# 6 -
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May Lindsay stood firm in front of Seret. Seret watched the silence of the woman in front of her.
A maid didn't even greet her master's fiancée properly—how laughable. A cold sideways smile came across Seret's face.
“I have something to say.”
"Help yourself."
Leaning against the back of the sofa in a comfortable position, Seret nodded lazily.
May Lindsay wrinkled her nose, clearly annoyed by Seret's behavior. With a frowning face, she sat on the chair opposite the sofa.
Hannah shot her a sharp look.
Even if she was the head butler, how dare she sit down without Miss's permission? This is blatant disrespect. But our innocent miss will probably let it pass.
Hannah gasped inwardly. But Seret is no longer the naive girl Hannah knew.
“Duke Frecktwister must be very generous with his servants.”
Seret let out a soft, sarcastic laugh.
"Sorry?"
Mai Lindsay stared at her, puzzled.
“In Enohater’s palace, no servant dares sit across from his master without permission. Isn’t that right, Hanna?”
“Yes, of course. I learned from Mrs. Hale, the head butler of the Enohater family, that these are the correct origins.”
Hannah replied with a sweet smile, supporting Seret's words.
"I apologize. It was disrespectful of me."
Mai Lindsay blushed, and quickly stood up. Seret addressed her calmly, still watching her reddened face.
"You're May Lindsay, right? So can I call you Mrs. Lindsay?"
"Yes."
Mrs. Lindsay lowered her eyes. Her face, usually full of arrogance, now showed traces of wounded dignity.
“It seems that the absence of the lady of the house has led to the staff’s mismanagement of the palace. How unfortunate. Such a thing is unimaginable in the Enohater Palace.”
Mrs. Lindsay bit her lip, unable to refute Sirett's words—because they were true.
"So? What did you want to say?"
Seret didn't look away. Her figure now radiated the natural dignity of nobility. Even if her family was influential in the countryside, noble blood was noble blood.
Mrs. Lindsay, who entered confidently, felt herself shrinking under Serret's presence.
I assumed there was something special about this village girl, but Seret was far beyond what I expected.
However, she had a duty to speak—for the sake of Freaktwister Palace. She has long seen it as her responsibility to manage and protect this great palace.
“I heard you asked for dresses, jewelry, and shoes.”
she began, speaking with the authority of someone who oversees a household.
In her breast, a fiery determination grew—to educate this ignorant country girl about the rules of Freaktwister Palace.
“What if I do?”
Seret replied with a faint smile. I was honestly impressed by how predictable Mrs. Lindsay was.
From the moment she arrived, Seret had a good idea of what she was going to say. After all, she remembered very well how Mrs. Lindsay had manipulated her in her previous life.
“Frictwister Palace, unlike many superficial noble houses, has a strictly managed budget.”
“What next?”
Seret's lips curled again.
Maybe her past self would have felt guilty if she heard this, but now she knew how ridiculous that claim really was.
That line—“Unlike superficial noble houses”—Mrs. Lindsay used every time she looked down on the Eunhatchers.
At the time, Seret didn't even realize it was an insult.
How stupid I was, I thought.
Yes, the Enohater family was a regional noble house, but they were not so lowly as to be mocked by mere servants.
“I am here to tell you that your requests cannot be met.”
Mrs. Lindsay raised her chin proudly.
She truly believed it was her right and duty, after managing Freaktwister Palace for so long.
She couldn't let this extravagant future lady squander the family fortune. Such was her loyalty to the palace.
“Hmm…then the Freaktwister family must be struggling financially.”
Seret murmured with a gleam in her blue eyes.
“Excuse me?”
Lady Lindsay shuddered at Sereret's response, shocked that she had treated the duchy like a poor family.
How dare you? The Frisktwister family owns multiple companies. How could someone who was about to become her master be so oblivious?
Then I realized—Seret was doing this on purpose.
“Isn’t there even an allowance for dignity in the budget? Tsk.”
Seret sighed and met her eyes.
“That's not what I mean—”
“If not, do you think it’s okay to treat a village noble from the countryside with this level of arrogance?”
“How can you say such a thing—”
“Who is your master, May Lindsay?”
Seret stood and fixed her eyes on her.
First, she offered a basic guest courtesy. But if Mrs. Lindsay would act so insolently, there was no reason to maintain that courtesy.
“I asked you a question, Lindsay.”
A commanding aura emanated from Seret—an expression that was hard to believe from a twenty-year-old girl. It was a look that had been cultivated by a lifetime of hardship.
“Your Highness, Duke Frecktwister.”
replied Mrs. Lindsay through her teeth.
“So who am I?”
She bit her lip, refusing to answer.
“Don't you know who I am?”
“Should I say it myself?”
Seret took a step closer.
Their eyes met, and Mrs. Lindsay quickly looked down—but remained obstinately silent.
“I, Lindsay, am the woman who will become your mistress. Seret Enwhatter, fiancée of the Duke of Frecktwister.”
Seret gently brushed the dust off Mrs. Lindsay's shoulder and straightened her clothes.
Mrs. Lindsay clung tightly to her skirt at the firm touch.
“Mrs. Lindsay, who am I?”
Seret took a step back and asked clearly.
The weight of the moment made Mrs. Lindsay finally raise her head and answer slowly.
“You will be my lady.”
Her face turned red with embarrassment.
"Good. Don't forget that, Mrs. Lindsay."
Seret sat back on the sofa with a listless tone.
Mrs. Lindsay's pride was crushed, and her look wavered in confusion.
For a long time, the real power in the duchy was hers. This humiliation hurt deeper than anything.
Being outdone by a young girl from the country—she wanted nothing more than to escape this room.
“It seems you have already forgotten.”
Seret scoffed.
“If you finish talking, I will leave.”
Mrs. Lindsay turned to go. Seret called back.
“Mrs. Lindsay, do you think this disdain was directed only at me?”
Mrs. Lindsay stopped suddenly and turned around, her face twisted in confusion.
“This was Your Highness’s order. However, the head butler dared to disobey her master.”
"What are you saying?!"
Mrs. Lindsay gasped in protest, but Syrett interrupted her with a raised hand.
“The Duke seems to be very lenient with his servants. A simple maid dares to defy a direct order. This does not match the rumors at all.”
The world saw Duke Yuan as cold and stern, never cruel but certainly not warm.
In fact, this reputation was well deserved. He was not the type to tolerate disobedience.
If this came to his ears, the head butler would be dismissed immediately—and Seret knew it well.
The foolish maid was so blind with pride that she did not think of it.
“No—no. This…”
“I'll give you a chance, Mrs. Lindsay. Make sure I shine at the Emperor's ball. Do so, and I won't tell Yuan.”
Syrett deliberately used his name instead of his title—a subtle indication that their relationship was closer than Mrs. Lindsay had assumed.
“…I will do my best.”
Mrs. Lindsay shuddered, and finally gave in. She gave a formal bow and left the room.
As soon as the door closed, Hannah rushed over to her, eyes wide.
“Are you really my lady?”
Seret examined in disbelief. Seret laughed softly.
“Who else would I be?”
"I was worried. You're so cute, I wasn't sure how you would survive among the Central Nobles. But I guess I was unnecessarily worried."
“I'm not the same.”
Seret sighed with a bitter smile.
I've already died once. A power struggle with an old maid is nothing compared to that. At least Mrs. Lindsay won't try to poison me.
“What do you mean, you're not the same?”
"It's... a long story. I'm tired, Hana. I want to rest."
It's been a long day.
She was poisoned by her husband, went back to the past, smashed his head in anger, traveled to the capital, and fought with the head butler.
A day that seemed like a year.
Exhausting, yes—but Syrette was grateful. I was given a second chance. That alone was enough to make her…
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