I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 7.1
“Madam, you don’t need to worry anymore.”
The people of the Duke’s household believe that I’m using a separate room from Cassion because I’m scared after the ambush.
Well, the reason is different, but the timing is correct.
Because Cassion was walking around with a deeply furrowed brow after losing the only chance he had to win, rumors even spread that he was using a separate room from me out of irritation. The knights, feeling sorry about this, started to drill the newly recruited knights rigorously.
“Thank you, but please don’t torment the new knights too much.”
“Not at all, we need to be strict from the beginning!”
As always, I just smiled gently and left after saying I trusted them.
Like Cassion, who started hiring knights, I was also incredibly busy with interviews to increase the number of servants in the Duke’s household.
“Ah, I should have asked for letters of recommendation.”
Servants who often take pride in serving high-status masters were reluctant to come to the Duke’s household, which was treated as a nouveau riche with a nasty personality.
That’s why I recruited servants with two radical proposals: guaranteed high wages and no need for letters of recommendation.
Letters of recommendation are a means to know the basic character of a servant, but there are often capable people who have fallen from grace for absurd reasons that offended the nobles they served.
It was a method devised to identify these diamonds in the rough.
But because it was also risky, I decided to conduct interviews personally for each one. When I put forward these two reasons, applicants swarmed to the mansion like bees, where previously there had only been cold winds.
Cassion was so surprised by the crowd that gathered at the mansion the day after the announcement that he almost drew his sword.
“You’ve worked hard, Madam. I’ve prepared some cool tea for you.”
“Thank you.”
Taking advantage of the time before the next interview, I moved my body to check on the knights and returned. In the meantime, the butler had prepared cold tea to my liking.
I gulped it down in one go and collapsed into a chair, staring blankly.
“I wish I had asked for application forms instead of recommendation letters…”
But many of the servants and maids who do odd jobs don’t know how to write. I’m exhausted from conducting interviews from right after breakfast until sunset.
“I told you to take it easy.”
“Cassion…”
This guy keeps coming in silently except on the night of the ambush. Moreover, I’m starting to dislike myself for getting used to him.
I just turned my head to look at him, and he clicked his tongue.
“Take a break for today. I sent the applicants away.”
“What?! But there were scheduled appointments, how could you send them away?”
“It’s to weed out those who lack persistence and won’t come back just because they were turned away once.”
But still! With memories from my past life, I couldn’t accept the idea of simply telling people to go home and come back another time for interviews that were mutually agreed upon, no matter how noble we were.
I quickly got up and clung to the window, and sure enough, I could see groups trudging away as he said.
“Why didn’t you tell me beforehand!”
“If I had told you, you would have said no, right? Well, from what I saw, it didn’t seem like you urgently needed maids to attend to you anyway.”
He glanced at my neatly brushed and pinned-up hair and new clothes with a fresh look.
When I’m with him, I’ve been casual in my posture since our first meeting went awry, but for the interviews, I needed to exude some authority, so I put some effort into my appearance.
“Your under-eyes are darker than when we stayed up all night. With rumors going around that the crazy Duke is tormenting his new bride, do you think proper applicants will come?”
“Are such rumors circulating? That’s strange, I haven’t even gone outside the house yet.”
“No, I mean that’s the general perception. My reputation is about that level. You…”
“What about me?”
“You… well, you look quite presentable.”
How could rumors have spread outside already when I haven’t gone out except to get clothes from the boutique on our wedding day?
Thinking our act had been perfect, I frowned, wondering if the interviewees had spread some gossip. He shrugged his shoulders.
Well, he seems to have lower self-esteem than I thought. I can guess what kind of things he must have heard on his way to his current position.
“I won’t deny that I might be seen as a pitiful beauty, but your reputation isn’t that bad either. You’re popular among the commoners, aren’t you? You’re a war hero after all.”
“You don’t need to flatter me.”
“No, quite a few applicants came because they admire you.”
“…Really?”
“Of course. And I’m going to hire those people. Ability is important, but people tend to adapt to work, so I don’t expect perfection from the start. Their attitude towards you and their character are the primary reasons why I’m conducting these interviews.”
That’s why it’s been tiring. It’s easy to judge how well someone polishes silverware or which nobles they’ve served, but it’s not easy to discern someone’s true intentions.
“But if they can’t do the job well right now, won’t that be inconvenient for you?”
“I’m just a temporary wife anyway. We need people who will sincerely support the Duke’s household for a long time, even if their abilities are a bit lacking now. Just as you carefully selected the knights, I have my own criteria.”
“…Hmm.”
“So don’t send people away as you please next time. I don’t like people who are too subservient either. Even subordinates should be able to assert themselves when it’s right or wrong. That’s how they can truly act in the best interest of their master.”
If there was a diamond in the rough among those sent away, if they thought they couldn’t respect the character of the master of this house who doesn’t even keep promises properly, I might have to pull out that smooth hair of his. But for now, let’s be patient since he did it with me in mind.
Besides, in the long run, it’s more his loss than mine.
“…You’re quite diligent.”
He approaches with an unreadable expression and plops down next to me. I just turned my head to look at him without changing my casual posture.
“I’m someone who’s thorough with contracts. If you think I’m working hard, raise the percentage in the contract.”
Actually, it’s also because of my personality that I need to do a proper job once I’ve taken it on, but I didn’t bother mentioning that. When I made a circular motion with my fingers to indicate money, he chuckled and quickly drank the cold tea I had left.
“Why do you keep drinking cold things? Won’t you get a stomachache?”
“I’m just a passionate woman.”
I turned my gaze away from his slightly crumpled face and gave a random answer while letting down my tightly pinned-up hair. The applicants have gone home anyway, and today is a lost cause, so I should rest.
