Chapter 62
“Write a loan note. The amount embezzled plus compensation for damages will be 400,000 ringgit. The deadline for repayment will be the end of this year.”
Laszlo shrugged as if to suggest that this offer was very generous. But Marsha's frozen face showed no sign of relief.
“A… 400,000 Ringgit…?”
“You could sell the Falchi house for a quick 350,000 ringgit.”
“But that house has a bank loan of 70,000 ringgit…!”
“That’s not my business.”
Frankly, the sum of 400,000 ringgit was not of great importance to Laszlo; it was an amount he could easily do without, but it was perfect for destroying Marsha.
According to the investigation, this amount represents the maximum that Marsha could collect even if she sold everything she owned, down to the last piece.
'If the amount were larger, it might drive her to despair, and if it were smaller, the punishment would be meaningless.'
After paying off the 400,000 ringgit, Marsha will find herself with nothing, and possibly in debt again due to personal loans.
Laszlo had no intention of being lenient or giving her more time in her punishment.
“If you understand… then, guys, take this woman and get her out.”
The mercenaries, who had been standing still, moved quickly and lifted Marsha. She looked around in horror and began to scream and cry:
“Please, Count, let me live…!”
"Did you say I would kill you?"
A small dagger suddenly appeared in Laszlo's hand, and he began to turn it deftly, as if he were playing with it, indicating that he might actually kill her if she annoyed him any more.
Marsha was forced to close her mouth, which was trembling with fear.
Thus, Marsha, who was once considered the lady of Crisis Manor, was evicted, along with a very large loan agreement.
After Marsha and the witnesses who exposed her embezzlement left, calm returned to the hall.
Laszlo remained standing in his place staring at the servants, while the servants stood with trembling hearts, waiting fearfully for the words that would come out of his mouth.
"There's a problem here, isn't there?"
A dry swallowing sound was heard from everyone's throats.
“So now we are in a palace where there isn’t even a head butler, and now we have also lost the head butler.”
When everyone heard these words, they understood their truth. Although Marsha had committed many wrongdoings, she had also established a certain system under her supervision. But with her sudden disappearance, who would manage the servants and distribute the tasks? Chaos was sure to ensue.
However, Laszlo showed no signs of concern.
“They say that whoever uncovers the knot must undo it. The person who uncovered Marsha’s truth must take her place.”
When the servants heard those words, they looked confused, but Lazlo added one more word.
“Idel.”
Calm returned to the hall once again, but Laszlo continued speaking without hesitation.
“From now on, Edel will be the head butler.”
Everyone's eyes turned to Idil in surprise, but she showed no signs of joy or surprise, instead letting out a small sigh.
Laszlo looked around at a number of servants whose faces showed signs of astonishment at Marsha's dismissal and Edel's sudden appointment as head servant.
“Anyone who disagrees with Edel’s orders or has objections, can leave now. I’ll write them a recommendation, no problem.”
He drew a smile on his face that conveyed some relief.
***
“Huh…”
Edel let out a long sigh as she sorted through the documents late into the night.
"Why did you accept this?"
When she was exposing Marsha's embezzlement and corruption, she thought her biggest problem would be that Laszlo wouldn't believe her. But Laszlo trusted her too much.
"To the point that he suddenly entrusted me with the position of head servant."
Perhaps what happened with Laszlo and Leina, where she helped them change things, left an impression on him.
It is clear that the number of invitations arriving at the palace has increased enormously since Laszlo returned from the Count Bliss family party, indicating his new social status.
'But how well does he really know me to entrust me with the position of head servant?'
Edel thought about this and was quickly convinced. It was clear that Laszlo was not the type of person who picked people carefully; after all, Marsha had been the former head butler.
Initially, she naturally intended to refuse the offer. But…
“So, we won’t be able to fire Marsha immediately. Without a head butler and without a chief butler, how will the palace run its affairs?”
Edel was fully aware of this fact. She had witnessed time and again how things at the palace were becoming increasingly difficult day by day. Therefore, in order to get rid of Marsha quickly, someone familiar with the inner workings of the palace had to take on this role, and no one was ready for it except Edel.
"Okay, give me some time, then."
“One week. During this time, look at the papers here and decide what needs to be done. After one week, we will get rid of Marsha.”
That week, Edel slept no more than four hours a day. Linnea had given her a chance to rest during the day, but she hadn't been able to make the most of it.
There are many things that need to be sorted out.
Although she spent all her time taking on the duties of the head servant, she could not be lax in her duties as Linnea's personal maid, and she also had to be careful that others would discover the plan to expel Marsha, which made her days difficult.
However, the situation was not easier after she became the head of the servants.
"The situation is worse than I expected."
If Marsha had been meticulous in writing the double records, Edel could have corrected the previous records accordingly, but Marsha was only obsessed with stealing money and did not care about organizing the records.
The review of the records provided by the merchants set Edel back only slightly, so it could be said that the Chryses Palace was now starting from scratch.
"My head hurts..."
Rebuilding everything from scratch might have been a simpler task, but what worried Edel was the limits of her authority. Normally, the head butler doesn't manage the financial records.
“It seems I need to have more discussion with Count Crisis.”
Edel put all the papers aside and wrapped herself in her shawl. Then she moved towards Laszlo's office, which she was now accustomed to, and knocked on the door.
“Edel is here.”
"Come in."
After the usual greetings, Edel opened the door. Since becoming head butler, Laszlo had also begun organizing his office, which meant he missed his rest time after returning to the palace. Sorting palace papers and others related to the mercenary guild, Laszlo gestured with his chin towards the sofa and then stood up.
"It's very late, what's wrong?"
“I wanted to inquire about the tasks that were assigned to me.”
“Inquiry? I told you before, you can do as you please.”
“…there are no words more confusing than those, Count.”
Idil sighed deeply despite standing directly in front of Laszlo, reflecting how confused she was.
“As you know, the head butler usually handles matters related to the supply of food and fabrics. Managing financial records is the responsibility of the head butler or the master of the house.”
"Really?"
“Yes. So I find it difficult to define the scope of my duties. The best solution is to appoint a head butler as soon as possible…”
Laszlo is certainly aware of that.
“As you said, the chief butler is someone who has access to the most important information in the palace. That’s why we can’t hire just anyone.”
Of course, Laszlo had tried to employ a chief butler at the beginning of his tenure as Count.
“But the problem was that they were all spies for the opposition.”
When Laszlo suddenly became close to the emperor, the four great families made a great effort to send spies to the Crésis Palace, especially in the position of chief butler, to gather information about him.
Finally, after violently dismissing the fifth of them, Laszlo decided to do without the head servant. He would dismiss any servant who showed suspicious signs.
“So, those who remain now are people who are not even fit to be bribed by the big families.”
Shy people show signs of nervousness on their faces as soon as they receive an offer of this kind.
But Laszlo, who had resolved to become the emperor's protector and one of the pillars of his supporters, could not leave his palace in this situation.
As he contemplated the situation with a serious expression, a flash suddenly appeared in his eyes.
“Wait a minute… there is only one way.”
"What? And what is that method?"
Laszlo's gaze gradually shifted towards Idil's face, his intensity so profound that Idil felt an urge to avoid looking at him. But he leaned towards her with a mysterious smile on his face.
"Why didn't I think of this method from the beginning?"
"What... what... method do you mean?"
She felt the question might be wrong, but she couldn't resist her curiosity. And as always, her negative expectations were correct.
“You can be the head maid in this palace. In fact, you are more valuable than just being a head maid.”
"What?!"
She was so confused that her voice came out in a broken, trembling voice.
But it wasn't the right time to feel embarrassed.