111: Is it too Late Now?
The day after, Avril nervously walked down the hallway of the main residence.
We’re scheduled to go to the photo studio this afternoon. I should help Lord Dylan with his work so that he can finish quickly…!
Sienna was easily able to make a reservation for the photo studio as she was requested. Even in the royal capital, there few photo studios existed, so simply making a reservation was quite the challenge. Yet, there in a duchy where even fewer studios were available, it was accomplished without a hitch.
In fact, even if the maid did mention the name of the Duke of Lancester, it was still too fast. Perhaps, Sienna had long since earned the trust of the people in town.
Those willing to help even when the requests were a tad unreasonable were always appreciated.
Sienna’s resume, which I saw in Lord Dylan’s study, states she has worked at this mansion for over 15 years. Her family runs a small merchant business in the town of Myrtle, and Sienna, the third daughter, came to work for the Duke of Lancester as soon as she completed her primary education. She has supported this mansion for a long time and is an essential part of the household.
Avril thought about that as she descended the stairs. When she was just a few steps away from Dylan’s office and study, she suddenly heard a commotion.
It sounded like someone was getting reprimanded severely.
“—! —!”
This voice… Doesn’t it belong to the former duke?
She peeked from the corner of the hallway and saw Dylan’s father, Brandon Lancester, yelling at his maid, Sienna, and Avril’s maid, Grace.
The former duke was fuming with anger, and the two maids were visibly shaken.
What in the world happened!?
“You are utterly useless! You’re dismissed! Leave this house immediately!”
“I’m sorry, Master! Please forgive me.”
“Don’t show your faces before me ever again! Begone—!”
“Please forgive me…!”
As the two bowed their heads, the former duke turned on his heels, looking ready to explode. Avril interjected.
“Why are you so angry?”
“Lady Avril, actually…”
Grace glanced at her. At first, the former duke became upset by Avril’s sudden appearance. Then in the next moment, he changed his mind.
The former duke spoke to Avril in a high-handed manner.
“There you are. I was just about to give that young lad a piece of my mind. Who told him that he can just throw his weight around as if he owns the place?”
“…Does that mean you deny being replaced? I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince, Lawrence, personally contacted you about the matter.”
The former duke was holding a stack of documents in his hand, and Avril could see several sheets of paper scattered on the floor.
It was something that Avril had gone through in Dylan’s study the day before. Seeing that Sienna had turned pale and was shaking, the former duke must’ve asked her to retrieve some documents from Dylan’s study.
Did the former duke want to return to the position of duke and lord again…? I wonder if something triggered this? Perhaps, he asked Sienna to deliver the documents to him, only to have her to refuse because she wanted a second opinion from Lord Dylan. Maybe that’s why the former duke lost his temper.
Nevertheless, wasn’t that sort of behavior too sudden for the former duke who was dilly-dallying until recently? However, now wasn’t the time to point that out.
Avril quickly grasped the situation and replied with a stern expression on her face. In response, the former duke flinched just like before, but only briefly. Soon, he reverted back to his usual overbearing demeanor.
“Hmph. That crown prince is also a swindler. He always sides with that lad. Anyway, these two maids are dismissed. I have no need for servants who disobey their master.”
“Please wait. Both Sienna Neil and Grace Fisher are important members of the Duke of Lancester family. Furthermore, only the current duke, Lord Dyaln, has the authority over personnel affairs.”
“What…?”
The former duke, extremely grumpy and annoyed, glared at her, but Avril was unfazed.
…On the contrary, she was quite angry.
***T/N: Avril is angry for once?!
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