Chapter 8
Meanwhile, at the Grand Emberforge Duchy, Aurora sat behind her father's desk surrounded by ledgers, account books, and tax records.
Page after page lay scattered across the study. As she compared figures from previous years with the most recent reports, her frown deepened.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"Young Duchess, you needn't concern yourself with these matters," Philip said gently. "The duke appointed estate managers and tax collectors to oversee the Duchy's affairs."
Unbeknownst to Philip, those very managers and collectors would eventually become one of the reasons for the Duchy's downfall.
Aurora carefully closed a ledger before looking up.
"No, Philip", Her voice remained soft but firm.
"How can I hope to inherit a Duchy one day if I do not learn how to manage one now? My parents are absent. Until they return, I intend to understand every aspect of our estate."
Philip was left speechless. Since that morning, Lady Aurora had seemed like a completely different person.
First, she cancelled tea with the Crown Prince.
Then she spent hours reviewing financial records. Now she was speaking about estate management. He could not decide whether this change was a blessing or a cause for concern.
Meanwhile, Aurora continued comparing the figures. The more she investigated, the more suspicious she became. The rents collected from tenants had steadily decreased over the years. Yet according to reports, the number of farms and tenants had remained largely unchanged.
That made no sense.
At the same time, household expenses had increased dramatically. The manor housed roughly the same number of people as it had years ago, yet food costs had nearly doubled.
Aurora tapped her finger against the desk.
Someone was lying. The only question was who.
"Philip."
"Yes, My Lady?"
"Who is responsible for purchasing groceries for the kitchen?"
Philip blinked, "Groceries?"
Aurora immediately realized her mistake.
She had said groceries, modern words, she needs to be careful when speaking.
Another habit from her second life.
"My apologies," she corrected smoothly. "I mean the provisions for the kitchen."
Understanding returned to Philip's face.
"The Head Cook prepares a list of required supplies. I approve the funds and the supplier delivers the goods. The kitchen staff then receive and store the deliveries."
Aurora nodded slowly.
How she missed computers. A few spreadsheets and a calculator would have revealed the discrepancies in minutes. Instead, she was forced to compare every line by hand.
Still, the numbers weren't difficult to understand. They simply didn't add up.
"My Lady..." Philip hesitated.
"Is there a problem?"
Aurora ignored the question.
"Who oversees the servants and gardeners?"
"The Head Maid, Mrs. Olivia Scott. She manages recruitment, discipline, and the daily operations of the household staff."
Philip's curiosity grew. Lady Aurora's questions were becoming increasingly specific.
"And what exactly are your duties, Philip?"
The butler straightened.
"I oversee the manor, ensure everything operates according to the duke's standards, and carry out the orders of the Duke, Duchess, and yourself."
Aurora leaned back.
"So, in other words, the Head Cook gives you a list, the Head Maid gives you a list, and you approve payment."
Philip frowned, "When you put it that way... yes."
"And do you verify the supplies before payment is made?"
Silence.
Philip suddenly looked uncomfortable, "No, My Lady."
Aurora's eyes narrowed, "Do you verify the number of servants receiving wages?"
"No."
The room became eerily quiet. Philip slowly realized where her questions were leading.
"The duke usually reviewed these matters personally, but since the war—"
Before he could finish, Aurora stood. She gathered several supply lists from the desk.
"Emily. Philip. Come with me."
Without waiting for a response, she strode from the study.
Emily and Philip hurried after her.
Several servants watched nervously as the young lady marched through the manor with purpose.
Word spread quickly. Lady Aurora was investigating something.
No one knew what, but everyone felt uneasy.
When Aurora entered the kitchen, conversations immediately stopped.
The staff froze.
Pots stopped clanging.
Knives stopped chopping.
The room fell silent. Every servant quickly lined up and bowed.
"My Lady," Head Cook Alfred greeted nervously. "What brings you to the kitchen today?"
Aurora calmly surveyed the room, "Emily, fetch me a chair, paper, ink, and a quill."
"At once, My Lady."
"Anne, accompany Philip."
Both women immediately obeyed.
Alfred shifted uneasily, "My Lady... has something happened?"
Aurora held up several supply lists, "We are about to find out."
A bead of sweat rolled down Alfred's forehead.
"Philip."
"Yes, My Lady?"
"Take these lists. Compare every item listed here against the contents of the shelves and storage rooms."
Philip's eyes widened, "My Lady?"
"I want every sack, every crate, every barrel, every piece of produce counted."
Aurora's gaze swept across the room, "Everything."
No one moved, "Am I clear?"
"Y-Yes, My Lady."
The tension in the room became suffocating. Some servants exchanged nervous glances. Others stared at the floor. One kitchen maid looked moments away from fainting.
Aurora noticed every reaction. Interesting.
Emily soon returned with a chair, paper, ink, and a quill. Aurora sat calmly at the centre of the kitchen. Like a judge presiding over a trial.
"Guards."
A young knight immediately stepped forward.
"What is your name?"
"Jack, My Lady. Second Grade Knight Jack Turner."
"Stand beside me until this inspection is complete."
"Yes, My Lady."
Jack positioned himself nearby. The presence of an armed knight only increased everyone's anxiety.
Outside the kitchen, rumours spread through the manor like wildfire. Servants whispered in corridors. Gardeners abandoned conversations. Even maids from distant wings of the manor wanted to know what was happening.
Yet no one dared approach.
Everyone knew Lady Aurora was investigating. And no one wanted to become involved.
As Philip and Anne began counting supplies, Aurora quietly sipped her tea. While waiting, her gaze drifted around the kitchen. The sight stirred unexpected memories.
She thought of Sarah. Her modern mother. Christmas cookies cooling on metal trays.
Sunday breakfasts filled with laughter. The smell of pancakes. The sound of music playing while they cooked together. Those simple moments suddenly felt priceless.
A pang of homesickness gripped her chest.
"I miss you, Mom," she whispered silently.
Then her thoughts shifted to Duchess Ambrose. Unlike Sarah, her noble mother rarely entered the kitchen herself. Yet she always made sure Aurora's favourite meals appeared whenever she requested them. Aurora smiled faintly.
She suddenly wondered whether the Duchess even knew how to cook.
The image of her elegant mother attempting to bake bread nearly made her laugh.
For a moment, the tension eased. But only briefly.
Because deep down, Aurora already suspected what Philip's investigation would uncover. Someone had been stealing from the Ambrose Duchy.
And she intended to find out exactly who.
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