Chapter 21

Chapter 21

“You even brought in my name and Elliot’s name to pressure Liliana more.”

On the sharp criticism, the maids couldn’t raise their heads properly. It was true.

‘The madam who was aristocratic changed because of Liliana.’

‘I feel so sorry for Young Master Elliot, who had not been receiving attention from the madam.’

All that came from the maids themselves.

“Besides, to show your quarrels in front of a little girl…” Anriche, who had blurred her words, pushed the tip of her lips at an angle. Her smile was as cold as ice.

“I can’t believe you’re making Liliana get involved in that quarrel.”

The silence fell.

They could even hear the sound of a needle dropping. Through that tranquility, Anriche’s lazy voice pierced the maids’ ears like a blade.

“What should I do about you?”

“Pl-please forgive us, Madam!”

“We were wrong!”

Desperate words burst out and the faces of the maids clinging to Anriche were white, as if they were caught with knives at their necks.

Anriche closed her eyes tightly and opened them. ‘I want to fire all of these maids, personally.’

Though, the employees’ side should also be considered. No matter how bad they were to Liliana, these maids were patrons who had been working for Valois for at least five years. It would be difficult to organize the maid immediately, and the backlash toward Liliana would grow.

‘There, you can’t be too aggressive in front of Liliana.’

Later, after a long sigh, Anriche raised her eyelids. She stared at the maids with a biting glance.

“Apologize.”

“…What?”

“To Liliana, and to the maid you’ve bullied.” She coolly concluded her words.

“Apologize formally to them.”

At those words, the maids’ pupils shook violently.

To Liliana, definitely, but to apologize to the maid, who has only been working for a month?

However, with Anriche staring at them with her eyes, they couldn’t help but apologize. Eventually, the maids bowed their heads to Liliana.

“Sorry. I’m sorry, Miss Liliana.”

“We’ve made a really big mistake.”

“Please forgive me.”

The maids opened their mouths.

Liliana looked up at Anriche with an uncontrollable face.

‘Can I forgive those maids right away?’

Anriche gently nodded her head. ‘No, you don’t have to. Say what you want to say.’ That was what she truly thought.

Liliana, who was encouraged by her, gave strength to the voice in her throat.

“In-in the future, I hope this doesn’t happen again.”

“Yes, miss. I will keep that in mind.”

Once again, the maids bent to their waist and looked at the maid standing blankly behind Liliana.

“I’m sorry, Jane.”

“We did it wrong.”

Looking at the seniors who said they were sorry to her, the maid swallowed dry saliva. Although they hold words of apology in their mouth, their gaze at herself was really bloody.

‘You. I’ll see you later.’ It was a gaze filled with such thought.

But just then.

Anriche narrowed her eyebrows and spoke.

“Why don’t you bow your head to that maid?”

“…Yes?” The maids who were stabbed blinked their eyes.

She put her hands on both of her waists and uttered the words again.

“I said ‘formally apologize,’ didn’t I?”

“Ma-Madam. But…”

“Usually, when you apologize formally, you would lower her head and sincerely say the word apology from your mouth.”

The faces of the maids were shocked.

At best, that maid was a child who had been working for less than a month. And she wanted them, who have worked for years in Valois, to bow down to that maid?

However, Anriche was only relentlessly giving orders.

“What is everyone doing without lowering their heads?”

“…Yes, madam.”

Eventually, the maids had no choice but to bow their heads. Only after seeing they apologize that way, she nodded her head slightly.

“Remember well. This is the second time.”

“Yes?”

“It’s already the second time I’m pointing out the rude behavior you’ve done to Liliana.” Anriche lifted her chin slightly.

“There is no third time.”

The maids glanced at Anriche. The warm violet eyes were staring straight at them.

“What I’m saying is, if this happens again, I’ll never forgive it.”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

They nodded their heads quickly, and only then did Anriche release the maids.

“All right, then everyone, go do your work. I’m going to read a book to Liliana and Elliot today.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Like chasing out sparrows by stirring her hands, the maids scattered. She approached Liliana and placed her hand on her shoulder.

“Liliana, are you okay?”

“Yes? Oh, yes.”

Only after Anriche’s hand touched her, the strength loosened a little from her stiffened shoulder. Liliana laughed at Anriche, pretending to be okay.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“…Really?”

“Of course. Wow, did you bring the books?”

With her broken voice, Liliana looked at the books she had brought. Anriche couldn’t hide her sad expression. Normally, she would have brightened her eyes like a star while she was looking at the colorful cover of a fairy tale book. However, Liliana’s expression was still sad.

Anriche, who swallowed a sigh, asked the question again.

“Come to think of it, where is Elliot?”

“He-he went to the kitchen to get an apple pie…”

“…Oh. Did he leave you alone?”

Just when Anriche has an ambiguous expression. Elliot was seen running from afar.

“Mother, eh, heuk, you are here?”

Elliot, who had approached them, gasped breathlessly. A basket of apple pies and bottles of milk was squeezed around his arm. With the basket down on the bench, he narrowed his forehead and looked into Liliana’s face.

“Why are your eyes red? Did you cry?”

“Huh? No, it’s not like that…”

“…No way, did mother bother you?” He turned his head and looked at Anriche.

Embarrassed, Liliana shook her head wildly.

“No!”

“…Is that not it?”

“Really, really not!”

After he heard the affirmations several times, Elliot seemed to let his heart go a little.

‘This guy?’ Anriche glanced at him.

“Elliot, I like the caring thoughts that you want to feed Liliana with snacks.”

“Yes?”

“But a great gentleman doesn’t leave a lady alone in the garden unless something really urgent is happening.”

‘As a mother, I can give this much advice, right?’ Thinking so, Anriche picked her words meticulously.

“Also, if she needed a snack, wouldn’t it be all right to call the maid and ask for it?”

At those words, Elliot made a sad expression.

“Besides, it hasn’t been a while since Liliana came to the Valois townhouse, right?”

“Yes, it is.”

“So, you need to take care of her. Okay?”

Hoping that Elliot will stick with Liliana tightly in the future, Anriche playfully added her words. In fact, if Elliot were with Liliana… ‘The maids wouldn’t have dared to act like that before.’ The purple eyes sank coldly for an instant.

Then, a calm voice rang.

“Make sure you listen carefully to your mother, Elliot.”

‘What?’

At the unexpected voice, Anriche hurriedly raised her head.

Her eyes went wide.

“Oh my God, duke?”

“…”

All of a sudden, Alexei appeared behind them.

***

Alexei, who had just signed the last paper for his work, raised his hand and swept down his face.

“Woo, so tired.”

A long sigh flowed out without his knowledge.

Finally, all the documents piled up like a mountain were processed.

Of course, after today, documents will be piling up again.

‘I wonder if I can be a little leisurely today.’

With that in mind, he set foot in the garden in order to take a walk.

‘…Isn’t that, Liliana and the maids?’ Why are the maids gathering around Liliana like that? Besides, Liliana’s expression is not good…

“The madam who was aristocratic changed because of Miss Liliana.”

“That’s right, that’s right. Besides, I feel so sorry for the young master Elliot.”

“You’re right. He had not been receiving attention from the madam because of Miss Liliana.”

Liliana’s face turned white like a blank paper at the voices. He immediately tried to take his steps to reprimand the maids…

‘Wife?’

The blue eyes opened a little bigger. Just in time, Anriche approached the maids first, and something very surprising happened.