The Whipping Maid of House Calley - Chapter 149

People argued back and forth over the verdict.

Some said the thirty-year prison sentence was harsher, while others insisted the astronomical fine and the stripping of noble status were worse.

Regardless of class, everyone agreed on one point: stripping Cedric Calley, once the heir to a count, of his noble status was practically a social death sentence.

Moreover, the fine of 100,000 solids amounted to nearly ten years of the Calley estate’s total income.

However, many also argued that a thirty-year sentence of hard labor was no small punishment either.

Public opinion shifted after parts of Sheila’s petition, which had been accepted as evidence at trial, were widely reported in the newspapers.

“They say that man even sold off his older sister before.”

“He probably exaggerated taking a bit of money when marrying her off. If you look at it that way, half of all commoners would be human traffickers.”

“Even so, what about him not working at all at his age and just hanging around gambling dens?”

“Right. They say he lived his whole life off the money his younger sister earned in another town.”

“Then he got what he deserved. Someone like that should rot while doing all the work he never did before.”

Most commoners who worked hard for a living grew angry at the part about him living off his younger sister’s earnings his entire life.

“Public opinion has turned quite a bit.”

After hearing the attendant’s report, Marquis replied that he understood, looking satisfied.

It was through Crown Prince Marquis’s interview that parts of Sheila’s petition, accepted as evidence in the closed trial, were published as an article.

And though it wasn’t printed, there was another part that calmed King Roland III, who had been furious upon hearing about the human trafficking. It was the line stating that Cedric had only learned of the maid’s situation, that she was about to be sold elsewhere, and had tried to rescue her through the form of a transaction.

It was all thanks to the petition that the king, once his misunderstanding was cleared, summoned Cedric and met him in person.

“You must have gone through a lot.”

“To call it hardship would be undeserved, Your Majesty. I only feel ashamed for committing the crime of violating the royal decree and showing disloyalty.”

“For someone so upright to end up like this… tsk tsk.”

Seeing Cedric bow his head, looking gaunt, Roland III clicked his tongue in pity. The king had known from the start that Cedric did not deny the crime and confessed willingly.

“However, violating a royal decree was a reckless act.”

The king spoke as if admonishing the young nobleman. Though his anger had subsided, even a king could not arbitrarily pardon a grave crime like violating a royal decree. Doing so would undermine the order of the state.

“I have no excuse. I will accept whatever punishment you give.”

At Cedric’s response, Roland III admired his honesty, integrity, and noble bearing.

At the same time, Marquis, who stood beside them, felt Cedric was sly for giving only the answers that would please the king.

And once again, he was struck by the fact that everything ultimately stemmed from that maid, Sheila.

‘So there wasn’t any other reason. From beginning to end, it was all because of that maid.’

That someone like Cedric could have such a person.

Marquis found that fact both surprising and intriguing.

And he didn’t think that kind of change in his friend was a bad thing.

***

Cedric returned to the Calley mansion not long after. And he began to shut himself away in his room.

“I’d like to see the Young Count.”

At Sheila’s words, Rufus silently shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Miss Sheila. It seems the Young Count also needs some time.”

Cedric’s door remained firmly shut, and large men stood guard in front of it day and night.

The only one who could enter and leave the room was his secretary, Rufus.

“How is the Young Count doing? He’s alright, right?”

“Yes. Please don’t worry about that.”

Rufus reassured Sheila.

Inside the room, Cedric heard everything.

‘Who does he think he is, comforting Sheila?’

Such pathetic thoughts churned through Cedric’s mind.

Cedric had confined himself to his room.

Even if he had only received a fine and been stripped of his noble status, if he went about freely, it could itself become a wound to her, the victim.

“Miss Sheila wasn’t the one who reported it.”

It was something he heard the day he met Rufus again.

It wasn’t the first time he heard it. Before being released after the verdict, Marquis had told him something similar.

But Cedric couldn’t believe it. No, he chose not to.

The moment he believed it, he felt he wouldn’t be able to restrain his shameless desire for her.

Cedric hired guards to avoid being harassed by his family while he sorted out matters here.

He never expected Sheila to come looking for him every day like this.

Every time he heard her voice, Cedric struggled.

He wanted to run out immediately and beg for her forgiveness.

Then when Sheila left, he felt relieved that he didn’t see her. He remembered the look on her face when he last begged for forgiveness.

‘It would feel like I’m forcing it.’

There was one thing he could guess as the reason she kept coming to see him.

“I accompanied Miss Sheila to the bank, and she said the amount was too much. The same goes for my severance pay.”

Cedric had transferred 5,000 solids to each of them, and in Sheila’s name, he had also transferred one of his properties.

‘If you’re thinking of returning the money, you should give up.’

Cedric resolved not to meet Sheila until the day he left this place.

***

“Young Count, the Count has called for a family meeting.”

“Alright. Let’s go.”

At the words of his newly appointed secretary, Alfonso rose from his seat.

As Alfonso entered Bernard’s study, he saw the entire family, including Eloise, already gathered.

In place of Cedric, who was confining himself, Rufus was present.

“There’s some news, so I called everyone together.”

Bernard cleared his throat and hesitated over what to say first. After a long pause, he opened his mouth again.

“We’ve received a letter from Marquis Vivarini granting permission for Eloise and Alfonso’s marriage.”

At the mention of something concerning her, Eloise nervously bit her nails.

“It says they hope to hold the wedding before her belly starts to show. If we hurry with the preparations, it seems possible to hold the wedding by the beginning of winter.”

At the news that the Vivarini family had approved the marriage, Eloise, who had been under stress, began to cry.

Alfonso comforted her from beside her.

It was something that had been expected even before Cedric’s verdict. Bernard had no intention of keeping Cedric, who had committed a crime and had no intention of marrying, as his heir.

Thus, by declaring Alfonso as the next heir, he secured the Vivarini family’s approval.

And from the day Cedric’s verdict was announced, he ordered all the servants to address Alfonso as ‘Young Count.’

Since then, regardless of Bernard’s wishes, it had become impossible to keep Cedric as the heir.

With that settled, there was still one major ‘problem’ left, but Bernard deliberately ignored it.

After glancing at his unusually quiet wife, Marisa, he spoke again, “Next is the news that your mother, Marisa Calley, is pregnant with her fifth child.”

At Bernard’s words, Eloise, who had been wiping her tears, lifted her head and asked, “What?”

Alfonso and Allen’s reactions weren’t much different.

“What did you say?”

“Pregnant?”

Among them, Judith seemed especially shocked and even began to stammer.

“F-fifth… the fifth….”

At the reactions of their grown children, Marisa’s face turned red.

She had naturally not used any contraception in her relationship with her husband. After passing forty, her cycle had become irregular, so she never imagined she would conceive like this. She had only thought she was experiencing morning sickness on Eloise’s behalf….

It was only when she felt unwell and called Watkin for a checkup that she learned she was pregnant.

“Now that I think about it, the morning sickness and craving only fruit are just like when I was carrying Judith. I think this time it will be another lovely daughter.”

As Marisa finished speaking with a shy smile, Judith burst into tears with a loud wail.

“Judith, sniff… then I’m, sob, not the youngest anymore?”

As she barely held back her crying and asked, Bernard answered, “Our Judith is going to become a proper older sister now.”

“No! I don’t want that! I told you I don’t want a younger sibling! I’m the youngest in this family!”

As Judith cried loudly, the family meeting began to fall into chaos. At that moment, a maid entered, pushing a tray of refreshments.

Seemingly used to Judith’s tantrums, the maid calmly set the sweets in the middle of the table and poured tea.

The prepared tea was peppermint tea, its refreshing scent spreading quickly.

“Ugh!”

As the scent spread, the sound of retching came from somewhere.

Some people turned their eyes to Marisa. Others looked toward Eloise.

But both of them seemed fine.

“Ugh…!”

Then the retching sound came once more.

Only then did everyone realize that the source of the sound was the maid pouring the tea.

Among the confused looks of those wondering if that maid had been married, only Allen’s face turned noticeably pale.

***

After failing to meet Cedric, Sheila had no choice but to return to her room.

Since she was no longer Cedric’s maid, she could only request to see him late at night after finishing her work, but for several days now, she had been rejected every time.