The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 17

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 17

Janet waved her hand dismissively at the medicine bottle, which looked expensive at first glance.
“You really don’t need to give me this. I still have medicine left that I’m using.”
Instead of answering Janet, Kendrick pulled out another bottle.
“This one is excellent for scars. They say it can erase most scars, so please apply it diligently once your wound is fully healed.”
Janet met Kendrick’s gaze without speaking.
His eyes held an unwavering firmness with no room for compromise.
“You’re going to threaten me by saying you’ll throw it away if I don’t take it, aren’t you?”
Kendrick flinched at Janet’s question.
“A threat? How hurtful. That was merely persuasion.”
“Persuasion?”
“You seem quite unskilled at accepting things from others, Miss Janet.”
“….”
Janet found herself speechless, struck by the accuracy of his words.
He was right.
She was still unaccustomed to someone’s consideration or kindness. In fact, childish torment directed at her was far easier to endure.
“But you’ll need to grow accustomed to it now. A maid of the Ludwig Family can become someone’s idol or a person worthy of special attention. And more than anything.”
Kendrick paused and smiled softly as he faced her.
“I enjoy giving my people various things to hold.”
…My people.
Janet blinked slowly.
For some reason, those words struck deeply in her heart.
Meanwhile, Kendrick himself was startled by the words he’d just spoken.
‘My people? That’s a bit….’
Did that sound like he was making a move? The phrasing felt strange now that he’d said it aloud.
As he hesitated, wondering if he should correct himself with words like “partner” or “comrade”—
“I’m realizing anew that Theo must be a truly excellent superior.”
“Pardon?”
Suddenly, at this moment?
Yet Janet’s eyes were filled with genuine sincerity.
“It’s rare to find a superior who looks after their people so carefully.”
In her past life, the parachute executive she’d served cared only about himself and showed no interest in his people whatsoever.
In comparison, Theo was truly an exemplary superior.
Kendrick found himself at a loss for words as he gazed into Janet’s bright eyes.
He’d certainly received a compliment, so why did he feel no joy?
As he tilted his head in confusion at this ironic emotion—
“I’ll make sure to apply these carefully. And thank you for the gifts you sent, even if it’s belated.”
Janet smiled brightly as she gathered the medicine bottles.
Not long after, the meal they’d ordered arrived.
After finishing the meal, a waiter approached cautiously and offered dessert.
“For your beverage, would you prefer tea or coffee?”
“Black tea.”
“Coffee for me, please.”
The waiter confirmed the order and disappeared with a polite bow.
Once the table fell silent again, Kendrick spoke.
“You seem to enjoy coffee.”
“Well, it’s not so much that I enjoy it as…”
Janet’s brow furrowed slightly as she answered, her expression contemplative as she continued.
“When I drink coffee, it strangely calms my mind.”
I couldn’t explain why.
Nobility in general didn’t particularly favor coffee, and the Graham Family was no exception.
Yet somehow, I had developed a fondness for it.
Black tea and herbal infusions were pleasant enough, but coffee felt entirely different.
“So you dislike coffee, Theo?”
“Yes, I do.”
It was a remarkably firm response, unusual for him.
“Why? Is there a reason?”
“Once, I drank it so excessively I became thoroughly sick of it.”
Drank it so excessively he became sick of it?
At Janet’s puzzled gaze, Kendrick simply shrugged in response.
“By the way, regarding the commission you entrusted to me previously.”
At the natural shift in topic, Janet’s eyes brightened.
“Simon?”
“Yes. The commission related to him has been successfully completed.”
“You recovered the 30 million ecus safely?”
“Of course. Every last ecu was recovered without loss.”
And that wasn’t all.
I’d also broken one of his legs and an arm.
However, Kendrick simply smiled without mentioning that part.
“Thank goodness. I didn’t want a single coin falling into that wretch’s hands.”
“Your prediction was spot on, Miss Janet. The moment he received the money, he rushed straight to the Gambling Den.”
“He’s the type who’d leap out of bed at the mere mention of gambling.”
“Then what do you intend to do with those 30 million ecus? If you have a preferred use for them, I can assist.”
Janet answered Kendrick immediately.
“First, I’ll pay the commission fee to Ilinia.”
“The commission fee is unnecessary. Consider this a courtesy—”
“No. This was a commission I placed as a client. I must pay a fair price for it.”
Faced with Janet’s firmness, Kendrick relented this time.
“Very well, madam. Then I shall charge 3 million ecus as the commission fee.”
Kendrick let out a hearty laugh as Janet nodded eagerly, then added his comment.
“Then, how shall we assist you with the remaining 27 million Ecles, valued customer?”
“Well, about that remaining sum….”

***

After my meeting with Janet concluded.
Rather than heading straight to Ludwig, Kendrick made his way to the underground depths of Soluna.
At Ilinia’s headquarters, Hobbs and Gale were engaged in conversation.
“I heard from a traveler from the Eastern Region that a nasty cold has been spreading there lately! They were worried it might develop into pneumonia!”
Hobbs nodded at Gale’s gruff words.
“Is that so? We should stock up on cold remedies just in case.”
“True enough. This place sees plenty of travelers. Who knows which one might spread pneumonia.”
“Yes. There’s no harm in preparing ahead of time… Vice-Commander?”
“Oh! Vice-Commander! It’s been a while!”
The two men, who had only just noticed him, stopped their conversation and offered their greetings.
Gale raised his hand and waved it enthusiastically as he strode forward.
“Your frame seems to have grown even more massive since last time.”
“Oh, is it that noticeable? I’ve been building more muscle lately.”
Gale, who hailed from a mercenary company, had a hobby of building muscle.
As if muscle were the very standard of beauty itself.
Gale flexed his bicep proudly and smiled with satisfaction.
“Heh heh. Our dear Fernando.”
Kendrick ignored Gale’s murmurings to his muscles and turned toward Hobbs.
A coffee cup sat beside a stack of documents piled high on the desk.
“Still drinking that stuff, I see.”
“Coffee?”
“Yes. You drank enough of it on the battlefield to last a lifetime. Doesn’t it bore you?”
On the battlefield, clean water was a precious commodity. So before drinking water, it always had to be boiled thoroughly.
But boiling water didn’t make the mud and impurities disappear.
Drinking plain water tainted with impurities was an ordeal, so the soldiers who participated in the war chose to brew and drink ‘coffee’ instead.
The strong aroma and taste masked the foul flavor.
Since coffee also had stimulating properties, it was the ideal beverage for soldiers who needed to maintain focus day and night.
After drinking it to the point of exhaustion, even the mere scent of coffee made my stomach churn after discharge.
I felt as though I’d consumed a lifetime’s worth of coffee back in Ashleyde.
“I’m not particularly tired of it. Rather, it’s become such a habit that I feel uneasy if I don’t drink it.”
At those words, Janet suddenly came to mind.
Janet had also said she needed coffee to calm her nerves.
“Did your meeting go well?”
“Yes. Fortunately, it seems she’s adapted well to life at Ludwig.”
“…Why are you making such a fuss about it now? You already knew everything.”
Even though you spied from the mansion right next door.
At Hobbs’s response, Kendrick’s eyes widened and he smiled.
“Do you have some complaint?”
“No, no. How could I? The medicine, yes? I delivered the medicine safely, didn’t I?”
A nod.
Kendrick skimmed through the towering stack of documents with a casual gesture of acknowledgment.
“You’re certain it’s the kind of medicine that leaves no trace?”
“The Empire’s finest pharmacist made it, so it’s guaranteed to work. You know one bottle of that medicine is worth two carriages, don’t you?”
“Only two? Didn’t you buy it too cheaply?”
“Yes! That’s enough! Stop talking about it!”
Hobbs, who had answered cheerfully, let out a deep sigh.
“So what did you say you’d do with the 30 million ecus we entrusted to your care?”

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