If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 129
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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Teschen, being of noble birth and the head maid of the Marquis’s estate, felt a deep sense of humiliation at being spoken to like this by a mere maid. With a look that conveyed her inability to forgive, she glared at Liana, who knelt before her.
“Enough. Step aside, Teschen.”
“But, Your Grace…”
“Go fetch all the ledgers. Every single ledger from the time you stepped foot here until now.”
“Yes.”
Teschen replied in a firm voice.
The ledgers contained the names of those who had checked the documents, with her and the deputy butler confirming them, and finally signed by the one with ultimate authority. Of course, Teschen had written Agatha’s name in the ledgers diligently, so she wasn’t overly shocked by Cain’s sudden command.
As she cast a sneer at Liana and walked away to retrieve the ledgers, Liana thought.
‘The Miss is truly remarkable.’
She believed that when Cain began discussing the ledgers, Teschen would throw a fit but would ultimately bring them without resistance. She had expected Teschen to have written Agatha’s name in advance for situations like this.
However, there was a detail Teschen overlooked: her handwriting was very different from Agatha’s.
Liana felt a sense of awe at Agatha’s insight, realizing how she had anticipated this situation and how Teschen would react.
As Teschen exited the reception room, unaware that she was walking to fetch the very noose that would tighten around her neck, Liana couldn’t help but return a mocking smile.
Teschen soon returned with her arms full of heavy ledgers.
With the changing of the months and seasons, all records and ledgers were consolidated for safekeeping. Even a month’s worth of records was substantial. Gathering four years’ worth of documents had required not only her arms but also a trolley to bring them back.
“I have brought them.”
After placing the ledgers down beside Cain, Teschen turned back, glaring at Liana once more, as if to say, ‘You’re about to face serious punishment, and I’ll be the one to wield the whip.’
“……Teschen.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
With a triumphant smile, Teschen lowered her head at Cain’s call, expecting a command to punish this insolent maid.
But the response was completely unexpected and cold.
“The Marchioness sends letters to the temple twice a month, wishing for the prosperity of the temple and the blessing of the gods.”
“I know, Your Grace.”
“It seems you have never actually read those letters properly.”
“……What?”
A look of confusion replaced the smile on Teschen’s face. What kind of nonsensical accusation was this?
“It’s because you haven’t even made an effort to mimic Agatha’s handwriting.”
“Yes, yes…?”
Cain’s expression hardened at the unexpected accusation. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Teschen sensed that something had gone wrong.
“To not only disregard the Madam of the Marquis’s estate but also to dare impersonate her… There are no words left to describe your actions.”
Cain threw the ledgers he had been skimming through onto the table with force.
“It’s not just that!”
Liana, who had kept quiet while Teschen fetched the ledgers, suddenly interjected.
“All of the Marquis’s maids standing behind me have been secretly handling Madam’s jewelries.”
The eight maids, who had been smiling confidently alongside Teschen, collectively gasped. They hadn’t expected to be held responsible for the Marchioness’s disappearance.
“From the head maid down, they surely underestimated and disrespected Madam. Over the years, they’ve gradually and boldly taken liberties with Madam’s belongings for their own gain.”
Cain’s expression became eerily calm as he listened.
Teschen, unable to raise her head in fear of her own fate, and the eight maids, pale with shock, remained silent. As Liana looked at them, she felt a slight sense of relief from the pent-up frustration she had carried. Very slight, indeed.
Compared to the sorrows and grievances Agatha had endured, this was nothing more than the dirt under her fingernails.
She still had a long way to go to reclaim what was lost. Liana smirked inwardly.
“Search the maids’ quarters. You’ll find the jewelry that has gone missing from Madam’s toilette room. Most of it has already passed into the hands of the Pallas family jeweler. While the older pieces have likely been sold elsewhere, the more recent items should still be considered stolen property.”
Cain nodded toward the knights. He had instructed them to keep the maids here to prevent them from hiding any evidence while sending only the knights to investigate. One of the brown-haired maids began to tremble visibly.
In truth, Agatha’s passive approach had greatly contributed to the audacity of these maids. She had known they were coveting her jewelry and had turned a blind eye when they stole it.
Her neglect had incited theft, and then Agatha pretended to be completely unaware. This vicious cycle had allowed the maids’ crimes to snowball uncontrollably, growing in severity.
Thus, they were moving at Agatha’s behest without even realizing it, caught in a delusion of superiority that led them to believe they were deceiving the Marchioness herself, unable to discern right from wrong.
