The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 22
One of the virtues of the lady of a house is thriftiness. And Melanie, who had managed the household of House Bayern for several years, was dedicated to frugality.
‘Can I really take over the management like this?’
One page, two pages.
As she flipped through the ledgers Melanie brought, Nina’s blue eyes trembled as if an earthquake had struck them.
Was it because Melanie came from a family that had been head maids for generations in the Bayern household? Or was it her decades of experience?
Melanie’s records were near perfect.
But…
“Why is the budget so low?”
Nina asked with a serious expression.
The budget of a high-ranking noble household is unimaginably enormous to the average person. As a member of a ducal family herself, Nina was well aware of this.
However, the budget allocated for household management was only 70% of that of House Taylor.
Considering the Bayern estate was slightly larger than the Taylor estate, this was absurd.
“As you can see from the ledgers, that amount is sufficient for operations.”
Could it be that the head maid herself had only requested this much budget?
‘This is almost like living on pennies for a week.’
Honestly, if it was possible to run the household efficiently on this amount, Nina knew she couldn’t do better than Melanie. Cost-efficiency is paramount for employers.
‘But running things this way will inevitably lead to problems.’
After thoroughly reviewing the budget plan, work logs, and ledgers, Nina closed the last page of the ledger and said,
“No matter how I look at it, the replenishment period for consumables seems too long.”
According to the ledger, the replacement and replenishment cycle for items for the employees’ convenience was very long or the quantity was too small.
This included items like soap, detergent, candles, and oil lamps that needed regular replacement and replenishment. Even their work uniforms were affected.
“Saving money is not inherently wrong.”
“But surely this has caused a lot of dissatisfaction among the people?”
“We offer higher wages compared to other households. This is something they should tolerate.”
Can she really guarantee that those wages are significantly higher? It doesn’t seem like it. If essential items aren’t adequately provided, employees will eventually have to spend out of their own pockets.
“With you, we can run the household on minimal costs, which is highly satisfactory from an employer’s perspective.”
Melanie was a true worker of this era, with a strong sense of responsibility. From an employer’s standpoint, she was an ideal head maid.
But paradoxically, this was the biggest problem.
“…Though it works out well for me.”
Nina was already pondering how to improve her reputation, and tackling this issue might provide the answer.
The problem is, the current remaining budget isn’t sufficient to execute her plan…
Since pulling funds forward isn’t an option, the only solution is this.
“Let’s sell a few of the tea sets I bought previously. Use that money to purchase the additional supplies people need.”
“Madam, while securing extra funds for the budget is good, there’s no need to waste money.”
How is providing necessary items considered wasteful? That’s the kind of statement that makes one want to form a labor union.
Nina sighed in frustration and said,
“I don’t want people to endure discomfort just to save on trivial expenses.”
At least basic necessities should be provided as part of their welfare. These employees are also members of this household, not just workers.
“Must we provide conveniences on top of paying higher wages than other households? They should strive to prove their worth for the wages they receive.”
A typically narrow-minded statement from someone of this era, lacking a proper concept of welfare.
Nina looked at Melanie’s hands and responded.
“Consider the outcome of demanding people work themselves to the bone.”
Melanie’s hands, worn out from years of loyalty to House Bayern, were rough and scarred, with calluses and eczema from the hard labor.
She also suffered from severe occupational diseases affecting her wrists, fingers, arms, knees, and back, though she never showed it outwardly.
“What good is money if it’s earned at the expense of one’s health?”
“……”
Nina, her gaze deepening, looked at Melanie’s fingertips and spoke gently.
“I understand how much effort you’ve put in. It’s evident from these ledgers and reports. But what do you think?”
“What do you mean, Madam?”
“Is this household so poorly off that it would fall apart without your sacrifices?”
House Bayern isn’t so insignificant as to rely solely on the employees’ sacrifices.
