Celebrity Lady - Chapter 65

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Celebrity Lady
Chapter 65
* * *
[Reubon Workshop]
A place where a faded, dilapidated signboard hangs and roughly a dozen workers move about busily.

Wisht smirked beside me, jaw hanging open.
Siena’s expression too had darkened with shock as I filled her in on the details on our way here.
“This is not a matter we can overlook. I must report it to the Duke at once.”
“There’s no need. I’ve already contacted him.”
“Do you mean the letter you sent by maid just now?”
“That’s right. I don’t want to blame my brother, but how can he not know the state of his own fief? Worse yet, Reubon is practically within spitting distance of Jedo.”
I added in exasperation.
“Don’t you send inspectors to the fiefs?”
“We do. Inspectors are sent to every fief on a six-month cycle to check conditions and report back.”
Siena flipped through the notebook in her hand with a crisp sound and replied.
“Arthur Trickster is assigned as the inspector for Reubon.”
“Then the fact that my brother knows nothing of the fief’s condition means the inspector took bribes from the Baron of Reubon.”
“Likely so, yes.”
“It’s ridiculous. If I hadn’t come to Reubon, things would’ve stayed like this forever, wouldn’t they?”
It was pure chance. From the moment the Quarantine Investigation was confirmed through transport, everything moved swiftly—if I’d left word that the House of Diolus noblewoman would stay a year and then actually departed, that bastard would’ve prepared some countermeasure…. But I’d gotten caught in a random inspection instead.
‘That scoundrel must’ve braced himself somehow. Lucky I got snagged by chance inspection.’
With a sense of duty toward this sudden quest—like a secret royal inspector from the Joseon era—I stepped into the workshop.
The interior was far worse than the outside suggested. The space was cramped, the indoors dim with only a few flickering lights.
Poor ventilation meant a musty reek assailed my nostrils, and floating dust choked my throat. Working in conditions like this was a guaranteed path to chronic lung disease.
“M-Miss?”
Just then, a middle-aged man rushed over from the corner of the workshop.
Behind him were the siblings I’d seen earlier: Jeremy and Luna.
“You are the Miss of House Diolus, aren’t you? The children told me about you. I’m Charlie Works, the workshop manager.”
“Pleased to meet you.”
I extended my hand toward Charlie Works, whose unkempt brown beard was sparse and whose expression seemed kindly.
Charlie hesitated mid-shake and frantically wiped his hands on his work clothes. Even then, he seemed uncertain and didn’t extend his hand.
“It’s an honor, but my hands are far too dirty right now….”
“It’s fine with me.”
I caught his hand and shook it vigorously up and down.
Charlie laughed in surprise and spoke.
“Ah, well… The children told me my son was disrespectful to you.”
“No, no. It wasn’t Jeremy who was disrespectful to me—it was the Baron of Reubon and his attendant Greg. Jeremy did nothing wrong, so please don’t scold him.”
I offered Jeremy, who was shrinking behind his father, a smile, then made a small gesture at empty air.
One of my guards following behind set down a heavy leather bundle at my feet.
As the slightly open seam revealed glittering jewels, Charlie’s eyes widened.
“What is this?”
“I heard wages are three months behind. Is that right?”
“Ah….”
“Everyone in the workshop has unpaid wages, don’t they? I count roughly ten people here, but there must be more.”
“No, these are all of them. There are twelve of us including me.”
“What?”
As the monthly revenue of 400 million marks suggests, the volume of goods Reubon Workshop produces monthly is enormous.
Yet only twelve workers produce all of it?
Realizing my shocked expression, Charlie laughed sheepishly and continued.
“I wasn’t able to pay wages on time, so everyone scattered.”
“W-wait… I’ve been wondering about this. You pay the workers’ wages, Mister Works? I thought you were receiving them from the Baron?”
“The Baron provides wages monthly, and I distribute them to the workers. However, these past three months, he said the workshop’s income wasn’t good…”
“Your father believes that? The order volume is the same—hundreds of contracts. Why would income drop? Does that make sense?”
Jeremy burst in angrily. Charlie looked startled and tried to stop him.
He’s no fool, yet the man doesn’t realize what even a child can plainly see. He must be holding his tongue in fear of the nobleman’s power.
I hid my trembling hands behind my back and spoke.
“Right now… I don’t have cash on hand, so I brought these jewels with me. If you exchange them at the pawn shop for cash, it should be more than enough. Your wife needs medicine urgently—handle that first.”
“What? No, no. You don’t need to go this far for us. There have been times before when wages fell behind. I’ve worked with the Baron a long time, so I understand. It’s just that the boy’s mother is sick, so Jeremy’s been on edge lately….”
I frowned at Charlie’s words. Wisht clicked his tongue beside me.

But something felt wrong. If he knows the Baron is bleeding the workshop dry, why does he defend him so?
“Unpaid wages aren’t the problem. The real issue is the Baron managing the workshop income at all—that’s a breach of contract.”
“What? No, no, that’s not… We rewrote the contract five years ago. As the workshop grew, he said the fief would manage income at the territorial level. He said it was a direct order from the Duke himself….”
“What?”
I spun to look at Siena in alarm. Siena shook her head firmly at once.
No such thing happened.

Wisht was right.
Wage theft, illegal labor exploitation, bribery of an inspector, contract forgery….
I felt my breath catch as I began to take slow, deep breaths.
“Siena.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Quick-witted Siena immediately took pen in hand.
“The working conditions are too poor. We need to rebuild the workshop building. Contact carpenters from Jedo right now and look into interior contractors.”
“Understood.”
“Since the workers need to be most comfortable when they labor, have the construction proceed with Mister Works inspecting each step, and you oversee things in the middle.”
“Of course.”
Charlie, watching me and Siena alternately as she scribbled notes rapidly, stammered.
“M-Miss, you really don’t need to go this far—”
“Of course I do. It’s simply what should’ve been done all along. And if possible, could you contact the scattered workshop workers and ask if they’d be willing to work again?”
“What?”
“Don’t worry about wages. Even if the workshop produces nothing, the workers’ salaries won’t fall behind going forward.”
I added before leaving.
“Let’s rewrite the contract right away. I’ll bring a proper employment agreement, so just wait a little.”
“R-rewrite the contract? But… the Baron of Reubon…?”
“Do you need to worry about him? The Baron is merely a proxy, and this is House of Diolus territory. And I am the house’s lady.”
I said it confidently, but worry filled Charlie’s face.
I could understand his concern to some degree.
A righteous young noblewoman offers temporary convenience, but I’ll only be here for a year.
The workshop people will eventually have to work under the Baron of Reubon again.
But.
‘Now that I’ve seen all that bastard’s crimes, I’m hardly going to let him live.’
Understanding Charlie’s worry, I smiled faintly.
“Starting today, none of you will have to see that scoundrel again, so don’t worry~”
“Y-yes?”
“I’ll be back soon.”
As I left the workshop, I barely managed to soothe my bitter heart.
In my previous life as Rubetria, there had been no exile. The Baron of Reubon’s crimes had never surfaced.
In other words, those scoundrels who pocketed the workshop income lived well and grandly, while the workers who actually earned through labor went hungry their whole lives.
‘This is infuriating.’
I couldn’t help but feel the weight of responsibility.
Though my life had been miserable, I’d been the daughter of a wealthy house—never worrying about food or clothing my whole life.
But those dresses I wore were built on the blood and sweat of even more unfortunate laborers. It made no sense.
“Miss, are you planning to dismiss the Baron of Reubon immediately?”
Siena, who’d followed me out, asked, and I nodded.
“Of course. Just taking his head would be too lenient—I’ll have all the ledgers examined, make him return every mark he stole, strip his title, and hand him over to the Military Police. Now. This instant.”
“Ah, of course that’s the right thing to do, but… You’re under Quarantine Investigation. If you act directly, it could put you in a difficult position.”
Siena was concerned about my status as someone being investigated.
“Since you’ve already contacted the Duke, perhaps it would be better to leave it to him? He’ll soon arrive with the Family Investigation Team and conduct the inquiry. Once his guilt is confirmed, the Military Police will—”
“Siena?”
“Yes, Miss.”
I cut off her lengthening explanation sharply and continued.
“If we wait for my brother, then the Family Investigation Team comes, they investigate, we transfer to the Military Police… by the time we finish all that procedure, months will have passed. And that just gives the Baron time to destroy the ledgers and disappear, doesn’t it?”
“…”
“I understand what you’re worried about, Siena. Don’t be concerned.”
Abuse of power isn’t good, but exceptions exist everywhere.
The company president is my father, the director is my brother, and the Crown Prince leading the investigation—despite my Quarantine Investigation status—told me to do whatever I want.
“Surely I can handle a single employee who embezzled public funds right now?”
I patted Siena’s shoulder and smiled brightly.
“I’m the boss’s daughter.”
“Ah…”
Siena’s expression was still worried, but my confident attitude seemed to set her mind somewhat at ease.
I patted her shoulder once more to reassure her, then gritted my teeth and turned away.
‘You scoundrel bastard. Your good days are over.’
I’ll give you a taste of real power.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————