What do I do? I can deal with her, but...
But there was no need to continue acting like old Camille in front of the maid.
I had made it clear to Ethan that I was no longer the Camille Dumont he knew. This was the right approach, given what lay ahead.
After I made the decision, I folded my arms and tilted my head slightly.
“Mary”
“Yes?”
“Why do you ask when you know? You've known for a while that Ethan found out, right?”
Mary's eyes widened in shock, "Ma'am?"
“Why didn’t you tell me that the letter was stolen from you? It’s okay. I think they asked you to keep quiet. They probably threatened to expel you from the palace if you talked to me.”
“……”
Mary stared at me with her mouth open, looking startled, “Ma’am, I think there’s a misunderstanding...”
“Misunderstanding?”
"Yes, of course! I would never betray you! Don't you trust me?" Mary pleaded, her hands clasped together, on the verge of tears.
Her wide, innocent eyes, blinking at me, reminded me of a hamster I used to watch a lot on YouTube – it was a little endearing, but not enough to satisfy me.
“Is that all?”
“Excuse me?”
“You're not even trying to provide an excuse or proof. You're just asking me to trust you blindly?”
“……”
I was honestly surprised.
After I had used every ounce of my intelligence to survive under such a dangerous situation, this seemed almost funny.
She must have had an easy time under Camille's care to think this would work...
Camille was known to be easily swayed by flattery, which may have been due to her living with a husband who showed her no affection.
Maybe that was why she easily fell for Liam's charm.
Mary looked left and right, desperately trying to assess the situation.
Her gaze at me clearly expressed her bewilderment, as if she was thinking: "What's wrong with her? Why is she acting like this?"
Of course, I have to look completely different from the usual Camille.
According to the original story, Camille is described as superficial and short-sighted.
She neglected all the duties required of the Duchess of Dumont, and concentrated only on adorning herself with lavish dresses and jewellery.
As a result, she was scorned and ignored, not only in high society but also among servants.
The fact that Mary was so flustered by what should have been a reasonable response showed how little respect Camille had.
“I heard it directly from Ethan. His men captured you while you were on a mission for me, and they took the letter from you. Are you going to deny it?”
“……”
Mary's face turned pale.
Her face was like, 'Oh my God, this is so bad.'
“Or do you want me to take you to Ethan for a three-way showdown?”
“I-I'm sorry!” Mary fell to the ground, bowing her head in despair, “You're right, ma'am. I had no other choice. A big, scary man grabbed me by the collar and threatened me... I never meant to betray you! Please, forgive me! It's the truth!”
Here she is. This is how she should have acted from the beginning.
She let out a quiet sigh.
To be fair, I can understand Mary's position.
What power does a mere maid have? Their lives revolved around obeying orders and keeping secrets.
Of course, I wasn't sure if Mary's story of extreme threats was true. Based on her behavior, it seems like she's probably exaggerating.
In any case, it was impossible for her to escape the interrogation of an expert like Ethan.
“Look up, Mary.”
Mary raised her head and looked at me.
Her face was soaked in tears, and she looked sad.
“I understand your situation. But if you really valued me, you could have alerted me today.”
“Ma’am”
“You knew who I was going to meet today, and that Ethan was going to attack us. And yet, you didn’t say a word to me.”
"I couldn't help myself. I told you that terrifying man threatened me not to say anything, otherwise..." Mary's voice trembled.
"But that's not the only reason, right? You knew that once Ethan found out the truth, this day would come sooner or later. You thought it was better to follow Ethan's orders rather than risk being kicked out of the palace for supporting me. Right?"
“……”
I heard Mary swallow.
I knew I had hit the nail on the head.
Honestly, I didn't blame her.
In such situations, self-preservation is normal.
If it had not been for Mary, eight or nine out of ten people would have made the same decision.
Holding on to loyalty just for the sake of punishment for learning of the Duchess's betrayal would do no one any good.
'Now what should I do with it...?'
In practice, the answer was clear.
Despite her position, Mary betrayed her lady.
Rather, she tried to cover it up with lies.
However, she doesn't seem completely oblivious. She understands the situation quickly and knows when to give up...
I could have easily dismissed her out of hatred.
But the practical side was more important now.
Although I knew the plot of the original story, I had no memories of Camille. Having Mary with me was most helpful in gathering the necessary information.
With her weakness exposed, she wouldn't dare to speak, even if she found me acting strange.
Ethan made it clear that his suspicions of my infidelity had not been completely resolved.
I needed to avoid being kicked out with nothing, like in the original story, at all costs.
The standards of security and society in this world were not compatible with the modern era. Any young woman wandering the streets without money would face obvious dangers.
“Mary.”
“Yes, ma'am.”
"Normally, I should have expelled you from this palace immediately. I should have spread the word to the capital that you betrayed your mistress, to ensure that you will never work as a maid again," I said, watching her reaction.
Mary's pale face became completely pale.
"my lady …!" I shouted.
“Listen to me. I haven’t decided not to forgive you yet.”
“What do you want me to do, ma’am? I will do anything you ask!” , Mary quickly pressed her forehead to the ground again.
See, she's not completely mindless.
"Listen carefully. Ethan will likely call you soon to inquire about what happened between Baron Bernard and me. Here's what you have to say," I began to explain the plan I had made while riding in the carriage.
***
“So, you're saying you never told anyone the message was intercepted?”
“Yes, sir,” Mary replied, bowing deeply.
"Enough of the obvious lies. If you didn't say anything, how did the Duchess know?" The man standing next to Ethan shouted hoarsely.
He was huge in body, imposing, larger than most palace knights.
Despite his rough face, a scar on his right eyebrow gave him a fierce appearance.
Mary blinked and stepped back, letting out a small squeak from her lips.
"I swear I didn't say anything. Please believe me," she pleaded with a trembling voice.
“You still dare to-”
“Jack,” Ethan interrupted.
The man, Jack, backed away, but continued to stare at Mary with a menacing look. His expression remained sharp, clearly intended to intimidate.
Despite his gruff appearance, Jack was known for his quick wit and cold rationality.
His competence is what made Ethan value him so highly.
It was no surprise that Jack pressured Mary with his aggressive behavior. He knew that this method would be the most effective in destroying her.
By making himself an intimidating figure, Jack made it easier for Ethan to be interrogated.
It is likely that he expected this psychological tactic from the beginning.