Reincarnated as the third son of the Duke

Chapter 15 15 Servant's Gambit

What bothered him...

Was that she was no longer the one in charge.

"Who is the current Head Maid?" William asked, voice quiet.

The Treasurer blinked, as if surprised he didn't know.

"...Jenny, my lord."

William let out a dry laugh.

"Jenny, is it?"

"Head Maid Jenny, reporting as requested."

William studied the woman who had just entered his room.

She was... young.

Far younger than he expected.

Mid-to-late twenties, at best.

He had always pictured head maids as older, more experienced women who had spent decades managing the house.

This one?

She was practically a child in comparison.

Even Hans seemed taken aback.

"Wait—wasn't the Head Maid Dana just a few months ago?"

Jenny arched a perfectly groomed brow.

"The previous Head Maid retired due to her age. That was two months ago. Are you saying you didn't know?"

Hans stiffened, fumbling for an answer. "Well, I—I mean, it's not like I had much reason to interact with—"

"How pathetic."

Hans flinched.

William's gaze sharpened.

Hans was his personal attendant—his shadow.

A head maid had no right to scold him, especially not in front of his own master.

Yet she had done it without hesitation.

And the way she smirked—as if she was amused.

William had met enough people in his past life to recognize that kind of arrogance.

This was not a servant who feared punishment.

She spoke with authority.

As if she believed she was untouchable.

William folded his arms.

"You seem quite bold for a mere servant."

Jenny smiled. "I am simply efficient, my lord."

William didn't smile back.

"Let's test that efficiency, then. Did you alter the budget?"

Jenny tilted her head slightly.

"Of course. You entrusted the allocation of funds to the Head Maid, did you not?"

William exhaled slowly.

"Did I ever grant you permission to make adjustments without informing me?"

"Given that you have ignored your finances for over a year, I assumed it was of no concern to you."

Hans sputtered in disbelief.

William, however, merely leaned forward, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"Then tell me, Jenny—why did you increase the wages of the other servants while slashing mine?"

Jenny barely even blinked.

"The staff was overworked and underpaid. They needed a raise."

William's thoughts turned cold.

The problem isn't just that she's loyal to him.

The problem is that they feared him more than they feared me.

Which meant one thing.

They thought I was weak.

Pathetic.

William sighed. What a mess.

He had known that his former self had been utterly spineless, but this?

This was worse than he expected.

He had planned to observe for a little longer.

To gather more information before making a move.

But now?

Now, it was time to reestablish order.

"Come, Hans."

Hans blinked. "Where are we going, my lord?"

William didn't answer.

"Follow me."

He strode toward the door.

The gathered servants tensed, hesitation flashing across their faces.

They were afraid.

Afraid that William was leaving to fetch the whip himself.

One of the braver ones finally spoke.

"Y-Young Master, please reconsider."

"The Head Maid surely didn't mean any harm—"

"I'm not going to get a whip," William interrupted flatly. "I'm going out for a bit."

The servants visibly relaxed.

William's lips curled in amusement. How pitiful.

He moved to step outside—

"Wise choice, my lord," Jenny called after him, amusement clear in her tone. "Even the second young master will surely commend you for it."

There it was.

A final, veiled reminder of where she stood.

William didn't respond.

Instead, he stepped into the hallway, his expression unreadable.

Enjoy your confidence while it lasts.

Because in a few hours, you'll regret every word you just said.

Hans had been fuming ever since they left.

And finally, he snapped.

"Why did you just let her get away with that?!"

William barely glanced at him.

"You think I should have punished her right then and there?"

"Yes! If the other servants wouldn't bring the whip, you should've gone and gotten it yourself! No one could have stopped you!"

William chuckled.

"True. But I would've lost more than I gained."

Hans looked incredulous.

"How? That woman openly defied you! Everyone saw it!"

"Exactly," William said. "Which means it wasn't just defiance. She wasn't acting on impulse—this was planned."

Hans frowned. "Planned?"