Chapter 105: Bleeding Emotions
"Duchess, Mistress has called you to her study," the maid came in, informing me.
"Okay, I will be there," I said, continuing to place my dresses in the closet.
"But she told me to call you this instant," the maid insisted. I left all my dresses and ran to her study, fearing that if I didn’t arrive on time, something terrible would happen.
"You’re here! I’m glad you made it on time," she said, placing many ledgers in front of me.
"What is this?" I asked, bewildered.
"These are the tasks you need to perform. As a duchess, you have to oversee these," she explained.
"Bu-" Before I could voice my concerns, she cut me off, saying, "Don’t worry; I will take care of the practical work. You may not be used to all of this." With that, she walked towards the exit.
"Yes, and if I find you neglecting your responsibilities, there will be severe consequences," she added with a smile and left me there, surrounded by ledgers and dust. I had no idea how long these ledgers had been used, but they seemed to be several years old, with no recent entries.
I flipped through each page, trying to understand how the mansion and the estate operated, but the information was not clearly documented. It consisted mainly of numbers, calculations, and deductions from a certain sum, with no clear explanations. Still, I persevered and asked a maid for information.
"Yes, madam, did you call me?" the maid inquired.
"Yes, I did," I replied. "Could you tell me how many people are employed in this mansion and the reasons for their salaries?"
"I’m not entirely sure about everyone, but we maids receive salaries, as do the head maids who receive higher pay. Then there are the guards, knights, chefs, gardeners, cleaners, and more," she explained.