Episode 60
“Actually, you first need to convince me. I need clear evidence that you didn’t steal those things, Edel.”
“If I had stolen and distributed them, I would have asked them to sell them immediately. Why would I leave them in the rooms until now, when I know my lady will be looking for them soon?”
“This is not proof of your innocence.”
“That may be the case, but from this perspective, the presence of missing items in the rooms of the three maids close to me cannot be evidence that I am the culprit.”
Then Idell said in a low voice, suppressing her intense anger:
“However, there is only one person who entered my lady’s room whom he did not mention the theft. And he is the same person who tried to accuse me of the crime.”
Then Linnea remembered that she had not suspected Marsha.
“The things that were lost were only those that you didn’t wear regularly, right? And who but Mrs. Bohen knows these details so well?”
Linnea fell silent and began to think deeply.
Lost items like a small pearl hairpin or a gold chain were things that Idell had recently encouraged Linnea to use, which led her to wear them occasionally lately.
If Idell was the thief, why would she choose to steal things like these specifically? She knows they will be discovered quickly.
“You may have already guessed, but this was orchestrated by Mrs. Bohen with the aim of removing me from my position.”
“Yes, I thought about that for a moment. But what would Marsha gain from staging this incident?”
"She will regain her position as your personal maid, Madam. Mrs. Bohen was very sorry to have lost this position."
Linnea was aware of this.
During her service, Marsha would often boast about the gifts that maids in other homes received from their mistresses. The added costs on the bills also suggested that she might have been adding something for herself.
“But is it reasonable for Marsha to risk so much for this position?”
“It may seem simple to you, madam, but for Mrs. Bohen, it may not be so simple. She considers this house her primary source of livelihood.”
Edel hesitated to continue the conversation.
How will you tell them that they were easy prey, and that this house was merely a source of profit for Mrs. Bohen?
But the time has come to reveal the truth. After Marsha touched her friends, there is no longer any need to remain silent.
“In any case, I will inform the Count of this matter, and I also have some other things that must be disclosed. After the Count makes his decision, I will tell you the details, my lady.”
"Is it about Marsha?"
"Yes."
Linnea expected to ask more questions, but she simply shook her head as if she had guessed what was happening.
**
At the usual time, Laszlo returned to the palace after a long day, his mind preoccupied with the words Demarcus had spoken:
"What? You don't even have a butler? You need to worry about tidying up the house before you think about anything else!"
But he didn't know where to begin.
“If the emperor was so worried, why didn’t he send me a competent head servant?”
But he knew perfectly well that once a chief servant recommended by the emperor was introduced, it would remain doubtful that this chief servant would convey everything to the emperor.
After he changed his clothes and began reviewing some documents in his office, he heard a knock on the door.
“It’s Idyll.”
Her voice was low and measured, yet he felt a strange tightness in his chest.
"Come in."
Since Idell took charge of changing his appearance, the two have spent more time together than usual, but since he returned from his vacation, they haven't had the chance to meet.
He felt somewhat happy about her visit, but he noticed that her expression did not suggest good news.
"I apologize for disturbing you during work."
"It seems to be that important. Please, tell me."
Laszlo put the documents aside and looked at them intently. The pressure of his direct stance was evident, but Edel had no intention of speaking indirectly, so she moved closer to him.
“Do you remember the gift you asked for instead of an open check?”
“…to believe you, right?”
“Yes, that gift.”
He could never forget it. He never understood why she considered that gift more important than a check on which he could write a huge sum.
But since she was the one who brought up the subject, it seems she intends to clarify the matter.
“Yes, I remember.”
"So, I want that gift now."
"Suddenly?"
“I was accused of stealing Mrs. Linnea’s belongings and dividing them among the maids who were close to me.”
Laszlo laughed sarcastically when he heard that.
“You stole Linnea’s things? If that’s true, I’ll be happy.”
He was being honest; if Idil had wanted things, he could have given her something better. She had contributed greatly to improving his and Linnea's appearance, preserved her dignity, and was the most deserving of a good reward.
But being a woman who doesn't ask for such things made it more difficult, and believing that she was innocent of such a charge was not difficult.
"I believe you didn't steal anything, is that enough?"
“No, that’s not what I’m asking for. That I haven’t stolen anything is self-evident, sir.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“What I ask is that you believe what I am about to say.”
Edel took a deep breath, then handed Laszlo a piece of paper she had prepared.
“The one who accused me is the head butler, Mrs. Marsha Bohen. She is not only falsely accusing me, but is also involved in embezzlement and corruption within the palace, and takes bribes from some of the servants. These are the results of the investigations I conducted about her.”
Even during only three months of investigation, I managed to fill out six pages, each one of them meticulously written.
She claims to buy the best products from food suppliers, but she buys the lowest quality and pockets the difference.
As for the shops that designed clothing, shoes, and accessories for Linnea, they offered services far below the standards of the aristocracy and were found to be paying exorbitant fees and commissions. The products were then sold to Linnea at inflated prices.
She distinguished between servants who paid her money and those who did not, which caused many servants to leave on the grounds that they could not tolerate the situation.
“As for Daisy, Celia, and Lila, they became close friends with me because they were like me, working on the toughest tasks and had nothing to pay as a bribe, and it was difficult for them to leave the job because of their lack of experience.”
Edel said this while Laszlo calmly read the papers she had handed him.
“Everything written here is true. Please, believe me.”
She had once asked Laszlo to believe her, as if she had foreseen this day. Yet, the unease persisted. She was merely the "new" one, having only been there half a year, while Marsha was the "old one," having worked there since Laszlo became Count.
I waited nervously for a moment, then Laszlo raised his head after he finished reading the papers, and stared into the void with a slight smile.
“I knew she was manipulating things, but it seems the scale of it was huge.”
From the manipulation of food purchases alone, the amount embezzled over three months was estimated at 7,000 ringgit. Had this continued for three years, the total would have reached 84,000 ringgit. It is no longer implausible that she managed to purchase a house during her time working here.
"Do you think Marsha's accusation of theft has anything to do with this?"
“Perhaps. But I was certainly a nuisance to her; I made it difficult for her to control the servants as she used to, and she was no longer able to influence Miss Linnea so easily.”
“So, the maids in whose rooms Linnea’s belongings were found were also victims without understanding why.”
“Yes. But according to Daisy, Mrs. Bohen summoned her some time ago and tried to win her over. When she refused, she was beaten. Isn’t that enough evidence?”
Edel clenched her fists nervously, fearing that Laszlo would delay his decision, giving Marsha time to conceal evidence and manipulate the servants. If that happened, chaos would engulf the palace, and the situation might end with little change.
'In that case, I will be the one who suffers.'
It was clear that Marsha's persecution of her would become increasingly brutal and cunning.
Laszlo placed the papers on the desk and said, shaking his head:
“I always thought I would eventually fire her… maybe you came to remind me what I should do.”
"Do you mean you believe me?"
“You promised, didn’t you? I’ll believe you.”
Edel breathed a sigh of relief, but Laszlo had not finished speaking.
"But are you ready for everything that comes next?"
"Ready? What do you mean by that...?"
"I mean…"
As Laszlo began to explain, Edel suddenly realized that she might have dug herself a hole without realizing it.