Chapter 38
“…Explain that to me again, properly this time. I just don’t understand it. So, you’re saying that a maid who has been mistreated by a nobleman is punished? Did I hear that right?”
Edel smiled awkwardly and nodded. She even felt uncomfortable explaining this unfair situation to Laszlo, as if she were defending these wicked nobles.
“Usually, it is said that the maid behaved inappropriately to deserve such treatment. Regardless of whether that is true or not. By punishing the maid, they believe that it saves face.”
“Am I stupid? Why can’t I understand anything you’re saying? How does this save face?”
“If it is not the maid’s fault, it will be seen as a direct challenge to the authority and status of the nobleman, just as is happening to you now, Count.”
Laszlo finally understood.
He now understood why Terry and Angelo insisted that “that woman seduced us.”
“So, punishing that innocent woman was the way to keep us all safe, wasn’t it? Just get rid of her and that’s it.”
Laszlo's expression shifted from shock to utter disbelief. After a moment, he scoffed and shook his head.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m just a humble mercenary. I know nothing about noble customs. So, starting tomorrow, get back to work in the kitchen.”
Edel felt confident that Laszlo, the former mercenary, was more rational and generous than most of the nobles she knew.
With that in mind, I mustered the courage to submit an application.
“Thank you for your lenient decision, Count. But may I ask one more thing?”
"Hmm?"
“The laundry is hard work not only for me but also for Celia and Lila. The laundry room is in very bad shape. Can you allow us to use plenty of hot water, at least during the winter?”
"What?"
Laszlo's face showed sudden confusion.
“What do you mean? You wash clothes in cold water in this freezing weather? Are you saying that the head maid didn’t ask you to do that for just one day?”
“Yes… not just in the laundry room. The servants’ bathroom is the same. In this cold winter, no one can take a proper bath, so we just wipe ourselves with wet towels.”
Laszlo couldn't hide his shock. He was even more surprised than when he had heard about the customs of the nobility earlier.
Edel also felt something strange.
"Didn't you give these orders, Count?"
“Are you crazy? Who makes people take baths and wash their clothes in cold water in the middle of winter?”
"Then did you give orders to use hot water?"
“To be precise, I didn’t give orders regarding hot water. But I did say to buy whatever is needed! Is that something I need to specifically order?”
“To use hot water, we need firewood, which is expensive. Therefore, we cannot use it without the master’s permission.”
Laszlo's face turned red.
“I hadn’t even thought about that…”
"Didn't the head maid consult you?"
"never."
A strange silence fell between them.
Then, as Laszlo rubbed his temples thoughtfully, Edel suddenly asked, “Does the laundry room have a stove?”
“There is a small one. We use it to heat a large pot of water in the morning, but this is only to dissolve soap or soak heavily soiled clothes.”
"And in the servants' bathroom?"
“A fireplace? I think there was one that was built when this palace was built, but it hasn’t been used for years, so it’s in bad shape.”
Laszlo nodded and summoned the servant without further explanation.
He ordered the two servants who had been hastily summoned: “Tomorrow, after breakfast, go and build a proper stove in the laundry room. Once you have finished that, repair the bathroom stove as well. If necessary, bring someone else to help.”
"Yes, Count."
"And make sure there's plenty of firewood in the laundry room and bathroom until summer. Do you understand?"
“Ah… can we use this firewood in our bathrooms too?”
"And why would I store them there?"
The servants' faces lit up at Laszlo's reply.
The cold winter bath was torture not only for the female servants, but also for the male servants.
“Thank you, Count! We will make sure it is done tomorrow without delay!”
With heartfelt voices, they thanked him and left.
Seeing this, Laszlo felt even more hopeless.
"I must have been the worst master. Taking a shower in cold water... that's something you only do in a torture chamber!"
“Thank you for responding to my request, Count.”
“No, thank you. I wouldn’t have realized that even if all the servants had resigned.”
He smiled, even though he was clearly embarrassed.
Edel wasn't sure if it was a strange idea, but she found it rather cute.
'Who would have thought that the king of mercenaries could look nice?'
Because of that, Idell smiled too, hoping it would make him feel less embarrassed.
“Very well then… I will leave now. Once again, thank you for your kind decision, Count.”
Edel bowed politely and quietly left his room. She found it a little strange that Laszlo continued to stare at her until the door closed, but she didn't give it much thought.
* * *
“Ah, here comes the honored guest. Welcome, Your Majesty’s gift.”
On Idell's first day in the kitchen, Marsha, who was already seated at the breakfast table, sneered when she saw her. Clearly, she hadn't given any thought to the matter and still believed that her public humiliation and pay cut were Idell's fault.
In the past, Idil might have apologized meekly, bowing her head and saying, "I'm sorry for being gone for so long." But this time, she didn't respond at all.
'I have done my part, Mrs. Bohen. I will not tolerate this in silence any longer.'
Edel decided to abandon the idea of living quietly, as if it didn't exist. This was the conclusion she reached after much thought last night.
'If remaining silent won't make them leave me in peace, then I'd better fight to secure my own peace.'
Most importantly, she could no longer tolerate Marsha's malicious behavior. Not just for herself, but for the entire family, including Laszlo.
'I'm the only maid here who doesn't have to worry about a letter of recommendation. If anyone is going to expose the head maid's sins and stop her, it has to be me.'
Edel decided to start exposing the corruption of the head maid.
Her decision was prompted by the conversation she had with Laszlo the previous night about using hot water.
It was understood that Laszlo had not given any specific orders regarding hot water. No one had told him he needed it.
But Marsha was different.
As the head servant, the servants' representative, and the only one who could speak directly to the master, she should have asked.
In fact, Laszlo said: “Buy whatever you need, as much as you want,” which practically means that he actually allowed the use of hot water.
So why did Marsha forbid the servants from heating the water?
'I'll need to check the books, but there's a good chance Marsha was stealing money from the firewood costs.'
If Marsha was also bathing in cold water, Edel might have thought she was simply following orders or trying to save money for the family.
But the night before, Idil heard something shocking while asking Daisy about water usage.
“They act like they don’t, but Mrs. Bohen and Mina bathe in hot water. You could tell it’s February. They’re the only ones who are clean.”
"If they were heating the water, wouldn't everyone notice? Why didn't anyone complain?"
“Mrs. Bohen should feel guilty for never having heated the water in front of us. She uses the private bathroom in her room and heats it there, I think.”
Idil couldn't stop her mouth from falling out.
“She truly believes she is noble.”
The head maid, a servant, lived in a room with a private bathroom and drew a line between herself and the other servants; it was infuriating.
The more Idil thought about it, the angrier she became.
'She heats the water for herself while making the other servants wash with cold water? She doesn't even dip her hand in the cold water, but forces others to wash clothes in it all day?'
The images of Celia and Lila's red, swollen hands, Daisy saying she had to muster the courage just to wash her hair, and the other maids bringing back cold water the night before for their morning wash, all overwhelmed Idéal's mind, making her feel ill.
For this reason, she decided she would no longer be overly polite to her head maid. In fact, she was determined to expose Marsha's corruption.
Unaware of Edel's thoughts, Marsha's face contorted with anger when Edel ignored her.
“Ah, the Emperor’s gift is now living a good life. You pretend to be a little sick, and the Count promotes you to kitchen maid. Poor Celia and Lila, don’t you think?”
She tried to sow discord between Edel and the laundry maids.
But Celia and Lila shook their heads unperturbed.