I didn't expect Karen to understand my meaning so quickly. She immediately reached out to stop me, her eyes shining like stars:
"No need! Small matters like these don't require a master to act. Let this excellent disciple 'subdue' the kitchen for you!"
Before I could even react, the girl had already strode boldly into the kitchen. Watching that mighty little figure, I could only call after her:
"Go easy on them, don't scare anyone!"
Her "Don't worry!" echoed back and vanished behind the arched doorway.
Once Karen was gone, I removed the cloak she had draped over me and turned in another direction. The only reason I had stopped by the pond earlier was because… I smelled alcohol. Clearly, there was a wine cellar nearby.
Following the stone path by the pond toward the waterside pavilion of the southern courtyard, the scent of wine grew stronger. I was headed the right way.
I had just begun tracking the scent when soft footsteps came from the left corridor. A young man appeared, wearing a cream-colored leather jacket. He was tall and slender yet well-built, idly spinning a silver vape between his fingers. His hair was deliberately tousled, his half-smile careless, his gray-blue eyes lazy and dangerous, the kind of handsome that made a person know at first glance: trouble.
I recognized him immediately; I had seen him at the genealogical induction ceremony.
"Dominic?"
The thirteenth young master paused for a moment before recognizing me:
"Oh… Sister-in-law Vecna? What are you doing here?"
Dominic was Joseph's younger brother. Lady Lauren Anderson had three children: the eldest daughter who had married earlier, the eldest son Joseph, and the youngest son, the boy now in front of me. He was only fifteen this year but already a full head taller than I was. In a few more years, he might even surpass Joseph. As soon as he saw me, he bowed politely.
I stepped down the stone steps and stood on the path, asking:
"What are you doing all the way out here in this remote courtyard, Dominic?"
The boy casually raised his hand and pointed ahead:
"This isn't a remote courtyard, this is the wine ce..."
Before he finished, he suddenly froze, bit his lip, and stopped speaking.
So I had found the right place.
I smiled:
"So Dominic came here to… drink wine?"
His face changed color instantly.
"No, no! Sister-in-law, you misunderstand! Today I didn't… I didn't come here to drink…"
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned around to run.
I reached out and caught his sleeve, tugging lightly. Dominic nearly fell and pleaded miserably:
"Sister-in-law Vecna, I was wrong, please, please don't tell Brother Joseph! I… I just went the wrong way, that's all…"
I cut him off:
"It's alright."
Then I continued leisurely:
"Don't people often say: When there's wine, you drink. Life's too short to leave a full glass waiting. Since I've been ordered to oversee the kitchen today, I suppose it counts as my responsibility. Let me personally take Dominic to fetch some wine."
The boy stared at me, wide-eyed, stammering in disbelief:
"Sister-in-law… you're really not angry at me?"
I laughed:
"Why would I be? Drinking is the elegance of a true gentleman. It's the ones who dislike wine that are strange."
Dominic immediately thought of his cold, ascetic older brother and found my words extremely reasonable. I saw admiration light up in his eyes—as though he had found a kindred spirit.
He murmured:
"Truly… sister-in-law is more knowledgeable than most…"
And so, the two of us went straight to the estate's wine cellar together.
…
The Anderson wine vault was actually a modern cellar complex entirely isolated from the noise of the kitchen. The space was so quiet that even the wind brushing past the ornamental trees lining the path sounded as soft as breath. Warm golden lights reflected off towering shelves of oak barrels reaching to the ceiling; the scent of fresh wood blended with aged wine, creating an indescribably refined atmosphere.
The only thing that made me hesitate was the scene before the entrance: a security counter set squarely in front, and behind it a middle-aged manager, perhaps in his forties. He wore a dark-blue shirt, neatly adjusted tie, and meticulously trimmed beard. When he saw us approaching, he merely cast a sharp, professional glance in our direction before returning to the data on his tablet clearly someone accustomed to preventing all "wine-theft" in the estate.
Since this was my first time here, I couldn't read the situation clearly, so I turned to Dominic. In an instant, the boy understood: his older brother, my husband, had definitely issued a restriction for today.
But with me at his side, Dominic suddenly grew bold and stepped forward:
"Uncle Tony, Sister-in-law Vecna is overseeing the kitchen today and wants two jars of wine for cooking. Please fetch them for us."
Hearing that explanation, I found it reasonable and looked to the steward expectantly.
Uncle Tony, seeing the two of us, appeared extremely troubled. He stood up and bowed:
"Greetings, Mrs. Vecna. Greetings, Thirteenth Young Master."
Then he turned to Dominic:
"Sir has ordered that the thirteenth young master is absolutely forbidden from drinking."
The boy, knowing the blockade had long been in place, reacted quickly:
"Then what about Sister-in-law Vecna? Surely she's allowed?"
The steward replied sternly:
"Mrs. Vecna's name… was also added to the list last night."
I froze.
What list?
Dominic sighed dramatically:
"In this wine cellar, there's a blacklist… anyone whose name is written on it isn't allowed to take wine."
Me: "…"
Good heavens.
Joseph truly… left me no room to live.
…
On our way back, Dominic and I chatted quite easily. The boy was adorable and straightforward, like a kitten trying hard to act serious.
Before we parted, I patted his shoulder and reminded him:
"Your brother isn't wrong. You're still young, no need to drink yet. Once you're eighteen, it won't be too late."
He nodded earnestly, though his eyes still lingered longingly in the direction of the wine cellar. I laughed, and my mind began plotting a way to break Joseph's secret decree forbidding his wife from drinking…
…
According to court regulations, newly married officials were granted three days of leave. But Joseph had repeatedly gone to court for state matters, and when the Emperor learned of it, he sent him home early today.
Around 3 p.m., Joseph returned to his study. The stewards entered one by one to report their affairs. The first few brought important matters of the clan; the last steward only had trivial updates such as whether the lady of the house was well today, whether the thirteenth young master was studying properly…
Unexpectedly, that steward added:"Today, Mrs. Vecna received Lady Lauren's order to manage the kitchen… but not long after, she went with the thirteenth young master to the wine cell..."
The young man, noble in bearing, who had been reading with his head lowered all this time, slowly lifted his gaze. His eyes rested on the steward for several seconds, his voice cold as ice:
"Is that true?"
The steward wouldn't dare joke:
"The shadow guards saw it with their own eyes."
Joseph's lips twitched slightly. The elegant clarity in his eyes darkened, and his voice sank:
"Summon the thirteenth young master."
Dominic's study was right next to his brother's. Normally, the moment he saw Joseph, he avoided him like the plague. Today he clearly failed to escape and was dragged to the door.
Running was cowardly. Better to die gloriously.
Thinking so, the moment he reached the entrance, Dominic straightened his clothes, cleared his throat, and strode in. As soon as he passed the bookshelf and before his brother could speak he dropped to his knees with a loud thud:
"Brother, I was wrong! I shouldn't have gone to the wine cellar! I won't dare do it again!"
His voice rang like a bell, sincere as a criminal confessing sins.
Joseph lifted his eyes from his book, glanced at him coolly, and asked:
"Did you go alone?"
"Of course."Never would he betray his sister-in-law!
Joseph pressed his lips together, staring at him, then suddenly smiled. The moment his brother smiled, Dominic felt a chill down his spine:
"Brother, I'm not lying!"
Joseph said slowly:
"Did I say you were lying?"
Cold sweat trickled down Dominic's back. With his brother's abilities, he must already know everything. Gritting his teeth, Dominic decided to tell the truth:
"Brother, if one person does wrong, that one shall bear it. It truly has nothing to do with Sister-in-law. I heard she was managing the kitchen today, so I tricked her into coming along, but she didn't know anything at all."