The more I attacked Daedric, the more the Duchess appreciated him, so she chose to remain silent.
“This feels very satisfying.”
I smiled sarcastically as I looked at her, but her gaze quickly turned elsewhere.
I followed Delaney with my gaze, and saw a maid nod before leaving her seat.
“She must have been waiting for this moment.”
Just like in the novel.
As she expected, another servant approached Daedric.
“Young master, it's time to read.”
I spoke quickly:
"Didi, don't answer! Just get up! We'll leave now!"
I read this scene in the novel!
At this moment, Deidrick is supposed to say: “Time to read?” He is confused, and then the servant begins to act as if he is terrified.
“But… But, Young Master is always reading at this time… If he doesn’t, we will be punished...”
The servant was pretending to hesitate, as if it was difficult for him to continue speaking.
Of course, this was just one of the Duchess's silly games.
I was ecstatic as I watched Dedric, who knew nothing, struggle with this cheap trick.
“Just to show you that's enough to keep you under control.”
Deedric heard my words, stood up quietly, and then bowed politely.
“I'm sorry, I'm used to reading at this time... Can I leave now?”
The Duchess looked at him strangely, but quickly put on a calm smile.
“Go, but don't be late.”
Daedric bowed again, then turned to the Second Prince and said:
“Your Highness, Second Prince, please excuse me.”
Perez smiled as he got up from his seat.
“Hmm, reading time? I was bored anyway, can I join you?”
At that moment, Somerset's face frowned, while mine beamed with joy.
Seeing Somerset's convulsive expression made me feel as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
“I'll go check first, take your time and then come.”
“Ah…”
Deedric almost reached out his hand to stop me, but he hesitated.
“What's wrong?”
“Didi can handle this.”
"…no."
I waved an encouraging hand at him, then hurried to Deidrick's room.
As I expected, someone from Delaney's side was already inside the room.
In fact, I knew him very well.
“Isn't he?”
That little villain who was always tripping up Daedric to knock him down!
In the novel, this person performs dirty tasks for Delaney, does bad things, and is eventually abandoned, only to be killed by Delaney himself.
In other words, he will get his just punishment.
“I have found my opponent.”
“You also want to fall to your knees like Daedric did, right?”
It seems he just finished his plan to frame Deidrick and frame him for theft.
I contained my rising anger, then looked at the bookshelf.
There, the Second Prince's things were proudly placed.
But…
“She's not here?”
“This is not the story I know.”
I felt confused, as events took a different turn.
In the original story, Perez was supposed to be searching all over the mansion for his stolen possessions.
The Duchess then suggests searching Deederick's room, hinting that he may have a habit of stealing.
And of course, stolen items will be found there.
Daedric will be so surprised that he won't be able to defend himself...
Thus, his first meeting with Perez would be disastrous.
“This is how it was supposed to happen...”
While I was trying to comprehend this change, the servant looked at his watch, then approached the door and listened intently.
“Isn't it time yet?”
It seemed like he was waiting for someone.
If he had finished his mission, he should have gone out without anyone noticing.
So, why is he still here?
"…Yes!"
A sudden thought struck me.
This servant was waiting for Didi and Perez!
Diddy ordered him to steal only to be caught red-handed!
In other words, Deidrick was showing Perez that he was a bad kid who had a servant who would steal for him!
“This is getting so ridiculous!”
I quickly checked the server. His pants pocket was bulging.
Then I heard the sound of footsteps coming, and the servant's heart was beating tensely in sync with those steps.
He took something out of his pocket and quickly placed it in Deidrick's desk drawer, then headed toward the door and pressed his ear against it again.
“So, he wants Dedrick charged with theft.”
I could easily have accused Axel or Somerset, but that would be too hasty.
It was not good to make things so clear in front of the Duchess.
There had to be just a little disturbance.
If the Second Prince's belongings were found in a Daedric room, it would appear as if the Daedric had someone helping him, or had skills at stealing.
This will make supervision more severe.
So, this time, it had to look like the servant had ruined everything because of his blind greed.
“I will take this chance to take revenge on this bastard.”
The scar on Daedric's knee was because of him.
I looked around and picked out a gem from Deidrick's mother's memorabilia box.
“…”
The servant was busy with what was happening outside, and did not realize what I was doing.
“Did you read all of this?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“My mother would be surprised if I told her! This book is thick and difficult.”
“I've read it several times.”
I listened to the two's conversation as the servant quietly opened the door.
“Now's my chance!”
I quickly slipped a small pin into his pocket, then quickly left without him noticing.
“Honestly, I didn't want to touch his mother's memorabilia... but Didi doesn't have any jewelry.”
After that, I immediately opened the drawer.
“Look at this! You trickster!”
The drawer was full of the Second Prince's belongings.
I took some, then hid more mementos in the wardrobe and locked it.
“Now, to the servants’ room!”
I quickly left and hid everything under his bed.
“This way, suspicions will be avoided.”
After I finished, I went straight back to Deidrick's room.
Outside, the Duchess was already there with the guards, pressing Daedric.
“It was Young Master’s orders! I don’t know anything!”
“I told you today, Daedric, not to cause any trouble.”
I could hear the Duchess's voice, and the smile did not leave her lips as she hid it behind her fan.
“Dedric.”
Perez directed the question to Deidrick first, not to the Duchess.
'This is a good sign.'
This means Perez intends to hear from Dedrick first before issuing his ruling.
Since he realized the Duchess's trap, Daedric could not rush to react.
She rushed to him and said:
"It's okay, Didi! I sorted it out. It was all the servant's fault. And also... I'm sorry. I had to put your mother's brooch in his pocket to make him look like a thief. I also hid some other mementos in his room... He will be punished later."
Daedric looked at me in surprise, his eyes wide, but he seemed calmer as he listened to me as I continued talking nervously.
I shook my head, "Don't look at me like that. I know all about that servant who was deliberately setting you up. He's responsible for the wound on your knee. It's time for revenge now."
More than anything else, if we leave this server alone, it will cause more problems. Anyone who bullies a child does not deserve mercy.
“Dedric.”
When Perez called him again, Dedrick answered politely:
“I know nothing about this, Your Highness.”
As if it was an agreed upon signal, the servant began to feign weakness, pleading in a trembling voice:
“How can you pretend not to know me, young man?! I… I am your servant…!”
As I watched his drama, I suppressed my anger. At that moment, Deidrick lifted his pants slightly to reveal his knee, where there were clearly small scars.
He said softly: “These scars… you caused them.”
Then he continued in a steady voice: “I have fallen many times because of you. I cannot have you do such things, and you treat me this way.”
While Daedric responded calmly, it was the servant who seemed to be confused this time.
“I-A-this…!”
Delaney, who was supporting the servant, asked: “Deidrick, do you have any proof that this servant did this to you?”
The servant nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, that's right! I didn't do anything like that!”
“Should I step on your foot? You’re making me so angry,” I muttered angrily.
She then looked at Perez, who was still standing next to Deidrick, saying, “There is no evidence that you did not do this.”