After drinking half a cup of black tea to calm her nerves, Elisa remembered another detail.
The etiquette instructor told me to pay attention to how the servants conduct themselves. She was actually warning me that there was something wrong with the butler. After all, I hired professional servants. There’s no way they’d make mistakes when it comes to proper conduct!
An etiquette instructor’s status lies somewhere between servant and master, so she has to be careful about her reputation among the servants. That’s why she couldn’t tell me directly and could only drop subtle hints….and I completely failed to pick up on them!
Elisa, oh Elisa, you’re still far too inexperienced.
If it weren’t for [Simon’s Log], you’d have become a laughingstock without even knowing why, and your revenge plan would have suffered a major setback!
Come to think of it, [Simon’s Log] is actually very useful. The description of its functions did mention before that there was a chance of obtaining mysterious information.
Mm. I spend so much time every day reading [Simon’s Log], but I’m not wasting my time. I’m gathering intelligence! I’m actually working hard!
I really do work so hard.
Elisa looked at the screen and suddenly felt much more impressive.
Then another thought occurred to her. With [Simon’s Log], the male servant Simon was effectively her eyes. If she wanted to investigate something, all she had to do was send him there.
Should I train the male servant up a little, then send him into the royal palace?
No. There are far too many servants in the palace. Learning some ordinary information wouldn’t be of much use anyway.
Putting Simon out of her mind, Elisa turned to the head maid. “How much did Sheldon embezzle in total?”
“By my estimate,” Maria said quietly, “around 53 pounds.”
53 pounds! And I’ve only employed him for a little over a month!
Elisa took a moment to compose herself before continuing, “Give me a list of all the servants connected to Sheldon.”
The trembling Maria recited the list. It included every first- and second-rank male servant, along with two maids.
Elisa asked again, “None of the ordinary male servants were involved?”
“No. They didn’t trust the ordinary male servants.” Maria kept her head lowered fearfully.
They didn’t trust the ordinary male servants? Elisa froze.
“You mean none of the ordinary male servants knew about this?” she asked.
“Yes. I only discovered it recently myself.” Maria gave a detailed account of how she had noticed the clues, then sincerely repented for concealing the matter. She had no evidence and hadn’t dared to offend Sheldon lightly.
Elisa paid little attention to the rest. She was busy wondering how Simon could have known about something none of the ordinary servants knew.
Something suddenly occurred to her. She opened the screen and once again read the effects of [Best Employee].
Beneath [Ability 1], there was a line of explanation.
“Can pick up on subtle shifts in the workplace atmosphere.” Elisa silently read the words to herself
She had originally thought this ability merely made Simon better at slacking off. Now, though, it looked like a god-tier skill for espionage!
All she had to do was send Simon somewhere and she could obtain secret intelligence. He was practically born to be a spy!
Should I really pull some strings and get him into the royal palace? Elisa was rather tempted.
After considering it carefully, she abandoned the idea.
[Simon’s Log] was only a new feature unlocked at 10 Intimacy. There were still plenty more features waiting for her to unlock. There was no need to rush.
I wonder when the next new feature will appear. Elisa glanced at the Intimacy value.
[Intimacy: 17]
It was already at 18, and it should’ve reached 20 today. But because of that detestable butler, I lost my +2 and even got -1 instead!
Damn him!
“Lady Elisa,” Maria ventured to ask, “how do you intend to deal with Sheldon?”
Elisa thought for a moment. “Have him leave behind 53 pounds, then take his accomplices and leave the estate.”
I can’t turn him over to the police. That would make me look too harsh. As a member of high society, I have to show some consideration for others, so this is as far as I can go. Tsk, nobles really are hypocrites.
“You are truly merciful,” Maria flattered her.
On the surface, it certainly was merciful. Elisa took a bite of a small cake and thought, I’ll pay that butler’s bedroom a visit one dark and windy night and take every last penny of his savings as compensation for nearly ruining my revenge plan.
It’s been a long time since I practiced my old trade. I’m actually getting a little excited.
“Shall I recruit a new butler and male servants for you, as well as… a new head maid?” Maria continued.
She was nervous, not wanting to be dismissed.
“Recruit some maids to fill the positions we can’t do without,” Elisa replied. “Leave the butler’s position vacant for now. You’ll handle his duties.”
The fact that this head maid hadn’t colluded with the butler was already good enough.
Maria was completely relieved. After agreeing, she remembered something else and said awkwardly, “Young lady, the estate must have a first-rank male servant to manage the ordinary male servants.”
Men and women were different, after all. She couldn’t fully manage the remaining male servants herself.
That was exactly what Elisa had been waiting to hear.
She pretended to think, acting as though she couldn’t remember his name. “What was the name of the male servant who delivered the letter that day?”
Maria replied, “His name is Simon.”
“Make Simon a first-rank male servant and put him in charge of the other male servants. Raise his annual salary to the standard for a first-rank male servant from now on,” Elisa recited the words she’d prepared long ago.
This could also count as a reward. After all, she had [Simon’s Log] to thank for what happened this time.
“Oh, right.” Elisa remembered something else. “Did you know about Charles pestering Nora?”
The head maid spent some time searching her memory before saying shamefully, “I wasn’t aware of it.”
She couldn’t find even the slightest clue in her memories.
As expected, this was another well-hidden matter that only Simon had discovered.
That’s a little scary. Nothing seems to escape that male servant’s notice.
Wait… don’t tell me he’s already seen through me too? Elisa’s heart shook with panic.
She was posing as the daughter of a wealthy merchant from the archipelago, but in reality, she was an adventurer, a transcendent, an avenger, and a conspirator preparing to shake the very foundations of the kingdom.
Of those identities, only being an adventurer could barely withstand the light of day. If any of the others were exposed, the kingdom would come after her.
Should I just run away? Revenge is important, but my life is even more precious. Worst case, I can always come back in ten years.
After carefully reviewing the contents of [Simon’s Log], Elisa reassured herself. Aside from that one time when she’d repeatedly gone in and out of the room to maliciously interrupt Simon’s slacking off, she hadn’t seen him again. She probably hadn’t exposed herself.
She would have to be even more careful from now on and avoid meeting him whenever possible. If they did meet, she would have to read [Simon’s Log] word by word afterward to make sure she hadn’t given anything away.
Once she’d finished thinking everything through, Elisa looked at the head maid waiting for her instructions.
Where was I just now?
Oh, right. Charles and Nora. The head maid said she hadn’t noticed anything.
Good thing she hadn’t. Otherwise, if she’d dealt with the matter, Simon wouldn’t have resented his terrible breakfast and, in a fit of anger, brought the butler down with him.
It was basically the equivalent of a low-level employee getting so angry over bad afternoon tea that he took out the department manager.
Elisa deliberately shook her head with an inscrutable air and admonished her, “You need to pay more attention to the details.”
Maria’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately began reflecting on her mistakes.
The young lady wouldn’t say something like that for no reason. Could it be that she uncovered Charles through Nora and then followed the trail all the way to the butler?
From the smallest clues, she could see the bigger picture; from the faintest signs, she could deduce the truth. She was practically a detective….and the young lady had clearly never even met Nora or Charles!
This young lady from the archipelago really isn’t simple either. I’ve heard things are chaotic over there. I can’t believe I actually underestimated her before.
The head maid deeply repented for her mistake.
“You may go. Have everything dealt with today.” Elisa maintained the air of an unfathomable expert.
“Yes.” The head maid respectfully withdrew from the dining room.
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