IBTHM Chapter 17

I went straight to find Countess Gaspel—Agatha's—room.

There were quite a few maids in Agatha's room.

The maids she'd brought from the Count's territory, plus the head maid of this place whom I'd seen a few times since arriving at the ducal castle.

As I understood it, the head maid here was a woman selected and sent by the Gaspel Count family.

A noblewoman from a lower noble family, a middle-aged woman about twenty years older than me—she was probably a close confidant serving as Agatha's eyes and ears since Agatha couldn't stay here permanently.

Also, I could stake even the handkerchief tribute I was embroidering for Abel in my spare time that she was an unnamed supporting villain employee who participated in 'Abel's unhappy childhood.'

Even after beating that young child so terribly, Agatha was leisurely enjoying tea time.

She tilted her teacup with an insolent expression, asking with her eyes what business I had coming here.

I bowed as politely as I could manage and spoke.

"Countess, I came because there's something I want to say about yesterday. If it's all right, could you dismiss the maids?"

I was planning to raise hell from now on, though of course I'd be calculated about it. I had no intention of stupidly losing my temper in front of many eyes and damaging my own image.

At my docile tone and intimidated expression, Agatha smiled with satisfaction as if she'd already beaten me.

Fortunately, my bowing and entering seemed to please her, as Agatha readily dismissed the maids.

"Sit. I just finished my tea, but I'd like another cup. Will you pour it?"

Agatha laughed, leaning back leisurely in her chair.

She gestured with her chin toward the tea set on the table.

Anger surged at her insolent manner of treating me like some maid, but compared to the torment Abel had suffered, this was nothing.

I smirked. At my changed expression, the smile completely vanished from Agatha's face.

"Your wrists work just fine, so pour it yourself..."

Just as Agatha had done at dinner yesterday, I folded my arms firmly across my chest and lifted my chin arrogantly.

"You—did you hit my son?"

Agatha's red eyes went round.

Her shocked expression—shocked beyond all possible shocking—was worth seeing.

"My Lady? What are you..."

"I asked if you hit my son."

Ha, ha...

After letting out hollow laughs a few times, Agatha's eyes flipped.

"...What an ill-bred wretch. So you've decided to openly reveal your true colors now. I knew this would happen."

Agatha's eyes gleamed as if she'd caught some great piece of evidence.

"I knew it. A common woman who knows nothing but lifting her skirts and seducing men... Where do you get off playing tricks like a fox? You might fool that dull boy's eyes, but you can't fool mine."

"You seem to be mistaken—there's no reason I need to grovel and deceive you. Still, since you're my husband's older sister, I treated you with minimal courtesy out of respect... but you don't even know your place?"

"...What did you say?"

Agatha seemed so absurd she was at a loss for words.

No wonder.

Could she have imagined it? That a young girl would chase out even all the maids and calculatedly come to devour her?

"Do, do you, think, you can, act like this to me, and be safe? Have you completely lost your mind?"

"My. Son. Did you hit him. That's the third time I've asked now. Do you not intend to answer?"

"That demon child must have gone running to tattle."

Agatha ground her teeth, her jaw trembling as she spoke.

"A baseborn thing wearing the Ruvermonte name should behave according to that status, but he was so rude that I personally educated him. I am the Duke's sister, and a Ruvermonte person who has devoted her entire life to Ruvermonte. What's the problem with me educating that child?"

Her words continued.

"We both find the brat disagreeable anyway, but seeing you circle around like this, I'm starting to understand. That child is someone Hades dotes on, so that's why, isn't it? You want to pretend to treat him well and secure yourself the stepmother position?"

Agatha's eyes staring at me were filled with vivid disgust.

Like looking at a filthy insect.

Agatha had surely looked at young Abel with those same eyes.

And all the rotten confidants in the ducal castle under her influence too.

Perhaps amidst this repeated treatment, Abel had come to think his existence was nothing more than a useless vermin or trash.

'My Lady, don't you hate me?'

All the gazes directed at him—except for Hades's—must have been nothing but harsh oppression and disgust.

When everyone was pushing him down like that, how could anyone accept another's goodwill with a purely innocent heart without suspicion?

Recalling Abel looking puzzled as if he couldn't believe I didn't hate him, I quietly closed my eyes.

I started taking deep breaths.

If I didn't control my anger, I might end up pouring something that wasn't even the ice water in the teapot over Agatha's head.

I opened my closed eyes and spoke.

"As I recall, you were equally rude, Countess."

My hand quietly rose to the table and swept across its surface.

I could feel Agatha's gaze following my movement.

"If my son received the punishment he deserved..."

We looked at each other simultaneously.

I had nothing to be intimidated about.

Let me emphasize once more—Abel's father told me it was fine to act unreasonably.

"Then you'd have no objection to sitting here and being caned on the soles of your feet until they split open?"

"Wh-what?!"

Agatha finally couldn't stand it and shot to her feet.

Her face turned bright red as she pointed accusingly at me.

"Where did such an insolent thing come from! Do you already think you're the Duchess?!"

"I will be soon, so what's the problem if I act superior a little early?"

I mockingly mimicked Agatha's refined speech pattern as I retorted.

As expected, she swayed, unable to contain her fury.

"Wh-wh-where, where did such a... ill-br-bred wretch come from..."

"Don't vulgarly keep saying 'wretch, wretch.' I was going to respect you as an elder for your devotion to the family, but you're so foolish you kick away even the courtesy you should receive."

At my continued words, Agatha seemed to have lost all fighting spirit.

She let out a hollow laugh while repeatedly swaying her gaunt body.

"I thought you were intelligent, but I was quite wrong. You should have known where to stand up and where not to."

I added with a smirk.

"I'll handle my son's education myself, so don't lay a single finger on him from now on. And if you're going to talk about manners, you should stitch up that vulgar mouth of yours first before coming back."

When I stood up without regret, I met Agatha's eye level.

She was no longer looking down at me.

"You said you raised my husband like a mother."

In truth, Hades and I didn't have a passionate relationship, and our arrangement was nothing more than a kind of contract.

But calling him my husband in front of Agatha, as if he were on my side, felt remarkably reassuring. It was as if I had an invisible ally beside me.

Of course, this was all confidence born from trusting Hades, who had given me permission to act as I pleased.

"Then it's obvious how my poor husband must have grown up under a woman like you."

"You..."

"Don't think you have the right to control my husband and son as you please just because you devoted yourself to the family. The master of this place you worked so hard to cultivate is now my husband, so if you stir up trouble without knowing your place, you'll pay dearly for it."

"You, you mad thing! Do you think Hades will leave you alone when he finds out how outrageously you've treated me?"

"I wonder. My husband seems quite fed up with you... Maybe he'll even praise me for doing well."

"What nonsense..."

"I plan to work hard compensating for my husband and my son's childhoods that you ruined. So please don't interfere. Ah."

After finishing my words and about to leave Agatha's room, I remembered something I hadn't said.

"And. Before I personally pick out your confidants one by one and throw them out, organize them well and take them with you. I absolutely can't stand seeing the filthy eyes and ears the old hag placed crawling around my house."

"Wh-what?"

Not expecting me to have figured that out when I'd barely been in the North for any time at all, Agatha was momentarily flustered.

Unfortunately for her, I wasn't stupid enough to not deduce at least that much for Abel's sake.

I was now standing at the top of her head.

"And I'm sorry to say this, but I didn't come find you just to pathetically run my mouth."

I forcefully added toward the trembling Agatha.

Having been completely distant from power in both my past life and this one, I wasn't used to acting superior, but I needed to adapt.

Because this was that kind of place.

And because Agatha had definitely committed excessive wrongs.

"I have absolutely no intention of prettily overlooking and moving past you hitting my son. On the day I officially receive the Ruvermonte mistress title, be sure to come to my room."

I left my final words and departed Agatha's room gracefully.

"Because that's the day your feet will split open."