Leveling Up My Husband to the Max

She was thinking about what she realized just then, when Amber heard Bella’s voice.

“You’re telling me to send back my maids?” Amber had been quiet during the entire time Bella spoke of the key but finally opened her mouth again. Her voice held no signs of fear or submission and was just as calm and composed as when she first entered the room.

“I’m sure you must have understood what I mean.” Bella lifted an eyebrow.

Amber didn’t respond immediately and instead counted the maids standing around Bella.

Excluding Grace, Bella had five maids under her command.

Amber recognized three of the faces among them. As close aides, they were just as wicked and atrocious as Bella and Grace. The remaining two, however, the one who poured the tea and the other who organized the teacups in the corner were maids that Amber had never seen before.

In that case, they must have been maids hired just to do menial chores.

Of course, they would be closer to Bella than the average maid since they were close enough to be brought into the Vine Room, it didn’t seem like they held any particular loyalty towards Bella.

“I cannot return the girls that I have taken in to you.” Amber spoke with a determined voice.

“Do you even realize what you are bringing to yourself?” Bella asked with a genuinely curious voice.

Of course, Amber knew very well. And what effect it would have on her by doing so.

“I cannot return them to their previous workplace.” Amber once again clearly stated her intentions. “Because I have to protect those girls after all.”

The ladies-in-waiting e standing next to Bella stiffened at Amber’s words.

And for an instant, an expression of desire and longing passed the faces of the two maids holding teaware. Though it was only a moment, Amber didn’t miss the changes in their expression.

“I wonder what you mean by that.” Bella asked as she strained herself to sound calm. However, she could not completely hide the feelings of her agitation.

“Madam. Do you think that you gave fair treatment and respect to those girls?”

This time, it was Bella who found herself speechless.

“To be honest, I did actually show those girls great kindness with gifts and respects, but it’s an obvious course of action as any noble trying to spread their influence in a new environment.”

Two days off a week, higher wage to take care of family, and extravagant gifts. Such gifts were certainly an immense kindness shown to the maids, but it wasn’t particularly uncommon. It was a tactic nobles often used to win subordinates and employees over, after all.

“But those girls were so happy it looked like they’d just been saved from the very depths of Hell.”

Luna, especially, who had to take care of her younger brother, had shed tears as she swore her loyalty towards Amber.

“I wonder why those girls were so happy about it?” Amber locked her eyes directly onto Bella as she asked.

“If the madam was such a caring and considerate master, no matter how hard I tried, I would not have been able to take them on my own. Since everything I gave them was something you could have given them yourself.”

Bella’s eyes narrowed, and her lips were stuck in a stiff shape.

“I completely understand the intentions you had in mind when you had me brought here, Madam. But I am not willing to give up my rights or bow down, doing everything to your well. This is my warning to you as well as the answer to your questions.

Bella continued to stand frozen, unable to respond in turn.

Amber saw the two maids who weren’t Bella’s ladies-in-waiting drop their heads low to hide away their feelings of unrest towards Bella.

The news of what happened there today would spread through the castle through their mouths.

In a situation where the topic of Amber showing Luna, Sonya, and Jenia kindness had already spread throughout the castle. With this also spreading, a majority of employees and workers in the castle would feel more favorable with Amber.

“Then may I take my leave now?”

Amber didn’t particularly wait for the permission and stood from her seat right away. She was about to move towards the door when Grace stood in front of her to stop her.