Chapter 18

Honestly, I knew that my husband was harassing me because he wanted me to take the initiative.

Yes, I knew from the beginning.

I think he probably came here thinking that after about a week, I would start to make some noise, and after about a month, the mansion would have changed in some way.

Using Elise’s invitation as an excuse.

However, when he came, nothing had changed at all.

As always, Lady Miriam was freely doing as she pleased, and Elise was strutting around the social scene, taking advantage of the Lindveld Duke family’s prestige.

That’s why today, I deliberately did those things to show him that I couldn’t escape.

"Give me back my innocence! I can’t get married after something like that! ...Although I’m already married..."

Once I was dragged into this, I had no choice but to act to protect my life.

So, I decided to confirm with my husband.

What should our ultimate goal be?

"Um... Just to confirm, the two women you want to get rid of are them, right?"

"Is there anyone else?"

I wondered if he was being serious or testing me.

Well, it’s probably the latter.

I sighed and said,

"There are many maids and servants I want to dismiss, but they’re just small fry and can be dealt with easily. It depends on what you want to do with the head butler, Lockdel."

The moment I said that, my husband laughed delightfully, and the secretary, who had been listening to our conversation, opened his eyes wide.

"If there’s a suitable person, you can remove them immediately."

I see, that’s what I thought.

From what I’ve investigated, this Lockdel is quite a character.

Although he comes from a branch family of butlers, he’s quite ambitious.

Personally, I have no problem with ambitious people. If they work hard to climb the ranks, I’ll evaluate them.

However, someone who is only ambitious and can’t be used is just a liability. They only cause jealousy and harm.

In Lockdel’s case, he’s the former. He’s ambitious and capable.

In fact, Lockdel was apparently a playmate of the same age as my late father-in-law, the former duke.

Being from a branch family of a similar age, he was a suitable choice to be a playmate in the territory.

Building a trusting relationship with the future master from childhood is not a bad idea.

However, only if it doesn’t go in a bad direction.

When the master seems to be heading in a bad direction, a loyal retainer should step in to stop him, but this butler is different.

He is capable.

That’s for sure.

It’s natural for him to be proud of it, and it’s natural to pay him a salary that matches his work.

However, he started dreaming big.

He dreamed of one day taking over the main family.

To achieve this, he didn’t advise the incompetent master and left him be.

As a result, Lockdel made most of the decisions and ended up holding the power.

He controlled both the household and the territory.

And then, he tried to use Lady Miriam and Elise for his grand plan.

Those two seemed quite air-headed, and for Lockdel, they were conveniently easy to manipulate.

First, Lady Miriam, who was a beautiful woman.

After the death of the main wife, he sent Lady Miriam to keep the master company at night.

If it worked out, great; if not, he could send a different woman.

If she managed to bear a child, he planned to become the child’s guardian and plot to disinherit the master.

I had my suspicions when the head butler tolerated Lady Miriam. I wasn’t sure if Lockdel was on the master’s side or Lady Miriam’s, but now it’s clear.

In other words, the situation is a conflict between the master and the head butler.

I thought it might not go so smoothly, but it seems to have worked to some extent.

After all, the former duke was a womanizer and, while he could do his job, he was classified as an incompetent master in recent years.

He was a pleasure-seeking workaholic. That’s the kind of person my husband’s father was.

Once a person falls into decadence, they want to take it easy.

My husband’s father was no exception, thinking that if someone else could do the work, he didn’t have to.

As a result, he was being used.

A butler who makes things easy is valuable.

Especially if he doesn’t say anything even when you’re playing around.

I often wonder how a person like my husband could come from such a father.

But apparently, his mother was in charge of his education.

Also, his grandfather on his father’s side.

He must have given up on his son, who was a complete failure, and placed his hopes on his grandson, which turned out to be the right decision.

He became an outstanding workaholic.

Work tends to accumulate where capable people are, and my husband has been extremely busy since inheriting the title.

He has no time to deal with the household or the Lindveld Duke family’s affairs.

Moreover, Lockdel is capable.

However, now that every decision requires the master’s approval, Lockdel wanted to do something about the master.

But the master felt the same way.

It was just that there wasn’t a suitable person.

After the Lockdel incident, he became cautious about choosing from the branch families of butler houses.

Moreover, Lockdel, wanting to hold the power himself, didn’t train any successors.

The master knew that anyone he thought was suitable would be crushed by Lockdel.

That’s why there seems to be no one capable of taking Lockdel’s position.

At least not at the moment.

A capable butler is not easy to find.

It would be very inconvenient to dismiss Lockdel just because he’s a thorn in the side.

The work would concentrate on the busy master, and he might really die from overwork.

"Indeed, choosing you was the right decision. I was right to trust your skills, which revived a dying territory from the age of ten."

I see, you knew, my husband.

But I didn’t want to be thrown into such a quagmire.

I told you, didn’t I, my husband?

I wanted a life of decadence.

Why did I have to go through all this trouble for that life?

To the husband who wouldn’t listen, I gave up and said,

"I have one person in mind, so I’ll check with them."

I at least want one ally.

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