Chapter 26

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Chapter 26

Azela said, having already drunk the fourth cup of cold water on an empty stomach.

At her firm and calm response, Daniel, and the employees who had been watching her, gazed at her in amazement. It was because it normal for her to cry and beg Daniel not to do it the moment he pulled out his sword.

“Their life is such a waste that they don’t even serve the Master’s breakfast while looking at the Mistress.”

Azela taps the empty table with her finger. She had told them to prepare a meal early in the morning, though no employee brought her a meal. Even she had poured water directly from the kettle.

“Is there any reason I should save them?”

“…Azela.”

“You must have misunderstood something, Daniel. Irene was special to me, although I don’t care about anyone else.”

‘Calm and firm.’

Azela continued to say to herself inside so she wouldn’t forget.

Contrary to how she pretended to be fine, her hands were trembling. It was not easy for her to shake off the fear that she had been accustomed to for years. Still, Azela had to. It was a difficult thing that she had to do herself…

Without anyone’s help.

She shut her eyes calmly as she tried to hide her trembling eyes. Then, Azela, who opened her eyes again, grabbed the table and stood up from her chair.

Afraid that her legs might lose strength, she grabbed the table as hard as she could and stood on her own.

“What do you mean, Azela?”

“….”

“You are not that hard of a person. You’re not the kind of person who will throw others away.”

“Daniel.”

Azela took a gulp.

She was careful so that Daniel wouldn’t even notice that she swallowed her saliva in the tenseness. Then, she remembered Zagnac smiling, so slowly and beautifully as he drew a half-moon curve around his lips.

“Is there a way to say that I can’t change when you change?”

Azela stretched her shoulders and raised her head to look at him. As the years passed, deep wrinkles appeared on his face. Daniel’s face, full of confusion, felt like the old dirt that had been piling up was being washed away.

However, this was only the beginning.

Azela took her steps and passed Daniel.

“Wait a minute. Where are you going? Go back to your bedroom, Azela.”

Daniel quickly turned around and looked in the direction she was striding before raising his voice loudly. It was a strong and very passive command, but Azela did not stop her leisurely pace.

“Don’t try to control me, Daniel.”

“I’m your husband and the master of this mansion. You have a duty to obey me.”

She stopped her steps after hearing Daniel’s words, turned, and tilted her head.

This posture was also something that Zagnac frequently did. It was as casual as possible, and Azela, who acted as if to make fun of the other person, said with an innocent expression.

“Are you suddenly trying to say you’re my husband, Daniel?”

“…What?”

“You just need to take care of Sylvia, as you have always done.”

“Azela!”

“I will go to Duke Ferial. I have to discuss business with him.”

With Daniel frozen in place, she hurried her steps out of the dining room.

As her legs were trembling and her heart was pounding, Azalea wondered if she could be like this, but she could. His surprised and bewildered expression was still clear before her eyes. It was something that should have been done right away.

When she opened the tightly closed front door with both hands, the sunlight was so bright that Azela couldn’t even open her eyes properly, welcoming her as she came out.

The cage door opened. The bird can now fly anywhere they want.

In front of the front door, a beautifully decorated carriage was prepared as Sylvia was trying to get out. She knew, too, that it was an expensive carriage that Daniel had given her as a gift. Azela, who stopped and looked at Sylvia’s carriage, which was waiting, jumped on board without hesitation.

At that, the butler, who was waiting next to the carriage, spoke to her with a bewildered face.

“Ma, Madam. This carriage…”

She stared at him with a calm gaze, seeing the butler blurring his words.

Taking a deep breath, she spoke in a gentle tone, “Why? Do you think there is a carriage in this mansion that I am not allowed to ride?”

“Well, it’s not…”

“Then, don’t waste any more time and let’s go. Go to where Duke Ferial is.”

“Bu, but…”

Despite Azela’s orders, the butler never gave up on his will. He never bowed his head to her for acknowledgment. She knew that everyone in the mansion, including Daniel, looked down on her. If it wasn’t for that, there was no way they were paying attention to the Mistress’ orders to this extent.

Azela looked at the butler with a hardened expression.

“While Sylvia looks like she’s going to whip and scold you, I’m just going to go easy on you. Still, it seems like you decided not to listen to my orders.”

“No, it is not, Madam.”

“Isn’t it…? Well, I ask again, what did I just order?”

“You, you have ordered for the carriage to depart.”

“Yes, right. But, why is the carriage still here?”

The butler did not answer with a puzzled expression. He rolled his eyes and glanced at the doorway. It looked like he was waiting for Sylvia to come out and clear things up.

Seeing that, Azela sighed deeply.

Perhaps, it was her fault that it was this now. It was her fault that she had turned away and was complacent with the mansion’s affairs. Azela raised her hand and rested her hand on her forehead and looked at the butler with cold eyes.

“Everyone seems to have forgotten that the management of the employees is done by me, the Madam, not Daniel, the owner of the mansion, nor Sylvia, his mistress.”

“…Yes?”

The butler was startled by her whisper and lifted his head. Azela was staring at him with a sharp expression.

It was as she said. As for the management of the employees, Azela was in a higher position than Daniel because it was the Madam’s duty. As for the management of the employees, Daniel couldn’t control her.

Of course, the butler was not at fault. He just had to reconsider and re-select which side he had to stick to survive long—Azela or Sylvia. Obviously, he knew very well that he could not do it because disobeying Sylvia’s order would be life-threatening.

Nonetheless, there was no end to seeing that. Azela was now determined to change.

“I’m sorry.”

Azela read the name tag on his left chest. Meanwhile, the butler peeked at Azela with cold sweat on his forehead. His blue eyes were empty.

“As of today, you are fired. Pack your bags and go.”

“Ma, Madam…!”

At her resolute tone, the butler shouted loudly as he looked at Azela with a look similar to the collapse of the world. The maid, the servant, the coachman, and the gardener were all looking at them as well.

Everyone covered their mouths in surprise at Azela’s resolute words.

She had always been a warm and caring Madam. She was warm enough to secretly make advance payments to employees in difficult family circumstances and often gave gifts on birthdays and various anniversaries.

Azela had never treated them badly, and on days when other nobles who had visited the mansion would have done the same, she had been scolding them and even touched their broken hearts.

Consequently, they never thought she would ‘fire’ them.

Even when Daniel and Sylvia’s annoyances made them unable to help Azela, they assumed she would understand them because she was a caring and kind Madam. At that, they couldn’t help but be more surprised.

Taking her gaze away from the butler, she glanced at the coachman standing in surprise in the corner.

“Aren’t you going to start the carriage, too?”

At the cold word, the coachman rushed and grabbed the horse’s rein. He set off the carriage without hesitation.

With a light breath, Azela turned back through the window of the carriage and looked at the butler, whom she had just fired. He sat down in his place and grabbed his head. Even though she felt sorry for him, she couldn’t help it.

…At least, until the end of the business, Daniel was definitely not going to get a divorce, so she was forced to live in this mansion. This would require reestablishing her position within the mansion.

Azela clenched her fists tightly.

Now, she didn’t know if she was doing the right thing or not. Because her name was the Countess, she abused her power, quarreled with the mistress, and wanted to go against the will of her husband, the Count…

It all pressed into the corner of her heart.

She wanted to see Zagnac. He would surely tell her that she did a good job.

Thinking that, Azela gently closed her trembling eyelashes.

—

Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I’m working on, even if you don’t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. ❤︎

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