CHAPTER 24: CATASTROPHE

Our lunch together in the cafeteria was completely silent.

I kept glancing at my watch, hoping that Angela’s adoptive father would show up as soon as possible. But the hands moved agonizingly slowly, as if deliberately mocking me.

Although the original location of this episode had changed due to my previous choice, all other details were to remain the same.

Enoch, her adoptive father, was supposed to pick up the heroine tonight. After that, I hoped we wouldn’t see each other for the next eight years.

All that was left was to wait a couple of hours...

I sighed, trying my best to ease the tense atmosphere between the children. After Angela and Rubiella left her room, the former began to behave surprisingly quietly. I didn’t know what could have caused such a change, but I suspected that the girl might feel uncomfortable in the aristocrats’ estate.

Angela herself would only learn that her status was much higher than ours after a long time...

Either way, I had no choice but to treat this child well.

"What’s going on?" Nura looked puzzled at the butler, Edison, who stood at the door with an impassive expression.

"First one child fell on our heads, now another... Does the lady want to organize a shelter here?"

Edison shook his head in response.

"I have no idea what’s going on myself..."

After Angela was washed and combed, her already incomparable beauty shone even brighter. Damn... The main character’s aura is truly dazzling. Some lucky guy is going to be lucky.

Angela sat with her back straight, her golden hair shining in the light of the chandelier, her green eyes seeming even brighter. However, noticing something in her behavior, I couldn’t remain indifferent.

"Angela, don’t you like the dinner?" I asked, noticing her sad expression. The girl sat staring at her plate, her fork barely moving.

The girl was embarrassed.

"Not at all!" she shook her head hastily. "I’ve never tasted food as delicious as yours!"

"Then what’s the matter?" I wondered.

"I-I..."

Under the table, Rubiella stepped on her foot. The girl’s eyes stung with pain. Restraining herself, she replied:

"You and your sister are so kind to me... I’m just touched by your care."

I smiled with relief.

"I see."

"Yes! Before, no one but my father cared about me like this."

Oh, Angela... If you weren’t the main character, I would have treated you with complete sincerity. And these pathetic fake smiles and good moods weren’t ordered by the system.

Our meal continued for some time until there was a noise in the kitchen. As it turned out, it was related to Nura. A pale girl with red pigtails ran up to me. Her nose was smeared with soot, which already made me suspicious.

"M-ma’am..."

The maid froze a meter away from me, looking apprehensive.

"What is it?" I asked calmly.

"I... Well..." The girl faltered. "You asked me to prepare snacks for tea..."

"And?"

"I decided to make pumpkin pie, but I think I got the recipe a little wrong..."

My eyes popped out of my head. She didn’t need to explain any further. It seemed that the maid had messed up again.

To be honest, her antics sometimes drove me crazy, and the fact that a maid like Nura needed to be watched like a hawk. But every time, I couldn’t bring myself to fire her. After all, I had paid her a six-month advance for a reason, hadn’t I?

"If you didn’t blow up the kitchen, then everything’s fine," I sighed.

"......."

What else?

"Ma’am, I think there was an explosion in the oven. I’m afraid to open it...!" Nura muttered, her voice trembling, and she tugged at my sleeve mournfully, like a guilty puppy.

Her eyes were full of pleading, and I felt my irritation growing.

I put my hand to my forehead. Who else is working for whom here? Why do I have to clean up after my own maid? Every day it became more and more obvious that I had been downright unlucky with my choice of staff.

Meanwhile, the commoner was still tugging at my sleeve with a look of doom on her face.

I glared at her angrily. Either way, I had to get up from the table. I turned guiltily to Rubielle and Angela, whom I was leaving alone.

"Girls, wait a minute," I asked with a weak smile. "I’ll be right back."

"Okay, Auntie!"

The synchronized reaction of these two made me smile even wider. It seemed that their relationship wasn’t as bad as I had thought from the beginning. I could leave with peace of mind.

"Okay... Show me what you’ve got."

By chance, I had to help Nura with the preparation of the pie. Since Edison didn’t know anything about it. Who else but me? After all, I am not only the duchess’s younger sister, but also the mistress of this estate.

We approached the oven, and Nura froze as if there was a monster in front of her.

"Ma’am, I’m afraid to open it... What if it explodes again?" she whispered, her eyes wide with fear.

I rolled my eyes.

"Explode? It’s a pie, not a bomb. Just open it!"

Finally, Nura pulled the handle with trembling hands, and the door creaked open. A cloud of smoke burst out, and we both coughed.

We took the blackened pie out of the oven, and I tried to figure out how to fix it. It would take too long to bake a new one. As a quick fix, I decided to sprinkle it with powdered sugar and spread some jam on top.

It was a very strange combination. But anyway, this cake was for children. And they love sweets, right?

While Nura and I were fixing the disaster, about ten minutes passed unnoticed. Finally, the cake was ready — or at least saved.

I put the finished dessert on a tray, decorated it with fresh berries for appearance’s sake, and carried it to the dining room. The girls must have missed me already.

I walked down the hallway, holding the tray steady so that nothing would fall.

But...

As I passed the main staircase, I almost dropped the tray from my hands. My face contorted in horror. There was blood here.

"ANGELA!"

I was speechless.

The main character was lying on the floor with her head cut open.