# Episode 41 – Retainer Cedric (7) – Image Improvement. Mansion Arc.
If you were to ask the maid Neria, who works at the mansion, who the most terrifying person in the world is, the answer would undoubtedly be ‘Mistress’.
“Ouch!…Hey, are you joking right now!?”
The incident was trivial.
While assisting Mistress with her morning grooming and brushing her hair, Neria accidentally tangled some strands in the brush.
Such minor accidents can happen during brushing, and it was a rather insignificant occurrence.
But as a consequence of this small mistake, Neria was beaten so badly that her face bruised, and she suffered for the entire day.
Afterwards, it became an endless vicious cycle.
At the mere sight or sound of Mistress, Neria would involuntarily shrink back, and in this state, trying to do household chores only led to more mistakes.
This would then result in severe reprimands from Mistress, causing Neria to shrink back even more the next time.
Among her fellow maids, there were those who sympathized with the newcomer and tried to rearrange her duties, but even this had its limits.
Due to Mistress’s unruly behavior, retainers frequently quit, leaving the available manpower always tight.
Neria herself had considered quitting many times but could never bring herself to submit her resignation.
Having lost her parents at a young age and being solely responsible for her younger siblings, she simply could not ignore the extraordinarily high salary provided here.
For Neria, the recent changes in the mansion were quite welcome.
With all Mistress’s attention focused on the newly arrived male servant, Neria found a bit of respite in both body and mind.
While cautiously enjoying this relief, Neria also felt a sense of unease.
Knowing Mistress’s terrifying nature, Neria didn’t believe this peace could last forever.
So, when Mistress suddenly bowed her head and apologized, Neria could only stand there dumbfounded.
Not only Neria, but the shock was evident as the surrounding colleagues could be heard holding their breath.
Misinterpreting their silence, Mistress glanced at Neria repeatedly.
Realizing she had not responded in any way, Neria hurriedly opened her mouth.
“No, no! It’s perfectly fine! It was entirely my mistake, and there’s nothing for you to apologize for, Mistress!”
Neria bowed deeply, even more so than Mistress’s apology bow.
The emotions in her actions were regret, but more overpowering was her fear.
She perceived Mistress’s apology not as a genuine admission of guilt, but as some sort of test.
If she were to boldly say, “Yes, you really were too harsh,” Mistress might retaliate, leaving Neria to grapple with the consequences.
“No, but…”
Mistress observed Neria’s severely withdrawn posture, trailing off mid-sentence before sighing.
“…There won’t be such incidents next time. And as a gesture of apology, I’ve included extra in this month’s salary, so please accept it.”
With that, it ended.
Mistress neither lingered to speak more nor sought out any faults, instead moving on to the other maids one by one, bowing her head in apology.
Neria, who had been frozen stiff, finally relaxed her tension once Mistress had left completely.
A senior maid, who often helped Neria, approached and spoke.
“Neria, are you alright?”
“Yes, somehow…”
“Still, life throws unexpected surprises sometimes.”
The senior maid, who had served in other noble houses, including Redbell, was highly astonished by Claudia’s actions.
Nobles are generally stingy with apologies to their subordinates.
They view the act of admitting fault to someone beneath them and asking for forgiveness as damaging to their dignity as nobles.
The usual cases are: not apologizing at all, the most common; “compensating materially without uttering the word ‘sorry'”; “having someone else convey the message on their behalf”; “explaining it away as a misunderstanding,” etc.
In this sense, Claudia’s actions were almost revolutionary.
Right in front of others, Claudia herself bowed her head and directly voiced her apology.
“Miss has changed quite a bit.”
At the senior maid’s words, Neria gazed at the spot where Claudia had been standing.
Honestly speaking, Neria didn’t feel completely moved by Mistress’s apology.
It was an inevitable reaction.
Mental wounds don’t heal so easily.
However, just one thing – very slightly, barely at all – but a small flicker of expectation emerged: that maybe something could change.
*
Thud.
Without even changing her clothes, Claudia collapsed face down on the bed.
It took about two hours to personally visit each servant in the mansion and apologize for past actions.
While not physically taxing, the mental fatigue Claudia felt was immense.
The humiliation of apologizing to servants she usually disregarded.
The shame of bowing her head in front of others.
Above all, what troubled her most was ─
“─ One apology isn’t the end. You seem to truly understand that.”
“Ugh.”
The sudden comment from the retainer beside her made Claudia’s body noticeably flinch.
Turning her head, she glared at Cedric with eyes filled with reproach.
Though her disheveled appearance and pouting eyes exuded an allure that could captivate many men, Cedric’s face remained as stern as ever.
“The servants didn’t accept your apology because they truly forgave you. They could accept it only because you are a noble, the heiress of Redbell, and their employer. I imagine you’ve realized that.”
Claudia couldn’t find the words to rebut.
Because Cedric’s words were true.
Even with her apology, the servants still feared and suspected her, wary of her hidden motives.
So, she couldn’t help but question:
“Does this even mean anything? It feels like nobody really believes me, and they didn’t seem too eager to accept it either.”
“Miss, forgiveness isn’t a commodity on the shelf.”
“Huh?”
“Just the assumption that because I apologized, the other party must reciprocate with forgiveness is a misconception—an arrogance.”
Claudia’s eyes darted around the floor.
She cautiously inquired:
“Then, what should I do?”
“Now that you’ve expressed your intent through words, the next step is to prove it through actions. In this regard, you’re in a relatively advantageous position. Since you’ve previously set the bar so low, merely behaving ‘normally’ or ‘slightly friendly’ will create a dramatic effect.”
When a man long known for his moral righteousness commits a minor transgression, people heap immense criticism on him.
When a notorious villain performs a small act of kindness, people reassess him, surprised by the unexpected side of his character.
Claudia’s reputation is undeniably at rock bottom, and the expectations surrounding her are exceptionally low.
Nevertheless, any small change from her could leave a profoundly strong impression.
“Moreover, you possess beauty and a prestigious lineage. Though it may not feel right to you personally, these aspects give you a considerable edge in your endeavors.”
Suppose a common soldier is injured and falls. Someone comes to heal his wound.
If a rural woman binds the injury with a scrap of cloth, the soldier will simply feel grateful.
But if a beautiful princess tenderly uses her handkerchief to tend to the wound, the soldier would feel deeply honored.
Though seemingly absurd, the practical effect of such a difference should not be underestimated.
Particularly in societies where class hierarchy is deeply entrenched, this holds even more truth.
In the peripheral regions of King Virca, the class system has deteriorated significantly due to the nobility’s incompetence spanning almost a hundred years. However, in the capital region where Redbell’s territory lies, many commoners still perceive nobility as inherently extraordinary and prestigious.
Cedric emphasized that this fact must be meticulously leveraged.
“Whenever possible, acknowledge hardworking retainers with words of praise. Especially commend those with outstanding achievements publicly, recognizing their efforts in front of others.”
“In matters of mistake, extend leniency. However, this does not mean indiscriminately forgiving each and every fault. While this approach may temporarily boost the retainers’ support, it will eventually weaken your authority.”
“Within your heart, establish clear standards of reward and punishment, making them at least partially discernible to the retainers. However, these standards should not be formalized into public rules. Once codified, the focus of the retainers will shift from you to following these rules.”
“Conversely, if the standards are partially revealed but not entirely disclosed, their ambiguity can serve as a potent instrument for you to wield at your discretion.”
Frankly, Claudia did not fully comprehend what Cedric was explaining.
She vaguely understood that what she had done to the servants was ‘wrong,’ but she still hadn’t grasped its severity. Nor could she effectively maintain the demeanor of a leader Cedric was advising.
In a way, it was only natural.
After living for years as a spoiled noble heiress, she couldn’t expect to change so easily just by deciding to do so.
But it mattered little.
For when Claudia made mistakes, Cedric would point them out and offer solutions for improvement.
When Claudia had doubts and asked questions, Cedric always provided clear answers.
Claudia, who wasn’t a genius to learn everything after a single teaching, was at least intelligent enough to understand through repeated instructions.
“Housemaid Paulina is somewhat troubled by her short tenure compared to her role as head maid. Having inherited the management of the maids at age 28 due to the consecutive departure of senior maids, she may appreciate acknowledgment of her authority from you, leaving a significant impression.”
“The gardener Rudolph is under significant stress because his carefully cultivated garden keeps being destroyed by the chaos caused by the blood fiends. If you casually mention that you notice his efforts despite him not verbally expressing them, he would be surely delighted.”
“Head chef Cruello is troubled because he feels you do not particularly enjoy his cuisine. Instead of merely praising his cooking, you could point out any specific changes he made in the dishes and express your preferences, which would likely encourage him to work harder.”
Time flowed gradually.
To the maid who carefully helped her with her morning grooming, Claudia said with great caution:
“Hmm. That’s good. I’m satisfied. Your skills have improved, Neria.”
The maid widened her eyes in surprise and replied with a faint smile.
“Thank you, Mistress!”
