Chapter 27 - Valentine Company

The new Rosenberg mansion, which was located in his duchy, was very busy this morning.

"Hurry!"

After paying it´s debt to the palace, it´s uprising began.

The administrator of the mansion and the employees was Glenn.

His workload increased, but that didn't matter to him as the house he served returned to normal.

Now he was introducing himself to the new servants.

"Welcome everyone. My name is Glenn, I am the chief butler and right hand man of the Duchess, address me as you please, after all, I am just another employee."

Different groups of people were gathered inside a large room in the mansion. The size was equivalent to a stadium, despite its size, it was still small compared to other mansions that looked like castles, or, rather, were castles.

"It's your first day here, they were all selected by the palace."

The palace after what happened to Rosenberg Household, decided to help them slightly. Those who did so were people who were grateful to them for getting rid of the third prince, or perhaps it was to celebrate the new third prince, the motive was varied, but the honesty was the same.

"I was informed that Miss Elize, the heiress to the duchy, her betrothed the Baron Razel, her younger sister and other guests."

Among the new employees were butlers, maids, cooks, gardeners and gentlemen.

A maid raised her hand.

"I have a question."

"Go ahead." Glenn said.

"Head butler, you mentioned something that caught my attention... does Miss Elize have a younger sister?"

The employees began to murmur among themselves.

"I thought she was just an only child?"

"Is she a secret daughter?"

"Quiet."

Glenn dropped them all.

"Servants and employees with seniority know, so it's normal that you guys don't. Listen well because I'm only going to say it once."

"Miss Lily is of commoner origin, but she is still Miss Elize's adopted younger sister."

Everyone was astonished to hear that a commoner was the adopted sister of a duke's daughter.

"What could the duchess be thinking of adopting a commoner."

Glenn, hearing that murmur said.

"It's also a good opportunity for them to get it off their chest right now. I'll say this not as part of the job but as a favor to you."

"...?"

"Miss Lily is Miss Elize's best friend, she was her main emotional support during the chaos that happened with Prince Regulux. The Duchess heard about it and personally asked her to be her daughter. She is also the concubine of Baron Razel, the future duke and head of this house. If you don't want to lose your job or worse... I suggest you be professional."

Everyone was silent, but only someone timidly raised her hand, it was another servant girl.

"Excuse me, chief butler."

"Yes?"

"The future duke... Baron Razel, is he that kind of man? The one who lays hands on the maids?"

The maids nodded as if to say. "That's what I wanted to know, too. But none of them did."

Things like laying hands on female knights or maidservants of a noble house were normal. That was why low ranking nobles or commoners with higher status than other commoners sent their youngest and most beautiful daughters to be taken as concubines or mistresses.

Such a question was something to be known as a matter of priority.

Glenn sighed a little and after catching his breath said.

"They need not worry. The baron is not that kind of man, he already has not only a legal wife, he also has other concubines. Now, if any of them wish to be, they should talk to the duchess and not to me."

The maids were silent for shame to ask. "At what hour could we speak to her?"

"Well, if that is all. All but the maids may go to their places of business."

The maids stayed while the other employees went to work.

"I asked them to stay for a moment because of her. Please introduce yourself.

Glenn pointed to a door, and after it opened, a beautiful woman stepped out."

She walked with an elegance that put the other maids to shame.

Her hair was emerald green, long and tied in a refined ponytail, tied in a doughnut braid and two braids that extended from her ears to that doughnut of hair.

She wore glasses, but even with them her beautiful light green eyes were bright.

The detail that made her stand out the most was not her elegance or her beauty, but two large fleshy bumps hanging from her chest, which gave slight bounces as she walked.

The woman stood near Glenn and spoke to the maids.

"Good morning to all of you. I introduce myself, I am Viscount Evans eldest daughter, Cordelia, the head maid. A pleasure to meet you."

Cordelia greeted them by lifting the edges of her skirt and ducking her head slightly, the other maids did the same.

"I was personally sent by the palace to instruct you, I will make sure to make you into maids' worthy of a ducal household."

"Please go to the reception to give them a quick introduction instruction."

The maids went in a polite manner.

Before Cordelia went on her way, Glenn stopped her.

"The palace sure has been very generous to us after what happened."

She paused.

"Isn't that a good thing? It shows they want Rosenberg Household back to its former dignity. That's why you're granting them a little help. With your permission I must..."

"That sounds very nice, but no one would believe it."

Cordelia's feet stopped.

"So many years being ignored and treated like dirt, for us to now interest them, I may be a decrepit old man, but not a fool, head maid."

"I don't know what the palace has on its hands, but Rosenberg Household will never hit bottom again. There's already someone who brought us back to life after nearly a decade of darkness, I won't let those old foxes of ministers do as they please."

"Sounds good to me, I still only have to send a monthly report to those related to the prime minister."

"Now, with your permission."

Cordelia walked towards the reception, despite her slow steps, her huge breasts heaving a little higher than normal.

(They didn't need to know why the palace was helping them, just to receive it, they had extended their hand for a reason).

Cordelia remembered a meeting she had with the prime minister before she came.

◇◇◇

Cordelia was sitting on the couch in a large office, resembling the boardroom of a multi-million-dollar company.

At a wide brown desk sat a muscular man, long blond hair, close-set eyes, on one of his shoulders he had the mantle of the imperial coat of arms and on the other, a sash that said prime minister.

His name was Rudolph Alan von Bryes, the emperor's younger brother and the empire's only grand duke.

Cordelia was sweating profusely.

She was just one more servant in the bunch among them all.

She wasn't the best, but she wasn't the worst, nor the most popular. But to be called by the second most important man in the country was something that would make anyone sweat.

She did not speak, for fear of interrupting the work of administering the empire.

After finishing signing some papers, she finally spoke to him.

"I'm very sorry to keep you waiting so long, but these papers were very urgent."

Said the prime minister after getting up with a manila envelope where he kept some documents.

He sent them through a tube that connected to another room.

"Now, to what you came for."

Cordelia was sweating more, she couldn't speak either.

The prime minister sat in an armchair near her.

"I know you must be thinking what are you doing here, don't worry, it's nothing bad. In fact, it's a job only you can do."

"Me?" said Cordelia in surprise.

"Yes. You only, the reason is because your house is a low ranking one within the palace, in other words, it's a not at all dubious house."

The Evans family where Cordelia comes from, was a normal house of viscounts, they had no problems with anyone since they were just vassals of the imperial palace.

"I'm sure you must know about the situation of Rosenberg Household."

"Of course. It's news that everyone must know, since it involves the dismissal of the third prince in the line of succession for another."

"True, my nephew has it coming to him. But leaving that aside, you were selected to be the new head maid of Rosenberg Household."

"I-I!"

Cordelia couldn't believe her ears, to be considered at the age of 24 as a head maid, and of a ducal household, was unimaginable.

"The Duchess is a woman not to be trusted by us, I do not blame her. I am aware of the corruption and pestilence we have among us."

Cordelia knew a little of that darkness, but that the prime minister himself is aware that wicked people surround them left her amazed at how calmly he took things.

(No doubt he is the prime minister of the empire! Only he and His Majesty the emperor must know that they cannot liquidate that darkness alone, surely he is trying to make peace with Rosenberg Household in order to have more allies).

"For that reason I will send you with them, you will give me a monthly report of what happens in the mansion and with the duchess, her daughters and about the baron."

"Excuse me, but the baron?"

"You don't know? The fiancé of the duchess daughter is one of the heroes who saved the capital from that creature."

"Really!!!? I didn't know, I just read in the newspaper that that creature was defeated by Prince Cidfert and someone else they didn't talk about."

"That's understandable that, since part of us can't believe that and another part denied their involvement, which by the way was me."

"You? But wouldn't it be better for the population to know that the future duke of the Rosenberg is a hero?"

The prime minister's smile disappeared.

"We are fighting a war both outside and inside the empire. The Ideal Empire hasn't attacked our borders for years, and the situation with the Black Crows is getting worse."

(The Black Crows... my father told me that they are a very wicked underground organization. Their existence is a rumor or just tales to scare children, but that the prime minister mentions them. No doubt, the empire is going through something big in the shadows).

"Fortunately, we have our defenders who don't fall into the darkness."

"Defenders?"

"They are different people or organizations."

"The holy wizards and the ministry of magic, the guild leader Jerome, the principal of the academy, the sword saints and candidates to be the next one. And, though I don't like to say it, those three as well."

"Those three?"

"Oh, I forgot."

A smile appeared on the prime minister's face.

"Our new bait."

But it was a wicked one.

"B-Bait, you said?"

"That's right, I'm talking about Rosenberg Household."

"Huh?"

"After what happened with Regulux, I found out that many of those who supported him were people with horrible backgrounds and dirty hands."

"Their hopes of using him fell apart thanks to Cidfert, the baron and Rosenberg Household."

"But... those people who desire revenge are obvious. Their dark desires arose when His Majesty mocked them and made them pay for the betrothal ceremony."

"Then that was...!"

"That's right, the trap. We found our bait to trap those vermin."

The prime minister's hands clenched tightly as he declared that the Rosenberg family was a scapegoat.

"I feel sorry for them, but I'm sure the duchess must know that there is already an anti-Rosenberg faction."

"Anti-Rosenberg faction?"

"The darkness of the palace is showing its fangs to that house. This is our chance to find out who they are and destroy them, Minister Olgren also knows about that faction and will help me with what he can."

"It's a bit annoying that Blake is acting like a child just because he found rats under his bed and doesn't want to help me. Sirius is a case apart, his head is in the clouds after his mother."

Cordelia showed her resolve after standing up. Her huge breasts bounced with happiness as she did.

"In that case, I'll be sure to report this to the Duchess as well! Don't worry."

"I suggest you don't. Knowing that something is wrong is not the same as actually finding out that it is."

"I understand."

"You may retire and start packing your bags."

"Yes."

Cordelia left the room determined to do her job.

As she was leaving, the prime minister thought.

(I´m sorry Duchess, I will support your house with what I can, but the darkness wants to get rid of you and I will use you to find out who you are. Yes, just in case you guys manage to eliminate that darkness for us. Rosenberg Household will certainly be the greatest enemy we could have created).

For the prime minister it was important to eliminate the intruders they had in their own house, but. Accidentally creating a new enemy in exchange for getting rid of another is something they didn't want to think about.

◇

Once we reached the outskirts of the new Rosenberg mansion.

Some gentlemen approached us and asked to check our identity. Upon observing Eli, they opened the gate for us to enter.

After walking five minutes by clockwork through the garden to reach the entrance, other gentlemen were waiting for us.

Opening it, I was surprised at what I saw.

"Welcome, Elize ojou-sama, Baron Razel-sama, Lily ojou-sama and other guests."

A large group of maids waited for us at the entrance.

It was a unique sight I could only dream of seeing in fantasies and anime.

"Thank you." Eli said as she walked in.

"Thank you." Added Lily who followed Eli.

Cid walked in as well and the maids were surprised to see him. After greeting him, he raised his hand to say he was fine.

Before I followed too, my new concubines came in.

"Uhyo! This place is huge! Really rich people are different from us poor people."

Celia said admiring the place.

"Ah, a pleasure to-! My tongue..."

Evelyn said after biting her tongue for the ninth time that day.

They were walking behind Cid.

Some gentlemen came in with our bags.

I was walking behind Evelyn since I had not come to this place before.

In the reception room we arrived as Eli wanted to tell us something.

"It was unannounced Prince Cid's involvement for our vacation, but please make yourself at home. It's the least I can do after helping us."

"Okay Elize, can I call you by name?"

"Sure." Eli said with a smile.

"I'd like to go out and tour the place alone."

"Don't you want an escort?"

"I was always out walking alone. I like it that way, besides, do I doubt anyone would want to mess with the one who killed a giant monster?"

Apparently Cid is having fun with being the hero of the empire. Good for me, he gains more self-confidence and his chances of being the bearer of the sin of envy go down further.

Cid, keep bragging for your sake.

"Well, as for you guys..."

Eli's eyes looked at Celia and Evelyn like pests.

"The maids will prepare a room for you, even while you feel free to roam the mansion. After all, your children will be relatives of this house."

A blue vein appeared on her forehead, Lily showed a cold look.

They really seem to be bothered by this. I'm quite happy to hide from them that I have two secret mistresses.

Leila doesn't count since I don't know, if she just wants to play at killing criminals or running through the mountains?

Come to think of it, what will they be doing?

◇◇◇

A large group of people were lining up.

A new branch was opening.

For a few days now, this branch had been delighting different groups of customers.

Their products were not only varied. They were fine and cheap.

Both commoners and nobles could buy them.

Of course, the nobles wanted to make use of their status and skip the line and get discount.

But there was something that prevented them from doing so.

"Stand in line like everyone else!"

A girl in uniform was kicking out a group of nobles.

Her hair was long and black, pointed ears, a tail and her eyes were golden like the glow of the moon.

She was Leila, a former slave that Razel and Amy saved long ago.

She was in charge of security.

She was the only employee as well.

Once one customer left, she let another in.

Commoners and nobles were mixed together, you couldn't tell them apart.

This was on purpose to annoy them.

The owner was Amy, she was in disguise.

After the successful sales of her books as the most awarded first time author so far this year, she decided to help Razel financially.

She made a lot of money, but he needed more.

Razel refused to take money from her, not wanting to be a bother, so Amy decided one thing without consulting him.

"I will create a multi-purpose company and make Rosenberg Household her ally!"

After learning of her engagement to Eli, she was happy and a little sad. She was woman #1 but he didn't have something to certify it.

Saying it was easy, but doing it was different.

The Rosenberg Household would be on guard, so Amy had to think of something to help make her plan a reality, so first she created this little branch which has customers daily.

In fact, the hours of operation are from 10 am to 6 pm.

When a new customer walked in, a beautiful woman approached him.

Her flaxen-colored hair was tied in a braided bun with a fringe on one side that was wavy.

Her beautiful hazel eyes showed a mysterious confidence.

Her body was hidden in a blue and white flight attendant's brief.

A red scarf around her neck and her skirt was extremely short, it showed the shape of her bottom.

Since it was a disguise, she didn't mind someone looking at her with desire. That made the gains cross more.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Monika Gramheart, the owner of this store, the Valentine Company."

Amy disguised as Monika was showing a greeting to the customer who entered.

A beautiful woman.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Duchess Rosenberg. I'd like to buy a few things."

Monika's eyes widened, in front of her was the mother of the woman who was the legal wife of her beloved.

But there was a problem.

(Why does this woman have Razel-sama's scent on her body?)

Barbara was missing because of Monika who was looking at her with strange expressionless eyes.

But Monika was not the only one to do so.

(The Valentine Company is a small branch that opened recently. Being a patron or benefactor of it is something very necessary for our house. Some servants came and notified that despite having low prices. Their sales are wholesale. That is, they generate too much to sell so cheaply).

(I have to get him to join us. For the sake of my house and Razel-kun.)

They both didn't know that they had the same goal, as well as the same love interest.