How to Tame That Gentle Male Lead - Chapter 2.2
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Looking at the clock, it was almost lunchtime.
When she rang the silver bell on the table, maids entered through the door. Led by the head maid Luna, two maids who looked like newcomers and two veteran maids entered Resena’s room.
“I’m going out, so please dress me in the blue dress I bought last time. I’d like to wear a bonnet too, as the sunlight will be strong.”
“Understood, Miss.”
Luna and the other maids still had evident fear in their eyes towards her, but Resena remained calm. Even if she changed, Luna and the other maids had testified against Resena at the trial. Well, it was foolish to expect their gaze to change in just six months after living as the villainess Resena for years.
‘Well, I’ll still get rid of the tools. The maids don’t accept the change well, but Mother and Father really welcomed it.’
“I won’t be using corporal punishment anymore, so could you throw away all the canes and whips I’ve prepared?”
Luna and the maids’ eyes widened. Regardless, Resena continued.
“I’ve thought about it for a long time, and I don’t think people can be changed through beatings. Besides, it doesn’t reduce mistakes, so from now on, I’ll try to resolve things through words.”
Resena looked straight at Luna, who was sweating, then abruptly turned her head to look at the two new maids. These two would eventually be kicked out for being full of mistakes, but they were also nasty enough to steal jewels not only from her but also from the Duchess.
Moreover, because of them, innocent maids were searched, and false rumors spread that she had framed them for theft.
It really grinds her gears.
So she immediately spoke.
“And you two are fired. We don’t need maids who engage in petty theft in this house.”
“Pe-petty theft…! We’ve never done such a thing!”
However, they didn’t admit it readily.
But when one of the new maids raised her voice, Head Maid Luna’s brow furrowed.
“How dare you raise your voice in front of the young lady!”
“I-I’m sorry. But…”
Resena looked at them with a cold gaze and opened her mouth.
“Luna. Search these maids’ rooms thoroughly right now. You’ll find a few diamonds that my mother received from my father in their room. I secretly saw them hiding it.”
“That…!”
The two maids’ faces turned pale in an instant. Seeing the two standing there unable to say anything, Luna quickly gave instructions.
“Tell the knight outside the door to do as the young lady says immediately. And ask two of them to keep these maids from moving an inch.”
“Eek…!”
As the situation turned urgent, one of the new maids ran out of the room. Apparently, she was trying to hide the diamonds elsewhere before the search, but she was caught by the knight guarding the door and forced to kneel.
The other one was biting her fingertips nervously, unable to do anything. Resena watched this with a chilling smile and then stood up.
Soon after, the knight who went to search the room returned. Seeing the diamonds in his hand, Luna looked at Resena in astonishment.
“It’s just as you said, Miss. Really… We could have been in big trouble.”
“Yes. It’s fortunate we found them. We almost ended up raising rats in this Arnasus house, didn’t we?”
At these cold words, Luna became distressed. If it hadn’t been for the young lady, they would have been completely fooled, giving those rats a chance to run wild.
“We, we’re sorry. We thought just one would change our lives…”
“Truly diligent maids don’t do things like you. Save those excuses for prison.”
“Aaah. We’re sorry. We’re sorry. Pl-please forgive us… Young Lady! Young Lady!”
The new maids struggled as they were dragged away by the knights, but they couldn’t overcome the knights’ strength. Luna watched them and then turned her gaze back to the young lady.
Okay. That’s one thing resolved.
The false rumors were prevented… Now.
Resena was slowly twirling her hair and then letting it go. Curious about what she was thinking, Luna bowed and said,
“Thank you so much for catching the thieves. I’m really glad we discovered this before other innocent maids were suspected.”
“Well, yes. It’s fortunate we caught them.”
Resena spoke calmly while looking down at her own hands. Her long black hair was tangled around her fingers and then fell smoothly like silk, settling at her waist.
However, she didn’t expect her notoriety to disappear so easily.
“I need to eat lunch now, so could you give me a quick bath and do my makeup?”
“Yes, understood.”
Resena finished bathing with Luna’s assistance and then applied light makeup. Her beauty, which had been mainly innocent when bare-faced, blossomed radiantly with makeup.
‘Even in the novel, Resena’s beauty was acknowledged.’
How many men had fallen for her? However, Eldis, the male lead she wanted to seduce, was indifferent to her beauty. Resena thought of Lorona and chuckled.
‘The female lead really had an angelic appearance. She was kind-hearted too… Though I don’t think we’d get along well.’
But the male lead falls for such a Lorona. However, seeing that it was described more in terms of the incidents they experienced together rather than Lorona’s appearance, it seemed he tended to fall for someone he spent a long time with.
“Good job.”
“I’m honored.”
Resena, enjoying the refreshing feeling of her shoulders being lightly massaged, stood up to go to the dining room. Since even the sleepyhead Renard woke up for lunch, she thought they might all have a meal together.
As she moved her steps lightly, Resena quietly gazed at the paintings hanging in the corridor. They were all landscape paintings by famous artists, indicating that whoever decorated this mansion had a great interest in landscape paintings.
This calmed her anxious heart.
“Come to think of it, Eldis seemed to like landscape paintings too.”
Should I take one of the new paintings when they arrive and give it as a gift to clear up the past bad blood? This time, I need to persuade the male lead directly, so I should think carefully about how to form a good relationship with him and act accordingly.
‘What was it that Eldis liked again….’
Recalling the contents of the novel, most of the things he liked were trivial. Considering that Eldis, who could already have everything as the Crown Prince, was perfect without any character flaws, and that he was usually kind even to Resena when she wasn’t causing trouble, it seemed likely that he would accept if she made the first gesture of reconciliation.
Resena stared blankly at the painting for a moment, lost in thought.
‘Since he looked at me with hatred when I caused trouble, I should propose reconciliation without being too brazen. Sigh… I should prepare what to say in advance. I might tremble in front of him, having died so many times from his instant death technique.’
Because I’m scared.
“Ugh.”
“…?”
The maid guiding her to the dining room looked puzzled, but Resena quickly shook her head. Just thinking about Eldis gave her goosebumps, so she was trying to shake off her fear.
