* * *

With an uncomfortable feeling, Luna moved her steps and realized she had woken up too late when she found the dining room empty.

‘Is anyone in the kitchen?’

Luna turned towards the kitchen. Fortunately, it seemed someone was there. Various sounds could be heard from the kitchen.

She was about to ask for a meal, but the scene before her was so unfamiliar that she just stood at the entrance without saying a word.

‘…Why is Emma washing the dishes?’

Everyone else was either preparing ingredients or cooking, but Emma was fervently washing a huge stack of dishes.

Moreover, while others were chatting away, Emma was solely engrossed in washing the dishes, looking as if she was isolated from the rest.

“Emma?”

Luna, who had been staring into the kitchen for a moment, called out Emma’s name. Startled by the unexpected voice, Emma and the other servants hurriedly showed their respect.

“I came to ask for a meal, but…” 

Casting a confused glance around the kitchen, Emma, wiping her wet hands on her apron, hurriedly began to explain more than usual.

“Oh, you just woke up? I had spare time so I was washing dishes! Please wait a moment. I’ll bring your meal soon!”

With that, she began to move busily. The other servants silently resumed their preparations.

“What are you doing? Please go to the dining hall. You might have to wait a bit.”

With Emma’s urging done, a cold atmosphere enveloped the steamy kitchen. A servant who was peeling potatoes looked at Luna once and then shut his mouth tight, focusing back on his task.

Luna wanted to ask what the situation was, but Emma seemed too desperate.

In the end, feeling only shock and confusion, Luna headed to the dining room. Her steps on the marble floor felt unusually heavy.

“You waited for a long time, didn’t you? You should have woken up earlier. Now, eat up and have a great day! And don’t come to the kitchen in person next time. Send a servant instead.”

Emma was unusually talkative today, as if trying to hide something.

Calmly, Luna asked:

“Emma, is something wrong?”

“Wrong? What do you mean?”

“Why were you doing the dishes? You’re the head chef.”

“Oh, I told you. I did it because I had nothing to do since you overslept.”

Emma gently patted Luna’s shoulder, urging her to eat. Luna wondered just how long Emma had been washing dishes for; her hands were icy cold.

“Why not prepare for lunch? That’s your job.”

“I need to prepare ingredients for lunch.”

“But why wash dishes with such cold hands?”

“It’s a task for those who have spare time. Because it’s busy.”

Emma responded with a comforting smile. Dark circles had formed under her eyes.

Luna took a moment to gaze at her, then turned her gaze elsewhere. It was clear that asking her more questions would only elicit the same answers.

It was better to ask someone with an objective perspective.

“At least don’t do it from now on. It doesn’t suit the head chef’s image. Your hands are too cold. Why were you washing with cold water? You should have warmed it up! What is this about?”

“I thought I’d finish quickly. I understand, Miss. I won’t do it anymore.”

When Luna indicated she wouldn’t ask further, Emma visibly relaxed and returned to the kitchen. Luna ate her meal absentmindedly, not really registering the taste, then retreated to the glass greenhouse to drink tea and get lost in thought.

She couldn’t pretend to be calm any longer; her grip on her teacup was slightly shaky. No matter how she thought about it, the situation in the kitchen earlier was strange.

“Miss! You’re awake?”

While lost in her thoughts, Lara appeared in the conservatory. Luna was usually in the glass conservatory during her breaks, so Laura didn’t need to look elsewhere.

“Laura, sit across from me for a moment.”

At Luna’s invitation, Laura promptly sat down, and the maid began preparing tea.

“I have something to ask.”

“What is it?”

While taking a bite of a cookie, Luna brought up the previous night’s events.

“Did you see anything when you went into the kitchen to look for Emma?”

“…What?”

Dropping the half-eaten cookie from her hand, Laura’s eyes widened in surprise.

Due to her honest expression of emotions, that alone was a sufficient answer. She was sure she had seen something in the kitchen last night.

“Tell me the truth. Earlier, I saw Emma washing a huge pile of dishes alone in the kitchen. She wasn’t talking to anyone else.”

Clatter.

As soon as Luna mentioned the dishes, the maid preparing the tea spilled its contents on the floor. When Luna looked at her, she appeared very startled and hastily began cleaning up. Her surprise wasn’t just from spilling the tea.

Luna felt uneasy. Perhaps, besides herself, everyone knew this dirty secret.

The kitchen staff who was peeling potatoes seemed to know, as did Laura who dropped the cookies, and the maid who spilled the tea.

Everyone seemed to be aware of something, something they didn’t want Luna to know.

“If by any chance, this was a situation Emma didn’t want, I’ll reveal everything and punish everyone involved. Those who knew the truth and kept silent will be treated the same.”

As Luna spoke in this threatening tone, the maid cleaning the spilled tea looked visibly shocked.

“Of course, if you reveal everything you know before that, I’ll consider it. Perhaps there was an unavoidable reason you didn’t speak.”

The maid froze, neither hesitating nor trembling in fear, it was unclear.

But one thing was clear: she knew something.

Luna wished she could shake her by the collar and force her to speak, but that wouldn’t help in getting the answer she wanted.

Regaining her composure, Luna spoke to the maid.

“So if you reveal everything you know now, you won’t be blamed at all. Joanna.”

The maid, Joanna, looked shocked, as if she had been caught red-handed.

“But if you don’t, leaving this mansion won’t be the end of it. It’ll be revealed soon, so come clean now.”

Luna’s tone was almost threatening, which made the terrified Joanna suddenly kneel and beg.

“I, I…! I didn’t do anything…! I wasn’t even scheduled to work that day…!”

It would’ve been better if she said she knew nothing, but her reply made Luna bite her lip.

Why were all these unthinkable assumptions turning out to be true? Taking a sip of her now cold tea, Luna coldly spoke.

“Tell me everything.”

“It’s… it’s…! Lord Carlton ordered it…! The day the lady arrived at the mansion…!”

At the mention of the unexpected butler’s name, Luna frowned.

“Carlton?”

“Yes…! He said he didn’t want to eat a meal made by someone who used to work in a mere Baron’s kitchen…!”

“My God…!”

Laura covered her mouth in surprise.

Thinking back, Luna had felt something was off during recent meals. She had overlooked it thinking Emma didn’t have enough chances to cook in large quantities, but in reality, Emma hadn’t made the meals.

It was more shocking that everyone knew and even participated. Luna was momentarily speechless.

Why didn’t they tell her about this? If she had known, so much distress could have been avoided.

“It also meant they didn’t recognize Emma as a head chef… that’s why she was sidelined and burdened with annoying tasks…! From the start, I felt uncomfortable with this, and was debating if I should tell you! I was also wondering if I should mention what happened this morning…!”

Hearing about another incident from this morning, Luna gripped the edge of the table tightly.

She wanted to burst out and punish everyone involved immediately, especially if there was still wrongdoings happening.

“Spill it. Everything.”

Luna’s fierce demeanor made Joanna hurriedly spill everything she knew.

“Yes, yes! Yes..! It started when the lady bought the mansion…!”

* * *

Luna, storming out of the room, ordered a servant cleaning the first floor hall to gather all the house staff.

“Call everyone. Now.”

Luna’s eyes were different from usual, filled with anger. The servant hastened.

Following Luna, Laura cried, wiping away her tears. She had thought they’d be happy after discovering the gold mine, but was devastated by this turn of events.

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know…”

Soon, the staff began to gather in the hall. It was almost lunchtime, and Royer and Antes, heading to the dining room, witnessed the scene.

“Laura?”

Royer hurriedly approached the tearful Laura. Although she was known for wearing her heart on her sleeve, he had never seen her this upset before.

Luna stood before her, a stormy look on her face. Antes, sensing something amiss, rushed down the stairs.

“I heard you called. I have some reports, so I brought the documents. Please review-“

Slap!

Luna slapped Carlton, who had just appeared in the hall. Everyone froze, a heavy silence settled.

Carlton, the recipient of the slap, seemed to be in shock, struggling to breathe.