CH 29

Early in the day, the morning after Anna was taken.

“Newly imported tea leaves from the East, ahem.”

Recalling Anna and Count Lever’s smuggling of Akavan, Winston coughed unnecessarily and grimaced. 

“Tea leaves. I hope you like them.”

“Thank you.”

Livia took a sip. 

To be honest, it just tasted like bitter green tea. 

But she nodded with a faint smile on her face, as if she genuinely enjoyed it.

“It’s unique and delicious.”

“Glad to hear it…….”

Winston’s voice trailed off. He’d be pretty upset, too.

‘His hand-picked tutor has been caught in the act of treason.’

Half a day is hardly enough time to sort out his turbulent feelings. 

Livia understood his feelings, but she had her own issues to sort out. 

Setting down her teacup, which still contained the bitter green tea, Livia looked straight at Winston.

He was the first to speak. 

“First of all…… I’d like to thank you,” he said solemnly as he bowed to her. 

Stunned, Livia jumped to her feet. She hadn’t expected him to bow from the waist down.

“Come on, why all of a sudden, get your head up……!”

Livia fidgeted and tried to lift his torso, but Winston didn’t budge. 

He bent his back even deeper and spoke in a serious voice.

“If it weren’t for Miss Pellington’s intelligence, the Duchy of Mercedes would have been caught up in something unnecessary, and that’s a serious matter that extends to reputation.”

“Ah…….” 

Livia was speechless.

It wasn’t some trivial matter; it was the attempted poisoning of the emperor.

If the holy knights had broken in and discovered Anna’s crimes instead of the Duke of Mercedes, Mercedes would have been caught in the crossfire. 

Of course, since he was innocent, he wouldn’t be investigated, but reputation is everything. 

The Duke of Mercedes has a long history and tradition to back him up, but so does the Duke of Mercedes’s empire-wide business. If the rumor spreads that the duke was involved in the poisoning of the emperor, business will suffer. Such a rumor would be enough to tarnish Cardien’s reputation and further the label of madman, especially when his position is not so solid.

However, since Livia uncovered Anna’s attempted crime first, Mercedes was spared the unnecessary accusation. 

Winston was making that point.

“You did do a pretty good job, actually.”

~ Translations by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at moonlightnovels.com ~

Livia denied it out of embarrassment, but objectively, her contribution was enough to warrant a large reward from the Duke of Mercedes.

‘I don’t need a reward.’

There is something else she wished for.

‘It wasn’t my intention, but it worked out.’

The Duke of Mercedes is indebted to her now, after all. 

Livia looked at Winston with serious eyes and parted her lips.

“Butler, do you recall the terms and conditions of the contract?”

“I remember ……..”

Right. The perk I added at the time of the interview.

It was.

“A clause that if the existing tutor quits, you will not hire a new tutor for the next one year.”

“……” 

Winston’s eyes became serious.

Livia looked him straight in the eye and said, “I will take over all of the  young master’s classes from now on.”

“…….” 

Winston looked at her wordlessly for a moment. 

He is more passionate about education than anyone else. He may be satisfied with just Livia for the time being, but soon enough he would want to recognize another competent tutor for efficiency. 

Livia had prevented that from happening by adding a clause to the contract in advance.

‘I’ll be less burdened in one year.’

He’s not going to change his mind now, is he? 

Livia looked at him nervously, worried that he might change his mind.

But Winston shook his head, looking rather pleased.

“On the contrary, I would be grateful if you did.”

“…….Huh?”

This was an unexpected response.

Winston grinned broadly. 

“I’m afraid I’ve made a mistake with this one. It is important to be careful when hiring people. Even though it is such a basic task, it seems that I have become blind as I get older. Anna Lever, ……. It’s a good thing they caught her before she could do anything, or else…….” 

Winston shuddered, as if the thought was too horrible to contemplate.

Then he turned to me and smiled broadly.

“If it’s Tutor Pellington, I know he’ll be in good hands.”

Then Winston’s expression turned somber. Livia suddenly wondered if he had ever been so expressive.

“On the contrary, I was wondering if you would ask me to quit because you have been caught up in such an unsavory affair.” 

“Well, that’s not going to happen.”

“Good! The class is yours to run as you wish. From now on, I will not interfere with your class in the slightest.”

Winston said, his eyes shining. It’s a lot of pressure, but……

‘Thank god.’

Of course, Winston was a good person, but he was also not without an intrusive side.

For him, this was a matter of course, but for Livia, who wasn’t just here for education, it was a bit awkward. But her relief was short-lived. 

Livia couldn’t help but be stunned by what he said next.

“And from now on, you will report your lessons directly to the master, not to me.”

“What…….?”

‘I beg your pardon?!’

Livia looked at Winston with bewildered eyes, but he simply smiled at her. 

She couldn’t figure out what he was thinking.

***

After Livia left for class, Winston called Chelsea.

“Butler, you called for me.”

“Oh, you’re here. Have a seat.” 

The appearance of fluttering in front of Livia was nowhere to be seen, and a cool-headed butler of a villain family greeted her. At Winston’s guidance, Chelsea sat down in front of him with stiff steps.

He poured a fresh brew of tea into her teacup. The fragrant aroma of tea filled the room. 

Sip.

After dropping the last drop, Winston turned to her with a benevolent look.

“It is exactly one year to the day since you entered the duchy.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Chelsea nodded, fiddling with her teacup. Winston stared at her as she did so.

He remembered the first time she’d knocked on the door of the Duchy of Mercedes.

She had looked like she was on the verge of death, her body covered in wounds, but her eyes shone like fire—… 

She had asked Winston to let her eat a single meal, and he had hired her as a maid. 

The reason for this choice was simple. Her eyes burned with a hunger for survival.

Those with such eyes never forget a favor. 

‘I see you have cooled off now.’

Looking into Chelsea’s calm, dark eyes, Winston gave a small smile.

~ Translations by Lurelia | Editing by Valpal | Read only at moonlightnovels.com ~

The smile was short-lived, however, as he returned to his stern expression, his lips parting heavily.

“Chelsea, I have called you here because there is something I need to confirm with you.”

At the sternness in his voice, Chelsea stiffened her shoulders and turned to face him.

“Please tell me.”

“First of all, your behavior yesterday was a clear breach of orders. You know that don’t you?”

“I know. I will gladly accept the punishment.”

“Even if it means kicking you out of here?”

“Yes.”

“Huh.” 

Winston gave a small chuckle as he looked at Chelsea, who didn’t hesitate or waver.

He continued.

“Usually, you never break rules and orders. But why did you break my order yesterday?”

“………” 

For the first time at that question, Chelsea fell silent. Winston waited for her in silence without prompting.

After a long moment, Chelsea slowly parted her lips.

“Because……..”

“Because?”

“I felt like I should.”

“What?”

Winston looked at Chelsea with a puzzled expression, but Chelsea looked rather relieved, as if her answer had answered the question.

“It seemed like you should?”

“Yeah.”

“…..I see.”

Winston’s expression changed when he heard Chelsea’s answer.

Chelsea watched him as he pondered something. Then he broke the silence. 

“You have an objective, dispassionate judgment, and I, as butler to the Duke of Mercedes, can attest to that.”

“……?”

Chelsea stared at Winston, puzzled by his uncharacteristic preamble. 

Winston coughed unnecessarily, as if he himself felt it was unnatural. Then he looked at Chelsea with a serious gaze and asked, “Chelsea, with such a cold and objective gaze, what kind of person is this Livia Pellington you met?”

Chelsea’s eyes narrowed at the unexpected question. 

But only for a moment. 

Her lips slowly parted. 

“The Tutor Pellington I’ve been watching so far is…….”

“Who exactly is the tutor?”

Swallowing hard, Winston focused on the shape of Chelsea’s mouth. However, Winston was stunned by the answer that soon followed.