She Became The Devil’s Stepmother Who’s About To Be Killed - Chapter 27 – Magnificent Gaintem

“I’m back.”

Sophia opened the door gloomily and entered.

“Okay.”

In front of Sophia, who trudged in and organized the cups, I stuck out green mint carbonated water that spewed out bubbles.

“It will be cool by wrapping it in a towel with the Ice Mana stone.”

Sophia looked at me in surprise.

“Mint ‘tok tok,’ carbonated water.”

[tl/n: it doesn’t make any sense cuz it’s a wordplay that makes sense in Korean…]

“No way… Did Madam make it yourself while I was away with the knights?”

“Yes. I got such an excellent gaintem.”

“Gaintem?”

Oh, my. I didn’t know that the way I used to talk to my children would pop up here. I was really proud to see her take pride in her work and actively step up. Yeah, I needed at least one person like this in this world to breathe.

“Gaintem means you have gained something special unexpectedly.”

[tl/n: gained+item= gaintem]

Suddenly, Sophia bowed her head.

‘What’s up with her?’

Tip, tip~ Tears fell on the table.

‘Hiik! Wh- what?’

“I apologize.” Sophia quickly turned her back and raised both hands to her face. She seemed to be holding back her tears and wiping them away.

‘What’s going on?’

I thought the crying would stop soon, but her shoulders trembled thinly. I didn’t know what stimulated her tear glands, but crying like this was probably proof that she was opening her heart to me. The silent cry ran for a while. The silence only hinted at the loneliness and hardship of her life. I wanted to be of comfort. I put a hand on her shoulder. Her trembling began to subside little by little.

‘Shall I give her a little laugh?’ I put my back lightly on her back to avoid embarrassment. And looking through the window and watching the brazier and beer barrel doing its job in the spacious backyard, I said,

“You’re running out of carbonation, Sophia.”

“…”

“When the carbonic acid runs out, it becomes dull.”

I kicked my tongue in a very worried tone. Then, I tapped on the upper part of her arm with her hand holding carbonated water.

“Then it doesn’t taste good?”

“…”

Sophia looked like she was wiping her face with a cloth skirt. I smiled.

“It can’t be. If you don’t drink it, Sophia, I’ll drink it.”

When I said it teasingly, Sophia quickly turned around and took the glass from my hand.

‘Oh, my hands got lighter.’ While working, she acted like a 30-year-old adult, but now she was like the teens I used to teach.

“Thank you for the drink!”

The soprano-like voice resonated as brightly as when she first greeted me. So refreshing.

Gulp, gulp~

Shaaa~ The sound of carbonation bursting in her mouth spread refreshingly in my ears.

‘Okay!’ I interlocked my arms together and stretched out my hips to the right and left sides. It was refreshing.

‘Now that carbonated water and distilled water are complete, shall we collect yeast?’ If the yeast is well cultivated, after two weeks, Theodor will be able to eat puffy, soft bread. As I was about to open the window and leave, Sophia hurriedly ran and opened it.

“The best gaintem in my life since I was born is Madam.”

She bowed deeply as she spoke. Her face was as red as a shy Impatiens flower.

* * * 

Inside Gerard’s office in Shlezen Castle.

He looked out the window at Saios, the annex where Sinclair was staying. That annex was the residence where his mother, the late Empress Stephanie, stayed after the death of his father, the late Emperor Julius.

Until that time, many women from noble families came and went here, continuing the reputation of the past. It was pretty reassuring. Having his mother. Besides, until then, his sister and brother-in-law were together, so Saios, a separate annex, was like heaven for Gerard.

However, five years ago, while he was sealing Jandia in the Demon Realm, Herace, who made his base here, slaughtered a wizard and a witch. Enraged, late Empress Stephanie strongly protested against the Emperor and was eventually imprisoned on the southern island of Devon. Since then, Saios had become an abandoned place within the Castle. Now new maids and servants were taking care of it.

When he returned to the castle, he couldn’t take Sinclair straight to his bedroom. Because he still didn’t know for sure about Sinclair’s identity. It was an arranged marriage. A daughter of the Imperialists. And behind it was the Emperor himself who ordered this marriage.

The string that she was unfaithful to and wanted to run away from is more mean, dirty, and tenacious than expected. When he found out that the barrier and his magic didn’t work, Gerard’s blood ran backward. A hidden daughter in the Marquis Owen household who did not even make her debutant properly. There was something off.

Recently he received information that the Emperor, who forbade the Empire’s magic and killed wizards and witches, might be working on black magic. In addition, after Sinclair appeared, the fog of the Demon Realm suddenly swept over Shlezen Castle, and monsters that shouldn’t appear attacked the vicinity of the castle. That wasn’t the only thing. He put a magic circle in the east, west, north, and south to prevent the monsters from multiplying, but there was a monster crocodile in the lake of stillness. Shaking. The barriers and magic circles that were so strong during the late Emperor’s reign, and that he believed were still strong, were faltering. It was all from the night Sinclair came here. His instinct cried to get rid of her.

She’s dangerous for the estate.

She’s dangerous for Theodor.

So he tried to remove her.

It was his job to protect the land, protect the Empire, and protect Theodor.

But he couldn’t.

There was also something about her.

Something that catches him.

Something that makes you want to open the doors to your heart.

However, he tried to lock the latch again and kill her.

However, as she lost consciousness, what she said was… It was a word that shook all of his past deeds in search of the curse given to Theodor and trying to save the Empire. Perhaps, as she said, he may have wasted the last five years. He turned away from the sound of the sword crying for blood, and every time he passed the territory, he pressed down deep in his heart the cry of the Demons who had been horribly killed by Emperor Herace and the Imperial Army. She shook him to the root, saying that all the actions he did to quietly find his way through old and forbidden books in the library to break Theodor’s curse were wrong.

And most of all, he didn’t want to lose her. Isn’t she his first wife? Who proudly coveted his lips. For a moment, Gerard decided to stop thinking. It always ended with Sinclair. She had a man. And as she said, if the curse was lifted, she would demand a divorce and leave him.

‘Haven’t you said that before? After the curse is lifted, you will think of breaking up.’ Someone by his side who wants to leave. So, he had to still his heart for her. Nonetheless, his gaze continued to turn to the annex. The reason my heart raced wildly looking at the annex was not because of her, but because of the sense of duty to protect the territory and the old sense of being a swordmaster who wants to stand on the battlefield again. Gerard thought so and grabbed his heart to prevent it from running wild like an unbridled foal. That was because a lot of servants had been coming and going in and out of the annex since morning. All of the servants went in with a blank expression on their faces, and then left with their heads together, discussing something enthusiastically.

Knock, knock—

“Come in.”

The door opened and the butler Thomas entered. Thomas and Madeleine, the head-maid, were the first to be called in.

‘You’re here to report.’

Thomas bowed deeply. His father was the late Emperor’s chancellor and now, his son was Gerard’s strong right hand. He wondered what information he would bring.

“I have come to obtain permission for something the Grand Duchess has ordered.”

“..”

“Based on the data she received from me and the maid the other day, the Grand Duchess told us to introduce a system of responsibility for each process.”

“Responsibility system?”

“Yes, for the products coming from each manor, what was previously collected by individual farmhouses, she ordered them to be grouped into producer groups and branded and take joint responsibility for quality control on their own.”

‘Huh, is it to supervise the territory?’

‘It’s amazing. Are you interested in running a business after making some money?’

“In addition, she told me to divide work within the castle and change it to a system of responsibility. Each team has to take joint responsibility for it.”

“The reason is?”

“She said that the main purpose is to systematically manage and block poisoning or assassination attempts against His Highness Theodor in advance, and she said that it can boost the morale of the residents and servants and increase their loyalty.”

Gerard was deeply embarrassed. Money was not the goal. ‘Is it a method to convey her interest and the conspiracy of the Imperialists in such a way?’ Gerard placed his elbows on the table and covered his mouth with his hands.

“And if one of the servants wants to change the department, he or she should be trained for a grace period before transition.”

Did the Grand Duchess, whom he spoke of this morning, say all this?

“What should I do?”

“…”

“Sire.”

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s a pretty efficient system. When servants from a team support and take responsibility for their work, it becomes a professional service. Of course, the resulting differential wage payment will cost more, but in terms of efficiency, it is expected that the cost will be further reduced. It will also effectively block unsavory actions toward His Highness.”

“I see.”

“…”

Butler Thomas simply bowed his head calmly and waited. Gerard became Lord at the age of sixteen. And from the age of five, he learned public administration and territorial management from Julius, the late Emperor. Therefore, Thomas thought Sinclair’s changes would be quite pleasing to hear. However,

“Leave it as it is for now.”

He was a little puzzled by his Master’s resolute answer, but he thought it might have a different meaning. Because this was a Lord who didn’t show his inner feelings to others. Just like late Emperor Julius did, Gerard Vonzeyer lived silently with the weight of a leader on his shoulders. If he had become Emperor, the Empire would not be this dark and miserable place. However, Thomas gently suppressed his rebellious heart, plotting treason. The weight of the curse placed on Theodor was enough to keep the Archduke from sleeping.

“I understand.”

Butler Thomas stepped back and went out. Gerard tapped the back of his interlocked hand with the index finger.

Knock, knock-

“Come in.”

‘This time it was Madeline, the head-maid. In the morning, the head-maid was also called, did she have anything to say?’ All at once, it’s cumbersome. Gerard frowned.

“I’m here to ask if you’ll have breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Saios from today onwards, and if Grand Prince Theodor’s schedule will be wrapped up before bed to go to the annex.”

“Until the Grand Duchess recovers.”

“Then, shall I prepare a separate bedroom for the Grand Prince in the annex?”

“We will see.”

“Then, will they lie down and read together in the Grand Duchess’ bed until the Prince falls asleep?”

“We will see.”

“I heard that the Archduke will also join them, so should we change the bed size to a larger one since the three of you will be lying down?”

While trying to answer, “We will see,” Gerard looked at Madeleine as he tried to grasp the intention of the question.

Because she wasn’t just the head-maid but the late Empress’ lady-in-waiting. And the Countess was as quick-witted as his mother.

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