The Villainous Mastermind Gets Lucky in His Later Years - Chapter 25

Perhaps it was only Doah who felt it, but the maids exchanged glances and looked back at her.

“…Come in.”

The atmosphere of the room had been as warm as the sun’s rays that were permeating through the window, but it all soon cooled down in an instant.

With a meek expression on her face, Doah asked the door to be opened, then stared silently at the person who walked in.

It was a woman in her forties.

‘The head maid, Angela.’

And following behind Angela were five unfamiliar maids.

“Good morning, Young Miss.”

Angela greeted Doah insincerely, then she scanned the room to look at the maids inside, her gaze full of disapproval.

“All of you here.”

“Yes, Head Maid!”

“Have you not heard that the Princess has been assigned other maids starting from today? Go back to your stations. Now.”

The maids exchanged glances.

They had not heard anything about this before.

There was no mention of assigning new maids to be in charge of her. Has the decision been made secretly?

And in the meantime, the maids here were being kicked out like this.

However, orders from above were absolute.

Most of the maids inside the room showed their doubts, but they couldn’t do anything but back down here.

“The Princess has not yet finished her meal.”

Even so, there was one maid who did not immediately comply with the order and replied firmly.

It was because she felt that the way that the head maid had proceeded with this decision without asking the ducal princess’ consent was quite rude.

Doah looked closely at that maid.

“So you’re disobeying the order?”

“That is not true. I only mean that it doesn’t have to be right this instant.”

“T-That’s right!”

Ruby, who was silent as she looked around, also responded and stood her ground.

“E-Even maids are not disturbed while they are eating, so you must let the Princess finish her meal!”

“……”

“I-I mean… It’s just like… that…”

The head maid stared down at her with wide, angry eyes, so Ruby’s spirit was soon crushed and she could only clasp her fingers together.

Still though, Doah thought that she did her best.

“The newly assigned maids will take care of the Lady’s meals. Don’t be stubborn. Just do what’s assigned to you.”

At the words of the head maid, the two maids who spoke up pursed their lips and bit them tightly as they bowed their heads down.

As they raised their heads again, their eyes met with Doah’s as she had been watching them all this time.

Ruby smiled back innocently, but the other maid bowed her head again even deeper as she was surprised.

“You, what’s your name?”

“It is Candice.”

“Hmm, that’s a sugary name.”

What did I just hear?

Candice raised her head carefully.

As Doah had asked the maid for her name, her eyes were curved finely.

“I will remember.”

When Candice saw that smile, she forgot what she was supposed to say and froze as she was.

Because she heard that the young lady would remember her from now on.

Ruby felt somewhat left out behind Candice, so she pointed to herself with one finger and appealed quietly.

Princess, what about me? What about my name?

“T-Then, we shall leave now.”

Candice regained her senses belatedly and grabbed the dense Ruby and dragged her away.

Doah replied without a sign of annoyance at them.

“Yes, go back safely. I’ll see you next time.”

It meant that she would remember them.

Candice left the room in a hurry. For some reason, she could feel her heart pounding loudly.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t just Doah who would now remember Candice’s name.

Glaring discontentedly at the retreating back of the insolent maid who dared speak against her, Angela spoke.

“I’m sure you know that the maids who will be in charge of you have already been decided and that this decision cannot be revoked.”

It was a threatening tone.

“Whose decision is it?”

“Excuse me?”

“I am asking you. With whose jurisdiction are you acting on here.”

Doah asked back icily. It was as if she had never smiled like a spring flower just now.

In an instant, her way of speaking, her expression and the atmosphere around her changed sharply.

“It’s only natural that it is my responsibility to assign the maids.”

The head maid faltered for a moment, but she quickly retorted.

“It’s all up to you?”

“That’s right.”

“So you’re saying that everything here is your responsibility?”

She even used the heavy word of responsibility.

Still, Angela twisted one corner of her lips upward and snapped back sarcastically.

“Well, of course it is.”

The head maid, Angela, knew Bunny’s real identity. At this moment, all the heads of each department knew that she was a fake ducal princess.

But Doah wasn’t all too concerned about this.

‘I thought that a person given the position of a department representative was someone who at least knew how to act accordingly and far from self-interest.’

Well, that’s actually not the case here.

Was it because the head maid had suddenly gone crazy?

Or did the head maid not even have a high enough IQ to realize that, unlike when Bunny was still being detained in the spire, she now needed to treat Bunny respectfully since she’s entered the central palace?

‘It doesn’t seem to be either of the two.’

A hooked nose reminiscent of a hawk’s beak.

Since the olden times, a shape like that was typically held in high regard, thinking that a person with that kind of nose was someone remarkable.

But the eyes, too, were important.