I Reincarnated As A Villainess, But Why Did I Become A Cat Butler Instead? - Chapter 114

Chapter 57.2

‘If I divide these budgets by two, it’s roughly the same as the Korean exchange rate… This seems like a reasonable amount.’

Looking at the ledger, my eyes widened.

‘Even if I divide it by 2, the amount is so huge that I’m exhausted…’

Although I didn’t even have a calculator, I was glad that it wasn’t a number like dividing by seven or eleven. If it had been, it’d have been much more difficult than it is now.

Then, I read the documents slowly, step by step, so as not to make a mistake.

It was a huge amount just for the labor cost that went out to the employees of the mansion for a month. In addition to the estate budget, things like the head of each Duchy’s department were added to it as well. Numbers were spinning in front of my eyes.

When I was nervous at the thought that if I made a mistake, I would cause a lot of damage, Baron Placen opened his mouth sternly.

“As I said before, these are documents that administrators meticulously check and submit. They are talented people.”

It seemed that he misunderstood that I was trying to pick a hole in something.

He was the one who was against Dimitri leaving me to do these things. In particular, he didn’t want to show me the documents showing the flow of funds in relation to the Duchess’s budget, saying that it should be handled secretly.

Rather than being angry with him, I understood him. Rather, his boundaries felt like loyalty.

‘He must be worried about Rowaine’s notoriety because she can force it to be spent on the wrong budget.’

Just as Count Larscel and his wife were blinded by money and willing to sell their daughters, Rowaine was said to be the kind of person who would sell her own parents for wealth. That’s how much she loved money and jewels, and how much she lusted for luxury.

People who liked to gossip never left out stories of her misdeeds.

Nearly all the nobles knew that ‘Rowaine’ was not only extravagant but also cruel, and that reputation had likely reached the ears of Baron Placen of Blois.

‘…The expression on his face when he was appointed as my assistant was unforgettable.’

Baron Placen was a man who couldn’t easily hide his emotions. When he greeted me, it was with the reluctance of an ox being dragged to slaughter. Still, regardless of his initial reaction, I just had to focus on my job. It might have been a little awkward, but it didn’t stop him from doing his duties.

‘Dimitri must have figured it out and given me the right person.’

Perhaps Dimitri didn’t want me to fight Baron Placen and divide us into winners and losers, but rather, he wanted the Baron to be on my side… That was what I assumed.

‘Because Baron Placen is a capable and loyal servant.’

I comforted him, who looked nervous.

“It must be frustrating because I’m slow, but I don’t want to be sloppy since it’s my first time learning about this kind of work. Please understand.”

It was an expression saying not to rush.

Baron Placen opened his eyes slightly wide as if he was surprised by my words.

“…It’s all right. Take your time.”

The next moment, I checked the items without taking my eyes off the papers before I saw something. I ordered the Baron.

“Give me the embezzlement ledgers I gave you earlier.”

“Here it is.”

“This part, the regular purchase budget for magic lights hasn’t been revised. So, if it weren’t being embezzled, the number of purchases would’ve been lower than before.”

“You mean it hasn’t been corrected? Could it be?”

He frowned as if unwilling to believe that his administrators had made a mistake or that I had pointed it out. However, as I mentioned, the number of purchases for magic lights hadn’t been corrected before or after the embezzlement.

In the end, Baron Placen alternated between looking at the documents, me, and the ledgers before finally admitting his mistake.

“I’ll correct it.”

Seeing how sullen he looked, I offered some comfort.

“It’s a small oversight, and the amount embezzled isn’t significant compared to other items, so it’s understandable. There were so many areas to manage this time. Don’t worry too much.”

I knew the administrators had been overwhelmed this month with personnel transfers and a full-scale investigation into embezzlement. For weeks, I had seen the office building’s lights constantly on, like a ‘fire that would never go out.’

However, he was even more startled by my consolation and answered in a slightly louder voice.

“No…!”

His voice was so loud that I gazed at him puzzledly. Baron Placen lowered his voice a little before continuing his words.

“When mistakes are made in these little things, errors are bound to snowball at some point. We’ll make sure this never happens again. I’m sorry.”

I was a little angry at the way he was skeptical about what I was going to do with the paperwork. I asked while pretending not to notice his eyes staring at me.

“Do you have anything to say? Tell me.”

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