I leaned forward at the desk, chin resting on my hands, elbows planted. I stared at the tall stack of documents and sighed—a soft breath that made the top papers flutter.
I was bored.
With little to do, I began sifting through the files Howard had left for me in the records room.
Most were routine reports and outdated ledgers—until one caught my eye.
It was a file on a business project in Harkan City, a small settlement in the southern part of Velmora. But something didn't add up.
The project had been scheduled for completion two months ago—yet it remained unfinished. Despite the delay, the workers continued receiving full salaries. The budget kept flowing steadily, as if everything were proceeding exactly as planned.
My brow furrowed.
"Four months, and it's still not done? Yet the payments never stopped… Strange."
To Rael, accustomed to the immense wealth of House Mondego, this sum was negligible—a drop in the ocean. He likely wouldn't pay attention to such minor transactions. But the manager in charge? He might have noticed. And maybe, just maybe… taken advantage of it.
"Sometimes," I mused, lips curling into a quiet smile, "stealing isn't done with hands—it's done with ink."
And if someone else could take advantage of this… then so could I.
I stepped out of the records room and made my way toward Rael's office, the folder tucked under one arm.
But luck wasn't on my side.
Gweneth appeared in the hallway.
Our eyes met.
She frowned. Her gaze dropped to the documents in my hands, then narrowed in suspicion. She didn't move aside.
I quickly bowed my head and stepped to the side to let her pass—but Gweneth stood her ground.
"Why are you still here?" she asked coldly. "Shouldn't you have left after the late Count's funeral?"
That was two weeks ago… and she's only noticing now?
How amusing.
How oblivious.
I kept the thought to myself. My expression remained calm.
It made sense, though. Gweneth was rarely in the mansion, while I had spent my days buried in the records room.
"The Count permitted my mother and me to stay," I replied politely. "In exchange, I'm organizing and cataloging the documents in the records room."
Her eyes shifted toward the folder. Her lips pressed into a thin line. The disdain in her expression was unmistakable.
She looked ready to speak again—when the sharp clicks of polished shoes echoed down the corridor.
Butler Howard appeared at the far end, walking with his usual poise. His gray coat was perfectly buttoned, a neat bundle of documents under one arm. He moved with the quiet authority of someone who had served the household for decades.
When he reached us, he paused and bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Countess."
Gweneth didn't return the greeting. She pointed at me instead.
"Is it true?" she snapped. "Rael actually let her and her mother stay here?"
Howard straightened without losing composure.
"Yes, my lady. We currently lack trusted staff. Since Evelise grew up here, her background is known to us. The Count permitted her to assist with organizing key documents in the private library. In return, she and her mother may remain in the manor."
Gweneth didn't reply. Her silence spoke volumes.
She turned and walked away briskly, her shoulders stiff with disapproval. It was clear she resented our presence—but with Rael's decision behind it, she could do nothing.
I watched her retreat, her back rigid and cold.
Howard gave a quiet sigh. "She won't cause trouble," he said. "But don't expect kindness."
"I know."
His eyes drifted to the folder in my hands. "That document—what is it?"
I glanced down. "Something from the project reports. I noticed something… odd."
"What do you mean?"
"I'd rather not discuss it here."
"You're right. Come," he said, turning. "We'll speak in the private library."
---
Once inside the quiet room, I laid the folder on the table and opened it.
"I found this while sorting documents," I explained. "The numbers didn't add up. The construction project in Harkan City—it's still receiving full funding, even though it's been delayed for two months."
Howard frowned as he scanned the page. "That project… I remember it. The last update I heard—before the Count passed—was that the delay was due to weather." He paused, guilt flickering across his face. "I should have caught this. I've neglected my duties."
"No, Butler," I said gently. "We were all shaken by the Count's death. You took on everything—organizing the funeral, helping Master Rael transition. It's not your fault."
He looked at me, a faint smile forming. "It seems your words work well."
I returned a small smirk. "They do," I whispered.
"What will you do now?" I asked.
"Master Rael must be informed," Howard said firmly. "He needs to know."
"Of course."
As he walked to the door, he paused and glanced back. "Evelise… good work."
When the door closed behind him, my lips curved upward.
"I know," I whispered again.
---
Rael's Office
Howard entered swiftly. "My lord, excuse the interruption. There's something I must report."
Rael didn't look up. "Is it truly so urgent, Howard?"
"Yes, my lord. It concerns the Harkan City project."
Rael flipped another page. "That's a minor project. What about it?"
"I believe… there's corruption involved."
Rael paused, setting the papers down slowly. His cold blue gaze sharpened as he met Howard's eyes.
Howard swallowed but continued. "Despite a two-month delay, the project continues receiving full funding. The number of workers paid doesn't match the progress. Even accounting for weather delays—it doesn't add up."
He handed over the folder.
Rael studied it in silence, then snapped it shut.
"Send Ramon to Harkan. Tell him to investigate thoroughly. I want whoever's behind this exposed—and punished. No one steals from the House of Mondego."
"Yes, my lord."
Rael's voice softened slightly. "Good work, Howard. Despite everything you've handled since Father's death, you still caught this."
Howard hesitated. "Actually… it wasn't me. Evelise found the discrepancy. I wouldn't have noticed without her."
Rael stilled.
He didn't frown, didn't blink. But a pause stretched between them.
His eyes lingered on the folder, then drifted away.
"…Evelise?" he repeated, his tone unreadable.
The daughter of the woman his father married?
He hadn't expected that.
He let her stay because Howard had said it was practical. Someone with a known background to manage the records. But noticing financial irregularities? Studying project reports? That was something else.
"She didn't attend the academy, did she?" Rael asked.
"No, my lord. But the late Count hired her a private tutor. She's well-educated."
"I see," Rael murmured.
Howard couldn't read his expression. The master's face was calm—but something had shifted in his gaze.
When Howard left, Rael stood and walked to the window, his eyes scanning the estate garden.
Sunlight fell on summer blooms.
"I thought you were just a pretty face," he said softly.
He lingered, voice low.
"But it seems… you're something more."