Saving My Bias from Mishap (3)
From there, I headed straight to Countess Agatha Gasfelle’s room.
There were quite a lot of maids in Agatha’s room.
They were maids Agatha had brought with her from the county, and even the head maid, whom I had seen a few times since I arrived at the duchy, were all here.
And as far as I knew, the head maid had been personally selected and sent by house Gasfelle.
She was a middle-aged noblewoman from a lesser noble family and was about twenty years older than me.
It was my assumption that she acted as Agatha’s eyes and ears, keeping her informed of what was happening at the duchy while the countess was away.
I was willing to bet the handkerchief I had been making for Abel that she was one of the many nameless NPCs who played a part in making his childhood as miserable as possible.
Even after inflicting such horrible pain on a child, Agatha was leisurely enjoying a cup of tea as if nothing had happened.
Sipping her tea, she tilted her teacup and asked with an arrogant gaze why I had come to see her.
I bowed to her, trying to appear as polite as possible.
“Countess, if I may, I’d like to have a word with you about what happened yesterday.
If it’s alright with you, could we speak in private?”
I was about to wreak havoc, and I was definitely not willing to risk my reputation by flaring up in front of others.
I planned on being a little more meticulous than that.
Agatha smiled triumphantly.
Maybe she liked my submissive tone and manner.
Fortunately for me, she took a liking to my docile act and dismissed the maids without making a fuss.
“Take a seat.
It seems I’ve just finished my tea, but I think I could go for another cup.
Could you pour some for me?” Agatha slowly leaned back in her chair and smiled.
Then she pointed her chin at the teapot on the table.
I felt a sudden surge of anger at the way she treated me like one of her maids, but this was nothing compared to the abuse Abel had to suffer in her hands.
I scoffed at the countess.
My change of attitude prompted Agatha’s smile to fade in an instant.
“You have perfectly intact hands.
Pour it yourself.
Setting that aside….” I crossed my arms in front of my chest and raised my chin just like Agatha did in the dining room yesterday.
“You.
Did you hit my son?”
Agatha’s crimson eyes widened in surprise.
Frankly, it was pretty satisfying to see her so shocked.
“Lady Heathcliff?
What did you just…?”
“I asked you a question.
Did you hit my son?”
Ha, ha… — Agatha laughed a few times in disbelief, then suddenly, the look in her eyes changed.
“…Where are your manners, you insolent wench?
So you finally decided to reveal your true nature, huh?
I knew it all along.”
“You’re nothing more than a shameless bitch who knows only to lift your skirt to please men.
Do you think you had me fooled?
You may have tricked my brother, but you cannot fool me.”
“I think you’re misunderstanding something here.
There’s no reason for me to act submissive in front of you.
I only acted that way to show my courtesy since you are my husband’s sister, but… you really don’t know where to stop, do you?”
“…What?” Agatha stared at me, speechless with shock.
Her reaction wasn’t surprising.
After all, how could she have imagined that a girl nearly two decades younger than her would attempt to undermine her authority in such a meticulous manner, going so far as to dismiss all the maids first?
“Y-you really think you can say this to me without any repercussions?!
Have you gone insane?”
“This is the third time I’m asking.
Did you or did you not hit my son?
Or what?
Am I to assume you won’t answer?”
“So that little bastard child squealed everything to you.” Agatha clenched her teeth, and her chin began to tremble.
“Regardless of his dirty commoner blood, if he has become a Louvremont, he should act like one.
But since he was severely lacking in manners, I taught him a lesson myself.
As the duke’s sister and someone who has committed her entire life to house Louvremont, what is so wrong with me wanting to educate that brat?”
She continued, “He should be a thorn on your side as well, but I see what game you are trying to play by protecting him.
It’s because Hades cherishes the boy like no other, isn’t that right?
Are you that eager to secure your place in this family by acting as his stepmother?”
Agatha’s eyes were burning with disgust, as if looking down at an insect.
She, as well as every single one of the servants she planted in the duchy, probably looked at Abel with that look in their eyes.
Being constantly exposed to that kind of harsh treatment might have led the little Abel to believe he was nothing more than a worthless insect or trash.
“Lady Heathcliff….
Don’t you hate me?”
Any eyes looking at him must have been full of contempt and disgust, with Hades’ being the only exception.
With everyone pushing him close to your breaking point, how could anyone learn to accept love as it is, without questioning ulterior motives?
I closed my eyes, recalling how Abel seemed genuinely surprised when I told him that I do not hate him.
Then I started taking deep breaths.
I knew I needed to control my anger because otherwise, I would end up pouring the steaming liquid inside the teapot over Agatha’s head.
Slowly I opened my eyes and began to speak, “I seem to recall that last night, you too were also acting out of line without manners.”
I placed my hand on the table and slid it across the tabletop.
I could feel Agatha’s eyes following my movement.
“If you truly believe that my son deserved the punishment you’ve given him,”
We both looked at each other at the same time.
I had nothing to be afraid of.
After all, Abel’s father told me that it was fine to act recklessly.
“Then I imagine you have no qualms with me whipping your feet until you bleed, am I correct?”
“W-what?!”
Agatha shot up from her chair.
Then she pointed her finger at me with a face red with anger.
“How dare you?!
Do you believe yourself to be the duchess already?!”
Is it wrong for me to act the part a little earlier than planned?” I said, imitating Agatha’s mocking tone.
The countess was so overcome with anger that she began to sway, as I intended.
“What in God’s name….
W-where did he find such a crazy, psychotic bitch…?!”
“I suggest you watch your language.
You’ve dedicated your entire life to the Louvremont house, which is praiseworthy, so I tried treating you as an elder member of the family.
Yet you’ve foolishly kicked away that treatment yourself.”
My words seemed to have robbed Agatha of her last remaining will to fight.
She fell quiet, except for a few quick laughs of disbelief, her thin body swaying from side to side.
“I believed you were smarter than this, but I must have been wrong.
You should have known when to hold back.”
I added with a sneer, “I will be relieving you of your duty and will educate my son myself.
Keep your hands off my boy from now on.
And one other thing, if you want to bring up manners, I suggest you stitch that filthy mouth of yours first.”
Without further ado, I got up from my chair and met Agatha at eye level.
She was no longer looking down at me.
“You raised my husband as your own son, I hear.”
In reality, Hades and I weren’t actually in love, and our marriage was nothing more than a contract of sorts.
Yet, it was still reassuring now that I actually called him my husband in front of Agatha.
I felt as though I had an invisible ally next to me.
Of course, it was because Hades told me I could act a bit more selfish and bolder that I was able to put all of my fears and worries aside in the first place.
“I can almost picture how my poor husband must have suffered growing up under a woman like you.”
“Y-you….”
“It will become quite troublesome if you continue to act under the misconception that you can run this family however you see fit just because of your past dedication and devotion.
The master of this duchy you’ve worked so hard to establish is now my husband, so mark my words, Countess.
I will make you regret the day you forget your place and try something funny.”
“You crazy bitch!
You think Hades will forgive you when he finds out about this?”
“Who knows?
The way I see it, my husband too has had enough of you.
On the contrary, he may even praise me.”
“What nonsense…!”
“Since you did your utmost best to ruin my husband and son’s childhood, I intend on rewarding them handsomely in your stead.
So I would appreciate it if you don’t get in my way.
Oh, and one more thing.”
I turned around to leave, then remembered I still had one more thing left to say.
“It would be in your best interest to relieve your spying eyes from this duchy before I deal with them one by one.
I won’t tolerate an old hag’s filthy eavesdropping servants sneaking around this estate any longer.”
“You what?!” Agatha’s face momentarily crumpled in panic.
It seemed she hadn’t expected me to figure this out so soon after arriving in the North.
Unfortunately for her, I was no fool when it came to anything related to Abel.
I was one step ahead of Agatha right now.
“Sorry to say, but my intention for coming here is not mere chitchat,” I said, glaring at Agatha trembling in a fury.
I had never been in a position of authority in both my first and second lives, so I wasn’t used to speaking in a commanding tone.
But I knew I had to familiarize myself with these kinds of situations because that was the kind place this duchy was—and also because Agatha committed an unforgivable sin.
“I don’t intend on ever pardoning you for hitting my son.
On the day I’m officially announced as Duchess Louvremont, you will make sure that you come to my quarters.”
I left Agatha’s room with one last word.
“Because that is the day I’ll have you bleed from your feet.”