The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 65
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 65】
“Why is everyone gathered here?”
However, that strange situation was broken when Asil entered.
“And why are you standing there?”
Asil pointed at Mel, who had naturally blended in among the servants.
Mel froze in panic, and the servants who had been entranced by the spectacle jumped in surprise and scattered away from Mel.
“M-Master?”
“Oh, when did a guest arrive?”
“How rude of us!”
The people who belatedly came to their senses moved about in a fluster.
It was an unseemly commotion unbecoming of servants from a Great Noble House.
In fact, before this situation arose, Lennon or Hulbert should have restored order, but they too had been distracted listening to Rianel’s words and failed to manage the situation.
“Ahem…”
Hulbert cleared his throat awkwardly, thinking he had shown an embarrassing display in front of a guest.
“…I-I’ll guide you this way for now.”
Lennon hurriedly approached Mel, but he politely declined.
“No, it’s fine. I only came to inquire about the Team Leader’s condition since her sick leave has been lengthy. I’ve confirmed that she’s better than before, and it’s getting late, so I’ll take my leave first.”
At the same time, Mel glanced at Rianel once more and gained certainty.
‘As I thought, the marriage was just a false rumor.’
Someone who should establish herself as the lady of the house wouldn’t dismiss her achievements as ‘roughly’ done.
“Then I’ll see you at the Government Building soon.”
As Mel left, the servants also tactfully dispersed.
They would get scolded by Lennon later, but…
‘Still, I have no regrets.’
‘Honestly, how could we not watch this?’
If they could see old Joseph crumble, they could endure that much.
Asil clicked his tongue while picking up the document stack on the table.
He wasn’t a fool, so he noticed why they were gathered there.
He also understood what charges Rianel had uncovered against Joseph.
“Anyway…”
Asil looked back at Rianel with a faint smile.
“Since you’ve stayed at the mansion and even handled family business, may I think that you don’t entirely dislike me?”
“I merely confirmed the possibility of tax evasion.”
If tax avoidance meant all acts of evading taxes.
Tax evasion meant deliberately omitting taxes by not reporting income and profits.
Individual construction contractors often worked as sole proprietors, taking jobs for cash without issuing tax invoices, and Joseph’s relative did exactly that.
He operated a small construction company and used his connections to repair noble houses, receiving payment in cash without reporting income tax.
The amount of omitted taxes was estimated to be considerable.
“It wasn’t because you were worried about me?”
“You’re mistaken.”
Rianel, who had indeed been worried about Asil’s financial situation, couldn’t bring herself to look into his eyes and subtly turned her gaze away.
“Oh my.”
Asil clicked his tongue.
“I won’t press further, so just breathe comfortably.”
“…!”
He pointed out Rianel’s habit of holding her breath whenever she lied.
Rianel whipped her head around.
The tips of her ears were red.
Lennon was inwardly impressed.
‘I thought our master was harboring one-sided feelings, but fortunately it seems to be a relationship with potential.’
When Rianel had stiffened at being called madam, he had wondered if he should report his master as a kidnapper.
But seeing this, it seemed Rianel didn’t entirely dislike Asil either.
‘I don’t know if it’s romantic affection, but there’s definitely something like fondness there.’
Just because he had complained a little, checking all those ledgers on the spot wasn’t something that could be done with ordinary care.
‘The word “roughly” must have been said to ease my burden. Yes, that must be it.’
Not knowing that it was sincere, Lennon nodded repeatedly to himself, deeply moved.
Meanwhile, Hulbert was caught in a sense of déjà vu.
The more he looked, the more Rianel resembled someone, to the point where they seemed to overlap completely.
He was thinking this because he knew what kind of person his grandson was.
‘That boy had no interest in anything except his teacher.’
Even when he witnessed his parents being murdered before his eyes, he went to the Academy where his teacher was, not to his blood relative grandfather.
Without travel money or a guide, using only his own two feet at that young age.
He had pinned his hope and life on the single fact that he had once been saved from a burning orphanage.
But that boy was treating another person the way he treated his teacher.
‘Could it be…’
Hulbert recalled one assumption he had never considered before.
‘That’s impossible.’
He immediately dismissed that assumption.
A dead life taking over a living person’s body and appearing before his grandson.
‘Such a thing couldn’t happen.’
Such an absurd story couldn’t be true.
He quickly shook his head to chase away that thought.
* * *
The maids lingered around Rianel whenever they had a chance.
They had taken a liking to this new madam.
‘See? Our master didn’t bring her here for no reason.’
‘Of course, there must have been a reason why he hurried to bring home a sick person.’
Rianel, with her calm and quiet impression, had the elegance that could only be felt from high-ranking noble ladies.
Just from her atmosphere, she could be believed to be a princess of a small nation.
‘Even though she doesn’t particularly adorn herself.’
“….”
This was true even now as she loosely tied her hair and examined the ledgers.
There was a sense of pressure that they shouldn’t breathe carelessly and disturb her.
It had already been five hours since Rianel began examining documents in the Butler’s Office.
Despite the considerable time that had passed, her posture hadn’t slackened in the slightest, and she never carelessly threw aside the documents she had checked.
This was because Rianel pursued efficiency to an almost obsessive degree, but to the maids, even this seemed like refinement.
‘There’s something like a barrier…’
At the same time, there was a feeling that she shouldn’t be treated carelessly.
Because she showed marked differences from ordinary people in trivial, seemingly insignificant habits.
They whispered among themselves while watching Rianel, and when she put down her pen and seemed to be taking a break, they exchanged glances.
One of the few opportunities to approach Rianel had arrived.
“I’ll go.”
“I’ve been waiting for 3 hours, so naturally I should go!”
“Someone who hasn’t even finished cleaning wants to attend to her?”
While the maids were bickering, maid Nia, who had been watching for an opportunity, quickly grabbed the tea pot and teacup.
“Oh, today I prepared Darjeeling.”
When Rianel looked at her, Nia tensed up and straightened her spine.
Rianel checked the clock.
“It’s been exactly three hours after the meal, when concentration starts to wane. Having a cup of tea to refresh the atmosphere at a time like this would be a most appropriate choice. I’m grateful for your consideration.”
Though her tone was formal, there was warmth contained within it.
“R-right? Hehe.”
Nia couldn’t help but giggle.
‘She really is on a different level from that old Joseph.’
It would be so wonderful if someone like this became our lady.
It seemed like even if hundreds of people like old Joseph came rushing in, Rianel would block them all without losing her composure for even a moment.
Having pushed past her seniors to get in, Nia gathered her courage.
“Um… if it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask what you’re working on?”
“I was determining how much money former butler Joseph embezzled.”
Since Joseph was fired as soon as his embezzlement was discovered, “former” was now attached before his name.
‘Wait, more importantly…’
“Butler Joseph worked for the family for over 40 years?!”
“Yes, so I skimmed through roughly. The serious embezzlement started 15 years ago, but I found evidence that he had been embezzling small amounts even before that.”
“So you’re saying you checked all of that?”
Nia was shocked, but Rianel answered expressionlessly.
“It wasn’t a difficult task.”
“…”
‘A-amazing!’
She didn’t even seem to be bragging.
Of course, Rianel had no reason to do such work.
She was someone unrelated to the Novantium Ducal Family.
‘What’s so precious about that worthless man.’
[It’s a bit bitter, you know. Former butler Joseph was the head butler since I was young.]
[He was also part of the reason I didn’t completely abandon the family name. Having someone waiting for you can sometimes be a comfort.]
But seeing Asil reveal his past wounds and loneliness, she couldn’t just sit still.
Rianel suppressed her complicated feelings and convinced herself.
‘I’m just earning my keep.’
Instead of going to the Medical Center, she had eaten, slept, and received nursing care at Asil’s mansion, so shouldn’t she at least settle accounts before leaving?
Since Asil found it difficult to expose the misdeeds of someone he knew.
‘It’s right for me to sort this out before I go.’
“Um… so did you discover anything?”
“Yes. I’ve organized the detailed items here, so please feel free to review them.”
Joseph had been embezzling the Duke’s Estate budget through various methods and pocketing it.
He would pretend to send donations to non-existent poorhouses and siphon off those amounts, or inflate the unit prices of supplies needed for the Main Estate by three times and pocket the difference.
“The total amount the former butler embezzled has been confirmed as 1,930,010,000 gold.”
The moment Rianel put down the additional paper with the money that needed to be returned.
Cheers erupted from the corridor.
“Long live our lady!”
“Wooooooh!”
“This is justice! This is justice!”
“…?”
It was the sound of welcoming the era of great dopamine, but Rianel blinked in confusion, not understanding what was happening.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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