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There were two main halls in the Valentino residence’s main mansion. The one directly connected to the central entrance was the Avoridge hall, and it was after passing through the Avoridge Hall that you’d reach the Grand Hall.
The Grand Hall was mainly used for large banquets and balls, while the Avoridge Hall played an auxiliary role between them. Of course, this meant that the former was wider than the latter.
Apart from that, the Avoridge Hall was used for the purpose of gathering the servants, where Missus Seymour or the chamberlain would reprimand them.
“Do you happen to know why Missus Seymour is interrogating Charlotte?”
“No… I only saw it happen from afar, so I didn’t hear.”
As she answered, Jenna shook her head. For a moment, I thought about why Jenna’s suddenly helping me and Charlotte.
It was only an inkling, but it seemed like Jenna was under the impression that my position in this residence would rise because Theodore’s attitude towards me had changed.
‘It’s enough for her to risk Missus Seymour targeting her just for letting me know about this.’
But she was mistaken. Contrary to Jenna’s expectations, my position in this household would not improve. No one knew that once Theodore’s memories would come back, everything would go back to the way things were.
It was foolish to start being optimistic here. I won’t expect anything more than this. I will just do what I’m able to do with the position I have now.
“…you think you can do whatever you want, Charlotte Brandon?!”
“That’s right. You’re the only one who entered the knight commander’s room, so who else here stole it if not you?”
As we came closer to the Avoridge Hall, I heard the shrill voices of Missus Seymour and another lady-in-waiting. I stopped at the entrance of the hall and gauged the situation for a moment.
“I wasn’t the one who stole it. I serve the Madam closely as her lady-in-waiting, so why should there be a reason for me to be greedy for the knight commander’s gold brooch?”
It was Charlotte’s voice. Even in the midst of all injustice, she answered back calmly.
I hid behind a column and observed the crowd ganging up on Charlotte. It was Missus Seymour, who had a harsh expression on her face, two ladies-in-waiting and three maids. For some unknown reason, the victim himself, the knight commander, was nowhere to be seen.
Charlotte had been caught up in this situation as she visited the knight commander’s room under my order. I don’t know what exactly happened that it had to come to this point, but…
For now, there were two things I’m certain about.
First, the gold brooch hadn’t been pilfered by Charlotte. This much was obvious.
Second, apart from Missus Seymour, two out of those five people were capable of stealing that item.
I watched the reactions of those two closely. One of them looked very nervous, while the other was expressionless.
After taking a very close look at those two, from their faces to the way they carried themselves, I glanced back at Jenna.
As I was about to tell Jenna to do something, it was at that moment.
“Go and—”
“Charlotte Brandon, to get the truth out of you, you should be lashed. Get up on that chair and show your calves!”
‘What?’
Hearing the unbelievable words that came out, my eyes widened. Without even any decisive evidence that Charlotte stole it, you’re going straight ahead with punishing her? Are you out of your mind?
‘Why is she doing this?’
I unconsciously asked, but I didn’t have to think about it too deeply to find the answer.
Charlotte was my personal lady-in-waiting, and she was also the person I was closest to in this place.
If Charlotte would be asked to leave this estate, even if it was under false accusations, I would be completely ostracized. Without anyone to act as my hands and feet, my movements would naturally be limited.
This was what Missus Seymour was aiming for.
For the past year and a half, she’s been pretending to be the righteous, yet secretly ostracizing me—lying in wait for an opportunity. She did it in a clever manner so that Theodore wouldn’t notice at all.
Well, it wouldn’t have made any difference if Theodore did notice… In any case, this time, Missus Seymour must have made up her mind to do something significant.
‘It’s either she really thinks that Charlotte’s guilty, or she’s behind this from the very start.’
“Get on the chair!”
Raising a cane, Missus Seymour shouted at the hesitating Charlotte. I turned to Jenna and ordered her in a hurry.
“Go and call the knight commander here.”
“But the knight commander, right now—”
Jenna tried to say something, but there’s no time to listen. I’ll have to see later whether she will heed my words or not.
From here, Jenna was walking on a tightrope between me and Missus Seymour.
But without further delay, I entered the Avoridge Hall.
“What are you doing right now, Missus Seymour.”
As I raised my voice, my words echoed throughout the hall.
Everyone inside halted, and when they turned around, a moment of silence passed.
After a while, Missus Seymour answered my question.
“Lily, you’re just in time. Your lady-in-waiting stole the knight commander’s gold brooch, but she keeps denying it. That’s why I’m interrogating her now.”
“I didn’t steal it, Madam!”
Charlotte cut in and shouted. Her eyes told me exactly how wronged she felt. At this, I nodded at her, wordlessly telling her that I knew she didn’t do it.
“……!”
Charlotte’s eyes watered as she clenched her lips and clasped her hands together.
I walked towards Charlotte slowly. Then, I stood in front of her as though to protect her.
I turned to Missus Seymour.
“Is there evidence that Charlotte stole it?”
“There is a witness. Serena? Will you tell Her Grace what you saw?”
A maid named Serena hesitated, but she soon stepped forward at Missus Seymour’s call. Even though she took only three steps forward, her gait was incredibly awkward.
Serena glanced up at me, but the moment her eyes met mine, her mouth opened in horror.
Serena was one of the two people I was observing earlier. She still looked extremely nervous.
As I stared back at her indifferently, Serena moistened her dry lips before she spoke.
“I-I am the maid in charge of the upkeep of the knight commander’s room, and I was on my way there to clean, but I saw Lady-in-Waiting Charlotte go inside.”
——
t/n: the knight commander’s ‘brooch’ was actually just an ‘ornament’ in the raws, and i’m just guessing that it’s a brooch. if it ever gets specified later on, i’ll leave another note to inform you guys.