"Wala kang karapatan para paalisin ako dito." Taas noong sagot ni Countess Eva sa akin.

Kasalukuyan kaming nagkakaroon ng pagtatalo dahil kinompronta ko siya sa mga nakita kong sugat mula sa mga kamay ni Zephyra noong nakaraang mga araw.

"The Countess must have forgotten that I am the Madam of this house."

"The Duke has called me to supervised the Young Lady. I am just disciplining her. Why is the Duchess making a big fuss over the small wounds? The Ravenstein has always been strict when it comes to their education. Even Luke undergoes this strict supervisions."

"Small wounds?" Ulit ko. 

Eh halos konti nalang lelevel ka na sa mga pinag gagagawa ko sa bata dati. Eh di sana ako nalang ang dumisiplina sa kanya.

"I will write my husband about this. For now, I want the Countess out of the mansion." Muli kong utos sabay turo sa pinto palabas ng drawing room.

"What gave you the rights to-"

"I am the Duchess! And it is my duty to spearhead the Mansion in my husband's absence. I will let your attitude towards me slide this time, but remember that I will not give the same mercy twice, Countess Eva." Kahit siya pa ang tiyahin ni Luke ay wala siyang karapatan para hamunin at kwestyunin ang mga desisyon at utos ko dahil nakakataas pa din ako sa kanya.

Dapat sa nakaraan kong buhay ginawa ko din to.

"Madam, please." Sa wakas ay pumagitan si Sir Ross sa amin. "I'll escort you out." Magalang na sabi nito sa kondesa.

"I will disclose this humiliation to the Duke!" She warned me before she leaves the room.

Agad na gumuhit ang isang napakalaking ngiti sa mga labi ko pagkasara ng pinto ng drawing room.

Hindi ako makapaniwalang naalis ko ang pinakamalaking tinik sa buhay ko dito sa mansyon. I won't be living the next six years in hell! Sa sobrang saya ko ay pakiramdam ko lumulutang ako sa ulap. And the best part is, siya mismo ang gumawa ng dahilan para mapaalis ko siya. Even if Sir Ross report this to the Duke, he can't do anything about it.

Ngayong napaalis ko na ang Kondesa, let's go to the next steps para sa maayos kong pakikipagdiborsyo.

Agad akong dumiretso sa study pagkatapos at agad na pinatawag ang Head Butler.

"This is the house budget until next month, and the winter preparations. Have it checked please." Agad kong iniabot ang mga dokyumento sa kanya.

"Yes madam." Agad niya itong sinuri.

The Head Butler's expression suddenly changed.

"Madam, this..."

"Yes, I want it all immediately carry out today." Sagot ko.

✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽

"The madam what?" Gulat na tanong ng mga bagong dating na katulong mula sa pamimili ng mga sangkap sa bayan.

"The madam gave everyone a raise!" Sagot ng isang katulong.

"She even ordered to make us 3 pairs of new uniforms, and a winter uniform too!" Another one said.

"The maids quarters will be renovated as well, because the madam thinks the winter will be worst this year!" 

"Everyone calm down!" Sinubukang kunin ng Head Butler ang atensyon ng lahat, hindi lang kasi iyon ang mga ipinag utos ni Morrigan. Pero nagkakagulo at puno ng pagtataka at tuwa ang lahat, mula sa mga maids, cooks, and all the servants  that works in the manor.

✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽

"What?" Puno ng pagtataka ang mukha ni Sir Ross ng ibigay ng Head Butler sa kanya ang mga dokyumento ng House Budget, at basahin ang laman ng mga ito.

The Knights quarter and training grounds will be renovated as well. A huge budget was also given to make everyone a new armor, training suites, and weapons. And all the Knights who participated in the monster subjugation in the western part of the Duchy will be given lands. A budget was also given for the new squires.

"The Knights meal was also changed to a healthier menu, since the Duchess is worried about our health?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Sir Ross sa Head Butler.

"Yes sir."

"The Duchess seriously made this budget plan? Aren't you the one doing the house budget for the past three years?"

Managing the house budget is one of the essential duties of a Duchess, which Morrigan disregarded for many years, kaya ganun nalang ang pagtataka ni Sir Ross.

"The Duchess told me yesterday that she will be managing the house budget again, and this is what she gave me this morning." Pati ang mukha ng Head Butler ay puno ng pagtataka.

"This Morning?" The Vice Commander was stunned that the Duchess came up with all this in just over night.

Nakakapanibago ang lahat. Hindi pa rin siya makapaniwala na nung nakaraang linggo ay nagpadala ang Duchess ng tulong para sa asawang nasa gera ng palihim. And earlier he had to escort Countess Bishop out of the manor, because the Duchess is accusing her of hurting the young lady. No, it's not an accusations. The young lady was indeed mistreated. 

'But the Duchess did the same thing to the young lady.'

"I need to see the Duchess."

"Ah yes, I have something to give to Her Grace as well." 

✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽

"T-thank you so much for the meal Y-your Grace." Zephyra made a small courtesy before she leaves the dining hall.

"The young lady is so cute, isn't she Your Grace?" Nakangiting sabi ni Adellei.

I just rolled my eyes. I don't care if she's cute or not. The only thing I'm happy about is that my plans seems to be working well. Most of the servants are grateful for the raise and all the new benefits given to them. I still heard some of them talking behind my back that it's all an act, but of course I can't fire them since I'm trying to get on their good sides. Kahit pa ba gusto ko silang sibakin lahat for celebrating that I died on my previous life.

Muli kong tiningnan ang papalayong si Zephyra na kasama si Ferr.

It seems all her injuries from her legs, and soles have completely healed since she's walking perfectly fine now. The idea of chocolate coated pills I gave my husband was actually because of that child. Since I can't give her a weird looking pill while everyone's eyes is on me, I came up with the idea of coating it with chocolate to make it less suspicious.

Pabalik na ako sa study to plan my next move, but as expected, Sir Ross and the Head Butler is outside the study waiting for me.

 "Yes Gentlemen?" Agad kong tanong sa kanila ng makapasok na sa loob.

"Your Grace, you have received invitations for tea parties." The Head Butlers hand me a lot of letters.

Tiningnan ko itong lahat. Kapag ganitong malapit nang mag-umpisa ang winter halos lahat ay abala na makapagdaos ng tea party dahil matagal tagal din bago ulit makapagdaos ng mga ganitong pagtitipon.

"Politely decline all the invitations for me." Utos ko sa Head Butler.

Pareho silang nagulat sa sinabi ko. Everyone knows I love tea parties, and all kinds of social gatherings. Pero wag nating dagdagan ang problema ko ngayon. If I continue with my extravagant spending, mas lalong lalaki ang problema ko.

"From now on, I won't be attending any social gatherings. Ayokong magpakasaya, habang ang asawa ko ay nasa gera at nahihirapan. So please decline all the invitations."

"Y-yes Madam." Bakas ang pagkagulat sa mukha ng Head Butler. "Well then, I'll excuse myself first." Pagkasabi ay umalis na ito.

Napatingin ako kay Sir Ross, na mukhang hindi pa nakakabawi sa pagkagulat niya.

"I hope the Knights are doing fine." Saad ko.

"Ah, yes Your Grace." Sa wakas ay mukhang natauhan na ito. "By the way, the Head Butler gave me this earlier, so I wanted to say thank you to the madam personally."

"I-I hope the Knights like it. I know it's not enough to compensate my past actions, but I hope the Knights will forgive me and don't h-hate m-me anymore." I made my voice as pitiful as possible.

"T-that's not true Madam! The Knights doesn't hate you!"

"Sir Ross don't have to deny it. I understand why everyone is hostile against me. And I know that Sir Ross don't like me as well." 

"T-that's not true Madam!" He knelt in front of me. "I apologize that I offended you Your Grace!"

"Hindi mo kailangang humingi ng patawad sa akin Sir Ross. Ako ang nakagawa ng malaking kasalanan nitong nagdaang mga taon." I made a crying sound, para mas mukhang kawawa. "B-but I want to make it up to everyone and do my job properly this time as the Duchess. K-kaya sana tulungan mo akong magampanan ng maayos ang trabaho ko." Dugtong ko.

"I, Ross Giulia, have sworn loyalty to the madam, and it remains that way forever. I will always support the madam, as long as it's for the good of the Duchy."

Agad akong napangiti dahil umaayon ang lahat sa gusto kong mangyari.

As long as the Vice Commander of the Knights is in the palm of my hands, walang magagawa ang ibang mga Knights kundi ang sumunod.

___________CHAPTER 7____________

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Late update, before Christmas sana to pero I got sick. NagChristmas na may sakit at muntik pang mag New Year na may sakit. ಠ︵ಠ

Thank you elianaeryx  Jey_Ria for reading! Happy New year!

Chapter 8 later ಠ◡ಠ

VOTE. COMMENT. RL.
are highly appreciated.
/ᐠ｡ꞈ｡ᐟ\.