his savings, My Lady."
"Yes, but he doesn't want to use his savings for the workers. So, let me use mine. While he saves this family that is on the verge of bankruptcy," Inez said with a bitter smile. "He thinks I won't contribute at all to Buford?" she muttered in annoyance as she remember Anthony's words earlier.
"How much are your savings?" asked Jouis.
Inez looked at the man who had served Buford for many years. "Two million one hundred and thirty-seven sena. There will be some left over later," she replied.
"Are you sure you'll use your savings to pay off the workers' salaries, My Lady?" Jouis asked again. "I mean, this is a big decision."
Inez nodded firmly. "Tell Anthony about this. Including the consequences if he refuses. Because I want him to agree," she said firmly.
"Very well then, My Lady." Jouis nodded slowly. "I will discuss this with the count. But before that, may I borrow your passbook to show the count?" He held out his hand.
"Sure," Inez replied, handing the passbook to Jouis. She smiled afterward. "Let me know anytime about Anthony's answer. When that time comes, I will go to the bank to get my money," she said.
"Very well, My Lady. Then I will take care of the rest," Jouis said. He glanced at Anne, who gasped, and then gave an awkward smile. "And I have something to talk about with Anne." He looked at Inez again. "Can I talk to her for a moment?"
"Yes, yeah." Inez waved her hand and looked away. "Go away," she said.
"Thank you, Lady. In that case, I will excuse myself," said Jouis as nodded briefly, then turned and went out of Inez's bedroom together with Anne.
Meanwhile, Inez immediately banged her head against the table when the door closed. She winced afterwards. "I'm finished... I have no savings after this," she muttered in a miserable tone.
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