“Cammoile.”

The middle-aged woman flinched as her name was called and answered nervously.

“Yes, Madam.”

“How is the situation in the laundry? Are you short-handed there as well?”

“W-We’re… always short on hands.”

“Anton.”

“Yes, Madam!”

Anton, the head chef responsible for dinner preparation, answered energetically.

“Dinner preparations must be busier than lunch?”

“Yes, Madam, there are more dishes to prepare for dinner.”

Among the servants of Lagos Castle, each major area—cooking, laundry, cleaning, and repairs—had a senior member firmly in charge.

Each senior had two or three skilled assistants under them.

The seniors and assistants didn’t handle tasks outside their assigned areas.

Other servants rotated through tasks like kitchen work, laundry, and cleaning.

Cecilia asked about ten people similar questions.

Although it was more about guiding them to give the same answer.

“It seems everyone faces similar difficulties. If there’s a shortage of hands, the solution would be to hire more people, but with winter coming, that would be difficult for now.”

Benjamine looked at Cecilia with amazement.

There was an air of composure in Cecilia’s expression, as though she were experienced in standing before and addressing a crowd.

‘Is it because she’s hosted so many banquets before?’

But Benjamine’s assumption was wrong. It wasn’t thanks to her banquet experience.

At banquets, Cecilia merely had to exchange pleasantries with people who approached her with goodwill.

A simple clink of her glass and a remark like, “Enjoy yourselves tonight,” was all that was required.

What Cecilia had learned came from a past life of humiliation and the realization of her ignorance. It was then that she understood the importance of displaying authority as a superior.

This was something she should have learned in her youth, but no one in the Jericho Grand Duchy had ever taught her.

“You all know I wasn’t born or raised in Lagos.”

As Cecilia said this, she looked at the servants from the grand duchy.

“Now that I’m in Lagos, I intend to adapt and live here.”

She continued, addressing the servants she had brought with her.

“The same applies to those who came with me, doesn’t it?”

The expressions of the grand duchy’s servants turned sour.

This didn’t sound favorable to them.

“Yes, Miss…”

“Let’s correct something first. I will no longer allow you to call me ‘Miss’. You will address me properly as ‘Madam’ from now on.”

“…Yes, Madam.”

“You’ve had enough rest, so you should be fully recovered from your journey. It’s time for each of you to focus on your respective roles.”

The grand duchy’s servants exchanged uneasy glances.

They didn’t fully understand her intentions but felt a growing sense of unease.

“Helen.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“Using names has the benefit of fostering familiarity, but it also makes establishing order difficult. I brought over thirty new people here. In a situation where many newcomers are introduced, not setting rules will only destabilize the existing order. From now on, I will address you as ‘butler’. Starting today, no one is to call the butler by name. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Madam!”

The hall fell silent.

It was as if everyone had even stopped breathing.

Thus, their unanimous response echoed loudly.

“The butler will assign tasks to the newcomers. It’s important for them to experience all types of work to adapt to Lagos Castle.”

By now, everyone present understood Cecilia’s intentions, especially after her earlier inquiries with the senior servants about the need for general workers.

The expressions of the grand duchy’s servants twisted.

It was a bolt from the blue.

When Cecilia left the grand duchy, no servant had volunteered to accompany her.

Who would want to go to the cursed, freezing land of Lagos?

Anyone with connections or leverage had found a way out of the assignment.

Only those with no backing at all had been selected.

However, once they arrived and settled at Lagos Castle, they began to feel lucky.

Life here was far too comfortable.

The Miss was always out and about, accompanied by Lagos servants.

The grand duchy’s servants only had to be mindful of Benjamine.

They slept late without worry.

For meals, they ordered the Lagos servants to deliver food to their rooms.

After eating, the Lagos servants cleaned up after them.

Even back at the grand duchy, they’d never been this pampered.

And regardless of how they idled here, the promised wages were still sent to their families left behind in the grand duchy.

But now, their idyllic dreams were utterly shattered.

Most of all, they had always believed themselves to be above the Lagos servants.

Instead, they would now find themselves working under the Lagos servants, doing the most menial tasks.