Since arriving at Lagos Castle, Cecilia had been planning to address a particular issue.

The problem was the lodging arrangements for the servants Benjamine had assigned near Cecilia’s quarters.

Now that the grand duchy’s servants were assigned as general workers, the issue was resolved.

They all moved to designated servant quarters near their workplaces.

Only one exception remained—Benjamine’s room stayed as it was.

As Cecilia had predicted, Benjamine was content with the exclusive treatment.

A few grand duchy’s servants approached Benjamine, pleading for her intervention, but they left empty-handed.

As soon as dusk later that day, Helen came with a report.

“Madam, I’ve prepared the list of maids as instructed.”

‘Impressive.’

By this time, the relocation of the grand duchy’s servants to their new accommodations was complete.

‘She’s efficient—better than the butlers of continental grand duchies.’

A butler in a grand ducal household typically held a political position with vested interests, making it difficult to act swiftly in situations like today.

Too many interests were entangled.

Completing such tasks in a matter of hours would be unthinkable. Even handling them within ten days would be considered exceptional.

‘Hmm…’

Cecilia looked over the list Helen had prepared.

The maids were divided into groups of four, with each group serving Cecilia for five days at a time.

At the start of the list, each group was composed of two maids from the grand duchy and two from Lagos. Since there were more Lagos servants, the later groups consisted entirely of Lagos maids.

‘She included grand duchy’s servants in the rotation.’

Cecilia had granted Helen full authority to create the list.

The only requirement she set was the number—four maids per day.

Helen could have chosen only Lagos maids to attend to Cecilia and relegated the grand duchy maids to hard, menial labor.

Even if Helen had done so, Cecilia wouldn’t have objected.

But Helen demonstrated fairness by giving the grand duchy’s servants a chance.

Helen clearly had exceptional potential as a butler.

“Once this list is completed, will the rotation start over from the beginning?”

“If you allow it, Madam, I plan to revise the list after the first round.”

“Why?”

“I haven’t fully assessed the newcomers yet. I created this list without much insight.”

“You want to observe their work and make a judgment?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Helen waited nervously for Cecilia’s response.

Cecilia smiled faintly and replied.

“Do as you see fit, Butler. You’ve done a great job today. You’ve aligned things exactly as I intended.”

“Thank you, Madam.”

A little later, as Helen left the sitting room, she let out a small sigh and glanced around.

After confirming no one was around, she clenched her fists and shook them in excitement.

When Helen first arrived at Lagos Castle, she had been a lowly servant.

From the beginning, she was recognized for her aptitude for work.

Over time, as she took on more tasks, she eventually became responsible for overseeing the castle’s household operations.

Her motivation wasn’t a sense of duty—it was simply a job she had been doing all along.

When others acknowledged her hard work, it was rewarding.

But when the workload was overwhelming, leaving her physically exhausted, she sometimes wondered, Why am I doing this to myself?

Today, however, felt different.

Hearing the words “You’ve done a great job” from the madam made her feel as if she were floating.

“Butler… Butler…”

She had heard that such positions existed in the mansions of continental nobles.

Now, she felt as though she had become someone special.

Helen was naturally a responsible person, and as the ‘Butler’ of Lagos Castle, she was determined to excel.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

The following late afternoon, Dustin, the head of the Ewen Merchant Guild, came to see Cecilia.

“Are the merchants doing well?”

The Ewen Guild, which had planned to depart after staying just one more day, still hadn’t left.

Apparently, they were suffering from severe hangovers.

“They’re not dying, so there’s no need to worry. We’ll have to leave tomorrow. If I can’t even manage my own body, what good am I?”

Dustin clicked his tongue as he spoke.

‘That’s a rather harsh tone,’ Cecilia thought.

If the merchants knew Dustin’s true identity and overheard his words, they would likely feel utterly overwhelmed.

“People can’t live as precisely as if measured by a ruler. Sometimes, one needs to indulge in the joys of a little mischief. There’s still some time before winter, so staying another day or two to rest wouldn’t be a problem.”

Cecilia spoke warmly, knowing Dustin’s true identity.

Rather than using formal pleasantries, she adopted a friendlier tone. Strengthening this connection could only be beneficial.

Dustin looked at Cecilia for a moment before speaking.

“It’s rare for me to say this after such a short acquaintance, but for a moment, I felt as though I were speaking with someone much older and wiser.”

After that, he quickly added,

“I mean that in the best possible way. Your words carry a wisdom that reflects a deep understanding of life, Madam.”